As Long as this Exists

Yesterday, after a long weekend on a bus with rowdy boys to Culver, Indiana to play two high school lacrosse games, I needed a little quiet time. (We won a game on Saturday and lost one on Sunday; overall, a positive experience.) With too much on my mind, I headed over to Hudson Springs Park for a run, but ended up walking the loop around the lake. 

 At one point, along a marshy alcove near the woods, I came across a stork-like bird, perhaps, a type of crane with a long yellow beak, creeping with its long legs, looking for fish. (I confess I wish I knew my ornithology better - oh, someday.) 

For a moment, I hesitated, and accepted the bench's invitation, sitting down to watch the bird snap up a small fish and swiftly swallow it. Then, with its expansive wings outstretched, the bird flapped three times and fluttered twenty some yards over to the other side of the alcove's shores, and fished some more. Finally, after another unlucky fish, the great bird took flight and soared towards the center of the lake, banking right, flying North over my head. 

On the far side of the lake, two men sat in a small fishing boat. From a distance, they appeared motionless. The sun, setting, sent long shadows and slivers of reflected skylight. Another day. Another weekend. Another month drawing to a close. I sat in stillness without a word. 

Then, today, I read Writer's Almanac; through this excerpt from Ann Frank, my experience had words for the solace that I could not express the previous evening.



As long as this exists...


by Anne Frank

"As long as this exists," I thought, "and I may live to see it, this sunshine, the cloudless skies, while this lasts, I cannot be unhappy." The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.


"As long as this exists..." by Anne Frank, excerpt from The Diary of a Young Girl. © Bantam Books, 1986. Reprinted with permission. (buy now)

http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/#

How to sit

Seated method:

1. Get comfortable.
2. Stack head over shouldersa.
3. Straighten spine without tension.
4. Feel your sit bones supporting you.
5. Close eyes.
6. Release eye tension behind eyelids.
7. Soften skin on forehead.
8. Breathe in and out through the nose.
9. Watch your breath.
10. The mind will begin to think and you will begin to notice your thinking because the body is still and the mind is watchful.
11. When you notice that you are thinking, bring your mind's eye back to the breath without disturbance, judgment, or self-criticism.
12. Avoid harming your mindstate. Open to a state of watchfulness without reproach.
13. Notice if your pattern is to judge (particularly yourself).
14. Soften and keep coming back to the breath in your mind's eye.

It seems like you aren't doing much. In fact, you are doing a great deal. You are starting to Be. You are breaking habits by noticing your habits. Thoughts are habits.

Watch and be alert.

As soon as thoughts arise, coming back to the breath can, literally, change the way you think.

As soon as you change the thought process by coming from a place of non-judgment, you start to act from a heart-centered place of love. And this is where the magic happens. In this realm of the heart, karma, or past actions can be cleansed.

It takes constant practice.

You can do it!--Charry

An encounter

Encounter the elements. There are earth, fire, water, air, and ether within us. When we go out into nature, we automatically connect to our inner elements and tune their vibrations to the outter elements of nature. This puts us in synch with the world in and around us. This buffs the rough edges of the mind. This sands down the edginess of the nerve endings that get frayed from our life of constant stimulation. We need,  more than anything else, a refuge. A place to go to help us return to our deepest inner essence and the ultimate, seamless vibration of the one true Self. All the elements are ready and waiting. Find the time. Go inward.

A Heavy Dose of Inspiration from a 92-Year Old Yoga Teacher. {Video}

A Heavy Dose of Inspiration from a 92-Year Old Yoga Teacher. {Video}

Life as we know it

We are constantly making snap judgments about things and people. Our brains are constantly saying that this is good, or this is bad. Based upon our own limited knowledge and understanding of life, we decide how things should be done. Most of the time we end up repeating things that our parents had done. Most of the time we end up copying. Without even knowing it.

So, sit. Find You in there. It is separate from who You think you are, or ought to be, Out There.

Out There- scary.

Inside- safe.

"Get over yourself."
"Get out of your own way."
"Don't believe your story."

It is the mind that causes suffering. Attachment to the mind and its thoughts causing suffering.

Meditation allows us the space to realize the Supreme Self.

Take the time to sit. It is worth every breath.

--Charry

Wise

My daughter, Beckett (7), had a hard time falling asleep last night. This is what she said was the problem.

"Everytime I close my eyes bad thoughts come up in my mind. Things that I said or did that were bad. The good thoughts don't come up because I know that if those things happen again, they will be good. But when I close my eyes, I can't stop those bad thoughts from coming."

And, then, always the rational one in the family, my husband, Mike, says: "Well, can't you just think about the good thoughts?"

If only we could....

She finally fell asleep, couldn't wake her up in the morning, almost late for school.

Then, this morning, my son, Maddox (6), asked me: "What do you do after I get on the bus? I guess if I stayed home sick, I would find out."

Ah, yes, we all spend our life in the self-centered, self-contained bubble. I mean, how could anyone's life "go on" without us?

I am learning a lot here in NEO!--Charry

Spring storms

The unpredictability of spring is part of the fun. Just when we get used to something, it changes. Just when we get attached to how things "are", they change. Or, is change the reality and it is our desire to control that makes us want things to stay the same?

I have been trying to plant daily seeds with practice. Some days it is much easier than others to "find" the time, to "settle", to feel good in the practice. And then there are days that it is nearly impossible to pry myself away from work, kids, day to day "stuff" and get on the mat or cushion. And then, even more frustrating to find that when I do force myself to the practice, it feels all wrong, I feel tight, my mind can't stop with the chatter and the to-do list. But, then I remind myself. One is not "better" than the other. Be patient.

The fight and the frustration is no better or worse than the pleasure and the perfect flow. They are both placed there as the teacher. And then, in the end, it is necessary to surrender the outcome anyway. So, I can start again if it feels off or I can open and be receptive when it feels good.

Facing what is and sitting with it as it is. There is no need for the practice to be any other way than what arises. It is just a matter of practice.

Spring is a great time to understand change and volatility. We don't have to rejoice with the sun and lament in the rain. Both bring the right flowers and growth in the right time. Witness the changes without getting caught up in the big swing of the season.

--Charry

It takes a year...

It takes at least a year for 15 minutes of meditation to become a habit.

When you have created the habit of "doing" for 30-40-50+ years, creating a new habit of sitting and "doing nothing" is going to take a while.

So many students get frustrated because they don't see any progress with their flexibility when they come to yoga class. But, what they are forgetting is that they come to class, maybe, 1 hour a week, and sit/run/walk/drive/etc. for the rest of the hours of their week. How can there be change? Or, rather, change may still come, but at a dinosaur's pace. In other words, you may be extinct before your hamstrings get any looser.

That is why the practice is so important. If you sit for a few days or weeks or months, awaken a little bit, become a little more sensitive, then stop, let life take over, then, there will be frustration. Unless, you acknowledge that, oh yes, didn't practice. Of course. There has to be a reaction to the non-action too. Remember that choosing not to practice is a choice. Choosing the To-Do list over the 15 minutes of sitting is a choice. You may not think it is. You may think that life is just too busy right now. But, that is a way of training the will too. That is training the weakness of the will.

Of course, there will always be the curve ball. There will always be the vacation, the illness, the crazy actual insane curve ball of real life that can't be ignored and then, the practice really comes to life, and all that you were working for is put into real use. Patience. Surrender. Breath. At some point, this is all we will have.

And, That, is why we make ourselves sit. Now. Every day. Planting seeds. For when the time comes, when we need our inner strength to make it through, we will have done all that we could have.

Do the work. Be receptive. --Charry

Rain and seeds

Practice today. Crucial.

Tapping into the nectar of the One Source. Critical.

Being with the breath. Illimitable.

I hope you all can find the time to sit, to breathe, to pierce inward.

Do any of us really have the time to "just" sit?

Or, rather, can any of us really afford not to "just" sit?

Getting down to the essentials:
1. Health
2. Inner/spiritual growth
3. Love

Ok, maybe Love should be #1 on the list. Make today about what is #1 on your list. Plant the seeds to make your life about #1 on your list through every thought, word and action.

Become the #1 on your List of Essentials. Try it!--Charry

Back to Fear

Fear of the unknown= Impatience= Ego

There is wisdom in patience. How?

There are very high practices in the yoga tradition, of which I know none of, but sound amazingly cool and transcendental. But, if the student is not ready for their transmission, but reads about them in a book, or learns of them from a rogue "teacher", the student could literally lose her mind. That is why the teacher/student relationship is so important. Only when the teacher sees that the student has done the work and is ready, will the teacher transmit the energy and potency of the practices. This will then help rather than hinder the student's true practice- Preya vs. Shreya.

When the teacher or the student is impatient, it means that they are actually glorifying their Egos.

When the teacher "pushes" someone into a pose that ends up causing injury to the student, that is Ego, that is the impatience of the teacher.

When the student "pushes" herself into a pose that ends up causing injury, that is Ego manifest, that is the impatience of the student.

When you do pranayama, or breath practices without having the foundation of a healthy and prepared body through asana, or postures, you could cause mental injury.

When you do meditation practices without being grounded in foundational practices such as Beginner's Mind, you could move out into the ether and cause harm to yourself and others.

Be patient with where you are right now, in this moment, with what is right in front of you. You do not have to grasp into the dark, into the future, or live in the past. There is enough right here, with this breath, for you to work with.

Strengthen your will. Be here now. Be receptive.--Charry

Believe

Elena mentioned Preya and Shreya in today's blast. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of her talking about these concepts last year. She was giggling away about the illiteration and the qualities of each in the same giggle.

We are so conditioned to find pleasure in everything we do. That instant gratification that actually causes suffering.

I like to shop. I would say that I have used shopping to squelch a broken heart, a big loss, or just a fowl mood. It felt great in the moment. All the colors, sounds, smells (love perfumes!)... And then, I would get the bill. Oh goodness. Now what have I done? Where did the pleasure go? How lasting is this pain?

I have also found many a night with friends downing tequilla! Yowza! Talk about pleasure. Lots of laughs, numbness, good times... but, oh, the lasting pain and suffering the next day.

And, now, parenting. Even harder to know what is the Preya and what is the Shreya. Time outs, hard lines, enforcement. Picking the battles. Knowing how to say "no" and mean it and enforce it. Tough stuff.

And, then, finding time to exercise, choosing the right foods, taking time (seemingly selfishly) for myself.

The only thing I can do is make one choice at a time. Plant one seed at a time. That is the only thing to do. Otherwise, life would start to become overwhelming. But, trying not judge all of my actions and who I am is the key. Sometimes, our best traits become our worst traits and our worst traits become our best. (Taken from Amy Cook of the Yoga Lounge:)) So, there really is no "good" or "bad" parts to us. We are just us. We are who we should be. It is in the forgetting of That when we get pulled off center and seek the immediate gratification of food, drink, shopping, company, busy-ness: the Preya, that makes us suffer.

Ha, now just putting it into action... The tough part.--Charry

Free Fish

As I read a recent Living Yoga 365 post on agape and came to the reference to free fish, I recalled the movie Dolphin Tale.

Before watching the movie, the images in my mind of a dolphin were swimming free in the ocean. After watching the movie, new images are in my mind -- the dolphin, injured on the beach, the dolphin rescued and taken to the marine rescue, the dolphin trying to swim without a tail, the dolphin causing injury to its spine by its renegotiated swimming method, the dolphin with artificial tail, the dolphin rejecting the artificial tail, and ultimately, the dolphin accepting the modified tail and swimming free.

The inspirational storyline of Dolphin Tale teaches us not to give up when all seems hopeless. The story of Winter, the dolphin, obviously is what drives this film, but relationships are what makes this movie so emotional and visceral. True hope stems from connections.

On a recent business trip to Florida, I took a detour from my ultimate destination to stop by and visit Winter. What I found was a Clearwater Marine Aquarium in transition. Struggling for many years with run-down facilities due to a lack of funds, the movie Dolphin Tale provided interest and awareness and brought crowds and funds to modernize. For some, this would might taint the real story to see such commercialization. For me, it increased the ability for CMA to touch lives of number of children with disabilities that could connect to the story of Winter and find hope.

If you have not seen the movie, here is the trailer:






Best
Sandee

Friendship

My daughter is involved in a soccer "World Cup" tourney at school (2nd grade P.E.). She came home the other day very excited.

"Mommy, Mommy, Yabi and Ava had trouble in friendship today."

"Yabi and Ava are best friends. Best friends! And they had trouble in friendship today because of soccer."

"Yabi's team played Ava's team today and Ava, forgetting that Yabi was on the other team, said some really mean things. They stood up to each other, in each other's faces and said mean things to each other. Because of the game! They didn't even play together at recess. They had real trouble in friendship today."

Think about it! How hard it is to lose. How hard it is to win. How we "forget" ourselves all the time. How we say things that cause so much suffering to ourselves and those closest to us. How we are costantly "having trouble in friendship" because we want satisfaction in the moment.

As a female athlete it was, and remains, difficult to be the most competitive person on the field, in the classroom, seemingly in life. So, how do we find that balance? How do we resist our own impatience? When the will is fierce and determined, how do we direct it to our benefit and the benefit of those around us?

That is some tough stuff to face. Yowza! --Charry

I'm reading the blog again now after a long hiatus. Sandee I understand your difficulty with being laid up. I think it's hard to find serenity in pain. March was taken up with recuperating from pneumonia that came on suddenly last days of Feb. Left me with some physical issues also that require physical therapy (details are boring). Physical therapy people are so encouraging.

This new subject seems to be quite what I need right now. I'm thinking of wearing a bracelet that I haven't worn much, as a reminder. In fact I'll put it on right now. Namaste. Emy

Regaining my equilibrium

“The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.” ~Norbet Platt

I have been feeling quite at at odds since I injured my back few weeks ago. I have experienced a range of emotions that have rocked my world. I have always prided myself on being strong and independent. I saw the Caroline Myss quote over the weekend and decided maybe it is time to let my soul do its work. I did not know how to start that process until I saw the above quote by Norbet Platt. I am putting this down on paper, well keystrokes, to try to silence my mind and start moving forward.

My first reaction -- denial. If I pretended I did not feel the slight pain, then it did not exist. I knew I did not feel quite "right," but a little discomfort was not going to slow me down. That worked for a few days. Then, a week ago Saturday, as I climbed the stairs in my house I received a blast of reality. Sharp, jabbing, mind numbing pain from head to toe.

Second reaction --panic. Oh no! What have a done? After a period of time, the pain dissipated, so I went on my way. I was not going to allow some pain to interrupt my scheduled plans. As the evening went on, the pain worsened. Finally, I do not know if it was fear, anxiety or a bit of reason, but I allowed my parents to take me to the emergency room.

Third reaction -- pain now officially is in charge and has gotten my attention. At this point, I was so out of it, that I could barely answer the basic questions the ER staff asked me. Thank goodness for my Mother and a very patient and caring ER staff.

Fourth reaction -- PAIN REIGNS! Now what am I going to do? My husband is out of the country on business and how will I care for our pups? What about all the work I need to do to prepare for an upcoming business trip? How did I seriously think I was going to take a flight west, when I could not sit in a chair for 5 minutes?

It was time for a dose of reality...

First reality -- NOW I KNOW WHAT PAIN IS! It hurts to sit, walk, lie down, to be. My mind is alive with the sounds of how what's, whys, how's. I am overwhelmed with pain.

Second reality -- Thank goodness for the loving kindness of a support team that swooped in and took over, so I would do not further damage to myself.

Third reality -- Time heals if you allow it to do so.

A week later, I have greatly reduced pain and discomfort. I am working with a physical therapist to gain my strength back. I have cancelled my business trip and I am easing slowly back into work. I am striving to understand I have limits. I am trying to put my EGO in check find patience. I need to give my mind a vacation and allow my soul to help me heal. This post is my first step in that direction. I know I may stumble along the way, but tonight I am able to see the path with much better clarity.

Thank you for helping me regain my equilibrium.

Namaste,

Sandee

One-Moment Meditation "How to Meditate in a Moment"

Thank you Charry for your very helpful post today about the practice of meditation.

I came across this clip tonight and I thought I would share it. Moments can become minutes and minutes can become more...

Enjoy!

Namaste,
Sandee

The Practice

What does meditation give us? Nothing.

Why should we sit and watch our mind wander and strut its stuff and show us who is boss? We don't have to.

What is the point of sitting, doing nothing, when we have so much on our plates already? There is no point.

This is what I suggest. I only suggest it because it has felt good to me. Try it, it may not feel good to you. You will have to find your own way in the end. But, this has helped me.

1. Get comfortable in your seat. Use a bolster, cushion, or blanket. Maybe a chair- when my right knee aches enough, I sit up higher. The spine is what is important. Not too loose. Not too tight. (That instruction helps me thanks to Elena.)
2. Breathe normally and settle in. This seems to take longer on some days than others. Patience is the key. I am practicing to strengthen my patience muscle. Not easy.
3. Turn the mind's eye onto the breath. As though the breath were a "thing" to watch and "see" from the inside. Turn the breath into a thread to watch.
4. Become entranced by the breath. The breath then becomes like a snake, dancing and performing its miracle within and without me. I do not attach myself to the breath. I am enthralled by its "thereness".
5. Thoughts of daily life arise to distract me. Like Thich Nhat Hahn mentioned, I tell the thoughts: "not now. I am on a 15 minute holiday from you. Come back later."
6. Repeat breath by breath.
7. Time to go. I give my thanks, prayers and salutations. I let go of anything I might have "gained" or "lost". I try not to attach myself to "my" practice. I try to remember that I am not my practice.

There are days when this is more "enjoyable" than others. But, it is in the regularity of it that brings the understanding. It is the understanding of impermanence and change. Feeling good today. Clear. Divine flow happening. Not so good today. Clogged. But still Divine Flow. "Good"/"Bad" these are just my mind's/Ego's tricks of projection. Judgments are just that, attachments to our Ego.

The practice of meditation and yoga bring space. The space to remember Who I Am! It is ok if I feel strong. It is ok if I feel weak. But that is not me. I am, underneath the layers of conditioning and armor, pure, whole and in tact. Whatever the mix that is me, acceptance and understanding are crucial. Compassion. Lovingkindness.

I plant the seeds. Every day, I create the space. Because it is important to me. --Charry

Injuries and set backs

There will come a day when we have to face an injury, a diagnosis, a systemic flare up, the onset of an allergy, a cold, the pain and suffering of our child....

There will come a day when we will have to face lethargy, depression, mania, loss of memory, dymentia,...

There will come a day when we are hospitalized.

There will come a day when we just need to stay in bed.

There will come a day when we can't do anything for ourselves and need help.

There will come a day when we will really need our yoga practice- the connection to the Divine Inner Source of Compassion and Wisdom.

There will come a day when we will realize what we thought was yoga practice, was just kindergarten play. When we come to this day that we are literally brought down to our knees, we will have only one thing left in our yogic arsenal- Surrender.

So, sit now. Sit, today. Because you can. Because it is there for you.

If you are having one of those days where the pain is too great, the depression too heavy, the anxiety too overwhelming, or the body needing rest, then listen... and Surrender.

--Charry

In from Bruce...

Doingthe Remarkable by Jim Rohn



When it comesto meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question:What can you do, starting today, that will make a difference? What can you doduring economic chaos? What can you do when everything has gone wrong? What canyou do when you've run out of money, when you don't feel well and it's all gonesour? What can you do?

Let me giveyou the broad answer first. You can do the most remarkable things, no matterwhat happens. People can do incredible things, unbelievable things, despite themost impossible or disastrous circumstances.

Here is whyhumans can do remarkable things: because they are remarkable. Humans aredifferent than any other creation. When a dog starts with weeds, he winds upwith weeds. And the reason is because he's a dog. But that's not true withhuman beings. Humans can turn weeds into gardens.

Humans canturn nothing into something, pennies into fortune, and disaster into success.

And thereason they can do such remarkable things is because they are remarkable. Tryreaching down inside of yourself; you'll come up with some more of thoseremarkable human gifts. They're there, waiting to be discovered and employed.

With thosegifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. And Ichallenge you to do that because you can change. If you don't like howsomething is going for you, change it. If something isn't enough, change it. Ifsomething doesn't suit you; change it. If something doesn't please you, change it.You don't ever have to be the same after today. If you don't like your presentaddress, change it—you're not a tree!

If there is onething to get excited about, it's your ability to make yourself do the necessarythings, to get a desired result, to turn the negative into success. That's trueexcitement.

Non-attachment to the seeds

Think about all the little things we do or say that have an alterior implication. We do something nice to make someone like us. We say something endearing to receive a thank you. We help someone so they feel endebted to us. We rush to defend someone so we can be perceived as the righteous one. We buy our children a toy so they will behave. We take our children shopping so they like to be with us. We give someone a promotion so they will get off our back. We give someone a higher grade than they deserve so their parents won't be upset. We give a player praise even when they didn't do a good job so they don't complain. We play a song in class that we know people like so they will like our class. We hire someone's friend so they will repay us one day.

Take a look at all the strings of attachment to the acts we "offer" throughout the day.

Now, what if we truly offered compassion without a price tag. What if we offered honesty without aggression. What if we gave love freely without needing anything back in return.

Plant seeds that need no reassurance, no reciprocation, no emotional feedback loop. Just plant without expectations or attachment to the fruits of the seeds.

Now that is a tricky and tough yoga practice.

--Charry