Sabbatical (if you haven't noticed)

My friends came out for my first practice in our new house this morning

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.  The posting has been light.  The workload in life has been heavy (but delightful for the most part).

Sifting and sorting through are happening in dramatic fashion.  So, for the moment, I think in favor of getting on my mat rather than the internet when I encounter a free moment,  I'm having a bloggity sabbatical.

Mainly, writing this relieves the guilt I've been feeling about wanting to write but not having the time, and having the time but then losing the thread of inspiration.  And, well, I don't want to just write to fill up time and space. We all have enough stuff on the internet to do that for us.

I'm not sure how much time I'm going to need, and this isn't a total walk away, I'll still drop in occasionally.  And I full well KNOW I'll be back and will be bursting with things to say (it's all just in seed form right now).

BUT in the meantime, I'm still teaching.  And, you can keep connecting on Facebook or email.  (And, you know, if we're tight I could even talk to you on the phone or in PERSON! holy Shiva/Shakti)

Best to you all.  More soon.
S

Friday Viewing

(Oh Dear, they've changed the whole layout for posting to this blog... this could take me a little while to sort out.  BUT everything else in my life is changing, why not this too?)


I know.  You've seen this.  I've seen this.  BUT, it bears repeating.  Again and again and again.

This piece on vulnerability came through my facebook and my email a few months back and I didn't even bother to open it up.  I just couldn't get to it though I meant to.  And then, just a few weeks ago, as I was diving into just this very topic in my life coaching process I finally opened it up.

This is a brilliant story with the research to back it up.  This is where I'm working.  This is what I want you to see, or see again if you've seen it before.

Have a good weekend!

Friday Quote

" Changes of mind can be observed primarily in our relationships with other people. Relationships are the real test of whether we actually understand ourselves better."

- T. K. V. Desikachar

About "Give Love"

Here's what I've been thinking:

It seems to me that many of us "get it." At least, many of the people around me, the so called "awake" peeps we GET IT that LOVE is the answer. Whatever the question LOVE is the answer. Everything we say is either an appeal for love or an offering of love. Every problem in this world might even be solved through the application of a heaping dose of love. Love fixes all situations. Love Love Love. Yes. This I get. And I may be a utopian dreamer but when everyone in the world GETS IT - the power of love vs the love of power etc. - this world will be absolutely transformed.

Yoga got me here. Particularly, Anusara yoga with Todd and Ann.

And so when I graduated teacher training this was my thought: "Give Love" just go out and pour it out. And when I asked at a Kula Jam recently "What is your intention?" the answers came back "spread joy" "share love" etc.

Obviously, we get it.

I think it's the HOW that is tripping us up. HOW do you Give LOVE? I mean, really, for real... how do you truly let someone know they are loved? I am so inspired and filled with love for everyone around me and yet something gets in the way of me pouring it out from the fountain that is pretty much never ending on the inside.

Coaching is getting me here.

Buying and making and doing for others does work to an extent. I think service to humanity in any form is an important way of giving love. But buying, making, doing for my friends and family is not deep down letting the people around me know how much I care about them. Here is what IS letting them know:

paying attention to them.

listening

making the time

hearing how important their situation is to them

offering my opinion in a kind way

releasing my judgements of them

releasing blame and obligation

saying I'm sorry

showing respect

revealing myself (particularly revealing my imperfections/and therefore allowing for theirs)

touching them

thanking them

and of course, telling them in a very real way that I see them and I love all that I see

It appears to be time and intangibles that let people know most of all. holding the space for the person to be who they are, as they are, in that moment. And then just loving that person in that moment. (Hard as it is sometimes)

I think I'll be unpacking and exploring some of these ideas in the next few weeks. but it's important you know. once you get it... how do you DO it. because if you just get it and keep it to yourself, it's kind of like you didn't get it at all. not if it doesn't make a difference to anyone else. and if it doesn't make a difference to anyone else, how will it be reflected back to you and if it hasn't been reflected back to you how will you remember to 'get it' and 'feel it' again. it might just be lost.

Go out Give Love. Let me know how you do it.

Friday Quote

Love is the only reality and it is not a mere sentiment.

It is the ultimate truth that lies at the heart of creation.

Rabindranth Tagore

THIS I believe

I Believe in the power of Love

I believe the way we treat each other matters

I believe the way we speak to each other matters

I believe the way we think and think about each other matters

I believe we have the power to shift each other to the positive or negative in an instant

I believe in looking for the positive, and on the bright side, without ignoring the shadow

I believe in empowering children

I believe in taking only what we need

I believe in giving and serving

I believe in starting at home, on the inside, with Me

I believe the way we treat strangers has an impact we may never see or know but could be profound

I believe Healing is possible and real -- and doesn't necessarily happen medically

I believe the way we birth our children and care for new mothers says a lot about us and is very important

I believe in patience and compassion

I believe in Radical Acceptance

I believe in forgiveness, making amends, and saying "I'm sorry"

I believe in letting people, encouraging people actually to be WHO they ARE and bring out their best

I believe in the healing power of touch

I believe in taking responsibility

I believe in the importance of silence

I believe in singing out loud and dancing with exuberance and soul

I believe the world can change and heal

I believe in cooperation and compassion rather than competition

I believe in following my Heart

I believe in saying Thank-You

I believe babies should be held, children should be held, adults and elders should be held

I believe the body, mind, heart and spirit are intimately linked and if you change one part you change every part

I believe a hug can really make a difference

I believe in working with total passion and commitment

I believe all of life is intricately connected

I believe in the power of community and that the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts

I believe you are made of Love, and I am too,

I believe in the power of Love.

What will you add?

Linger Longer

clouds over the Indian Ocean

I like the way the clouds are hanging in the photo above. It was a lovely day flowing into a lovely evening when I took that picture and there was just nothing to do in that moment but stop and watch the lazy fluffy clouds floating in on the breeze. They just hang there as the sun goes down and the waves come in.

Recently I've noticed I could stand to cultivate a little of that -just hanging there- mentality. My daughter spent the weekend with her grandparents two weeks ago while I worked on the house and prepped for the workshop. I noticed that even with her gone I had a hard time slowing down. I couldn't sit still for dinner more than just long enough to eat my meal. I couldn't stop myself from moving around the house until almost 24 hours after she left when I allowed myself one of my favorite indulgences: a 5pm mini-nap.

And since her return, and our decision to move houses I've been like a tightly wound spring. Any free instant I bounce into action to clear a cupboard of clutter, or to plan plan plan for the next thing I have to do. I'm doing mountains of laundry and baking up a storm to start to clear the pantry. While I have made a point to get on the mat daily - I'm scheduled so close that the instant savasana is finished I'm springing into action on my next activity.

The result? I feel like s---. crummy. tight. irritated. Vata deranged, pitta deranged, kapha depleted. My body hurts and I'm running a constant headache due to my shoulders trying to eat my neck... yikes! This isn't what I'm hoping to offer myself or my students.

In the last day or so I've been trying to downshift. I'm trying my best to open up my schedule with even the tiniest of windows so that I can indeed come out of savasana to just sit there a few minutes before running on to the next thing, maybe even journal.

Allowing myself to linger in the moment and the next moment gives me a little bit of space in my brain. Lingering over my delicious meal, over a hug with my sweetie, and certainly after my practice lets it all sink in so that I actually notice what is happening right then and there.

I guess what I'm trying to do is: Linger in the Present. What a gift! Rather than running headlong forward into the next item. It sounds lovely and refreshing. The few moments I've been able to do it have been exceptional. Let's see how it goes for the next few weeks.