New Year's Eve

We are on the doorsteps of a New Year - on the threshold looking in...

We are heading towards the darkness of night, and the dawn of a new day and year...

This morning I read these simple words, written as a prayer:

"Dear God, on the eve of this New Year
teach me that yesterday is history,
tomorrow is a mystery,
but today is the present
and that it why it is called a gift."

And then, right before my morning meditation, these words by Paramahansa Yogananda:

"Let us forget the sorrows of the past
and make up our minds
not to dwell on them in the New Year.
With determination and unflinching will,
let us renew our lives,
our good habits,
and our successes.
If the last year has been hopelessly bad,
the New Year must be hopefully good."

And, to all who read these words - to your and your beloved ones:
May your New Year be full of love,
grace and peace,
love and harmony,
and filled with countless blessings!

Christmas - The Incarnation of Love

On this Christmas morning, I sit in meditation, and the insight comes to me, that this Sacred Day, is really all about the Incarnation of Love. God, who is the Source of All Love, Incarnates as a child and in our hearts to show us that Love is all there is...

I emerge from a long and quiet meditation, as a few delicate flurries dance joyously outside my window, fully cognizant of the reality that Love is all that matters. Only Love endures. Even in the scriptures, St. Paul asserts, "that of these three, Faith, Hope, and Love, the greatest of these is Love..."

I wrote a beloved friend yesterday, and told her, that my new murti of Hanuman, who exemplifies loyalty, devotion, and love, had arrived just before Christmas to show me the Way to Love. He has come into my sacred space to break my heart open - that it may most fully give and receive Love...

As I prepared remarks for a dear friend's memorial service, I thought of how all who would gather there, would do so in Love...

Such is the nature of Love, that when we give it away, and divide it over and over again, it multiplies - it does not diminish. Love remains always, the same - no less full - and in no way lessened...

Last night, at Midnight Mass, under a canopy of incense, rising to the very Presence of God, while singing hymns accompanied by a full choir and brass ensemble, I was reminded, that all who gathered there, did so in Love...

On this Sacred Day, take time for Love, in whichever way it comes, and whatever way it is offered, and take time to offer a few moments to the Source of all Love...

I offer here, this beautiful Christmas meditation, that comes from Paramahansa Yogananda...

A Christmas Message
MEDITATION FOR CHRISTMAS MORN
By Paramahansa Yogananda

The following excerpt is from Metaphysical Meditations
by Paramahansa Yogananda
(Self-Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles.
Reprinted with permission.)

"Celebrate the birth of Christ in the cradle of your consciousness during the Christmas season. Let His vast perception in Nature, in space, and in universal love be felt within your heart.

Break the limitations of caste, color, race, religious prejudice, and inharmony, that the cradle of your heart be big enough to hold within you the Christ-love for all creation.

On every Christmas morn of your inner perception, prepare precious packages of divine qualities and deliver them to the beloved souls who gather around the Christmas tree of inner awakening to commemorate His birth in understanding, truth, and bliss.

Celebrating the birth of omniscient, omnipresent Christ Consciousness on the joyous Christmas festivity of your inner awakening, you will find the unbroken happiness of your dreams.

Let the omniscient Christ Consciousness come to earth a second time and be born in you, even as it was manifested in the consciousness of Jesus."

Christmas Blessings to all!

Christmas Eve 1513 AD and 2010 AD

On this Sacred Eve of Christmas, I make two offerings - one written by Fra Giovanni in 1513 AD, and the second, humbly penned by me.

May God's Love and Presence continue to Incarnate in your hearts, and may you always scatter the fruits of your love, your life, and actions, illuminating darkened corners everywhere!

Written on Christmas Eve 1513

I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep.
There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much,
very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can
come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven!
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant.
Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within
our reach, is joy. There is a radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see.
And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver. But we, judging its gifts by their covering,
cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard. Remove the covering, and you
will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power.
Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel's hand that brings it to you.
Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty,
believe me, that angel's hand is there.
The gift is there and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Your joys too,
be not content with them as joys. They, too conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering,
that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven.
Courage then to claim it; that is all!
But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together,
wending through unknown country home.

And so, at this time, I greet you, not quite as the world sends greetings,
but with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and
forever, the day breaks and shadows flee away.

~ Fra Giovanni

Christmas 2010

This Christmas...

Love. Love totally and completely.
Love without restraint.
Love with total abandon.

Forgive. Forgive everything.
Forgive every ancient grudge.
Forgive the Unforgivable.

Hope. Hope for a better world.
Hope for Peace, and an end to strife.
Give Hope to all in despair.

Dream. Dream the Impossible
Dream. Feed your Dream and
Give it Life. Make it real.

Believe. Believe in the Seen.
Believe in the Unseen.
Believe in the Power of Miracles.

Live. Live full and Live deeply.
Live with Great Passion. Live
Each moment, as if your last.

Touch. Embrace a loved one.
And a lost one. Embrace them again.
Hold a hurting hand and heart.

Feel. Feel everything. Feel it fully.
Feel the Newness of every moment.
Feel the gift of every day.

Help. Help all those in need.
Help those you know.
Help those you don't.

Give. Give generously.
Give of your time.
Give of your heart.

Heal. Let go and release.
Heal what no longer serves.
Heal a broken heart.

Repent. Make straight
In the desert a highway.
Be sorry. Make amends.

Celebrate. Give thanks always.
Celebrate Blessings.
Celebrate Life.

Enjoy. Enter fully into this Season.
Enjoy, and remember
The Reason for the Season!

A Season for Christmas

On the eve - of Christmas Eve, I arise at dawn and greet the morning down by the river which is now totally frozen over, for the first time in years. I sit in the biting cold and howling wind and offer prayers, my heart racked by conflicting and deep emotions as I prepare for the birth of God's son, in the shadow of a beloved friend's death...

Inspirations and ideas come for a memorial service I will soon lead, for this wonderful yogini, who touched so many lives in my local yoga community...

I make my way home to the stillness and quiet, to sit and meditate some more, mindful that this Season of Advent is almost over, and in a matter of hours, it will gracefully yield into the Season of Christmas...

Spontaneously, I feel compelled to go get coffee from McDonald's. For a long time this was an almost daily ritual for me, on my way to the river, at a time that was difficult in my life, but it is something I have not done now for a while...

I arrive and am greeted by the beautiful woman who has ministered to me on so many occasions, and amazingly, the place is still, and I am the only one in line. I know, that I was sent by heaven to be here, in this precise moment, when there is no one else around. So we speak of Christmas and its meaning - this woman and I - who represent different cultures and religious traditions, but in fleeting and stolen moments over the years, we have recognized each other as a woman of faith, as our souls have communed deeply on some unseen spiritual level, in a place many would consider an unlikely venue to see the Face of God made manifest...

She tells me she has not seen me in a long time, and we share our souls and passion for God in brief, furtive moments. As she hands me my coffee, she reaches out and cups my hands in a warm embrace - she who did the same years ago on a cold wintry day, rubbing my hands, and warming them for me. But today, we look each other in the eye, and she wishes me a Blessed Christmas. I place my hand over hers, in a bond of perfect love, and I wish her same with all my heart...

I return home, and read through beautiful messages from souls who have touched my life profoundly. I was moved last night, to reach out and let those that matter to me - know that they did. My friend's untimely death, reminds me of the fragility of life, as I meditate in the shadow of Hanuman, who is the embodiment of loyalty, love, and devotion.

I did not wish the year to end and another to dawn, or this season which is truly, the Season of Love, to pass me by without sharing my love for those who matter...

And so I wrote these words, and shared my Christmas Poem for 2010, which I will post tomorrow:

"Like St Paul,
I come bearing neither
Silver nor Gold,
As Christmas Gifts

Instead of Gold
Frankincense and Myrrh--
I humbly offer:
A Steadfast Heart,
Sincere Devotion,
Eternal Love,
Unfailing Support,
Unyielding Loyalty,
And Constant Prayers,
And the Song in My Soul...

For,
"Where Charity and Love prevail
There God is ever found;"
The true Gift of the Season.

I finish my Christmas meditations, and reflect on today's entry on "Following the Star," the online site I have been visiting daily as well, and these prayers, and excerpts, from songs, reach out to touch me and speak to me, with such clarity and insight, at a time filled with so many unanswered questions:

"Unexpected and mysterious
is the gentle word of grace.
Ever loving and sustaining
is the peace of God's embrace.
If we falter in our courage
and we doubt what we have known,
God is faithful to console us,
as a mother tends her own."
~ Jeannette M. Lindholm

"Healer of every ill,
Light of each tomorrow,
Give us peace beyond our fear,
And hope beyond our sorrow."
~ Marty Haugen

"Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
to reach the end without delay...
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way
to something unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that is made by passing through
some stages of instability
and that it may take a very long time...
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete."
~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

And so, when we need it the most, God speaks in the silence of the heart, and we listen...

May your Christmas be filled with love and many blessings, for in everything and everyone, there comes a gift, waiting to be unwrapped.

A Time for Signs and Wonders

It is truly a time for signs and wonders in all that is seen and that which is unseen as well...

Yesterday, many observed the Winter Solstice, which was ushered in by a rare lunar eclipse, a full moon, and an unusual conjunction of planets - not seen for centuries. These were incredible signs and wonders which came bearing messages and were filled with meaning...

In the midst of it all, I struggled to make sense of the tragic death of dear friend - but even this brought its own insights and signs from the "Other Side," and gathered a community together, from far and wide...

And in the late afternoon, as the day exhaled its last ray of light into the darkness, my new Hanuman murti, representing Siva and Shakti in its devotional aspects, auspiciously arrived, just at twilight, in time for my evening meditation.

A murti is a sacred statue, and when I opened the box, I immediately felt a blast of Hanuman's sweet energy, so powerful and soft, and like a loving embrace, it surrounded me, and gave me great comfort.

My meditation room features a collection of religious art and objects from many traditions - for I am truly at home in all houses of worship, comfortable with all rituals - and I can see the Face of God in all religious traditions.

The last few days have been filled with incredible experiences, juxtaposed with the news of several deaths and illnesses, much of it in the natural order of things, but now Hanuman has arrived, coming into my home and my meditation room, to walk with me in the coming year, and I knew exactly what spot I would put him in.

One of my yoga teachers had journeyed through the story of Hanuman in her classes this fall, taking her themes from the mythology of his life. I was so drawn by the story of him ripping open his chest to reveal his Lord and God in the center of his heart, to whom he was so greatly devoted, and so symbolic of his loyalty, which is the quality I most admire in others. My new murti, depicts Hanuman in this rare manifestation, ripping his heart open, reminding me of the beauty of being devoted to all that we do - to all whom we love - and expressing this quality in all things, at all times. So now, he he guards my right side, every time I sit in meditation, under the watchful eye of Madonnas, and crosses from many distant lands, and an altar filled with statues and murtis of saints and deities that speak to me.

It is almost twenty-four hours since Hanuman arrived, and time to sit once again...

The days will gradually become lighter and longer, Advent has almost yielded into Christmas, we come and go, live and die, and the circle of life continues. Events that are seemingly ordinary, but always willing to disclose what is extraordinary at its center, reveal themselves as signs and wonders, if we are open, and willing to look beyond the surface...

The Winter Solstice, Lunar Eclipse, and Full Moon 2010

These are truly extraordinary times. In the last year, we have seen many rare and unusual planetary, astrological, and astronomical alignments and occurrences, especially for those with the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart willing to ponder the signs and wonders we are given. There were many unusual such occurrences around the time of the birth of Jesus as well, although, this too, might be debated by some skeptics.

Still, I find myself in awe of what will transpire in a few short hours. We are on the doorsteps of the darkest and longest night of the year - the Winter Solstice, coupled with the Full Moon, and a Lunar Eclipse, which has not occurred simultaneously since 1554 AD!

The energy feels intense to me, bordering on the magical, and some truly strange things, defying any immediate explanation happened to me, one of which was, a "mini crop circle" appearing on my laundered microfiber sheets, looking like a full moon. It very much reminded me of the the plethora of orbs I encountered at twilight, on the full moon in July, when I was in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Today I read many postings from various perspectives, but I felt drawn to the message given by the astrologer George Poirer in a video he posted for his Facebook Page, "Logos444 Astrovlogs", and I have excerpted and paraphrased part of it. He writes this on the Eve of the Winter Solstice, December 21, 2010:

"At the Full Lunar Eclipse, the moon and the earth and the sun are all in alignment with the galactic center. The Lunar eclipse forms a 'T Square' with Pluto and Uranus, two of the most transformational planets in the cosmos, and this portends great change..."

He continues, not to decipher or speculate what all this may mean, but to invite us to enter fully into the energies of this event, and ask ourselves what changes we would like to make in our lives, and to create clear intentions that we would focus on, both today and tomorrow, for the energies of the cosmos could not be more aligned to assist us at this time of the eclipse.

And so, I sat down, and wrote my own personal intentions, which I will sit with at meditation this evening, and and at various junctures throughout the next day. But I truly realize, that these intentions are intended for all times and places - and phases of my life...

Winter Solstice, Lunar Eclipse, and Full Moon 2010

On this Solstice Eve of a Lunar Eclipse
And Full Moon, the first since 1554 A.D.,
And in a "T Square" alignment with
Pluto and Uranus--
Planets of Transformation,
I set powerful intentions.

Let me see
What I need to see.
Open my eyes!

Let me hear
What I need to hear.
Open my ears!

Let me heal
What I need to heal.
Open my heart!

Let me be all
I am supposed to be.
Fill my life and my soul!

Let me meet
All whom I am meant to meet--
In Sacred Union, out there,
Beyond the field of duality.

Let me do
What I came here to do.
And manifest my destiny
Clearly and powerfully!

Let me go
Where I need to go.
Show me the way
And the path I must follow!
Make it obvious, and
Make it visible!

Let me let go and release
All that no longer serves!
Show me the way
To Ultimate Freedom!

Let me be One with God
In every Thought
And every Deed.
In every Encounter
And Relationship.

Let me Embody and Reflect
Generosity and Kindness of Spirit,
Forgiveness, Loyalty,
Compassion, Devotion,
And Love, Always!

And may I Align
With the Divine!
And be a Chalice
For Grace!

Love for All Seasons

Late last might, I read Sally Kempton's newsletter, a wonderful spiritual teacher whose works often focus on the power of meditation, and she offered beautiful insights into the Season of Love, which is indeed, every season, in every year...

I have excerpted the following, which spoke to me:

"A friend of mine wrote, 'I was at the DMV today. I was looking around and falling in love with faces, feeling the brokenness and listening to the seeds of hope in every conversation around me.'

Reading her words reminded me how this season - the year's midnight, with its celebrations of light and grace - can often invite us into this kind of poignant, almost heart-breaking love. Of course, love is always present, ready to pour through us. And we always have the choice to see each other with the eye of love.

Yes, it's always felt to me that the love force of the cosmos is present in a particularly universal way at this time of year, at least in the parts of the world that celebrate Christmas and Chanukah. The doors to the Infinite are open, even (or perhaps especially!) in the Mall. If we're attentive, the faces of friends and strangers can become portals into the Divine.

My Guru's main teaching was a call to that vision. 'See God in each other' is how he put it...It took me a while to recognize that...to see God in another person means seeing the manifestation of divinity in that person's sheer messy humanness - in their brokenness as well as in their beauty, in their failures as well as in their successes, in their annoying qualities as well as in their lovable qualities."

During Advent, Christians sing, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" - which means literally - God is with us. The Essence of God within us - and expressed through us - is simply Love. Whether we espouse a particular tradition or not - the embodiment and transmission of Love is the lowest common denominator in everything - it is the quintessential Prime Number which cannot be divided and into which everything dissolves. So, while we focus on Love most especially at this time of year, Love is truly meant for all seasons, and all times. Love is Eternal.

A Season for Love

Yesterday, we received our first measurable snow of the season, and it was enough to wreak havoc in the Washington DC area. I managed to sub for one class, but the two evening ones were canceled. I slowly made my way home to a warm house, to nurture the sudden winter cold I have developed for the first time in years!

Later this morning, I made my way down to the river which was mostly frozen and covered in snow. I could not tell where the water met the concrete of the boat launch, but in a few minutes I felt ice crunching beneath my feet, so I knew not to tread any further. Still, I watched while 3 guys carried their kayaks down to the launch area, donned dry suits and armed themselves with tools to cut through the ice. I considered that pretty risky behavior in my book, and told them to be careful...

Today, with eight days remaining until Christmas, the "O Antiphons of Advent," take center stage in the liturgical calendar and readings, which are very beautiful and full of hope...

Yesterday, I dug up some of my Christmas CD's, looking for ones I had not heard in a while, when I came across "These are Special Times" by Celine Dion. In this collection, one song stood out for me, which she co-wrote with Peter Zizzo, and Ric Wake. The lyrics were so appropriate, truly a bookend, or addendum to my last entry, on "Love Actually:"

Don't Save it All for Christmas Day

Don't get so busy that you miss
Giving just a little kiss
To the ones you love
Don't even wait a little while
To give them just a little smile
A little is enough

How many people are crying
People are dying
How many people are asking for love?

So Don't Save it All for Christmas Day
Find a way
To give a little love everyday
Don't Save it All for Christmas Day
Find your way
'Cause holidays have come and gone
But love lives on
If you give on
Love...

How could you wait another minute
A hug is warmer when you're in it
And Baby that's a fact
And saying "I love you's" always better
Seasons, reasons, they don't matter
So don't hold back

How many people in the world
So needful in this world
How many people are praying for love?

So Don't Save it All for Christmas Day
Find a way
To give love everyday
Don't Save it All for Christmas Day
Find your way
'Cause holidays have come and gone
But love lives on
If you give on
Love...

Let all the children know
Everywhere that they go
Their whole life long
Let them know love

Don't Save it All for Christmas Day
Find your way
To give a little love everyday...

May this season of Advent, of Christmas, of Hanukkah, of the coming Winter Solstice and Kwanzaa, and every day life, fill you will love. Open to it. Embody it. And then share it.

Love Actually - Is All There Is

I am ending my yoga classes for the season with my "classic" Holiday Class - which I've done for about 6 years now - and it includes restoratives, longer holds of forward bends and hip openers, and a mini - Yoga Nidra - inviting quiet introspection - while I read selections of my latest volume of poems, with seasonal music in the background that is both soft and instrumental.

This year, I decided to use the theme, "Love Actually," because I simply adore this holiday movie. I love the way it begins and ends, and I delight in so many of the witty lines and irreverent situations. It is truly a feel good movie that tugs at the heart strings, and makes me feel all fuzzy and warm inside!

I began this morning, all excited about teaching and thinking of my theme and the movie that inspired it, and within a few short moments, reminders of love - and how - "love actually" - is really all there is in this world, seemed to materialize in every piece of email I read, and every encounter I had!

Now, if you could close your eyes and still read - that would be great - but since you can't - just simply imagine Hugh Grant narrating, speaking to you - and only you:

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion is starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends.

When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls form the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

So yes - if you look for it - and are open to it - you'll see, know and experience - that "love actually" is all there is. It will come upon you and remind you - that whatever it is that gets ignited in this season, can remain as a warm glow, throughout all the other seasons as well!

An Advent Blessing for All Seasons and People

I wrote this poem and shared it with a few dear friends, most of whom are also yoginis, and they in turn, shared it with their classes, and so it made the rounds, touching people of every background, everywhere, in yoga classrooms, and beyond. As a result, several people, including ones I had not heard from in years, asked me for a copy. It was such a blessing to connect with these souls once again. So I share it with you, dear readers, as well, because its message is both timeless and universal...

Advent 2010

In this Sacred Season
Of Stillness and Silence,
May you walk with the Divine--
Scattering the true Gifts
Of this Blessed Season:
Joy, Compassion, and Love,
With every breath you take.

Be the Light
You want to see,
Shining brightly everywhere.

Embody the Change
You hope will take root
In every soul and nation.

Give the Love
You wish to receive,
Have, and always treasure.

Spread the Joy
You hope will soothe,
The yearning in every heart.

Be the Silence
Deeply desired and absent
In the busyness of everyday Life.

Be a Harbor and Safe Haven
For all who are lost,
Or entrusted into your care.

Reflect the Divine's Presence
In every word and deed,
And encounter that you have.

Be the Light!
Give the Love!
Spread the Joy!

Be the True Gift of this Season--
The Incarnation of the Divine
In our Hearts!

Advent - A Season for Peace

I did not set out to write a series of Advent reflections. I write only when I am inspired to do so - and when I get a clear message that somehow something in my heart must be conveyed...

And while I know that not everyone that reads this blog comes from the same spiritual or philosophical background - or even the same interests or convictions - I try to convey messages and values that are both timeless and universal, and accessible to all. And so today, I write of peace, because in the last few days, so many messages received have reminded me of its importance...

As I mentioned a few days ago, I have been reading the daily reflections on a a site called "Following the Star," and this weeks entries focus on peace.

Forty-two years ago today, Thomas Merton, perhaps the most prolific spiritual writer of all time - and most certainly of the 20th century - died accidentally, while attending a monastic conference in Thailand. Merton was a Trappist Monk, an activist, a poet, a theologian - and many countless other things as well. His writings continue to be published even to this day, for he left behind a vast corpus of inspirational works and scholarly treatises.

Merton died the same year that Robert F. Kennedy did, and Martin Luther King, Jr. as well. And though he was cloistered, through the eloquent power of his pen, he managed to affect many, in addition to corresponding with the great minds of his time - political and religious figures alike - such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Dorothy Day, and a legion of others. He died during the height of the Vietnam War, and was an outspoken critic of the war and a crusader for peace.

Elie Wiesel once said that "indifference...is the epitome of evil." For not caring about others, is what leads to it. Instead of being indifferent, we must reach out to others in need - starting with those around us.

The devotional site, "Following the Star," posted the following this week:

"Some might think it foolish to speak of peace these days. But for people of faith, the promise remains. In the midst of war, division - and simple rude behavior, we are still committed to a much different vision. Set aside the time for something more...The peace that is coming and that has come."

Today, the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in absentia to Chinese dissident, Liu Xiaobo. One lone, empty chair, drew attention to his incarceration, and more than anything, loudly screamed and proclaimed to all of us willing to hear, that peace remains absent in many places on this earth.

This season, let us all not only meditate on the meaning and necessity of peace, but let us work for it - and commit to reflecting it more deeply, in our words and actions - in our families and workplaces - indeed, in all areas and aspects of our lives. For truly, we can only change the world, one person at a time. This season - seek peace. Embody peace. Offer peace.

As a liturgical song I once sang so simply states:

"Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me."

Here are a series of quotes I ran across this week as well:

"Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment."
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

"Be so drunk with the love of God
that you will know nothing but God;
and give love to all."
~ Sri Daya Mata

"If you wish to experience peace,
provide peace for another."
~ The Dalai Lama

"Peace is not the absence of war,
it is a virtue, a state of mind,
a disposition for benevolence,
confidence, and justice."
~ Spinoza

Advent - A Season for Forgiveness

Today, I send out a few Christmas cards, and in many of them, I simply wrote:

"May the blessings of this Sacred Season
inviting Stillness and Silence be yours.
I am grateful for the gift of you!"

Advent, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali - all more or less intersect - and echo and invite the celebration of light - and at heart are joyous occasions.

It is also a time to set right things that aren't, and I found myself reflecting on this yesterday, as I read through the readings for the day. This weekend, I went down to the basement to retrieve and dust off my Lectionary - a remnant of the days I was a liturgist and responsible for worship services. I was moved to add the liturgical readings of the day to my morning reflections. Today, for example, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception...

In my morning meditations, I read from the booklet "Walk With Me," that I picked up at St. Mary's Catholic Church, in London, and reflected on these words:

"Forgiveness is a great idea until we have someone to forgive. People hurt us, we are sinned against, and in turn, we sin against others. Resentments and grudges are easy to hold onto as they eat away and rob us of joy. Forgiveness is a cornerstone of Christian living. We forgive and let go of resentment to the extent that we understand that God has forgiven us. We show mercy, kindness and forgiveness in the same way that we have received God's mercy, kindness and forgiveness. The measure of forgiveness we give is the measure we have received. God's new life begins with forgiveness. It is a gift of God's grace which every one of us without exception truly needs."

Every spiritual tradition teaches forgiveness. And these words were timely, because I had allowed myself to say unkind things the night before, and I had awaken feeling very remorseful.

Immediately upon reading the passage I just shared, I turned to the readings of the day, which began with an excerpt from the book of Isaiah:

"Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God...
A voice cries out in the desert prepare the way of the Lord!
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God!"

But it was the Gospel Reading from Matthew that really touched me, for in my remorse, I found myself unable to forgive myself and move on. It was the parable of the lost sheep, and how the shepherd left the other 99 behind in search of the lost one. Once found, the shepherd is happier about finding this one, than the others that did not wander. It is a reminder of God's love, which is ours, no matter what we do or say. Every time we come back into balance, we are embraced in God's love.

Today, I missed a dear friend very deeply. But, I allowed my soul to connect with hers, and felt incredible warmth in my heart. I knew, in that moment, we are all truly one, even though the world shows us a face of duality every time.

This season is about love and forgiveness. I share with you all, these wonderful and insightful words from the card that I am sending to a few this year:

"This Christmas
Mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Write a love letter.
Share some treasure.
Give a soft answer.
Encourage youth.
Keep a promise.
Find the time.
Forgive an enemy.
Listen.
Apologize if you were wrong.
Think first of someone else.
Be kind and gentle.
Laugh a little.
Laugh a little more.
Express your gratitude.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty
and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love.
Speak it again.
Speak it still once again."

Advent - A Season for Balance

This week, my yoga teacher asked us if the holidays had a way of throwing us off balance. At first I shook my head nodding no - and then quickly caught myself, because if truth be told, I have been out of sorts and dealing with some issues on the personal and physical front.

The whole sequence of poses steered us - not only in the direction of attaining greater balance - but urged us to simply accept where we were, when we experienced ourselves as out of balance, in a non-judgmental way. My teacher, who is perhaps the most enthusiastic person I have encountered in my life, urged us to banish our inner self-critic - and send him or her packing indefinitely to the local watering hole! I loved that image!

I had no idea how timely this class would be...

Instead of succumbing to unbalance, my teacher reminded us, that tuning into the breath, and availing ourselves of all the skills that our yoga and meditation practices offered us, could help bring about this elusive state itself. We had incredible tools at our disposal.

I thought about this on my drive home, as I mentally re-constructed the sequence of poses. I sat for my afternoon meditation practice, and the rest of the day passed uneventfully.

Then came Friday. Most of the day transpired peacefully. There were ample moments and times to visit the river, which was swollen almost out of its banks due to the recent rains. I said my morning Advent prayers there. I came home, had a longer meditation, and later went for a long walk.

In the afternoon, my new washer and dryer were delivered. But alas, the washer was damaged irreparably, so with great disappointment, I scheduled another date, and asked the workers to hook up my appliances once again so I could get started on the laundry.

As I worked in my office, a stone's throw from where the washer and dryer are kept, I sensed that something wasn't quite right. The flow of the water sounded different. I walked out into the hallway to massive quantities of water spilling out from under the washer, soaking into the carpet, and everywhere else. The water seeped through flooring, the ceiling and walls, and cascaded down onto my new hardwood floors in the kitchen and dining room!

I panicked. Then turned the water off - gathered every towel in sight - my heart pounding all throughout. And no, I wasn't breathing! I called the company that made the delivery, and the workers returned, penitent beyond belief, and cleaned everything up as best as they could, not leaving until everything was back in working order. One of the workers pleaded with me not to file a claim because his pay would be docked. I was very sympathetic to him, imaging that he would not be able to handle his Christmas bills.

Oh, and did I mention I also managed to burn the stew I was cooking for dinner?

I recalled my teacher telling us how sometimes you receive news - or something happens that you can't do anything about - that is totally out of your control. But, tuning into the breath and relying on our practice can help bring us back into balance. Somehow, I managed to forget all of her words of wisdom and insights, and allowed my inner critic to come back from the watering hole I had banished her to!

I did eventually settle down and took stock of the situation and my reactions, and asked myself, what is this experience, in light of the plight a dear friend of mine is undergoing, battling stage 4 cancer, and all that such a struggle implies?

So many things can knock us out of balance - constantly. They can be small things, or big things. I had the insight this morning in meditation, that we need to observe the events of our lives with dispassion and detachment.

Friday, when I stood on the cliff and surveyed the swollen river, I thought of the trees, firmly anchored along the river banks. They have seen seasons of every kind. They have survived drought, and floods, brutal winters, and stunning spring times, pretty much unscathed. Yes, they may lose limbs, and grow taller, and even wither, but many still remain, as stalwart reminders of our eternal souls that do not change - even when everything else around us does.

I watched the river moving downstream, waves passing me by, just as I should be observing all the events of my life. This Advent, I remind myself to stay in balance and seek it out, and to remember that all things shall pass, just like the river current making its way downstream.

I also recall words from Yogananda reminding us to place all of our heart's and mind's attention on God:

"First learn to love Him and know Him.
Then it won't matter what you do,
for He will never leave your thoughts."

When you are out of balance, seek the One who Dwells within you as You. Everything else, is just a wave on a river floating downstream...

Advent - A Season for Light

The day begins with wind and rain, and later when I go for a walk, I note that the creeks are swollen, and I can only imagine what the river looks likes. A part of me yearns to take a look, but there are tasks waiting for my attention...

Advent is a season that invites light into our lives, just as we are journeying more deeply into darkness...

There is a wonderful site with Advent reflections called "Following the Star," that I wrote about on this blog two years ago. And yesterday, I read the selections for the day several times...

"People of faith are not unrealistic. We know the world can be a dark place. But we also know that darkness is not all. There is a reason to hope, because there is a light always shining. Watch now for the light...And have your hope renewed..."

I thought of the wonderful scripture passage from Isaiah 2:9, and decades ago, when I was a Liturgical musician, I often sang a song based on this passage:

"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;
They that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a great light has shined."

No matter how dark our life is, how deeply we fall, how long or dark the night is, or how rainy it may be - we always rise out of into light and life. And even when it is raining, the sun is always shining somewhere else.

Today, I read the energy of my yoga students, and felt that deep hip openers and forward bends held for longer periods was in order, so I shifted gears and adapted it to my theme for the week, which dealt with "smirti" and remembrance...The class seemed to be what was needed in many ways...

Last night, before going to bed, I read a wonderful poem, titled, "The Fertile Darkness" by Anusara Yoga Certified Teacher, Denise Benitez, a gifted poet, and I was touched by these words in her recent newsletter, which she prefaced with this wonderful quote:

"Mystery and manifestation arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding."
~ Lao-tzu

And here is Denise's beautiful poem:

The Fertile Darkness

Darkness is a threshold over which we
Peer, with apprehension.
Here in this northern city, where
Darkness is now ascendant and yields
Only a small fraction of wintry daylight,
We can practice walking towards the sill of
Blindness, unknowing, submitting.

"There can only be yield, a harvest,
When one yields," says Joan Halifax.
So, not to argue with reality, we give in
To the abundance of darkness, the black noon.
The purple day.

What grows in this darkness?
So many things: spring's roots, deep dreams,
Depth to ponder, quiet meditations, the renewing
Deep pond of silence and stillness.
Art, imagination, vision, all arise
From the place of no light.

In order to see light at all,
There must be darkness.
Darkness makes all growth, all evolution
Possible, graceful, powerful.

Let the darkness work its magic on you,
Withdraw, hibernate, rest, breathe, stretch, write.
"Tis the season for the yogi's deep quiet
And courageous Investigation of mystery.

We think of darkness as a bad thing. We think of dark times in our lives as bad times. We are ashamed. We try to hide it. We think ourselves weak. Or worse - needy. But we cannot fully embrace the light without the dark.

I write these words as the light of day slowly wanes into twilight. In a few moments, I will sit in meditation before journeying to the other side of the river to teach my Wednesday night class...

Sometimes light comes in the form of fire, and this is very fitting. I also read these words late last night about this season:

"Since Advent comes at winter time, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate...If God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have to be present in our prayer. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can truly change our hearts. Ours is a great responsibility not to waste Advent time."

Let us then, make haste - not to waste our precious time and this sacred season when we journey from light into darkness, and from darkness back into light...

For "Following the Star," visit:
http://www.d365.org/followingthestar/

For Denise Benitez:
www.seattleyogaarts.com