Aligning with Grace

I begin this entry, at precisely 11:11 AM. For those into numerology, you know I begin it on an auspicious moment of perfection. Every moment is perfect as it is. And every moment is auspicious. Each one comes bearing its own unique gifts, whether we have the eyes to see such things and the ears to hear them - or not... I arose and went down to the river with Grace, my kayak, and a cup of coffee in tow. It has been such a long time since we've been able to go paddling because of my physical recovery from surgery, the constant rains of the last couple of weeks, and appointments that had been on my schedule for some time. But today, the universe conspired to assist me and grant me this wish! That, and the fact that an insightful dream last night very much indicated I must go in. And so I did, on this magnificent morning, where the gentle breeze and the warmth of the sun joined together to enshroud me in its canopy of healing magic. There is nothing like the exhilaration of those firs...

Today, my Jewish friends celebrate Rosh Hashanah , their New Year, by saying to each other, "Shanah Tovah," a beautiful greeting which means: "May you be inscribed in the book of life for a good year." According to Jewish tradition, God understands all languages, and the prayer that is conceived in one's heart always finds the way to God! Today, my Hindu friends celebrate the Festival of the Nine Days of Navratri , commemorating the Divine in its Feminine Form, who dispels ignorance. It is a time when the Goddess can literally re-structure our thoughts and the patterns in our minds and grant us divine intelligence. It is also a time, when good triumphs over evil, and true knowledge of the self is possible. And at this time, Hindus wish one another "Shubh Navratri," or Happy Navratri! Today, is a good day. It is a day for celebrating life. Michael Berg , the Kabbalah Scholar beautifully explains the meaning of Rosh Hashanah, and it speaks to us all, i...

What do you bind yourself to? What do you call upon - or draw upon in a moment of need? Today, one friend is grieving a loss, my nephew celebrates a birthday, someone I know buried her husband, and a dear friend's spouse may receive dire news in the form of a potentially deadly diagnosis. Some of these individuals, are persons of faith. Some of these, right now, are drawing in and connecting to Spirit. In my classes this week, I continued to draw up the wonderful book, The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga by Nicolai Bachman. The third concept or principle he discusses, is "purusa " often commonly written as "purusha." While this word is often translated as spirit, Bachman describes it as the pure inner light of awareness. "Seated in our heart and pervading every cell of our body lies a conscious, intelligent awareness. Individual uniqueness is due to our temporary, ever-changing body, breath, and mind. These outer layers of ou...

I have so wanted to write all week - but this was my first full week back to my regular teaching schedule - and it was filled with wonders, and blessings, and unexpected sorrows and occurrences as well... Twice, in this past week, I woke up to fog and with a cup of coffee in tow, headed very quickly before the start of my busy day to the river. On both occasions, the water spilled into the sky, and the heavens melted into the river - so seamlessly that no discernible or tangible boundaries or edges between the two was evident. "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together ...

Last week, I began my yoga classes with the first sutra from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras . Today, I began with a key word from the second sutra, or verse, which is commonly translated as something like: "Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind." Or, as one of my favorites renditions by Alistair Shearer : "Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence." The word "citta" is often translated as "mind," though in his new book, The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga , Nicolai Bachman , describes "citta" as "heart-mind field of consciousness," which I find absolutely delicious! So, today in my classes, I continued working with the First Universal Principle of Alignment in Anusara Yoga - which is "Opening to Grace." I chose to work with the aspects of "Inner body bright and side body long," and began my centering by having my dear Monday morning students, envision the su...

I began teaching yoga again this week, after two months of resting and recuperating after surgery. I decided to use as my theme, the first sutra in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras - "atha yoga nusasanam," or, "Now is the time for yoga." Every fall we say goodbye to the summer, and we greet the nascent season, by saying yes to our practice once again. When we begin anything - a project, a degree, a school, a job - there is an initial hesitancy, and fear - and enthusiasm - as we embrace what will be - but what is also, not yet... When we are ready, the universe conspires to assist us in undertaking whatever task or desire we have at hand... The new book, The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga , by Nicolai Bachman , develops key concepts of the Yoga Sutras , in order to shed light on the these simple, pithy directives and assertions. The word "atha" - implies readiness and commitment on our part. The first chapter of this book begin...

We have just concluded a week of non-stop rains, remnants of a residual storm, arriving on the heels of an earthquake and hurricane. I've heard many exasperated people throw up their hands and ask, "What next, the plague?" While the rains were much needed in this area, it seemed somehow unfair we could not share our bounty with the poor folks in Texas. They have undergone record heat, and uncontrolled fires from extreme dry weather. I know it is much easier to be pessimistic, but I try to look for the good when I can. I thoroughly delighted in the rains, and walking in it, getting soaked to the bone. After so much dry weather, it was a welcome respite. I imagined myself in deep cleansing - making out with the old, and in with the new - following on the purging and cleansing just transpiring in my own house, and now mostly concluded. After giving my home a simple make over, that included some small decorating touches and new blinds and a new garage door, I immediately sens...

Everything that begins, ends - like a delightful book. And everything that ends, gives rise to a new beginning... I curl up with a good book until I finish it, in the gentle afternoon rain, on this Labor Day , grateful that I had two months to myself, to heal from surgery, and step away from responsibilities. I reflect on the experiences and insights I have had, the time for quiet, and putting my house in order, tackling jobs I had set aside for months and even years... I finish a season, and conclude a portion or phase of my life, characterized by slow and mindful living, soon to plunge deeply into weeks and months of increased busyness, classes, and other responsibilities, and yet, there is a part of me that is already missing what was, and yet is also truly understanding we must always love and accept what is... I leave behind what was, and what gave birth to a new way of living and being, which now spills over into what is - re-structuring, re-ordering, and re-designing the paramet...

Emptying has a way of creating space... Spaciousness often gives rise to new songs that spontaneously germinate within, and so I felt "compelled" once again, to get myself another guitar, this time, a Cordoba studio "Flamenco" nylon/electric, which sings so very sweetly and deeply! And, I got it at a substantial discount! I hearkened back to my classical roots, by making a new friend from that world... I spent about 45 minutes playing "her," in a quiet little room of Spanish acoustic guitars, going back and forth between two, but the Cordoba won out. While I was in the store, I ran into Gene, the guy who sold me the Little Martin , a little over a month ago. He remembered what I had bought and we chatted. I bonded with another woman, also buying a guitar, and she came over to tenderly admire my new friend. We talked about how important it is to energetically connect with a guitar. And so, Saraswati Cecilia , came home with me. Saraswati is th...