Aligning with Grace

Advent - A Season for Balance (A Repost) 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, c...

We have welcomed 2017. In numerology - 2017 has the energy of "1" which is symbolic of new beginnings. In this new year, I visualize letting go of the old as a garment which simply floats away. A garment I have outgrown and no longer have use for. As I rang in the New Year, letting go of the old and its many shocks, I listened to a teaching by Kryon, who extolled his listeners to make of 2017 an altar of joy! Whatever you give energy to will increase, so focus on the energies you want you invite in this coming year, and let go of those that no longer serve you. "I spread my arms wide into the future,  for the best is yet to come!" ~ Anthony de Mello, SJ In this spirit, I want to share with you a couple of brief quotations I came across that I draw inspiration from. May they be a source of this for you as well! "Greater than the destructive force of hate,  is the compassionate power of love.  Whatever you say or do to others, let it be wi...

"If you have made up your mind to be cheerful, nothing can make you unhappy." ~ Paramahansa Yogananda "We must believe in the power and strength of our words. Our words can change the world." ~ Yousafzai Malala "If you are angry when you are doing something, even if you speak of peace,  you are actually engaged in war." ~ The Venerable Pomnyun Sunim Choose your words every morning, as you would choose the clothes you wear. "God has given me the power to change my ways." ~ Mechtild of Magdeburg In the last several weeks, I have made a practice of meticulously observing my language. What am I saying - both consciously and unconsciously? I have also worked to replace not so subtle negative or limiting thoughts with an affirmation expressing the exact opposite of these thoughts and words. It is said, and I have read this in so many places recently - and was also just reminded of it by a friend a week ago - th...

"With the opening of the New Year, all the closed portals of limitation will be thrown open and I shall move through them to vaster fields where my worthwhile dreams of life will be fulfilled." ~ Paramahansa Yoganada With the ending of this year, and the beginning of the next - to concur with a New Moon - we plant the seeds for new beginnings, as in this coming year of 2014... The last couple of years have been very difficult for so many. There have been seemingly insurmountable challenges for many loved ones. But I am amazed at how so many souls have been able to traverse these experiences with love, and humility and grace. It has been a great gift to me and a lesson for my soul... Every year brings with it the invitation to grow, and to deepen our relationship with the Divine. It invites us to heal what must be healed, to take on - and let go - and to accept what we cannot change. I like to light votive candles at sundown that last for almost a week - ...

It has been a sacred week for me in many ways. So many blessings received... And one more, unexpectedly comes my way, as snow begins to silently and gently fall. I go for a walk, watching big flakes slowly swirl and dance their way on their flight down from the heavens... I began the morning with meditation, followed by listening to the most exquisite "Lessons and Carols," broadcast live from Cambridge, England. It is a holy eve, morning, and day - soon to give way to the evening, which I spend first with my sister and her family, and then it will be off to a late evening Mass at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown. There we will enjoy Christmas carols before the liturgy, sung by a full choir, and accompanied by a pipe organ and brass ensemble. Could there be a better way to ring in Christmas? My heart is overflowing with gratitude and love for so many blessings received, and so many wonderful people in my life. I am truly blessed. And so, I leave you now with these q...

Every year at this time, I look forward to receiving the new Inner Reflections desk calendar published by the Self-Realization Fellowship , with inspirational quotes by Paramahansa Yogananda , accompanied by the most stunning photographs - a veritable feast for the eyes and nourishment for the soul. Call me an "old fashioned" kind of girl - but I really do prefer an Engagement calendar for my desk, inviting my glance every morning, rather than using the electronic apps provided by my mobile devices. Yes - I do love the "tactile" feeling of flipping pages, taking in the amazing photographs, and savoring the delicious quotes. And this year's calendar, does not disappoint! This is truly one of my favorite gifts of the season! The pictures are breathtaking and even haunting at times - and the quotes that are highlighted, always complement the photos exquisitely. For example: A picture of a palm tree stretches out horizontally atop white sands, its fronds se...

Today is National Day of Prayer, and a wonderful opportunity to take some time to say a prayer, or spend a few moments in meditation... I began my day, by doing a few meditations by the river after arising this morning, followed by sitting for an hour, for an exquisite session, filled and blessed by many insights, cascading all around me. It occurred to me, that I was "tuning" into the vibrations of many others joined in prayer today, and connected to saints and angels in the celestial realms. I have chosen to share a few brief prayers here from Paramahansa Yogananda for your own reflections. All of the quotes are by one of my favorite of his books, Where There is Light , published by the Self-Realization Fellowship, in Los Angeles, CA, All rights reserved. Enjoy! "O Divine Teacher, let me realize that though the gloom of my ignorance be age-old, with the dawn of Thy light the darkness will vanish as though it had never been." "Bless me, that I may find Thee...

I open the blinds and the dense fog takes my breath away. I know that it means only one thing. I MUST go down to the river! Such moments are few and far between, and I am reminded of paddling in the river on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, back in the fall of 2008... I cannot see to the other side of the river - it all grey - the sky and water blending as one. A fisherman launches off and soon disappears behind the veil... I don't know what it is about fog at the river that draws me and speaks to me. There is something so mysterious about it. I wish I could step into the river, but I have arranged to meet a friend for breakfast on this morning... I watch one lone goose, without it's friends, gently glide downstream for a bit... I do Lovingkindness meditations and prayers, and reflect on a series of insights and writings I have come across recently, like these: "Your prayers for someone may or may not change them, but it always changes you." ~ Craig Groeschel "Remin...

On this beautiful, and magnificent morning, I ponder the safe delivery of a friend and her baby boy, and continue to hold them in my prayers as they await tests... I pray for a friend whose father is in the process of transitioning... And for another awaiting surgery - and still another in the midst of a long convalescence. And this is just a mere sampling of those for whom I am praying. The needs are many... But on this day, which is also the 60th anniversary of the Mahasamadhi of Paramahansa Yogananda, I am comforted in the knowledge that he intercedes for all of my friends in a very special way. On this day, 60 years ago, Yogananda left his earthly form to be more present to all, from the Spiritual Realm. And so, I mark this beautiful occasion, by sharing some samples from his writings which seem very appropriate and speak to many experiences and situations I have been experiencing: "Through meditation one can experience a stable, silent inner peace that can be a permanently so...

In her book, Living in Gratitude: A Journey that Will Change Your Life , Angeles Arrien , notes that "February is the month when we consciously review what touches our hearts." It is after all, the month where we celebrate Valentine's Day . She shares this quote by Brother David Steindl-Rast: "The heart is where we belong. We belong there as to our proper place, no matter how estranged we have become. And we are there, we belong, because what makes home home is that each belongs to all and all to each..." And it is this sense of belonging, and being in the heart which is the way of love, and enables us to be more grateful. Just a few moments ago, I read this very appropriate quote by Paramahansa Yogananda: "To develop pure and unconditional love between husband and wife, parent and child, friend and friend, self and all, is the lesson we have come on earth to learn." Such a simple lesson, but not always an easy one to always embody - now is it? Pearl B...

When I woke up this morning, I headed straight for my meditation space to celebrate the birthday of Paramahansa Yogananda, whose writings have enriched my life and nourished my soul for decades. It is said, that the energy on the birthday of a guru, spiritual teacher, or saint, is strong - and that the prayers we offer and the intentions we set on this day - are very powerful indeed. I have felt that in the past, and I felt it again this morning during my meditation and subsequent prayer. Without disturbing the deep sense cultivated during that hour, I headed down to the river with a cup of coffee in tow. I had not visited my beloved river for a while, and when I arrived, no one else was there. The riverbanks were frozen at the edges, but I could side step those thin areas quite gingerly so that I could survey the broad expanse of the river. It was wide. But not as wide as the heart of God, or the Love of God, I imagined... Eventually, I walked up to the the high point, and from my pe...

In the last few weeks, three events occurred in quick succession, that knocked me out of my orbit. Each one more dreadful than the preceding one. Yet, in the midst of it all, I entered fully and joyfully into the celebration of the Christmas Season. And while I spent a few sleepless nights, and many cold and windswept days walking around, saying many different kinds of prayers - rosaries, mantras, and so forth - since I am comfortable in the spiritual practices of many traditions - I chose not to share the experiences with anyone at first. But as the year began, I realized that turning to wise friends would actually help me put them all behind, and so I did. Each one, offered words of wisdom and insight, that were similar to ones that had come to me in the silence of prayer and meditation, for it is there that God speaks. Mother Teresa of Calcutta , once said, during an interview for a documentary, that "God speaks in the silence of the heart, and we listen." But the truth is...

We enter into a new year - this long awaited, and mysterious year of 2012. It a year we have speculated about for years and decades. Some of us are fearing it. Others are embracing it. Many know it will be a turning point. We cannot really anticipate what will unfold with each day and week to come... As we begin this year, let us be enriched by these wise sayings and instructions by Paramahansa Yogananda , that they may indeed, provide a framework for us to chart our steps and this year's journey, enabling us to walk in the path of Light! Enjoy! Make New Determinations: Be What You Want to Be! by Paramahansa Yogananda The following excerpts are from a talk given by Paramahansa Yogananda at the International Headquarters of the society he founded, Self-Realization Fellowship, on New Year’s Eve, 1934. The entire talk is published in Journey to Self-realization, Volume III of Paramahansa Yogananda’s Collected Talks and Essays. (Self-Realization Fel...

This is the time of year that I look forward to getting my new calendars for the coming year. I like to collect yoga poses and create my own wall calendar for my office. But I also like a good, "old fashioned" desk calendar that I can write in. As tech savvy as I am, I just prefer a beautiful engagement calendar with inspirational quotes to feed my soul from week to week during the coming year. These calendars have changed throughout the years, but for the last several ones, my desk has been beautifully graced and my soul has been just as equally inspired, by the "Inner Reflections" calendars published by the Self-Realization Fellowship . Each yearly edition is nothing short of exquisite - comprised of breathtaking photographs accompanied by inspirational quotes and selections from the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda. And so, I recently received the 2012 edition, with its beautiful fall maple leaves on the cover - a simple composition of gorgeous bursts of orange,...

Today, devout Hindus celebrate "Janmashtami " - the birthday of Lord Krishna , a most beloved deity, who gave us the gift of yoga and its enlightening practices... I thought of this, as I carried Grace, my kayak, down to the river this morning. It was breezy, and the beginning of a busy day for me. The waters were very choppy and I paddled vigorously upstream until I reached the point of the first island. This is an area I have not revisited for almost a year and half. I saw a number of noble blue herons, and one actually "waited" for me at the boat launch, when I was coming out of the water, and then flew upstream, where I had been. While I was out on the water, I reflected on the writings of Yogani , which can be found on the Advanced Yoga Practices website. This wonderful teacher has chosen to disseminate many esoteric yogic and meditation teachings - that were previously passed on from teacher to student - in order to make them more accessible to the gener...

It has been nearly a week since I made an entry here. In this time, I have been engaged very quietly in the yoga of waiting... Yoga is a practice, and thus, the yoga of waiting is simply, the practice of waiting... The practice of waiting invites us and draws us more deeply into the present moment. At such times, we are able to notice things that might have escaped our attention or awareness at other moments in our lives. As often happens, a lot of what I read or contemplate is precisely what I need to reflect upon. In these last couple of weeks before undergoing surgery, I am taking time to slow down, prepare, and simply be. I've slept in a bit here and there, taken an occasional nap, gone for long walks, and I do whatever little yoga I can do at the moment, and focus on enjoying the simple things: doing a dog pose with as much devotion as I can, instead of a long held inversion or a really deep backbend... Going for a walk - rather than a two hour practice... Reading the newspape...