Friday 7 May 2010

Yoga of what is


Having moments of calm in the midst of what seems to be some sort of existential crisis. Missed my yoga practice today AGAIN...Have not done much exercise in these last few challenging weeks... pitifully little. And yet, I had an inspired remembering moment standing outside of the locked Center door: I remembered to simply go about my numerous tasks as a yoga of presence practice. And I succeeded from time to time.

This is much more helpful, powerful and sustainable than all of my normal coping strategies.... that and to keep noticing what is actually happening and then, only then, considering actions that need to take place.... all the while focusing on how rather than what I am doing. Its a dance.

Right NOW, and as a direct result of remembering this again, I am loving THIS that is actually happening. It is sunny. I have "failed" to get as much work done today as I had hoped and done other things with great zest and joy. My son comes back in a few moments and I have no idea what I will cook. Oh, that is not true...I bought fresh scallops on the market today as well as bass fillets, fresh green beans and luscious French lemon zest and corianger dressed olives. The sun has been glorious and the grass I sowed is actually coming up all fresh and green in spite of the over hard soil from winter mud and clay content. The goldfish are beautiful under the changeable cloud specked sky like a mag
magnificent movie installation.

What's more, all 5 chickens produced an egg today. And I am clutter clearing and spring cleaning.

Here is a slice of my life today.

Living this has a simple effect of opening my heart.

Simple.


Saturday 1 May 2010

Mundane Magic


I am eating the most amazing brunch all of which comes from my wonderful garden. Perky miniature fresh salad leaves of about 15 varieties along with chives create an oeuvre of color at the side of my orange and blue plate. The eggs I collected fresh and warm from the chickens lovingly called the collective "girls" are mixed with fresh rosemary and herbs. All this topped with Devon goats cheese and a bit of salsa prepared earlier from a jar. Magic!

PS Just so that all good things are in balance, I am also drinking the most exquisite coffee which comes from far far away ( Dubai in fact) which I bought on a stopover on the way back from India with my son in January. Lest anyone think I was too "good" in terms of carbon footprints in the sand, this should take care of that.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Be What you Are


"I remember lying in bed as a young teenager and deciding to hypnotize myself by saying these words: Be what you are, be what you are, be what you are. I said it hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times, the intention being to protect me from what I felt was going to take me away from myself. And to this day I still say that when I think I'm trying to fit somebody else's expectations."

- Kay Ryan, 16th Poet Laureate of the United States


How do we remember who we really are? It is funny since we are born knowing this very clearly... and slowly but surely, the forgetting begins. We learn to adopt attitudes related to what would be, could be, should be rather than what is. And forget some more.


And now that I am a mother, I am even more keen to return to source and re-unite once again with this BEing quality that not only remembers but never even forgot. A cohesive radiant wholeness that just is.


I want this for my son. He has taken to commending himself lately when he does something well by simply saying, "I am awesome!" and sweeping across the room into one of his graceful judo rolls. I want him to hold this when it is true and also celebrate him in it. Equally, I wish for him to know sadness when it is happening and feel it with equal vigor. That is less simple somehow...especially for a boy child. And we are both returning to the inspiring words of Kay Ryan to Be what we are whenever we can.

Monday 26 April 2010

May Blooms in London


I don't know how to explain the joy that these tulips fill me with... but they just do. Heart opening irrepressible joy...Enjoy Spring!

Monday 19 April 2010

108 Prayer Beads

108 beads on a prayer necklace them[1]. 108 beads on a rosary. 108 words. How about simply seeing if I can string together 108 words plus or minus a few as prose, a poem, a blog?

Scrap of a crescent moon is suspended against inky black sky. fifth day running for these rare Clear cloud light skies. The plumes of smoke from Icelandic volcanoes seem to be holding travelers hostage and Devon’s suspended in glorious sunny clear days.

And silent skies deafen as birds take up their songs again, undeterred by white noise in the background.

Another day passes. Slow waking from saddened heavy slumber. And yet, chickens get fed, cats spiral in on themselves, projects progress in their own haphazard and chaotic fashion, Logic of a higher source takes over, paperwork progresses barely scratching the surface... but the itch is slightly less as I piece together my life again.

Reinventing. Re-creating. Re-membering what perhaps I never knew.

Returning to source illuminated enough by a scrap of a crescent moon.

[1] Prayer beads or Rosaries are used by members of various religions such as Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Bahá'í Faith to count the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions. They may also be used for meditation, protection from negative energy, or for relaxation.

The earliest use of prayer beads can be traced to Hinduism, where they are called Japa Mala. The most common mala have 108 beads.

Prayer beads From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_beads



[1] Prayer beads or Rosaries are used by members of various religions such as Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Bahá'í Faith to count the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions. They may also be used for meditation, protection from negative energy, or for relaxation.

The earliest use of prayer beads can be traced to Hinduism, where they are called Japa Mala. The most common mala have 108 beads.

Prayer beads From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_beads