Happy New Year!

So many exciting things are happening in our world these days.  Some of them are exciting in a good way, and some not so great. Climate change and political unrest are daunting challenges to overcome, but innovations in technology and space exploration give much hope for the future.  How do we keep our equilibrium during these times of rapid change?  By balancing the spin with stillness.

Yes, I am talking about meditation.  No, don’t stop reading now because you think meditation is either too hard, too time consuming, or too wacky.  Once you find a meditation style that works for you, it becomes a simple, relatively quick way to be your best self.

There are so many different ways to meditate, so don’t be daunted by thinking you have to sit in lotus position for an hour, or chant mantras and count beads.  At the same time, don’t immediately throw out the idea of chanting mantras or counting beads; that might be your best way of meditating!

A great way to learn to meditate is by taking a class or joining a group meditation, but you can also take advantage of the bazillions of sites on the internet and YouTube.  Search a particular style of meditation that you have heard of (Buddhist meditation, walking meditation) or check out the websites of some of the biggies (Deepak Chopra or the Silva Method).  Or just type in “how to meditate” and see what comes up.

Meditation is a skill that must be learned, so just like when you started your yoga practice or worked up to the Boston Marathon, you start where you are and go from there.  Make it a priority for 2012.  Om shanti. Peace.

Time is on Your Side!

Do you have time to read a bit more about Time?  Last week I blithely said that yes, you have enough time, and I truly meant it.  There is enough time in life to do what is important.  There may not be enough time to get home from work and feed your kid a healthy, home-cooked meal before soccer practice, but there is time to nurture, love, and teach that same kid through childhood.  Some things have to fall by the wayside, and it is up to you to decide how to spend your time.

And notice how we use “no time” as an excuse:  When a friend calls asking for help with the school fashion show and you cannot think of anything more tortuous, you will beg off, saying “Oh, I simply don’t have the time.”  A moment later the phone rings again and you are asked to help with the animal shelter’s adoption drive.  Oh, those cute kittens! All of a sudden Time reappears and you eagerly say “yes”.   Hmmm, interesting.  Is it true that you don’t have time to vacuum the house (reoccurring theme for me, you can tell that’s an issue in this house!), or is it that you would rather read a magazine?  Do you really not have time to help out with the Girl Scout Cookie Sale, or do you just not want to?  

Time is getting a bad rap, being used as a scapegoat for getting out of unpleasant tasks.  Leave Time alone!  It knows how to get the job done and doesn’t appreciate being bullied.  There is enough time.  You just have to learn how to get along with it. 

Time's a'Wasting!

Someone recently asked me to do something because she didn’t have time to do one more thing.  Her calendar was full and her stress level was building.  I had the feeling she thought that since I didn’t clock in at an office every day, I had loads of time.  I said yes and did the task right away so I wouldn’t have to think about it.  It ended up taking me about an hour, and I learned a new computer skill along the way.  Time well spent.

No one has enough time.  There is no such thing as spare time.  We have to make a concerted effort to afford ourselves some leisure time.  Time is speeding up and we are racing to keep pace.  The clock is ticking!

Holy Minute Hand, Batman!  Let’s use one of our precious moments to take a deep breath.  I’m about to give you an early Christmas present:  You have enough time.  Take a look at your yesterday.  You had a list of things to do and you got some of them done.  Or you got all of them done.  Or you got none of them done.  But the time was there for your use, in any way you chose.  If you didn’t vacuum the house because your neighbor dropped by for a cup of tea, you had time for your neighbor.  If you accomplished every task on your list then dropped exhausted on the couch in the evening, there was time for that, too. 

Time may be limited, but every second is there for the taking.  And there is enough.  Take the time to help your neighbor.  Take the time for a quick nap.  Yes, there are deadlines and while you can always vacuum tomorrow, you still have to get your kids fed and to the practice field on time tonight; but don’t make Time your enemy.  Get to work on time and don’t waste time (is that even possible?) and take your time.  And breathe and smile and check off your list.  Or not.

"Fletcher" Thanksgiving Prayer

A Word for Our Sponsor

We gather, squished, around this table

With wine and turkey and mashed potato.

The kids squeeze their knees under tables too small

But that’s what we need to fit us all!

We’re thankful each year for our health and our food,

For our jobs and our Mom and our mostly tall brood.

We are grateful for love and for chocolate and pie.

We give thanks for our cats and the sun in the sky.

We are thankful for yoga and berries and shoes.

We’re grateful for gardens and road cleaning crews.

We are grateful for snow blowers, shovels and gloves.

We give thanks every month for the full moon above.

We like to go walking so thanks for fresh air.

We are grateful for rain and for weather that’s fair.

We give thanks for our poodles, retrievers and Sport,

We give thanks for whipped cream and warm apple torte.

We gather around and give thanks for this feast

For veggies and gravy; and last but not least

Our family so dear, so large and so hungry.

Thanks for bounty. Thanks for the plenty.

To Eat or Not to Eat; Is That Really a Question?

Admit it, you’re thinking a lot about food this week.  Turkey, pie, sandwiches, gravy, more pie if you’re fast.  Then cookies and boxed chocolates and Christmas ham and roast beast.  Canapes are next, along with celebratory glasses of champagne!  

Don’t worry, I’m not about to tell you to eat an apple before you head to the Thanksgiving table, or to fill your buffet plate first with salad so there’s not room for much else.  This is my only injunction:  Eat what you want with gratitude.  Gratitude for the chef, for the earth’s bounty, for electricity to run the oven.  Gratitude for the friends around you.  Gratitude for being here in the year 2011.  Pause and let feelings of gratefulness flow all around you like a warm mist.  

Enjoy every bite.  Close your eyes and say thanks.  

I’m a smiler.  I smile at people I’m happy to see, I smile at people I don’t know; it’s my natural reaction to a face.  In grade school I hated being a smiler.  I was shy and thought I smiled through awkwardness. Maybe that’s true, but whether it became a habit or I grew into my innate smiley-ness, I smile with confidence now.  I still get a little embarrassed when someone greets me back with, “Hi, Smiley!”, but mostly smiling brings me good things, like positive relationships with people -- long-term or seconds-long -- and a little glimmer of cheer for myself.  

Your facial expression contributes to your mood, so smile at yourself when you need a boost.  Paying attention to subtle shifts in your mood is a good practice; when you notice yourself drifting toward the blues, you can catch yourself before you get too deep.  Maybe you need a smile; maybe you need lunch!  

Try smiling at that grumpy cashier or bored mail carrier just to see what happens.  Don’t worry if they don’t return your smile; you can be sure they benefited from your warmth even if they are too tired/sad/distracted to smile back.

By the way, I checked into the adage that it takes a certain number of muscles to smile, and a lot more muscles to frown, so we should smile more because it’s easier.  The first part is not true; apparently we use nearly the same number of muscles for either expression.  The conclusion is correct though, so save yourself some effort and smile!

Love,

Smiley

A Little Help from Your Friends*

The fun part about being a yoga teacher is seeing the joy on someone’s face when they “get” something new.  The moment they realize that relaxing their shoulders brings a whole new ease into Warrior II.   The sigh of release when I gently press their lower back in Child’s Pose.  The sense of satisfaction when they understand that it’s not “cheating” to bend the knees in forward bend in order to reach the floor.   For an hour or so I can offer a sense of ease, of power, and of release. 

Some poses seem out of reach at first, especially to those of us over 30 (well yeah, over 50, but who’s counting)!  The thought of a full backbend or headstand seems ridiculously difficult and scary. Or handstand, yikes!  But to get into handstand is to overcome fear and insecurity, and reconnect with power and stability.  Yep, all in one pose.  And you don’t have to fly up there on your own, either; a little help from a friend can make all the difference.

The first time I get someone up in handstand brings a whoosh of accomplishment and glee to both teacher and student.  It is the culmination of preparation and readiness.  The student has stretched and strengthened the shoulders.  She has practiced kicking up and landing softly.  She has an awareness of core strength. She knows that if she doesn’t try it will never happen.  She has learned that if she tries and gets halfway, she has gone farther than yesterday.  We come together at the wall, student and teacher, and with one last kick and a gentle assist, she is airborne and then upside down, viewing the world from a whole new angle.  The angle of strength, courage, persistence, and joy.  

And you thought yoga was just a good stretch.  

Getting a hand into Wheel.

*Another Beatles title, but not on purpose! Funny, I was never a true Beatles fan, but they keep popping up for me lately.

Ups and Downs

I grew up with active siblings, in a neighborhood with lots of kids our age, at a time when parental supervision consisted of:  Be home for dinner and stay away from that horse farmer with the rifle.  I spent a lot of time on the couch, reading,  lured outside only by the thought I might be missing something fun.  Like being chased by the guy with the rifle.  

In those good ol’ days of children’s play toys built with absolutely no regard for safety, we had a Tower in the yard.  You’d climb up the skinny metal ladder to the wooden platform which had a hole in the center.  A nice big, kid-sized hole with a pole dangling down the middle.  We would grab the pole and slide down, swinging around, knocking into the platform with our knees, then waist, then shoulders, to the ground.  

One day a bunch of us were up in the tower, with no regard to  “maximum capacity”.  The kids were taking turns sitting on the side and jumping down. The playset was several years old by then and the vinyl sides had long since been tattered and removed, leaving nice open sides with a little rail around the platform, waist high.    I sat on the edge, feet dangling and hands gripping the rail as the others jumped, climbed back up  and jumped again.  I stared down at the nubbly grass below.  I scooted my butt closer to the edge.  I scooted back to safety.  Writing this I am getting that knot in my tummy that I had that day.  Too scared to jump but wanting to so badly.

The cowbell rang.  Everyone leaped off the tower and ran to their respective homes for dinner.  I steeled myself.  Now or never.  I made the wrong decision and jumped, so scared I was stiff and kept my body in the same sitting position on the way down.  Landed hands first.  Ran to the house crying.  Ace bandages, aspirin.  I don’t remember anyone’s reaction to my folly, but I still remember that feeling in my gut as I sat up in that tower afraid to jump.

So what’s my point? I started this story to illustrate the importance of listening to your gut instincts, your intuition. And maybe the young me should have done so.  To this day I’m still really good at climbing up things, and not so good at getting down.  But if someone is around to let me hold their shoulder or tell me where to put my feet, up I go.  I don’t want to miss out on the view.  And look, I’m still in one piece!   Thanks for the help, guys!

(Carolle helped me down.)

Boo!

What will you be doing on October 31 --  Dressing up for trick-or-treating?  Bobbing for apples or drinking smoky punch from a cauldron?  If you want to be truly traditional, make sure there is a bonfire around; but please, keep the authenticity in check and don’t sacrifice any animals.  That’s what the Druids would do 2000 years ago as they celebrated their New Year’s Eve with sacred bonfires.  They also believed that the veil between heaven and earth, between the living and the dead, was at its thinnest on this night - thus all the ghosts ringing your doorbell.

We start spending more time in the dark now, and a bonfire would be welcome.  Christmas lights will soon follow the jack o’lantern candles, bringing comfort and a feeling of wellbeing to the peak of this dark period.  And of course, between times we will celebrate our good harvest with some turkey and turnips.  

I think someone knew what he was doing as the holidays of feasting and light were being scheduled. It’s no fun being stuck in the house in the dark, especially with the cost of lamp oil these days! 

So ignite the fire and bake a pumpkin pie and start untangling the strands of Christmas lights.  Keep the darkness at bay for as long as possible.  Soon enough the world will turn and the sun will increase its time with us.  And get your hands out of the Halloween candy.  That’s for the ghosts!

John & I Figured It Out!

Q:  What is the meaning of Life?

A:  Love

(Seems John Lennon was right, after all.)

I’m not talking about People Magazine kind of love, although that is included.  I’m talking about the Ten Commandments, Yamas and Niyamas kind of love. Love your neighbor.  Love yourself.  Take care of your body.  Take care of your neighbor.  Don’t take what is not yours; in fact, give freely what is yours.  Give thanks.  Look up.  Give thanks again.

Open your heart, follow your heart, trust in your heart.  Send thoughts of love to that which challenges you (in yoga, we use the word “challenging”  instead of “freakin’ hard”). The love will bounce right back to you, multiplied.  Pour love (passion, hard work) into your career and you will be rewarded.  Spread love in your community through service and maybe the word “challenging” will disappear from your vocabulary.

Love is a feeling.  Love is lighter than air and brighter than the sun.  It is contentment and excitement rolled into a heart-shaped package and tucked inside your ribcage.  It echoes and reverberates and spreads and ripples out into the world.  The more happiness and excitement - Love - you feel, the further those ripples travel.  The further they travel, the more people they touch.  The more people touched by your love, the more love will be created and moved into the world.  Love is the answer.

Truth or Dart?

Now that we have all been using our “Impeccable Words”, practicing Satya + Ahimsa (truthfulness and non-harming), and are expert at using our words to convey love and concern rather than hurt or dismay, it’s time to move on to another issue.  Gossip.  It is argued that gossip is healthy, that it is a natural form of communication and a way to move information around a community.  Perhaps; but I think that the term Gossip has accrued negative connotations, and that we “gossip” the bad stuff and “share” the good.  So share away!  Spread the success of your neighbor’s children, compliment your yoga teacher in front of the whole class, bring the joy of a new baby to your friends at Starbucks.  When a dubious thought bubbles to the surface, give it the test:  Is it true? Is it kind? Then - the real litmus test for gossip - is it necessary?  

Most importantly, remember the power of I'm sorry.  We all make slips of the tongue or get caught up in gossip, and the best way to get out of such a mess is to apologize.  Love means never neglecting to say I’m sorry. 

"I hear she practices some weird religion!"

Use Your Words (Wisely)

Don Miguel Ruiz* has written about five “agreements” that you might make with yourself in order to live your highest life.  The first is Be Impeccable With Your Word.  Ruiz suggests we speak with integrity, that words not be used to speak against oneself  or others, and that we use the power of our words in the direction of truth and love.  

Let’s concentrate on speaking the truth.  If the truth will be painful to someone or cause hurt feelings, couple honesty with kindness.  When I took my Reiki training, my teacher told us to ask ourselves these questions before we spoke:  Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?  Be careful not to hide behind “the truth” in order to deliberately hurt someone.  Announcing out loud that someone’s butt looks big may be true, but it is neither kind nor necessary.  

This doesn’t mean we need to sugar-coat everything we say. Using thoughtfulness and love, we can learn how to get a painful truth across to someone.  In yogic terms, I would say practice Satya, truthfulness, with a generous helping of Ahimsa, non-harming.  Here are my suggestions, and I hope you’ll comment with some of your own.

Notice when someone tells a truth so gently that the person hearing it is grateful for the words and not offended.  The speaker probably used body language, too, such as a smile or a gentle touch, to soften the words.  Emulate that skill.

Begin with a positive statement.  Gush for a moment, then say your piece.   “Your dinner parties are so entertaining, and the food is impeccable.  I feel uncomfortable, however, when you talk about “crazy Canadians”, since my mom is from Canada.”

And about someone’s butt looking big in her dress:  Unless she’s meeting the President for a televised event, who cares!  

*www.miguelruiz.com

The Golden Rule

Treat others as you want be treated yourself.  Do onto others as you would have done unto you.  Be nice and people will be nice back. The success of one does not diminish the accomplishments of another; another’s loss is a loss for all.  Move through your day seeing others as yourself, and treat them accordingly.

However you phrase it, The Golden Rule isn’t golden for nothing!  It may be the only rule humankind needs to live in peace, harmony, abundance and joy.  And it’s essential for our personal lives as well.  Think about it.  If you’d love a compliment about your cute new outfit, compliment someone else; seeing the happiness on their face as they receive your kind words will reflect onto and into you, and you will feel just as happy as they do.

Ah, but what about that guy who spies his friend toward the front of a long line and cuts in, taking the last few tickets for his family? You have choices in how you react. You can look daggers at the line-cutter and waste the rest of your day complaining about him, or you can gaze on him with compassion for his non-awareness, and go about the rest of your day still balanced and content.  Or if a friend starts again on her tale of woe, and you don’t have time or inclination to listen yet again, extricate yourself from the situation with sympathy and kindness rather than impatience and judgment.

We all make mistakes, we all do things we shouldn’t, we all act thoughtlessly at times, and we all would like our transgressions to be viewed with kindness and compassion.  Do  this for others, and you will receive treatment in kind.

And by the way, your outfit is stunning.

All in a Name?

Wednesday and no post.  I don’t have a topic, and I can’t find the time.  My email notice reminds me frequently and I make a mental note for “later”.

This morning I was vacuuming and dusting and listening to a Caroline Myss book on my iPod when the phone rang.  “Hi, it’s Bernadette,” the voice said.  I ran through my list of friends and acquaintances with that name.  I surprisingly know a fair number of Bernadettes.  It took another sentence from her to realize it was my college roommate.  We speak only about every 10 years, it seems, but her voice registered quickly.

I’m going to skip the part about how excited I was to hear her voice (it’s not the Om Hour, after all), and get to the nitty-gritty.  We were placed in the same room at college –   Room 711, a lucky number! – because our names were similar.  The RA thought it was cute.  Bernadette was Psychology, I was English.  Fast forward twenty-nine (!)  years and Bernadette is in the Holistic healing business down in Virginia with massage, oils, reflexology, and more.  And here I am, practicing and sharing yoga, reiki, and meditation. She’s coming to visit soon and boy, we’re going to have to talk fast!

So, the thread that linked us when we were younger has held fast through absence; it’s even grown stronger without us knowing!  We thought it was all in the names, but I guess it was more than that. Synchronicity.  It’s a beautiful thing.

Is it a 4-Letter Word?

There is a Chinese tale about an old Zen Master who works diligently in the monastery garden every day.  The young monks think he should take it easy, relax.  They know he won’t listen to them, so they hide his tools.  The next day, and the next and the next, the old teacher does not eat.  They young monks think, he is angry with us.  We better return his tools.  That day, the teacher works and eats as usual.  That night he tells his students, No work, no food.

The Zen Master knows that we must each contribute as much as we consume.  We give so we can take.  We grow so we can eat.  We clean so we can stay healthy.  Some of us resent all the time it takes away from more interesting pursuits.  Me, I’d rather be reading or practicing yoga.  Maybe you like to watch TV more than you enjoy vacuuming.  But let’s try to put WORK into perspective this week, and see that it is not just another four-letter word.

Turn on your awareness, and watch those you come in contact with this week.  See how they interact with their work, and try to find someone for whom work seems more like play.  In fact, I bet there are some aspects of work that you enjoy, so be on the lookout for that, too.  Then think about it (dare I say, meditate on it!).  Why do you resent vacuuming when it leaves you with a pleasantly clean floor.  Hey, maybe you should meditate on it while you’re vacuuming.  Perhaps next time you are writing that report at the office you can put a Buddha smile on your face and see if your attitude changes.  You get my drift.  Work with the awareness that you will get back what you give out. 

For more Zen Stories, check out www.101zenstories.com

Gaia Gets Even!

Wow, Hurricane Irene was something, wasn’t she! So much media hype before, during, and after, if you still had electricity.  Mother Nature has been busy showing us what she’s got.  And boy, she brought plenty of things for show-and-tell these past days.  It started with a little earthquake, which is unusual for the east coast.  After giving us a wake-up shake, she tossed buckets of water over our heads to make sure we got out of bed.  Then she sent Zephyr’s older, wilder cousin to play with our trees, ripping off branches or knocking them over completely.

So what’s going on?  Global warming, climate change, karmic retribution, Mother Earth’s revenge, Gaia Gets Even . . . Does it really matter?  No.  Just let it be a reminder that we, mankind, are not as all-powerful as we seem to think, that there are some things that can twirl us around like tumbleweeds, change our fields into rivers and our oceans into witchy cauldrons.  There are times we need to surrender to what is around us and simply take cover and observe from a distance.  Maybe there is a reason for all this crazy weather, but I am not the one to pinpoint what it could be. I think, though, that it would benefit us to act like ancient civilizations and decide that we need to appease our Earth, be kinder to Mother Nature, respect our planet.  No virgin sacrifices necessary, just common sense. 

You know what to do to make this a better place to live.  Do it.  Set the example.  Watch others follow.  Can’t hurt!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Don't worry about it, because if you worry about it, then we all have to worry about it.

This in a yoga class when a student forgot something in her car and kept apologizing for the interruption as she got up, put on shoes and went out.

Meaning, if she had quietly taken care of her issue the rest of us wouldn't even have noticed her coming and going; as it was, we were all involved as we told her it was okay, and watched her put on her shoes, then reassured her again as she apologized on her return.  


Ask yourself why you are apologizing:  Is it for your own benefit or for others’?  Sometimes it’s better not to worry about it!

Song for Today

Listen to things you cannot hear

Look at things you cannot see

Speak of that for which you have no words

Comprehend what you don’t understand

Love those you haven’t met

Sing songs you haven’t heard

Pray for what you don't know you need

Do the things you cannot imagine

Give compassion to all

Say thank you

Silly Ol' Bear

When carrying a jar of honey to give to a friend for his birthday, don’t stop and eat it along the way. 

   --Wisdom from Pooh Bear

There is an understanding of the Universe that everything we need is available to us, and that there is enough for everyone. Still, we sometimes find ourselves being a little stingy, making sure we have what we need for ourselves and our little nuclear family, and rationalizing that others can get what they need their own darn selves!  Yes, ideally everyone would be open to what is “out there” and this would be a perfect world; realistically not everyone is ready to accept that there is no need to scramble over others to get what is needed, and that by helping others we help ourselves.  Someone needs to be the good example!

There are many facets to this issue:  You need to keep your Self in good working order to be able to help others -- when the oxygen masks drop, put yours on first or you won’t be able to assist anyone else!  Some people don’t have it in them to take care of themselves, and we need to see this as an opportunity, not a drag.  Every person, whether CEO or Somalian refugee, has the same worth.

But remember that there is Enough!  Take what you need and no more, and then help others to take what they need for themselves. 

Oh, and by the way, there is a reward for this kind of giving life.  And it’s worth the trouble.

Yes, I Can! And so can you.

I recently returned from western New York after completing a week of service, building a deck and ramp for a man and his young son so that their cousin, wheelchair-bound, would be able to visit.  What made this week so special was the all-female work team we had this year.  The girls had participated in service projects in the past, but always with boys on their team -- teenaged boys with no more building experience than the girls had, but with a lot more confidence and a feeling that they were doing “man’s work” and as men, were magically adept at it.  During our last night wrap-up, I heard these comments from our young ladies: 

Other years, we always did what the boys told us; mostly the stuff they didn’t want to do.  This year, we asked what was the next step, and our leader handed us the plan and told us to go to it.  And we did!

The girls returned home glowing with empowerment, basking in the knowledge that they could, indeed, do man’s work without actually being men.  Maybe this experience will plant the seed that there does not need to be a dividing line between men and women; that although it takes four girls to hoist a heavy deck platform which three boys could have hefted with ease, still, the girls could do it; that there is no need to settle for leftovers.  Most of the girls will age out of the program after this, but next time they work side by side with men I hope they will remember this week, and take up that chop saw (or spatula, or pen, or steering wheel) with confidence and the knowledge that they can.  And that what they do with skill does not detract from what anyone else does. And that the masculine/feminine yin and yang swirl together so beautifully to make a circle, the yin curling around the yang and the yang filling the spaces in perfect balance, just as men and women working together fit perfectly.  And if we each allow the other to shine, the scales will be even and the world will spin ever more smoothly.

Brain Melt

Think back a few months.  Remember March?  What were you wearing?  Long pants, thick socks, a sweater and a scarf, I bet.  And that was while folding laundry. The weather has done a flip, and now we are baring skin and seeking air-conditioned spaces, and hopefully drinking lots of pure water.

The weather can be an obstacle for us, as we struggle to adjust to temperature extremes.  Everyone knows about hydration and sun protection, about taking it slow during the dog days and keeping the blood flowing when there's a chill.  These challenges to our physical bodies can also affect our mental/emotional bodies.  In the heat we may find our minds becoming sluggish and lethargic.  The warmth seeps into our skulls and melts our brains.  Make this an opportunity to soften your mind and slow your thinking.  Be aware of the ways the heat relaxes you and allow yourself to let go of the chitchat that usually clamors in your head. Find some shade and close your eyes and slip into meditation (without falling asleep).  As you bring yourself back to your surroundings, try to absorb the feelings of peace so you can come back to that state again in different circumstances.  Even a minute of inner silence can create a calmer, more peaceful you.  Then glug some water and get back to work!

Laundry List

It's 9:45PM and I'm folding laundry, trying not to grit my teeth against the job.  A few more mindless tasks are waiting to be done before I can tuck myself in for the night:  The dog needs to go out, my teeth need brushing, and a few bills need to be paid. So I sort the mail, let the dog back in, and stand in front of the sink wondering if I can risk skipping the floss tonight. 

Mundane tasks and everyday chores stand in our way every day.  Every hour, even.  And we can't skip flossing every night! So how to get over that feeling of excruciating boredom when faced with a mountain of socks to match?  What can we do to feel, not joy, but at least acceptance, when we pull out the skillet to make dinner AGAIN?

Wish I had an answer for you, but I don't.  I have an idea to try out, though:  All day tomorrow, I will use those moments of dullness to meditate.  I won't sit cross-legged with my thumb and index finger forming a circle, and I won't even close my eyes.  I will breathe deeply and allow my mind to be quiet for those few minutes.  I will pay attention to the smell of the parsley I chop, and the sound of the onions falling in to the hot oil.  I will look closely at the beautiful tree in my backyard as I wait for the dog to finish up, and I will marvel at its magnificence (too much? Okay, maybe I'll lean against its majestic trunk.  It's a really nice tree!) The point being that if I need to concentrate on a task, I will do so mindfully; if the job is mindless, I will give my mind a real break, and not waste the time with my inner complaints.  I'll let you know how it works out.

Citified Yoga

Solstice in Times Square is a yoga celebration of the longest day of the year.  Thousands gathered throughout the day to practice together in the heart of Manhattan, to share their energies and heart-light and, for some, to show off their perfect yoga poses.  I couldn’t help but notice a few things, and gather some lessons in the process.  For those of you who won’t start a yoga practice because you are too stiff/chubby/tall/old/weak/whatever, you should attend an event like this, where there are so many different body types that no one can feel like they don’t belong.  Grab a mat and get going.  The other lesson I need to take to heart is this:  Two yoga teachers decided one day to present yoga in Times Square, and that first year, there were only five people attending.  And that included the teachers!  Each year the event grew, and now they sadly turn people away for lack of space!  So – a slow start is still a start!  My last thought was this:  What??!! The days are going to start getting shorter already?!  Heck, school is barely out!

Inhale. Exhale.  Enjoy.

Fifty-Something?

You may know that last summer I turned 50 years old.  I know!  I don't look a day over 49.  I credit all those yoga inversions.  Anyway, I rather enjoyed being 50.  It feels comfortable to say, "oh, I'm 50.  Yes, yes, I know I don't look a day over 49, but it's true. I'm 50."  Fifty seems mature in a wise way, while not yet long in the tooth.  I can still wear skirts above my knee, although just, and heck, if I can do a headstand in the middle of the room at 50 then, dammit, I can wear my hair down past my shoulders (if only it would grow faster). 

And now, as my next birthday creeps up on me, I've made a decision.  I am going to stay 50 for a few more years.  Apologies to my sisters, who will become first my same age, then older than me; but no need for them to worry, because around 53 or 54, I'll pop back to my rightful age.  For now, I claim the right to do some things just for me, and one of them is to remain at this number of years for as long as I want.  So on July 8 of this year, when you say Happy Birthday to me and I just smile serenely in response, you'll know that, while I do celebrate my day of birth, I'm not too concerned about the years.

I'll let you know when this conceit ends!

The Mystery of the Swallowtail

Last time I was here the water was higher; it was early spring, and now it is early summer.  Up along the banks there are leaves and twigs and even rocks to show how high the water got during spring thaw. I am in the Catskills at a creek near my sister's cabin. Across the creek the land is state-owned, so it is rare to come across any other people down here. Carolle tells the story that one day she and her daughter were sitting on a rock in the middle of the creek, reading, at a time the water ran particularly high, and suddenly two kayakers swished past, each pair surprising the other. But today it is peaceful and quiet.  Except when we do some yodeling to make sure the bears know we are here.

I step out of the water to walk along the banks for a bit.  The water is icy cold and my feet need a break.  Turning to look for the others, I see a flock of yellow swallowtail butterflies drifting silently down the path made by the creek.  Truly, maybe fifty or more wafting past in a straggly line.  For the rest of our trek we spy the butterflies, mostly in twos and threes after the largest group went past, flitting by on their journey to somewhere.

There is no internet service up here - no cell phone service either - so I can't look up information on swallowtails.  Maybe I will when I get home; maybe not. Sometimes it's nice to simply enjoy a mystery.

Cheer Up 101

Some days just don’t sparkle.  Although my personal life and family are swimming right along today, there are things happening out in the big wide world that are scary and sad, and even the sun seems to have deserted us this Spring.  I was having difficulty writing an upbeat blog post this morning, so I deleted everything, went into the kitchen, and started grating orange rind, chopping almonds and pecans, and measuring flour and oats.  Now my home smells like cookies, and soon I will have a treat with my tea. 

Some days, that’s just the ticket!

Now excuse me, the timer is ringing.  

Who Turned On the Lights?

I’m reading a quantum physics book*  (yes, the same person who taped a copy of the Multiplication Tables in the back of her math notebook through 8^th grade) and it's very interesting. Quantum physics deals with parts of the universe that are small beyond imagination.  The book presents the info in a way that I can just nod and keep reading without actually understanding every nuance.  I’m intrigued by the fact that even the physicists themselves don’t quite “get” it either.

One of the buzzwords in quantum physics is “vibration”. Everything is made up of vibrations, and the higher the vibration the more light is emitted.  Put that thought into your head and look outside right now as spring is bursting through the earth and everywhere you look insects are humming and flowers are blooming, grass is growing, rain is falling, and nothing is staying still. Imagine the crazy vibrations happening inside everything you see, and think of the light energy building up and shining through.  Just peek outside at nature right now and see if you don’t immediately think, “exuberant!”  

Now take a look at the people around you with those same eyes.  Imagine their vibrations creating light inside of them, light that connects to your own light. 

The Light in me shines on the Light in you.  We are all part of the same Light.  Namaste.

*The Dancing Wu Li Masters, An Overview of the New Physics, Gary Zukav, 2001.  If you prefer video, try “What the Bleep - Down the Rabbit Hole, Quantum Edition”

Look Up

Here’s a little Zen story for you.  A monk leaves his home on the hill for a trip, and upon his return, the roof of his house is gone, blown away by the wind.  His neighbors wait anxiously for his reaction, sure that he will be devastated.  “Ah,” says the monk.  “That roof has been blocking out the skies.  Now I will have such a lovely view of the stars.”

Devastating things happen.  Tornados and floods come to mind today.  When visited by such disasters, we have to make a choice:  Become part of the disaster, or be apart from the disaster.  All the usual human emotions of grief and fear will come up, and these cannot be lightly dismissed.  Yet once these feelings are dealt with, remember that all it takes to begin a recovery is to take one step forward.  You may slog through some deep mud for a while, but one day you’ll look up and see the stars.

And the winner is . . .

Do you remember those cartoons where one of the characters is facing a moral dilemma, and a little angel pops up on one shoulder, and a teeny devil on the other?  The little guys generally ended up fighting each other, with the angel’s halo falling askew and the devil wrapped in his forked tail but usually winning.  Those tiny figures were representing the main character’s conscience, helping decide between right and wrong.  It’s likely that you, too, have experienced the struggle between angel and devil.  Who usually wins?

Every day we make decisions based on our compass of right and wrong, good and bad.  It often seems like the little devil is proposing a more fun and satisfying game, while the simpering angel is a buzz kill.  Is that really the way it is, or is it just our outward selves putting that forward? 

We have an inner voice that is always available to us.  I like the phrase “Higher Self”.  Someone, who is actually me, looking out for my best interests without judgment, blame, hypocrisy, or ego.  Someone who realizes that there is no “good”, no “bad”; there just is.

So flick those troublesome creatures off your shoulders, sit down, and be still.  Let your Higher Self chat with you.  And please, listen to what you hear.

I just had them . . .

So, a woman walks into the living room. She stops, looks around, and leaves. Ten seconds later she strides back in, eyes focused on her objective – reading glasses.  She puts them on, pushes them up on top of her head, and walks back out, a satisfied smile on her face.  She enters the dining room and sits at the table, newspaper spread out in front of her.  She looks around, frowning. Now where are those d**n reading glasses?

Sound familiar?  No, it’s not age causing these moments of forgetfulness, it’s a brain filled to bursting with tasks, calendars, laundry, and dinner needing to be made – not to mention that rather strange comment left by a friend on your Facebook post.  What did she mean by that, anyway?

Too much activity in the brain, and something has to give; something has to move to the back of the line.  I could suggest you eliminate some of your activities, but who am I kidding – except for the laundry, you enjoy your busy life.  So how about this experiment:  As you move from one activity to the next, take one full, deep, mindful breath. Like when you get in the car.  Inhale, exhale; drive.  When you sit in front of the computer, breathe in deeply, let it out, then wake up the monitor.  Before opening the fridge to take out the pork chops, take a huge lungful of air.  Instead of each event fighting it out for your attention, a mindful separation of tasks may help your brain sort things out peacefully.

Now, take a slow, deep breath, then go to the drugstore and buy a chain for your reading glasses.  It’s fashionable, I swear!

Breathing deeply between a hike and dinner.  Ahhhh....

Mom vs. Harvard

While I don’t hold to the saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun,” I do think that sometimes we search for answers that we already have – we just don’t like what they tell us.

The other day I was perusing the Harvard Health Letter, Feb 2011 and stopped at the article on page 3, “Mindful eating”.  (Okay, okay, I work at the Borough Library and I was discharging items and the headline caught my eye . . . )  The article made me realize that although science continues to discover new things about nutrition, to be truly healthy and happy with our bodies we only need the tools our moms taught us.

The Harvard Health Letter says, “A small yet growing body of research suggests that a slower, more thoughtful way of eating could help with weight problems”.  Mom says, “Slow down; you’re supposed to chew that first!”  Harvard:  “There’s also reason to believe that eating while we’re distracted by activities like driving or typing may slow down or stop digestion in a manner similar to how the “fight or flight” response does.”  Mom:  Please sit down at the table and eat like a civilized person.  And turn off that TV!”  Harvard:  “…mindfulness helps people recognize the difference between emotional and physical hunger and satiety and introduces a “moment of choice” between the urge and eating.”  Mom:  “You’re not hungry, you’re just bored.  Go outside and ride your bike.”

Thanks, Mom.