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.