YOGA: Graceful Movements and Communication

"Exercises are like prose, whereas yoga is the poetry of movements.  Once

you understand the grammar of yoga, you can write your poetry of movements."

Amit Ray

Yoga is one of the many ways movement becomes a communication with the body and the self.  For some, it becomes a moving ritual with the Divine.  The physical body, the mind, and the spirit benefit from the practice of yoga.

Yoga attracts both young and elderly alike.  It is practiced in large temples, small studios, and in the privacy of homes.  It can be adjusted for active body types and also modified for chair bound participants.

Yoga is meant to be graceful and individualistic. For some, it creates an art form.  Everyone strives for the same pose, but there are varying degrees of success which doesn't matter.  The importance is to release the outer world in order to create a graceful connection with our inner self and all there is.

***There are an abundance of yoga practices in most communities.  For privacy, yoga can easily be found on the internet or accessed through books.  TIMELESS GENTLE YOGA by Nancy Hodge Long is an excellent source.

Reaching Inward, Alone

"Sometimes you need to sit lonely on the floor in a quiet room in order 

to hear your own voice and not let it drown in the noise of others."

Charlotte Eriksson

There are numerous ways to learn within our world.  We can obtain a solid education, complete an internship, master a skill, utilize life experiences, or communicate with the Divine.  It is not until we integrate our knowledge that it becomes wisdom.

As we search for our lovely selves, we can be distracted by our clamoring ego, low self-esteem, or dwelling on criticism from well intentioned friends.  At some point, we finally hear our inner spirit and we become willing to listen, create, and love the world.

When we at last create our sacred place to be alone, we begin to accept our inner strengths, and life begins to change.  Our focus becomes more clear, time is better allocated, and reverence for life attunes our actions for facing the outer world.  We begin to see the world as one, view our persona as unique, and shape our purpose for the good of all.  Listen, and you shall hear.

Beautify the World

"Beautify your inner dialogue.  Beautify your inner world

with light and compassion.  Life will be beautiful."

Amit Ray

Mentors can point us into a better way of embracing the world, but it is the voice in our head we hear the most.  Whether we believe it is ego or assign it to a person from the past, the negative and destructive words in our head out weigh positive input.

It helps to glance back at poor decisions and believe we did the best we could at that time with the knowledge available to us.  Hindsight provides us with numerous options we 'could' have applied, but at the moment in time we based our actions on what we knew.

The critic yapping negatively in our head creates doubt, fear, and indecisiveness. We must quiet that voice as it is an old pattern of sabotage.  If we can embrace ourselves, faults and all, we have the energy to forge ahead making better decisions and creative pathways to a life with deeper meaning.  

Dead Ends are Opportunities

"Rejection is an opportunity for your selection."

Bernard Branson

As individuals, we each have a unique way of facing our dilemmas.  Our emotions and actions will be based upon our particular perceptions created while passing through earlier obstacles.  If we gained wisdom from previous circumstances we will recall what not to do.  As we think back, we can be reminded of the light that eventually followed the passage in darkness.

When we come to a dead end that we expected to be our leaping point to success, our emotions can be all over the place.  The more we allow our feelings to scatter, the less energy we have to create a new adventure.  Experience shows us to gather all of our energy and focus on what might come next.

Creativity, hope, and focus can move us onto a new course.  We do not have to know where we are being led, but we must make certain our energy is resonating with the initial plans. Choose steps wisely.  Being thrown off track does not mean we are defected or lesser than.  It simply moves us towards another approach to life which ultimately will fit our needs better than the first.

Unlock the Gates

"Wise is the person who understands how to live
without the limits of fear, regret or shame.  For they hold 
the keys to the kingdom filled with their own happiness."
Ella Shawn

Energy can shape shift into various forms including positive, negative or neutral. Energy conforms to our emotional makeup etched by life experiences.  When we exhibit an automatic reaction our energy is simply complying with previous patterns.

Whether fear, regret or shame were buried in our past or recently in the  present does not matter as much as becoming aware of these emotional limitations.  When we examine the boundaries we begin to realize how much energy they are absorbing and the quantity of experience they are preventing.  

Fear for instance, is it based in fact or fiction?  Can we step through the fear with newly established perception and reasonable safety?  If regret is hanging heavily in our mind, use the energy to let it go.  Do not let it be an never ending story.  Shame can keep us from our true nature, living life fully, and creating a healthy future.  Establish a compassion and forgiveness releasing energy to move forward.  In all three of these examples, we have choice.  It is up to us to unlock the gates of our own deserved happiness.

Treating Humans

"But as the years went on, I realized that what I really want to be,

all told, is a human.  Just a productive, honest, courteously treated human."

Caitlin Moran

We do not always have realistic expectations for our lovely selves.  We dream of being something or someone we are not destined to be.  We may diligently follow the family path of professionals or minimize possibilities.   Eventually we become  acquainted with our true desires and with fear, doubt and questions, change courses.

There are numerous stories told of individuals who were passionate in their earlier years regarding the life of all humans. Their focus was on helping others and much of his work was based on volunteer organizations.    Then came marriage and a baby carriage and out of necessity turn to more established careers.  Then came retirement.

Various seniors of today have retired from a career and stepped back into passion ... helping other humans.  They have become mentors, volunteers or initiated programs to help vets, elders and families in precarious positions.  They are  part of Divine's intention to 'just be a productive, honest, courteously treated human' helping others with dignity and respect. 

***Read to a visually impaired neighbor; spontaneously baby sit for a young mom; bring food to those in crisis; shovel neighbors snow; offer a trip to the library or senior center; volunteer in areas you find interesting; join Senior Programs offering outreach support such as Meals on Wheels; Walk a neighbors pet; the options are endless.  Share a gift or talent!

Devoured and Disheveled ...

"I am confident, I am capable and I will not wait 

to be rescued by a woodsman or a hunter."

Jackson Pearce

Sisters Red

Little Red Riding Hood was a story heard in early childhood.  I memorized the fairytale, capturing every detail of the characters involved.  In vivid color, Little Red Riding Hood would routinely tromp through my visions as a testimony for a better life.. Years later, I realized the symbolism of this story and how it shaped my perception about men and relationships.  

Similar to this tale, my mother sent me into the woods carrying a basket of  goodwill.  I was exceptionally naive and lacked self-esteem having no defense against a wolf.  I was devoured and in my dishevelment, I awaited the hunter to come and save me.  

The majority of my life was spent with rescuers, only to realize I could only be saved through my own efforts.  In fact, I didn't want to be rescued at all once I realized I had a brain to make my own choices based on my newly realized needs.  Agreed, I still wear boots and capes with hoods with a passion for baskets, but I no longer loiter in the woods except to visit sprites and butterflies.

Words Create Waves

"Each word we speak has a life of its own,

a vibratory signature that creates waves

into the expanse of the universe.

Madyson Taylor

Daily Om

Every word we utter contains energy and takes on a life of its own.  In spite of our personal meaning, the word may blend with energies from other words and create harmony or disruption.  In addition, each of us have our own reaction to the energy.  To some, the energy may be too harsh, abrupt or disconnecting.  The word itself is dropped into our memory bank surrounded by vibrations from all that we know.

Words create with their energy just as music notes contribute to a lullaby or jazz.  Words can be uplifting or defeating even though this may not have been the original intention.  The written word can share journeys or state valuable information to be used as a resource.  Storytellers can manipulate words to deepen or change the attention of the audience.  

An elder once told me a word was like an arrow shot into the side of the barn.  He said one could remove the arrow or take back the word, but the hole would always remain.  Words are never ending as their vibration carry them forward, joining other frequencies which penetrate realms seen and unseen.  We need to be more selective of our words as they are never ending.  

Three Primary Selves

"The child I was is with me in the present hour.

It will be with me in the grave."

Mary Oliver

BRAIN PICKINGS posted an article about Mary Oliver.  Maria Popova reflected poet Mary Oliver's creative awareness:"She identifies three primary selves that she inhabits, and that inhabit her, as they do all of us:  the childhood self, the social self, and a sort of otherworldly awareness."  The child attempts to integrate a continuous thread through our personal identity.  The social attached to numerous ideas of obligation.  The otherworldly self is perhaps the most difficult to describe as it ebbs and flows into the other two.

This third self which senses the presence in all things is the artist or creativity which resides in us all. It takes us a step beyond the ordinary or obligated into an arena of artistic discovery disbursing our energy to all we yearn for.  This level is where we yearn and receive the mysteries of the world.

This is an unidentifiable place we repeatably visit to experience beyond the veils.  It is a sensual realm where we learn a new way of communicating and learning, effortlessly.  Through contemplation or prayer one trains the mind to sit still, to distance the worldly demands, and to witness all that is holy.

The Bond is the Bridge

"Women have always cradled within their bodies secret mysteries

of life, death, and rebirth and the healing, grounding, and balancing

powers of our Mother in the Earth.  We have held these mysteries 

sacred within us as we would carry babies in our wombs."

 Elizabeth Eiler

Singing Voices: Voices of the Sacred Feminine

If we have been gifted with the opportunity to bare a child within our womb, we have experienced both magic and mystical movements.  It is difficult to put into words the feelings generated by a tiny elbow within us, gracefully poking itself across our belly.  Try to describe the sensation of a yet to be born child having the hiccups.

The world, in a sense, is our womb as we are all children of God.  We are trying to develop, but not all of us are healthy.  The silent communication between the Divine and world babies is exceptionally difficult to define.  Nevertheless, between embryos and host mothers and world babies and Divine, a bond is created with love flowing both ways.

For women who have expanded bonds between child and Divine, tread upon Mother Earth with honor and respect.  An inner yearning to care for the earth just as we cared for our young, draws us closer to nature where we experience mysteries.  The bond is the bridge to all that is sacred.

Mary Oliver, Poet

"When you write a poem,

you write it for anybody and everybody."

Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver died at the age of 83 on January 17, 2019.  For over 50 years, this poet shared her wisdom and skills with the world.  It was as though she was writing from her heart, basing words on life experience, and simply sharing her love for nature.  

Mary Oliver's poetry was approachable and easily understood.  There was no guessing what her intention was as she was simply sharing.  She was writing to all of us expressing her love for the connection between nature and God.

Mary Oliver shared what was in her heart, knowing it was the same in the hearts of others.   She wrote for everyone hoping to ignite appreciation for life no matter what presented.  She drew her readers in with compassion, wisdom, and simply by being human.

Outer and Inner Worlds

"You are  beginning to understand the hidden connections 

which unite the outer and inner worlds of your experiences."

Peggy Black

Chaos is prevalent in our world and just as we begin to make transitions, additional violence and turmoil unfolds.  If indeed, this is the process of ridding what no longer works and developing higher forms of justice and peace, I will hang on, hoping for the best resolve.

Realizing I can change no one but my self, I will pull in my energy to align my outer and inner worlds.  If I can eliminate my inner fears they will no longer contribute to the collective world.  If I can strengthen my core, I will reflect compassion and peace in my life experiences.

Wisdom is fluid when we are balanced and open to the connectedness of all things.  Our compassionate thoughts are reflected in our actions.  We will honor and respect those surrounding us, allowing room for all voices to be heard.  With discernment, we will try to understand without feeling the necessity for judgment.  Without fear or punishment, our hidden connections will surface, allowing our bonds to strengthen and grow.

Harmony Between Two Worlds

"Fly like an eagle."

Steve Miller

It is a seven hour drive and I have traveled the same roads for 18 years.  There are favorite stopping points and memorized places for cheap gas.  In one state gas was $2.46 per gallon and then it drops to $1.89 in the neighboring state.  I digress, as my pleasures on these long drives tend to be of beautiful trees, unusual sightings of animals and magnificent flying birds. 

As I travel the winding road, I feel like I am on a tour through nature.  I become minimized while driving through the majestic mountain passes and energized by the powerful trees withstanding wind, fire, and snow.  I count hawks and discern if they are on my feminine or masculine side while opening my mind to receive any incoming spiritual messages.    

There are no distractions like listening to an audio book or ranting radio station.  I am in love with the present moment when I assume the bird above me is a turkey vulture.  As it flies over my sunroof, it is clearly an eagle.  (Ted Andrews book entitled ANIMAL-SPEAKS states that the eagle "will teach a balance of being of the Earth but not in it.")  The eagle nudges me to remember alignment ... to be a part of the sky, but nurture from the ground.  I need to bring harmony between the two worlds.

Control -vs- Empowerment

"Women saw everything, and they thought about everything.  The result

was wisdom.  For men, this was a frightening state of affairs, which is

why they insist on holding on to power."

Tamar Myers

Women who fulfill a strong sense of self without aggression or need for physical power over others, experiences a depth to life.  Life will have numerous layers for one component and the woman will toy with the component observing how it works in numerous situations.  With her curiosity, she trains her lovely self to maintain varying degrees of perception which broadly apply to a broader life scape. 

The women who open themselves to multitudes of possibilities tend to share and help others explore varying degrees of creativity, goals and solutions.  Women become empowered by using unique gifts and strengths to lift up themselves and others, not to control nor minimize.  They tend to work together in joint effort rather than to solely seek outcome and praise.

Women who have developed a strong and flexible inner strength are not devastated by lack of recognition.  They gather pieces together hearing insight and guidance to assist them through the experience.  For women, success is not limited to a highly celebrated end result.  The multitude of wisdom bestowed upon them by working with others and maintaining awareness brings increments of joy and wonderment.  The ultimate is not control but experiencing empowerment while working with others.

Tightness of Facial Skin

"I'd rather be thought of as smart, capable, strong and compassionate

than beautiful.  Those things all persist long after beauty fades."

Cassandra Duffy

When a beautiful child is adorned with gifts and pretty things, she welcomes attention without projecting any sense of her self.  As she grows older, she is smart to realize her attraction seems to be skin deep.  She then has the choice to be brave and expose her inner beauty or to reflect only which is skin deep .

A woman who is glorified for her looks alone, may not be aware that she has unlimited resources to offer.  She may not be conceited about her appearance, but realizes the need for potions, lotions, and constant upkeep.  As she ages and no longer receives praise to bolster her ego, she begins to feel obsessed with the elasticity of her skin.

Women are beautiful, each and every one, when they shine inner beauty out into the world.  People will long remember compassion and kindness, and perhaps not so much the tightness of facial skin.  As we are spiritual essence taking residency in a physical form, it is vital to bring our message or goal out into the world. Our inner glow radiates positive energy attracting others to benefit from our gifts deeply seeded within.

Steps and Traces

“Step aside and let the creativity 

or the Great Creator do it’s work.

Julia Cameron

I have often walked in the hot sun by the ocean.  I would gently smile at the footprints my feet were creating in the sand.  Yes, there would be a trace of me I smirked.  Then the ocean released a gentle wave onto the shore removing any trace of me. 

In the winter, my booted feet sank deeply as I staggered through the 11 inches of snow.  It took great concentration as to where to place my feet.  I made deep holes knowing they would easily be seen.  Then the wind began to blow and my tracks were instantly replaced by delicate swirls of snow.

And such is life, carefully making our marks only to be replaced by future inventive minds.  Our steps, whether on sand or snow, are easily replaced no matter how carefully we make them. Perhaps the clue is to not try so hard to be remembered, but open our hearts, minds, and actions for Divine to leave traces of wisdom through us.

Crack in Foundation

"When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.

When we strive to become better than we are,

everything around us becomes better too."

Paulo Coelho

When a family works together to resolve a problem, harmony is returned by the efforts of each member.  If a relationship has a conflict with neither partner open to suggestion, a separation begins like a crack in a foundation.

Our energy is best placed in the resolution not becoming stuck on the prick of the problem.  The challenge is here, sometimes looming, and we must move forward together for positive progression.  Demeaning participants or ignoring the challenge will lead into greater turmoil.

Solutions are not always equal to individual team members.  The distribution  of  compromise is not necessarily equal, but  must be supported by all parties.  When we master change with love, results can be more effective and longer lasting.  Individuals are enhanced through loving examples and lasting unions.

I'm In Trouble

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly;

what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Antoine de Saint-Expuery

Visualize the phone ringing and upon answering, a friend says, "I''m in trouble!"  We do not see if she has just had an accident, flipped off her boss, or broken her vow to never eat chocolate again.  When we allow our hearts to open we register what emotion is present, and our response will typically be authentic and respectful.

Visualize being in the grocery store and a small child is vigorously licking an ice cream cone and the creamy ball escapes and rolls across the dirty floor.  The child of course is shedding crocodile tears.  Imagine what response would be prompted ...  yell at the child, turn the other way or compassionately bend to help the toddler?  

Our heart contributes to our responses.  Much depends on how deeply we allow communication to process.  If we respond with rapid fire, we are shouting things off the top of our head; whereas, if we stay in the moment,  listening without judgment, our response will be heartfelt.  This does not ensure either a positive or negative response.  From the heart, we are more capable of replying with respect and compassion.

Become An Original Creature of Nature

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes

it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

Maya Angelou

Pieces of art usually begin with one small inspiration and often the artist is led to places he or she never expected to be.  A particular idea can catch hold and enhance beyond expectation or it can be squelched into nothingness.

Human beings are like butterflies, spending endless time in cocoons that can be too harsh or not supportive.  We wiggle our lovely selves around until we have the inertia to thrust forward.  It is these very twists and turns that create our unique nature.

We easily observe a butterfly without acknowledging the changes it has gone through in order to become a delicate creature in the midst of nature.  If we stand in awe in front of mentors or historians, we never really comprehend their massive struggles.   We, too, have the choice to overcome obstacles and become an original creature of nature.

Messages Flow Through Words

"The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone,

but the things you do for others remain as your legacy."

Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

No matter the image we try to project, people will remember us as they perceived us.  Our inner spirit shines through the cracks in our heart, the mountains of challenge in our minds, and the thick or thin skin we expose to the world. 

If we are smiling on the outside while loathing on the inside, the frequency of our conflicted energy will be felt by others.  When we are aligned and speak our truth, people experience our power as integrity and sincerity whether we are in agreement or not.  

There are times we can simply open ourselves up allowing spirit to speak through us.  No worries about having the perfect answer, as we know the listener will hear the message of the Divine. Those who listen will remember the space of compassion we offered long after we have passed.

Flying High

"Flying starts from the ground.

The more grounded you are,

the higher you fly."

J.R. Rim

One doesn't always think of grounding their feet prior to take off.  One would think the first thing to do prior to flight, would be to untether the feet.  Although it sounds conflicted, a person can extend themselves farther when they are attached solidly to the ground.  And no, we are not speaking of the physical.

Meditation can be used as an example.  The longer one practices, the less time is spent on the particulars of the process with more time for prayer, contemplation or connection.  The stronger the foundation, the higher one can build.  

When we first begin any chosen practice, more time is spent on learning the rules, positions, training the mind, and ignoring distractions.  After lengthy practice, one can move quickly through the process and have more time to actually experience time invested.  We must be patient with our lovely selves and  settle in with feet on the floor.   Then begin the experience of flight!

Enhanced Input

"You need to learn to select your thoughts just the same way 

you select your clothes every day."

Elizabeth Gilbert 

Think about a birthday where we have provided our families with a wish list.  Perhaps we have narrowed our choice down to specific detail so nothing can go wrong.  We know what we are getting and perhaps experience relief when it is finally in our possession.

Now think about a time we received a gift unexpectedly not knowing what was inside.  Our curiosity was heightened, while excitement and positive emotions bubbled up.  We were uplifted to realize some one gave unsolicited investment in making us feel special.  The gift, whether big or small, triggered a surprise moment.  

Perception colors both our inner and outer world.  The Universe patiently waits to meet our needs.  If our expectations are dark and gloomy, the Universe delivers that exactly.  The Universe can choose from a multitude of creative options when we open our minds with gratitude for all abundance we receive!

Stardust from my Eyes ...

Divine Light

A million bits of light

Tiny, sparkling, glittering in space

Perhaps each being of light

Here to guide and support

Stay vigilant, awake and aware

Tiny Beings are everywhere!

Nancy Long

Musings about the light in the sky have been passed down through the centuries in story telling, songs, and the written word.  Stars in the sky have been fodder for scientists, historians, spiritualists and metaphysical scholars.  Even the sky itself is mesmerized by the sparkle and glitter reflecting insinuations and mystery.

Astrologers have long debated the depths and meanings of the alignment of the stars and the impact upon the birth months.  Merchants and wayfarers based safe travel upon the positions of the stars.  Ancient cultures used the stars as a great time piece for structure, protection and survival.

Dreams are filled with the moon and stars!  I have sat upon the ledge of the moon and floated across the sky.  The stars continuously flickered wonderment down to the stargazers beholding the sky.  I begged the moon to let me glide just one more time across the sky; but, I awoke in my bed ...  rubbing stardust from my eyes.

*** Special thanks to Nancy Long (Yoga Teacher Extraordinaire)

       for sharing her poem DIVINE LIGHT

Originally posted on virginiasvoice.blogspot.com on 01/09/19

     

Placing Feet Upon Ego

"Whenever the cloud of ego threatens to engulf me,

I remind myself of my roots.  It helps keeping my

feet on the ground."

Faraaz Kazi

The phrase, "Keep your feet on the ground" is meant both mentally and physically.  In a mental way, we can envision planting our feet solidly upon Mother Earth while emotionally sensing a connection.  To see this action in our mind our body will react accordingly positioning balance.  Physically, if we place our naked feet upon the earth, we will feel a pull from the earth and beckon it to travel up into our body for centering.  Either way, placing feet on the ground will bring us into alignment.

If we are in a pronounced situation such as a meeting, we can choose to take a deep breath, feel our feet on the ground and imagine strength powering through our inner being.  If we are preparing for a confrontation, we can make a list of previous conflicts and how we succeeded in maintaining our energy.  The same holds true for anxiety.  We can gather our lovely parts together ... heart, brain, emotion, and memory ... to form a strong energy stature.

The basic concept is aligning the body, mind, and spirit.  This of course translates into ... My feet are firmly on the ground (reality or body), I am well versed and knowledgable (mind), and I am connected with the Divine (Spiritual).  The process of aligning these three ideas pull all of our gifts and wisdom into  a useable force.  

***It is also valuable to imagine the feet placed upon the ground are standing sturdily upon ego.