Thanks to Kelly Diels and her funny fabulous blog, an inspirational reminder type of quote just became sacred to me:
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.- Harold Whitman
This quote is a summation of the purpose of my blog. Thanks Kelly!
Dec 19, 2009
Dec 17, 2009
On Practicing Yoga and Yoga Abstinence, Understanding Why Your Monkey Shouldn’t Get His Way
I notice when I drag myself to yoga class -- yes sometimes it is really like pulling the dead weight of my body -- I am always happy I went. In fact, I’m always happy right when I arrive. The vibe is very pleasant, the lighting is almost always nice (barring the strange yoga class I once attended at a YMCA gymnasium! Eeek! I won’t even start on the horrible acoustics), Arriving to yoga class always has me looking forward to the stretches and challenges yoga postures bring about for me. Even when I practice at home, I still get put into a calm state when going through the motions and breathing with yoga asana.
On the flip side, the side that has been most typical as of the last year, I will abstain from going or practicing solo. This phenomenon is also known as: “make up various excuses as to why now is not a good time to go.” Its true yoga schedules may not be ideally tailored to the rest of our lives’ schedules, but c’mon out of 7 days in a week I can make up excuses for all of them? Yes! I can! If you need an excuse-maker, well…nevermind. Let’s face it, we can all get really good at making excuses, finding reasons for anything, and telling stories. However, I’m not going to beat myself or you (yes you) up over this. That’s just what the human mind does. Ironically, yoga practice slows down the pace of your mind so you don’t pay so much attention to all that jabbering story all the time and you wind up with more peace overall.
You may be tempted at this point to argue that you really value your mind and its great powers. I’m not here saying the mind is useless. Sure the mind does you some good, but I’d argue it’s more trouble overall for most people. That is, unless you know how to tame its monkey ways. “Monkey mind” is the term meditation practitioners use to describe how the mind jumps from thought to thought. Like a monkey swinging in the trees…branch to branch, just gliding along, then other times bouncing around. The awesomeness of consciousness comes into play when you can learn how to respond appropriately to your monkey swings and also tame your monkey to go sit in the corner while you collect yourself. By the way, this is all still an imaginary monkey I’m using as a metaphor for the uncontrollable thoughts in your head…there’s not really a monkey in your head. Ok, you knew that.
Alas, I think the real problem is it’s my monkey trying to trick me into not practicing yoga. They monkey wants to stay and play, swing around, jump, frolic, flail, and screech for attention. Yoga practice works to tame the monkey, to quiet the mind. When the monkey makes up excuses to not practice, he’s really just preserving his playground. Poor monkey. But see here’s the best part! The monkey isn’t REAL so you don’t have to feel bad for him. When put this way, seems like an easy choice to tell your monkey to give it a rest and go grab some peace and expanded consciousness like your life depends on it. By the way, this principle can be applied to anything (like yoga) that brings you peace and stillness.
On the flip side, the side that has been most typical as of the last year, I will abstain from going or practicing solo. This phenomenon is also known as: “make up various excuses as to why now is not a good time to go.” Its true yoga schedules may not be ideally tailored to the rest of our lives’ schedules, but c’mon out of 7 days in a week I can make up excuses for all of them? Yes! I can! If you need an excuse-maker, well…nevermind. Let’s face it, we can all get really good at making excuses, finding reasons for anything, and telling stories. However, I’m not going to beat myself or you (yes you) up over this. That’s just what the human mind does. Ironically, yoga practice slows down the pace of your mind so you don’t pay so much attention to all that jabbering story all the time and you wind up with more peace overall.
You may be tempted at this point to argue that you really value your mind and its great powers. I’m not here saying the mind is useless. Sure the mind does you some good, but I’d argue it’s more trouble overall for most people. That is, unless you know how to tame its monkey ways. “Monkey mind” is the term meditation practitioners use to describe how the mind jumps from thought to thought. Like a monkey swinging in the trees…branch to branch, just gliding along, then other times bouncing around. The awesomeness of consciousness comes into play when you can learn how to respond appropriately to your monkey swings and also tame your monkey to go sit in the corner while you collect yourself. By the way, this is all still an imaginary monkey I’m using as a metaphor for the uncontrollable thoughts in your head…there’s not really a monkey in your head. Ok, you knew that.
Alas, I think the real problem is it’s my monkey trying to trick me into not practicing yoga. They monkey wants to stay and play, swing around, jump, frolic, flail, and screech for attention. Yoga practice works to tame the monkey, to quiet the mind. When the monkey makes up excuses to not practice, he’s really just preserving his playground. Poor monkey. But see here’s the best part! The monkey isn’t REAL so you don’t have to feel bad for him. When put this way, seems like an easy choice to tell your monkey to give it a rest and go grab some peace and expanded consciousness like your life depends on it. By the way, this principle can be applied to anything (like yoga) that brings you peace and stillness.
Dec 8, 2009
Pamela Slim May Just Have it Figured Out!
Reading today's post on Pamela Slim's Escape From Cubicle Nation today struck a nerve for me. I venture to say it even struck a chord. A whole chord of nerves. Pam not only speaks to me in my recent endeavor to kick my ass back into regular yoga and exercise practice, but also in her very compelling outline of how getting back on the treadmill (so to speak) is akin to the practices to use while escaping the day job.
Here's what I know. Lucky me, I know I really want to write. But what on earth would that be? I know I enjoy writing creative nonfiction. That is extremely broad. So what do I do? Freeze! Nada. Zilch. Void. So sad...so empty. So not proud of myself!
Her section titled "You aren't crazy if you panic while trying to get started" definitely did the nerve-chord striking on me. Go ahead, follow the link above and read her rockin' article. Basically, she recommends writing "drivel" if that's what it takes to get started. Wow. I never thought of that....
She may just totally have this whole 'picking-one-foot-up-and-putting-it-in-front-of-the-other' thing figured out! Let's hope. I'm committed to trying this.
Here's what I know. Lucky me, I know I really want to write. But what on earth would that be? I know I enjoy writing creative nonfiction. That is extremely broad. So what do I do? Freeze! Nada. Zilch. Void. So sad...so empty. So not proud of myself!
Her section titled "You aren't crazy if you panic while trying to get started" definitely did the nerve-chord striking on me. Go ahead, follow the link above and read her rockin' article. Basically, she recommends writing "drivel" if that's what it takes to get started. Wow. I never thought of that....
She may just totally have this whole 'picking-one-foot-up-and-putting-it-in-front-of-the-other' thing figured out! Let's hope. I'm committed to trying this.
Dec 4, 2009
Thoughts on "The Grass is Always Greener"
Today upon walking the dog in mid-30 degreeish chill, I found myself wishing. Wishing for that sunny spot. Wishing he would pick a sunny spot to do his business so I didn’t have to stand and shiver in the cooler shade. Thankfully here in the desert, we still seem to have sun no matter what (minus an occasional rainy day), but the winter sun is scarce anyhow. For certain it is not always present during the twice daily dog walking ritual. Shocking, I know..but the dog’s bio break times do not shift with the seasons!
Back to my wishing for warmth…I’d recently agreed to myself to make note when I’m not being present in any way. In reality, who of us really is actually present even half of the day? Probably none, unless you happen to be reading this from a monastery in Tibet. Fact is, it’s a lofty goal. However, my aim is to find happiness, creativity, and momentum inside of the grounding that being present provides. My aim is not to achieve some monk-like satori all the time (though that would be cool). One of the ways I lose presence is by wishing for some better option that I don’t currently have. Why does the mind do this? I am not entirely sure. I think when discomfort arises, it’s only a natural “thought” that occurs. I’m learning to distinguish thoughts from the real me. Thinking about this wish I was taken back to July of this year when I was walking the dog at dusk. Though it had just started to get dark, it was still very hot. Super hot. It had been somewhere over 114 during the day and I was wishing for a cooler climate on that particular walk.
I remember walking by the community pool, and I could hear kids playing. As they splashed and laughed, I was envious of their obvious joy and relief the pool provided them on this sweltering day. I was downright jealous of those kids. Then god showed up. I say this because only seconds later, as the dog and I continued down the path, sprinklers started to bubble up and spray…in the grass right next to where we were headed. I immediately started to trot, then jog, right over to these sprinklers. I walked us both right through a corner full of mist and then back into the dry hot air. Normally being wet with your clothes on would be felt as discomfort, and I think the dog was none too keen about my choice. Yet this particular time, I only felt relief and pleasure at being doused with cold water on this hot evening. I saw this brief showering opportunity as a victory, a blessing, grace provided to me.
I did not necessarily deserve such relief, but I was given it anyway. Moments like these can renew our faith that there is beauty and grace to be found, no matter what the moment, what the temperature, or how perfect we think somewhere else is. Fact is, you are where you are. The good part is that wanting can be used as a reminder for us to get present, to see things that are in fact wondrous about where you are right now. And now. And now.
Aaaah presence.
What ways do you lose presence or find yourself again?
Back to my wishing for warmth…I’d recently agreed to myself to make note when I’m not being present in any way. In reality, who of us really is actually present even half of the day? Probably none, unless you happen to be reading this from a monastery in Tibet. Fact is, it’s a lofty goal. However, my aim is to find happiness, creativity, and momentum inside of the grounding that being present provides. My aim is not to achieve some monk-like satori all the time (though that would be cool). One of the ways I lose presence is by wishing for some better option that I don’t currently have. Why does the mind do this? I am not entirely sure. I think when discomfort arises, it’s only a natural “thought” that occurs. I’m learning to distinguish thoughts from the real me. Thinking about this wish I was taken back to July of this year when I was walking the dog at dusk. Though it had just started to get dark, it was still very hot. Super hot. It had been somewhere over 114 during the day and I was wishing for a cooler climate on that particular walk.
I remember walking by the community pool, and I could hear kids playing. As they splashed and laughed, I was envious of their obvious joy and relief the pool provided them on this sweltering day. I was downright jealous of those kids. Then god showed up. I say this because only seconds later, as the dog and I continued down the path, sprinklers started to bubble up and spray…in the grass right next to where we were headed. I immediately started to trot, then jog, right over to these sprinklers. I walked us both right through a corner full of mist and then back into the dry hot air. Normally being wet with your clothes on would be felt as discomfort, and I think the dog was none too keen about my choice. Yet this particular time, I only felt relief and pleasure at being doused with cold water on this hot evening. I saw this brief showering opportunity as a victory, a blessing, grace provided to me.
I did not necessarily deserve such relief, but I was given it anyway. Moments like these can renew our faith that there is beauty and grace to be found, no matter what the moment, what the temperature, or how perfect we think somewhere else is. Fact is, you are where you are. The good part is that wanting can be used as a reminder for us to get present, to see things that are in fact wondrous about where you are right now. And now. And now.
Aaaah presence.
What ways do you lose presence or find yourself again?
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