Humility

Humility is a dimension of surrender, as Deepak Chopra reminds us.
I have been thinking about humility and managed to locate my little book entitled WABI SABI ( a pair of Japanese words).
I was gifted this book by a friend, who seemed to know how much I would appreciate it.
Wabi has been defined in English as austere elegance, irregular beauty, unpolished. Sabi is interpreted as the beauty that treasures the passage of time and the sense of impermanence it evokes... also the patina that age bestows.
There are many moments when I am drawn to something old that has withstood years of use or worn from exposure to the elements. I consider this a moment to pause and take in that kind of beauty.
It might be interesting to identfy the moments we are humbled and consider why we are touched in that way. At the very most it pulls away "self importance" and creates a bigger perspective for us to view what life is about and how we might live with greater awareness.

Reference: Wabi Sabi. The Art of Everyday Life by Diane Durston

Abundance and Surrender

Last week we looked at the experience of abundance and how being attentive to everyday "grace moments" allows us to feel the richness of life. Seeing those grace moments requires "showing up" for them. Showing up for me means being present or surrendering to them.
We live in a world where distractions are the norm. Being present is almost counter culture.
There is a surrender involved in the experience of abundance and "beginner's mind".
Deepak Chopra gives us steps to practice to hone our ability to surrender in any moment:
Full attention
Appreciation of life's richness
Opening yourself to what is in front of you
Non-judgement
Absence of ego
Humility
Being receptive to all possibilities
Allowing Love

SEEING

When we work with "beginner's mind" and "awesome, wow moments," we are teaching ourselves how to see, really see!
Annie Dillard describes it beautifully in the first few paragraphs of her chapter SEEING, in her book, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. She says it succinctly when she writes, "what you see is what you get".

There are so many opportunities for seeing from a place of wonder and amazement. Nature of course is probably the richest place to find these. Yet they are also sprinkled throughout our day. Often we miss them because we are distracted with our own agendas. However as we learn to look for these moments they come into view more and more often.
I found a beautiful moment recently as I watched a "checker in training" at the grocery store communicate so beautifully with a woman who was developmentally delayed and also physically handicapped. She helped her so compassionately it touched my heart as I watched. What was interesting too, was many shoppers were avoiding that particular line when they saw the "checker in training" sign. Ironically, that line, though slightly slower, was the richest of all. I felt nourished in the deepest sense to have chosen that line.

Healing Thoughts and Prayers

This week one of our Wednesday morning yoga students, Vicki Smith, was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack. Many of you expressed wishes to send her your caring thoughts via a card.
If you wish to do that, here is the info.
Vicki Smith, 3550 Sunset Lane, Bellingham Wa, 98229.

Thanks so much.

The Car Wash

In class this week, a student recalled an experience she had with her 4 year old grandson. They made a date to go to the car wash and of course be inside the car as it went through the ritual of soap, water and much scrubbing and blowing. The child was enchanted. My student said she engaged her "inner -4 year old" and the experience became something magical once again.

A simple moment transformed into something wondrous and delightful! How full of grace that moment was for both. It just may be our "solemn duty" to reach for the awesome every day.

"The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice." - R. D. Lang

Simple Pleasures to Savor

The idea of finding and identifying simple, yet awesome moments is really just the practice of contentment. It is also the practice of taking on a new perspective, a fresh look.
Santosha, which means contentment, is the 2nd Niyama. Niyama is the 2nd of the 8 fold steps of classical yoga.
The Niyamas are practices that guide us.
Contentment is a practice. When we notice and feel discontent in our lives we have moved away from contentment. There is an old aphorism that says: "Enjoy everything. Need nothing". Santosha is intentional, it is more an action than a feeling.
What simple yet precious moments did you savor today? Begin with just one a day.
Record them if this keeps you connected to the practice. Share it with a loved one and let them know what this practice is about. Maybe they will join you.
What makes this practice particularly fun is to find something simple that you normally take for granted and let it become a "grace moment" in your day.
Example: Not knowing what I was going to have for lunch and finding some awesome leftovers that I had forgotten about in the fridge. SWEET, as they say.
It is as simple as that.

Yes! Classes back in full swing.

Ah, so glad to see all of you back to do yoga with me. Yoga community is what makes it fun.

This quarter our theme is "beginners mind". We will engage that "child- mind" ... find new things to awaken to, refining our sensitivity and awareness.
As I sit at my computer, the sun is shining through the trees and into my window and there is a glow on the lake. A moment just to say "WOW". Finding those simple and spectacular "wow moments" in every day creates more happiness and peace of mind.
This is a perfect practice for the season of winter. Winter is a slow, earthy time that asks for contentment.