Invitation to Rest Deeply
Here’s some very good news.
Right here, right now, in this moment, you don’t have to ‘figure out’ the rest of your life, no matter what anyone says.
You don’t need all the answers. They will come, in time, or not, or perhaps the unnecessary questions will fall away.
There is no rush. Life is not in a hurry. Be like the seasons. Winter is not trying to become summer. Spring does not rush towards autumn. The grass grows at its own pace.
The choices that will be made will be made, and you’ve no choice about that. The decisions that will happen will happen, events will unfold, but right now perhaps you don’t need to know the solutions or the outcomes or how best to proceed. Perhaps not knowing is a welcome guest at life’s banquet. Perhaps openness to possibility is a beloved friend. Perhaps even confusion can come to rest here.
And so, instead of trying to ‘fix’ our lives, instead of trying to neatly resolve the unresolveable and quickly complete the epic story of a fictitious ‘me’, we simply relax into utter not knowing, unravelling in the warm embrace of mystery, sinking deeply into the moment, savoring it fully, in all its uniqueness and wonder.
And then, perhaps without any effort, without any struggle or stress, without ‘you’ being involved at all, the true answers will emerge in their own sweet time.
(Jeff Foster)
My Favorite Rice Salad
Need a quick healthy fix? My favorite rice salad does the trick. A healthy, vegan meal that is light and at the same time satisfying as well as simple to prepare. As we are blessed with more light entering into March, it feels good to lighten things up…
Freedom
“Freedom is not necessarily exciting; it’s just free. Very peaceful and quiet, so very quiet. Of course, it is also filled with joy and wonder, but it is not what you imagine. It is much, much less. Many mistake the intoxicating power of otherworldly charisma for enlightenment. More often than not it is simply otherworldly, and not necessarily free or enlightened. In order to be truly free, you must desire to know the truth more than you want to feel good. Because if feeling good is your goal, then as soon as you feel better you will lose interest in what is true. This does not mean that feeling good or experiencing love and bliss is a bad thing. Given the choice, anyone would choose to feel bliss rather than sorrow. It simply means that if this desire to feel good is stronger than the yearning to see, know, and experience Truth, then this desire will always be distorting the perception of what is Real, while corrupting one’s deepest integrity.”
(Adyashanti)
Rebuilding
February was an interesting month coming off our annual two month trip to Mysore, India. I had a few ups and down during our stay in Mysore but as always the daily practice was our rooting force and of course the primary reason for being there. I start…
Knowledge and Ritual
“Knowledge and ritual without compassion is empty.” (Jesus)
I read somewhere recently that in our practices resistance will follow us every step of the way. True. I’d have to say this definitely comes with the territory. Some periods are tougher than others and with resistance I have found how important it is to be attentive and watchful in how we connect to the practice in relationship to others. There are many trappings along the path as well as tests and if we are not mindful entering into more layers of delusion are bound to happen. In many ways I feel it humorous to write about such things because in no way am I an expert but it is something I have been contemplating lately and well here I am writing about it. So there!
Seriously though, oh wait, no I don’t want to be so serious because sometimes I think that is the issue, taking ourselves way to seriously in relationship to our daily ritual of yoga practice. Yes, I take my practice seriously, for it has been an anchor, giving stability and focus, connecting to what I like to call my divine center. It’s an intimate thing we touch between the spaces of our inhale and exhale, in those apexes between thoughts when our heart skips a beat because what is available in these spaces is available to all. With that, we must remember in our relationships with others everyone is in a process and we must be compassionate for whatever process that is. What I have learned is the greater intelligence knows all and no matter how much yoga I practice or books I read on the topic it in no way makes me any more in the know if I don’t practice quietly sitting in this space of intelligence and usually that happens being the example more than schooling others when they have failed to understand the meaning of ahimsa (non-violence) or satya (truth) for example.
I remember a while back after a situation that was massively blown out of portion someone then decided to throw the word satya around in a condemning fashion. It caused me to pause and reflect on the importance of the yamas and niyamas which are embedded in the first two limbs of Ashtanga yoga, the Eightfold Path. I reflected on the fact that nowhere does it seem to express, correct me if I am wrong, that we are supposed to judge others on these ethical practices. Yes, I use the word practice because they are what we ourselves practice and in the same light not necessarily to be projected onto others because obviously when we do so it is another form of distraction. They are guiding posts for us to be internally awake and what I have found calm and center my state of mind. I have also learned to accept that yes I will fail at times and I might even see others fail or be misguided and well it isn’t always my call to make. Now, I’m not talking about major injustices in the world but more like day to day occurrences and interactions we have with friends, families, colleagues, or other yoga practitioners.
Yes the phrase, “be the change you wish to see in the world,” has been thrown around a lot lately but nonetheless puts into perspective that when I touch the light inside and shine it outward it no doubt holds more power than spiritual arrogance and or condemnation that let’s be frank, often times is hidden behind a myriad of words and posturing that aren’t always honest at their root. I like to use my own father as an example. He is the type of person that is very diligent and what some would call serious in regards to his own spiritual life. What over the years made it remarkable to me is the nonjudgmental attitude he would reflect on others in terms of these spiritual principles. It is something that has always stuck with me and has held importance as I journey forward.
At the same time it is important we honor our feelings and be straightforward with those around us and what I am finding is not at the risk of losing all sense of compassion and sensitive awareness. I truly feel compassion is also about the art of listening without the filter of my own experience and knowing. To understand what someone is expressing without having to sound smart, charismatic or knowledgable. Can I find common ground even with those who have absolutely nothing in common with me? Can I take in someone fully without hiding behind all my yoga knowledge? Because in truth, we are all born of the same source no matter the life experience or life choices.
At the heart of knowledge and ritual is compassion. No need to hide behind anything for our ritual and knowledge are tools only and not what we ultimately connect to.
“Spirit is in a state of grace forever.
Your reality is only spirit.
Therefore you are in a state of grace forever.
(A Course in Miracles)
Food additives and ADD in kids
As the parent of two young kids I am always aware of the drugs being pushed on parents to treat ADD and the fact that in the past no kids were using Adderall or Ritalin or even Prozac. Some people think that may of the problems assicated with ADD and ADHD are caused by food […]
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Facts on Fiber
Fiber is one of those things that we are told to eat mroe of yet there should be some confusion. Not all fiber is alike. Most Americans know that foods high in fiber are full of nutrients because they are less processed. There are two kinds of dietary fiber and you need both. Two Types […]
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Calcium Needs and Requirements
Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium has many important jobs. The body stores more than 99 percent of its calcium in the bones and teeth to help make and keep them […]
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Don’t Reward Yourself with Food.
Food is not a reward; you are not a dog. Even so, the practice of using food as reward is very common – particularly as people work to achieve their fitness and nutrition goals. Having a good workout could mean treating yourself to a cookie. Taking an afternoon walk could translate to a slice of […]
Babys born today to live to 100?
We see advances in medical science every day and every year there are changes to health and medicine that radically help people now, so what can a baby born today expect as a lifespan? More than half of the babies born today in developed countries will live to be 100, and the extended lifespan will […]
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How Changing Your Perspective Can Change Your Life
To everything in life, there’s always a negative and a positive perspective. I didn’t start getting serious with life until late 2008. But before then, I saw every bad situation as bad and every good situation as good. And I bet many of us still see things this way. Then I laid my hands on […]
Bicep Workout Mistakes You Must Avoid
So you are a novice in workouts and someone just suggested bicep workout to you. On one hand you don’t know how to do it and on the other, you are too shy to approach the experts for help. You are not alone. There are lots of people who don’t like to ask “silly” questions […]
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Antioxidant Supplements
A key ingredient to improving your lifestyle and living a healthy life is antioxidants. There are several antioxidant supplements out there that can help you live a healthy life, that are natural and won’t cause you any damage. You can also eat different types of food that contain antioxidants as well, although supplements are the […]
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Is Alkaline/Ionized Water Better?
With $21 billion spent on bottled water in the United States in 2012, you’d never guess that we have (for the most part) safe and clean drinking water. The latest water trend to make waves (pun intended) is alkaline or ionized water. Let’s dive a bit deeper. Alkaline water has a higher pH than regular […]
How to begin a weightlifting routine
So you have decided it is time to begin a weightlifting routine. That pale, hollow chest and those skinny arms are to be transformed. Congratulations! You can get started right away – at least, right after you read these golden rules so that you know what you should and should not do. Health check If […]
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Avoid Prostate Cancer By Drinking Pomegranate Juice
The second-most fatal cancer for men after lung cancer, prostrate cancer may well be tamed by the humblest of juices, suggests a new study published in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that tested the efficacy of the red pomegranate juice on mice. The gaining in popularity health drink […]
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WOD of the Week
Soooo, who else is doing the Crossfit Open???? I am. And I tell you what, I am very new to Crossfit (I’ve been going for about 8 months now), so my scores will not be impressive. Just get out there and do it. (Honestly I’m excited if I don’t have to put down a score…
Here’s The New Nutrition Label: 5 Things That Are Different.
The food packaging labels are about to get their first face lift in 20 years, thanks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The changes, announced in a press conference with Michelle Obama, reflect that latest data and scientific findings on nutrition and the links between diet and various diseases. At first glance, the […]
Clean and Jerk
Well look at that!!! That my friends is a 95 pound clean and jerk!!!! Ninety-five pounds!!!! Yay!!! Related Posts95 Pound Clean & Jerk!!!Though Gritty, Somehow PassionateNew Clean and Jerk PR!Russian Weightlifter: Dmitry KlokovWOD of the Week
How to Avoid Getting Stuck in Loneliness
Loneliness is often associated with being weak or being a loser. Most people see it as a dark, negative state. I used to think that too, until I started studying it more seriously. Here Is How To Understand It Better Imagine if you didn’t have the sensation we call “hunger.” You’d never feel the urge […]
Universal Sports To Air Coverage of 2014 ASICS LA Marathon
Get yourselves updated and watch the coverage of Universal Sports Coverage on March 9! Network Also Announces April “Marathon-A-Thon” Programming Highlighted by the Legendary Boston Marathon on April 21 Universal Sports Network, the year-round destination for Olympic, endurance and action sports, will air the 2014 ASICS LA Marathon this Sunday, March 9, at […]
