Thank the great mechanism for feminism
An elevator for masculinity
Conjuring the flawless interplay of non- dualism…
…So deftly propelling the organism
into the arms of divinity
Tag Archives: Spirituality
Soul Renewal
Sorrow is a vivid sculpture that takes shape,
Revealing itself on your sweet face.
Joy, in this very same case, is a fresh coat of paint,
Renewing the soul of a saint.
The Crush
That is the crush of love flattening it all out for you.
The absolutely giant heart that falls from above
coming down hard, evening out the landscape.
The universal solvent melting mountains into streams.
A thing of awe,
a transformative energy so powerful, so raw it sends all of the unevenness up like the elevator it is.
The maker’s sweet kiss,
from sacred tulips.
Before our eyes,
delivering a simple beauty of foliage and fauna.
That gifts us with pervasive peace and let’s land become sky.
May these boundaries remain imaginary and imperceptible,
so my eyes and spirit can rest within you.
Taking refuge in the amazing that is everyday ordinary, beautiful plentiful.
Where two or three have gathered…
This week has been one of many opportunities to connect, spiritually, with many similarly minded individuals. I travelled to my teacher’s ashram in Fort Walton Beach and participated in meditation sittings and two group discussions, I had a birthday and (experienced Facebook at it’s best) received prolific blessings from loved-ones and associates, I lead an ongoing meditation group, I participated in Unity’s World Day of Prayer, I began a new weekly meditation group, I participated in the Women of Unity meeting, and lead a workshop in the North Georgia mountains–phew! Now, that is not a typical week; I feel as though my spiritual cup is full to the brim. I also feel that this chance to share sacred space was a reminder of the importance of satsang–keeping company with the truth.
It is so easy to get caught up in the mundane: work, family obligation, and general busyness. Therefore, the Himalayan Tradition recommends sitting to meditate daily– connecting with your source regularly. When you are “plugged in” to the source, you are more inclined to remember that all that is “outside” of you is merely the “Divine Play“.
However, sharing space adds another dimension to one’s spiritual practice– above and beyond merely sharing similar ideas. When you are with other sadhakas (aspirants), you are reminded that your center is the same as theirs. It injects you with an optimism that there are others on this quest and reminds you, that despite all the negative images and sound bytes in the media, that there are others who are on a quest to really know themselves as well.
We all here about retreats; it is good to get away and be alone. But, propagate that energy and get together are share sacred space too!
The Gift
It is a gift to be in tune with the transcendental.
A great reward, to be so aligned.
It takes prodigious strength to be gentle and kind.
Let us commune and become instrumental
in a pervasive happiness and peace of mind.
What kind of King will I be?
Letting these words write themselves,
surrendering to what’s needing to come out.
Giving up to the rhyme that births its own meaning and dictates itself.
I wish I could take credit but its something greater steering the ship bringing me to new heights if I let it.
Getting easier to be a bystander because life is just grander when viewed from afar.
My microscope betrayed me, couldn’t understand the close up picture the way I needed to.
Lightning bugs don’t belong in a jar.
Had to set it all free and know that the plan that named me king,
and supreme ruler of everything was not a mistake.
Think bigger, know it all, rule it with freedom have the wisdom to let nature take.
When the big picture comes into focus and your eyes are finally allowed to see, sit back with your crown on your head survey this lovely land and ask yourself what kind of king will I be?
Happy Birthday Love
To you a birthday
to me another chance
to show you a good time
another dance
another day
I can call you mine
When I hear others wish you well
and your eyes light up
and your spirits lift
I feel a sweetness clear as a bell
my cup fills up
as though I have received a gift
Thank this lovely world
for loving her as much as I do
happy to get this all so pleasantly twisted
I fell like its my day just as much as my special girl’s
with every heart beat, forever anew
historians will tell the tale, with confidence,
that a perfect love existed.
The Fortress
Do not build a fortress around what you love…
Instead build your fortress out of love–
Steadfast, impenetrable.
But, most importantly, with a large door so you can let everyone in.
Arrival
I want to give you something,
it’s a special treasure that was marked with an X on a old map I found.
It spelled out a terrain of complexity and wonder.
A vast expanse of ups and downs, bodies of water, and fantastic foliage.
A Neverland of sorts, always just beyond your feet–would certainly have to fly to get there.
We have come such a long way to find this gift.
Can you really relax?
Currently, relaxation is not our intrinsic state. Perhaps it was at birth; however, it is obscured by all of our obligations and expectations–my twelve year-old is already being told his math scores, now, may affect his collegiate endeavors… Talk about a catalyst for tension!
However, I subscribe to the idea that our stress response depends on our perspective. I believe, as do many other renowned professionals that we can shift our relationship with stress through regular practice. The reality is that “relaxation is a skill unto itself” (Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati). What does that mean? Relaxation is a skill. Let me elaborate.
It starts with the body; the problem is we aren’t really in our bodies. We can’t relax while we are disconnected. Do you feel your fingers pressing on your tablet, do you feel your foot on the gas pedal? We are outside in the world of the senses, stimulation, and flux. Our stress reaction partially comes from being “outside” of our true center which is not subject to change, corruption, and decay.
In this tradition, the physical body is not viewed as something other than the self– it is viewed as a layer that has its origins in the eternal. Therefore, the physical body needn’t be deprived by extreme measures–nor inundated with sensuality. The physical body must become a participant on the inward journey.
Pratyahara, sense withdrawal, is the process of disengaging ourselves from our sensory experience. We move from being outside in our experience to being in our own body. Hence the need to dim he lights and seek a quiet place to relax or meditate. Using music or “white noise” is still stimulation– this is using an extrinsic source to “feel” relaxed. Ultimately, relaxation must come from within.
Postural practice (yoga poses), asana, can assist with getting “in” the body. However, many practitioners feel that this is the apical experience of yoga– it’s only a preliminary one. After asana practice, the body is prepared for profound relaxation– this relaxation is essential to deep, sustained meditation.
Complete Relaxation is a beautiful way to work on entering into this state. It is an approach of moving through the body and not ignoring it. It is a beautiful finale to a postural practice. It can be practiced alone or in preparation to a seated practice. For a beginner, it is a way to increase your time in stillness– while satisfying the need to have a little stimulation.
This seems like a paradox; relaxing to meditate. It isn’t so antithetical– imagine trying to sit and meditate if you’re agitated and distracted. Once you are able to establish a relaxed state, a regular meditation practice reduces this inclination toward a negative stress response.
From the Gross to the Subtle 