Too comfortable

Thanks Rhonda for your comment about being "too comfortable." Got me thinking...

How can we be "too comfortable?" If we are too comfortable, then perhaps we aren't really comfortable. Perhaps our attachment to our present comfort has taken us from sattva, that state of balance and ease, into tamas, a state of attachment and inertia. So perhaps when we get too comfortable, we get afraid that we have something to lose, and that is not a comfortable feeling.

So, the question is, are we really comfortable? and then see yesterday's post...

:-)

Comfortable

Are you comfortable? If not, have you done anything about it? If not, why?

Patterns

We love looking at patterns. Anything from tie-dye to the ocean waves to the petals on flowers. We buy ant farms so we can watch the patterns of movement. We listen for themes in music. We experience flavor profiles. We feel the nap of velvet. We smell winter, spring, summer, fall. And even though we may not enjoy or resonate with all these patterns that we are constantly processing, we continue to observe, digest, experience.

So why do we resist looking at our own patterns? Why do we take them so personally? Can we not look at a habit with the same dispassion that we look at a cornfield? Or smell rain?

Perhaps we can practice vairagya, "dispassion"/neutrality/not taking it personally as we view the patterns around us. Practice so that eventually we can look at our own with the same non-attachment.

A pattern is a pattern is a pattern....

the story of the middle finger

It's in the middle. It's the center. Sense the presence of the middle finger moving into the shoulder. When you feel the middle finger as the "spine" of the arm, and the shoulder as the pelvis of the arm, how does that affect how you raise your arms? Take weight on your arms? How do your shoulders respond? Can you feel the center as the right/left aspects surround the middle finger?

The middle finger - fire, naval center.

The middle finger - the "bird." Can we flip the bird from a place of center, which would mean without judging that which we are flipping off?

The middle finger. Is just part of the Whole Hand. 

Khumbaya

Come + Unity = community 

authentic alignment

I have written so many posts on alignment. You've heard me rant. You've heard me rave. What's left to tell? Well...

We talked about the spine in a few new ways today. And letting go of our attachment to pain. And to our attachment to having to work hard. And we embraced obstacles in Yoga Nidra. And ate amazing roasted veg enchiladas. And watched the Buddha breathe.

So what is left to tell? You have your own alignment. You can't find it in a book. You may be able to find books or teachers to help you unlock the mystery of your Self to yourself, but after that door is open, it's your playground. You are you playground. And you are the player. Player. Play-yuh.
Play, yeah...

The one thing that is new is how the idea of community became part of the theme. We must be reaching a state of stability and wholeness, or this idea would not be creeping in. I smile at this. Ariticulation/individuation first. Find the movement in the joint. Understand how much movement works for the joint. Then integrate that joint into the Whole. The joint knows how much force it can take, and how to best take it. When we all know ourselves, we fulfill what we are designed to do. Knee joints can be knee joints - not the smaller sibling of the bossy hip joint. Rib joints can be rib joint. Spine joints can be spine joints. And with the understanding of the individual, when faced with a force as powerful as gravity, we can cope with balance, grace, and efficiency so the wear and tear doesn't fall on one or two joints. So those one or two joints don't burn out. So they live the life they were destined to live. Not too short. Not too long. Just the right amount.

Authentic alignment. Possibly more tomorrow on this.

peace from the Redwoods!

Stillheart

First night at Stillheart. Great group. 3 birthdays. And the sound of the banana slugs. Seriously though, the sounds are amazing. We are already aligned with why we are here. Now we move into why we are really here. And that is where the fun begins.

Looking forward to an amazing retreat. Deep bows and gratitude to all who signed up and took the plunge with me. And some are still in the swimming pool.

Did I mention redwoods? Redwoods.
Rest-woods.

Tirtha

Bridges. We build them. We cross them. We enjoy them from afar.

Labor Day

I don't want to Be-labor the point, but it fits that our puritanical work ethic celebrates labor by giving a day off. And how convenient that it always falls on a weekend!

;)

Eyeballs

In the words of the Police (sting), "I'll be watching you" 

Hey, ya nevah know what is watching...