Category Archives: VIDEO THURSDAYS

Lovingkindness, How full is your cup?

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A sense of abundance is deeply connected with a sense of gratitude. Here I broaden the topic to include developing a sense of abundance in life. Really life is too short to live any other way, isn’t it?

I practice my lovingkindness meditation using repetition of the four line mantra:

May I live without fear.

May I live in happiness.

May I live in physical health.

May I live in ease of well-being AND ABUNDANCE.

The final two words (AND ABUNDANCE) are my tweak on the traditional phrases translated from the PALI by Sharon Salzburg. I pray for the sense of abundance to fill my life because from there I can learn to love my life and other’s lives.

The Christian term for abundance is GRACE. May I live in a grace-filled life! How beautiful that sounds. Isn’t that exactly what we want in our deepest self? And it’s a SENSE of abundance, it’s nothing physical that will satisfy this longing…only the sense that we are living abundantly that satisfies. This is the root of our power, our confidence, our joy.

Are you ready to turn your thoughts away from a poverty-mentality?

Yogic Connection and Climate Change

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Yoga is about connection – both within the body (we study groups of muscles rather than individual muscles) and within the entire universe (the clay of the earth is no different from the clay the planet is composed from – the first chakra reminds us of this). So whether we think that global warming is due to our own human efforts or whether we think it is a part of naturally occurring climactic cycles, it is a documented fact that it is occurring and as yogi-nis we need to care and try to charge up our activism as much and as soon as possible.

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This is a photo of my brother Dave on one of his research trips to Antarctica. The scientists were playing soccer on the ice while the ship, the Nathaniel B. Palmer, had stopped for a while awaiting resupply. In a noble effort at not disturbing the very fragile environment, the researchers were not allowed to interact with the wildlife, so all they could do was take photos, watch and attempt half-tree pose? The purpose of the trip was to take core samples of the ice to determine the oxygen levels (due to plant life which is related to amount of sunlight in the water) in the water over time.

almost random acts of joy

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If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ve probably noted that I’m a sucker for random, or the nearly random acts of joy expressed on this lovely, though too often, cruel planet. I am still working on responding to comments and finishing up a post on BALANCE….in the meantime, sit back and enjoy this lovely song and dance in Antwerp.

and for more fun watch the no pants subway ride.

Singing along optional, though recommended! And if you start humming DO a DEER during downward facing dog tonight, go ahead and blame me – or Julie Andrews as you prefer :-D

VideoThursday, enlightenment

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I am back home after spending a week with my nearly ninety-year old folks on coastal North Carolina. Lots to catch up on, (email, wash, sleep) so today I’ve put together a collage of videos on the topic of enlightenment. If you have a link that you think we’d enjoy, please pass it on in the comments section.

I’d really like to see the way women teachers address enlightenment, but am still searching for those videos. Do any exist? Is enlightenment a topic women are concerned with? Or is the problem that women meditation teachers are few and far between?

Anyway, glad to be back – I missed y’all! Thanks for the comments that arrived while I was engaged with doctor appointments, outfitting the house with safety bars, cleaning, shopping, and other stuff that one day I too won’t be able to do by myself.

Everyone we meet is our teacher and every moment contains the possibility of enlightenment.

Gayatri Mantra

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I was sooo excited about the poetry collection I began organizing Wednesday that I entirely forgot about posting a Thursday video. So sorry to those of you who have been enjoying the Thursday visual infusions.

I’ve been receiving questions from students regarding mantra, which I’ll try to field in more detail in later posts.In the meanwhile, here is a lovely video of mantra with one of my fav chanters, Deva Premal.

This is a beautiful rendition of the Gayatri Mantra — Though I’d be hard pressed to find ANYTHING by Deva Premal that was NOT beautiful. Here she explains a bit about her unusual growing up experiences to a group of girls at the cusp of womanhood.

Parents, you may find this supportive and inspiring because if you are reading this, you probably are already a bit out of the mainstream in your child-rearing practices.

If you would like to learn more about the Gayatri Mantra, wahidudden provides several other versions as well as several more translations. Here is a translation by Krishnamurti that he cites:

We meditate upon the radiant Divine Light

of that adorable Sun of Spiritual Consciousness;

May it awaken our intuitional consciousness.



May you find blessings in this powerful and sacred prayer!

Manifesting

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Steven’s video is a little hokey, but I love the homemade quality. And I love watching him outside snowshoeing, since the weather here in Fredonia is conducive to a long white walk today. About the content though — what do you think? How much do we believe that we can effect events in our lives due to how and what we think?

I have a bumper sticker that quotes the Buddha: WHAT WE THINK WE BECOME.

bumper-sticker

Is there evidence in your life of thoughts actualizing? When does this NOT happen? Or do you think it’s 100% fool-proof?

How does yoga effect daily thought patterns? Does what you eat have any repercussions in your actual daily life or on what you think about? Are there other habits you can foster to improve your thinking, such as getting enough sleep, meditating regularly, speaking positively?

Shake, Shimmy and say Thank You, the Gratitude Dance

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Today I am grateful for this wonderful globe of people I can connect with online —

    Friends I am meeting and getting to know from earlier in my life as well as newbies from all over our green and blue planet

    The worlds I am coming in contact with that are so far away and previously inaccessible to me

    My totally awesome family — near and far — who can connect thanks to evolving technology

    The gift of this website/blog in my life and the ability to connect with you, my beloved readers!

    My little tiny home studio and my incredible students who class after class uplift me and teach me more than I ever thought possible

    My teachers playing the stroke/ challenge balancing act when I need it

    The piece of the universe I have been given in this life: my body,heart, and mind

    And the spring – just being able to smell the warming earth yesterday made my life all warm and fuzzy. Thank you earth momma.

    What are you grateful for today?

Video Thursday: stand by me

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What is yoga, but a process of befriending your SELF? Can you sing this song….for yourself? Who is more honorable or worthy of your love and loyalty? I invite to sing along, connecting with all that you are as well as all that we are — and know that we are singing with you, supporting your path to wholeness.