Reading from Class: Discomfort with Pema Chödrön

“This particular teaching on the Four Limitless Ones, on maitri, compassion, joy and equanimity is really a teaching on how to take the situations of your life and train- actually train- in catching yourself closing down, catching yourself getting hard, and training in opening at that very point, or softening. In some sense reversing a very, very old pattern of the whole species, which is a pattern of armoring ourselves. It’s sort of like the essence of the whole Path is in that place of discomfort and what do you do with it?”  — Pema Chödrön

This is taken from the text of a talk titled MAITRI-Cultivating Unconditional Friendliness to Oneself given by Pema Chödrön (Friday, 9.26.97, San Francisco).  Here is a link to the post wrote last year with further highlights from this worthwhile talk.  Also some references to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.33

Reading from Class: Choosing Gratitude

“Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities.
It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend…
when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present —
love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure —
the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

I recently started another gratitude journal.   Before going to bed, I take time to note/journal the things I’m grateful for from the day.  It has been a beautiful way to end the day and shift the energy.   Consciously counting my blessings has been a very centering and grounding practice.  As a result, I am finding myself a bit more aware throughout the day of the good, the small acts.   This practice helps me catch my mind as it gets triggered and easily derailed from not so kind reactions, stories and worries, etc.   It is also easy to feel overwhelmed with less than positive happenings and unacceptable news.   You may be surprised by how much you can still be grateful for despite any challenges.

Reading from Class: Happy Thanksgiving!

“Humility and gratitude go hand in hand. The feeling of gratitude is an interaction between the mind and the body. Both will benefit from it. Awareness increases so that we become grateful for everything we are given. We have to learn, literally learn, to be grateful for what we receive day by day, simply to balance the criticism that, day by day, we voice because of powerful emotions.” – Swami Sivananda Radha

 

Amen. Shared from Yoga Gems.

 

 

Reading from Class: Important Reminder by Shantideva

“It is not possible for me to restrain the external course of things
But should I restrain this mind of mine, what would be the need to restrain all else?” — Shantideva (Śāntideva)

Reading from Class: Discipline by Ajahn Sumedho

“To practice we must start exactly where we are. Of course, we can always imagine perfect conditions, how it should be ideally, how everyone else should behave. But it’s not our task to create an ideal. It’s our task to see how it is and to learn from the world as it is. For the awakening of the heart, conditions are always good enough.”

– Ajahn Sumedho, The Way It Is (featured in The Buddha is Still Teaching by Jack Kornfield)

Reading from class: Emerson on Practice and Non-attachment

“Don’t waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour’s duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson

This reminds me of this quote :

“My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.” – Michel de Montaigne

I love this reminder to stay present, concentrate on the work at hand, make right effort, without attachment to the results.    It takes discipline to make this a regular practice, especially when overwhelmed with worry, doubt fears.  The more and more I practice, and connect to this space of focused attention, more present and at peace I can be with my reality/life.   

This reminds me of this Yoga Journal article by Judith Hanson Lasaer on practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagyabhyam).

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.12:

“abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah”

“The mind can reach the state of Yoga through practice and detachment.”  Translated by T.K.V. Desikachar, from The Heart of Yoga

 

 

Reading from Class: “Pain as Teacher”

“Pain is your best friend. It is infinitely more honest with you than pleasure. Despite what you might think, the painful experiences you have had benefit you far more than the pleasurable ones, even though most of us spend our lives trying to duck and hide from them.  But when you can center yourself and be open to look pain dead in the eye, then you have transcended the limits of your ego and this humanity. It is then that you enter into the possibility of becoming a great being”. – Swami Chetanananda

 

Shared from Yoga Gems.

Reading from Class: “Welcome the Unexpected…” by Lizelle Reymond

“You must learn to welcome consciously the most unexpected events of life, to be entirely transparent in front of them, without any motive, either right or wrong. At that moment avoid all judgment, for you do not know what law is in operation.” -Lizelle Reymond

The last four weeks have been emotionally challenging to say the least.  About 4 weeks ago, during my niece Alicia’s regular brain scans, they found 3 new tumors.

Alicia was diagnosed with ependymoma when she turned one in December 2010.    After having emergency brain-surgery, radiation and many other surgeries and procedures, her regular brain scans have been stable until now.  It has been most challenging and painful to try and accept this unacceptable news.  My worry-filled and fearful mind runs wild.

Practicing being present through meditation, yoga and teaching has been important for me.  However, energy can become quickly depleted, and motivation for practice can quickly fade.  I try to focus on gratitude for Alicia having come this far — her ability to talk, walk, play and taunt her brother and sister.  Gratitude for the time I get to spend with her.  She is very fun to play with, imaginative, funny, whip-smart and strong-willed.

I find myself praying more and coming back to the serenity prayer quite regularly.  I have also appreciated words of Swami Chatenanada and Pema Chodron.  I was reminded of the reading above from Lizelle Reymond and this article “The Value of Suffering” by Pico Iyer which I referred to last year.

“you could be strong enough to witness suffering, and yet human enough not to pretend to be master of it. Sometimes it’s those things we least understand that deserve our deepest trust. Isn’t that what love and wonder tell us, too?” — Pico Iyer

Alicia is undergoing chemo from home and outpatient radiation at MGH to help shrink or stabilize the tumors and keep symptoms at bay for as long as possible.  Thanks for all prayers, intentions and support to-date.  Continued prayers and intentions for Alicia are greatly appreciated.

NEW EVENT STARTS NEXT WEEK: Foundations — Alignment Flow Yoga Basics Workshop Series

I’m excited to offer this opportunity through Majestic Yoga Center.  A great opportunity to build a solid and safe foundation to a sustainable yoga practice.  Open to complete beginners and those looking to clarify or strengthen the base of their practice.

Foundations: Alignment Flow Yoga Basics Workshop Series

@ Majestic Yoga Center in Cambridge, MA

6-Week Series

Wednesdays October 8-November 12, 2014  @ 7:15-8:30p

The beauty of yoga is that there is something for everyone. This Foundations series, conducted in a small group, is designed for students new to yoga as well as seasoned practitioners who want to refine their technique and refresh their understanding of the fundamentals of Alignment Flow Yoga. Through mindful work and attention to breath, students will learn proper alignment in basic postures. Students will build strength, flexibility, and balance, and awareness in a safe and supportive environment.  Build a solid safe sustainable foundation to your practice.

To Register: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=15918, e-mail nfo@majesticyogastudio.com or call 617.876.6116