PranaBeing blog: I See You

When we meet for practice,

I look into your eyes.

I see

how you are burdened by sadness that slumps heavy

where you pushed it into an ashen pile

in the shadowy corner just beyond the border

of your waking awareness.

Your beautiful eyes, clouded

by thoughts that swirl with internal struggles

and worries fed by all the disharmony and suffering you see

outside.

Fine lines of tension around the eyes hint

at the hours you spent

solving problems, serving others, trying to help, doing your best,

thinking and doing

at the expense of your Being; (we all do this)

at the battle that rages on inside,

taking so much energy.

Because some part of you knows (some part of us knows)

that thinking and doing

at the expense of Being

takes its toll

and weighs on the spirit. Until we forget how to fly.

People don’t notice

if they don’t know how to see.

But I have learned; I see you.

I know who you are.

I see your caring way, your gentle, loving self.

I know your heart’s desire to laugh and play, to let go. To just be.

I know this about you because—and as—

I have discovered it about me.

So we enter the practice,

which is an opportunity

to attend imperfectly

to this moment’s experience.

Just a few

minutes of simple movement and breath.

Within a short while, attending

to the One dwelling inside,

I see the flash of life

lighting up and wakening within your eyes.

As we emerge from our closing OM,

Your eyes open wider, softened.

The Light that is you shining clearer through,

and the silent joy from deep within

begins to well and flow from your Being

into this world where we walk together,

where we are not separate and where we are

fundamentally alone and all-one.

When I look into your eyes

I see that this change happens so readily,

as if the entire Being had been waiting for you simply to take some time to turn inside,

to pause the struggle and practice harmony.

When I look into these eyes,

and see the joy of life sparkling,

I am filled with gratitude and inspiration.

Thank you for coming to practice today.

Thank you for Being you.

You truly are my Self.

Namaste.

P.S. Let’s practice together. I’m offering two classes per week at The YogaTonic (live in-person and streaming) now through February.

PranaBeing blog: Being Right

We emphasize fact-finding and pride ourselves on being right. We want to eradicate what is wrong. We are so annoyed when people with views totally opposed to our own share the same zeal for rightness as we do—and they have their own arsenal of facts to prove it!

We hustle to align ourselves with the right people/decisions as we distance ourselves from the wrong ones. And when we are made to look wrong or feel wrong, we despair.

We swim in a sea of human-generated facts and information that grows exponentially by the moment. We frantically scramble to gather more facts—to “educate” ourselves—as if to build an unequivocal shelter. Yet at any time, what was right can become wrong and our house of cards comes tumbling down. We become alienated and confused. We forget that all this is mind-made stuff.

The truth remains simple, timeless, and unfathomable.

So far as human history can tell, right never vanquishes wrong; they co-exist, bound together like day to night.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn't make any sense. - Jalaluddin Rumi

Consider that there is a way to BE right.

Consider that there is a part of you that is rooted in deep knowing of what is right, good, and true. Hint: it is not competing with the many other voices clamoring for attention. This is a vast, quiet presence. Like an ancient, giant tree, this part represents steady wisdom. It does not cower; it has no need to defend itself, justify, or prove. It is connected to truth just as the tree is connected through mycelium to the whole forest and beyond. It knows what is right by feel.

Instead of looking outward to make the determination, instead of contrasting right against wrong in search of clarity, the access to this way of being is through tapping into your roots, listening… going deeper…tapping in…listening…refining…

How do we tap in?

Start by learning how to turn your attention inward and relax. When we reconnect with ourselves, we find the path toward freedom. If you want to explore this, visit PranaBeing on InsightTimer (it’s free) and start practicing.

Would you rather be happy or would you rather be right?

Yes.

PranaBeing blog: Dance Break!!!

We are prana-beings; vibrational manifestations of consciousness. Yep, it’s true. If you are skeptical, read up on some physics and cutting edge science, or just pay close attention to your bodily experience in this moment.

Within the vibrational matrix of existence, our body-mind system orients itself through rhythm, specifically infradian, circadian, and ultradian cycles.

Circadian is the master cycle we know as the 24-hour cycle of darkness and light that affects every living thing on Earth.

Infradian cycles are longer than one day (e.g. the female moon cycle).

Ultradian cycles are shorter than the circadian rhythm, varying from a few minutes up to 120 minutes.

These rhythms govern many aspects of our physiology, including metabolism and hormones, as well as alertness, and even physical strength. By learning about these rhythms and how harness their power, we can optimize health and productivity.

All this to say that you should take a dance break. Really.

After about 25-90 minutes of focused mental activity, it’s highly beneficial to take 5 - 30 minutes and let your mind flow and your body move and breathe.

You can go deep into creating routines around these rhythms. I recommend this, since rhythm is a key to health. And, keeping things simple is also key to health. For that, all we need is awareness.

Experiment:

Notice when your energy or attention start to flag after some time of focused work. Tune into that signal from your body. Instead of suppressing or ignoring it, take a few moments to give yourself a break. If you have been physically working hard, sit down or lie down for a few moments. Take a breather. If you have been doing mental work, get up and move around. Stretch. Drink some warm water. Take a breather. (Notice that taking a breather is always recommended).

Cleanse your mental-emotional-physical palate between activities. (In Ayurveda, this is called observing the sandhi. Sandhi means “joint.” The transition between activities is the joint. We honor that by taking a moment to rest, breathe, dance / shake the body out / run around the block / shift your mental and physical state before diving into the next task.

Notice how refreshed you are and how much more energy and attention are available to you as you re-engage with your day.

And, if anyone asks about your spontaneous dance break, you can tell them you are following the recommendation of your yoga therapist and Ayurvedic Health Counselor. You’re welcome.