On Friday I took my regular yoga class after missing it for two weeks while allowing my injured heel to heal (no pun intended!). At the end of the class, as we all were laying on our backs in the very relaxing svanasana (corpse pose), the teacher went student by student to gently push our shoulders down into the matte which releases that last bit of tension from the body. With my eyes still closed, I said, "Thank you," to her and she softly said, "You are welcome." Perhaps because she is from Colombia and has an accent, she didn't say, "You're welcome," but "You are welcome" in three distinct words. It struck me that the meaning is so different from the response we say automatically when someone thanks us.
Here I had missed the class for several weeks and felt like I would be out of shape, even though I know yoga is not meant to be competitive, and found I was still very strong and capable. It was great to be in this nurturing environment again and how nice to have this special "ah-ha" moment at the conclusion. You Are Welcome. I wish more people stated this in the beginning of our encounters with each other! Imagine walking into a store and the staff greeting you with, "You are welcome!" You would feel special and enter knowing your presence is important.
I had read in yoga texts a number of years ago that it is good to walk through every doorway as if entering a temple. It immediately reminds me that I am a divine being walking through life with respect. I can extend a warm welcome to those who enter my home or step into the space I am standing wherever that may be, treating that person with friendliness, hospitality, and respect.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, we will either host a dinner or be a guest, and have the opportunity to say, "You are welcome" or feel welcomed in someone's home, walking through their doorway into a temple. This alone is worth giving thanks as it is foundational for how we can all live together in peace in this world. I give thanks to my yoga teacher Francesca who has allowed me to see the value of three little words.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Awaken
I have awakened to the reality that we are living in a time when our government is no longer "of the people" and our society is distracting itself from this reality.
Driving from my home to visit a girlfriend early last evening, the main highway I-95 was backed up in both directions the entire way, mile after mile after mile. There was no accident, no construction. Just volume. A Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Were all these people shopping? What is with the traffic getting more and more choked? Is this our future? If we continue along the path of more and more and more, I suppose that is exactly what we will get: more.
We have been lied to and manipulated by Washington for decades and now we are seeing the results. From legislating in favor of the wealthy and powerful, to ignoring the science of global warming in favor of corporate ($$$) interests, to using war for agendas we may never really know, and systematically destroying the middle class, our elected officials have created a completely corrupt machine.
Our society worries me. We scramble more and more to cram school, sports, college and expectations down our children's throats and at the end of all that pressure and fortunes spent, are there jobs for them? Is this competition healthy? We shop. We shop and consume and want more. If we don't spend, if aren't good consumers, we aren't good Americans. We are advertised to via every available surface, and we fall for it! A song I used to listen to warns that this is "participation in our own manipulation." Most of mainstream media exists either as an advertising delivery device or misinforms us depending on who sponsors or owns it. This media is not a voice of the people any more. Consumerism--all this "stuff"-- cannot continue indefinitely. The earth's resources are getting depleted and we are destroying ourselves by continually raping it for profit. There is such a tiny percentage of potable (drinkable) water left that it is laughable! Does anyone know this?
How does this tie in with Peace and Health? We must awaken and be conscious human beings, not live blindly from day to day in a semi- or unconscious way. To awaken allows you to understand finally that we are all interconnected, "one" with each other, the animals, the plants, the earth... that to destroy or mistreat or distort or corrupt creates a life of misery for ourselves in the end anyway. Our actions ripple out in hundreds of ways that can bring harm if we are not aware of the repercussions of those actions. I hope you will join me in awakening perhaps by studying the ancient teachings, by absorbing what is going on in the world, taking the time to acquaint yourself with the issues and players, by speaking out against injustice, by being "charge neutral" in the face of angry situations, by eating healthy, resting, being compassionate to yourself and therefore to others.
I do have faith in some of the young friends I have made, like Erin whose wonderful blog "Let's Be Self-Sufficient" http://www.letsbeselfsufficient.com/ is right on track. We need thousands of Erins to make the difference in whether we will thrive in the future.
And faith in my elders, like my Uncle Dave who keeps me on top of what is truly corrupt in government. Here is a link he just sent me about what the federal bank is up to lately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUY16CkS-k&feature=player_embedded
A film you can stream on Netflix, called "The Age of Stupid," is a documentary about global warming and what the near future might hold for us. Here's the trailer:
http://vimeo.com/2992103
Another good documentary you can stream on Netflix is "Iraqi War: The Untold Stories."
Thanks for listening to my rant. Now I'm REALLY awake!
Driving from my home to visit a girlfriend early last evening, the main highway I-95 was backed up in both directions the entire way, mile after mile after mile. There was no accident, no construction. Just volume. A Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Were all these people shopping? What is with the traffic getting more and more choked? Is this our future? If we continue along the path of more and more and more, I suppose that is exactly what we will get: more.
We have been lied to and manipulated by Washington for decades and now we are seeing the results. From legislating in favor of the wealthy and powerful, to ignoring the science of global warming in favor of corporate ($$$) interests, to using war for agendas we may never really know, and systematically destroying the middle class, our elected officials have created a completely corrupt machine.
Our society worries me. We scramble more and more to cram school, sports, college and expectations down our children's throats and at the end of all that pressure and fortunes spent, are there jobs for them? Is this competition healthy? We shop. We shop and consume and want more. If we don't spend, if aren't good consumers, we aren't good Americans. We are advertised to via every available surface, and we fall for it! A song I used to listen to warns that this is "participation in our own manipulation." Most of mainstream media exists either as an advertising delivery device or misinforms us depending on who sponsors or owns it. This media is not a voice of the people any more. Consumerism--all this "stuff"-- cannot continue indefinitely. The earth's resources are getting depleted and we are destroying ourselves by continually raping it for profit. There is such a tiny percentage of potable (drinkable) water left that it is laughable! Does anyone know this?
How does this tie in with Peace and Health? We must awaken and be conscious human beings, not live blindly from day to day in a semi- or unconscious way. To awaken allows you to understand finally that we are all interconnected, "one" with each other, the animals, the plants, the earth... that to destroy or mistreat or distort or corrupt creates a life of misery for ourselves in the end anyway. Our actions ripple out in hundreds of ways that can bring harm if we are not aware of the repercussions of those actions. I hope you will join me in awakening perhaps by studying the ancient teachings, by absorbing what is going on in the world, taking the time to acquaint yourself with the issues and players, by speaking out against injustice, by being "charge neutral" in the face of angry situations, by eating healthy, resting, being compassionate to yourself and therefore to others.
I do have faith in some of the young friends I have made, like Erin whose wonderful blog "Let's Be Self-Sufficient" http://www.letsbeselfsufficient.com/ is right on track. We need thousands of Erins to make the difference in whether we will thrive in the future.
And faith in my elders, like my Uncle Dave who keeps me on top of what is truly corrupt in government. Here is a link he just sent me about what the federal bank is up to lately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUY16CkS-k&feature=player_embedded
A film you can stream on Netflix, called "The Age of Stupid," is a documentary about global warming and what the near future might hold for us. Here's the trailer:
http://vimeo.com/2992103
Another good documentary you can stream on Netflix is "Iraqi War: The Untold Stories."
Thanks for listening to my rant. Now I'm REALLY awake!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Less Daylight, More Insight
After a long hiatus, I'm back on "Peace and Health." A number of you were wondering why I hadn't been writing my posts and the answer is that I have been living and thinking and experiencing and that is what it takes sometimes to be thoughtful in my communications. I don't want to blather away or preach. I want to share what is perhaps of value in making the world a teensy bit more friendly.
Today is the first evening of Eastern Standard Time and we now have the spectre of sunset at 4:30 and those long, cold winter nights ahead for a very long time. Boring? Sometimes. Crabby feelings from lack of vitamin D? Absolutely.
Here is what I have learned and applied from traditional Chinese medicine: We are all familiar with the concept of yin and yang, the opposites, in Chinese philosophy. The fall and winter are the yin time of the year, the feminine, introverted, quiet, the days short, animals hibernating and the earth going into its roots to survive the cold season ahead, everything in a state of near death. I have been putting away my summer clothes, as I'm sure many of you have been as well, but also my diet has been changing to include more seasonal foods like acorn and butternut squash, soups and other hot cooked food like breakfast grains. I have closed up my garden, brought potted plants indoors, and have accepted the fact that I will be less active for now, slowing down my social schedule and gym workouts. I have learned that I get sick, get headaches, feel edgy when I try to do too much. Deciding what is "too much" is what is most important.
My doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, who introduced this yin-yang season concept to me, says it causes illness and dysfunction when we live contrary to nature. In the fall and winter we need to be quiet, go inward, not rush around and not get enough rest. We need balance. In the spring and summer, it's the yang time of year, masculine, extroverted, expansive. Lazing around indoors in the summer is going against nature as it's the time to be outside and active.
So, it's okay to be sleepy and sluggish right now! It's okay to enjoy the long evenings in your sweats with your dog or cat on your lap, reading and sipping tea or enjoying a pleasant conversation in the comfort of home. It's okay not to drag yourself around after a long day of work. Go home and flop on the sofa and take it easy. Spend long moments thinking, writing, reading, listening to music. Insights abound at this time of year. Fatten up for the winter like the squirrels do. It's good to go with the season! Give yourself permission to simply be this fall and winter. It's only natural.
Here's a recipe I want to share, one I tore out of Yoga Journal recently. It's wonderful, simple to bake, and I hope you all will try it. Let me know what you think! Happy autumn. Let's all enjoy it and make the very best of it.
Olive Oil and Rosemary Cake
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a 10-inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a hand mixer (or whisk by hand) for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is very foamy and pale in color. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Gently fold in the rosemary.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the pan.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool briefly in the pan, and then tip the cake out onto a rack to continue cooling.
I serve this cake warmed and sliced with a generous dollop of goat cheese with honey (they sell this at Trader Joe's) on top! Yum!
Today is the first evening of Eastern Standard Time and we now have the spectre of sunset at 4:30 and those long, cold winter nights ahead for a very long time. Boring? Sometimes. Crabby feelings from lack of vitamin D? Absolutely.
Here is what I have learned and applied from traditional Chinese medicine: We are all familiar with the concept of yin and yang, the opposites, in Chinese philosophy. The fall and winter are the yin time of the year, the feminine, introverted, quiet, the days short, animals hibernating and the earth going into its roots to survive the cold season ahead, everything in a state of near death. I have been putting away my summer clothes, as I'm sure many of you have been as well, but also my diet has been changing to include more seasonal foods like acorn and butternut squash, soups and other hot cooked food like breakfast grains. I have closed up my garden, brought potted plants indoors, and have accepted the fact that I will be less active for now, slowing down my social schedule and gym workouts. I have learned that I get sick, get headaches, feel edgy when I try to do too much. Deciding what is "too much" is what is most important.
My doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, who introduced this yin-yang season concept to me, says it causes illness and dysfunction when we live contrary to nature. In the fall and winter we need to be quiet, go inward, not rush around and not get enough rest. We need balance. In the spring and summer, it's the yang time of year, masculine, extroverted, expansive. Lazing around indoors in the summer is going against nature as it's the time to be outside and active.
So, it's okay to be sleepy and sluggish right now! It's okay to enjoy the long evenings in your sweats with your dog or cat on your lap, reading and sipping tea or enjoying a pleasant conversation in the comfort of home. It's okay not to drag yourself around after a long day of work. Go home and flop on the sofa and take it easy. Spend long moments thinking, writing, reading, listening to music. Insights abound at this time of year. Fatten up for the winter like the squirrels do. It's good to go with the season! Give yourself permission to simply be this fall and winter. It's only natural.
Here's a recipe I want to share, one I tore out of Yoga Journal recently. It's wonderful, simple to bake, and I hope you all will try it. Let me know what you think! Happy autumn. Let's all enjoy it and make the very best of it.
Olive Oil and Rosemary Cake
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a 10-inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a hand mixer (or whisk by hand) for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is very foamy and pale in color. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Gently fold in the rosemary.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the pan.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool briefly in the pan, and then tip the cake out onto a rack to continue cooling.
I serve this cake warmed and sliced with a generous dollop of goat cheese with honey (they sell this at Trader Joe's) on top! Yum!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Fear Can't Exist in the Now
Hello everyone. I have been writing every 3 weeks here at "Peace and Health" as I find that I accumulate experiences I wish to share on that schedule.
With the end of summer (sniff, sniff), with the anniversary of the still-sad events of Sept. 11, with the continuing bad economy (good for a few, bad for most), and a desire inside myself for more knowledge and skills in order to live life joyfully, I have studied 2 interesting books recently which I would love to share, as well as recommend a most amazing film which touches on many big, universal human themes. I also want to give you a simple exercise to try.
The first book is entitled, "There is Nothing Wrong with You," by a Zen teacher named Cheri Huber. It is a charming and helpful reminder that we are not who we have been conditioned to become through our early experiences of surviving within a family, getting "educated" in school, and following societal expectations. We are each perfect as we are and are connected to each other and the universe, not separate from each other and all living creatures.
The second book, "The Power of Now," by Eckhart Tolle, is a masterpiece explaining that it is possible to live a life with less fear and suffering if we live it in the present (now) instead of dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. This is what Buddha taught, and there are many references to this concept in ancient religions and philosophies. Tolle says, in an excerpt from the book:
"...Most people only shift between ordinary unconsciousness and deep unconsciousness. What I call ordinary unconsciousness means being identified with your thought processes and emotions, your reactions, desires, and aversions. It is most people's normal state. In that state, you are run by the egoic mind, and you are unaware of Being. It is a state not of acute pain or unhappiness, but of an almost continual low level of unease, discontent, boredom, or nervousness--a kind of background static. You may not realize this because it is so much a part of "normal" living, just as you are not aware of a continuous low background noise, such as the hum of an air conditioner, until it stops. When it suddenly does stop, there is a sense of relief. Many people use alcohol, drugs, sex, food, work, television, or even shopping as anesthetics in an unconscious attempt to remove the basic unease. When this happens, an activity that might be very enjoyable if used in moderation becomes imbued with a compulsive or addictive quality, and all that is ever achieved through it is extremely short-lived symptom relief." Tolle talks about the limited life we lead when we think we are our minds, or our thoughts, staying in a small loop of problems that keep us restricted and tense. Our identities are not derived from our thoughts; mind machinations that dwell in the past and worry about the future. When we bring ourselves back to the present moment, we are free to live and be fully awake to reality.
The film I watched is "Madadayo" by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. It was his last film and is a tribute to the good fortune any of us has to find a cherished teacher whom we can emulate. I felt while watching it the other night that it is so superb that I wish I could give a copy of it to all of you, and dream that all school children could be shown this film (along with their parents, but with the parents in the back of the auditorium and children in front to experience it for themselves). It is a tender, funny, humane story and I just adore it.
Here is a simple exercise, a "Prayer to Being in the Now:"
http://www.youtube.com/user/acozzarin
I hope you enjoy it, and I hope we can all find peace and health together. Everything is possible that way! Right NOW.
With the end of summer (sniff, sniff), with the anniversary of the still-sad events of Sept. 11, with the continuing bad economy (good for a few, bad for most), and a desire inside myself for more knowledge and skills in order to live life joyfully, I have studied 2 interesting books recently which I would love to share, as well as recommend a most amazing film which touches on many big, universal human themes. I also want to give you a simple exercise to try.
The first book is entitled, "There is Nothing Wrong with You," by a Zen teacher named Cheri Huber. It is a charming and helpful reminder that we are not who we have been conditioned to become through our early experiences of surviving within a family, getting "educated" in school, and following societal expectations. We are each perfect as we are and are connected to each other and the universe, not separate from each other and all living creatures.
The second book, "The Power of Now," by Eckhart Tolle, is a masterpiece explaining that it is possible to live a life with less fear and suffering if we live it in the present (now) instead of dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. This is what Buddha taught, and there are many references to this concept in ancient religions and philosophies. Tolle says, in an excerpt from the book:
"...Most people only shift between ordinary unconsciousness and deep unconsciousness. What I call ordinary unconsciousness means being identified with your thought processes and emotions, your reactions, desires, and aversions. It is most people's normal state. In that state, you are run by the egoic mind, and you are unaware of Being. It is a state not of acute pain or unhappiness, but of an almost continual low level of unease, discontent, boredom, or nervousness--a kind of background static. You may not realize this because it is so much a part of "normal" living, just as you are not aware of a continuous low background noise, such as the hum of an air conditioner, until it stops. When it suddenly does stop, there is a sense of relief. Many people use alcohol, drugs, sex, food, work, television, or even shopping as anesthetics in an unconscious attempt to remove the basic unease. When this happens, an activity that might be very enjoyable if used in moderation becomes imbued with a compulsive or addictive quality, and all that is ever achieved through it is extremely short-lived symptom relief." Tolle talks about the limited life we lead when we think we are our minds, or our thoughts, staying in a small loop of problems that keep us restricted and tense. Our identities are not derived from our thoughts; mind machinations that dwell in the past and worry about the future. When we bring ourselves back to the present moment, we are free to live and be fully awake to reality.
The film I watched is "Madadayo" by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. It was his last film and is a tribute to the good fortune any of us has to find a cherished teacher whom we can emulate. I felt while watching it the other night that it is so superb that I wish I could give a copy of it to all of you, and dream that all school children could be shown this film (along with their parents, but with the parents in the back of the auditorium and children in front to experience it for themselves). It is a tender, funny, humane story and I just adore it.
Here is a simple exercise, a "Prayer to Being in the Now:"
http://www.youtube.com/user/acozzarin
I hope you enjoy it, and I hope we can all find peace and health together. Everything is possible that way! Right NOW.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Going With The Flow
A yoga teacher once shared with my class a Zen koan that I was reminded of yesterday while out walking in the woods with my husband Serafino. We hiked on a trail that follows a pretty river, a stream really. The river had natural dams forming placid ponds and small areas of gentle rapids with the soothing bubbling sound that immediately puts you in a relaxation. A koan is a story illustrating a concept that is accessible through intuition instead of intellect.
I sat on the bank of this stream yesterday and watched the water flowing around a large smooth stone. In the koan, we are the stone which is solid, immovable, strong and unending, allowing the water to flow past us, allowing it to go by without attachment or hindrance. We are also the flowing water which is light, fluid, effortless, and when encountering the stone, we simply continue on our way, flowing past and around the stone, unaffected and neutral. So, in the stream of life we are both the stone and the flowing water.
In my recent readings, particularly on the www.jeshua.net site, I have been struck by how the contrasts of life are not to be negated or avoided, but can be consciously brought into balance. These contrasts, these yin-yang "opposites," such as male and female, darkness and light, good and evil, need each other to exist. We might strive not only to balance these opposites within us, but to seek a third way, a way to neither negate one or the other, but to incorporate both and in essence create a new, or third way of being. We can be as strong as a stone which yields to the flow of life, as well as go with the flow when we hit obstacles. And go even further, a third option which is to be both at all times. I believe that being both the stone and the flowing water, being both the good and bad, dark and light, male and female, we will come to understand each other.
I sat on the bank of this stream yesterday and watched the water flowing around a large smooth stone. In the koan, we are the stone which is solid, immovable, strong and unending, allowing the water to flow past us, allowing it to go by without attachment or hindrance. We are also the flowing water which is light, fluid, effortless, and when encountering the stone, we simply continue on our way, flowing past and around the stone, unaffected and neutral. So, in the stream of life we are both the stone and the flowing water.
In my recent readings, particularly on the www.jeshua.net site, I have been struck by how the contrasts of life are not to be negated or avoided, but can be consciously brought into balance. These contrasts, these yin-yang "opposites," such as male and female, darkness and light, good and evil, need each other to exist. We might strive not only to balance these opposites within us, but to seek a third way, a way to neither negate one or the other, but to incorporate both and in essence create a new, or third way of being. We can be as strong as a stone which yields to the flow of life, as well as go with the flow when we hit obstacles. And go even further, a third option which is to be both at all times. I believe that being both the stone and the flowing water, being both the good and bad, dark and light, male and female, we will come to understand each other.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Coming Home
What a wonderful weekend I had at my high school reunion in Ithaca, New York! I'm still processing the many faces, hugs, conversations, ideas and energy which washed over me. Not only did I attend the reunion events, but I also reunited with a number of family members, some of whom were in town to reconnect for the same reasons. I didn't realize how important it was for me to reconnect with my family, with my classmates, and with my hometown. My soul feels grounded and that is what is so gratifying and pleasantly unexpected.
My graduating class (Ithaca High School Class of 1975) had nearly 700 students, yet only a fraction (50 or so??) attended this reunion which spanned 4 days. I want to thank them all for being brave and present for this effort. Everyone looked terrific: Happy, healthy, comfortable with him or herself. I'm so impressed with how far some people traveled in order to reconnect, and how far they have traveled in life experiences. Even though I haven't seen my fellow classmates in many years, we became instant friends over the past few days and now I really miss them. We have in common shared experiences of growing up in the same town, in the same schools, with each other. That puts a special spin on our relationships to each other. We are all under each others' skins. In today's world where it's difficult to connect with others, how nice to have had the opportunity to be reminded of the true bonds between people.
And Ithaca, beautiful Ithaca. I hadn't been back since my last reunion in 2005 and was wondering if I was exaggerating in my mind how incredible Ithaca is. It was tugging at my heart for the past few years and I was curious to see if I would feel excited about being back there. Oh yes, absolutely, and in fact, I want to live there again! The weather was perfect, and everything was idyllic. The geology is so ancient, prehistoric, with endless exposed sheer cliffs of shale, gorges, creeks, hills, ledges and waterfalls – not to mention Cayuga Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes – glacier age relics which invite one to be outside in nature more than where I live now (crowded and frenzied metro NY area). The town is the same (pretty much) as it's always been and I feel at home there with its hippie-ish, natural vibe. I'm grateful to have seen, touched, danced and laughed along with so many courageous classmates and experienced the landscape of a very vibrant city where I grew up and long to be again. In that spirit, I want to share with the IHS Class of '75, and all my "Peace & Health" friends, this traditional poem from Ithaka, Greece (with shades of Odysseus' voyage):
"Ithaca"
When you start on your journey to Ithaca,
then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclops and the angry Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians,
the Cyclops and the fierce Poseidon
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.
Then pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds.
Buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can.
Visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.
Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years,
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not defrauded you.
With the great wisdom you have gained, with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithaca means.
My graduating class (Ithaca High School Class of 1975) had nearly 700 students, yet only a fraction (50 or so??) attended this reunion which spanned 4 days. I want to thank them all for being brave and present for this effort. Everyone looked terrific: Happy, healthy, comfortable with him or herself. I'm so impressed with how far some people traveled in order to reconnect, and how far they have traveled in life experiences. Even though I haven't seen my fellow classmates in many years, we became instant friends over the past few days and now I really miss them. We have in common shared experiences of growing up in the same town, in the same schools, with each other. That puts a special spin on our relationships to each other. We are all under each others' skins. In today's world where it's difficult to connect with others, how nice to have had the opportunity to be reminded of the true bonds between people.
And Ithaca, beautiful Ithaca. I hadn't been back since my last reunion in 2005 and was wondering if I was exaggerating in my mind how incredible Ithaca is. It was tugging at my heart for the past few years and I was curious to see if I would feel excited about being back there. Oh yes, absolutely, and in fact, I want to live there again! The weather was perfect, and everything was idyllic. The geology is so ancient, prehistoric, with endless exposed sheer cliffs of shale, gorges, creeks, hills, ledges and waterfalls – not to mention Cayuga Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes – glacier age relics which invite one to be outside in nature more than where I live now (crowded and frenzied metro NY area). The town is the same (pretty much) as it's always been and I feel at home there with its hippie-ish, natural vibe. I'm grateful to have seen, touched, danced and laughed along with so many courageous classmates and experienced the landscape of a very vibrant city where I grew up and long to be again. In that spirit, I want to share with the IHS Class of '75, and all my "Peace & Health" friends, this traditional poem from Ithaka, Greece (with shades of Odysseus' voyage):
"Ithaca"
When you start on your journey to Ithaca,
then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclops and the angry Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians,
the Cyclops and the fierce Poseidon
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.
Then pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds.
Buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can.
Visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.
Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years,
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not defrauded you.
With the great wisdom you have gained, with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithaca means.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Gross and Subtle
The past few weeks have involved a period of intense lessons for me, ones I have invited into my life, I realize! That's certainly a way to bring change about and move to another (hopefully higher) level, instead of waiting for life to just happen. My concern lately has been twin: Taking care of my outer, "gross," body, and my inner, "subtle," body.
When I want to seek balance in my health, I look around and when a practitioner or treatment resonates with me, I go forward with it. My "directional" points me and I try to be open so I can see it and follow it. I am in excellent health, but I want to maintain and make adjustments in relation to the seasons, and to the phases of my life. In April, I joined a gym and have enjoyed splashing about in the pool during the Aqua-Fit classes which are wonderfully fun cardio workouts. The yoga classes at the gym are very physically challenging, lacking a bit in the mind and spirit components (yoga is supposed to be an equal number of all three), but I am happily keeping up. And my personal trainer kicks my ass which is the most amazing thing in my life right now. I never thought I would have the "muscle memory" to start again the sort of vigorous program I am undertaking. I hope any of you who feel it is behind you will try again.
What is kind of cool is that my personal trainer, a young guy in his mid-twenties, loves to hear about the many forms of yoga and exercise that I have practiced. I taught him "The Five Tibetans" (simple but powerful repetitive exercises, each done only 21 times), meditation encouragement, and balancing postures. We talk about healthy diets and stress management. And one practice that my old yoga teacher taught my class, to keep the spine supple. I will close this blog with ways to do this. "It will keep you young!" she would tell us.
The other amazing thing in my life lately is my nightly ritual of watching lectures by Joseph Campbell on DVD. Joseph Campbell is the renowned scholar of mythology who masterfully links all cultures and traditions historically, observing that we are all "one." I knew deep down, but Campbell reminded me, that we humans living in our modern society are not in accord with nature. Humans since the beginning of time lived in tune with nature. They had to, to survive. We think we are so clever that we can live above or without nature, but look at what is happening. In speaking about the history and philosophy of yoga, Campbell illuminates on the concept of how we have a gross body, that is, our outer body, our external and superficial selves represented in the tangible body that is our machine, and our subtle, inner body, the soul and authentic self that resides deep in our center core. We can't escape our gross body. It is susceptible to illness and reacts when we treat it well or badly, and ages and dies eventually. But when we take care of our gross body, accepting its phases and imperfections, it allows our subtle inner body to blossom and present itself to the world. That is a joy for others to behold and how lovely if everyone could cradle their physical bodies with love and care and thus frolic in this life with others whose inner souls are allowed to shine!
There is so much more, but I will save it for another blog.
For the care of the spine which supports our gross physical bodies, as well as opening nervous system pathways, keeping the spine supple and youthful, move it through all 6 ranges of movement:
1. While standing, drop your chin to your chest, and slowly, one vertabrae at a time, roll your body down so your hands are near your feet. Keep your knees soft. Breathe in and out luxuriously, and slowly roll your body up, with your head coming up last.
2. Next, bring your hands overhead and breathe in. On the exhale, slowly stretch up and back protecting your neck and lower back by emphasizing showing your heart to the sky. Come back to standing upright.
3. Clasp your hands overhead, breathe, and exhale first stretching to the right and holding briefly.
4. Do the same to the left.
5. Stand with your hands on your hips. Reach your right hand into your left hand on the left hip, stretching your face and eyes to the right, so you get a nice twist in the spine.
6. Do the same to the left.
So, the spine's range of movement is forward, backward, side, side, twist, twist. Six ways. Do this everyday. It will keep you young!
When I want to seek balance in my health, I look around and when a practitioner or treatment resonates with me, I go forward with it. My "directional" points me and I try to be open so I can see it and follow it. I am in excellent health, but I want to maintain and make adjustments in relation to the seasons, and to the phases of my life. In April, I joined a gym and have enjoyed splashing about in the pool during the Aqua-Fit classes which are wonderfully fun cardio workouts. The yoga classes at the gym are very physically challenging, lacking a bit in the mind and spirit components (yoga is supposed to be an equal number of all three), but I am happily keeping up. And my personal trainer kicks my ass which is the most amazing thing in my life right now. I never thought I would have the "muscle memory" to start again the sort of vigorous program I am undertaking. I hope any of you who feel it is behind you will try again.
What is kind of cool is that my personal trainer, a young guy in his mid-twenties, loves to hear about the many forms of yoga and exercise that I have practiced. I taught him "The Five Tibetans" (simple but powerful repetitive exercises, each done only 21 times), meditation encouragement, and balancing postures. We talk about healthy diets and stress management. And one practice that my old yoga teacher taught my class, to keep the spine supple. I will close this blog with ways to do this. "It will keep you young!" she would tell us.
The other amazing thing in my life lately is my nightly ritual of watching lectures by Joseph Campbell on DVD. Joseph Campbell is the renowned scholar of mythology who masterfully links all cultures and traditions historically, observing that we are all "one." I knew deep down, but Campbell reminded me, that we humans living in our modern society are not in accord with nature. Humans since the beginning of time lived in tune with nature. They had to, to survive. We think we are so clever that we can live above or without nature, but look at what is happening. In speaking about the history and philosophy of yoga, Campbell illuminates on the concept of how we have a gross body, that is, our outer body, our external and superficial selves represented in the tangible body that is our machine, and our subtle, inner body, the soul and authentic self that resides deep in our center core. We can't escape our gross body. It is susceptible to illness and reacts when we treat it well or badly, and ages and dies eventually. But when we take care of our gross body, accepting its phases and imperfections, it allows our subtle inner body to blossom and present itself to the world. That is a joy for others to behold and how lovely if everyone could cradle their physical bodies with love and care and thus frolic in this life with others whose inner souls are allowed to shine!
There is so much more, but I will save it for another blog.
For the care of the spine which supports our gross physical bodies, as well as opening nervous system pathways, keeping the spine supple and youthful, move it through all 6 ranges of movement:
1. While standing, drop your chin to your chest, and slowly, one vertabrae at a time, roll your body down so your hands are near your feet. Keep your knees soft. Breathe in and out luxuriously, and slowly roll your body up, with your head coming up last.
2. Next, bring your hands overhead and breathe in. On the exhale, slowly stretch up and back protecting your neck and lower back by emphasizing showing your heart to the sky. Come back to standing upright.
3. Clasp your hands overhead, breathe, and exhale first stretching to the right and holding briefly.
4. Do the same to the left.
5. Stand with your hands on your hips. Reach your right hand into your left hand on the left hip, stretching your face and eyes to the right, so you get a nice twist in the spine.
6. Do the same to the left.
So, the spine's range of movement is forward, backward, side, side, twist, twist. Six ways. Do this everyday. It will keep you young!
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