Sunbeams
even
after
all this time
the sun never says to the earth
"you owe me"
look
what happens
with a love like that --
it lights
the whole
world
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Simple
Simple things are waiting
For the one who wants it so
You bet your bottom dollar
It'll cost less than you know
Blue hearts blue tears
Blue 'n' bruised 'n' sore
Blue skies waiting
On the other shore
A simple life's no mystery
Confusion lies without
Get washed in the water
Feel your light pour out
Do I know how
How will I know
Cast the ropes that bind you
Get in that boat and row
Forsake not what's around you
For simple is close at hand
You might get tossed on water
But keep your heart peeled for land
Blue hearts blue tears
Blue 'n' bruised 'n' sore
Blue skies and blossoms
On the other shore
"Simple" by Violet Archers
I was really moved by these lyrics and I thought they were worth sharing.
For the one who wants it so
You bet your bottom dollar
It'll cost less than you know
Blue hearts blue tears
Blue 'n' bruised 'n' sore
Blue skies waiting
On the other shore
A simple life's no mystery
Confusion lies without
Get washed in the water
Feel your light pour out
Do I know how
How will I know
Cast the ropes that bind you
Get in that boat and row
Forsake not what's around you
For simple is close at hand
You might get tossed on water
But keep your heart peeled for land
Blue hearts blue tears
Blue 'n' bruised 'n' sore
Blue skies and blossoms
On the other shore
"Simple" by Violet Archers
I was really moved by these lyrics and I thought they were worth sharing.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Lost? Get out your compass.
The problem, as I see it, starts here: We, as humans, are capable of complex, abstract thought. For this reason, we fancy ourselves different. We tell ourselves we are not animals. We are the Humans. We believe we are above nature because we are clever and can work around it. We believe we can conquer death some day. We spend an excessive amount of energy trying to fight the flow of nature, aging, the winter of our lives. Yet, despite our greatest efforts, winter comes, and we set ourselves to suffering.
There is a rhythm, a circle, a continuation of life. We must remember this. All things that begin, must end. All things that exist in this moment will change, will alter, will at some point cease to exist.
In our efforts to be the exception, we have lost contact with the Earth, our Mother, with ourselves, with nature, with life outside of our poorly misguided perceptions, with our bodies. Unfortunately, Mother Nature intended for us to use our bodies as a compass. It is a sensory being that guides us by instinct. It smells, it touches, it sees, it hears, it tastes. It is unfortunate because when our perceptions cause us to lose touch with our true senses and instincts, we become lost and we suffer. We look all over for guidance and direction. We go to preachers, doctors, psychiatrists, books, group meetings. But what we need is to go back to ourselves. To learn to read our compass again, to read the signs our body gives us is the true answer. Your body will not lie to you or tell you what you want to hear. It will tell you the truth. Your truth.
A few weeks ago, I was driving somewhere that was relatively unfamiliar to me. I had only been there once before and it had been months prior, so I wasn't all the way sure about how to get there. I had my directions in hand and I was off. I thought I couldn't go wrong because I'd asked Google Maps for help. As I was getting closer to my destination, I glanced at the directions. Moments later, I passed a turn and I felt this twinge. My gut (my body) told me to turn there. I felt certain that's where I had turned before and that was where I presently needed to turn. But, looking at my directions, they did not say to turn. Well, naturally I followed my piece of paper. How could a computer and a keyboard, a printer and an ink cartridge ever be wrong in a debate versus my gut?
Easily.
After about 5 or so more minutes, it became clear to me that I was no longer going in the right direction. I decided to turn back around and head for the turn I had passed up previously. When I got back, I took the turn and arrived at my destination within a matter of minutes.
This is a smaller, but very literal example of what we all must understand. How many times has something like this happened to you? How many times have you ignored your gut instinct only to end up saying to yourself, "I knew I should've trusted my instinct!"?
When we can give up perceptions and tune into our body, it will always lead us in the right direction. Whether that's turning right or keeping straight, whether it's changing career paths or another major life decision, our bodies will tell us what is right for us at that moment.
The same can be said for how we treat our bodies, physically. If we are smokers, if we are binge drinkers, if we are binge eaters or restrictive eaters, our body gives us the signs that we need to tell us what we are doing is harming us. As an anorexic, my body lost the ability to perform basic, yet very necessary functions. However, I was so clouded by delusion and misguided perception, that I ignored the glaring signs. When I stopped having periods, when I was so constantly fatigued that I could do nothing but spend day in and day out on the couch, when my stomach became so unaccustomed to food that it no longer knew what to do with food when some finally became present I still did not listen. When my skin became dull and my hair started falling out, these were further signs, yet still I did not listen. I did not give up my fight against my body.
The perception I held onto, instead, was that all of this was fine and for the greater good. I was convinced that the outside was what was important and that if I could just get down to x number of pounds (and subsequently less than x and less than less than x, etc etc) I would have the answer to all my problems in life (and there were certainly more than just physical ones!). I absolutely refused to listen while my body was screaming for what it really wanted.
Once I sought help for my problem and began giving it wholesome nourishment again, my levels of happiness increased. When I added yoga into the equation, it continued to grow exponentially. I firmly believe this is because I learned to tune into my body, to my truth, and gradually I learned to follow my compass. I learned to listen to my body. This means I learned to stop when I became aware that what I was doing was harmful, and to continue when I sensed what I was doing made me feel good. When you listen to what your body says is good and bad, you can't imagine how much of your suffering you can be released from.
The meaning of the word "yoga" is "union." In our society, I like to think that yoga offers us a chance for a REunion. It is the welcome-back-to-yourself wagon. It teaches us how to quit fighting nature, to stop thinking of ourselves as the Humans, as the exceptions. Instead, we learn how to flow with nature and life, how to be a part of Life. It teaches us we do not always need to seek guidance outside of ourselves, that if we use our body as the compass it is intended to be, we will be led to the answers we seek, to freedom and to Truth.
There is a rhythm, a circle, a continuation of life. We must remember this. All things that begin, must end. All things that exist in this moment will change, will alter, will at some point cease to exist.
In our efforts to be the exception, we have lost contact with the Earth, our Mother, with ourselves, with nature, with life outside of our poorly misguided perceptions, with our bodies. Unfortunately, Mother Nature intended for us to use our bodies as a compass. It is a sensory being that guides us by instinct. It smells, it touches, it sees, it hears, it tastes. It is unfortunate because when our perceptions cause us to lose touch with our true senses and instincts, we become lost and we suffer. We look all over for guidance and direction. We go to preachers, doctors, psychiatrists, books, group meetings. But what we need is to go back to ourselves. To learn to read our compass again, to read the signs our body gives us is the true answer. Your body will not lie to you or tell you what you want to hear. It will tell you the truth. Your truth.
A few weeks ago, I was driving somewhere that was relatively unfamiliar to me. I had only been there once before and it had been months prior, so I wasn't all the way sure about how to get there. I had my directions in hand and I was off. I thought I couldn't go wrong because I'd asked Google Maps for help. As I was getting closer to my destination, I glanced at the directions. Moments later, I passed a turn and I felt this twinge. My gut (my body) told me to turn there. I felt certain that's where I had turned before and that was where I presently needed to turn. But, looking at my directions, they did not say to turn. Well, naturally I followed my piece of paper. How could a computer and a keyboard, a printer and an ink cartridge ever be wrong in a debate versus my gut?
Easily.
After about 5 or so more minutes, it became clear to me that I was no longer going in the right direction. I decided to turn back around and head for the turn I had passed up previously. When I got back, I took the turn and arrived at my destination within a matter of minutes.
This is a smaller, but very literal example of what we all must understand. How many times has something like this happened to you? How many times have you ignored your gut instinct only to end up saying to yourself, "I knew I should've trusted my instinct!"?
When we can give up perceptions and tune into our body, it will always lead us in the right direction. Whether that's turning right or keeping straight, whether it's changing career paths or another major life decision, our bodies will tell us what is right for us at that moment.
The same can be said for how we treat our bodies, physically. If we are smokers, if we are binge drinkers, if we are binge eaters or restrictive eaters, our body gives us the signs that we need to tell us what we are doing is harming us. As an anorexic, my body lost the ability to perform basic, yet very necessary functions. However, I was so clouded by delusion and misguided perception, that I ignored the glaring signs. When I stopped having periods, when I was so constantly fatigued that I could do nothing but spend day in and day out on the couch, when my stomach became so unaccustomed to food that it no longer knew what to do with food when some finally became present I still did not listen. When my skin became dull and my hair started falling out, these were further signs, yet still I did not listen. I did not give up my fight against my body.
The perception I held onto, instead, was that all of this was fine and for the greater good. I was convinced that the outside was what was important and that if I could just get down to x number of pounds (and subsequently less than x and less than less than x, etc etc) I would have the answer to all my problems in life (and there were certainly more than just physical ones!). I absolutely refused to listen while my body was screaming for what it really wanted.
Once I sought help for my problem and began giving it wholesome nourishment again, my levels of happiness increased. When I added yoga into the equation, it continued to grow exponentially. I firmly believe this is because I learned to tune into my body, to my truth, and gradually I learned to follow my compass. I learned to listen to my body. This means I learned to stop when I became aware that what I was doing was harmful, and to continue when I sensed what I was doing made me feel good. When you listen to what your body says is good and bad, you can't imagine how much of your suffering you can be released from.
The meaning of the word "yoga" is "union." In our society, I like to think that yoga offers us a chance for a REunion. It is the welcome-back-to-yourself wagon. It teaches us how to quit fighting nature, to stop thinking of ourselves as the Humans, as the exceptions. Instead, we learn how to flow with nature and life, how to be a part of Life. It teaches us we do not always need to seek guidance outside of ourselves, that if we use our body as the compass it is intended to be, we will be led to the answers we seek, to freedom and to Truth.
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