Greetings everyone,
We have been at Sanctuary Retreat since Sunday and upon our arrival, we were greeted by a baby cassowary. A cassowary is a large flightless bird related to the emu and inhabits this rainforested area. I have been teaching casual classes the entire week, then spend the rest of the day hiking down to the beach, exploring the area, reading and writing. It's easy to pass many hours looking over the canopy of the rainforest to the Pacific ocean. The water is warm, inviting and the beach typically has only had no more than 5 people occupying it at one time.
Tempting eh? Next year, I hope to offer a full on retreat and can wait to share more photo's and experiences with all of you. We are retreating into our own hearts and spirits in this beautiful land Down Under.
Peace and Namaste',
Jayne
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Thoughtful Voice
I have had many thoughts passing through the super highway of my brain that seem to be displaying opposite views and perspectives. As I wrote last week, I felt pure joy witnessing the expression of genuine happiness at the Bhakti Fest. It has remained fresh in my mind and my thought this week was how much contrast I witnessed since stepping back from the blissful edge and into the reflection of our daily culture.
It really hit me as to how disgruntled people are at the moment. They seem angry at the government and in despair over the economy. We had people losing their minds like Serena Williams' outburst at the US Open, Kanye West bursting on-stage during someone elses acceptance speech at the VMA's, a Senator yelling out in a joint session, people cutting in front of me at Trader Joe's...I mean C'MON PEOPLE...where's the decorum?
People seem to be expressing their dissatisfaction. As Mick Jagger put it, "I can't get no..."
My thought is, "Is this expression necessarily bad?". Inappropriate?. Absolutely. But, it's expression nonetheless and voicing is good for the spirit. Perhaps it becomes more destructive when there is no counter balance...no yin with the yang. No feminine amongst the masculine. No ebb, just flow. So how do we express ourselves appropriately without thrusting our inappropriate behavior onto everyone else? Once those words have left the source, there is no taking it back.
Consciousness. That's how. Developing our own awareness for how we imprint the world. Whether that be through words, actions or thoughts. Realizing that we ARE a reflection of the rest of the Universe. We share the same Divine light as every other being on this planet.
The practice of yoga has hung around for some 5,000 years because people have consciously experienced how awareness raising it can be. I invite you to listen to yourself from the inside first, before you outwardly express. Feel your own inner beauty and peace and project that onto the planet.
I recently heard that wisdom is being able to hold opposing views without feeling that either is right or wrong.
I hope you enjoy an expressive few weeks!
It really hit me as to how disgruntled people are at the moment. They seem angry at the government and in despair over the economy. We had people losing their minds like Serena Williams' outburst at the US Open, Kanye West bursting on-stage during someone elses acceptance speech at the VMA's, a Senator yelling out in a joint session, people cutting in front of me at Trader Joe's...I mean C'MON PEOPLE...where's the decorum?
People seem to be expressing their dissatisfaction. As Mick Jagger put it, "I can't get no..."
My thought is, "Is this expression necessarily bad?". Inappropriate?. Absolutely. But, it's expression nonetheless and voicing is good for the spirit. Perhaps it becomes more destructive when there is no counter balance...no yin with the yang. No feminine amongst the masculine. No ebb, just flow. So how do we express ourselves appropriately without thrusting our inappropriate behavior onto everyone else? Once those words have left the source, there is no taking it back.
Consciousness. That's how. Developing our own awareness for how we imprint the world. Whether that be through words, actions or thoughts. Realizing that we ARE a reflection of the rest of the Universe. We share the same Divine light as every other being on this planet.
The practice of yoga has hung around for some 5,000 years because people have consciously experienced how awareness raising it can be. I invite you to listen to yourself from the inside first, before you outwardly express. Feel your own inner beauty and peace and project that onto the planet.
I recently heard that wisdom is being able to hold opposing views without feeling that either is right or wrong.
I hope you enjoy an expressive few weeks!
Peace and Namaste',
Jayne
Sunday, September 13, 2009
What Does Joy Look Like?
I spent yesterday at Bhakti Fest, the first celebration of kirtan (music), yoga, food and energy of its kind, held in Joshua Tree, CA. It brought up numerous thoughts for this weeks writing, but one has stuck more strongly than the others.
Finding and expressing joy.
The beautiful thing about visiting the Fest was watching people express joy and happiness. Many moments in our daily lives are routine, often challenging and frequently riddled with different types of stress.
To step into a community of people who were letting go, of all kinds of daily life connections was reflective of a larger practice-that of non-attachment and experiencing the NOW moment.
I watched people stand up and dance with their eyes closed, chanting along with the kirtan leader. I saw people practicing Acro Yoga and doing Hula Hoops. I saw people smiling, hugging and truly embracing the experience. I saw my old high school friend, Dave Z, create a beautiful image of Shiva as he stood alongside the stage with Jai Uttal rocking the crowd. As I looked into the expressions on peoples faces...I saw happiness.
I invite you to find something that brings that feeling to your heart and radiates out through your being to others. The reason is, that seeing joy-brings joy. It's contagious. It's worth catching.
I hope you enJOY the upcoming week and to see you in classes soon!
Finding and expressing joy.
The beautiful thing about visiting the Fest was watching people express joy and happiness. Many moments in our daily lives are routine, often challenging and frequently riddled with different types of stress.
To step into a community of people who were letting go, of all kinds of daily life connections was reflective of a larger practice-that of non-attachment and experiencing the NOW moment.
I watched people stand up and dance with their eyes closed, chanting along with the kirtan leader. I saw people practicing Acro Yoga and doing Hula Hoops. I saw people smiling, hugging and truly embracing the experience. I saw my old high school friend, Dave Z, create a beautiful image of Shiva as he stood alongside the stage with Jai Uttal rocking the crowd. As I looked into the expressions on peoples faces...I saw happiness.
I invite you to find something that brings that feeling to your heart and radiates out through your being to others. The reason is, that seeing joy-brings joy. It's contagious. It's worth catching.
I hope you enJOY the upcoming week and to see you in classes soon!
Peace and Namaste',
Jayne
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Morphing The Dream
With my upcoming trip to Australia, I have been in various stages of planning and re-thinking. My original vision that popped into my head over 18 months ago was a trip Down Under with a group of people in tow with all of us stepping into the natural beauty of Australia to practice yoga on a deeper level. What has transpired is that vision has morphed into something different and my question is, "how am I OK with that?"
The reality is the retreat isn't happening. I'm going to Sanctuary Retreat in Mission Beach, Queensland and will stay there for a week or so. I'll be there with my husband, Ed, and the two other people who wanted to do the retreat. The best we can hope for is that one or two other people who are staying at Sanctuary will be interested in taking a yoga class during our stay. If that happens, then I will be teaching yoga at the site.
The positive upshot of all of this is that a lesson is sitting within the experience. I'll have the opportunity to experience the retreat center from a different perspective and check out the setting. I won't be working quite as hard as originally planned and will have time to practice yoga, explore, read and write. I'll know more about what to do in future attempts to create an overseas retreat and I hope to bring back images and first hand experiences of what it's like to be in this setting.
Although my original vision has changed, my desire to pursue that vision has been an exercise in facing fear and disappointment. As it turns out...I'm still OK with all of it!
Peace & Namaste',
Jayne
The reality is the retreat isn't happening. I'm going to Sanctuary Retreat in Mission Beach, Queensland and will stay there for a week or so. I'll be there with my husband, Ed, and the two other people who wanted to do the retreat. The best we can hope for is that one or two other people who are staying at Sanctuary will be interested in taking a yoga class during our stay. If that happens, then I will be teaching yoga at the site.
The positive upshot of all of this is that a lesson is sitting within the experience. I'll have the opportunity to experience the retreat center from a different perspective and check out the setting. I won't be working quite as hard as originally planned and will have time to practice yoga, explore, read and write. I'll know more about what to do in future attempts to create an overseas retreat and I hope to bring back images and first hand experiences of what it's like to be in this setting.
Although my original vision has changed, my desire to pursue that vision has been an exercise in facing fear and disappointment. As it turns out...I'm still OK with all of it!
Peace & Namaste',
Jayne
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