The Sound of Silence

Do you sleep with the TV on? The radio? Does your arm automatically reach out to find the perfect radio station, slide in a CD or plug in an iPod on your drive home? Do you feel uncomfortable when experiencing a pregnant pause in conversation?

We have become so accustomed to the inundation of noise that having a quiet soundscape at times can seem unbearable. It's as though the other forms of pollution get all the attention-food, soil, air, water (all worthy of our awareness) but it's not until we experience stunning silence that we recognize how noisy our lives can be.


Many practices exist that bring us into better relationship with silence. It is not uncommon for monks and renunciates to live in silence for extended periods of time, not speaking at all hence becoming better acquainted with the skills of deep listening. Of course, many of us would find that extreme but we can begin to lessen our noise by setting the intention to unplug at times throughout the day. Can you use opportunities such as sitting in a waiting room, in the car, whilst cooking dinner or being outside as times in which to not engage in any other noise than what is naturally occurring? This means not flipping through a magazine, reading your book or checking your email but simply to be as still as possible and observe.


Although I haven't intentionally spent extended periods in silent retreat, a daily meditation practice is a great place to experience not only being quiet but an opportunity to feel stillness. As we sit quietly, we begin to discover how much sound is present...our breath, our stomach gurgling, a distant plane flying overhead, the neighbors dog barking and birds tweeting make up the noise of a seemingly quiet sitting.


Two auspicious times to meditate during the day are in the pre-dawn hours and at dusk. Nature knows the changes of the day and transitions from inactivity to activity and back again in an unspoken, natural cycle. It is during these change-overs that the world seems to be at its most peaceful. As the external world begins to awaken, we can more readily tap into the awakening of our internal world...in relative silence, in stillness and peace.


A practice for this week is to simply notice how much noise permeates your daily living. See if you can turn the volume down or completely off for a few minutes and begin to open the doorway to your own internal dialogue. That alone can become quite loud so remember to focus on the subtle element of your breath, over and over again...

The Light Within

What do birthdays, romantic evenings, no electricity and sacred services all have in common? These events are frequently marked by the lighting of one or many candles. We strike a match with its distinctive whooshing sound, hold our breath, move purposefully and hold our hand steady as we transfer the temporary light into a longer lasting flame.


Candles represent a significant moment in our day. Each morning, part of my meditation ritual is to light candles. It's a simple reminder of the light that is residing not only within my own heart, but within the heart of all beings.


With the Vernal equinox being tomorrow, March 20 in the northern hemisphere, we are stepping out of the winter darkness into the light of spring. Those in the southern hemisphere are doing the opposite and it's through the changes in our natural world of light and darkness that remind us that nature reflects the ebbs and flows of our own lives.


Moving from darkness into light is a metaphor often heard in spiritual circles. As we move into our own levels of deeper awareness, we slowly lift the veils of ignorance and bias. We become more light-hearted, the light goes off in our thinking and we see the world from a more illuminated perspective.


One method of meditation is a candle-gazing exercise, where you light a candle, sit quietly and with your eyes softly open, you simply focus on the flame. If you've never tried this...go dig through your cabinet and haul out any candle that's just been waiting to be lit.


You might have heard the word "Namasté" (nah-ma-stay) spoken at the end of a yoga class. It is said in response to one person bowing slightly and saying "Namasté" with the other person doing the same thing. I love this translation of the word:


The light in me,
sees and honors the light in you.
And when we are both in this place,
we are one.


And even when the light goes out in somebody's world, that eternal flame resides within the hearts of others. I bow to you who take the time to read my words and I dedicate this week's writing to a dear client who passed away this week. May you rest in peace, BSW, and know that your light lives on in not only my heart, but the heart of many.


Peace and Namasté

Do You Have A Pose For That?

Many reasons exist why people step onto their yoga mat for the first time. They hear that yoga is great for increasing flexibility and reducing stress. They see their neighbor walking out to their car carrying a colorful rolled up mat wearing groovy and comfortable clothing and get curious. They hear that an NBA star was saying how much yoga has helped their back pain. They read in a weekly magazine about a celebrity touting how they keep their bodies lithe through practicing yoga. Oprah mentions its...



In our culture, most people perceive yoga as another form of exercise-that it's a physical practice with some side benefits and that's how most people step onto the path. It begs the questions, "Are we physical beings having a spiritual experience? Or are we spiritual beings having a physical experience?".



My thought for the week is around those very questions. Although we may be drawn to our mats for the physical benefits, we can't help but realize there's more to it that lengthening our hamstrings. The ancient teachings of yoga were from guru (teacher) to student, through an oral tradition in order to reach a deeper spiritual attainment. The poses (asana) were initially thought to be practiced in order for the practitioner to be able to sit more comfortably in meditation. Enlightenment didn't happen once your palms made it to the floor in a forward fold, but rather from moving to a deeper internal space, one that was disassociated with the physical self.



From this perspective we are definitely spiritual beings having a physical experience, that this embodiment was the vehicle to engage the physical world, the house to the soul. The physical is an important part of the journey, but it is only part of it. It is thought that we have five sheaths or layers, called the Maya Koshas that express our entire being.



Physical, breath, mental, higher consciousness and bliss are the five sheaths and we need to find balance in the outer three (body, breath and mind) before we can begin to tap into our deeper aspects of intuition, greater knowing and pure joy.



So when someone asked me recently, "Jayne, do you have a pose for losing belly fat?" I responded by saying that the pose is called "accept-asana".



When we look into another persons eyes, we don't see their belly fat...we see their heart and their soul.

What's Your Purpose?

This past week the desert was fortunate to host the speaker Mimi Guarneri, M.D., a Cornell University trained cardiologist who established the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. She has also authored the book, "The Heart Speaks" which describes not only her own, but her patients journeys to the connection of the heart from more of a non-medical perspective.



Aside from talking about the use of food as medicine and other lifestyle choices that can greatly impact our health (such as not smoking), Dr. Guarneri mentioned many other factors that contribute to a healthier way of living. This included having a purpose in life or as the yoga world calls it, your dharma.



Your dharmic path is more than what you do for a living. It's about what your soul's purpose is during this lifetime. Do you know why you're here now? Do you have a sense of your soul's purpose? We can begin to uncover the answer to these questions by asking ourselves:



"When I am serving the highest good, what am I doing?"



It could be the noble act of being an attentive parent, keeping a school district clean and functioning, teaching or working with animals. When we begin to feel as though we have a purpose, our health is better. If we feel disconnected to what is driving us on a deeper level, our being suffers on all levels. I truly believe it can take a long time to discover our purpose and many of us try different things to see how it resonates. The point is that we keep searching. If we have found our purpose then the point is that we keep doing.

I love the philosophical gems offered up in the Tom Hank's movie, "Forrest Gump". It's refreshing how Forrest's simplified perspective of life is full of so much wisdom. The one scene that sticks with me was when Forrest was standing at Jenny's grave...his lifelong "girl" and wife. This is what he said:



"Jenny.



I don't know if Mamma was right or if it's Lieutenant Dan.



I don't know if we each have a destiny



or if we're all just floatin' around accidental like on a breeze,



but I think maybe it's both.



Both happening at the same time."



It makes me think about my own life's purpose. How much of my energy is knowing my life's purpose and how much of my energy is spent just floatin' around accidental...I have to agree with Forrest. I feel my life has both elements that reflect living in the moment yet with purpose. Letting things unfold, yet living with intention. Letting go of having to do or be something and see where life carries me. To trust that my life will unfold as it's meant to unfold. I believe that my daily meditation practice has created the foundation on which my thoughts can rest with or without action...with or without noise...with my destiny in mind, or just floatin' accidental, like on a breeze.



Now go get yourself a "box of chocolates"...