Clean Slate

We first experienced the magic of Sanctuary Retreat in Bingil Bay, Queensland, Australia in 2009. We have visited all but one year since then largely because it's one of those places in the world that literally feeds my soul. Not to mention, I love running a yoga retreat situated in the pulsing heart of the rain forest with a nearly secluded beach at the base of the hill. I sense it to be a powerful healing vortex on the planet...a true slice of paradise.

It is also the inspiration behind this week's teaching theme. During the retreat, participants have the option of joining in for a morning sunrise meditation. We meet in silence at the top of the trailhead just before the sun rises and take a 10-minute walk downhill through the rain forest and onto Garner's Beach. Everyone goes their own way and when the bell rings, we come together and go back up the hill for our morning yoga practice. 

This past August, it struck me that although I've arrived onto this beach every morning during the retreats over the past 10-years, each morning it looks a bit different. It was as if the universe was shouting at us to pay attention to what’s new and fresh each and every morning by showing how each day the beach has been "reset" by the natural changing tides and weather conditions. The sand might look different, shells and rocks have either been washed up or washed away, the cloud formations present an ever-changing canvas of light for the rising sun. The waves may be foamy and loud or a quieter swoosh in and out. The wind might be a slightly blowing, pushing the palm fronds around or barely present. Each day is a clean slate.

It's an important message from Mother Nature, to remind us that each day we awaken to a new possibility. Each of us has the potential to tap into the best version of who we are if only we recognize that we too have a daily reset called sleep. It's during rest and sleep that our brain re-calibrates itself and "dumps" what no longer serves us. Think of how "crazed" we get with sleep deprivation, how everything seems a bit off-kilter and our connection to highest self fades into the background as we are simply trying to "make it through the day". So often we awaken and launch into a daily pattern without pausing to ask ourselves, "What do I want to paint on my blank canvas today?". 

Many things in our daily lives are out of our control (weather, traffic, other people's behavior, to name just a few), but they can influence how we feel and how we set the tone for the rest of the day. Yet, if we give ourselves some morning check-in time, we can set the barometer of our day which is in alignment with our highest and deepest intentions. It supports the connection to living a purposeful life, one with conscious choices as to how we wish to be in the world. And if this day doesn't quite unfold as we had hoped, it might be just like the stormy day at the beach...disruptive, messy, and not particularly peaceful.  Yet we can trust that this is an impermanent state and tomorrow will be a new day.

Yes...today is the opportunity to create and live the life you wish to create and live. And if stormy weather arises, this too shall pass and tomorrow will be a clean slate. What would you like to paint on your empty canvas today?

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

We're surrounded by it. It's everywhere we turn. Is there an escape or are we bound to suffer? The "it" are situations that make us feel really uncomfortable. You know, the one where your skin crawls or you just feel like turning around and fleeing as quickly as you can. As humans, we are programmed to turn away from things we don't like and turn toward things that bring us pleasure. Aversion and attraction, it's part of the dance. But what about the uncomfortable things in life that we can't avoid such as going to the dentist, a difficult family member or hearing political news that is on the "other side" of where we stand? How do we find a sense of ease when these are part of our everyday experiences?

As a kid, I would walk right up to the edges of high vistas and would climb up on signs, stumps and anything else that gave me a better view. I was drawn to standing at the precipice, pulled forward by curiosity. At the same time, I would feel my Mom's finger looping itself into my waistband. She was definitely uncomfortable and, to this day, never seems to have any level of comfort in my daring explorations. However, she did come to trust my own judgment of what I was capable of doing and eventually surrendered to something she had little control over. She found a way to be at ease with exploits that definitely made her uncomfortable.

Although my Mom isn't a yogi, a beautiful part of our yoga practice is learning how to stay calm amidst discomfort. We experience this as our quadriceps are on fire during a Warrior pose that seems to last longer than that dental appointment. "When will it end?" our inner voice is screaming! "I don't know if I can take it any longer". And then we are guided to our breath and it's as though we find a deeper will. We begin to learn to stay with something that challenges us.

We are beings programmed to move away from pain and toward pleasure. When something we don't like presents itself, we have a couple of options---turn away and avoid, or turn toward and face it. I was recently asked, "why is it important to learn to stay with discomfort?". Good question. My answer is so we may keep our own personal selves evolving. Imagine that every time something uncomfortable (like confrontation) arises, you shut down. You hold your words. You avoid speaking your truth. Imagine this happening repeatedly throughout your life. At what point are you able to stand up for yourself? At what point can you face what challenges you and bravely not hide, but stand in the deeper place of your inner self?

We begin with baby steps. We start with the obvious such as holding a yoga pose when all we want to do is stop. It has been said that our real yoga (union) begins the moment we want to bolt. We learn how to navigate the discomfort and, over time, the same thing is no longer as painful or bothersome as it previously was. We more easily stay present with what is. It allows us to fully inhabit each and every moment of our lives, no matter what is facing us. Pain, pleasure, neutrality. It no longer ignites the old triggers that make us want to run and hide. It opens our hearts more fully to life.

So the next time you're faced with something unpleasant, see if you can become the witness to the present moment by finding your breath. Practice finding just one breath, just this one, right here, right now. See if you can notice that buffer of space that separates you from the issue. Instead of reacting in a manner of a habit, notice that THIS is the opportunity for growth.

Coming Home To Yourself

I've recently embarked on a year-long mentorship program studying Shamanism and connecting more deeply to my own soul. I've been interested in deepening my knowledge of this for the past three or so years and, as a result, part of my opening to this path is to pay attention to the signs and symbols the Universe shares with me. The theme this week arose from three separate conversations I had with people with whom I am close.  Within all three conversations, I kept hearing the same message. All three in varying forms were experiencing hard challenges within their intimate and close relationships and, although they didn't use the same language, they were more or less saying the same thing. Somewhere in loving, serving, and supporting the beloveds around them, they had lost their way. And in all three conversations, I basically reflected back to them that perhaps the message is to look after themselves and fill up their empty and hurting hearts.

Another experience that led to this theme was over the weekend when we held a huge fundraising effort at my yoga studio to support the Australian wildfire relief efforts. It was a magical day with four different offerings including yoga, meditation, and Kirtan. Our community near and far showed up to participate, either as a student in class, a roadie, a foodie, a greeter, a donor or event manager. People contributed significant amounts of money, brought their energy and skills, and gave their time to make the day a huge success. 

The final session of the day was a beautiful yoga Nidra practice. I had a mat set up for myself to do the practice, but came in late, hesitantly, as I was in the foyer "looking after stuff and checking that all was okay". Thankfully, a wise and quiet voice inside said, "Go into the class and lay down"...so I did. As I settled onto my mat, I noticed my breath was uneven and I could feel my heart beating. It felt as though the day's adrenaline pumping through me was still trying to find something to do. It was at that moment, that I heard a deeper message to come back into filling up my own well.

Over the past month, Desert Yoga Therapy and its community have raised over $15,000 USD for three different charities. Part of our mission is to serve others...open-heartedly and regularly. Service is a keystone to what we do and at the end of our fundraising day, I said to myself, "OK...enough for now". I have been asking so much of our community in the way of giving and they've responded in the most humbling and hopeful ways. And I know from past experience, that in order to not experience "compassion fatigue", we all need to look after what we need individually in order to continue to serve unconditionally and compassionately.

Hence, the theme of the week is to come back to yourself and fill up your energetic heart. It's time to ask, "What is one thing I can do that will connect me into my inner sacred space?" It doesn't have to be a massive shift or undertaking. Maybe it's something as simple as leaving five minutes earlier than you normally would in order to travel in a less hurried and stressed-out state. Perhaps it's working on being more comfortable in your own company. What can you do for yourself, that nourishes you deeply but doesn't involve other people or distractions?

A story I've been sharing throughout the week is that sometimes when my husband is driving and I'm the passenger, the petrol gauge is hovering over the E (empty) symbol. I ask him, "How much further can we go?" and he'll reply something like, "Oh, we've got about 3 miles left in the tank, we can make it" at which time I begin to launch into a small anxiety attack, stressing about the potential of running out of gas. Eventually, we glide up to a pump, fill up and continue on our way.

The metaphor is that so often, we sit with our tank hovering on empty and silently say to ourselves, "I can do a bit more, I can make it." My thought of the week is that we don't have to wait or push ourselves in order to test our limits to see how far we can go. Giving ourselves time for self-care isn't selfish but instead self-loving. When our tank is full, we can more readily turn around to serve those we love and care about. And if you are empty, know that turning the focus back onto yourself and filling up your well of giving is one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves and others.

Practice begins within and consistency is the key. Now...I give you permission to take some time for yourself and I will endeavor to do the same.

Generosity

If you've been following this blog over the past three weeks, you'll know that all of the thoughts of the week have been an evolving thread. Thus far, I've spoken about Give-olutions, Collective Energy, and a Call to Action (click here if you need a recap). With all that I've been experiencing through these thoughts and then seeing how they've been manifesting has led me to think about generosity. It feels as though the willingness, particularly within my local community to give, has been not only humbling but simply astounding.

With respect to our upcoming yoga day of raising money for fire relief in Australia, we hit the fundraising target ($5,000) within three days. And as it's continued, we are likely to come close to doubling the initial goal. I've put out many threads through social media and other means of promotion, which has been shared and acted upon. The rapid and abundant response has me feeling deeply grateful and privileged. I'm sitting in an optimal position to be the catalyst for this particular call to action,  as both an Australian and American citizen, standing comfortably with one foot in each county and sharing my sadness and grief at such destruction that has motivated people to act.

In thinking about generosity, I've been asking the question all week of "How does generosity show up in your life?". Generosity is not only a financial offering but takes many forms. Being generous can look like being fully present when in conversation with somebody; offering up skills and giving time to something; or holding a non-judgmental space for people to express themselves. On Monday, it was Martin Luther King, Jr Day here in the States and I reflected on how Dr. King's generosity of spirit and faith took great courage which also eventually took his life. 

When the news of the Australian fires made its way to our local community, people came up to me asking how they could help, what could they do? People here and around the world have seen the vulnerability unfolding in Australia and on some level know that this could happen here or anywhere else. In fact, on a smaller scale, it has happened in California with massive wildfires wiping out towns in the past couple of years. In essence, this connection is moments of "Namaste'", seeing the light and spirit within others and connecting it to their own hearts. When we have this connection, we realize no separation exists between us. We are all part of the entire global family and see ourselves in those undergoing tragic times.

As HH The Dalai Lama says:

“Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.”

In other words, what we are cultivating within our own hearts is what is revealed to the world around us. So when I experience such a massive and rapid response, I am also seeing the compassion and caring that is within people. It shores up my belief in decency and humanity, particularly at times of such division and discontent.

As it relates to our yoga practice, each time we step onto the mat, practice loving-kindness, or sit in meditation...when we do our work, it becomes a natural response to growing our own compassion and it ripples out into the world. One of my most frequently spoken phrases is that "our practice begins within" and so it is. I've seen this outpouring of generosity-financially, energetically, skillfully, and with hearts-wide open. I can see the often unseen cultivation of our inner attitude moving outward.

Wow. And thank you for your generosity!

Call To Action

This week's theme has stemmed from last week's theme, that of Collective Energy  (click here if you missed it) and evolved into being called to action. I've heard the call, loud and clear, about getting active in raising funds for fire relief in Australia. My heart breaks with every image of a burnt or injured animal or hearing stories of people returning to property that's been obliterated by a firestorm. And I sit here, in the pleasantly cool winter climes of a desert winter, wondering how I can be supportive. My other home has been on fire and I'm 10,000 miles away feeling sad and somewhat hopeless.

I first stepped foot onto Aussie soil 40 years ago...January 22, 1980. What lay ahead was an 11-month stint as an exchange student. I was two days shy of my 17th birthday, full of naivete and curiosity, and willing to try something that would challenge me in unexpected ways. What I didn't expect was that I would completely fall in love with Australia, my heart and soul were smitten. Upon returning to the States, I immediately began devising ways to return, which I did in 1982, and eventually became an Australian citizen. I never expected to return to the States, but life throws the unexpected in our path as I fell in love with an American, living in Melbourne, and together we decided to return to California. 

Although we returned to the States, my heart never left Australia. We return every year, connect to our "heart" family, set our feet in the sand, and completely enjoy the familiar rhythm of being Down Under. I've been told that I'm "bi-national", completely comfortable living in both countries. They're similar, yet entirely different. So when I see and hear about the devastation, my soul calls me home to her.

Being called to action comes from a higher source, perhaps divine intervention. It's that moment when we are stopped in our tracks, receiving powerful signs that tell us we need to be involved and our reply to hearing the call is to heed it and unequivocally say "yes" to whatever may lay ahead.

The last time I felt the call so strongly was in February of 2012 when I made the commitment of raising $20,000 for Off The Mat, Into the World's Global Seva Challenge. They were addressing the issue of sex trafficking in India and having been in India just six months prior and looking to deepen my practice of Seva (selfless service), I said "yes" to the challenge. Having a terrific fear of failure, I almost didn't commit...I'm a yoga instructor, not a fundraiser. I didn't know the "how" of raising money. 

But, luckily for me, I listened to an insight that arose one morning during my meditation session that said, "Gather together with women who inspire you...". I paid attention and called together a circle of women who full-heartedly stood behind me as they said, "You have us." And so it began, about 8 months of events that raised $27,000 and off I headed to tour India with an extraordinary group of yoga practitioners who had made that same commitment. They too had been called to action.

So, as I've been called to serve Australia's fire relief and recovery, I sit in awe and gratitude for what I learned in the Seva Challenge. I immediately reached out to my community, which is much larger than it was 8 years ago, I've delegated and recruited, I now know the steps to take. I have no fear of being able to raise money. I don't have to do this alone and more wisely realize that more power sits within the collective energy of positive vibrations than anything I could do by myself.

Australia, you are not alone. You have a global community, an earth-family that is feeling your pain and has got your back.

So the message this week is to say a definitive "YES" when you are stopped in your tracks and are called to action. It will not only change your life but the life of so many.

Thank you, community. We love you, Australia!

Collective Energy

We've just stepped into a new decade and, wowza, what an intense time it's been! At the beginning of the week, I was uncertain as to what my theme would be, so I gave myself some quiet space in which to reflect. When I lack clarity as to what I'm being asked to share and teach, I have found that if I simply get quiet, it begins to reveal itself. This has required a certain amount of trust that whatever is present will awaken in my personal field of consciousness. And so it did.

I am being called into action not simply as an individual, but as an individual who can spark and connect into the community of people with whom I am linked. I had to recognize the repeated signs, many of which came through the channels of social media, asking if I would be willing to join in at such-and-such a time and day to meditate on a particular issue or concern. It felt as though in a short space of time different invitations kept coming across my radar.

But what really brought it forward was the convergence of two events-our Winter Kirtan celebration, where my band, "Jayne & The Om Boys" played music to support our local animal shelter and the raging wildfires in Australia. It was at the end of the Kirtan and into the following day when people were approaching me and asking, "How can we support Australia? Is there something we can do?". As I sat in my morning meditation, I was flooded by images of rain clouds gathering over the southeastern part of the Australian continent, as the rain seems to be the only thing that will halt the expansion of this devastating inferno. And I began to hear the call which has become louder and louder each day of this past week.

My original thought was to talk about "collective consciousness". When I began researching the term, I came across one descriptor by Mary Kelsey, a sociology lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley. She used the term in the early 2000s to describe people within a social group becoming aware of their shared traits and circumstances and, as a result, acting as a community and achieving solidarity. Rather than existing as separate individuals, people come together as dynamic groups to share resources and knowledge. 

As I contemplated this, I recognized that the collective could not only do positive work in the world but throughout history collectives have also been harmful. I was reminded of this on a recent trip to Mexico when we visited the first of the many missions that began in Baja California and spread north throughout the state of California. The museum at the mission described the collective intent was to convert the indigenous Indian tribes/people/nomads who'd been inhabiting the Baja peninsula for hundreds and hundreds of years into Christianity. I asked a local guide if any indigenous people were still on the peninsula and he replied: "No. They all died from the diseases that the Missionaries and Spanish brought to them". It felt like a gut punch when he said that. The intent of conversion by a social group, sharing traits and circumstances, achieved solidarity in their mission, but in the long run it caused great harm.

My thought of the week is to look at gathering and utilizing the powerful impact of our collective energy with the focus being completely on the positive impact it serves in the world. At times of such natural disasters, such as the current wildfires in Australia, we can experience despair and helplessness, asking ourselves, "What can I do?". It has been strongly revealed and reinforced to me that we do our individual work of self-love and compassion and then join together within our community to amplify and expand it to others.

To paraphrase Eckhart Tolle on his explanation of the collective consciousness, 'The consciousness you embody, spreads out to others. Wisdom needs to be present which is being aligned with the unconscious essence of who you are, which lays beyond the thought process. Wisdom requires presence, without presence, you have no access to wisdom. Wisdom is an intuitive knowing that is much deeper than the intellect. Having access to the space within is where wisdom arises.'

I love the statement, "the consciousness you embody, spreads out to others" as that reminds us that our practice begins from within. In order for us to powerfully come together, we must dive into our individual wisdom, tap into a state of presence, and move beyond ego. Our practice begins within and as we nourish that, the simple intention of bettering ourselves, impacts everything beyond us. When we become consciously embodied and gather with like-minds who hold a similar intention of raising the positive vibration of all beings-human, animal, and plant- then we become holders of the entire web of life. 

I am beyond grateful for the circles of community that is woven into my life-my yoga community near and far; my heart family of friends Down Under; and my new family of the Gaia Wisdom School. Let's collectively take a moment, gather our energies, and humbly bow to our earth-family. We need each other...you are not alone.

Give-olutions

Unless you've had your head in the sand, you are aware that not only has the calendar flipped into the year 2020 but we have also entered a new decade. It's also that time of year when people write, blog, and talk about a "new you in the new year" and ask us to create New Year Resolutions. If you've read this blog very often, you won't be too surprised that I'm not a fan of making resolutions no matter what time of the year. To me, they can seem short-sighted, inconsequential, and often flippant. Lose weight, stop smoking, work less, save more, go on an exotic vacation...blah, blah, and blah. 

We know that New Year's resolutions tend to be short-lived and can't seem to gain much traction. So, much to my surprise, I read an insightful article by Paul C Pritchard about "Give-olutions" (click here to read). and was inspired to play with the idea of what it would be like to have a paradigm shift away from resolutions to what we can "give" throughout 2020. 

Fortunately, I was sitting in an airport departure lounge when I read this and had adequate time to contemplate my own list of give-olutions for the upcoming year. I broke it down into three categories: self, others, and the planet. This is what I came up with:

What can I give to myself in 2020?

• Self-care
• Compassion
• Challenges
• Solitude
• Creative activities
• Time for contemplation, direction, and growth
• REST
• New Experiences
• Daily Movement/Exercise
• Optimizing Health

What can I give to others?

• Presence
• Love
• Time
• Donate energy, resources, and services (i.e., volunteer/Seva)
• Patience
• Compassion
• Kindness

What can I give to Mother Earth?

• Downsize
• Minimize
• Consume Less
• Decrease the use of single-use items
• Support environmentally conscious businesses
• Compost

I would suggest that you try this out...pop a heading at the top of a page and jot down whatever comes to mind. Then, narrow it down to simply one thing per category to begin working on today. I love the idea of referring back to this list regularly and adjusting to where you are at that moment.

Give-olutions have a stronger sense of doing rather than the more dreamy/lofty/fantastical notions of making a resolution. When we really focus on simply changing just one or two behaviors, we can more easily create life-long shifts.

And as we've been so beautifully reminded through the death of Ram Dass just a couple of weeks ago, that his guru, Neem Karoli Baba taught that if we're feeling stuck in life to get out of our own way and give back to others. Feed people, love people, help people. When we give, it rebounds back to us in a powerful wave of intensity.

I'm keen to hear your thoughts and be inspired by your 2020 give-olutions. Feel free to share!

Happy New Year and New Decade!