Tuesday, June 03, 2008
A Time to Awaken, Turn, Turn, Turn...
I am really glad it's June. I'm breathing into changes and new beginnings as we unfold into the Summer Season. I've had an awareness of the magnitude of what this growth would be for the past 6 months. I believe this Summer Solstice, more than any other, is bringing about an intensity of awakening as we open up to the longest day of sunlight on June 21. We are in a time of spiritual transformation. I have been witnessing this evolution in my classes over the past year. In particular, the last 6 months has been especially transformational. It's amazing to get to work with all of the different groups of people, in all of the different places I teach, from exhale spa to several Fortune 500 companies. For the first time ever, we actually meditated, in a seated position, at the end of our class at the headquarters for Pizza Hut. If you ever see a Pizza Hut commercial, you can be aware there is a group of evolving Yogis who practice three times a week at the company's headquarters here in Dallas...I actually do not watch the news. Once and a while I catch snippets of it, but for the most part I do my best to not tune into it. Of course I'm aware of the issues going on in the world. I just choose to be aware through my own senses and resources, rather than buying into the sensational b.s. floating through so many of the airwaves. Of course we're all aware of many of the crises which have happened recently around the globe. I believe these situations have everything to do with the intensity of energetic change we are all experiencing, personally and globally. So, what are we to do in times like these? Well, one, breathe into it and surrender...accept the moment for being what it is. So often when we are faced with challenges, personally or collectively, we tend to immediately make up in our mind that something is wrong. And, therefore, we become reactive to the situation. This reactivity can bring about anything from anger and rage to depression. What if there is nothing 'wrong' with what's happening in the world right now? What if it just is what it is? We wake up to our reality all the time. The environment is a perfect example of this. For so many years, we had no awareness of any damage we were doing. Then, gradually, we woke up and realized how our actions are creating harm. So it is with everything else...it's all waking up to our experience...again...personally and globally. If you want to do anything to feel like you are making a difference in even the slightest (or perhaps, way more powerful than we realize) way, you can begin with saying OM and rippling the sound of the vibration silently, after each OM you say, to all of creation. (as Dharma Mittra would say.) You are not powerless, but immensely powerful. All of us have the potential to be this active. I love this song I play in class. It's called Beauty by Vargo. I just heard these lyrics at the end of it for the first time today.
"The beauty of Nature is very fragile. All of you know that when you come out, breath, and then you look, and then you feel, and then suddenly you realize that you are more than a small piece of meat walking on earth." - Vargo
So, that's one way to say it. Another way is the infamous Marianne Williamson passage I will post at the end of this. (a personal favorite)
I also believe meditation is the way of creating the most postivie environment you can within you and all around you, especially in your immediate surroundings. So, meditate, meditate, meditate. And, three, take action in whatever positive way you can to make whatever difference you can make.
One of my beloved meditation teachers, Roy Williams, talks about the importance of the trilogy: Study, Meditation and Service. He says when you activate all three magic happens. So, one of the areas I get to improve in is service. This will be one of the changes I open up to in this new season. I look forward to working with the homeless community in one way or another. I've known Roy for several years and recently came to find out he was involved in one of the most dynamic changes in the city of Dallas over the past century. In 1988, two African-American activists (Roy Williams and Marvin Crenshaw) filed a federal lawsuit and changed the way Dallas elects its city officials, increasing minority representation, and therefore the face of the city. You can watch a documentary of this on KERA's website-simply scroll to the bottom of the screen. Roy told me that this entire change came about through the power of meditation. Through his meditation he was guided to file this lawsuit and then see it through to success and completion over three years. Every moment of the journey, he said, was guided by the insight of meditation. At one point, he and Crenshaw were offered a million dollars to not go through with the suit. But, Roy said he knew he could not accept it because he was being guided by Spirit to bring about this change. He knew accepting it would only cause breakdown in every way. Roy has been on the spiritual path for over thirty years and it's incredible to experience guided meditation with him. He is most definitely connected and one of the most powerful, yet humble, individuals I know. I feel grateful to get to learn from him.
Just this past Sunday, June 1st, I spent a couple of hours in meditation realizing the importance of going into the stillness to welcome in this month and powerful time of year.
Be still, and know that I am God. - Psalm 46:10
So, if you haven't begun a meditation practice, I highly encourage you to begin...now is the time to fully recognize your oneness with the Light of Consciousness to awaken the positive changes you can within yourself and all around you. I have more to share about one of these positive changes I intend to create through the power of meditation, but will share when the time is right. I am awakening to fulfilling a vision I have had for twenty years. I think it's so interesting we focus on growing into Yoga poses, when our real growth has nothing to do with Yoga poses. The practice of Yoga, and ultimately, meditation, is about awakening positive change within your immediate internal and external environment, and from there, growing into the greatest expansion possible for yourself and the collective community.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson
May we awaken to all that we are, our Highest Potential, as we grow into the ever-illuminating Light of Consciousness. OM, Peace, Amen...
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posted by Leanne @ 8:04 PM 
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I whole heartedly agree with your comments regarding the negativity of the news and how we can improve upon our environment that we have so ignorantly hurt over the years.
Although I am tired of hearing about it, the increase of gas prices is a blessing in disguise. Perhaps it's "someones" way of waking us up, telling us that we need to stop, rethink, revisit how we are treating our planet, and using our resources. Some may not get that, so the good Lord has to hit them where it hurts, in the wallet. :o)
Thankfully earth is resiliant!
So yes indeed, there are good things happening, change is happening and perhaps it's just all a matter of perception.
Pizza Hut Yogi's thank you - meditation was wonderful and welcome again.
Although I am tired of hearing about it, the increase of gas prices is a blessing in disguise. Perhaps it's "someones" way of waking us up, telling us that we need to stop, rethink, revisit how we are treating our planet, and using our resources. Some may not get that, so the good Lord has to hit them where it hurts, in the wallet. :o)
Thankfully earth is resiliant!
So yes indeed, there are good things happening, change is happening and perhaps it's just all a matter of perception.
Pizza Hut Yogi's thank you - meditation was wonderful and welcome again.
# posted by 
: 2:59 PM
: 2:59 PM
The Yum! yogis are ready and waiting too! We are all about the hot so bring on the summer of fire. We'll grow into it.
Thanks for the thoughts and insights! I've been reading in conjunction with my practice, recently, and I'd like to share a book with you that might offer you some new insights. It’s called Harmonic Wealth and it’s all about finding harmony in your life in all areas - financial, relational, mental, physical, and spiritual. It has some really good tips about how to engage all five pillars (or areas) of your life, and to learn more about how they complement each other. Rather than dealing with each issue individually, maybe take a look at the bigger picture.
Here’s the link to that book I recommend: harmonicwealth.com/read
a James Ray Fan
Here’s the link to that book I recommend: harmonicwealth.com/read
a James Ray Fan
The American justice Dept. have recently approved the power of yoga and meditation vide a recent judgement in the American court." Man Who Slapped Wife Sentenced to Yoga, It's Anger Management, Says Judge." First there was house arrest. Now there's yoga. A judge ordered a man convicted of slapping his wife to take a yoga class as part of his one-year probation. "It's part of anger management," County Criminal Court at Law Judge Larry Standley said of the ancient Hindu philosophy of exercise and well-being. "For people who are into it, it really calms them down. " Standley, a former prosecutor, said the case of James Lee Cross was unique. Cross, a 53-year-old car salesman from Tomball, explained that his wife was struggling with a substance abuse problem and that he struck her on New Year's Eve during an argument about her drinking. "He was trying to get a hold of her because she has a problem," Standley said after the court hearing. "I thought this would help him realize that he only has control over himself." The sentence came as a surprise to Cross, who was told to enroll in a class and report back to Standley on his progress. "I'm not very familiar with it," Cross said of yoga. "From what I understand, it may help in a couple ways, not only as far as mentally settling, but maybe a little weight loss." Darla Magee, an instructor at Yoga Body Houston in River Oaks, said she would recommend that Cross take a basic yoga class emphasizing breathing and including a variety of postures -- forward bends, back bends and twists. "Yoga can help us to get rid of many emotional issues we might have," she said. "It's a spiritual cleanse." Prosecutor Lincoln Goodwin agreed to a sentence of probation without jail time because Cross had no significant criminal history http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2365341.
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