Wow...I just watched an inspirational video from Julia Butterfly Hill. Remember the lady who spent over 700 days living in a Redwood Tree in California, as a peaceful demonstration to save the trees from being forested? She is a part of the Global Mala Project, and what a leader she is! I found myself getting emotional during the part of the video where she says "our world is dying." How did we become so wasteful? And, when did it become ok for us to be that way? Now that we know better, we must be better. I hope you will take a few moments to watch this video, and perhaps you will find it lights the fire of inspiration within you to "be the change" instead of just talking about it. We can each make a difference in our own way. Perhaps part of the reason we do not change our ways is because we don't think our subtle shifts will have an impact...but the truth is they do...

You will also enjoy watching this video of Shiva Rea as she gives an eloquent introduction to the intention of the Worldwide Global Mala Project. I hope you will unite together with your community the weekend of September 21, 22, 23. There may even be Global Mala events taking place in your community. If there isn't an organized event, you can still align with the collective consciousness in your own unique way even if that means you spend 27 minutes in meditation focusing on the expansion of peace on planet earth. The Global Mala website offers some ideas of how to honor the sacred cycle of 108 or variations therefore to align together with the collective consciousness of Yoga as peace in action.

"It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though limits to our abilities do not exist." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction." - John F. Kennedy

Rise!Read more

It's been a while since I last wrote. As you've read in the previous posts, the plans for the 1st ever Worldwide Global Mala Project are underway. During the weeks ahead, I may not post as often as I have in the past. I will just have to feel how the Spanda is arising within me. I learned of the Sanskrit word, Spanda, while I was studying with Shiva Rea. It is one of my favorite words because I can really feel its meaning resonating within me. Shiva would often guide us to move with how the Spanda is moving us to be...whether that is in a Yoga pose or in each moment of our life. In other words, to move with our inherent inspiration and to allow all of our movements to flow from that inspired place within...

"Spanda is a Sanskrit term for the subtle creative pulse of the universe as it manifests into the dynamism of living form. Spanda can be translated to mean vibration, movement, or motion, referring to waves of activity issuing forth from an unseen Source of spontaneous expression. On a more personal level, spanda refers to consciousness as it orients through thought and intention to organize into authentic action. You may experience spanda as a desire to live according to your own innermost urging, act in line with your interest, follow your curiosity, and attend to your body's natural rhythms as they harmonize within the grander scale of natural life seasons and cycles." -http://www.spandayoga.com/whatis.html

I love feeling how the Spanda is guiding me to be. It is so freeing to simply feel and connect with what's inspiring us, and then to flow with that feeling. Likewise, when the feeling of Spanda is not present, it's important to honor this, as well, and not force ourselves to do things we'd rather not be doing.

Last night, the Spanda was moving me to practice my pitch. As I mentioned before, I'll be throwing out the first-pitch at the Texas Rangers baseball game on Sunday, September 23rd to kick-off to the game and the 1st ever Worldwide Global Mala event, being held at the stadium, following the game. Phhewww! Sixty feet is a long throw. But, with a little practice, I was amazed at how my pitch began to transform. This experience is the perfect reflection and reminder of the amazing transformative ability we awaken to through our Yoga practice. Anything is possible with practice. And, this is what's most important...to cultivate a practice for oneself. Whether this practice is Yoga, Meditation, Dance, Music, Art, Baseball, anything that allows us to cultivate our growth and development. Of course I'm partial to Yoga and do feel anyone who is able bodied greatly benefits from a practice of the Asanas. So, if you're reading this and have been lackadaisical with your practice, and ultimately yourself, lately...maybe it's time to feel if the Spanda is guiding you to realign and deepen your practice again. Now that we are moving into the Fall season, it's a great time to get back into the flow of things again.

My shoulder was a little sore after all those throws, but I hope that with enough practice, I'll be able to throw it home! Read more