10% KINDER SPREAD SUNSHINE AND GOODNESS
SEPTEMBER 17, 2009: I was saying to a friend that when I got to bed at night I appreciate all that I attempted during the day no matter how it turned out, I acknowledge I did my best and right before I go to sleep I promise myself that "tomorrow I will be 10% kinder."
Life moves so fast on a day to day basis that sometimes it seems like we don't have time to be kind which is really another way of saying we don't have time to connect with other human creatures, they aren't important enough. Yoga teaches us that a root cause of our suffering is isolation; disconnection from others for it is against our very nature. When we actively practice kindness it brings us closer to other individuals. Every day I also say to myself "am I serving as an example or a warning" to the people I am in contact with? I hope my life right now serves as an example, that no matter how difficult the challenges I might be facing I am still above all else kind.
One of my heroes Jack Kornfield writes, "The work of your heart, the work of taking time, to listen, to help, is also your gift to the whole world." I found that quote in a little book titled GOOD PERSON given to me by my loving friend Nancy. I keep that book next to my bed to remind myself that above all else that is really what influence I hope to inspire others by. I may not have millions of dollars but the beauty and value of being a good person seems far above an impressive bank statement. And the good news is that as JM Barrie says, "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."
We can light up the lives of all whom we think about, touch, email, talk to, and work with, love. Each of us has this responsibility to be a good person. If we sit back and wait for the world to be made better, well the funny thing is we are the world. We are the ones that by being 10% kinder can make an enormous difference.
"There is in each of us so much goodness that if we could see its glow, it would life the world." Sam Friend
I have to be honest many years ago I didn't have the guts to articulate this. I was too embarrassed and afraid what other people might think of me (it's usually a whole lot easier to sit and complain the with the majority of how terrible life is) so I had to do a lot of soul searching to grow up spiritually from babyhood to be able to say without hesitation "I want to change the world.' Yup, it may be one down dog at a time, one mindful breath at a time but at least I am trying in my own way. And the heart of the effort comes from being 10% kinder each and every day. Today can you join me in this effort? "Thank you to all the people in the world who are always 10% kinder than they need to be. That's what really makes the world go 'round." (Helen Exley)
Your goodness knows no bounds and is unlimited in its potentiality, do it your way but please accept the responsibility to care enough for yourself, this world we share to be 10% kinder each and every day! Love to you with lovingkindess (metta), Silvia
LET ME SEE THE CHANGE I NEED SAMSKARAS
As is written in the Secret Power of Yoga my favorite translation of the Yoga Sutras, "our thoughts and feelings form these clusters of habitual patterns, tendencies and potentialities called Samskaras. These Samskaras accrue by the constant churning of our thoughts and emotions. Whenever any thought or feeling is encountered it is easily fed into one of these patterns. Then our habits and patterns become set. The pattern of HABIT or samskara is difficult to change, as our consciousness is often unable to reconfigure the obvious."
You see our thoughts (all 60,000 per day) are trained by habit to flow in predictable patterns. We are tuned out to most of these habits, especially the Unhealthy ones. The practice of yoga inspires us to recognize who we really are, our true selves and we begin to see our "MINDLESS HABITS" (Samskaras). We then begin making more conscious choices. It is like we wake up. Chapter 1.50 When experiencing the absolute true knowledge all previous Samskaras are left behind and new ones are prevented from sprouting.
In the yogic model, two reasons exist for remaining stuck in negative emotions or unhealthy actions:
- The first is samskaras, or karmic knots, that develop over time.
- The second is a lack of prana, or vital life force, oxygen in our bodies.
How yoga can help:
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Releases emotions/stress locked in the body.
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Brings in more oxygen/prana or life-force. (For instance we learn when we hold our breath)
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Balances the brain.
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Calms the mind and develops the “witness” - we see our thought pattern or physical habit.
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Helps us reconnect, become more awake or conscious.
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According to Stephen Cope, MSW, LICSW, a psychotherapist and author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self (Bantam, 1999), hatha yoga's postures improve mood by moving energy through places in the body where feelings of grief, stress, worry or anger are stored. "Hatha yoga is an accessible form of learning self-soothing," he says. "These blocked feelings can be released very quickly, [creating a] regular, systemic experience of well-being."
COMMITMENT TO KINDESS
APRIL 3, 2009: The John Mayer song “Say” has this lyric that goes, “Even if your hands are shaking. And your Faith is broken. Even as the eyes are closing. Do it with a heart wide open.” It’s easy to stop being kind to ourselves and to others when we’ve been hurt or we see negative behavior around us. But that’s not excuse. To me it comes down to this, If tomorrow is going to look any better than today we have to commit to the possibility of kindness. We cannot abandon it. If the tomorrow after tomorrow is going to look better for our children and the children of our children we must commit to kindness.
A great way to change our energy and perhaps wipe the slate clean from previous negativity or frustration or hurt is to practice the Metta Meditation. Metta is the pali word for Lovingkindness. Here is my version:
May I be happy
May I be healthy
May I be peaceful
May I be loved
This then sets the tone for our practice and for our day. I don’t want you to get all worked about about what you look like, how you practice and whether you're doing it perfectly. I really don't want your yoga to be another opportunity to practice the self-abuse of perfectionism or be less than kind in yoru thoughts or actions. I just want you to be YOURSELF.
You need not overwhelm yourself on purpose. To practice lovingkindness go easy on yourself STRUGGLE LESS, STRIVE LESS, ATTEMPT LESS AND ENJOY MORE! Pace yourself to enjoy your practice to enjoy your life and let the ripples of lovingkindness impact the way you see the world. Or as Swami Satchidananda says, Look within. If you don't see the peace in you, you won't be able to see the peace outside. You have to have that peaceful vision, because it is you who sees the world outside.
LOVINGKINDESS: CLEARING THE HEART TO QUIET THE MIND
JANUARY 10TH, 2009: The way that yoga has changed my life the most is that I’ve found that practicing each pose with lovingkindness (the Pali word for this is Metta) my whole life got a lot better. The more I could purposely practice unconditional love on the mat the greater access I had to it throughout my life (even when I found myself in situations I wish were different). It really for me came about as I allowed myself to be more AUTHENTIC (and we get opportunities every day all day long). There was a shift, I relaxed more, I opened up more. It helped me shift my focus from getting love to creating it. I no longer wanted to do battle with life but I embraced it lovingly, like a hug. And as a result my relationships became more real, my connections with others more intense in a good way.
A great teacher I’ve studied with, Sianna Sherman put it like this: “Through yoga, I learned to step into a world of love and energy,” she says. “It gave me hope of being connected to another person in a meaningful way, and it gave me the courage to try.”
In the Yoga Sutra’s Pantanjali gives us a four part process to help us clear our hearts of any negative energies as a means for quieting our minds and reconnecting to the deepest reservoirs of unconditional love. The sutras advise we:
1. cultivate maitri (friendliness) toward pleasure and friends;
2. Karma (compassion) for those who are in pain or suffering, including yourself;
3. Mudita (joy) for those who are happy and whom we admire;
4. Upeksanam (equanimity) towards those who hurt us.
So simple. The practice however requires a great deal of inner strength so we included today the Lotus Flower Meditation from my teacher Shiva Rea and my own version of the Metta Lovingkindness Meditation too. So this year risk it all to dive into the treasure chest of your heart which is always the source of unconditional love! And be open to receiving the unconditional love offered by your children, your friends, your parents and from grace herself. The world sees the best in you, let you see this too. I wish you love in abundance! Silvia
*May we be happy. May we be healthy. May we be joyful. May we be loved.
NAMASTE
Namaste - The ancient Sanskrit blessing defined for you
• The life in me sees and honours the life in you
• Namaste” is the beautiful spark in one person recognizing the beautiful spark in another
• This is an especially deep expression of respect
• Namaste recognizes the duality that has ever existed in this world and suggests an effort on our part to bring these two forces together
• Ultimately leading to a higher unity and non-dual state of Oneness
• In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honour to the sacredness of all.
• The whole action of Namaste unfolds itself at three levels; mental, physical, and verbal.
• I honour the place in you where Spirit lives. The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you.
• I greet that place where you and I, WE ARE ONE.
• I honour the place in you which is of LOVE; I receive the free spirit in you.
• I salute the place in you which is Truth, may the life within you be strong.
• I receive the place in you which is of Light
• I recognize the place in you which is of Peace, within each of us is a place where peace dwells
• I recognize that we are all equal. I acknowledge that everyone is valuable in their own way and capable of expanding my horizons.
• When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, then we are ONE.
• We are able to recognize the goodness of others
Instead of clinging to what separates us, Practicing Namaste enables us to feel less alone in the world. We begin to understand that we must treat all people for what they are, family.
May all beings find and hold happiness.
May they all be free from suffering and sickness.
May we all look in the mirror see all others reflecting back.
May we be all with one, living in oneness, one family, one heart, a glowing heart of the brightest light of compassion. NAMASTE
From Wikipedia, freely adapted and edited