my world in 24 x 72 inches

Stories are the landscape of our lives. 
If the gods can commit acts of frailty,
then humans can have acts of the divine.

Alanna Kaivalya, teacher of yoga

 

This weekend I participated in a yoga seminar with Alanna Kaivalya...of course it was a weekend when I had about fifteen irons in the fire that I would schedule one more thing. 

 

It was absolutely life changing. 

 

It was tough to get there on a busy weekend...I felt moments when my core was being rubbed raw by my own frustrations and limiting thoughts...breathe through the pose...initially there were teardrops on my yoga mat because it was too much all at once. Moving through the postures (asanas) and the sacred teachings (sutras), I realized that despite all the searching and yearning to find the answers...all the time my truth has been within me. Freedom!  Profound! Exhausting! Enlightening!  What a joy to discover such gifts (presence) inside!  Here are some threads of wisdom to share with you...

 

Yoga is an mystical practice that teaches you to go internally and seek the eternal truths.

 

Every fear boils down to a fear of death.  Realize this is the way to release yourself into fearlessness.  There is a piece of us that will never die...it is our spirit or that which animates the body.

 

Suffering occurs in the mind.  Pain is inevitable. 
Suffering is optional.

 

Follow your bliss, go with what speaks to and inspires you
...this is what will free you.

 

What are the myths by which you are living?

 

What is it that inspires you, enlivens you
and connects you to your story?

 

Yoga does not look outside for solutions.  It goes inside where there can be a shift in perception where the problem becomes an opportunity...the revealer of possibilities.

 

Whatever I want to change in the world,
I can do it by changing one person...me.  -Byron Katie

 

The most valuable sources and resources come from within.  How about upgrading yourself to new thoughts instead of replaying those from the past or those of your worry?

 

The Source is in the heart...a little fire in the center or right side of the heart. 
It has been there all along and will not leave you. 
There is no need to go outside of ourselves because everything we need is within us.

 

Our best friends will be able to see without a doubt that we are capable of doing anything...
it is only when we believe in ourselves that we become the hero of our own story.

 

We are here to negotiate the relationships between heaven and earth--feet are on the earth, head is in heaven and the heart is where the negotiation happens.

 

Bad things happen in life...
this is the time to become the warrior.
A yogi explores both the light and the dark...
it is in the dark that we discover who we are.

 

You have to learn to lean into the sharp edges...like the yogi who lays on a bed of nails...by being fully there and balanced, there is no pain.  When we go into it gingerly,
we cannot do it and we feel the great pain.

 

When you do not bring forth the desire of your heart,
it will destroy you.

 

The stretching and bending in yoga tells you where you are tight and restricted in life as all the body has corresponding Chakras or energy centers which brings forth knowledge of our lives.

 

Yoga is the natural state.
There is no where to go, no where to be, and nothing to do. 
There is no graduation.
Yoga is the awareness of the present moment and
that all your power is NOW!

 

 Enlightenment happens for moments at a time and after awhile of practice it is always there.  But it is no big deal--you just finally realize who you are.  You still have to pay the bills and take out the trash.  It is becoming awesomely aware of everything and being okay with it.

 

Rip off all the layers, patterns, habits, guilts and judgments of yourself...
the more you peel off the easier yoga can come forth. 

 

Ignorance is believing that
we are anything other than divine.

 

We all have a thought train racing in our brain.  Yoga practice allows you to see the spaces in between the cargo, then to remove the cargo, and to slow down the train so you can see the world beyond your thoughts.

 

All animals are intrinsically afraid of fire and run away from it...it was when man ran toward the fire and harnessed it to make something useful that the world evolved.  Don't run away from the fear; go into the dark places...you will see who you are.  You cannot be destroyed. 
Matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

 

Breathe in even patterns and bring yourself to balance.

 

Enlightenment isn't pulling yourself away from the challenges of life...you just stop letting things bother you and by doing this, you attract that which you dream and desire.

 

Enlightenment isn't special or exclusive but about the way you address the things that happen to you.  Change the patterns of your thoughts and change your world.

 

When disturbed by disturbing thoughts, think the opposite. 
When the event is done, it is done. 
Stop thinking of it and be free!

 

The answer is already there for you when you
come with the question.

 

To know and not to do is really not yet to know.--Buddha

 

And my million dollar question...did any of the enlightened masters have children?  The answer was very few...so if you have children like me, there is our work and  there are our teachers!!  Like Alanna's dog Roxie, they will speak to keep us on the path! Namaste!!

P.S. 24 x 72 is the size of an average yoga mat!

neat freak

Nothing comes from without.
All things come from within.

Neville Goddard, 1905-1972, Author Confession...even as a small child, I loved to organize...my room, my crayons, my clothes, my toys. Everything was in its place often in rainbow colored order because it just looks and feels better that way. My babysitter calls me the Neat Freak because I am always arranging and tidying. My attachment to order is getting refined by a Universe with a great sense of humor ...sending me three little beings to help me transcend this order thing...pronto!To them order distracts from the creative process...from self-expression...from "being a kid." I wonder about this sometimes...does my need for order curtail my joie de vivre? or is it teaching my children to be responsible to know where their things are? How can our worlds be in harmony when our outer expressions are so different?This weekend I spent hours cleaning out their spaces...finding things like Oreo wrappers, treasures from afternoon excursions, all my missing pairs of scissors, the sunscreen, the Scotch tape, the lost Phillips head screwdriver...they were trying to take down the ladder from their bunk bed...hmm. I had found that black hole in my universe where all things disappeared. In the beginning I was getting really frustrated because they obviously didn't get my gene in this department...but after a while, I had to laugh and try to see it through their eyes. I think it was when I found a pair of underwear tucked inside a small safe...well, you never know when you might need a spare!

When all was sparkling clean, I heard the sounds of excited voices..the kids were back and though they loved their clean rooms, they couldn't wait to play in them. I guess my sense of order sparks their creative process...and that is kind of cool...because home is where you need to feel you have a place and room to create. It is an inner balance of both the harmony of order and freedom to explore the limits. It was time to stop cleaning and join in the fun!

underground railroads

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

Harriet Tubman, leader of the Underground Railroad, Abolitionist, Humanitarian

There is a legend that goes with my new home...that it was part of the Underground Railroad...a stop on the line that led slaves to freedom.  Naturally we are very curious to find out more of the history and of the people who lived in this space.  We like the idea that they were freedom loving people who chose to quietly and secretly do the right thing.
It is inspiring to be in their home.

 Currently I am working with the Kennett Underground Railroad Center to research if the legend is true...I will keep you posted on what we find out.  During our "keep" we are collecting bits and pieces, photos, maps, deeds, etc. so that the history can live on...the work of passionate dreamers who lived through some very interesting moments.  This exercise really helps keep things in perspective...especially when times seem extra challenging....

"take heart passionate dreamer and look to the stars!" 

What is the history of your home?  Why not take time this month to remember as much as you can, and if you get a chance, write it down, gather photos, and papers that have details of changes and major events...you never know who may want to know more about it.

seeing our shadow

"Did you ever have de ja vu, Mrs. Lancaster?"

"I don't think so, but I could check with the kitchen"

Phil Conors (Bill Murray) Groundhog Day.

If you haven't ever seen the movie Groundhog's Day with Bill Murray...run out and get a copy today. In brief, it is the story of Phil Conors, a weatherman, who goes to Punxsutawny, PA to witness if the groundhog sees his shadow. He wakes up to the same day over and again until he learns the lesson of becoming a better man. (That is really a nutshell and hardly does justice to the movie..."Am I right? Or am I right?")
We have been going through our own de ja vu as we have had repeated snow days here in eastern Pennsylvania...each day getting more extreme than the next. We definitely got to see our shadow side as cabin fever set in, and three kids who are dealing with all the pressures of the move let me have it.
Granted, life has changed dramatically for them...we have moved to a new country home that is very much the opposite of our former one, they are taking the school bus, in school with hundreds of kids, routines are different, missing friends...and suddenly we are reliving the same thing every day of "I wanna go home!!"
Moving with kids, much like the story of Phil Conors is about learning something new and becoming better than we were yesterday. At times, it is one step forward and two steps back, but learning to be patient and realizing this is a huge adjustment for everyone helps tremendously. Stop. Breathe. Find a good local restaurant for take-out and eat in the living room...show them that turning the world upside down can be great!
Many of the things we are discovering are fun...like the long icy driveway that is the best for skating and the mom-and-pop stores that wield treasures not found in chains, the hopes of spring and warmer weather...so we can open the pool!

10 Favorite Things about a Country Home

I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand.

-Leonardo da Vinci

A week ago, we packed up our house in the suburbs and moved to the country...something that I had been dreaming of doing for the longest time. We found this beautiful 300 year old home in a small town of Pennsylvania and decided to call it home. It has been part of the landscape for such a long time...we are just keepers of this home, and this is our watch. Our charge is to make it better while we are here.

There are some amazing surprises of living in a country manor such as this...here are my top 10:

1. Waking to the endless sky...whether it be a spectacular sunrise or an overcast day, there's no hiding from Mother Nature. She's got your number. Clear evenings reveal stars that were just waiting to be discovered.
2. Well water...I never realized how much chlorine was in the public water I was drinking. We got lucky because our water is crystal clear and fresh!
3. Windows...not exactly sure of how I will wash these tall beauties, but for now, I am enjoying the light that streams through the wavy panes.
4. The mystery of who lived here before and wondering what they thinking when they made changes to the house...a positive and a challenge!
5. The little breakfast spots that make the best French toast and coffee.
6. Figuring out how to arrange furniture in colonial sized rooms.
7. Making choices about what to keep. I have made a new rule...shop for only the best, but get less...there's not a lot of extra storage space in my house and over time, it occurred to me that it is okay to purge. Smaller collections of only the finest have more power.
8. Exploring the hilly road and spaces.
9. Not shopping at chains...there is something special when you know the people who make the food you eat and the things you need.
10. The quiet.

What are the 10 favorite things about your home?

Photo credit: Suze Moore

exploring

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

T. S. Eliot, American born English poet, playwright, critic

My favorite part of my job is that I get to be an explorer...whether I am on the hunt for the perfect home for a client, or looking for the right accent for my own...it is exciting to be out searching.  The best thing is you never know when "it" is going to appear.  For instance, I happened upon this little abandoned footstool and adopted it for my home...exactly what I needed in my living room.  My tootsies are happy to have such a graceful rest while I read.  Someone took a lot of care to embroider it, and I am delighted to be the beneficiary!

 

Exploring is one of those lost arts...in our quick-paced world, who has time to stop and smell the roses let alone take time to see the potential in something?  It is much easier to buy new and be on our way.  However, when you slow down even once in a while, you might find hidden treasure or something magical that will make it worthwhile.  Where do you explore?

P.S.  I have been wanting to slipcover my sofa for the longest time and couldn't find the right fit...looking through my linen closet, I found two vintage bedspreads that were transformed with a few stitches...voila!  Not to shabby...chic!

safety net

When you're young, your whole life is about the pursuit of fun. Then, you grow up and learn to be cautious. You could break a bone or a heart. You look before you leap and sometimes you don't leap at all because there's not always someone there to catch you. And in life, there's no safety net. When did it stop being fun and start being scary?

Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City

Today on my way to work, I heard this advertisement for OnStar road protection...the woman in the ad had driven into the river (hey, who hasn't?). As the waters swirled around said helpless woman, a calm voice came over the speakers, "Don't worry, 'mam. Help is on the way!" Wow. Wouldn't it be fabulous to have this kind of safety net around us whenever emergency strikes? Even for the little things...those panic moments in life where we forgot to do something or are late, "Don't worry, 'mam. Help is on the way."

In reality, there are no safety nets...however, we can be there for each other. Think about all the times you have needed a friend who has reach out and went the extra mile, when you have listen to someone sort out a major decision without adding your two cents, or when you have sat up with a small child through the night. We can be each other's "OnStar"...on the road of life we never travel alone. Have a great week, and remember to reach out to those around you...as well as to receive love as you journey!

P.S. To all my girlfriends, make sure you mark your calendars and purchase your tickets for the new Sex and the City 2 movie...opening this Thursday.