Rose Garden Yoga

Clover Blooming

Elizabeth — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:54:03 +0000

I have never understand why some work hard to eradicate clover from their lawns (lawns being for the most part an ecological travesty) when an expanse of clover is so beautiful and easy.

How much of our strength and energy can be and is wasted by forcing conformity to notions of how things are supposed to be or look instead of what is nurturing and free.

Where could you shift away from preconceived/externally imposed ideas of what you should do or how you should be and instead bring your precious time, energy, and unique gifts to foster more growth and bring yourself and those around you more health and happiness?

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Found Declaration

Elizabeth — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:57:52 +0000

Saying such, of course, does not make it so. I just read a review of a movie about a self-proclaimed guru. According to the review, central to the movie was the question whether or not it mattered if the guru was a charlatan if she was truly helping people. Good question, but not good enough to get me to see the movie, as it otherwise is getting rather mixed reviews.

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

State of the Garden

Elizabeth — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:36:39 +0000

How exciting to see not only what is ready to eat now — the greens and herbs and strawberries — but the promise of what will come throughout the summer, so long as my dedicated attentions continue; the weather is cooperative; and the bugs, birds, and squirrels and I can negotiate my getting a decent share of what ripens. The fairy rose in the last photo was a gift from a student who was an enthusiastic participant in my gentle/therapeutic class who left his body last year. Sweet to see the rose still thriving.

Meditate Only for Its Own Sake

Elizabeth — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:39:58 +0000

Last night I had the singular pleasure of hearing Gary Snyder read his poetry at the Folger Shakespeare Library. At the end of the reading, Mr. Snyder answered a few questions. In response to one question about advice he gives to aspiring poets, he said: “Don’t be journalists. Do hard physical labor that leaves y0ur mind open.” This is not surprising advice, coming from one who has chosen a life requiring regular manual labor. “Meditate only for its own sake,” he added, in an apparent non sequitur and without elaboration.

Gary Snyder’s poetry is evidently influenced by his dedicated study and practice of Buddhism. The insight and clarity of his poetry surely reflects not only his intellectual study, but the deep wisdom of a dedicated, long-standing, and steady meditation practice. The advice to “meditate for its own sake” seemed almost the offering of a koan by the master (poet) to his pupils. Meditation, in my experience, definitely enhances clarity, insight, creativity, and health. Meditation is not meditation, though, unless when engaging in meditation that is all one is doing and without any goal (like the “actionless action” of the Bhagavad Gita). It is the deepest of practices to engage fully, but not be doing except for the sake of doing itself (and in alignment with the deepest truths).

Found Exhortation

Elizabeth — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Signs Around Town (and Viveka)

Elizabeth — Sat, 12 May 2012 23:52:40 +0000

Learning when something is trash, as opposed to something to reuse, repurpose, or recycle is a true and subtle exercise of discrimination.

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

When Does Art Beget Art? Spirit Generate Spirit?

Elizabeth — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:04:53 +0000

Who goes past oblivious and uncaring? Who goes past preoccupied? Who takes a brief glance and continues on? Who stops to watch? Who discusses and invites? Who makes a special pilgrimage? Who is inspired to create by the creative offering?

Photos from last week of Doug Aiken’s Song\1 at the Hirshhorn.

Signs Around Town

Elizabeth — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:14 +0000

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Signs Around Town

Elizabeth — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:14:17 +0000

I love this piece of yard art (assuming it was intended to be art).

Do you have places that you have reserved for yourself that perhaps would be better abandoned? Are there places and spaces where you could grow and explore that you shy away from because of the emptiest of signs or rules?

Just asking (I know I do, if I am being honest with myself).

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

Found Objects Around Town (and Something to Live Up To)

Elizabeth — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:20:00 +0000

Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.