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    It Was a Night to Stay In, But I Needed to Go Out

    ByElizabeth

    It was not the kind of night to go across town to run an errand, but it was one that could not wait until after I cam back from vacation (picking up my passport from the company that processes visas for India).  I did not really feel the need to go shopping in Georgetown and would have rather gone straight home, but the rain was getting heavier and heavier and traffic was abominable.  A taxi would have been a pointless exercise in watching the meter while we barely moved.

    So I checked out “Fashion’s Night Out” in the stores near the bus stop.  I had a great time visiting with the DC Roller Girls, who were at the Lush store in Georgetown.   When the sales people start describing the products to me–they are always very enthusiastic–I often find myself telling them that I know what I need to know about Lush;  I first shopped at Lush when it was a single store in Covent Garden.

    When it was evident that the rain was not going to let up, and I’d had enough of window shopping from inside, I caught the Circulator bus and enjoyed myself taking photographs.   When there is little choice about going out in the rain, it is best, as my teachers remind me and the practices inspire me,  to find the beauty and the delight.

     

     

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    “I’ve Got My Life Back”

    ByElizabeth

    I was at a business meeting yesterday that started with people introducing themselves around the table.  The participants were all either members or staff of a prominent lobbying group or government officials.  One of the men said that he was now a consultant.  “I used to be general counsel of [lobbying group], and now that I am consulting,” he said, “I have my life back.”  The introductions continued around the table.  The new general counsel, when he introduced himself, claimed, “it’s my life he has taken to get his back.”

    I found this all interesting in light of my blog yesterday.  These men are very successful.  They both are married with families.  They seem to be pleasant and smart.  Their definition of “not having a life” was not having failed to be fully engaged in doing what society expects them to do — they have clearly done very well indeed — but not having time to play golf or hang out in addition to being “successful.”

    Is the difference between being male and female?  Or were the two different contexts of the same social, linguistic tic just exemplifying a the view point of a superabundant and privileged class that we are not living fully unless we do and have everything the collective society admires and we simultaneously feel like we have lots of leisure time to enjoy as we see fit?  It’s a hopelessly unrealistic standard.

    Every moment we breathe and our heart beats, we are living.  One of the keys to tantric yoga is to come to a place where we are living fully and abundantly whatever we are doing, whether it is working or playing, being challenged or relaxing.  When we can do that, we realize we “have a life” and one worth living, no matter where we are in our journey.

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    The Paths Are Many…

    ByElizabeth

    The yoga texts speak of a number of paths to enlightenment–the instant one (for those who have spent many previous lives on the path), the path of action, the path of knowledge, and the path of devotion. They are not completely separate. They intertwine and support each other. Individual practitioners do, though, tend to find themselves drawn more to the methods of one path than another. We have the greatest likelihood of staying and progressing on the path, if we do not fight with the practices, but go with what suits our nature.

    That being said, it good also to challenge ourselves by trying practices that push our buttons. Those are the practices that truly give the opportunity to learn to be grounded, at peace, and centered in the face of frustration and discomfort.

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

  • Cookies for Holiday Gatherings

    ByElizabeth

    I’ve been baking for holiday potlucks and gatherings.  I enjoy the surprise and sense of offering of gatherings where everyone brings something of their own to share.  These cookies are easy, attractive, and not as bad for you (if bad means refined flour and sugar, high cholesterol and fat, no nutritional value other than calories) as they could be.  I try to use all organic ingredients (except the baking soda and the spirits); the butter and eggs are available locally; I choose fair trade, as well as organic, cocoa.

    2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

    1/3 cup cocoa powder

    1 1/2 tsps baking soda

    pinch of salt

    3/4 cup butter (at about room temperature — no more than 65F; do not melt or microwave)

    1 cup sucanat (evaporated cane juice)

    splash of brandy or other spirits

    1 egg (beaten)

    Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Cream butter in large bowl; beat in sucanat and then brandy; mix in egg until smooth.  Gradually mix dry ingredients into butter mixture.  Chill dough well.  When dough is chilled enough to shape without it sticking to your hands, roll dough into small balls.  Put on cookie sheet and press down slightly.  Bake at 325-350F for 8-10 minutes.  Makes 4-5 dozen small cookies.

    Variations:  Replace butter with vegetable shortening and egg with egg replacer for vegan cookies.  Add a tablespoon or two of ground cinnamon to the dry mixture and replace the brandy with kahlua for the taste of Abuelita (Mexican hot chocolate).  Replace brandy with peppermint schnapps for cocoa-mint cookies.  Add a teaspoon or two of dried ginger for cocoa-ginger snaps.

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