Similar Posts

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    Signs Around Town

    ByElizabeth

    A friend emailed me today that her children will be home for rest of the week because their schools lost power from Sandy, and that she is counting her blessings because she and her family came through fine. My parents, who lost trees, including one that went through the roof of their house, are counting themselves well off because they witnessed how bad it could have been. In contrast, some others I know who didn’t experience any real inconvenience to themselves personally though in danger range have said they thought the storm had been “over-hyped.” (I know, being exposed to silly statements such as the latter is a peril of social media).

    Do we need to know hardship ourselves, at least a little, in order to have true sensitivity and compassion? Possibly.

    To all my friends and family challenged in the wake of Sandy or going through another challenge or hardship, please know that you are in my thoughts.

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

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    New Computer (and the benefits of practice)

    ByElizabeth

    My friend D the other week had been talking about how much longer every thing takes to get done in a new city and home (he just moved across country).  I was thinking about that as I work to get up to speed on the replacement computer that came into my house yesterday afternoon.  I can tell there is lots of extra functionality, but at first, I am slower than I was with my old computer (at least five generations old) because I need to learn some new commands and navigation tools, as well as recreate my old bookmarks and remembered passwords, etc.

    To be able to cope with life, we need to be willing to go out and explore, try new things, to be willing to have the time and struggle to learn enough to feel comfortable with a new place or technique.  To mature gracefully, we need to sometimes stay with the old (whatever choices led us there) and continue to refine so that we can go deeper and deeper into knowledge of what we have chosen.

    Sometimes we have a real choice, sometimes we have no choice, sometimes we have an apparent choice, but only one sensible one.  One of the beauties of steady yoga practice is that it prepares us both for the new and for repetition.  It truly shows us the beauty and delight of revisiting, reexploring, and ever deepening our understanding of the complexities of what appears simple.  It also cultivates the fortitude and openness to start anew when necessary.

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    Interconnectedness

    ByElizabeth

    This morning, on my last full day of vacation, on my way to leave my bags in the office of the bed and breakfast where I was staying before I walked about in Santa Fe for the day, I walked back through the breakfast room, where I had eaten an hour before.

    To my happy surprise, good friends from home (a former co-worker and his wife, whom I’d just been thinking about because I knew how much they like New Mexico) were there finishing their meal.

    We spent much of the day together, until I had to leave to catch the train to Albuquerque to be ready for tomorrow’s early morning flight back home.

    It felt a perfect completion of a trip made to study yoga and be in community for the week.

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    Yoga Appropriate Office Attire (and freedom)

    ByElizabeth

    Unless you have to wear a uniform, there is probably a little flexibility in what you can wear to work (aren’t we lucky to live such a bountiful lifestyle that this is a dilemma).  A tie might be required, etc, etc.  You can always choose, at a minimum, to have clothes that fit properly and allow some freedom of movement.

    My choice to be comfortable rather than “lawyerly” in my office attire except for special occasions possibly has impacted my career, but it is salutory for me on a day-to-day basis to wear clothing that is appropriate for the weather (when we dress inside for the weather outdoors, we need to use less energy for heating and cooling; wouldn’t it be great if we could get everyone to do this) and allows for freedom of movement (this includes shoes).

    When I pick out my clothing, I want to be able comfortably take a full breath (think waistline), easily raise my arms overhead or interlace my hands behind my back (how do the shoulders, chest, and back fit), do uttanasana (coverage, waist line, tightness around the legs, back, and shoulders), and run for the bus (tightness of clothes and shape of shoes; forget heels).  If you need to wear a jacket, there still is nothing stopping you from wearing a shirt underneath that allows for free movement nor having the jacket properly fit.

    There are a lot of ways our choices can enhance freedom rather than constrain it.  Choosing to wear comfortable clothing (which usually is better able to be cleaned at home than at the dry cleaners — helps the environment) and comfortable shoes (which helps avoid bone deformation and possible surgery — good for you; good for the environment), is just one of many.

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