When teaching meditation, Paul Muller-Ortega says that we need both to practice with awareness (gain experiential knowledge) and to study the texts and teachings (explore theoretical knowledge).
With the dirt blanketed in snow and ice, it is time for jnana–time to study and theorize about possibilities for the coming gardening season.
My goal is a harmoniously engaged mind, not an empty mind (which is the goal of many yoga/meditation traditions). But if it is an emptying to allow a natural replenishment, that’s another conversation.
Yesterday I looked at the continuing news about the crash. Among all the other stories, it seemed fairly unlikely that there would be metro service between Capitol Hill and Takoma Park by the weekend. This created a complication for me. Living without a car and commuting a number of times a week to Takoma Park to teach and take class, I had to figure out how to get there. It will be easy enough (I think) to get to Willow Street on Saturday to teach by taxi cab and to find a bus combination to get home.
In addition to teaching, though, I had been looking forward to studying with Amy Ippoliti on Friday night and Sunday morning. I could take a taxi and a bus combination to study with Amy this weekend or just forego my tuition. All that would be easy enough. But I had invited a friend to come and visit to take the whole weekend with Amy — which includes another 12 hours of teacher training on Saturday and Sunday, where I will be off doing my own thing. Since my friend and I will have very different schedules for this yoga weekend, and neither of us are much of a driver, renting a car was not really a viable option. I thought about just staying in a hotel in Silver Spring.
Then I got to my personal yoga. One of the hardest things for me to do is to ask for help (of almost any kind). I am good at offering to help and am good at both helping when asked and saying I cannot help (the latter took some practice). What I know from being a “helper” is that I get great joy from giving and offering assistance. My never asking, then, means not giving those in my life the joy of providing assistance. I overcame my deeply ingrained reluctance and asked for help. Not big help. Just is there someone already attending the training who can give a ride from the workshop into the District each night or provide an extra bed for my friend. Fellow yogis were indeed happy to help; there are now a surfeit of options.
The minor inconvenience to me from this tragedy reminded me again to send healing energy to those who are suffering and to see things in perspective. I was given a sweet reminder of the warmth and generosity of my yoga friends and colleagues. I was able to practice with success addressing one of my continuing challenges. I have been blessed, then, in the aftermath. Contemplating these gifts with gratitude gives me more energy to send out for those in need.
For those of you who are local, I think there is still space in the workshop with Amy: come join us for all level hip openers on Friday night and intermediate/advanced backbends and standing poses on Sunday morning. See link to Willow Street above for more information.
Last week the supplemental electrical panel necessitated by living in “this Old House” was installed. The existing panel did not have room for the solar panels to be connected.
Today, the DC Building inspector came, inspected, and gave approval (conditional on contractor sending photos of the roof). Last step is to get PEPCO to come and change the meter. That could take a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, there is no rain in the 15-day forecast. Best start doing the rain dances.
