| | | |

“Reality is Unforgivingly Complex”

Yesterday, the first of the year, I pulled off the shelf and opened at random Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird.”  I’d found it used some time ago and was interested,  but other things got ahead of it on my reading pile.  The page to which I opened seems highly topical for what is coming this year:

For instance, I used to think that paired opposites were a given, that love was the opposite of hate, right the opposite of wrong.  But now  I think we sometimes buy into these concepts because it is so much easier to embrace absolutes than to suffer reality.  I don’t think anything is the opposite of love.  Reality is unforgivingly complex.

May we find enough love to suffer well the complexities to come this year.  For me, I know that deepening and recommitting to my practice will help me find what more I can offer.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    A Worthy Experiment

    The practices hosted by Woven History were a delightful opportunity to practice in community, come together to share with those in need (World Central Kitchen), and enjoy techniques and refuge in these trying times.  Though the practices themselves were great, it turns out, not to anyone’s surprise, that it was not ideal for the shop to have the space occupied for a non-business reason that regularly, unless it was okay to cancel at the last minute on a not infrequent basis.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to practice in such a vibrant an interesting space and enjoying meeting new and reconnecting with old fellow practitioners.  I was also reminded of my favorite way to practice in a group, which is to have everyone say what they are there for and needing that day, whether physical or emotional, and then offer something(s) intended to be nourishing for all present.

    We’re talking about whether perhaps a once a month practice at Woven History might still work, and I will keep myself open to discovering other alternative, local spaces.

    I’m also considering offering a weekly house practice (ideally 3-4 people any given practice), as we did before the pandemic.  Please comment or email me if you might be interested and what days/times might be best for you.  I’m thinking about mid-morning either Monday or Wednesday.  It would require advance RSVP because it is in my home.  I don’t know about you, but I need more time giving myself the rest and strength I need to participate working for positive change and less time drowning in the ranting of people whose minds I cannot change.

  • |

    Ephemera Around Town

    This morning I saw a pretty feather on the sidewalk while I was walking to work past the Senate office buildings.

    I squatted to take a close up photo, but a breeze sent it flying before I could snap the shutter.  I went after it, replaced it in a sunny patch for best light, and then tried again.

    While I was still low to the ground with my camera phone out, a police officer on a bicycle came up to me and said that it was a pretty feather; I could have it if I wanted.

    I said I would leave it there for someone else to enjoy. Taking and sharing the photo on my yoga blog would be enough. We agreed that it looked like a robin may have encountered a hawk.

    The officer smiled and continued down the sidewalk on bicycle patrol. I resumed my walk to work. 

    I wondered whether the interaction would have been so pleasant if I hadn’t been a decently dressed (i.e, evidently middle class), small, middle-aged, white woman.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.