Blossoms Around Town
This morning it seemed that if instead of finishing my walk to work I remained still with soft gaze all day, I would be able to see the blossoms opening one by one.

This morning it seemed that if instead of finishing my walk to work I remained still with soft gaze all day, I would be able to see the blossoms opening one by one.

The first wild flush of the rose in the back garden passed a couple of weeks ago. But even in the heat, with leaves distressed by the beginnings of summer black spot, there are still a few exquisite blooms.

Today, instead of going with the group to visit a Hanuman temple a couple of valleys away (which entailed at least two hours each way of hairpin turns and going through a construction zone so dusty tying a t-shirt or scarf around my head would be necessary and having almost no opportunity to take care of biological needs), I chose to stay back. I honored the spirit of Hanuman with seva in the form of a morning helping tend the grounds.
In the afternoon I will walk into the village with two others who are in residence here. One a Canadian Indian who is a Kabir scholar, the other a Dutch woman who has been spending a month or two every year for the past decade.
There is a Siva festival going on. It is loud even up here on the hill. I will have my earplugs.
I am appreciating getting to connect to the space and the people who live and serve here in a way that I could not when surrounded by the rest of the group. It was very grounding for me, too, to spend a few hours gardening.

United States Supreme Court, October 8, 2019
If you can tell me where I was standing when I took this picture (street corner–that’s a hint–is sufficient; latitude and longitude not needed), your next Tuesday night yoga class is free. Please email rather than comment so you don’t spoil the fun for others. If you posts the answer no one else gets to play and that would not be sharing the yoga love.
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
The practice of yoga nidra is a wonderful way to deepen the connection between the full range of consciousness and your physical body. It is enjoyable and helpful to practice it on an occasional basis — we did it for the last class of the session in the Willow Street gentle/therapeutics class and you all are welcome to come to the New Year’s Yoga Nidra workshop on Sunday, January 4th — but it can be even more productive as a regular weekly practice.
Here are some good resources if you have found yoga nidra helpful and want to find out more about it and establish a home practice:
To read more about yoga nidra, I recommend the following books, both of which I believe are available at Willow Street Yoga Center.
These CD’s lead you through yoga nidra practices of various lengths and emphasis: