If I post a picture of a rainbow a few days after I took it, is it still worth looking at? Or does it need to be in the moment?
On seeing me snap a picture with my phone of our shared view of the highway, homeless shelter, tax court, and an array of office buildings apparently designed in the school of Mies Van Der Rohe gone terribly wrong, my next door office mate asked, “are you taking a picture of what you will be missing while you are in India?”
“No, I’m taking a picture of a heart-shaped cloud. When I’m having a day as stressful as the one I’m having, I like to remind myself that there’s always a heart-shaped cloud out there to put things in perspective.” I held up my phone so that she could see the photo, as sometimes people don’t see the heart shape until I’ve photographed it.
“That’s pretty cool,” she observed.
She’s going to water my plants when I’m gone, and I’ll look for a little something from India for her that will make a hard day at the office a bit easier to take–perhaps a murti of Ganesha (the elephant god who is said to be the remover of obstacles).
As I consider both what I want to change and what I am grateful for while we go through this time of imagination and possibility and grief and rage and creativity and patience and restraint and fierce need for engaged action, I realized that making offering is one of the holiday things I am still able to do that brings joy for the holiday season.
In that light, I invite you and others who might welcome starting a practice, strengthening their practice, and regardless, having an opportunity together consciously to support ourselves in body and mind, as well as spirit.
In that light, please join me and Suzanne Lynch for an all levels, all perspectives, all ages, light-hearted yoga and meditation practices on:
To register, please visit: https://www.suzannelynchwellness.com/holiday-yoga-classes
Many thanks to Suzanne for gifting the extra administrative work to open her membership platform for these holiday practices. BTW, it is super helpful to register early to make sure we can get all the Zoom link for the practice with a minimum of extra admin.
If you are moved to make a donation, please consider a local or national food bank.
May your new year and decade be abundant with peace and light. For locals, please join me tomorrow at Capitol Hill Yoga (suitably mid-afternoon for those who like to revel until the wee hours on the eve) for “Flow Into Grace” a special intention-setting all-levels flow practice, followed by yoga nidra. Register on line at Capitol Hill Yoga or just come and register in person. Hope to see and hear from you all soon.
I just received Cate Stillman‘s e-newsletter, which highlights an interview with John Friend on Disease and Rhythm.
