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Dakshinamurti

ByElizabeth

Sometimes we call out the names; sometimes they call out to us.  I’ve been too tired and stressed to yearn for more adventures in the near term, but this week, I have found myself wanting to be in India, to be surrounded by the colors and the sights and the outrageous display of creative imagery.

The photo is of a roadside temple, with Siva in the aspect of Dakshinamurti–guru of all knowledges (jnana).  I have been told that is good to chant to Dakshinamurti when one is looking for support and guidance in teaching.

In my work as a civil servant, I spend much time informally teaching colleagues and the regulated community the details of the complex area that is my specialty.  I set my intention to be able not only to be clear, but to convey a bigger purpose even in that which does not readily come to mind as being something of spirit.

Dakshinamurti

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    Website Version of December Newsletter

    ByElizabeth

    Note:  If you would like to receive newsletters or previously subscribed, but changed your email or have not been receiving emails, please resubscribe directly through the website or send me an email and I’ll try to get you on the list.  I do get some mysterious bounce backs.

    I hope this email finds you well.  I’ve been enjoying the decorative lights outside and candles inside as we move towards the Winter Solstice.  Even with the excitement of the holidays, it is a great time to turn inward, to pause and refresh our remembrance and recognition of the light inside us all.

    Many thanks to all of you who came to the Thanksgiving Oxfam class (in spirit as well as in person).  Thanks to the generosity of Willow Street and all of you, we raised almost a $1,000 for Oxfam.  All of you who come to regular classes help support the Wednesday night practice being 100% for charity.  All fall, in recognition of one of the biggest issues of our day, the charities selected have been health-care focused, and I’ll continue that for December.  If you have any suggestions for cause of the month for 2010, don’t hesitate to share with me.

    Workshops:

    December Serenity Saturday: Give yourself or a friend or loved one a holiday gift of sweet relaxation at the next Serenity Saturday, which is December 19th, 3pm-5pm, at Capitol Hill Yoga.  Do a little local shopping or dining at Eastern Market and then join us for the delight of a deep restorative practice.  To register, please visit www.capitolhillyoga.com.  $5 discount if you register more than seven days in advance.

    New Year’s Day Workshop: Flow into grace with an all-levels asana practice, followed by yoga nidra from 2-4 pm on New Year’s Day.  Suitable for the well-rested and late-night revelers alike.  Go to www.capitolhillyoga.com to register.

    Classes:

    Needing a little extra yoga or to get back into the swing:  come drop in at William Penn House on Tuesdays at 6:15 for all-levels or at Willow Street on Saturdays (level 2 at 8:30am and gentle/therapeutics at 12 noon).

    Holiday Schedule:

    Willow Street is on break from December 21st through the end of the year.  I’ll be teaching through December 19th and then teaching free classes as part of free class week on January 9th.  Yes, there will be class at the William Penn House on Tuesday, December 22nd, but alas no class on December 29th.

    As always, please visit the website at www.rosegardenyoga.com to get more information on classes and upcoming workshops and to enjoy the blog.

    Peace and light,

    Elizabeth

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    Chanting the Names/Listening to the Silence

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    Krishna Das reminding his listeners the reasons he practices and offers kirtan scrolled across my Facebook feed last week with this quote:

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    Regardless of whether the very real ideas of God(s) represents an actual being, it has been my beautiful experience–studying with Krishna Das and others over the years–that engaging in practices that turn our hearts towards love and universality helps us be sweet living in relationship to ourselves, to others, and to the ecological fabric of the whole of embodied existence.  I chant because calling out the names in their universal multiplicity is a recognition, not dissimilar to what I have found offered in the silent collective worship of Quakers, that everyone has their own individual access to and ideas of the sublime, of the divine, of what brings them to feel a fullness of love.

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    Want to Know More About the “Occupy” Movement? (Potluck and Discussion at Wm Penn House)

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    This just in from William Penn House’s Executive Director:

    You are invited to attend a potluck and Quaker dialogue at 6:30 PM on Sunday November 6, 2011

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    “Occupy…”

    The outcry against the political influence of financial institutions that has swept the country in recent weeks has crossed many boundaries, including class, gender and age. “Occupy” events are growing in cities and towns throughout the world. Here in DC, there are two groups occupying different parks. The movement has energy, and is gaining attention. But how much do we know about what is driving this? Are there certain issues and an agenda? Is this a culmination of many issues of our society coming together, or is it something completely different? Is ignoring the movement a good idea? Is presuming to know what is going on too presumptive? These are among the questions we will be exploring and discussing.

    Ann Wilcox will be leading the discussion. She is an attorney in Washington, DC, practicing for more than 20 years. She is active with the National Lawyers Guild, which provides legal representation and works on issues of social justice and economic equality. She provides Demonstration Support for many activists who come to DC to advocate for peace, the environment and other issues. She is currently providing legal support for the October 2011/Stop the Machine andOccupy DC groups, and can speak about issues related to the occupations. Ann has attended Friends Meeting of Washington and is currently active at Foundry United Methodist Church.Micah Bales is coordinator of Young Adult Engagement for Earlham School of Religion and lives in Washington, DC.

    Micah has been an active presence with Occupy DC since its inception. Micah, a graduate of ESR, is a member of Rockingham Friends Meeting of Ohio Yearly Meeting Conservative.

    Bring a dish to share; family members, neighbors and friends are always welcome.  Note: William Penn House is an alcohol and tobacco free facility.

    For more information, see www.WilliamPennHouse.org

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