Art and Culture | Asana, Pranayama, and Yoga Practice | Community and Family | Food for the Mind (Yoga Philosophy, etc) | Meditation | Quaker
Call Ins Around Town
How are you manifesting your dharma these days?
-
-
Art and Culture | Asana, Pranayama, and Yoga Practice | Community and Family | Food for the Mind (Yoga Philosophy, etc) | Meditation | Quaker
Shanti Yatra
Yesterday I walked over to the White House and joined at the final step of a pilgrimage for peace in Gaza. Among the walkers and those giving voice at the White House were Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Baptists, AME, Hindus, Quakers, Lutherans, and other Christian denominations.
The speaker representing Hindus for Human Rights said this was a shanti yatra—literally a pilgrimage for peace. Every step, every action, every word for peace a prayer embodied.
-
-
-
Reflection (Prakasha and Vimarsha)
At the Thillai Kali temple in Chidambaram, and at other temples I am sure, but that was where I particularly noticed this aspect, there is a mirror on the altar, so that one also sees one’s reflection when watching the abhisheka puja.
One is there, too, along with the priests and the gods—watching and a part.
-
What to Say When
It appears from my long silence here (but not on other social media, where I am regularly posting photos), whatever I might have to say about yoga has been eclipsed by the fact that when I think to write about anything else, I think about calls for peace and justice and, and, and…
I say this then to those, like me, who are not struggling to have enough food and a safe place to sleep and have either never known or long forgotten what that is like, I use what I have learned from my practice of asana to keep my bones and muscles in alignment and I meditate to keep perspective. I make sure to be contributing in someway to share the safety and abundance I am privileged to enjoy, and I question myself regularly about whether I have the capability and capacity to do more.
And —a key teaching of yoga from my perspective— I let myself have hits of joy from encounters with beauty. Every day.
How are you holding up?
-
-
Tandava
Siva Nataraja spied doing his wild dance.
-
-
Shacharit for Peace and Mourning
On Monday morning, I joined in the first two hours of the day of prayer (Shacharit are morning prayers) and action led by #RabbisForCeasefire on the National Mall. They gathered and prayed and then spoke to all their members of Congress know that their’s is a religion that privileges peace and freedom for all beings over retribution. I would have stayed longer—I felt right at home—and taking care of my biological needs took precedence.
They brought their own temple and articles of worship. Centuries of practice.
What do you see in your philosophies? Your holy works?
Torah is a source of life not death. National Mall, Monday, November 13
