Lunch chats with David Surrenda:

Maybe i am speaking nonsense...but this is what i personally pulled away from a lunch chat with the new CEO of Kripalu...


As human beings we frame meaning for others by teaching and simply being- a steadiness of doing and being. As teachers, directors, lovers, partners, employees, friends…we must not pigeon hole ourselves in a box allowing others to label us before we even speak. Can we avoid this…not always but with each population we speak to we can redefine our language to capture a broader perspective in attempts to meet the general masses.

We must continually show up as students- a student of the world we are currently in. To be fully engaged in this world. It becomes a balance of inner world experience and…watching- observing the way the outer world is working. Attuning attention to both the inward and outward experience and at the same time remaining true to the self. To scan and survey systems, people, relationships, love, work, family…and from this place of awareness and mindfulness we begin to flow with the rise and fall of life instead of getting stuck in drama and story.

The process of self exploration- peeling the layers of the onion is the pathway to our core- our true self. This is the exploration and understanding of meaning. In this room we are able to breathe- listen from with in, sort out the blind spots- peek into the shadows…endlessly becoming-not from rules by another but through our own will. This leads to the process of self assessment-allowing us to build and strengthen versatility. Can we watch and observe each individuals unique gift and then can we look within and find our own unique individual gift…What is the thing that attracts others, that makes others want to follow us or draws others near? What are our strengths?...and on the flip side what are our weak points and of these weak areas, what can be acknowledged, brought to light, and strengthened like a muscle?

How do we each make sense and process our experience-
how do we understand meaning?
- Share and discuss
- Seek teachings
- Teach others
- Continue to show up as a student- ask questions
- Move away from attaining perfection and towards experience

The fractures of our self are the spaces where light enters, the doorway into unraveling and unfolding the truth- our unique truth. Remembering we are a mixture of light and shadow- something we can see and something we can not- a multi-layered being.
Therefore every day life becomes the playing field, a game, a test, a practice…a place where we can hold onto patterns of release- shorten our recovery time- becoming embodied and integrated in every action.

As we engage in the path to self awaken and discover our inner truth…can we eventually bring that out into the world to share our unique gift with others?

Words to ponder...

I don't know where i read this but i like it

"A commitment to learn...to practice
and with trail and error to finally master..."

Transition by Robin Masiewicz

Transition

It is the gap of transition that shakes us.
Those moments before true movement has been achieved,
that bring us to a level of uncertainty.
Let us embrace those moments when change has not yet come.
To see that this is a necessary moment,
before a new race has begun.
In quiet mindful moments the transition shall appear.
As we open up our hearts to hear the silence, we are now willing to hear.
To see past all the dancing of the mind,
as a friend we can lovingly leave behind.
For we are now ready to embrace a new level of tranquility,
that is reflected at a deeper level of ourselves.

As we accept change...We may move forward...Embracing all that is meant to be.

Pace

A rumble among the tribe

Pacing in circles

Feathers flare wide

Taking a stance to

Prove the self

In this place

the sounds take over

Drawing nearer

into a secret land

Exploring new terrain

Don’t forget to raise the head high

Looking into the depths

the space between the trees.

Exploding forward

Heart beats

The inner flame burns

Embers bright

The mind becomes lost

in the babbling brook

the traveling stream moving

to unknown places

melody to the ears

Wait…watch…listen…see

Becoming one with this magical setting

Attuning to force

Beyond imagination

This unseen world is a view beyond the naked eye

Sun shimmering through the branches

Beaming light

The mystical fog lifts from the emerald colored waters

Each sparkle

reflects the beauty of your soul

In this place

stillness

Soothing the spirit

Again

There are calls from the tree tops

knocking

Singing praises

expressing truth

The internal compass

carves a new path

The slower you move the more one can see

A dance

Pulsing breath with body

To remember

To release

To convey

Flesh vibrates

in out

side to side

Rain Pours Love

The field washed clean

earth exposed

Crafting with care

seeds begin to sprout

The fruits of labor

not ready to be harvested

Delayed gratification

having

Patience in the process…

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

20 minutes toward understanding deeper...

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

Heart and Patience

moving from the heart
a place of feeling
less from the head and mind
taking notes
like a scientist
gathering data
watching and observing
one step two step...three


Tao Te Ching:

Practice not-doing,
and everything will fall into place.

Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises by itself?

The Master doesn't seek fulfillment...
she is present, and can welcome all things.

Who You Are by Danna Faulds

a poem that speaks to my heart...


          Who you are

who you are is so much more
than what you do. The essence,
shining through heart, soul, and
center, the bare and bold truth
of you does not lie in your
to-do-list. You are not just
at the surface of your skin, not
just the impulse to arrange the
muscles of your face into a smile
or frown, not just boundless
energy, or bone wearying fatigue.
Delve deeper. You are divinity;
the vast and open sky of Spirit.
It's the light of god, the ember
at your core, the passion and the
presence, the timeless, deathless
essence of you that reaches out
and touches me. Who you are
transcends fear and turns
suffering into liberation.
Who you are is love

    -Danna Faulds

remember...

Stop trying  to grab onto the outcome, get to the destination,
cognitively think of the answer...worrying about the future...
Remember the path....the journey....the process is life...
Living is this present moment-
awareness of the now...

Quote from Dad...

" Forgiveness brings freedom...freedom from being controlled by the past, freedom from the emotional ties to the offender, freedom from the continual inner conflicts of bitterness and hate, freedom to become whole and enjoy the fullness of life..."
          -Jeanette Voight

Weekly Bhagavad-Gita Blog

http://weeklygita.blogspot.com/

The Battlefield

The walls of the castle begin to crumble and fall
Safety becomes a compromise
Rain seeps through the cracks
and the foundation beneath begins to shift and move
Open
Fear hovers like a dark cloud
A storm begins to build
wind, earth, air, ether…colliding

The fierce and courageous warrior emerges from within
Marching into the field
Fog lingers across the property
This land bestows shadows in the corners
…passion continues to carry her forward
Following the call from afar
Planting seeds along the way
Blessings of love and
Prayers to the universe.
…A quest to discover the true self.

Stepping onto the battleground
Running into the fire
Her armor…a sheath of protection
Yet her heart shines forth
emanating and radiating a sphere of love

Worn thin…muscles weak
She continues forth
Swimming in determination
Living presence and
Embodying truth
This inner calling continues to guide her forward
Pulling her into the unknown
Into the unfamiliar…

Midnight alarms call in ghosts that cloud the trail
Unable to capture the breath
Again she is blind and can not see the steps ahead
Out of mind
Will…surrender
Fight…release
Inhaling into each layer of the being
Staying true to the whole self
Marinating in the space between
A goddess to the core
Shining from the inside out
Allowing this light to guide the unseen path ahead….

Loving Kindness from Bapuji:

" My beloved child, harm yourself no longer. Each time you judge yourself, you break your own heart. You stop feeding on the wellspring of love that is your vitality.
Now is the time, your time.
To live, to laugh, to celebrate.
To breathe into the goodness that you are.
You are beautiful, you are pure, you are divine.
Do not fear the dark, just turn to the light.
And breathe, into the goodness that you are..."
- Swami Kripalu

John O'Donohue Poem

For Belonging

May you listen to your longing to be free.

May the frames of your belonging be generous enough
for your dreams.

My you arise each day with a voice of blessing
whispering in your heart.

May you find a harmony between your soul and

            your life.

May the sanctuary of your soul never become haunted.

May you know the eternal longing that lives at the heart of time.

May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within.

May you never place walls between the light and yourself.

May you allow the wild beauty of the invisible world

            to gather you, mind you, and embrace you in

            belonging.

yeah for gardens and playing in the dirt...

Fashion Blog

Amazing Photography, Art, Style, Culture, and Beauty

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

Iron and Wine

Super excited to finally see one of my favorite bands live...

http://www.massmoca.org/event_details.php?id=621

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGt-pnvK53Y

Fun blog

This was part of a post in a blog which sends out daily quotes, affirmations, stories, etc...I thought it was an appropriate definition of addiction in all of its forms...drugs, alcohol, sex, food, shopping, etc...

http://www.thedailylove.com/


"...an addiction is an unhealthy habit that takes you further away from your Soul and the presence of The Uni-verse in your life....Addicts are people who run from their feelings and suppress them in unhealthy ways."

Possibilities Quote:

“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise…”
- Robert Fritz

Secret Gardens...

Through the trees and over the hill
A secret garden
Tucked away
No where to be seen
Yet waiting to be discovered
Waiting to be rediscovered...
A hidden treasure chest
The missing key has finally been found
and we collide
Entering into this long lost realm
Into the imaginary
Discovering history
Reclaiming territory
Uncovering beauty
Being reborn in this present moment…

Gems and jewels shimmer as the sun shines through the trees
The soil pulls me near
The closer I get…the more I see
A surge of energy floods the entire being
To know
and be the knower…
The ground is rich
I can smell it in the breeze
Awakening the senses.
This land is budding with possibility
Fertile with life
Awaiting to be caressed.
Existing between my finger tips
Living inside the self
Beginning to craft a new kingdom

Remember to
Pace the mind
Watching...
Observing...
Gazing into the invisible
What do you see...
Digging for truth
Revealing truth
Uncovering the
Truth
This fantasy world is born into existence…

How much do you retain:

10% of what you read
20% of what you hear
30% of what you see
50% of what you see and hear
70% of what you talk over with others
80% of what you use in real life
95% of what you teach someone else to do

quotes from the weekend:

" Understanding my identity is the crucial 1st step in learning new ways to lead and teach. Nothing I do differently as a teacher will make a difference to anyone if its not rooted in my nature..."
- P. Palmer

"When you have a clear sense of what your calling is, you are in a very powerful position to use your gifts and to use them in service of something greater than yourself..."
- I forgot who wrote this

"We must allow ourselves to be vulnerable to learn new things..."

Just Like That...

And just like that she calls you
Coming from the source
Drawing you into the vortex
From dark to light
Invisible to the
visible
A direct stream
A thruway road
On the fast track
Going with the flow

What do you hide
Don’t get out of control
Are you dulling the power
Come back inside
Something else lies within
So much more beyond your wildest dreams…
Slow down the pace
Look a little closer
Listen to the calling
Turn it up loud

A sharp turn
Yet the road is blocked
Unable to see
Tell me what I do not see
Hold on for a little while
Before you are off again into the next
Watch… for just one second
Marinating in the
Truth

Turn down the volume
and come one step closer
Take a seat
Wait a minute
There is SO much more
and I step into the stream
The aliveness takes me away…
Jumping in
Jumping out
I come back in again and again
Moving energy through the body
finally I see into this gift
I understand the language
Spoken loud and clear
I hear the truth
I embody the truth
Being held
I can distinguish the way
A different path
Following my path
Vibrations pulse through the body
Like each inhale and exhale of breath
Taken by the force
Surrendering to the unknown
Fully embracing this calling from a distance...

Something in the air...

Bringing a light to the shadows on the path
Chasing demons into the twilight
Through the night
All the way into the early morning
Raking at the surface
shedding layers
Looking under rocks
Moving stones
Peeling away the covers
Exposing the ground
Digging to the core
Finding rock bottom
Tangled and intertwined
Holding tight
To the bone- to the ground- to the body
Stretching far and wide
Running on and on and on…
Tearing at the roots
Clearing the surface

The seed emerges
from deep with in
from the underground
Plunging deep into the under belly
Becoming the witness
Viewing this new landscape that has been uncovered
Sit-stay-watch-listen
The buds become revealed
A breath of fresh air
finally able to see a little further
Into the next few steps
A new life
A new awareness
A new beginning…
Having space to grow into
The land
this unmarked territory
The mysterious…
Each day the sun draws me closer
Each day I see more clearly
growing taller….growing stronger
Fully expanding into this world
Marinating in clarity…in truth
Spring is in the air…

Shifts and Waves

The universe shifts
Tipping the world upside down
Spiraling in circles
On a race track
The finish line no where to be seen
Spinning round and round and
round

The fear you run from
that rocks your boat
is the sensation that draws you closer
a law of attraction

The demons haunt your waking life
Knocking at the door and you build walls
The horrors can not withstand the light of day and
materialize in your dreams
On stage
being seen from all directions
Frozen like water over a lake
Numbing the body
Freezing the mind
Holding on so tight
Afraid to look-receive-accept-acknowledge

The little girl leaves her castle
the mountain top
Wandering into the woods
Turning to and looking away
There is freedom in the forest
Silence in the trees
Listen
These different selves
with different voices
Why do they cloud the path ahead
governing our minds-our words-our destiny?

Can I sit with her
Stay a little longer
In the space between
Can I dance with her
Tea-coffee-bourbon
Pick your poison
Yes…no…maybe
In the middle
Stuck in the middle
Coming closer
Running farther away
Can I watch from the sidelines
Like a spectator
Who-what-where-when-why
Moving energy like a chess game
The animal inside weaves like a snake trying to break free and shed
a protected self
Allowing the paint to create the picture of
Truth

Tears fall like apples from the tree
Every bite
attempting to shift into neutral
tearing down walls
which walls
trying to see
yet still I am blind
Lost in the clouds
Smothered to ash
Does it always have to be so hard
Diving into the muscle
Swimming to the source
Staying…going
Running…stillness
Releasing from the inside…out
Does it always have to be so painful
Two steps back
A birds eye view
To see more clearly
Your imperfections become beauty to those around

And again the world turns
How far can you see inside
So much to say
I don’t know what to say
The language is lost
The words are no where to be found
Which direction to turn-
so many paths to get There
and Where are we going
Somewhere-anywhere
A bottomless breath
Fill the body
Clear the lungs
Connecting to the source
Wading in the water…

An Inquiry...

And when your world gets flipped upside down
Turned around
Spinning round and round
How do you show up
What do you think-say-do…
How do you respond…
and can you watch all of this and stay true to yourself
To listen to yourself
To trust yourself
To express yourself
Being honest-open-vulnerable and authentic
Continuing to show up for the process
Trusting in the process...
Engaged in the inquiry
Being curious and asking more questions
Ride the wave of emotion and sensation
Staying fully present
by
Breathing Relaxing Feeling Watching Allowing...

good stuff...

"The oldset and stongest emotion of
mankind is fear, and the oldest and
strongest kind of fear is the fear of the unknown..."
- H.P. Lovecraft

Seeing you and me

Can I look you in the eye

A direct shot to the heart…passage to the soul

Can you see me…

See into me…See all of me

Watching me…looking at you…into you and beyond

Can I allow myself to be seen

Or

Do I turn my head and disappear into the

Invisible…

What are we running to… running from

and can we call one another into each others lives

Paths crossing

Yet far from merging

Can we slow down the pace

One step…two step…a walk…a ride…

Reducing speed and moving with intention

The sun shines a light on the things that were not seen before

Emerging into

the space between

The middle ground…

From a distance

the wise old soul watches from his perch…

Observing each movement from above

Drawing nearer with each gaze- each exchange

The eyes beam an unspoken truth

The closer you get…the farther he runs

Taking flight

Arms wide open

Soaring gracefully and elegantly through the clear blue sky

Beyond the meadow…surveying the land

Having patience in the process

singing praises…singing prayers

A foreign language to all

- Lay it on the table

to be fully honest

…Lets be honest

Heart-Mind-and Soul

To walk hand and hand

Into the trees…into the woods

Into the unfamiliar…

Going deeper- the thick rain forest becomes a floating lagoon…

Smother me in your being

To embrace until the sun sets behind the mountain side

Our eyes connect like a lock and key

The crisp air draws us near

like branches dancing in the wind…

Side to side

To and from

Back and forth

The dark and frozen ice begins to thaw

Exposure to the sun

softens the heart

And I allow you to see some of me…none of me

…which parts of me…

Off

to another land

Creating a picture

painted in the present moment

This dream world becomes reality

where

unexpected surprises reveal nature’s magical secrets…