“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

I was speaking to a gentleman older than myself, after a yoga class, and he told me a story that a reading at the end of class reminded him of. 

“A man on the road saw an old man planting a tree.  The man stopped and asked the old man why he was planting that tree when he could die tomorrow? The old man said, I live as though I will never die. The man replied, I live as if I would die tomorrow. Which of us is right in our way of living?”

He had tears in his eyes as he reached the end of the story. I embraced him and said thank you. He had planted a seed that needed to be recognized and nurtured.

One of my biggest fears has always been the fear of death. I didn’t want to die. I was terrified of death, but I was equally terrified of living forever. I would keep myself awake as a kid trying not to feel the drop of my heart into my stomach in fear of having to live forever and go throughout eternity and be stuck in the clouds. I also stopped sleeping under sheets since I was 8 because I swore that something had grabbed my foot one night and pulled me down the bed and the sheets were tucked in, which was impossible and I checked every other room in the house!
Which is surprising for a child? Neither. Which is surprising for an adult? Neither.

This is why: the thread is the same for both woven conceptions shaping my existence. It is simply, fear of the unknown. I know I have that fear, and you don’t have to lift your hand if you do too.

We sometimes let our imaginations run wild in the thoughts of the “what if’s.” Coming up with multiple scenarios about the day before they even happen, trying to plan a bunch of “what if’s.” Yes, there is a difference between planning and neurosis. Planning on future conversations before they happen blocks us from listening and hearing what the other might have to say. By focusing our thoughts on what we expect to happen, we can prevent our own growth, and that of others, by placing molds on them. Allowing them to grow, instead of cutting of their support by holding on. We can live more in the present as we go about our existence here on this planet and grow, or we can let fear stop us from stepping out and experiencing what life is.
If you've ever imagined yourself into a spiral of unknown "what ifs" there is usually a clutching fear that lands in the belly. And the best thing you can do for that: breathe. Wait, what, that easy? Of course not, but if you train your body, your mind will follow, eventually. Recognize what made you feel that way, repeat "Is this true?" and breathe in and out of your nose until the feeling goes away. Gradually, with time and practice, the benefits are far worth the effort.

“At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.”
–Oraibi

Who knows, I could have missed out on a magical journey with a cool creature or figured out the secret to eternal life if I didn’t recoil in fear. If I wasn’t so scared to consider all the possibilities as a child, as an adult, and try to grow from whatever experience happened. Consider imagining the unknown without fear?

Mantra of the week: I will not live in fear.

Reading from the end of the yoga class.

Freedom – When our inner nature is truly free, we find within ourselves a wealth of treasure: love, joy and peace of mind. We can appreciate the beauty o life, taking each experience as it comes, opening our hearts to it and fully enjoying it. Realizing these qualities within ourselves is the greatest freedom than can be gained.
- Tarthang Tulku

To risk all is the end all and the beginning all

You are listening to music, your favorite song comes on; you turn up the volume and sing all of the lyrics because you KNOW this song. Then one day, maybe a quiet morning, you actively listen to the song. You listen to the lyrics and maybe for the first time those lyrics resonate deeply inside you. Even though you knew the lyrics to the song, until just then, you had never really heard it before.  You hear what the artist has been trying to say. Been there recently?

Having that experience first thing this morning reminded me of how too often we tell others I heard you, or I’m listening, and how often we rarely take the time to push past their words and truly hear what they have to say. 

Taking it one step further, how often do you stop and hear what your own body, mind, and soul have to tell you?

Icelandic Singer/Songwriter Björk wrote this song and it is on her album Biophilia. She is different, eclectic, and entirely original in her expression of art. This organic album has quickly become a favorite, and this is how the song “Moon” resonated for me in the every changing present existence called life.

Do not live in fear.

As the lukewarm hands of the gods
Came down and gently picked my adrenaline pearls
They placed them in their mouths
And rinsed all of the fear out
Nourished them with their saliva

Now I'm all rejuvenated and rested
Now I'm all rejuvenated and rested

Everyday is a new day, you are reborn, start fresh and new.

As if the healthiest past-time
Is being in life-threatening circumstances
And once again be reborn

All birthed and happy
All birthed and happy
All birthed and happy
All birthed and happy

Recognize your weaknesses as weeds in your garden. Start the slow and steady process of removing those weeds, one at a time, then planting new seeds in their place.

Best way to start-a-new
Is to fail miserably
Fail at loving
And fail at giving
Fail at creating a flow
Then realign the whole
And kick into the start hole

Instead of dragging your feet, jump into life!
Stop talking, and start doing!

And kick into the start hole
And kick into the start hole

I challenge you this week to truly risk something.
You may be surprised at the offering life has to give you.

To risk all is the end all and the beginning all
To risk all is the end all and the beginning all

Yoga is more.

Yoga is so much more than just flexibility and postures. It is so much more than just movement, doing splits, or touching your toes. Yoga means “to yoke” or “union”. This union has significance to our mind body connection. Your mind, body, spirit, are all apart of you, and all of them working in tandem takes years of perseverance to experience the fruit of this union. We must train the body to work together with our mind, our mind with our spirit, and spirit with our body.

The physical postures of yoga called asanas are just one of many tools to start training the body to experience union.  Over the short time I’ve been exposed to the asana practice, I’ve met so many who have experienced great benefits to learning their own bodies and enjoying the physical benefits of having a consistent movement in their lives. Improved flexibility, strength, concentration, weight loss, confidence, and a sense of achievement when accomplishing a new and challenging posture. I’ve also met those afraid to even try yoga because their own perception is that they have to be “bendy”, “flexible”, “look good in yoga pants”, “I don’t have the money or time” or “I don’t want everyone looking at me especially when I fall flat on my face!” All of these are normal reactions that even I had at one time to the physical practice of yoga. I didn’t know there were other paths to experiencing yoga.

“If the mind can conceive it, the body can achieve it.”

Asanas are just one of the eight-limbed paths of learning what it is to yoga. Another one of those paths is called Dhyana, which means steadfast meditation. A form of meditation is to pick an object to focus on, while observing the flow of thoughts that travel across the mind without becoming attached to or lost in a particular thought. 

Sound easy? Give it a try. Go ahead. You are right. Not so easy.

Just as it takes time to train our bodies to perform the asana, it also takes time to train the mind to operate in a continuous flow rather than the fragments of thoughts that swarm in our minds, distracting from purpose and intention. 

Here is something for you to try this week sometime to start training your mind to just observe your thoughts without particularly attaching to any of them. You many need a partner to do this, so grab a friend, partner, or just someone you trust driving, some uplifting music (instrumental, positive lyrics, something that brings only good thoughts) and hop in the car and go for a drive. It is important that you both are quiet and refrain from talking. 

Sit in the passenger seat and look out the window. Take a deep breath, relax and start observing the view.  Begin naming things as you pass, and reading as much as possible. Try not to turn to ever look back at something, but try to hold a steady gaze as to not be attached to a particular sight. This exercise is helpful if you drive in an area that the things you see you are familiar with and you can easily identify.  Example: power line – do not turn sign – spruce tree – hawk – bailey’s auto parts – light pole – stop sign – rocking chair on porch – mailbox – license plate SGY1204 – sidewalk – man walking dog - squirrel - blue car - flowers - shrubs - biker - cat - etc. 

See how long you can just name objects without other thoughts interrupting your observations. Once you identify your thoughts have wandered, or have started to think about your week, or lost in a thought because something you saw reminded you of “that time when”, just return to the task of naming objects. Remember, we can train our attention span; this is an easy way to begin that training. You might surprise yourself with how long you can keep it up. 

Lastly, put yourself back in the shoes of your childhood self. Remember when everywhere you went you were gazing out the window because you “didn’t want to miss a thing!” especially on summer road trips 

Call back that level of attention; it is inside you. 

You have everything you need to begin your journey of yoga, union of the mind, body and spirit. 

From the Garden

Snow: A Fresh Start

Snow

Have you ever looked out the window of your car and gazed into the surrounding trees that create little views of the wooded environment around us living in our suburban lives full of convenience?  

During the winter time it is so easy to gaze out the windows of our lives and watch the trees blend into the ground, seemingly stretching on and on, no green in sight, no distinguishing features to distinctly point out what may be important for us to gaze at, and reflect upon. In the winter season of our lives during our annual rotation around the sun every 12 months, it is a good time to choose what to reflect upon, let go of, and start the alchemy of transmutation within our minds. During the winter months the ground beneath us is stirring its magic to begin the season of life all over again, when the trees begin to bloom and life around us begins to awaken again, filled with promise and hope of a new season.

Being a local native to Charlotte, I have never had the experience of lots of snow during my winter months, a good snow every 5 years was more that I could hope for, because the flurries I got were enough to shut down everything around me, and I disliked what snow brought with it, the discomfort and dis-ease of being trapped. Thankfully, we all encounter perception shifts during our lives and now snow creates feeling of joy, excitement, and peace inside me. Watching the snow fall yesterday had my inner child on display, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I had the opportunity to ride in the car as a passenger last night and this morning, and I began reflecting on the new reasons of why I like to see snow. First, your surroundings are covered with this soft white blanket, removing all the hard edges, giving a little extra hope the appearance of the world being not as hard of a place to live in because, my friends, it is a hard world out there. Secondly, it makes winter feel like winter, giving a sense of completion to the year. To me, I think, now we can have spring because the snow has giving the ground a fresh start to begin the magic of spring. Lastly, as I was gazing out the window while passing a forested area, I began to realize I could see so far into the forest because the white blanket covering the ground provided a sharp contrast between the ground and the trees, offering a brand new perception to view the forest through the trees. The snow has been a personal guide to offer a new perception of how I view the forest of my own thoughts. I can see as far and as close as I need, I can pick out what is worth focusing my attention upon, and as the snow melts today reminding us that the sun that transmuting springs warmth is so close, it reminds me of the promise of new beginnings. As I have selected and begin anticipate being able to plant the first seeds in the ground of my garden, I have begun the selection process of what seeds I want to cultivate in my life this year.

Continue reading for Akima’s Animal Corner and Color Musings.

As I prepare to start my day, I enjoy gazing out my front window and watch the birds that visit the food I’ve placed out for their nourishment. I take special attention of what birds visit and when, because I believe animals are some of our greatest teachers here on this earth. I have an amazing book called “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews, giving a field guide style reference to the spiritual significance of many animals native to the North Americas, rooted in Native American tradition this book is such a special insight to the animal world around us. There are sections devoted to birds, reptiles, mammals, and insects. I have developed a love for birds over the past few years and have gleaned little insights into my own life by reading this book. The two birds that I’ve seen during the short time of snow yesterday and today have been the Red-Billed Woodpecker, and the Cardinal. Both are beautiful birds, with striking red in their coloring. I would like to share some insights from the book, and they may mean something to you, but they mean so much to me in my own spiritual journey on this earth right now. Enjoy, and I highly encourage you to purchase a copy of the book for yourself!

The Color Red:

"Grounding and Survival - Base of the Spine

Element - Earth Physical identity: oriented to self-preservation

Aligned with the planets Pluto and Mars"

"The color Red is the color of physical energy, passion, courage, power, will, and desire. The Root Chakra is stable and grounding. Red is powerfully linked to our most primitive physical and emotional needs of survival and self-preservation."

"Red symbolizes energy, action, confidence, courage, and change. The color red brings passion and strength to your relationships, your life and your work."

The Woodpecker

“In the European fold tradition, the woodpecker was often considered a weather prophet, its drumming indicating forthcoming changes.”

“In the Native American Tradition it is a bird connected to the heartbeat of the Earth itself. This drumming has many mystical connections, from new life rhythms to applications of shape shifting.

“Most are black and white, and some have red upon the head. The black and white reflects the need to see issues and aspects of life clearly. It reflects that things are fairly clear if we look closely.”

“The red found in the head area of any woodpecker reflects a stimulation of the mental activities and the head chakra centers. It reflects stimulation and wakening of new mental faculties. This is even further symbolized by the pecking that is the trademark of this bird.”

“Rhythm is a powerful means of affecting the physical energies. Sometimes it is easy to get so wrapped up in our daily mental and spiritual activates that we neglect the physical. It may reflect a need to drum some new changes and rhythms into your life.”

“When woodpecker comes into your life, it indicated that the foundation is there. It is now safe to follow your own rhythms.”

 

The Cardinal  

“The cardinal’s presence reflects a time to renew our vitality. It reflects lessons in developing and accepting a new sense of our own true self-importance.”

“Unlike many other birds, they are usually year-round residents, and their influence and the archetypal energies associated with them can be accessed all year long. They remind us that regardless of the time or day of year, we always have opportunity to renew our own vitality and recognize the importance of our own life roles.”

 “Cardinals brighten the environment. They catch the eye and add color to our lives. When they appear as a totem, they do so to remind us to become life them. Add color to your life, and remember that everything you do is of importance.”