October 01, 2007

Our Yoga Mats Are Connected.

After completing several days of yoga, meditation and dance at the Yoga Journal Conference a few things come to mind.

The conference was filled with people from all over the country, Mexico and Canada. From different backgrounds, sizes, ages, genders, with & without health problems, battling cancer, mental health issues, trying to learn how to prevent future illness, married, single, divorced, heart broken, happy, sad, you name it, they were there.

Looking around the room filled with hundreds of people doing downward dogs, the smell of incense, the faint sounds of drums and chanting, I thought about how when I have taught yoga classes in the past how I have noticed people sometimes get territorial even within the space they practice yoga. Almost as if their mat separates them from everyone else.

We are not separate, we are all very much connected. When I am out in the world it always strikes me how people tend to be competitive and almost welcome conflict. Wouldn’t it be great if we all took the time to compliment those we know, those we do not know and even those who may annoy us or have caused us hurt.

The conference seemed to evoke this beautiful behavior of being complimentary to one another. I watched strangers helping one another, teaching, crying, laughing, sharing stories, it was beautiful.

Our mats are connected, and so are we.
Gather hundreds of people together with the same intention, it WILL make change happen.

I felt it. I felt love. I felt a shift towards peace for our world. 

September 10, 2007

September 11...Tragedy Can Birth Grace.

The summer months are coming to a close, and September has arrived with the promise of new beginnings.

September has always been a time of year for me of renewal and hope for the future. The vibrant colors of the fall leaves, start of school, the Jewish New Year, along with the rustle of the new fresh winds....ahhh yes, breathe in change.

September is also a time of remembering. I lived in N.Y.C. at the time of September 11 and of course will never forget that day as long as I live.

We are all aware of the unthinkable catastrophe that occurred that day in history, yet I would like to focus on positive thoughts and remembering the people we lost that day and those who survived - I personally lost three very dear friends.
There is also the large group of individuals who donated their time to help find people, who years later are very ill from the debris – firefighters, police, doctors, nurses, rescue animals and all the other courageous people that volunteered day and night to uncover people. People may be unaware that there is a huge group of individuals who have come down with lung disease and other life threatening disease, from simply helping out.

What will always amaze me is the way that New York City came together. No matter what size, color or religion, everyone helped one another. I clearly remember walking home across Fifth Avenue and watching strangers reaching out to one another, holding one another, offering food, inviting strangers into their homes.

With the sheer nakedness of this tragedy birthed grace, love and humanity that I had never experienced before.

I live each day with this in mind and made a promise to myself to always spread compassion and love. It is contagious and can do this world wonders.