Yoga: Mind.Body.Soul

"When you understand who and what you are, your radiance projects into the universal radiance and everything around you becomes creative and full of opportunity." - Yogi Bhajan

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Seek and you shall find.

Did you ever notice that every answer to your life can be found by asking and then observing what signs appear?  Don't take my word for it. Test this out for yourself. 

The next time you need an answer to a question such as, "Why is this not working out for me?" Sit and be still and just ask for the answer. It may not come to you at that moment in meditation, but this is where the fun begins...It's like a treasure hunt and it's your job to see what signs you can find as evidence of your answer.

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find..." -  You can contemplate any life question and have the answer shown to you...acted out –played out– right in front of you.

Now I can hear you skeptics out there. I know what you are saying:    "Well, if you want to see anything, you will.  If you want to watch a fly repeatedly trying to go through a closed window (see this previous post "Window of Opportunity")  and decide to call it a sign… It’s only a sign for you because you decided to see it that way. “

And to that, I reply with a resounding: "Exactly! —That is the point exactly!”

We are the key. We carry our “guru” within us. There is a part of us that always knew the answer, always had it at the ready. We (human beings) have a connection to the Divine, to Source –  and when I ask the question and look for the answer, I am shifting my observation towards what I need.  It will come to me in the way that is most relevant and holds the most meaning for me in order for me to see it...to receive it.

This is not specific to any religion, nor based on belief in any one teaching...it is a universal quality we share. We carry the light, the divine within us; —We just need observation practice. The good news is, the more we practice tuning in to those resources, the more those helpful markers will show up to steer our course.

So this is your quest:

Go within and then look without…see where the path is lit and the signs are beckoning you.

—Bon Voyage!

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Magic and the Merlin Archetype

I am five years old.  I walk into the kitchen to find my mom,

"Mom?  If I told you I was magic, would you believe me?"

With a smile and a soft chuckle, she replies,

"Magic?  No.  I wouldn't believe you were magic." 

 –then turns back to what she is doing.

I am heartbroken and quietly walk into the other room.

My sweet mom had no idea how this impacted me then nor, I'm sure, did she give it a second thought after.  —(Though she may have kept an eye on me for awhile to make sure my baby brother didn't disappear!) —  What interested me most was how often this memory surfaced over the years and each time it did, I would be transported back to that same feeling of disappointment I felt that day.—Why had that brief exchange affected me so?

I try to do what I call “free flow writing” on a regular basis.  It’s basically just being in the flow and allowing whatever comes out to come out without analyzing it or even really tuning into it until you have finished.  It can be very revealing and as such, a good form of self-therapy.  It's also  just a way to open up and allow ideas to flow through you more freely.  In one such "free flow" session during a stay in Italy I wrote: 

Magic is just a matter of perspective. - I felt this phrase alone had many layers to it.  In one sense, the word "magic" within the analogy of the magic show is used to indicate something that seems impossible by our current understanding or standard of measurement.  If we think about it, something is only impossible when we don't have an explanation for how it can be accomplished.  If we move from the audience to the magician's vantage point, we have the answers...we can explain how something is accomplished.  With a simple change of perspective, the impossible becomes the possible.   

Many aspects of our everyday lives contain what were once only dreams or fantasy; left in those realms for many years. Take the airplane, for one grand example.  For centuries, the idea of flight for a human being seemed impossible.  Early humans dreamed of being able to fly like the birds in the skies, but how far beyond their grasp –what magic– must that have seemed?  At some point, some began to have faith that flight would eventually be achieved, but even then, did they imagine it would be as it is today?  What a leap to think that we would not only be able to fly, but we would be able to lift hundreds of human beings off the ground in tons of steel and travel thousands of miles around the world. 

Magic is just a matter of perspective.  - The "just" in the phrase points to the fact that it is a simple shift.  It doesn't take much to come at life from a different angle, to have a completely different experience, all it takes is just a little shift in perspective.  Stepping outside of our conditioned way of thinking and often chaotic mode of living for even just a few moments, we experience the limitless potential all around us.  Meditating on a flower or a tree -the whole of nature- offers many avenues to this place of understanding. 

Once we are moving through life tuned-in, open and aware, we operate with a deep sense of knowing.  From that vantage point, it seems ridiculous to resolutely stand in one place and proclaim, "This is all there is."  History itself has proven that wherever we are in our knowledge of what is - will change.   Why do we (human beings) so often cling to what we know now rather than allowing for all possibilities? 

Imagine what we could accomplish if we all made a conscious effort to lift our preconceived notions about what is and is not possible; if we taught our children less conformity and celebrated individuality more. The great innovators throughout the ages had this ability.  They were able to think “outside the box” in order to allow what seemed impossible to become reality for all of us.  Doing so was often at the expense of being ridiculed, ostracized...some even lost their lives for daring to think outside of society’s accepted norms. How fortunate for us that they were motivated to look beyond the confining ideas and ideals of their time and the constraints of conformity others tried to impose.

In everyday life, we have the opportunity over and over again to reinvent ourselves and our current reality.  We can take any interaction we have with another person; any problem we perceive we have—any mundane, everyday occurrence and create something completely different.  We have this ability to change moment-by-moment because what we are currently experiencing is simply dictated by our chosen (or unconsciously adopted) viewpoint.  A shift in perspective is magical, because it opens up worlds of possibility where we had previously seen closed doors.

I've come to realize that little 5 year old girl in the kitchen that day was talking about possibilities and potentiality - in her terms "magic."  She was still tuned-in as children are, to her own endless potential.  It's not always easy to be sure, but I try and remind myself every day to think of her —and to keep the doors open.   

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Afterword - Our BIO theme assignment this month was“Camelot” – whatever comes to mind as you consider the famous story. 

Just prior to receiving this writing assignment, a chain of many serendipitous events was leading me to Camelot and the figure of Merlin in particular.  I was astounded as one seemingly unrelated thing led to another – beginning with an old letter I wrote to my grandmother re-surfacing during this time to the discovery of a rather obscure DVD from the 90's by Deepak Chopra:  “The Crystal Cave – Lessons from the teachings of Merlin.”  

I have always admired Deepak and his work, but I was not aware of his long-time interest in the Merlin archetype until I happened across this DVD based on Mary Stewart’s book “The Crystal Cave” (1970) – the first of the trilogy on the Arthurian legend, later becoming 5 books now referred to as the “Merlin Chronicles.”  In the DVD, Deepak teaches how we can summon our “inner wizard” and access the wisdom of the universe.  

Along the way, another discovery was Deepak's “The Return of Merlin” - a novel playing out the final act of the Arthurian legend in modern day England:  

Merlin— THE NAME EVOKES IMAGES OF MYSTERY, MAGIC, adventure, wonder, and enchantment.  The wizard is the central figure in one of the most enduring myths of our culture, the story of King Arthur and his kingdom, Camelot.  In early versions of the legend, Merlin is the keeper of all knowledge; all-powerful, all-seeing, eternal.  This version, The Return of Merlin, is about waking up the wizard that sleeps deep within all of us, so that we can reclaim the field of pure knowledge and dream a new world into reality, from the purity of our hearts.

 –excerpt, The Return of Merlin by Deepak Chopra

You might also like: 

The Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart

(us) ~ (uk) ~ (ca) ~ (fr) ~ (de) ~ (it) ~ (es)

Le Cycle de Merlin, La Grotte de Crystal (fr)

Deepak Chopra- The Essential DVD Collection (including The Crystal Cave)

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The Way of the Wizard by Deepak Chopra

(us) ~ (uk) ~ (ca) ~ (fr) ~ (de) ~ (it) ~ (es)

La voie du magicien (fr) ~ Der Weg des Zauberers (de)

The Return of Merlin

(us) ~ (uk) ~ (ca) ~ (fr) ~ (de) ~ (it) ~ (es)

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Alfresco! Alfresco!

 image via Côté Sud

Isn't outdoor living the best? Reading, napping, dining...everything seems better outside.   I'm excited that the nights are getting warm enough for a little outdoor yoga. 

The renovation is still going on around here (don't ask), but I made it a point to clear out and reclaim what I call our "stone seating area" which is a relatively large semi-enclosed area.  There are built-in sofas for lounging, but there's also plenty of floor space for yoga.  

In the pre-renovation era, my daughter and I were known to head outside for midnight yoga sessions there, positioned where we could see the stars.  We  would light the fireplace and with the fountain gurgling and the moonlight shining,  we'd  follow Shiva Rea* for an hour or so, followed by a relaxing savasana to end.  

My recommendation for the most peaceful, rejuvenating sleep of your life?    

Late night yoga—alfresco! 

Italian  al fresco, in the fresh (air) "in the fresh air."  

in the emporium

*Yoga DVD's by Shiva Rea, Ali McGraw, Trudie Styler

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Sting & Trudie: Healthy living at their Tuscan estate "Il Palagio"

Il Palagio

In the program series the couple created with Gaiam, Trudie and Sting  share  an  intimate  look  at  how and why fitness, healthy  eating,  eco-conscious choices and social action are essential parts of how they live their lives.

The workouts are guided by Styler and celebrity trainer James D’Silva, and the DVDs feature music from Sting’s #1 album Songs From The Labyrinth.

Trudie Styler’s Warrior Yoga, the first DVD in the series, features a vigorous, flowing yoga routine that integrates a blend of cardiovascular conditioning, strength training and flexibility. Other programs in the series include Core Strength Pilates and Cardio Dance Flow, each designed to be highly effective for increasing strength and flexibility, toning muscles, and improving posture.

organic olive oil and honey produced on the estate

All five programs were filmed at Trudie and Sting’s Tuscan estate, Il Palagio, a working farm producing organic olive oil, honey, fruits and vegetables, and wine.

The programs include a rare tour of the estate and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes this picturesque expanse of Italian countryside a self-sustaining and eco-friendly house that runs on bio-fuels.  There’s even a behind-the-scenes look at Il Palagio’s kitchen and use of organic gardening and cooking techniques.  –excerpt Gaiam blog, "Stream of Consciousness"

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Trudie Styler's Warrior Yoga

(us) ~ (uk) ~ (ca) ~ (fr) ~ (de) ~ (it) ~ (es)

Trudie Styler Behinds the Scenes/Introduction

A portion of all sales go to UNICEF's Clean Water Project, Equador

Songs from the Labyrinth
(us) ~ (uk) ~ (ca) ~ (fr) ~ (de)
(it) ~ (es)

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"Why we're passionate about fitness" -an interview with Sting and Trudie (Gaiam.)

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in the emporium...

(us) ~ (uk) ~ (ca) ~ (fr) ~ (de) ~ (it) ~ (es)

images  

1,2:  Il Palagio website, 

images  3-11: Architectural Digest, 

12: Gaiam

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