Make Of Yourself A Light

To celebrate ‘Women’s Equality Day,’ as a woman I asked, “How equal am I in the work world? What keeps equality in the dark? Can I create ways to support greater equality for all? How do I do that? Already overwhelmed with the need, and the desire, I pause …….listen…. breath…..question: Do I do something, or do I be something, or is it the old song, “do be do be do”?

I found inspiration in a note Van Gogh wrote to his brother, Theo, upon seeing Millet’s pastels. “Put off thy shoes from thy feet for this place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” He was referring to the light force Millet had painted into the Barbizon countryside. It made me consider someone’s enormous influence from simply being and doing what they are in their life. Others are then awake enough to respond. Millet’s paintings lit another painter, Odilon Redon, who wrote, “In him the poet was never absorbed by the painter…he had vision. He gave a moral life to clouds.”

Much as we would all love to ‘give a moral life to clouds,’ we do not have to be painters, poets, or saints to shed and share light. We have to be lit! Perhaps the great work within each is to light our candle, then hold it high. Yogi Bajhan said, “We are all candles, but not all of us are lit.”

What lights us up?

*Giving ourselves fully to what we do. *Feeding Grace. I am referring to an inner grace, grown from a joy in being; no should, no denial, no critique.   * Feel the illumination of gratitude.   *A willingness to be a conduit. Keep the channel open. We are not the instrument, rather the sound moving through.      * Silence ego. It is not our job to judge the validity of light.   *Feed light’s vitality! Don’t be shy about shining. As suggested, ‘dance like there’s no one watching.’   *Be responsible to the light not for the light.   *Taste the spiritual heart every day in each ‘ahaaaa moment.’   *Grow quiet courage to risk everything.

I once again hear poet Mary Oliver’s injunction, Make of yourself a light, from “The Buddha’s Last Instruction.” I take a quiet, light-filled stand with you today. Onward, dear friends, Road Warriors, and fellow light-bearers! Let us not be overwhelmed by the dark, only joyous that our power is great to see everyone as equals….a first step.

***

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES FALL START UP!                                                                                        Add richness and layered wisdom to your Yoga Practice. Work with both physical and subtle body intelligence to inform deep layers you wish to inhabit, and how best to them. Look at tools and techniques to overcome blocks. Embody a fierce softness to create practices where light and shadow face off; grow ‘enlightenment.’                                                                                                                      CEU hours for 200 hour Yoga instructors, those wishing to become instructors, and those wishing to expand their vision.

Upcoming dates:                                                                                                                                     August 31, 9 am-1 pm Learning and sharing in the art of ritual to enrich life, your Practice, the world.                                                                                                                                                                     Sept. 26, 9 am-1 pm   Anatomy Training of shoulder girdle, neck and arms