A Moment of Repose

A Moment of Repose with the Moon in Capricorn

The table is set. An eyelet edged cloth covering its scarred surface. A shiny silver platter sits polished and gleaming. The crystal placed just so. A bouquet of thyme, lavender, and rosemary are assembled. I light the candles and wait; the guest is soon to arrive.

She comes, following the Bright One whose grace reveals hidden truth. Her energy is powerful yet gentle, a soft glow illuminating expressions and emotions. She opens the door joining me for a peaceful and tranquil interlude.

I offer her a bit of thyme. She tells me I must trust myself, to align my feelings with my life’s purpose. I must find the strength and courage to receive the support and nurturing I need. I nod acceptance.

She pinches a spring of lavender releasing its fragrance. To purify my sense of duty and obligation, she claims. I must find balance, releasing all that I am not responsible for. The aroma is sweet.

Subtly she withdraws, leaving a portion of her power. Looking on me and smiling. I gather the rosemary and clutch it to my heart. I vow to remember, to live in joy, knowing that dreams do come true. 

Om Tat Sat. 

KH

The Peddler and the Impossible Dream

Melanie

A Moving Tale presented “The Peddler and the Impossible Dream” as part of the summer program Dig into Reading. Kids discovered the treasure of believing in their dreams during this interactive yoga storytelling session for 5-12 year olds.

Kathe

Mel and I were thrilled when more than we expected turned out for this session. We began with full breaths, gathering our thoughts so we could focus. Emma Jean helped us get centered and imaginations were ready. The adventure took us from a small cottage out in the country, down a wide winding river to a river bridge and a big city. As the story goes a young man has a dream, but the busyness of the day soon has him forgetting all about his dream. He begins to have the same dream night after night, which he believes is impossible to achieve. Finally he gives in and goes in the direction the dream tells him. Along the way enjoying the journey, only to arrive at his destination to find disappointment. Discouraged he starts for home and is stopped by a merchant who questions him. Dreams are silly he is told. The merchant precedes to tell him a similar story of a persistent dream of his own. The young man realizes why he was sent on the journey and rushes home. Once there, he discovers a treasure. 

We opened our hearts to our dreams as the peddler, strong and courageous with Warrior II. Next, gnarly roots came up out of the ground and we grew into old, old oak trees with tree pose. Shoving off from the shoreline we paddled our boats down the wide winding river in boat pose. Finally rounding the bend in the river, the river bridge came into view and we lifted into bridge pose. Returning home, we discovered our treasure and lifted our arms to the heavens with a sunbreath and proclaimed, “Nothing is Impossible!”

 What could be more important than discovering the treasure of believing in our dreams, having faith in ourselves, and knowing our intentions are for good? So often we think our dreams are impossible to achieve. We set them aside and forget all about them. Days, months and even years pass and one day the dream again reappears. When we take the time to dig beneath the surface, we can find strength and courage, true treasures. With these we can make a commitment to our self and step in the direction of accomplishing our dreams. Thank goodness, we live in a big, big universe where “Nothing is Impossible!”

Dream Big.

Moving Tale; Tandem Yoga Storytellers, Kathe and Melanie

The Breath in the Bluebonnets

Spring was just sleeping they often say, for when daylight returns the world comes out to play. The spring equinox brings us a balance of light and dark, waking the resting earth. Roused from slumber plants stretch and open their sleepy eyes. New life emerges taking its first full breaths. We too stretch and breathe ready for new adventures.

Drizzle followed us the length of the way, grey clouds hovering low overhead. Seeking release from the confines of winter we headed to the Texas hill country. Wildflowers were beginning to break ground and we looked forward to more than a glimpse of Bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush in addition to the fresh spring air. Yet where were the sunbeams we’d yearned to see? Good yogis know we ought to surrender to whatever is to be, thus should the sun refuse to shine we’d roll out our mats then settle in to enjoy family.

The next morning dawned bright and clear however and a cold biting wind greeted us. Bundling up, we set off eager as ever to discover our treasures. Bright blue faces with sweet little smiles covered the countryside mile after mile. Vivid orange splashes popped up here and there. We snapped photos in the blustery breeze. Drinking in the wild air we were filled with the energy of life.

Breath is life. In yoga the conscious control of the breath is called pranayama.  Prana means breath and yama means control. Pranayama affects our whole being; body, mind and spirit. This awareness of the breath brings us closer to controlling the mind and directs the energy of the body. Yoga science gives instruction to the practice of pranyayama; it is good to begin breath work in the spring. During spring the air is pure, neither too hot nor too cold. Wisdom is asleep in each of us and pranayama awakens this slumbering insight.

It is spring, time to wake up, the light welcomes me and I remember to breathe. 

KH

Forever Friends

“Forever Friends” was our Moving Tale for March, Mel and I adapted “Elephant and Dog” a Jataka tale from Ancient India. Moving Tale empowers kids connecting body and brain through the social interaction of yoga storytelling. Kids leave nurtured, feeling self-confident, with focusing skills and a sense of emotional well-being. This month we included healthy relationships to our healthy body and healthy brain message . Our brains are wired to learn and grow from human interactions, our every social relationship. “Forever Friends” an endearing story of friendship is overflowing with eternal truths. So...just what does it take to be a forever friend?

Yoga  gives us the yamas to follow.  The yamas are the  attitudes and observances fundamental to a life lived in unity. They lead us down a path toward a place where we can be a forever friend. Our first step is kindness, ahimsa. We must be kind to a friend. It is often much easier to recognize the unkind thought or word directed toward another but what sort of thoughts and words do we offer to ourselves, for to be kind to another begins with being kind to ourselves. Are our words kind? Are they helpful? The second step leads to truthfulness, satya. Honest communication based on what we know to be true, not gossip, supposition or exaggeration. Commitment to truth is not always easy but at the end of the day, how do we feel about the words we say? Next we hop over to trust, asteya. We take a leap of faith, trusting that our needs will be met. We are not greedy and share what we have. Then comes moderation, brahmacharya, using our energies wisely. How do we express our energy? Do the things we say and do bring us closer or push us away from our friends. Finally we come to generosity, aparigraha. Here we let go of how we expect our friends to be and allow them to be as they are. Each step on the path brings us closer to understanding our relationship to others and our relationship to ourselves.

Story too help us understand the world in which we live and ourselves. The stories we tell; the thoughts we think, the words we say and the actions we take all tell a story. Storytelling and yoga unite our minds to our bodies. Bringing us into the present moment, this is where we experience the relationships of life. We begin to become aware of our stories. Are we being kind and truthful? Do we trust that we are cared for? Are we moderate and generous? As we listen to our own story and practice our yoga we might pause and ask, “Am I becoming the kind of person I would like to have as a friend?”

Mahalo, we serve.

Moving Tale; Kathe and Melanie, tandem yoga storytellers

The Magic Pear Tree

“For it is in giving that we receive.”--- Francis of Assisi

Artists Extraordinaire

What do you do when you finish telling a story about sweet, juicy pears? Eat some, of course. The story ends with everyone laughing as pear juice drips from their chins, so we decided that it would be a luscious way to conclude our first Moving Tale of the season. Yum.

Our Yoga Storytelling Adventure took us to China this month as Mel and I presented “The Magic Pear Tree”. Here is a short but sweet summary. The story begins as an old man wanders into a small village. He has no belongings but his eyes sparkle with tranquility. A Harvest Festival is being celebrated, hot and thirsty he asks for a small pear but the vendor is stingy and refuses. A kind young man steps forward and purchases a perfectly ripe pear presenting it to the old man. Thankful, he savors the pear and proceeds to plant the seed in the dry earth. When magically, it sprouts and grows into a full grown pear tree. The astonished villagers are encouraged to partake of the sweet juicy pears until the tree is left bare. The excitement diminishes and all depart. As the stingy vendor turns, he finds his cart empty. Understanding arises and he realizes that perhaps he should have shared a pear.

Blossoming Trees

Warrior II was our old man, we stood strong with a sparkle in our eye. Wandering into the village we practiced triangle pose. Refusing the request for a pear we sat in a low squat with arms crossed as the stingy vendor. In child’s pose we rested as the seed was planted. Magically sprouting and growing was a natural for tree pose, our branches grew upward and our hands opened wide as flowers and sweet ripe fruit formed.  The excitement diminishing we departed with side angle pose. Namaste with a bow took us to the perfect ending as understanding arose for the stingy vendor.

As always when I am preparing for a tale I listen to what the story has to say to me. These timeless tales steady my feet as I wander on my adventure through life. Yoga philosophy offers us a firm foundation. The yamas are guidelines for living well with others. The virtues of kindness, truthfulness, trust, moderation, and generosity guide us along the way.

The story of “The Magic Pear Tree” is a tale of generosity. Generosity, the act of being generous, liberal in giving or sharing. This quality first arises from our thoughts, then becomes more tangible as we speak words of generosity, finally manifesting in the physical act of giving or sharing. Seems simple enough. Thinking thoughts of generosity sends this energy out into the quantum field ultimately returning it to us. Hmmmm.

Yoga asks us to delve deeper into our thoughts, words and deeds. Here we come to know the very nature of our minds and begin to recognize our free will, life is a choice. We choose what we think, say, and do. Our personal reality is shaped by our personal choices. Our thoughts, words and deeds are energy. What we outflow we inflow, we reap what we sow.

Truly we know we are here to help one another. And when we remember this, we too shall have the sparkle of tranquility in our eyes. 

Moving Tale; Kathe and Melanie, tandem yoga storytellers

Originally published 4/20/2013

Attending to Tortoise

“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land.” …The Song of Solomon

Tortoise has been calling to me. Looking from place to place, my eyes open wide, my ears inclined to hear. I watch and listen.  What is it tortoise is offering to me? Tortoise, a symbol of strength, longevity and endurance, a progenitor of life, a bringer of wisdom.

Tortoise saunters confident and capable. In no hurry, steadfast she travels carrying her home with her. She lives a simple life, she has all she needs.  Grazing on vegetation, she knows no lack. She digs down into mother earth and lays her eggs. New life emerges. Withdrawing into her shell, she finds protection and rest. 

Perhaps the time has come to follow in the footsteps of tortoise. Yoga tells us that tortoise pose is dedicated to the maintainer of the universe.  Who is this maintainer of our universe? None other than our true Self. The yogi attempts to withdraw his senses from other objects, as the tortoise withdraws his limbs from danger. Then the yogi will be on the path towards wisdom and know freedom.

So I begin to apply myself to the practice of tortoise pose. The physical benefits are many. The entire backside of the body stretches. The back will relax and the hamstrings will loosen with practice. Blood flow is stimulated all along the spine, nourishing this complex network of nerves. The pelvis and abdomen are squeezed improving the health of the internal organs.

This is an advanced posture (strength) and it will take years (longevity) for me to be limber enough(endurance) to get into the final pose. Yet I practice, balancing effort with ease (life). And here I remember there is no destination, it’s all about the journey. (wisdom)

Om shanti. 

KH

The Frog Prince and Reluctant Teens

“Why are you crying my honey, my heart, why are you crying my sweet darling?”

The Frog Prince

Moving Tale presented “The Frog Prince,” as a puppet show. A classic fairy tale, the princess makes a promise then is reluctant to keep it. The story unfolded and the audience hushed. About halfway in still no peep could be heard. For a moment fear reared his head. We looked at one another, thinking “do they not like it?” When suddenly truth materialized, the kids were enchanted!

How often do we say we will do something but when it actually comes down to getting the job done we slack off? We change our minds or make excuses. Much of life is appears difficult. There are things we would rather not do. But are we spectators or participants in the stories of our lives? Unresolved issues often keep us sitting in the stands. We avoid dealing with unpleasant situations, and the fears we are unwilling to confront.

So the princess comes face to face with her promise and must let go of her aversions. And in doing so acceptance of the situation emerges. Then before she knows what is happening unconditional loves comes in and fills the space. Letting go is not an overnight affair but once it begins moving you’ll be surprised at the rapid results. Becoming a participant is easier than we thought, and the frog is transformed before our very eyes.

Moving Tale; Kathe and Melanie, tandem yoga storytellers

Reluctant Teens

Today I introduced 8 high school students to yogic breathing and the sun salutation. All males ranging in age from 16-21, these students are part of the public school system’s Community Skills Training Program. The program integrates the classroom in the community by assessing its resources. “Health and Wellness” was their theme and I was asked to give them a short presentation on yoga.

Not knowing what lay ahead, I casually prepared and determined to let things come what may.  We began by sitting on the floor, which was a riot. A few sat right down and I heard a comment or two that I let go in one ear and out the other. Two young men sat on a bench, so resolute a wrecking ball could not have moved them.  Stern of face and shoulders hunched, their demeanor told a stoic story.

I began chatting a bit about library cards and library materials establishing the foundation of the session. I followed this by telling them about the many free programs offered, such as this one. We opened with the meaning of yoga and its benefits for body and mind. I explained that most of the yogis of times past were men, attempting to set them somewhat at ease. Now it was time to remove our shoes and sit in easy pose. Another mutiny almost ensued, looking about I noticed a few who silently refused. Young adult males asserting their independence, who would have thought!

We sat up tall, heads high reaching towards the sky. A demonstration was in order; we placed our hands on our ribcage and belly and gave yogic breathing a try. Glancing around the room I noticed everyone participating. Even the aloof ones now were on the floor. Breathing in and breathing out, becoming aware of our breath. A sense of calmness came over the room. Ahhh…

Ready for a warm up we stood in mountain pose and took a few sunbreaths before these big strong guys balanced on tip toe. Energy quickly accelerated as we moved through a salute to the sun. One young man stated, “This is a workout,” while another said, “I thought yoga was just about meditation and om.” All took part to a certain degree and several were truly paying attention. We closed with the meaning of Namaste,and ended with a bow. 

Everyone went home with a handout and if only one student practices any one thing he was introduced to today, hip, hip, hurray!

Mahalo, I serve.