YogaShine

Take a deep breath....and soften

Please read this book. You will not regret it!

Today By Mary Oliver Today I’m flying low and I’m not saying a word... I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep. The world goes on as it must, the bees in the garden rumbling a little, the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten. And so forth. But I’m taking the day off. Quiet as a feather. I hardly move though really I’m traveling a terrific distance. Stillness. One of the doors into the temple.

Let us forget the sorrows of the past and make up our minds not to dwell on them in the New Year. With determination and unflinching will, let us renew our liv...es, our good habits, and our successes. If the last year has been hopelessly bad, the New Year must be hopefully good. Paramahansa Yogananda See more

.....a powerful thought....

#wisdomwednesday

George Fox’s Epistle 10. To Friends, to stand still in the Light in times of trouble, and see the strength of the Lord. (George Fox is considered the main founder of Quaker practice.) Friends,... Whatever you are addicted to, the tempter will come in that thing; and when he can trouble you, then he gets advantage over you, and then you are gone. Stand still in that which is pure, after you see yourselves; and then mercy comes in. After you see your thoughts, and the temptations, do not think, but submit; and then power comes. Stand still in that which shows and discovers; and there strength immediately comes. And stand still in the light, and submit to it, and the other will be hushed and gone; and then content comes. And when temptations and troubles appear, sink down in that which is pure, and all will be hushed, and fly away. Your strength is to stand still, after you see yourselves; whatever you see yourselves addicted to, temptations, corruption, uncleanness, etc. then you think you shall never overcome. And earthly reason will tell you, what you shall lose; pay no attention to that, but stand still in the light that shows them to you, and then strength comes from the Lord, and help contrary to your expectation. Then you grow up in peace, and no trouble shall move you. David fretted himself, when he looked out; but when he was still, no trouble could move him. When your thoughts are out, abroad, then troubles move you. But come to stay your minds upon that spirit which was before the letter; here you learn to read the scriptures aright. If you do any thing in your own wills, then you tempt God; but stand still in that power that brings peace. George Fox 1652 See more

We all need some body to lean on - Jai Ganesha!

There is joy and an important sense of renewal in each effort to begin again. In this way, meditation is not about the creation of a singular experience but abo...ut changing our relationship to experience. How do we react when uncomfortable thoughts emerge? And how do we react when we notice that we’re distracted by these uncomfortable thoughts? Can we begin again without rumination and regret? When thoughts drift during the micro world of meditation, we learn that there is no benefit to be gained from berating ourselves, or from wishing fervently that we had been focused on our chosen object (say the breath) the entire time. We strengthen our minds and our meditation practice each time we recognize these distractions, let go, and begin again. Because it is a fractal of life, meditation is a dynamic practice, one that involves cultivating the art of self-compassion, of learning to relate to ourselves in a new and more forgiving way. The invitation to begin again (and again and again) that meditation affords is an invitation for the practice of self-compassion to heal through letting go rather than harming ourselves with cycles of self-doubt, judgment, and criticism. Beginning again is a powerful form of resilience training. Each time we become distracted or lost in our judgments, assumptions, and other thoughts, we can return to the moment, the most portable and dependable resource at our disposal. We see that no matter what, we can always begin again.

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