not so serious...

Do you want to hear about the ridiculously, embarrassing thing that happened to me this week?!  While teaching invention strategies in Freshman Comp on the third day of the new semester, I fell off of my chair. Mid-sentence, I fell right off of the front of it, and then it fell on top of me.  All of this, in front of a group of complete strangers who, ideally, think that I am respectable and put-together.  And do you know the first thing that I thought when this happened?  Thank you, yoga.  If this had happened to me two years ago, I would have wanted to die.  I would have prayed that the earth swallow me up on the spot.  I would have never gone back.  It is moments like these, that I know the practice is for real.  I fell off of the chair, and I just started to laugh; it was not so serious.  Yoga has taught me not to take myself, or this life, too seriously.  We will all have our share of falls in this life.  Don't suffer..laugh, and get up.

xoxo

Since I've Been Gone...

Since I've been gone, I have...

• teaching college English
• relearning all of the grammar rules that I forgot a long time ago
• learning to sew
• treasuring hunting 
• painting
• refinishing, repurposing, and building furniture
• learning to stay
• cultivating balance

Now I am back... happily.

xoxo

what if...

I have been reading this beautiful poem in my classes this week... What if, indeed...

What If?
A Poem by Ganga White

What if religion was each other?
If our practice was our life?
If prayer was our words?

What if the Temple was the Earth?
If forests were our church?
If holy water—the rivers, lakes and oceans?

What if meditation was our relationships?
If the Teacher was life?
If wisdom was self-knowledge?
If love was the center of our being?

What if God was oneself, and all?

present moment practice

I used to write at 5:00 a.m., but not anymore...  Now I have more pressing matters.  I am shocked at how similar having her is to having a  baby...I am shocked by how much we love her...The demands of caring for something small constantly drag me back into the present moment, and I am grateful for the opportunity to practice this selfless service.

healthy kids day, newburgh

Bent on Change has had the honor of participating in several community events this month; here we are at the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day in Newburgh.  Such a joy to share this practice with small people- they are such naturals!

one of my favorites...

Even after 

all this time

the sun never says to the earth,

"You owe me."

Look what happens

with a love like that-

it lights the whole world

Hafiz

if you ever feel sad,

If you ever feel sad, you should come to my house.  I found this magical spot: a big, sloped rock (perfect for reclining) just at the top of a waterfall; an old tree trunk extends from the opposite side, offering a place to rest your feet.  And there you lay, warm sun shining through the trees on your face and the water rushing beneath you, and all but joy and gratitude dissolves.

xo