Sunday, November 02, 2008
lingers
in the pools
Found in "today and today"
Since Year 4 poetry class I have always loved haiku. The simple rhythm three lines can create.
You may calm with a needle and thread
Paintbrush and watercolour
Rolling pin and dough
Hammer and nail.
What is your daily meditation? What do you enjoy?
Labels: meditation , seasons , self , writing , yoga on sundays
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Today we were so fortunate to attend the Naming Day of Priya Shanti (in Sanskrit her name means Beloved, Peace). She was welcomed to this world by her parents as they blessed her with the four elements - earth, air, fire and water - and performed Nama Karana, an Indian tradition where the child's name is whispered into her ear three times. It is said that the child will always remember that moment, when she was given her name.
Priya, may your name resonate deep within your heart and may you indeed be beloved and peaceful.
As we stood on the sand to witness the ceremony I realised how important ritual is in our lives. How special it is for family and friends to unite and to celebrate. Today we welcomed Priya to this world and into our lives. It was a chance to acknowledge how blessed we are to be in her presence and also to consider the responsibility that we share with her parents - to raise her in a loving and kind world.
Ceremony provides an opportunity to be thankful. Prayers around the dinner table, the blowing out of birthday candles, the kiss to seal a marriage. No matter how small, ceremony makes our lives more meaningful.
He is to young to understand now, but soon Che will ask me why I walk around our house with incense burning (to cleanse the space), why we decorate the Indian Elephant God Ganesh (remover of obstacles) who sits at our front door and why we chant ((((Om))))). He will come to know these little rituals as a chance to be thankful for what we have. And one day soon I will introduce him to Bhakti Yoga - where he will plant, water and nurture a flower - to help him understand the art and practice of devotion.
He will choose whether he believes what we do. On his Naming Day we acknowledged that when he is older he will decide who and what he believes in. We can only share with him what we know.
I hope all children are raised to know their parents beliefs. I hope they understand that taking a few moments to be still and quiet is ritual in itself.
We ended our day under a mango tree, eating beautiful food, laughing and playing. I wish that Che and Priya understand how wonderful celebration is and I hope they stay friends for life.
Labels: celebrations , ché , friends , yoga on sundays
Saturday, October 04, 2008
If you watch this little orange guy you will notice that he is practicing a series of yoga asanas (postures). This series is called a sun salutation (surya namaskara) or "salute to the sun".
Surya Namaskara is a series of postures linking breath with movement. An uplifiting, flowing sequence that expands energy in the body. It is traditionally performed facing east at sunrise. An acknowledgement and greeting to the sun - the physical and spiritual heart of the world.
108 is a significant number in yoga. There are 108 beads on a mala (a garland of prayer beads used to count while repeating a mantra), 108 sacred points on the body, 108 sacred sites in India. Vedic mathemeticians believe 108 connects the Sun and Moon to the Earth - the average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters.
On October 22nd at 6am I will greet the sun 108 times. I will be joined by yogis Australia and world-wide as we connect for the YogaAid challenge. An opportunity to take yoga into the streets and the parks and onto the beaches, to raise awareness to a number of wonderful charities.
I will be raising money for the Save The Children fund and I need your help.
If you would like to support me and donate to an amazing charity please click here and press 'donate' next to Jodi Wilson.
Very special thankyous to hazyjane and hoppo bumpo for their donations. Thanks lovelies...much appreciated.
And just so you know...I've never practiced 108 sun salutations before. Ever. So for me it's a first. And no doubt, for days afterwards, I will feel all that beautiful warmth from the sun and all those muscles that have been resting for far too long. I am excited...and a little daunted.
(((((((Om)))))))))
Labels: yoga , yoga on sundays
Sunday, September 21, 2008
love
give
purify
meditate
realise
do good
be good
the eightfold path of
Swami Sivananda Saraswati
Enjoy your week...
Labels: yoga on sundays
Sunday, September 07, 2008
yoga on sundays :: our teachers
Many yogis follow the spiritual teachings of a guru. Many gurus honour and respect the presence of the teachers that have come before themselves.
Our first teacher is our Mother.
Our second teacher is our Father.
We learn from many teachers in our life, in childhood, through adolescence and adulthood.
Today, here in Australia, is Fathers Day. What did your Dad teach you?
My Dad taught me to tread gently on the earth and encouraged in me a love of Mother Nature. And now I teach Che those same things.
Today was Daniel's first Father's Day. A recognition and celebration of (almost) one whole year of endless love, guidance and nurturing. He is a beautiful Dada and I feel blessed to be sharing this parenting journey with him.
Labels: celebrations , family , yoga on sundays
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Yoga on Sundays :: Simplicity = Happiness
On the eve of Spring a few things come to mind...sunshine, blooms, Spring cleaning. A chance to declutter, detox and simplify while basking in the warmth I have so missed this winter.
I see it as the perfect opportunity to demonstrate why simplicity brings with it happiness and contentment. I have always loved being surrounded by beautiful things and I am a self-confessed hoarder. But since beginning my yoga practice I have noticed a desire to clear space in our home. To rid my life of uneccessary clutter and come to know beauty in the simple, the natural, the pre-loved - an etching in the ground, a shadow on the wall, a vintage blanket.
Simple living is not a new concept. In the 60s and 70s, free-loving hippies were attracted to simplicity for reasons such as ecological sustainability. Those on the spiritual path have done and still do live with very few possessions. By doing so they rid their lives of unnecessary distraction so they can focus on their journey towards enlightenment. Today, ordinary people are becoming more conscious of what they eat, what they buy and how they travel.
As we become more educated and more aware of how our living is affecting our world we are voluntarily leading simpler lives. In the seminal yoga text Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, 10 principles are outlined that are crucial to one's progress on the yogic path. One of these is aparigraha, often translated to 'greedlessness'. Keeping only what you need and wanting only what you need - a life with no desire of or attachment to 'things'. Resisting the temptation of materialism and embracing simplicity. Yes it's a beautiful theory but for most of us it is rather challenging to accomplish. But, of course, it can be done on a small scale and as with every aspect of yoga simply being aware of your actions is a form of 'yoga practice'.
If you are going to declutter your home make the new, cleared space purposeful. Create a reading corner, a sewing corner, a meditation space. Be sure the clutter will not return. Be more conscious of what you buy...ask yourself whether you really need it. Revel in the wonderful world of thrifting and handmade. Simplicity can easily provoke creativity, thought and focus. And be honest, ask yourself what truly makes you happy? A brand-new piece of clothing or the vintage gem you found for $5 at the second-hand store. Simplicity doesn't mean you have to stop buying new clothes. Instead take on the French attitude - only buy a few items that you love, love, love.
Simplicity is about discovering what you truly value. When you are surrounded by things that you love and that you value, you will be in happy in your space.
For the past few days I have been thinking about this post and each day I have asked myself what makes me happy. The list goes like this:
- a cheeky grin
- a cuddle
- home-cooked meals
- a cup of tea
- picking flowers with my boys
...and it just so happens that each time I have glanced at the vase holding those freshly-picked blooms I have felt happy. Content.
It's the simple things, isn't it?
And often it's the simple things that we are most thankful for. I am so looking forward to September. There's much to be thankful for in the next 30 days. And so each day i will post a bit of gratitude - in pictures, words, or both. 30 days of gratitude. In September.
Labels: yoga on sundays
Sunday, August 24, 2008
I started this blog to make sure traveling friends and overseas family could watch Ché grow. And then I found that while I was out walking or wandering around Woolworths I was thinking of photos and words to share on here. Writing this blog helped to lift me out of the post-birth fog and encouraged me to string words together again - into sentences (yes, my brain was a little hazy). And now, thankfully, I am writing professionally again.
I'm also teaching a few yoga classes a week at the studio and if anything it is the pleasure of sharing yoga with others that inspires me the most. I know that many of you who read this are stay-at-home-mums and I understand that your chances of attending a regular yoga class are pretty low. I know this because the last yoga class I attended as a student was a long time ago, not sure how long but I'll say 'a fair while'.
So it is here in this lovely space that each Sunday evening I will share a bit of my yoga knowledge with you. So you can read it on a Monday and take it with you for the rest of the week. Many yogis believe that if one person in the family practices yoga, the whole family is practicing yoga.
I must also tell you that yoga is not just a series of touch-your-toes-and-impersonate-a-pretzel postures. Yoga is an holistic way of life, a way of 'thinking, living, being' you could say. Although there might be a few times where I describe the benefits of a posture I am going to try to share the bits of information that I have found most helpful...the information I have learned from yogis and yoginis who have dedicated their lives to yoga.
And so I'll begin here...
Karma yoga is a branch of yoga commonly referred to as 'yoga in action'. It is yoga that promotes mindfulness, action performed with a meditative awareness. It is practiced for a set amount of time each day and no matter what you're doing you try to stay in the present moment without being attached to the outcome - you work faster and more effectively when you are focussed on the present moment. When I stay at the ashram (where I am studying), karma yoga is an essential part of everyday. The ashram could not function without it - just as my or your household couldn't function without cooking, cleaning, washing etc. And so, with the concept of karma yoga in mind I attribute it to my role as stay-at-home-mum.
How? I spend a set amount of time each day doing housework. I try to just do it, not to think about the outcome and not to become attached to the idea of a spotless home - because I accept the fact that child = spots (lots). Once I have spent the 90minutes or so cleaning and tidying I am left with a whole day - to spend time with Ché, bake, take photos and write. And I get to do all those things without feeling guilty about 'the housework'. I know that this mum gets to be so wonderfully creative because she doesn't consider a spotless home important. I know that I'm a better mum because I have decided what is most important to our lives and it's definitely not sparkling skirting boards (apparently they exist).
I encourage you to think about the concept of karma yoga sometime this week. Even 'thinking' about it is considered a form of yoga practice. I will keep these posts separate so just look for the "yoga on sundays" pic in the sidebar (special thanks to leni and rose for technical support).
And if you are feeling generous...on October 22nd at sunrise I will be practicing 108 sun salutations as part of the Yoga Aid Challenge. My chosen charity is the Save the Children fund. If you would like to donate please go here and click "donate" next to 'Jodi Wilson'.
Enjoy your karma yoga...
Labels: yoga on sundays
