LOVE

I read a thought provoking quote recently from Dr Sue Morter: 

"Until we actually allow Love to vibrate at the core of our being, it remains just a theory.

Choose to be Loved. Choosing to Love is one thing, but choosing to be Loved lets Love land in your core. Feel the distinction and revel in it."

We so often speak of and focus on learning to Love others. I am learning that Love begins with self love. Jesus said "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:31) and called it one of the two greatest commandments, right after loving God. I've been thinking about that a lot, and to me it means that as we expand our ability for self compassion and love, we also expand our ability to love others. 

I quote from our Restorative Partner Yoga manual: 

"In one tradition, monks used this practice as a basis that blended with the four divine states of Buddhism: Metta (loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (sympathetic joy), Uppekha (non-prejudice). RPY is an opportunity for literal expression of these Divine states of awareness for both the giver and receiver. "

I see Restorative Partner Yoga as a beautiful form of love in action. This is easy to see when you are the giver. As the receiver you get to practice what Dr Morter talks about above: letting Love land in your core...feeling it and reveling in it! Absolutely yummy! Which has expanded my container and ability for self compassion and love, which hopefull will increase my ability to love and have compassion for all other beings. 

There is a beautiful Sanskrit Chant I love: 

"Loka Samastaa Sukhino Bhavantu"
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti"

It means: May all beings in all dimensions and time be happy and free, PEACE, PEACE, PEACE. 

My intent is that my thoughts, words and actions will contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all.

Thank you Syl and Bodhi Yoga, for all you continue to teach me. Namaste. 

Sense Energy Lines

10-Sense Energy Lines

"While the Marma Point work is very visceral, and rooted in the physical body, the Sip Sen not only run along lymphatic, vein and arterial capillaries, but also run through the more etherial aspects of body and mind."

Threading and strumming the Sen lines warms the Prana (energy, life force), like warming honey so it will liquify and flow" Restorative Partner Yoga Manual-BodhiYoga

If we think of Marma points as pools or lakes of energy, the Sen lines would be the stream and rivers that connect these pools. Just as a lake without fresh water streaming in gets stagnant, free flow through the Sen lines help the Marmas stay vital.

My grandchildren seem to prefer Marma point work. They complain that strumming or threading of the Sen tickles them. It makes sense as I re read the first sentence, because children tend to be very rooted in the physical body. Maybe that is why being around children grounds me.

Interview with Bri

My grandchildren enjoy being interviewed, and I enjoy asking lots of questions to get to know them better. They call me Abi, short for abuela. The following is an interview of my oldest granddaughter, regarding her experience with Restorative Partner Yoga: 

1.  When did you first experience Restorative Partner Yoga?

"In the Spring of 2016, Abi had to practice and did it on us. (I love it)"

2. How do you feel about partner yoga?

"Ahhhhh! So relaxing"

3. What would you say are the best uses for RPY?

"Better sleeping, after a workout/sport, after school. Very useful for kids too, because life is long and stressful, but life is also amazing too"

4.  What parts of RPY do you enjoy most?

"Hands, face, arms, some back"

5.  Is there any part of partner yoga you do not enjoy?

"Sometimes the stretches and when we have to hold forearm to forearm because it hurts my arm"

6.  What would you think about being the giver in partner yoga?

"Sometimes, depending on who I give it to, but I like being the one to receive it more"

Play

I recently read a fascinating article by Joseph Pearce. When he was writing Magical Child, he did much research on the role of "play", but couldn't get a satisfactory understanding of why it was needed. In desperation he turned to God in prayer and asked about play. He tells what happened, "This great bolt of energy hit the soles of my feet and I found myself falling through the whole universe, stars and galaxies and everything else--this incredible, ecstatic joy feeling me. It went on and on and on. In fact I could hear myself calling out, 'God is playing with me!' Finally it began to fade and little by little I came back to my ordinary self. And I wept. I literally wept the rest of the night with this huge, joyful gratitude of what I had been given. It was such an ecstatic experience... I knew one thing: play is the whole purpose of life, it is the message of the heart and as long as we play fully and completely everything will work as it is supposed to". 

Immediately I thought of the scripture "Men are that they might have Joy". I believe my heart and spirit already know this, but there is much for my mind to ponder and learn.

I remember reading somewhere that "if you find something you love, and find a way to get paid for it, you'll never work a day in your life". In other words, your work will be play. 

Play vs Work. Doing RPY with an adult is lovely, but it takes effort, there is work involved. Restorative Partner Yoga with a child is pure PLAY and it is joy. I feel so blessed that this has been my experience.

Restorative Partner Yoga from Bodhi Yoga. 

Love Changes Perception

Don Miguel Ruiz, spiritual teacher, prays for love so we may find God in everything, seeing truth, beauty and creating our life into a masterpiece of art. 

“Today, Creator of the Universe, we ask that you open our heart and open our eyes so we can enjoy all of your creations and live in eternal love with you. Help us to see you in everything we perceive with our eyes, with our ears, with our heart, with all our senses. Let us perceive with eyes of love so that we find you wherever we go and see you in everything you create. Let us see you in every cell of our body, in every emotion of our mind, in every dream, in every flower, in every person we meet. You cannot hide from us because you are everywhere, and we are one with you. Let us be aware of this truth. Let us be aware of our power to create a dream of heaven where everything is possible. Help us to use our imagination to guide the dream of our life, the magic of our creation, so we can live without fear, without anger, without jealousy, without envy. Give us a light to follow, and let today be the day that our search for love and happiness is over. Today let something extraordinary happen that will change our life forever: Let everything we do and say be an expression of the beauty in our heart, always based on love. Help us to be the way you are, to love the way you love, to share the way you share, to create a masterpiece of beauty and love, the same way that all of your creations are masterpieces of beauty and love. Beginning today and gradually overtime, help us to increase the power of our love so that we may create a masterpiece of art - our own life. Today, Creator, we give you all of our gratitude and love because you have given us Life. Amen.” 
― Miguel Ruiz, The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship --Toltec Wisdom Book

In his book The Four Agreements, he suggests the following meditation to increase our awareness of love:

Restorative Partner Yoga is a physical infusion of love from the giver, by tending to the body. And also self love, as we make the space and time to receive it.  

So grateful for all I have learned from Syl Carson at Bodhi Yoga. 

Just Hands

We were at my 3 year old granddaughter's dance recital. She was adorable in her little costume and so excited for it to begin! 

Meanwhile, her older sister was not quite so happy. Things had not gone as she expected that day, and there were quite a few things "stressing her out". She was getting more and more upset by the minute, as she contemplated the passing of time, and how much homework she had to get done that day. I'm referring to one of the granddaughters who loves restorative partner yoga. 

I knew she was not in the frame of mind for being reminded to relax, or calm down, but I decided to take a chance and ask her if I could work on her hands. She hesitated a moment, ready to say no, but reluctantly allowed me to take her hand. I rubbed and patted Marma points, followed her Sen lines.

The recital began and I continued, then began work on the other hand. It was amazing to watch her calm down.  By the end her attitude had changed completely. She was herself again! 

I am so glad I took the chance. So grateful to have this tool available to assist my loved ones. 

A thousand thankyous to Bodhi Yoga!

In the zone

I love this quote from our Bodhi Yoga Restorative Partner Yoga manual:

"When our body, mind and spirit are working well together, our light-body is more activated. During the times this is happening, life seems lighter or easier; we are able to do more with less effort, time flies by, and things just seem to fall into place. We have a greater sense of value, well-being and how we belong in the world, without getting bogged down in the heavier parts of it. People who's light-bodies are more active, are able to effect a greater change in their world, body, mind and soul."

This is how I want to live my life and I see this state of being most readily in children. Yoga, in general, can assist us in  achieving this.