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2016 Kiss My Asana #6: Serenity Now! February 6, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Kirtan, Life, Love, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, TV, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.
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F: “Serenity now! Serenity now!”

G: “What is that?”

F: “The doctor gave me a relaxation cassette. When my blood pressure gets too high, the man on the tape tells me to say ‘serenity now!'”

G: “Are you supposed to yell it?”

F: “The man on the tape wasn’t specific.”

– Frank and George Costanza, Seinfeld episode 159

 

If you’re a Seinfeld fan, then the title of this post might send you into fits of giggles and seriously hysterical flashbacks. You might even stop reading (or pause the video) so you can find all or part of episode 159 (aka, Episode 3 of Season 9) and laugh all over again. Or, maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about and you use the link above to get looped in. Either way, if you laugh hard enough you experience the same kind of lighter than air, super relaxed sense of euphoria that Frank Costanza and the other characters desperately seek in the episode – or that real people actually find when they come to one of Andrew L’s regular yoga classes.

For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, Yogi #6 isn’t the teacher at the front of the room – he is one of my very first yoga studio regulars. And, all these years later, he’s still keeping the joy in the practice.

While some people will say they come back to class because of me or how the yoga practice makes them feel, everyone who misses a class with Andrew L. will consistently comment on how much they miss him! Because, ultimately, part of the genius of comedies like Seinfeld, as highlighted by “The Serenity Now” episode, is a sense of community: for about 23 minutes viewers become part of a fun-loving, close-knit group of people, where everyone belongs. Classes with Andrew L. are like back-to-back episodes of Cheers – only without the beer!

Naaraayana Naaraayana Naaraayana / Om Namo Bhaagavaate Vaasudevaaya //
For your love… / I’d give the moon if it were mine to give / I’d give the stars and the sun for I live / To fill you with delight / I’d bring you diamonds bright / Don’t you think it would excite

– Krishna Das singing “Naaraayana/For Your Love”

Andrew L. may not remember this, but our first encounter happened several months before our first yoga class together. He was, as it turns out, doing one of the things Andrew L. does best: Endeavor to make the things he enjoys more enjoyable for everyone. What I didn’t know at the time is that Andrew L. is also a loyal community-builder whose wit is not only obvious in his occasional one-liners, but also in the public art he creates to bring communities together. He’s a bit of a perfectionist (which means we sometimes butt heads); however, I think his family and friends will agree that our lives (and practice) are better for knowing him.

If you smile when you think of Andrew L., please consider making a donation to my 2016 KISS MY ASANA team!

 

~ Om Naaraayana Shanti Om! On Every Plane of Exstence, Peace To All Living Things ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #5: …Makes Me Feel Good! February 5, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Kundalini, Life, Love, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Tantra, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
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“For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom [Sophia].
She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.” – Wisdom of Solomon 7:26 – 7:29*

 

“Although the word Melech (King) appears many times throughout Jewish liturgy, a largely unknown-fact is that Malchut-mastery is an almost entirely feminine concept.” – Excerpt from The Kabbalah Sutras by Marcus J. Freed

 

Saturday, February 25, 2012, I was about to begin the 6th class of a 7th week series when in walked Kris – preceded by her infectious smile and boundless spirit. It would be May before I saw her again (for two classes in a row, one of which featured her favorite musical moment), but I hadn’t forgotten what a joy it was to share the space with a yoga master! Four years later, I still can’t wait for those times when Kris comes through town and gives me a call. In fact, sometimes I look forward to them so much I will them. Watching her practice yoga is like watching wisdom at play!

The true yogi ‘has inner joy’, according to the yogic sages. In addition ‘he has inner gladness and he has found inner light…’”

– Marcus J. Freed quoting the Bhagavad Gita

Besides appreciating her untethered soul and openness to all things yoga, I adore Kris’s love of music. We are both pretty eclectic in our musical tastes, but I think the thing that seals the bond, every time, is our love of life – or, maybe it’s our love of country music. Surprisingly, her musical moment doesn’t sound very country.

Kris is one of two artists featured in “Eve and the Snake: Women’s Work”(showing at Diamond’s Coffee Shop through February and March 2016). If you’re in the NE neighborhood, you can swing by, check out the art, have a hot beverage, and consider making a donation to my 2016 KISS MY ASANA team.

*NOTE: Monette Chilson uses this scripture as an introduction to her book Sophia Rising: Awakening your sacred wisdom through yoga; however, I have used a different translation.

~ Jai Guru Dev Jai Jai ~

Living A Life Of Joy December 29, 2015

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Basketball, Bhakti, Black Elk, Books, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Harlem Globetrotters, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Hula Hoop, Karma Yoga, Love, Meadowlark Lemon, Men, Movies, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Volunteer, Women, Writing.
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“Life’s most meaningless statistic is the half-time score.”

&

“My lasting legacy is if I pledge to always take it to the next level, on and off the court.”

– Meadowlark Lemon

If you’ve ever questioned how doing what you love (and loving what you do) can benefit the world, if you’ve ever questioned how your personal goals can impact people you’ve never met and will never meet, or if you’ve ever wondered what happens when you live a life fueled by joy…remember Meadowlark Lemon’s smile.

He was smiling for a reason.

Lemon, who died yesterday at the age of 83, was known as the “Clown Prince” of Basketball…as well as an Ambassador of Good Will in Short Pants, the Missionary of Happy, the Smiling Zealot – oh yeah, and also as Reverend Lemon, an evangelical Christian minister who said in a 1999 pre-Christmas interview, “I believe God put me on this earth to bring joy.”

And bring joy he did – even when he was “beating” the pants off of his opponents.

Over the next few days, weeks, maybe even months, people will be talking about how Meadowlark Lemon inspired them. There will be friends and family members expressing gratitude for his presence in their lives. There will be basketball players who will talk about how the Harlem Globetrotters organization led to the integration of the NBA. There will be actors and other entertainers who will mention how he helped them through a challenging time. There will be people who talk about how the Globetrotters were the first African-Americans and/or the first Americans they admired or appreciated. There will be kids (former and current), armed service men and women (former and current), prisoners (former and current), as well as the sick and shut-in (former and current) who were touched by a man with a big heart, big skills, and an even bigger smile.

And, somewhere out there in the world, there is a former or current 11-year old who hears about how the 11-year old Meadow Lemon III’s dream came true – and decides to hoop it up:

Or hoop it up:

Or hoop it up:

Or…you get the idea.

“One significant difference between life and any other game or race is that in life we only compete against ourselves. Even though others may be involved, each person’s life is judged by no greater criteria than how they did when measured against their own individual potential. Decide right now that you are going to begin a new chapter in your life. Why wait until January 1 to make your resolution? Make your declaration today and finish this day strong, this week strong, this month strong, and this year strong. The common denominator for all mankind is that we all get 24 hours in a day, just like everyone else. What you do with that time is up to you. Choose well…” – Meadowlark Lemon

 

Click here for more information about Meadowlark Lemon Ministries.

 

 ~ OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTHI OM ~