The Yogabliss, Two Rivers/RiverTree Yoga on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning of the longest day of light and warmth:  the Solstice!   The Sun’s light and our heart’s light come together in practice.  Today we explored the many ways humility can bring us closer to our Earth.  

Poet, theologian Alla Renee Bozarth’s poem Understanding reveals the deeper knowing that happens when we are willing to move under what we think we know.  Her Eco-Prayer describes Earth’s humus as our bone. Our Earth Bodies grow and heal when we honor and preserve Earth’s growing and healing.  You can find more of Alla’s inspirational writings at her web-site.

In his book, Touching the Earth, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us that in bowing to Earth we restore our balance and wholeness.

Indigenous activist and writer, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, encourages us to return to the humility of a newborn.  In so doing we can deepen our ability to truly relate to other beings.  He invites us to learn how to apply the mystery to everything. Tiokasin Ghosthorse is a member of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation.  He is the Founder, Host, and Executive Producer of “First Voices Radio” for the last 28 years. In 2016 he received a Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.  You can hear a fascinating discussion on For the Wild’s recent podcast, Tiokasin Ghosthorse on the Power of Humility.

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The Yogabliss, Two Rivers/RiverTree Yoga on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning.  We are adapting to new ways of living in response to the many changes we are living through.  Many of us are emerging from the isolation of pandemic restrictions.  Some of us have been caring for young ones and/or elders, partners and friends.  Our practice gives us an opportunity to pause, relax, open and trust what is emerging.  These are powerful healing skills that enable us to tune into to what matters most.  These skills also help us to “resource” and befriend ourselves so that we can stay engaged with Life.

Once again, we drew guidance from Insight Dialogue co-creator and Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom author and meditation teacher, Gregory Kramer.  Insight Dialogue involves mindful sharing within qualities of attention, contemplation and intimate inquiry.  Gregory encourages us to be with the mystery as it unfolds much like the unfolding flight patterns of birds.  For a rapturous experience of mystery and unfolding you can listening to a human and nightingale singing together at Emergence Magazine’s interview with Sam Lee, The Nightingale’s Song.

We drew inspiration from Jane Hirshfield’s magical poem, Rebus, included in her collection Given Salt, Given Sugar.  Jane is a long-time Zen practitioner whose meditation practice informs her work.  You can listen to Jane read seven of her poems on this YouTube recording filmed by Pamela Robertson-Pearce.

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The Yogabliss, Two Rivers/RiverTree Yoga on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning.   We practiced mindfully pausing, relaxing and opening.  These levels of attention help to move from all of our doings to simply being.  We explored relaxing enough to be with difficult experiences.  Opening involves a willingness to embrace what emerges from uncertainty.  These mindfulness skills may come in handy as we move from our masked and virtual lives to “in-real-life” engagement.

We drew guidance from Insight Dialogue co-creator and Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom author and meditation teacher, Gregory Kramer.  Insight Dialogue involves mindful sharing within qualities of attention, contemplation and intimate inquiry.

We drew inspiration from eco-philosopher David Abram, author of Spell of the Sensuous.  David is director of The Alliance for Wild Ethics.  You can find a series of fascinating, heartfelt and mindful essays on the Alliance web-site.

We enjoyed Tom Hennen’s poem, “Looking for the Differences,” from Darkness Sticks to Everything: Collected and New Poems.  The poem beautifully reminds us that “. . . That each thing on earth has its own soul, its own life . . . ”

We also heard Anne Alexander Bingham’s poem “It is Enough”  as published by The Writer’s Almanac (01/22/14).  The poem expresses content in the knowledge that we are part of every thing.

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