The Yogabliss, Your Heart Life on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning.  We explored darkness and light as generative forces that enable us to grow and heal.

We heard the voices of young and old poets affirm the shadow we cast as a source of love and light. We can navigate the terrain of darkness with our compass of love.

We heard poet farmer Wendell Berry’s advice on how to know the dark. The poem is from his 1970 Farming: A Hand Book. He evokes a blooming and singing darkness. Perhaps this touches the generative aliveness of soil.  Soil that nurtures seeds. Seeds that will blossom in the light of new growth?  You can find more of his work at Mr. Wendell Berry of Kentucky.

The Yogabliss on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning.  We focused on letting go as the leaves are letting go in the days before Autumn Equinox.  We explored different ways of finding “the rest inside the unrest.”   These restorative practices give us a chance to slow down.  We create the space and time to tune into feeling alive and listening to our inner music.

Today’s guided meditation was inspired by Cheri Dostal Ryba.  Cheri is a yoga therapist who focuses on women’s pelvic health.  In her book Pelvic Yoga Therapy for the Whole Woman, Cheri writes “becoming aware without judgment or immediately “fixing” ourselves allows us to receive accurately, wholly.  From that baseline of clear perception, we can respond skillfully, lovingly, articulately.”

We heard Danna Fauld’s poem, Go In and In, from her collection:  Poems from the Heart of Yoga.  Danna offers a “poem of the week” on her inspirational web-site.

We heard Jennifer Williamson’s  beautiful poem, I Am Enough. Jennifer, a suicide loss survivor, offers grief support through her website, Healing Brave.

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The Yogabliss, Your Heart Life on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning.  We reflected on what it is to feel truly at home within ourselves.  As social beings an integral part of belonging includes the communities we find outside ourselves.  We experienced the hum of our shared humanity with breathing practice and empathic imagination.  We slowed our habitual forward momentum by giving ourselves more time to pause and to feel.  When we’re not rushing through life we can appreciate ourselves and each other.  Life’s magic and mystery are revealed.

We heard the wisdom of Buddhist teacher and writer Clark Strand.  As a former editor of Tricycle magazine he’s has written extensively about Green Buddhism, ethics and creative expression through Haiku. Clark encourages us to “meditate inside the life we have.”

We heard Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer’s beautiful poem Belonging.  Rosemerry encourages students to find creative expression “inside the life you have.” You can find articles, interviews, videos, audios about Rosemerrry’s work by going to the “about” section on her web-site.

We drew inspiration from activist and writer Starhawk.  She is founder of Earth Activist Trainings which center round permaculture and sustainability.  She described circles of support in which we experience community.  In community we can speak our passions and be heard.

We heard singer songwriter Carrie Newcomer’s poem Send Love, It Matters.  You can find her beautiful music on her YouTube channel.  For a treat watch her project You Can Do This Hard Thing.

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The Yogabliss on-line Moving into Meditation classes met this morning.  We explored the practice of embodying strong back and soft front.  We cultivated the inner resources of presence, equanimity, strength, openness, tenderness, and caring.  These qualities can help us to create a loving holding environment in which to experience life’s challenges.  We can expand this space to include others who are suffering.

This practice is inspired by the teachings Roshi Joan Halifax and Frank Ostaseski.  You can find a compassionate and rich exposition of these ideas  in the recent Upaya programs LOVE AND DEATH: Opening the Great Gifts.  You can access the online recordings and study resources by registering on the Upaya web-site.

We heard  Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer’s poem, Temple.  In her simple heartfelt words, Rosemary expresses love for her body.  She affirms its broken places, scars and wounds as worthy of caring and tenderness.

We heard somatic therapist Karine Bell’s views on cultivating intimacy with the body as a way of developing empathy for others.

We heard Joanna Macy’s teachings on beloved community from her Kosmos Journal article, The Community Awaiting Us.

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