Shut. Them. Down.

No, this is not about the NCAA Tournament.  Although, given my having been raised in ACC-Land and having gone to Chapel Hill, I can see how you might mistake me for that much of a basket ball fan.

Instead, and brace yourselves, I am taking the opportunity to harp on you, once again, about Earth Hour.  Please please please.  Every year, once a year, people around the world unite in their time zones to celebrate the Earth, Mother Nature, Gaia- whatever you want to call it- by turning off their lights for an hour.  Just an hour; and just the lights.  It is a beautiful thing to gift the planet- an hour of rest.  An hour without electric light.  This year's Earth Hour occurs tomorrow (or today, depending) March 31, 2012.

This event means more to me than I can possibly express- even though I do try valiantly every year to do so.  To me it is about more than lights.  The lights are important but the planet is the Star- ya know?  These days seem to be so convoluted, so polluted with danger, distrust, high emotions- polluted with everything physical, mental, and emotional we humans can create.

But when you take this hour, just this hour, to gather with your family or flatmates or whomever and turn the lights off, you return to a sense of the way the world was before.  Before you and me, before the hum of electricity became a constant companion.  Seriously.  Get together some of your cohort tomorrow night.  Turn the lights off, light some candles, and just be.  Be there with each other, enjoying company, enjoying the ritual burn of fire- the soft glow of candlelight vs. the harsh glare of electricity.  Or sit out under the moon and LOOK at the stars- see them!  Embrace the absence of the light- which is not darkness but restorative quietude.

Please Please Please.  Just turn them off.  Just an hour.  And just your lights.

Much love,
Much grace and lightlessness,
Until next time, Friends...

A Good Day

It has occurred to me that any day which I get to spend entirely in Yoga clothes is a good day.  This thought occurred to me yesterday- a day which I got to spend entirely in Yoga clothes.

Cheers, Yogites!

Ostara-or-The Spring Equinox

Equal Parts
Light and Dark.
Equal Parts
Light and Dark.

Today, March 20, is the Spring Equinox, or, Ostara.  It is a day to celebrate balance and equilibrium.  Nature is balanced- 12 hours each of daylight and night.  Go out, light candles, do your thing.

But always consider the balance in nature, the balance and beauty and perfection of the natural world.  Earth celebrates the next stage of her seasons today, in Equal Parts Light and Dark.

Gironzolare (Wander)

One of the more appealing side affects of coming so beautifully back into the world- yogi blitzed and pretty regularly blissed out on breath awareness and meditation- is that I have discovered this passion for language.  But not just my own native language; and not just the Sanskrit of my practice, which is, needless to actually say, ancient, perfect, and austere- but Italian (ha, of all the choices...), and French, and Maori.

These languages are potent.  They are delicious.  They are like ice cream to me.  Italian is sharp yet rolling- like bitter, dark coffee.  French, sophisticated, lilting French, is like caramel- creamy and sweet.  But Maori.  Maori is exotic and traditional all in one- it is unlike any other taste in my mouth.  I wish I knew more of all of these languages.  I wish I could eat them all at once, digest them, and wake up speaking all three fluently.  Once upon a time I could speak French rather fluently.  But that was once upon a long long time ago.

And what this linguistic buffet has caused me to do is continue on my travelling bender.  I want to go and go and go.

So now it is open season for suggestions- for votes.

A tour of the Mediterranean (of course starting in Belgium with my perfect Tante Annette)?  Or perhaps working my way South of the Border in the vineyards of Argentina and Chile?  Back to New Zealand?  For more study and more Maori?

My manuhiri, mes amis, Amicos,
HELP!

Until next time.  Love and happiness and happy thoughts.

I Was Not Magnificent

Yep.

I have had too much to drink tonight.  And I have had a HUGE serving of ice cream with peanut butter and toasted nuts tonight.  And I am loathing the self- most especially tonight but this is the general theme of my oddly self-centered life.

Again, this is what I do in general.  But alcohol and ice cream make it that much worse.  Because my brain and my body both feel oh so funny and oh so over the top.  While they are delicious, they are also undeniably guilt-inducing for my stupid psychology.

A few entries ago I wrote that some things never change.  And some things don't.  And some things truly never will.  There is a part of me that worries that regardless of all the profound transformation I have just experienced, all of the impressive growth and motion into the realm of self-love, that I will never, never, never ever heal to the point of being healthy.  It is not a comfortable notion to deal with but it is one that I deal with day to day to day.  Every nanosecond, these days, is a challenge.  The kind of challenge that I face upon sunrise is the challenge to maintain gracefulness and the goodness I have recently attained; the challenge to maintain the wholeness and wonderfulness I feel on the inside.  

Suggestions are welcome.

Not that I will listen to anyone but myself.  But they are welcome.

Until next time, Manuhiri,
let's hope for continued growth.

The Last Night- Aotearoa, the Giver

I have been staying at a yoga studio in Auckland for the past five nights.  To be more specific, I have been staying at what we affectionately refer to as 'Cheshire Street', the nickname for the studio who's intensive I took in order to become the yogic creature I am presently.

But tonight is my last night here.  Tonight is my last night in Cheshire Street, in Auckland, in New Zealand.  At least for the next 10 months or so.
More on that potential financial disaster but intellectual goldmine as it develops....

I have seen indescribably beautiful things, I have seen wilderness, I have seen city life and country life in cities and countrysides that really live.  They have life, vibrant, bold, sometimes touristy but often earthy LIFE.  In considering New Zealand, I have finally come to the conclusion that this place gives.  That is what New Zealand does.  She gives.  She gives what she has to those in need.  And we are all in need.  So she gives to all of us- what she has- what we need.

I needed a lifeline.  She provided me not one but many.  I needed perspective, peace, humility, and belonging.  My God did she provide those things.  And then some.  On so many different levels, this place just gives.  That is the thing I could never quite put my finger on in describing her to people.  It is the unnamed (but now named) quality of her existence which has given me so much pleasure, so much peace, and so very much perspective.

Alas.  Tomorrow I leave her, my Aotearoa, my Gifter of Life.  If I could truly describe the immense intensity of this second visit to New Zealand... well... actually, no.  I do not think I would even if I could.  I cannot describe the place in general- it took me nearly two years to happen upon this giving clarity.  But this visit, this visit in particular, is mine.  It is mine on a deeper level than you could possibly grasp or imagine.  So I shall selfishly keep it to myself for a little while longer.

At least for tonight, at least on this last night.

Until next time, my Friends,
Hei Kona Ra