What if I lost my voice

if i awakened tomorrow and had lost my voice and could not verbally say the name of jesus
would that change how you know him in and through me?  just because I could no longer use his name, does that prevent me from surrendering to his action in the ways of love, empathy, charity, generosity, prayer, would not my very life, actions and light shining in my eyes not reveal the ONE , the stranger, the OTHER evident in me

i was telling pastor ben that i see it as my job to discern another's fullness of living water-- either you are flowing and alive with creativity, encouragement, respect for God's creations or you are suffering-- and if you are suffering and closed off from this bread of life then spirit would ask of me to ask  how can i help reduce your suffering
how can i love you and listen deeply to your need
there is only God and the need for God
God is either always a trinitarian flow or not
so abba, allah etc include jesus -- they have to
there is only one creator


Religion religio means yoke unite
so does the word yoga
yoga practice a union of mind body and breath
draws us into wholeness
in this space where the mind is no longer bossing us
or filled with anxiety
clarity arises
healing
connection to our deepest truth
this feels like freedom
freedom from self centeredness
freedom from our wounds and traumas
this is the how
religion has been missing for centuries
go to church on sunday
sing, pray, ask to be forgiven but HOW do I stay connected to my source the other 120 hours?
that was my question
other than be of service how do i follow jesus in his path of self sacrifice
the dying to what is false and suffering
how to let go and surrender to the holy spirit's transformative power

I'm done

I'm done

done tricking you, the reader, my friend on the other side of this screen

what i say, experience, share makes little difference in your life

it is what you say, experience and share

you must be the one who rises up in your agency
you are the only one you need to be in integrity for
you are the only one you need to look at in that morning mirror
and say-- well done good & faithful servant

only you can live a life that recognizes your inherent value
yes, you are always being transfigured, becoming more of who the Divine created you to be

BUT...more importantly, GOD announced
****you belong****
when you cheated,
SHE said ***YOU are MINE***
when you had that angry outburst,
HE whispered ****come closer****
when you ran far away or got lost

somehow you have become a foreign traveller in your own being
somehow you abandoned the idea of returning home to yourself
because you feared
there was no one there with the
LIGHT left on for you

There is...

Westboro Baptist, Eye-Gazing + #demsinPhilly

Why would a Christian Yogi Mama head into Philadelphia amidst the crowds of Bernie or Bust supporters carrying her hand-made sign displaying–

We are already connected

Look into my eyes and see

Well, not to face down  the infamous, vemon-spewing  cult, Westboro Baptist, that’s for certain. But when I found myself in 93 degree sweltering heat, it was nothing compared to the hellfire and damnation being shouted from the guy with the mic.  I had never seen or heard anything like this, let alone in the name of Jesus.

Smiling,  I kept my cool, looked the speaker’s sidekick in the eye and mouthed– read my sign.

His not so cool reply? “Get outta hear you fake, effin b*tch!!”

In my best Robert DeNiro from Taxi Driver impression I replied, “You talkin’ ta me?” pointing at my own chest.  His eyes were hidden behind his Maverick mirrored aviators  but his mouth continued to threaten my eternal torment in the nether regions because of my wretchedness and sinful nature.

As others willingly gazed into my eyes nearby, we held agape, peaceful space in a silent connection lasting about a minute each. It felt all the more like necessary resistance as the screaming continued right next to us.

A total of 15 strangers took me up on my somewhat odd offer, saying they’d never done anything like it before but two men had heard of the artist Marina Abramovic’s installation at MOMA a few years back.

Each participant thanked me, hugged me and found the practice quite curious as well as emotionally  moving.  My hope is to continue to offer the eye-gazings as a healing effort toward improving race relations.  In prisons, private sessions, and yoga communities I’ve witnessed intense releases and some transforming of deep pain.

On my way through my City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, I had this incredible sense of everyone’s innate beauty as I drove past all manner of humanity.  Suddenly the thought of the Westboro Baptist guy’s pain came into my heart and I imagined that he must only see us as ugly, dirty, and worthless. He must be projecting his inner demons and self-hatred onto us.

Then I wept.

As I prayed for this man to find peace in God’s redeeming love, the Holy Spirit assured me that he’d be visited and told from on HIGH to quit his hate and fear-mongering. I will never know if this actually comes to pass, but the confidence I received that our every small effort to radiate love and light is multiplied, returned my smile to my heart.

We each have the power to turn on our inner radiance and share and shine in whatever way makes us feel that interconnectedness to our fellow citizens. From this evening at the DNC–Let’s be the moral defibrillators of our time and shock the nation with the power of love, mercy & justice for all, Rev. Dr. Barber.
 Or as Billy Penn said, “Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.”  

A few friends have participated in a similar activity you can see here http://www.eyecontactexperiment.com

You are the hands, feet, voice and heart of the Living God…be brave!!

this is the yoga

awaken to tired
awaken to stuck
drag body to mat
move
breathe
be annoyed with too happy teacher

ask 'why?"
move /breathe some more
make messy shapes
tip over
reach for the sky

energy shifts

i am one
with the universe
i am one
with all the warriors
who
came before

all the teachers
leading
with the intention
to share hearts,
hard fought wisdom,
healing

stepping out on a limb of grace
i
release my grip
+
plummet
into the marvelous
hum of
chaos

the nest

a group of 10 made strong not by your similarity and commitment to sameness
but by your unique contribution to making the nest's power last
with your promise to do you

your promise to not compromise your voice
your promise to not judge but love when one of you is suffering
your promise to bring light + laughter when there's pain
your promise to put your sisterhood first
which can only authentically take place
when you put your heart first

this lesson in coming back to yourself before offeirng anything
to the group will serve you well

you have seen how you get depleted of your 'you-ness'
when you sacrifice your sense of self
for others

the flow of life begins in your own heart

the flow of love begins in your own truth

the flow of joy never ends

you carry it with you into the world, waiting for you now

arms outstretched...announcing-- take your place
in your earthly home!!  bring your shortcomings, your failure, and fear
bring your nervous, your uncertainty and empty...

in this flow your cry out for a place
draws forth the calm, the sense that life is good
even when it feels really bad

underneath the thoughts, emotions and flow of fret
lives a current
deep and true...a place to settle, rest
sometimes it feels like enchantment other times
you will fight your way to peace
demanding through imagination
alone
that love exists underneath the layer of worldly worry

go inside...beyond the storm, the mind's hustle and bustle
you will find a garden
and in that garden
high in oak trees
there you will spy

your NEST

Beautifully Lonesome

She has this entirely new set of covenants she's made with herself. Something about being ever-merciful, patient, loving, kind and compassionate.  When she's not, which is quite often, she is in misery.

This misery is the 'pointer' to return home to her heart.

Embracing her brokenness, she feels everything-- but most of all lonesome.  Facing this emptiness sure feels real, like a bottomless pit she's being tossed into, with someone yelling 'TRUST!!'  On her way down she might remember a bible verse or two, grasping onto anything that resembles a lifeline.

This doesn't feel brave she tells herself, it just feels, um, like, um...shit.

Scary shit filled with resentment and questions, lots of unanswered ones.

Why do people suck is the main one.

Fortunately, she must teach a class and needs to get clear enough to hold space for others and not project this unresolved emotional drama onto the unsuspecing and wide-open yoga students.  These people trust her. And so with this thought, she steps into faking trust and steadfastness until it feels real.

She's in this partnership with the Spirit of the living God. And his side of the covenant is to conform her to His likeness. And so when she's filled with all her undesirable, very human emotions causing deep suffering, He asks her to trust and surrender them...NOW.  In an attempt to be obedient, she wipes her tears and just lets go. Just like that she chooses to not be angry and falls sound asleep.

When morning comes, her connection is newly aligned.

God was there in the darkness-- even thougth she couldnt see or feel him.

HUMAN MOSAIC

 Human  Mosaic

Good and evil intertwined   in a complicated prism

Each action sending off light and dark into unknown direction

Labeling a human  evil- far too easy

 Evil is not inherent,

 but an uncomplicated label for something quite

complicated 

Evil is more an act

Not a human being

A Scarlet Letter emblazoned on the chest of all

Inescapable sin manipulated into guilt and shame

Merely pinning an A in Scarlet

on others is an attempt at removal

of shame on the Self

One's own log must be acknowledged

Before identifying another's splinter

Evil is ever-present and unchanging                                                                                                                

A human being is ever-evolving

incapable of description

By such a simple word

Change, our only constant

Evil, a simple cop-out

A world revealing only two extremes

a world of eternal blandness