angel lullaby

let go.

there’s nothing to hold onto…

nothing to lose.

alchemy

smiles and tears…

divine light and holy water.

Amidst and Betwixt

It is mid-month, October 12, and the full moon is dancing across the sky. Within the past 12 hours, I’ve twice found myself sitting between the ethereal movements of the moon and sun. Dusk and dawn have beckoned me to Mediation Hill, the new space on the eastern hillside of my Santa Barbara home. A space which when I moved here in July was nothing but rocks and brush. Over the past 3 months, it has transformed into a little meditation space…a magical fortress of driftwood pillars surrounded by succulent gardens and ancient rocks.

Last night at dusk after teaching a sweet full moon Vinyasa class on Isla Vista, I sat on the hill. Looking to the West, the sun departed with a pinkish orange sigh over the Santa Ynez Mountains. In the East, the full moon quietly rose into the sky. Jupiter, Lord over the October night skies, kept a watchful eye on the whole scene, his golden smile shining down on me. There amidst the changing of the celestial guards of day and night, I settled into the quiet embrace of the twilight which offered me shelter from my thoughts.

Morning Meditation

As the sun rises
my mind sets.
And a new day
can begin.

The Sea of Love

Swimming in the Rasa of Santa Barbara

Photo by Michael Stern

 

I moved to Santa Barbara in July. After spending seven months in Albuquerque and what felt like 40 years (due to several mishaps with the rental trailer) crossing the deserts of New Mexico, Arizona and California, I was never so happy to see water. Lots of water. Water is gushing everywhere. The Pacific Ocean. Lagoons. Rivers. Creeks. Mountain springwater swimming holes. Oh, and not to forget the water in the sky – the fog and marine layer, which I found out are two different forms of the water element. How these two different kinds of condensation are formed and named is based on weather conditions.  But to borrow off a Dylan quote, I don’t need a weatherman to know that the dance between the water and air elements here in Santa Barbara is gorgeous divine magic. I love watching the fog waltz in and over the mesa, then pass through the canyons. What the locals call the “June Gloom”, which this year lasted until early August, was a welcome sight and feel to my rasa depleted body. 

Give and Take

When you give me some piece of your mind
I give you some peace in my heart.
That kind of exchange is no fair trade.

So the next time you lose your mind
I promise to lose heart
And take my business elsewhere.

teeter totter

mood swings and monkey bar rings.

life’s a playground

in the recess of the mind.

Springtime Awakening of Trees and Yogis-Part Two

Note:  This is the second part of the article.  As I shared last week, this article was supposed to be a short piece.  But a nearby tree had something to share.  To read the first part, please go to http://www.kellenbrugman.wordpress.com. 

Photo by Michael Stern

And so the journey into the eight limbs of yoga and the life of trees continues.  During the past week, the trees in New Mexico have sprouted more leaves.  The neighborhood becomes greener and there are now shady respites along my dog walking route.  As I watch the trees, a sense of new beginnings crescendos with each new leaf.  As I’ve practiced on the mat, through each pose and each breath, I’ve also felt a sense of new beginnings.  Following are observations from the practice of doing yoga and watching trees.

4. Pranayama.  This is control of the breath and the vital life energy -the prana.  Pranayama calms the nervous system, and nourishes the lungs, heart and other vital organs.  It also soothes the mental body by balancing sattva, rajas and tamas in the mind.  From the moment we are born, we breathe non-stop until our death.  And at our death we leave this world escorted by the breath on an exhale.  Like us, trees during their lifetime are constantly breathing.  They inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen.  Their breathing is called photosynthesis.  Photosynthesis means “putting together with light.”  Sunlight is their catalyst for this divine transformation.  This light is the catalyst which ignites the trees agni.  Agni is the transforming energy of the fire element.  The tree’s agni transforms nutrients from the soil, water from rain, light from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air.  This transformation process creates nourishment, strength, growth and vitality in the tree.  It also creates oxygen for the environment.

Pranayama stokes the body and mind’s agni.  In the physical body, agni is the main digestive fire, as well as 39 other important agnis which occur in the 7 dhatus (tissues) all the way down to the cell nucleus.  According to the Vedas, the prana in the human body is a similar force as the sun in Nature.  (Resource: “Yoga and Ayurveda” by Dr. David Frawley).  Just as the sun transforms all life functions on Earth, prana transforms all life functions in the body.  Prana transforms the body and mind, as well as awakens the inner light of the Spirit.  Pranayama creates purification, rejuvenation, growth and expansion of the Spirit.  It helps one to go beyond the limitations and delusions of the body and mind.  The Light of the Divine is the source of all spiritual growth. 

Springtime Awakening of Trees and Yogis

Note:  This is a two part article.  It was originally going to be a short piece explaining the eight limbs of yoga.  However, after beginning the article next to a tree in my garden, the tree had something to say too.  Hope you enjoy the piece…maybe even read it next to your favorite tree. 

It is springtime and nearly impossible to not notice the trees.  Being in hibernation the past few months, they are now awakening.  The light and warmth of the sun has called them out of their slumber.  They hear the sun’s call and reply with verdant green displays of life.  The trees and sun share a sacred relationship, one that embodies the power and beauty of agni – the energy of transformation.  Agni in Nature is amazing to observe.  In springtime, agni works as a force of creation.  This force of Nature is felt by all living creatures, as it is the season where flowers emerge from what was once silent ground and butterflies appear from the warm ethers.  During spring, animals mate, bees buzz, ants march, and peoples’ thoughts turn to romance and rejuvenation.  It’s also a wonderful time to experience transformation in ones yoga practice.

Meditation

is

Medication

for the mind.

Dosage:  Daily

Refills:  Each moment for Eternity.

Possible Side Effects:  Clarity, vitality, joy, pleasure, focus, compassion, bliss.

Cost:  Free

Insurance Plan:  Covered by the blessed assurance of the Divine.