Wednesday, 17 March 2010


A gentle conversation

A new perspective

Hanging out

Generally we do not regret decisions we have taken, we regret only the ones we have not taken.

We have taken a decision to give ourselves a bit of personal time.
To spend an hour or two a few times a week just taking care of number one.
Communing with breath and movement, a time of quiet and calm.

We often make ourselves too busy to look after ourselves properly.
We have taken the step to focus on a practice that is enriching and fulfilling.

Give yourself those few hours to look after yourself, be a little egotistical and put your needs up front.
If you are feeling relaxed and strong the world around you will benefit.

If you churn away and wear yourself out who are you gaining?
A burn out is no help to anyone.

You are a precious being with the opportunity to be great, do not deny yourself this chance.
Your pleasure, becomes your friends and families pleasure.
Your happiness will become the happiness of all those involved with you.

Sunday, 14 March 2010

Excuse me

Eskil just sent me a BBC link with a story of the largest gathering of women on the planet. It is interesting just for that fact 3 million women gathered in one place. That it happened in India in the town close to where I have spent a yoga vacation for the last years makes it doubly interesting. It takes place in Trivandrum, Kerala.

The women were gathered at the Attukal Temple to celebrate Hindu goddess Bhagavathy - one incarnation of the potent goddesses Kali and Saraswati.

In the ancient religious texts, Bhagavathy is said to annihilate evil and protects the good in this world - she grants every wish of her devotees. This is also the fervent hope of the women who come year on year.

At the end of the ceremony a small plane hovered above the masses showering flowers.

We have a peaceful gathering of 3 million women. The article goes on to describe the police presence, 3000 officers, 600 of whom are women.

For me the most amazing detail in the article is this one: Fifty portable toilets were also provided. Read that again; 50 portable toilets. This is such an incredible detail of organisational disaster. 50 toilets for 3 million women, 3000 police officers. Do the math, it makes 60600 women for every toilet, that is quite a queue.
Remember what your Mom said go to the toilet before you leave!

Friday, 5 March 2010

How to crack a problem

The classic problem gets a new twist.
Wisdom for cash!

If I win the lottery everything will be better, I will be happy!
If you are a negative little toad right now and you get a serious amount of cash, will you change?
You will more than likely just become a wealthy negative toad.
Winning the lottery is secondary, it is getting to grips with all those head games we play.
Its like the old Boy Scout motto, "Be Prepared".

If the lottery win comes your way and you get the western dream of serious wealth, wouldn't it be better if your life was already in place. You had looked at greed, jealousy, anger, revenge. Maybe even moved on to a place of peace, happiness, satisfaction, acceptance. Once you are in a good place that desperate need for an external solution fades.

Maybe you win maybe you don't. Whatever the outcome you can journey through life with a sense of personal worth, a sense of joy and sharing.

By the way if you reach that point and you win the Lottery remember me, huh, huh! Pretty please??

Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Delete that

I have over 9000 photos on my iPhoto! I am pretty good at cleaning up and there are still a serious number of pictures. When I am out traveling friends download their cameras on to my computer, it clears their camera memory and gives them a back-up. This means that a lot of the shots are not mine, they are still there, lurking about ready to be used and misused as I see fit.

One of the pictures I always delete are those of my feet. How many shots have we all taken of our feet, just checking something, adjusting the settings, or carelessly clicking. Now why do I do that?

What is it with feet that makes them so irrelevant that we will just cancel them out.

A few years ago I was over in England visiting my Mom. It was summer and I was wandering around the house barefooted. One of my Moms friends was visiting and she burst out suddenly, "My God June look at his feet, they are beautiful". So as you can see I have it from a reliable source, a fine English lady, that I have great feet.
Feet have become rather neglected as we spend a lot of the time with them stuffed into boots or shoes.

My feet have stepped into the light since starting Astanga Yoga.
My gazing point is often towards my feet, I literally stare at them for periods of the practice. I grab my toes in many of the poses. Slip my hands over and under my feet. Grab my feet and pull them into more and more challenging positions.

Maggie having a close look

The grand statues in India are generally barefooted. It was the natural way to move around.

To move around nowadays in India or anywhere is going to cause a serious amount of wear and tear on your feet. The surfaces have become hard and unforgiving. A long life of working in the outdoors without shoes is going to degrade feet quite badly.

The feet of a new born child, my grandson.
What will his relationship be with his feet?
The first steps are taken, he is now running, climbing and exploring.

Our feet are our true contact with earth, they keep us grounded.
Maybe its time to bring them out of the closet, let them see the light of day.
Time to enjoy my base. If I am not sitting on my arse or lying on my back then it is my feet that are carrying me through life.
Maybe it is time to save those shots of toes and feet, caught in awkward positions. Give feet a chance: Now who was it that said that?