Washington DC is a special place … as I mentioned in the earlier post, I was wowed by RBG’s documentary. She’s x-times cancer survivor 84 years old. The film showed her exercise routine (plank everyone, plank:) reflecting her determination and tenacity. I also notice the sheer number of steps you have to take just walking around this place. The steps to the Supreme Court are … supremely steep. Here it’s easy to clear that quota of 10,000 steps a day + yoga @home practice:)
From the National Portrait Gallery
At the Capital building – glancing over to see this … and being in awe.
Feeling the vibe of … some very powerful women here.
Maybe few weeks ago, I received a feed from Deepak Chopra that really resonated with me. He’s been introduced by Oprah enough and with all those best seller self-help books – which I have not read any of. But I love this – loosely quoting him:
If you want to experience peak state, transcendence, that “flow”, the lightness of being, there are 3 steps:
Start by NOT identifying with your personal history;
Eliminate the need for approval and self-importance;
Be aware in the present moment
To not dwell on the past and not letting the past determine who you are today is the first step – to let go of the past, the “sanskaras” – the groove and patterns and habits that imprints but does not serve you today; Then to be more grounded and centered in self-acceptance and love that you no longer seek outside validation. To no longer be insecure and weak; and then finally, to be fully engaged and conscious in the here and now.
Actually he summarized the main tenet of yogic philosophy very simply – a bit more is missing but for now, give this a try. It sounds easy and yet so hard to do … but whenever I do, I am able to slip into that state of yoga, that ultimate effortless being who is free and … light.
Hoping to create that safe space and hold that space so we can all regain that lightness and ease of being.
Yin practice keeps us limber, flexible and buoyant. Through the practice we can again find space in re-calibrating the heart rate variability. Yang practice strengthens and pumps our heart. In balancing the two seeming opposites, we find our center – the equilibrium. Your practice will keep changing and it’s that sophisticated wise student who knows how to adjust the practice. How we adjust modify and challenge still demonstrates the kind of yoga student we truly are – are we driven by intention of self-care and compassion … or … that of ego and fear …
Having seen the documentary film “RBG” on the flight, I highly recommend that all women and all men who have daughters, mothers, sisters, wives, see this documentary. Sometimes we just take things for granted not realizing that many of these rights we think is just a given today were bitterly fought for by those who came before us. Those rights were not just handed over; they were fought and won over.
At “Mid-Sentence” exhibition …
From the Capital Building
At this time when woman’s rights and intelligence and wisdom over their own fate seems to be precarious, it’s inspiring to see these heroic women who brought about the change with the steps they took. Then, there’s the first African American president’s portrait that was so different – a standout – from all the other portraits except Kennedy’s being just as different in terms of being a departure from a typical portrait paintings.
Portraits of transformative change-makers are always a thrill to see.
