Categories
Beautiful Rituals Healthy Activities

Some New Delights @ Rumi’s

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Being Human

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all
even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture.

Still treat each guest honourably,
he may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

– RUMI
(1207-1273)

img_6572 Green Tea Barista C-san:) img_6567 Assisted by “Princess Leila”:)
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Just whipped – Impromptu tea ceremony Western style by C-san. Casual tea time @ Rumi’s … gratitude for generous souls 2016.
Wondering what this new year 2017 will bring – myself, hoping to whip up something frothy and light. Being human!

Categories
Beautiful People Beautiful Places

“Her Voice Echos” the podcast

“It’s brilliant!” followed by a woof, says Honey, the girl dog.
img_6455I thought I studied American History enough to know what happened the last 200 years or so from those textbooks. But I was wrong. Figuring it’s so short compared to say … European or Asian history but … I had no idea until I heard these podcasts.

This is a podcast started by a friend who was very receptive to therapeutic yoga sessions with me, being so receptive, she became one of my subjects:), right in the lovely sun room. Being creative and super intelligent, she totally got the value of yoga. Anyway, here are some amazing stories and Kim does such a fine job narrating something that might have gotten overlooked, lost or forgotten. She brings these women’s voice back to life as it’s timely as ever. Most of the stories are heartbreaking and painful but … all the more, poignant. Had no idea she’s such a history buff who would turn her passion into … something this moving, this tangible, so appreciated by a growing audience.

After hearing about the Slave Girl, I could not help but realize how good we have it no matter how some may frame their fate negatively. If some of you are depressed or feeling blue or whatever the dark clouds of moods may be, when you listen to Her Voice Echos … you realize that we are actually very lucky and don’t even know it. We can make a change. We are not slaves – maybe just slaves to money, fame, ego, etc. but not in a sense that these disenfranchised poor women were. We own ourselves; nobody “owns” us. We are free.So free that we don’t even exercise the hard-won voting rights or appreciate the fact that we can study whatever we wish to learn.

Here it is – Thank you Kim ! I can see why there are thousands of Likes within the few months she’s started the podcast … it’s just so relevant today still. While anyone woman or even a man would find Kim’s podcast educational, I think teachers of history and social studies at high school level and above, can really use these podcasts in their classrooms. It’s more real than the textbooks and allows the students to realize as I did … today’s freedom was won over time – it wasn’t something that was a given. It’s been ugly and dreadful BUT … there’s progress due to courageous women in this country’s history. Kim is right. Their voices should be heard. America had come such a long way, having elected such intelligent and graceful African American as a President for the last 8 years. (We were at the crusp of electing America’s first woman President …but ?) It was just … epic when you realize all the struggles and suffering many had overcome to rise above. All is not peachy. There’s still a lot of pain and suffering as I hear of another friend involved in stopping human trafficking … had no idea, there’s still so much injustice.

img_2946Keep Tahoe Blue:)img_2950
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Categories
Healthy Living

SFO in December

A lot of comings and goings this year but we are staying put this holiday season for a reason. img_6926
Holiday party with fellow yoga teachers … feeling inspired. Lorraine in the center looking like a golden angel just came back from India/Nepal trip and I am so impressed with her adventurous independent spirit – my intention this year to follow her lead and be more fearless and more out of this head – to balance out the need to be responsible while being …carefree; Renee, the other beauty amazes me – she’s brimming with ENERGY. In fact, they both are brimming with love and light, so much that, through their energy conduction, I am resuscitated and re-charged!
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so decided to cover for another lovely yoga teacher’s class – everyone needs to take vacations so they can refresh and come back a better teacher, right?
Subbing with no other intention but to cover while she’s off to refresh and restore.
tomorrow at 9:30am @ Bay Club
Told any style of yoga so may I share Gentle Vinyasa Flow with a twist?
Hope so as that’s my regular morning practice:)
May we cover each other with respect, keeping friendship and camaraderie in mind.
img_6902 These lovely yoginis made me so happy, can’t stop smiling:) Picture time is over? Honestly, it’s been a rather challenging “weird” year but … an uplifting tribe creates the right vibe. Namaste:)