Nineteen, The Sun and Namaste

Sunflower field

"I honor the place within you where the entire Universe resides; I honor the place within you of love, of light, of truth, of peace; I honor the place within you, where, when you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

“We are members one of another; so that you cannot injure or help your neighbor without injuring or helping yourself.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

"This we know: All things are connected like the blood that unites us. We did not weave the web of life,  We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves."  ~ Chief Seattle

I parked in lot 19 today and the first thing that came to my mind was fields of sunflowers growing on the plains of Kansas, my version of the tarot card.  I can see the sunny blue sky, orange petals with large black centers, swaying a hello in the wind.   These Van Gogh colors symbolically remind me to do what makes me happy.  I get that lighthearted feeling that everything is going to be okay, it will all turn out right just put on a smiley Band-Aid and find something to laugh about.

Nature has a way of reminding me that everything is interconnected.  The sun not only gives me warmth but is also one of the needed ingredients to make my garden grow vegetables.  (Those chloroplast within the plant cell use the sun rays for creating energy.)  In turn, I eat them in wonderful salads and stir-fried in ginger and soy sauce over rice – each bite gives me energy.  The sun’s energy is transferred to me and I become connected to the sun and the vegetable plant.  The question becomes what will I do with this energy?  Do I share this power freely or keep it to myself?

I smiled as I walked the ¼ mile into work.  Funny – it is like a chain reaction.  Others see you smile and they smile to.

http://yoginidebi.com/

The Sun by Mary Oliver

Have you ever seen

anything

in your life

more wonderful

than the way the sun,

every evening,

relaxed and easy,

floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,

or the rumpled sea,

and is gone–

and how it slides again

out of the blackness,

every morning,

on the other side of the world,

like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,

say, on a morning in early summer,

at its perfect imperial distance–

and have you ever felt for anything

such wild love–

do you think there is anywhere, in any language,

a word billowing enough

for the pleasure

that fills you,

as the sun

reaches out,

as it warms you

as you stand there,

empty-handed–

or have you too

turned from this world–

or have you too

gone crazy

for power,

for things?

    

~#~

I went to yoga class at lunch.  Talk about law of coincidence or Jung’s Synchronicity?  My Instructor announced that this Yoga session would be devoted to our interconnectedness.  He didn’t know what was going on in Central Ohio, but felt that the Universe was offering opportunities to learn about this concept with the storms and accidents. 

7 Sun Salutations: purity of spirit, forgiveness, service to others, compassion, faith, healing and wisdom.

~#~

On June30th a terrible storm came through Central Ohio.  Winds were clocked up to 85 miles an hour.  T called me at work that afternoon and asked if I wanted a ride.  I thought he was joking and said: “I rode my bike home yesterday in this heat.  It can’t be any hotter since lunch (98 F).”  He asked if I had risen out of cubicle land to look out the window.  The sky was pitch black looking more like 5 pm during December.  I requested a ride home for my bike and myself.  I felt like Dorothy in the Kansas.  T gave a ride to one of my walking co-workers.

As of this week (July 13) out in the rural areas of Central Ohio, there are still people without power.  Besides not having power for at least a fan to move the hot humid air, many can’t run the pumps for their wells.  My grid was one of the lucky ones; we were one of the first up and running.  I immediately offered my outlets for electronics or someplace to escape the heat. 

Strangely, these events haven’t stopped.  During these last two weeks, several major accidents on Columbus’ main freeways have managed to snarl traffic during the morning rush hour: a deadly crash, a car drove off the freeway into a building, and today a train derailment with an explosion. 

But the news has offered up numerous stories about people in Central Ohio showing kindness and love.  People have ask those without electricity over for supper in a cool house; stringing an electrical cord across the street so a neighbor’s freezer can remain on; created brigades with power saws to move trees out of the streets; made room in freezers for someone’s recently put up peaches; or drove someone to work because the bus is too packed to let person on. 

1+9=10=1 – weirdly it all ends up back to the magician and E=mc2 with that WOW energy that can jazz up the world or tear it down.  I notice that many seem to be sharing the magical spell of kindness by reaching out to others.

Namaste

My Yoga instructor ends our time ritually saying “Namaste.”  This simple gesture acknowledges the soul in one by the soul in another.  Translated poetically this ancient Sanskrit means: “the divine light in me, respects the divine light in you.”  Namaste is a symbol of love, respect and gratitude towards another allowing us to come together energetically as one.

To carry out the Namaste gesture face a partner.  Place your hands together at your heart chakra, close your eyes and bow your head saying: “Namaste.” 

On a spiritual level, bringing your hands together at your heart chakra increases the Divine energy within you.  By bowing your head and closing your eyes , it helps quiets the mind in order to hear the messages from the Divine (Motherfather Spirit).   This gesture reminds us to live from our hearts by doing so we can see the beauty and love in all people. 

Activities

Howard’s Yoga Shake-up Blessing Chant

Done after Sun Salutation to loosen things up

Close your eyes and bounce shaking all your joints – think rag doll. After each line chant “omm” or “aumm”

May we learn to forgive.

Ommm

May we show compassion to others, especially the electric company who is doing the best they can.

Ommm

May we invite others over who are without electricity.

Ommm

May we ask someone without electricity to dinner.

Ommm

May we be willing to accept invitations to dinner.

Ommm

May we check on a neighbor to see if they are okay.

Ommm

May we be willing to offer a person a ride

Ommm

May we learn we are all connected and everything we do affects someone else.

Ommm

May we love more and live more from our hearts.

Ommm

Omm is believed to be the original sound that rose at the time of creation.  It is called the sound of the universe.  Chanting omm allows us to reconnect with creation’s movement: the waves against the shore, the movement of birds flying, the rising and setting of the sun and moon.  We remember our place in the symphony of Divine love.