try this... it really releases something nice...

breathe in

breathe out

smile


- excerpt from a writing by Thich Nhat Hanh (my daughter and i love this small/big practice a lot... it causes her to giggle)

LeeSaar The Company - Part II (excerpt)

visceral is the word that comes to mind when i watch this excerpt... it has a raw nature that i really connect with... the dancers are in relation to each other even when not directly dancing together... they seem all bound / together and up. the connection with the music is clear also, which i appreciate...

Ascenso

beautiful lines, seamless partnering that explores / establishes relationships b/w the movements of the trio. work is by cuban choreographer rosario cardenas

lists are like poetry to me...

this according to a friend of mine. i agree! this list especially moves me...

Tips and Pointers for Building a Spiritual Life from Scratch:

Pray
Meditate
Be aware / Stay awake
Bow
Practice yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax / Enjoy / Laugh / Play
Create / Envision
Let go / Forgive / Accept
Walk / Exercise / Move
Work / Serve / Contribute
Listen / Learn / Inquire
Consider / Reflect
Cultivate oneself / Enhance competencies
Cultivate contentment
Cultivate flexibility
Cultivate friendship and collaboration
Open up / Expand / Include
Lighten up
Dream
Celebrate and appreciate
Give thanks
Evolve
Love
Share / Give / Receive
Walk softly / Live gently
Expand / Radiate / Dissolve
Simplify
Surrender / Trust
Be born anew

- Lama Surya Das, Awakening the Buddha Within

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

I heard about Randy Pausch's "last lecture" a while back when he was still alive. I finally watched it and am so glad I did. It was inspirational to hear his story of how various childhood dreams manifested in his life... some did and some didn't... and those that did often manifested in ways that he couldn't even have imagined.

Dance video of the day: Korr by sara galan, dancehall workshop ryshuset

Afro-dancehall in Stockholm, Sweden

Anish Kapoor Ascension in São Paulo, Brazil 2007

This video is very evocative and "put together"... I recently saw the current Anish Kapoor exhibit at the Institute for Contemporary Art (www.icaboston.org) and am fascinated by his work. I found this video especially interesting as it pulled in images from the city of Sao Paulo, and the video at times focused just as much on people's responses to the work as the work itself.

Effortlessness

This has been my word for the week. I've been paying attention to when things are effortless rather than feeling like I have to struggle to figure things out. I really don't believe in struggle and so if this is my truth, I realize that rather than adding more and more action to my daily routine I "add" inaction. Do less. Think less. Figure out less. Be effortless. Just be.

What reminds me to just "be"?

Paying attention to my breath. Taking deep breaths mindfully.

Dancing.

Any form of movement because it brings me back into my body and literally grounds me.

Smiling.

Who Am I?

It's one of those existential questions... I was pondering this question as I was walking the other day. I was trying to do a walking meditation only I wasn't meditating... I was *thinking*... I know the mind continues thinking even during meditation and you watch your thoughts and gently pull your attention back to the breath... well, I made no such effort. I walked and thought myself into a pretzel. Later that day my friend sent me a link and it went right back to the question I was thinking about.

I'm not going to say any more. Just one word: Puppetji.

What is Puppetji, you ask. You just have to watch. Go to: http://www.puppetji.com/ and laugh your head off. Have fun, and no thinking!

Overheard

There is a magazine (or maybe it's Craigslist?) that publishes some things overheard. Well this is definitely common these days with people walking around with cell phones attached to hands and ears (or those martian-like ear pieces that make a person appear to be talking to no one)... so this was my overheard piece for the day when I was walking in the Longwood medical area.

I overheard a young woman on her cell phone saying, "I set all these transition points as a time when life would change..."

My interpretation of her tone was that she was surprised that nothing had changed at these points - what were they? (I can only imagine without hearing the other side of the conversation or the full conversation) College graduation? Entering graduate school? Medical school? New job? A move?

I can definitely relate to this sense of imminent change in direction as I made different choices throughout my life. Only to then find that it actually takes a whole lot of time to see the result of this change. So my constant reminder to myself is that life and making decisions and seeing dreams and goals realized actually takes longer than I imagine... which demands a lot of patience on my part! Patience I have to keep practicing in order to actually develop.

Human connections

"Walk a Mile." Thanks Craig Project




I came across an article on wbur.org that described artist projects revolving around users of craigslist. The idea was that here are all these anonymous people connecting with each other on a daily basis to get stuff, or get stuff done, using this web tool. The home page of the website - http://www.thankscraig.net/ - says "WANTED: a human connection in an anonymous megalopolis." I can't think of any better way of putting this myself. I'm fascinated by the projects that the artists came up with to further explore how people have connected with each other using Craigslist or as a tool to connect with people and engage them in a community project.

Check out the website!

Be curious

How does one find balance?

I was playing with exercises for balance with a client (big up R!). We tried balancing on both legs and feeling how stabalizing the arms, shoulders, and core helped keep tension in the body so that we were rooted from our feet up through our heads. Then we felt how if we adjusted one part - pushing the chest too far forward, or pushing the knee further outward while in tree pose - it could throw us off or help keep our balance.

When we finished with a set of balances on both feet and on one foot, with eyes opened and then closed, she opened her eyes and I saw them light up. She felt something... was awake to something in a way she hadn't been before. We laughed and talked about how even just finding balance for one moment means that we can recognize it again in the future. Our bodies have cell memory and muscle memory... this makes it so that with practice we can find movement or a feeling again even after we've put it out of our minds for a time. This was a metaphor for life! Not only do we have the task of uncovering what balance means for ourselves - and not by some outside standard - we also might realize through living it that like a pendulum, we might swing from one extreme to the other from time to time... or often. But as we go, we pass through that center and our eyes light up and we may even stay there for a minute until off we go again.

Welcome cracks appearing on the surface of things

I've been talking with friends a lot lately about the ability to be vulnerable. What does that really mean? Let's see, according to dictionary.com: Susceptible to physical or emotional injury; open to censure or criticism; assailable. Yup, that sounds pretty unappealing. But as I think more about this word and the particular defensive emotion that goes along with not wanting to be vulnerable - for me that is to erect a wall of strength - I realize that the defense makes it hard for people to get in. In a culture that prizes individuality, strength, and the ability to take care of yourself (all by yourself) - at what cost are we insulating and isolating ourselves to make things appear seamless on the surface of things?

What are your thoughts on vulnerability and strength? Do you think they're polar opposites or is there strength in vulnerability?

Volunteer experience at Waltham Fields Community Farm

So we arrived at the farm at exactly 9am this morning (2 adults, including me, and 1 child in our group). There was a nice cool breeze but the sun was quickly heating things up. We lingered under the tent for a minute before walking out to the fields and finding someone to tell us what to do. I forgot to bring water (good one on what would be a 90-degree day!) but never fear, there was a kitchen inside the building and spigots across different parts of the field. The farm fields are located behind the UMASS Field Station building and the fields are just beautiful (the above pic is from their website/unfortunately, my camera is done for and I need a new one so I can post my pics)... they grow vegetables and herbs like pepper, eggplant, tomato, fava beans, green beans, cilantro, thai basil, mint... we picked raspberries right off the bushes by the greenhouse for a snack after we were done (the berries were so good my daughter saved the last few in her hat so she could savor them on the car ride back). We ended up helping to weed the beds of eggplant and peppers while others helped harvest some of the eggplant that were big enough to pick. The smell of the peppers was especially pungent and delicious. Bees, various kinds of beetles, inch worms, spiders, and ladybugs were all around us as we worked. The sun was hot and we took lots of breaks to drink water; the kids in the field found shade when they needed to get out of the sun. We talked to each other as we worked and really enjoyed being out in the open air and communing with the insects (in a way that we don't do when the bugs are in our houses!). The time passed by really quickly and we could see the difference our work made when we were done. It felt incredibly productive and satisfying and the whole experience gave us motivation to come back and volunteer again and again.

Last thought: I was thinking to myself how much of a privilege it was to spend the day working on the farm and getting back in touch with food. I then thought of my ancestors and how when they came to this country this was one of the types of labor that they were *allowed* to do. In fact, we live in a time when many of us are grateful to have more options and mobility than those who came before us. I think this is where the sense of privilege came in for me. That I could choose to spend my time doing whatever it is I want... that I allow myself the luxury to follow my interests. Hmm. Just food for thought.

Classes and Events - More Food Education!

Some classes/tastings to educate yourself about what to do with those new foods you're discovering:

Whole Foods Market
115 Prospect St
Cambridge, MA 02139
617.492.0070
617.492.5953 fax

Every Thursday
Storewide Samplings
5:00–7:00 p.m. Free
Stop by every Thursday night and sample delicious items in every department of our store. Amy, our talented demo chef, will be on hand with delicious recipes for quick and simple meals.

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Whole Foods Market
200 Alewife Brook Pkwy
Cambridge, MA 02138
617.491.0040
617.497.9469 fax

Thursday, July 24
Storewide Sampling Event: "Outdoor Table" 4:00–7:00 p.m. Free
Enjoy summer with a good old-fashioned picnic or simply take a meal outside at home to enjoy the fresh air and flavors of the season. Picnicking has always been a great summertime tradition, from sandwiches at the beach to a gourmet picnic basket with champagne. Join us at our Fresh Pond store as we sample delicious recipe ideas for your summer dining pleasure!

Tuesday, July 29th
Local Night 4:00–7:00 p.m. Free
Come by to meet some of our great local vendors and sample their delicious products.

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Whole Foods Market
340 River St
Cambridge, MA 02139
617.876.6990
617.876.6694 fax

Thursday, July 17th
Summer Discussion Series: Summer Sugar Cravings 6:30–8:00 p.m. Free
Each Thursday in June and July, we will host a Summer Discussion Series covering various topics related to Eating and Diet. Tonight’s discussion is being led by Roselee Wayman, Certified Nutrition Counselor.

Tuesday, July 22nd
Local Vendor Night! 4:00–8:00 p.m. Free
Local farmers and producers supply us with wonderful products all year around. Stop in and meet the "face" behind the products in your own backyard and help reduce the impact on the environment of transporting products across the country.

Thursday, July 24th
Summer Discussion Series: Diet and Cleansing 6:30–8:00 p.m. Free
Each Thursday in June and July, we will host a Summer Discussion Series covering various topics related to Eating and Diet. Tonight’s discussion is being led by Jess Glasser, Certified Health Counselor.

Thursday, July 31st
Summer Discussion Series: Fish Oils and Omegas 6:30–8:00 p.m. Free
Each Thursday in June and July, we will host a Summer Discussion Series covering various topics related to Eating and Diet. Tonight’s discussion is being led by Kristin Jorgenson, Nutrition Educator.

Get in touch with your food...

We're taking a field trip to volunteer at a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in Waltham. www.communityfarms.org

First date: Thursday, July 17 @ 9am

I'd like this to become a regular event for a group of us, either weekly or every other week. The mission is for us to learn how food is grown locally and to participate directly in helping out - in addition to selling shares of the harvest to community members, the farm is dedicated to distributing shares to local hunger relief organizations.

Here's some info about volunteering from the site:

Individual and Family Volunteers
Drop in hours for farm work vary by the season. Individual volunteers are welcome to meet our staff at the Gathering Spot - a big white tent, located behind the red brick building at the Field Station, at the times below to help plant, transplant, weed, harvest or participate in other farm related tasks. Children of any age are welcome with adult supervision.
Summer Volunteer Drop-In Hours for Families and Individuals are currently...
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please arrive promptly at 9 am. You may stay up to until noon (it's ok to leave early but we need you to arrive at the beginning for directions). Meet at the "gathering spot - the big white tent" and be ready to work!