Ahimsa

After the teacher training, I caught a flight to DC to meet with Lansinoh. I'm so happy that this beautiful company dedicated to breastfeeding mothers and babies came into my life. I love all the women I'll be working with and I couldn't ask for a better way to come back into my professional life that I love so dearly with this company. I landed in DC to the news of the VA Tech shooting...sweet ole' tech forever tarnished and saddened by this horrific and incomprehensible act. Breathe. The woman who sat next to me at the airport who brought forth a racial comment into the air between us, it made me sad and hurt, told me about the shooting. I was so close, in fact I rested in a place of violence in my heart with her—disgust, disdain. Subtle, in comparison to the horrific acts witnessed this week but none the less a place of anger, judgement, and non-compassion. And then tired and drained from a funeral, two day yoga event, first day back into my professional life and reactions of anger, judgement and non-compassion in the face of a deranged killer. This Ahimsa isn't easy and it's not about the meat!

Om Tryambhakam Yajamahe
Sugandim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshira Maamritat


Who is it that loves?

"Who is it that loves and who that suffers?

He alone stages a play with Himself.

The individual suffers because he perceives duality.

Find the One everywhere and in everything

and there will be an end to pain and suffering."
Sri Sri Anandamayi Ma

There is only one thing that IS non-violence and it is LOVE. Love freely to all...non-judgement, with complete compassion for all and for all of oneself. Love our perceived flaws, embrace all that is about us...there is no good nor bad there IS. It is and we choose to bounce within our minds back and forth between choosing good or bad. It is a coping mechanism passed down within our culture...that duality is but a short step from enlightenment.

It is how we interact within the pain of deep tragedy...it is a comfortable zone to react. I was driving with my dearest friend as the details of the tragedy unfolded before us on WPFW in DC traffic. We were shocked, frightened and deeply pained by what we heard. "The shooter, it has been confirmed has committed suicide at the scene." My words rung out and I felt the emotional judgment instantly..."COWARD!" But, it felt right to fill the silence with a base emotion that we could connect to in a way that would keep us from leaning into the point, the sharp point of sadness that this one individual impressed upon so many in a short violent instance. Later my friend had a similar reaction to the questionable choices of Bush. We were able to recognize our reactions and communicate the difficulty in being of the world...to be centered in the business and complications of life.

Ahimsa....