I'm goin' t' school fer lernin', don't ya no.

This Hatha Mama has taken a sharp zig in her zaged life. Staying at the awkward stage of challenge or as I'm learning the "zone of proximal development" (Vygotsky). Aren't we all life-time learners? I've got to go where I'm becoming and blossoming. And so I sit here in Graduate level courses in Education at my alma mater UB. Funny how we are drawn to those places that we need to be. Gently fluttering through life, like the give of wind by the supple branch. Whhhhhew! The branches seem to shimmer out as the blast comes and goes.

Anywho...I enjoy learning...and challenges and I'm finding it now. I have stopped teaching yoga in EA and instead have gone down to one class at my local community center "Yoga for 'Tweens" or Middle School Yoga. I can use them as a sweet little experiment as I pursue teaching to this age group and gee, who in the world doesn't love yoga. It's better than a sharp stick in the eye...I always say. I'll be needing one class myself to teach and keep me accountable to my commitment to students in this discipline. I made a promise.

Just the facts:

--Enrolled at UB in Education Department getting certified in Secondary Ed Science (Earth Science and possibly Life Sciences--I need to make it through this 18 credit semester)

--Going on two trips for Lansinoh this fall. I'm visiting my dear KD in Cali at MANA conference and I think we'll be met by our fabulous boss and friend G. This is work with major perks and quiet. Nothing better than a weekend in a hotel room for free.

--no IBCLC work except to teach a couple BF 101 classes down the street at Care Connection.

--Still have FIVE kids that I deal with on a daily basis. Love them all! They humble me frequently.

--In happy relationships with all family members. Here's hoping they all know how much I love and appreciate each and every one of them.

By the way...In my first grader, C's class they are doing a unit on families. What is a nuclear family? I'm seriously unsure myself under the circumstances....

Do what you do...

Samsara

I've always wanted a good and clear explanation of samsara or suffering. It's something that I'm constantly hoping to avoid but is so ellusive in it's understanding and definition. Anyway, this came into my e-mail inbox, a quote by Trungpa Rinpoche.
Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 2, 2009

THE PING PONG BALL OF FIXATION

The cause of samsara, or ultimate confusion, is holding on to vague
concepts. That is what is called fixation, or in Tibetan, dzinpa.
When we do not have clear perception, we must hang on to vagueness
and uncertainty. In doing so, we begin to behave like a Ping-Pong
ball, which does not possess any intelligence but only follows the
directions of the paddle....Whatever we do, our actions are not
perfectly right because, based on this neurotic game, we keep being
Ping-Ponged. Although it may appear that the Ping-Pong ball is
commanding the players, although it seems amazing that such a little
ball has so much power to direct the players' actions and even draw
spectators to watch it going back and forth -- actually, that is not
true. The Ping-Pong ball is just a ball. It does not have any
intelligence; it's just operating on reflex....As the Ping-Pong Ball,
you feel very dizzy and you ache all over your body because you've
been bounced back and forth so much. The sense of pain is enormous.
That is the definition of samsara, or confused existence.
From "Awakening and Blossoming," in THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING: and the
Path of Liberation, Pages 65 to 66.

And so the reminder to simply be still and not swayed by the mind or or one's environment is reiterated.

Sit
Be still
Breathe in
Breath out
There is no intellegence in reasoning life
Simply live
Be alive