Upstate Yoga Institute

I will reprint luminary Jack Kornfield's words here because that is indeed what spiritual practice encourages us to do, before taking any action:

"We live in unsteady times. There are the looming effects of climate change, huge AI transformations, increasing divisiveness and warfare, and the widespread mistreatment of many beings on this earth. At the same time there is the orange butterfly that flew 1000 miles to land in your garden, the majesty of the oceans, and the unstoppable turning of the trees in their seasons. These realities are happening at the same time. This is our place of practice. Mindful loving awareness allows us to hold the unbearable beauty of this earth and the tender ocean of tears. May you meet both the beauty and the tears of this world with a steady heart, and may you have the courage to keep it open amidst it all."

Can you deal with a little bit of (dark) humor today? Here it is!
Personally it made me laugh!

A healthy reminder by my yoga philosophy teacher today as people in India give thanks to those who light the path from darkness to light.

"ācāryāt pādam ādhatte pādaṃ śiṣyaḥ svamedhayā ।
pādaṃ sabrahmacāribhyaḥ pādaṃ kālakrameṇa ca ॥

A student gets a quarter of what they need to know from their teacher,
a quarter from their own efforts and reflections,
a quarter from their engagement with their fellow students while journeying together,
and the final quarter through their passage through time.

I certainly am no Jack Kornfield but I am going to paraphrase some of his ideas and put them in my own words here because his writing resonated so deeply with me.

The world we're living in asks a great deal of the human heart. Many of us feel the strain — politically, socially, emotionally, spiritually. It can make us feel overwhelmed, powerless, hardened or exhausted.
This is where a practice that sustains our steadiness, compassion, wise hope, and service is ever more important. This is not about self-improvement but about remembering: remembering our capacity for steadiness, our shared humanity, and how to respond with care.

Photo by my friend and ex-student at Upstate Yoga Institute Gabriele Mayes.

I need a little bit of humor today!

David will be offering group yoga classes in our peaceful air-conditionned studio in July. Check out our offerings at
www.upstateyogainstitute.com/schedule

Sometimes life just blesses you with the best, as in riding the Paris metro with my Indian teachers and friends, Ravi and Sheela Shankar.

"A sangha is a community of resistance, resisting the speed, violence, and unwholesome ways of living that are prevalent in our society. Mindfulness is to protect ourselves and others. A good sangha can lead us in the direction of harmony and awareness.” Thich Nhat Hanh, Teachings on Love

As we approach the end of a noisy year, we send all our students but also all who will read this our best wishes for peaceful moments lived in warmth and presence with loved ones. May this transition time help us slow down, speak kindly, listen, and let some silence come in between words. May our hearts be filled with simplicity and the gentleness and mystery of the ordinary.

I hope you can enjoy some quiet time today