A ladybug with a broken wing

by FatimaZahraeM, dA

Climb up each twig and leaf, every sprig and chip. 
You reach the top and move around, feeling the warmth of the sun. 
You open the other wing to match the one that won't close. You feel the wind and you release your hold. You fall.
You pull yourself up and climb once more to the summit. You try again. And you fall again. 
I watch you as you try , wondering what to do. You are only given two and one is hurt. 
I pick the limb that holds you high and look closer. You are calm, afraid for more reasons than one. 
I touch the extended wing feeling what you have lost. 
I stare. 
You stare.

I place you down and you lay still in the shade. 
A moment passes and you begin again. Trying and trying and trying again. 
Then you just stay at the top, the weight of what cannot be fixed grounding you to the peak of your branch. 
There you stay. 
What you think about I will never know but in this moment little bug know that you were not alone.

Peace, Life & Reflection

This past week has been chaotic as so often it can be. 

Last Friday morning I had a beautiful personal practice. Forty minutes of just me, my mat, and some music. The day was off to a pleasant start. Alex and I went out to get some dairy free yogurt at Whole Foods. Then my car expressed real distress and earned the label of unreliable. There was a part that needed to be replaced and because of the design of my car, Alex was uncomfortable doing the labor himself. (No yogurt was spoiled, thankfully)

Then, Sunday, Alex's car decides to just not start while we are out grocery shopping. (We had tofu with us).

My reaction when both happened? 

Okay.

Just a sincere sense of calm. 

Perhaps it was the start to the weekend that made the calm possible-- my release of any stress and concerns allowed for fresh ones to be addressed properly. Perhaps it was because Alex and I were together. So often we have gotten out of wack when chaos finds its way into our day. I've found we so often do better together.

It has been some of the most inopportune times for these events to occur-- both because of cold foods and finances. Practicing yoga physically and mentally, I've found a healthy way to work through conflict: with serenity and compassion.

In light of this day, September 11th, these troubles are very petty-- and that is why stress does not serve me or anyone in situations like that. I am here today and I am as free as I allow myself to be. My heart goes out to those of you who have feel the pain from hatred and fear years ago on this day. May love help you help your heart, your body and your mind. 

So much was hijacked that day; it wasn't just planes or lives. A whole culture was hijacked and tarnished in front of the world. Extremists are the cause, just as they always have been. 

I leave you today with peaceful, loving wishes. May your heart find balance and compassion so that the spirit within you is fed with more light than darkness. 

Om shanti.

Penny for a Selfie

In order for there to be joy in the sunshine, we have to take in some rain.

Stillness in the Water

Stillness amidst life
Ripples in the water
Thoughts in the mind
Breathe
Ripples soften
Water becomes transparent
Within the stillness is deeper knowledge.
Particles within molecules
Molecules within water
Life in the water
Life in the breath

Yesterday's Day 3

It’s day 3 and I find myself being tugged to fall back into chaos of getting a list of things done. Yes, my list physically exists, and the actions on it I must do in order to progress in life. However, maybe sometimes we need to focus on what isn’t on the list—the actions we set aside for special occasions.

All those candles in the closet serve no purpose if you are waiting to use them for a special occasion. Light them, feel the natural glow they offer to the room. Add them to the dinner table and instantly you have a more intimate setting.

All the pencils, paints, and canvas tucked away for the perfect image are worthless—empty. Paint what you have now—it may prove to be a more powerful essence than your some-day-masterpiece.

Snuggle with your dog. Dogs sit by so often, quietly letting you work through the chaos set upon yourself. So often do they watch, saddened with how consumed you are with nonsense. If you can’t remember the last time you just sat and looked back at your dog (or cat), do it tonight. I implore you, look at your friend as they look at you. Feel whatever comes to you when you sit with them, then give them all the love you can.

I’m telling you these suggestions because they are also suggestions to myself. I am just like you, dear reader; I get caught up in the raging ocean of our society—the endless demands and desires that just have to be met because “they have to.”

Often times we let the list drive us through the day, dragging us through routes we don’t care for. If you find no peace in your list, your list has conquered you and you’ve lost. You’ve lost yourself if you forget what is not written on the list.

We need to remember that if we do not serve our own beliefs (i.e. the belief that what you do every day matters), then what are we serving? Often times, yes, it’s The Man (society) just so we can pay the bills. But if you’ve been stuck in actions that give you no joy, no vigor, then what does that serve? Discontent. You are in charge. Take charge.

Making Time for Yourself

There are 24 hours in a day. We sleep, on average, 8 hours a night, work for 8 hours, and commute for about 1 hour. That leaves you with about seven hours to deevy out between laundry, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of loved ones’ needs.

You have seven hours. That one hour your friend has available to spend with you seems much more valuable in this light. Those ten minutes it takes to read a bed time story to your children are so much more precious that you’ll find you’re okay with reading But No Elephants more than twice.

We put so much pressure on ourselves and each other in our society that we forget that time is a social agreement. Yes, the world spins, the universe expands, but right here, right now, is what matters. Stop counting and allowing anxiety of only having ten minutes to ruin the breaths within those moments—the life force.

Make it all count. If you must pay bills and clean the house, set a timer for yourself. Instead of cleaning while doing other chores, for those 30 minutes you must clean just clean with all your heart. Use cleaners that are kind to you and the Earth. Breathe. Then, when the timer is done, put the cleaning stuff away. You may not have gotten every dish or every hair on the floor, but there will always be more dirty dishes and more dirt to sweep. Let it go and relax knowing you did what you could.

Time measures nothing but itself.

National Yoga Month

In case you're wondering, I'm the one on the right side wearing a white shirt. My teeth decided they wanted to eat my smile.

Today is the beginning National YogaMonth.* Close your eyes. Exhale and gently push out any stale air in your lungs, all the way to the bottom lungs. Take in a deep breath; like a wave, let it lift up your stomach, your chest and then expand outward. Release. Let it all out.

In this single moment, you will have found an aspect of yoga. Our lives are so caught up in the business made norm by our society that we forget how our bodies are designed to breath—how the way we breath affects not only our heart rate but our mental state as well.

If you have found yourself curious about yoga, now would be a great month to look into it. Without a doubt you will find a near-endless supply of articles and how-to books on the asanas (postures). You may also find some on pranayama (breath work), and meditation. Whatever you look into, take joy in the accessibility to so many resources. It has never been easier to learn and educate ourselves on something new. If you want to learn more but you feel like you're drowning or you're just not sure where to start, I am more than happy to point you in the right direction. Don't be shy, let me know.

What is beautiful about yoga is that, this month can be about anything you want it to be. It can be about the asanas (postures); it can be about Ayurveda; it can be about the breath. The important part is that you make an attempt to reconnect with yourself. I'm not saying you need to go to a yoga retreat or an ashram (although that would be quite lovely). I just recommend taking a moment each day for yourself. Find a quiet place, get into a comfortable seated position and just breathe. Take the moment to be in the moment. If you find you'd like to move, give your body what it asks for. If your body is tired and sore you can just sit or lay down-- get comfortable for a few minutes at least. If your body is antsy and you have unspent energy, shake it out and move. Maybe do some asanas. 

It's okay to let this chunk of time be about you. You deserve it.

*Note: If you want to try out a yoga class or try a different type of class, the link at the beginning of this post will take you to the Yoga Heath Foundation. They are offering one free week of yoga classes at participating locations.