Too Cool!

Were you born between 1971 – 1973?

(I’m using a very wide orb here)…..

if so, then Saturn is coming up to conjunct your natal Pluto.

Heavy.

Dense.

Solid,

and sometimes Immovable.

Patience is key.

A good time to establish a yoga practice to re-generate your stress and turn it into skillful action and right thinking.

Easily said.

Difficult to practice.

Find a spiritual  teacher.

Commit.

Breathe.

Mars in Cancer……Om Shanti

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33213245/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann

Something else you may not know about me…..

I’ve been listening to a lot of speech’s recently.

Today, I listened to someone speak about speech’s and speechwriting.   In 1989 & again in 1998 I spent some time working as a speechwriter.  It was part of my job as an Assistant to the President to a hugely successful and powerful female, real estate broker/owner in NJ.  I learned a lot about a lot, and I’m grateful for that job experience.  During that time, I was also learning how to deliver speech’s myself.

There is No Substitute for good communication skills, regardless of gender, education, intellect, socio/economic class, religion, or anything else.  And yet, it has obviously not been a priority in our culture….. either for the masses,  public officials, and don’t even get me started on the level of communication skills within our established medical/legal communities!!  For this reason alone I applaud Barack Obama, regardless of whatever he does or does not do.

As a graduate of NLP, I feel a certain responsibility to practice conscious, effective, and clear communications as often as possible and to teach/train others to improve their communication skills with others.  In my yoga classes I have often guided the students thru what is called Co-Listening. I learned & practiced many variations of this technique at Kripalu Center in the Berkshires. (1994 – 2008.)  The combination of NLP techniques with yoga philosophy & practices is quite effective when skillfully applied…..at least in my experience.

This century has challenged us to learn how to communicate thru technological mediums.  The internet has indeed changed everything and some are being left behind.  However, for those out here in the blogosphere with me, it’s vital that we all remember that these are just words on a screen.  There is no substitute for human-to-human contact.  Sounds, smell, touch, sight, movement, gesture, are also parts of the whole of communication.

Here’s a cardinal rule to follow.

We are all, as individuals, responsible for what we say & what we hear.  When you ask a question and do not get the response you anticipate, ask again, differently.  If you have an emotional response to something you’ve heard….seek clarification to make sure that what you heard was what the speaker intended to say.  Defense mechanisms have deep roots and we are all responsible for pruning back what no longer works.   (I feel a rant coming on here so that’s a good time to sign off.)

Mercury is still retrograde and will remain so until January 31.  A good time to re-consider how to improve your communication skills.

Have a nice day.

Yoga Legislation in NJ

As you know, I don’t usually engage in online political discourse however I am going to make an exception here today.

In our Tuesday am class we discussed the link that I am sending you and as a group we sort of decided that this NJ Congressman needs to hear from us, us being those practicing yoga.

As you will read,  Assemblyman Joseph J. Roberts from District 5 (Camden & Gloucester) has submitted a bill to the legislature of NJ that would require yoga teachers and studios to be licensed by the State.  He lumps us in with “exercise facilities” & “fitness professionals”, disregarding completely the uniqueness of yoga.  His ignorance reflects that of the mainstream with regards to what yoga really is.

Now, I do not claim to KNOW what yoga actually is, or isn’t.

I’m still engaged in the practice of knowing who I am or aren’t and we all know how long that can take!  Nevertheless, I feel that it’s my civic responsibility to add my voice to any issue that touches my heart.  This one, ‘got me’……………………………….

I feel that I am doing a part by keeping you informed.  Integrating skillfull mental activity (buddhi) with willfull action (tapas) and a spirited purpose (karma) is tough stuff and needs lots of practice.

My intentions are to join with other yoga/wellness/holistic professionals in NJ in educating our legislature as to the reality of yoga.

Many voices speaking truth at the same time can be ‘transformational’.

Do what you will.

Trust that everything is good.

And, please, share your yoga experience(s) with those around you so that we can bring more people out of ignorance and into the light.

Om shanti.

Om.

All that said, here are some links to check out regarding this issue.

http://esutra.blogspot.com/

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A3500/3356_I1.HTM

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg=16

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/SelectRep.asp

….more video

I really don’t want this to become a ‘media’ heavy blog site, however some things are just too good to pass up.  Go over to my vodpod on the right side and check out The Girl who Silenced the UN for 5 minutes.

….this made me cry………….

….try to watch the whole thing if you can………..i’ll post it over there on the right with my others asap. …..”14 months in the making, 42 countries, and a cast of thousands”!!

For More Information on the creator of this wonderful clip: Go here.

Statistics can be fun as long as………..

……you don’t get too “attached”.

I was perusing around wordpress today and decided to take a closer look at my stat’s.  Just for fun.

Since my posting is rather random & seemingly scattered, at best, it’s interesting to see just how people get here to this site and what they like to read.

Since beginning this online adventure in Feb07, I have created 157 posts in 29 different categories.

This post has received 3,060 views, way more than this post which comes in second with 990 views.

This post is next with 922 views.  #4 on the list is this one with 715, and #5 has had 687 views.

These numbers may not be enough to impress some of you, but I am blown away by the power & potential of this online medium.

Each of these 5 posts have hovered around the top-5 for a long time.  It certainly makes food for thought.

Have a nice day.

……..wanna dance?

remember what Rumi wrote?  check out this older post in the archives …………..

We’ll be in The Big Apple on Friday, Full Moon in Capricorn.

Hip, hip, hooray – full moon today!

Hmmmm. Not sure that title really works with this Plutonian Full Moon today. Anytime I see Pluto in a configuration it feels a little ominous.

Here’s the chart:

Of course, with Venus over there hanging out with the Sun it does soften things up a bit.

Like kittens do.

This little kitten *appeared in my yard* just about 14 months ago. She showed up at the same time as I was experiencing a sudden and devastating loss. To me, she was an ‘angel’ in disguise. I named her Shadow, because she hid in shadows all the time during our first months.

The other day (she comes around to feed occasionally), I noticed that she had lost a lot of weight? Then she moved aside and I saw, another kitten! Oh my.

Pluto…..transforms us and forces us to grow by reproducing. That’s the essence of why it rules things like AIDS, Cancer, Nuclear & Atomic fission. Nothing can destroy something so utterly and completely like Pluto. The Phoenix represents Pluto well in reminding us that something wonderful can rise up from the ashes of destruction. Pluto is a harbinger of birth, death, & rebirth.

Consider caterpillers. They become butterflies during Plutonion processes, trans – forming from one form of being to another. Pluto doesn’t mess around.

Although violence can be part of a transformation process, it’s not really necessary for ‘a transformation’ to succeed. Pluto happens.

Moving thru Plutonion times peacefully is well-worth the effort. I’ve got another harp gig tonite, which means that I’ll be spending the day feeling anxious & excited at the same time. Looking at today’s transits the moon will be coming into an exact opposition with Venus just as I’m supposed to play. Moon/Venus in Gemini/Sag………….what a great way to communicate……music!

Practice peace with this full moon.

The weather looks great where I am.

Om nimah shivaya.