Yoga at OM
101 Bridge St N K0L1Y0 Hastings, ON, Canada

Reuben was ready for Yin Yoga this morning!

The aftermath of a late night Bhagavad Gita study group and a day of Ayurvedic study and lesson planning. My heart feels full. This is Yoga (too).

Remember. Live in gratitude.

Tonight is a blue moon; not literally blue, but a rare moon. A rare full moon, because it isn't too often we see a full moon twice in one month. If you celebrate it, today is Halloween (Samhain). If you live in certain regions, today the time falls back. But no matter where, or who, you are, the moon is full. No matter who, or where, you are, we all collectively experience a special phenomena tonight.... The full moon represents release, and is associated with water. And, just as the moon may influence the ocean tides, it may influence us, as well. After all, we are but beings of water. The moon ripens with abundance, waxes, wanes, leaves our sight, and day by day, little by little, eventually returns to it's fullness -- as do humans. We go through phases, changes, crises, and highs continually over and over throughout our physical living cycle (and perhaps even thereafter). We are, by nature, fluid creatures. We are creatures granted with consciousness, and challenged with egotism. As such, sometimes we lose fluidity. We become rigid; stuck. We resist the tides. When we resist the tides, we become unable to adapt; unable to accept. When we become rigid, and life beckons us to move in a certain direction, we say no. We fight the present. We may become depressed. We may grip to material desires, egocentricity may dominate. From all this we may find ourselves on a scale of negative mental and physical experience: exhaustion, anger, pain, sadness, hopelessness... But, what about apathy? What happens when we become so fed up with the life experience, that we stop caring? We may develop a "devil may care" attitude, and fight the tide to the point of self-harm, and harm to others. Tonight, take a look up at the sky. Whether the moon is a clear sight, or not, acknowledge the countless lives cohabitating beneath it with you. All these lives, facing change, facing the tides. Remember ahimsa (non-harming) . Remember that there is action in inaction. By choosing not to act, apathy or ego over altruism, we cause harm to our fellow beings. If tonight you find yourself in a safe place, acknowledge this blessing and find space in your heart for those who are not so fortunate. We will not always feel joy. But the full moon reminds us to stay fluid; release what "should" be, because it is not so. Do not fight the tides. Accept them. Move with them. We are all moving in these rhythms together. The veil between the physical and the ethereal may be thin for tonight, but the veil between ourselves and the rest of life is non-existent. We are one. With love in Yoga, Jillian Mangala Mantra svasti prajabhyah paripalayantam nyayena margena mahim mahisah, gobrahmanebhyah subhamastu nityam lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu. "May all people be well. May great masters protect the earth properly and justly. May one be eternally fortunate with cows (wealth) and wise ones. May all worlds be happy."