GRATITUDE
1.1 Meeting up with a friend for dinner one night (Talk about rhythm, we were friends and then we weren’t and then we were again!) when she arrived she started talking about gratitude and sorrow and then she showed me what they were. Cupping her hands upwards in-front of her heart like a flower with her elbows slightly bent and her heart open she showed me how to her gratitude was an outwards flow of energy, taking her out of herself. Then she showed me sorrow. She bowed her head forwards slightly with her hands clasped over her heart, the energy taking her inwards.
1.2 I was surprised. While I had spent a lot of time thinking about gratitude, I’d never before seen it expressed as a gesture and I’d never thought of sorrow in such a way, as if the two complemented each other.
1.3 I copied her gesture of gratitude and as I did I felt as if energy was entering me from the world around me, but it was moving inwards as opposed to outwards. As I sat there enjoying the feeling of energy flowing into me I realized that gratitude is recognizing what is around us, seeing its expression and allowing it inwards. It’s a way of being present, being with the people we are with or seeing what is around us. Recognizing the people we are with, we allow the energy of their expression inwards into our center. And then we return the energy by expressing ourselves.
1.4 But gratitude is more than just seeing what is around us, it’s recognizing what is within us too. It is learning to feel, to recognize our bodies and the parts of our bodies.
1.5 One of the most beautiful visualizations I’ve read and learned about is called the Inner Smile. I first learned about it in a book by Eric Steven Yudelove called “Taoist Yoga and Sexual Energy.” In this practice we smile to each of our organs, recognizing what it does for us. And it’s funny because even though they give us their function, in a way by recognizing, by being grateful, we are giving in return, by allowing them to give as if one is not better than the other, instead two parts of the same whole, like a teacher cannot teach without students nor can a student learn without a teacher. And so recognizing our organs, being grateful, we give energy to them and they give it back to us.
1.6 And it is the same when we recognize the expression of those around us, recognizing the gifts that those around us are giving. It’s as if by opening ourselves up to their expression we give them a direction for their expression, a place for their energy to flow so that when they give out energy they are able to receive it again just as we in receiving energy are then able to give out.
1.7 Gratitude, witnessing the expression of those around us. Gratitude, resting from the idea that we are expressing so that other ideas around us can express themselves. Resting so that we can enjoy the expression of other ideas and perhaps see how next we might like to express ourselves. Resting, doing nothing, we can see what is around us and allow their expression into our hearts.
1.8 And giving the people around us room to express themselves, we do the same for ourselves we give ourselves room and we also give ourselves energy which we can then give back out again so that those around us can learn themselves too.
1.9 And just as every inhale is followed or led by and exhale, so is gratitude as much giving out as it is taking in. It’s is recognizing what people give us, what is around us and in turn it is expressing ourselves so that they can see us.
Showing posts with label connection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label connection. Show all posts
Sunday, June 22, 2008
One With the Dance
ONE WITH THE DANCE
1.1 Dancing freely, we sense, as we dance, what the environment will allow us to do. At the same time we are sensing what the floor will allow us to do, we are also listening to our partner, feeling where she can go so that we can go there together. Choosing a path to take based on what is around us and what we can do together, we pass our decision on to our partner.
1.2 The floor gives us signals, tells us where we can go by opening up spaces so that the space to move and the signal are one. And we do the same with our partner, signaling them by opening up in a particular way so that they know where to go. And just as we are tuned in to the space around us, looking for where we can go, our partner tunes in to the space we provide them and sees where they can go.
1.3 As we get more attuned to what is around us we begin to move into the space as it opens up and our partner does the same. We reach a point there is no lag between the space opening up and ourselves moving into it. We tune into the idea of the dance, we become the dance, one with ourselves and our partner and all the people dancing around us.
1.4 Sensing what is around us and within ourselves, sensing the connections we tune into something bigger than ourselves. Like flying a kite and smoothly reeling out the string as the wind gets stronger or pulling it in as the wind dies, not too much or too little, just enough, and so tuned in that we pull or release the string in sync with the change of the wind. Instead of listening to the wind we are listening to the thing that drives the wind, feeling when it tells the wind to blow harder and when to blow softer. Tuned in we become one with the wind because we are listening not to the wind but to the same source that the wind is listening to.
1.1 Dancing freely, we sense, as we dance, what the environment will allow us to do. At the same time we are sensing what the floor will allow us to do, we are also listening to our partner, feeling where she can go so that we can go there together. Choosing a path to take based on what is around us and what we can do together, we pass our decision on to our partner.
1.2 The floor gives us signals, tells us where we can go by opening up spaces so that the space to move and the signal are one. And we do the same with our partner, signaling them by opening up in a particular way so that they know where to go. And just as we are tuned in to the space around us, looking for where we can go, our partner tunes in to the space we provide them and sees where they can go.
1.3 As we get more attuned to what is around us we begin to move into the space as it opens up and our partner does the same. We reach a point there is no lag between the space opening up and ourselves moving into it. We tune into the idea of the dance, we become the dance, one with ourselves and our partner and all the people dancing around us.
1.4 Sensing what is around us and within ourselves, sensing the connections we tune into something bigger than ourselves. Like flying a kite and smoothly reeling out the string as the wind gets stronger or pulling it in as the wind dies, not too much or too little, just enough, and so tuned in that we pull or release the string in sync with the change of the wind. Instead of listening to the wind we are listening to the thing that drives the wind, feeling when it tells the wind to blow harder and when to blow softer. Tuned in we become one with the wind because we are listening not to the wind but to the same source that the wind is listening to.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuned Connection, Moving as One
Tuned Connection, Moving as One
1.1 A partner was teaching me how to connect with her while doing the Cha Cha Cha. I had to hold my elbow at my side with my hand forwards, holding hers. Then with my elbow fixed at my side I leaned into my hand and she did the same, as if we were holding each other up by leaning against each other. Then when I moved forwards, or backwards, she felt me move through the change in pressure from my hand.
1.2 Leaning in to each other dance, we had to hold all of ourselves poised, so that we were pushing each other with all of our body, not just our hand. Our whole body was behind the push. And at the same time we both pulled inwards so that whether we were moving forwards or backwards, or to either side, we could move together, as one.
1.3 As I moved, whether forwards or backwards, my whole body moved. With my elbow fixed to my side as my body moved forwards, my elbow, and hand did too. Likewise when I moved back, in either case my partner was able to move with me.
1.4 Whenever I was not pressing, not leaning in, my teacher would remind me that we were not connected. I had to press inwards so that she could press back. Otherwise she would just fall into my arms.
1.5 Dancing with someone we pull them in a little and push them away at the same time. We both do this so that we create tension between us balancing firmness of the idea of ourselves with the ability to connect to ideas outside of ourselves. When we had the right amount of tension, she could feel me when I moved forwards or backwards and move with me as I did so. At the same time I could feel her and where she was able to go.
1.6 By being firm in our connection we both know what we want to do and are willing to share that knowing. Being soft in our connection we are willing to listen to our partner both so that we know where they are and where they are able to go.
1.7 Conscious, we tune our connection so that we can move together and at the same time feel each other, not too close, and not too far, connected but both of us with room to move, both of us centered on each other. Sensing and directing, we change ourselves and because we are connected we then change each other and so it is easier to move as one.
1.1 A partner was teaching me how to connect with her while doing the Cha Cha Cha. I had to hold my elbow at my side with my hand forwards, holding hers. Then with my elbow fixed at my side I leaned into my hand and she did the same, as if we were holding each other up by leaning against each other. Then when I moved forwards, or backwards, she felt me move through the change in pressure from my hand.
1.2 Leaning in to each other dance, we had to hold all of ourselves poised, so that we were pushing each other with all of our body, not just our hand. Our whole body was behind the push. And at the same time we both pulled inwards so that whether we were moving forwards or backwards, or to either side, we could move together, as one.
1.3 As I moved, whether forwards or backwards, my whole body moved. With my elbow fixed to my side as my body moved forwards, my elbow, and hand did too. Likewise when I moved back, in either case my partner was able to move with me.
1.4 Whenever I was not pressing, not leaning in, my teacher would remind me that we were not connected. I had to press inwards so that she could press back. Otherwise she would just fall into my arms.
1.5 Dancing with someone we pull them in a little and push them away at the same time. We both do this so that we create tension between us balancing firmness of the idea of ourselves with the ability to connect to ideas outside of ourselves. When we had the right amount of tension, she could feel me when I moved forwards or backwards and move with me as I did so. At the same time I could feel her and where she was able to go.
1.6 By being firm in our connection we both know what we want to do and are willing to share that knowing. Being soft in our connection we are willing to listen to our partner both so that we know where they are and where they are able to go.
1.7 Conscious, we tune our connection so that we can move together and at the same time feel each other, not too close, and not too far, connected but both of us with room to move, both of us centered on each other. Sensing and directing, we change ourselves and because we are connected we then change each other and so it is easier to move as one.
Room To Move
Room to Move
When we know what it is that we are doing we are able to position our selves in the best way possible so that we have room to do what we are doing.
Riding a motorcycle what that means is that we are positioned on the bike so that we have room to steer it, and room to operate the controls. Also room enough to move ourselves relative to the bike when we need to. What that means is that we lean forwards enough or position ourselves forwards enough so that our elbows are bent so we have room to move the handlebars. It also means that our legs are bent enough that we can use them to shift our body from one side to the other or back to center.
Riding the bike itself room to move means positioning it while going around a corner so that we always have a little bit more room to lean it or turn it if we have to. Relative to the road itself and what is on it room to move means that we always have somewhere to go, a place of safety if we need to but it also means that we can also keep moving straight ahead, staying on the path.
Dancing with someone we give our body room to move, and we give our partner room to move too, whether we are leading or following we position ourselves relative to each other that we can both do what we have to do make the idea of dancing real. But we still stay connected. And we look for spaces on the dance floor where we can both do what we want to together.
Doing yoga while in a particular pose room to move is positioning each part of ourselves in the best position possible while still maintaining the shape of the pose. That means that each part of ourselves is involved in the pose so that then the pose becomes as easy as possible.
Room to move while driving is giving ourselves room to move but also everyone around us so that together we all flow. If one person gets into an accident because they don’t have room to move it can slow everyone down. And so room to move gives everyone room to flow so that we can all flow together.
When we know what it is that we are doing we are able to position our selves in the best way possible so that we have room to do what we are doing.
Riding a motorcycle what that means is that we are positioned on the bike so that we have room to steer it, and room to operate the controls. Also room enough to move ourselves relative to the bike when we need to. What that means is that we lean forwards enough or position ourselves forwards enough so that our elbows are bent so we have room to move the handlebars. It also means that our legs are bent enough that we can use them to shift our body from one side to the other or back to center.
Riding the bike itself room to move means positioning it while going around a corner so that we always have a little bit more room to lean it or turn it if we have to. Relative to the road itself and what is on it room to move means that we always have somewhere to go, a place of safety if we need to but it also means that we can also keep moving straight ahead, staying on the path.
Dancing with someone we give our body room to move, and we give our partner room to move too, whether we are leading or following we position ourselves relative to each other that we can both do what we have to do make the idea of dancing real. But we still stay connected. And we look for spaces on the dance floor where we can both do what we want to together.
Doing yoga while in a particular pose room to move is positioning each part of ourselves in the best position possible while still maintaining the shape of the pose. That means that each part of ourselves is involved in the pose so that then the pose becomes as easy as possible.
Room to move while driving is giving ourselves room to move but also everyone around us so that together we all flow. If one person gets into an accident because they don’t have room to move it can slow everyone down. And so room to move gives everyone room to flow so that we can all flow together.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Consciousness and Energy, Dancing Together
CONSCIOUSNESS AND ENERGY, DANCING TOGETHER
1.1 In Indian folklore Shiva is the personification of Consciousness. One depiction has Shiva dancing across the universe and the purpose of this dance is to stamp out ignorance. And that is perhaps the negative way of looking at it. What he is doing as he dances across the universe is spreading consciousness.
1.2 Consciousness and being conscious has many aspects but perhaps the most basic and fundamental of these is the ability to sense limits so that we can freely move within them.
1.3 Imagine driving on a road while it is foggy. Because of the fog we can’t see the edges of the road and it is also difficult to see other traffic. As a result we have to drive slower to keep ourselves safe. In this case being conscious would be driving only as fast as we would be able to stop safely should we see something up ahead.
1.4 Now imagine driving that way even if the weather is clear. Imagine driving like it is foggy but there is no fog. Or imagine driving quickly when there is fog. That is a little like ignorance. That’s not to say that just because it is clear we have to drive fast, it’s that being conscious we see the road and what is on it and we know how fast we can drive, while staying safe, and we choose to drive as fast or as slow as we like up to within those limits.
1.5 Staying with the theme of driving, our vehicles have readouts to give us information. There’s a speedometer, sometimes a rev counter. There’s also warning lights and a gas meter. An example of being conscious would be knowing what the readouts are for and actually using them. That’s the speedometer and right now I am going 90 mph... oops, no, 90 kmh.”
1.6 In both of the above cases we are becoming conscious of relationships, in one case our relationship with the road and in the other our relationship with the vehicle we are driving and since the road and the car are both ideas we can also say that being conscious is noticing the ideas we are in a relationship with.
1.7 Lets say that we were in a conversation with someone, the purpose, so that we could get to know each other better. Knowing each other we might be better able to connect and together create the idea of a friendship or an intimate relationship. Being conscious during the course of the conversation we would know what it is we are trying to say and use words that match our meaning. We would also be conscious of our partner as we speak so that we can see if they understand our meaning. If not we can modify or correct what we said. Likewise while listening, we would be conscious of what our partner was saying and thus understand the meaning behind the words, and if not we could ask for clarification.
1.8 Dancing with someone, consciousness would apply to feeling ourselves, knowing where we are in space, knowing or feeling all of the relevant relationships within ourselves, and also feeling where our center was in relation to the earth. But at the same time, we would also be conscious of our connection to our partner and through that connection feel where he or she is. And if we are leading, we would be conscious of what our partner can do so we can pick movements that are appropriate. Or knowing in advance what we want to do, position ourselves appropriately. And then when it is time to do the movement, signal it appropriately so that our partner can actually act on the information.
1.9 If we are the follower then being conscious we would feel where our partner was and what he wanted us to do, then we do the move, being conscious of ourselves and what is around us and the movement itself. Following we have the benefit of not having to choose, instead we can just concentrate on doing whatever our lead chooses. And as a result within those constraints we are free to express ourselves.
1.10 Shiva is also often depicted as a lingam and in this guise he is partnered with Shakti. Where Shiva is the divine masculine shakti is the divine feminine representing energy. Shiva is form, and as such the symbol of the upright penis is appropriate but it is Shakti that animates that form, one could say that it is Shakti (or the thought thereof) that makes Shiva erect. Consciousness is form and energy animates that form, together they become aspects of the same thing, life.
1.11 We could look at a motorcycle, and without a rider, it is just a motorcycle. However, with a rider, and the engine running, it becomes part of the idea of riding. In the same way Shiva and Shakti are separate ideas but together they are part of a bigger idea, that of life.
1.12 Going back to the dance, the dance where we are dancing with a partner, when we are leading and choose a movement, then our partner executes this movement it is like we are Shiva and Shakti together. Leading we represent consciousness while following we represent energy but we are both conscious. We both hold ourselves upright, and we both move, but it is just in the context of the dance itself that one of us chooses and the other follows. But in some cases both of us are choosing and both of us are following. It depends on which way you look at it.
1.13 Ultimately, when two people have danced together long enough they become part of a new idea, they become the dance and here they truly do become two parts of one idea, still themselves but also part of something bigger than themselves. And rather than one leading and the other following, at the level of the dance, it is the dance, the idea of the dance itself which leads them both and changes them both, and they express it.
Shiva and Shakti together, aspects of the same thing.
1.1 In Indian folklore Shiva is the personification of Consciousness. One depiction has Shiva dancing across the universe and the purpose of this dance is to stamp out ignorance. And that is perhaps the negative way of looking at it. What he is doing as he dances across the universe is spreading consciousness.
1.2 Consciousness and being conscious has many aspects but perhaps the most basic and fundamental of these is the ability to sense limits so that we can freely move within them.
1.3 Imagine driving on a road while it is foggy. Because of the fog we can’t see the edges of the road and it is also difficult to see other traffic. As a result we have to drive slower to keep ourselves safe. In this case being conscious would be driving only as fast as we would be able to stop safely should we see something up ahead.
1.4 Now imagine driving that way even if the weather is clear. Imagine driving like it is foggy but there is no fog. Or imagine driving quickly when there is fog. That is a little like ignorance. That’s not to say that just because it is clear we have to drive fast, it’s that being conscious we see the road and what is on it and we know how fast we can drive, while staying safe, and we choose to drive as fast or as slow as we like up to within those limits.
1.5 Staying with the theme of driving, our vehicles have readouts to give us information. There’s a speedometer, sometimes a rev counter. There’s also warning lights and a gas meter. An example of being conscious would be knowing what the readouts are for and actually using them. That’s the speedometer and right now I am going 90 mph... oops, no, 90 kmh.”
1.6 In both of the above cases we are becoming conscious of relationships, in one case our relationship with the road and in the other our relationship with the vehicle we are driving and since the road and the car are both ideas we can also say that being conscious is noticing the ideas we are in a relationship with.
1.7 Lets say that we were in a conversation with someone, the purpose, so that we could get to know each other better. Knowing each other we might be better able to connect and together create the idea of a friendship or an intimate relationship. Being conscious during the course of the conversation we would know what it is we are trying to say and use words that match our meaning. We would also be conscious of our partner as we speak so that we can see if they understand our meaning. If not we can modify or correct what we said. Likewise while listening, we would be conscious of what our partner was saying and thus understand the meaning behind the words, and if not we could ask for clarification.
1.8 Dancing with someone, consciousness would apply to feeling ourselves, knowing where we are in space, knowing or feeling all of the relevant relationships within ourselves, and also feeling where our center was in relation to the earth. But at the same time, we would also be conscious of our connection to our partner and through that connection feel where he or she is. And if we are leading, we would be conscious of what our partner can do so we can pick movements that are appropriate. Or knowing in advance what we want to do, position ourselves appropriately. And then when it is time to do the movement, signal it appropriately so that our partner can actually act on the information.
1.9 If we are the follower then being conscious we would feel where our partner was and what he wanted us to do, then we do the move, being conscious of ourselves and what is around us and the movement itself. Following we have the benefit of not having to choose, instead we can just concentrate on doing whatever our lead chooses. And as a result within those constraints we are free to express ourselves.
1.10 Shiva is also often depicted as a lingam and in this guise he is partnered with Shakti. Where Shiva is the divine masculine shakti is the divine feminine representing energy. Shiva is form, and as such the symbol of the upright penis is appropriate but it is Shakti that animates that form, one could say that it is Shakti (or the thought thereof) that makes Shiva erect. Consciousness is form and energy animates that form, together they become aspects of the same thing, life.
1.11 We could look at a motorcycle, and without a rider, it is just a motorcycle. However, with a rider, and the engine running, it becomes part of the idea of riding. In the same way Shiva and Shakti are separate ideas but together they are part of a bigger idea, that of life.
1.12 Going back to the dance, the dance where we are dancing with a partner, when we are leading and choose a movement, then our partner executes this movement it is like we are Shiva and Shakti together. Leading we represent consciousness while following we represent energy but we are both conscious. We both hold ourselves upright, and we both move, but it is just in the context of the dance itself that one of us chooses and the other follows. But in some cases both of us are choosing and both of us are following. It depends on which way you look at it.
1.13 Ultimately, when two people have danced together long enough they become part of a new idea, they become the dance and here they truly do become two parts of one idea, still themselves but also part of something bigger than themselves. And rather than one leading and the other following, at the level of the dance, it is the dance, the idea of the dance itself which leads them both and changes them both, and they express it.
Shiva and Shakti together, aspects of the same thing.
Connection, Change and Relationship
CONNECTION, CHANGE AND RELATIONSHIP
1.1 Computer systems deal with the flow of information from one idea to another. As that information flows from one part of the system to another it causes change. The part of the system sending the information changes as it sends the information, just as we change when we open our mouth to speak. And the part of the system listening for information, it changes when it receives the information as we might do when we see the traffic light ahead of us turn to red while we are driving. In going from one place to another information causes change. And when that information is read and acted on even more change occurs. (Sitting in a car, the speedometer is always there, but do we always notice it changing? “...Sorry officer, I was not conscious of my actual speed...”)
1.2 Even the simple act of delivering the information, electrons flowing along wires, is change but in order for change to occur, for one idea to change another they have to be connected. They have to have a relationship so that information can be exchanged.
1.3 A relationship is two or more ideas connected in such a way that information can be exchanged so that change is caused. Depending on the connection and the relative size of each idea that change may be big or it may be small. One idea may change more than the other. Change may occur simultaneously, fish turning simultaneously as one or it may occur sequentially, like in a conversation, two people taking turns listening to each other.
1.4 I am connecting to this idea, that of basic principles, and in connecting to my computer I am helping to give that idea form. And in the process of writing I am changing myself. Both the small changes as my fingers tap out words on the keyboard and bigger changes as my understanding of what I am writing about improves. The more I connect to this idea the better I understand it and the more I grow and change as a result.
1.1 Computer systems deal with the flow of information from one idea to another. As that information flows from one part of the system to another it causes change. The part of the system sending the information changes as it sends the information, just as we change when we open our mouth to speak. And the part of the system listening for information, it changes when it receives the information as we might do when we see the traffic light ahead of us turn to red while we are driving. In going from one place to another information causes change. And when that information is read and acted on even more change occurs. (Sitting in a car, the speedometer is always there, but do we always notice it changing? “...Sorry officer, I was not conscious of my actual speed...”)
1.2 Even the simple act of delivering the information, electrons flowing along wires, is change but in order for change to occur, for one idea to change another they have to be connected. They have to have a relationship so that information can be exchanged.
1.3 A relationship is two or more ideas connected in such a way that information can be exchanged so that change is caused. Depending on the connection and the relative size of each idea that change may be big or it may be small. One idea may change more than the other. Change may occur simultaneously, fish turning simultaneously as one or it may occur sequentially, like in a conversation, two people taking turns listening to each other.
1.4 I am connecting to this idea, that of basic principles, and in connecting to my computer I am helping to give that idea form. And in the process of writing I am changing myself. Both the small changes as my fingers tap out words on the keyboard and bigger changes as my understanding of what I am writing about improves. The more I connect to this idea the better I understand it and the more I grow and change as a result.
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