Gurus: Lighting Paths
I love September. It's my birthday month! Turning 47, I don't mind advertising Yoga's rejuvenating benefits. It's the month my family moved to Canada from Taiwan in 1967. I'll never forget the Toronto streets near the University, the canopy of red-gold maple leaves overhead as though we were indoors, the whispering carpet crunching beneath our squeaking cart wheels, going to the corner laundromat. September is also sunset, a journey into shorter days, winter darkness, the "midlife" of the year.
I love camping in September. Winter can be numbing, summer buggy and sticky. I love the midlife of the year. But in our Sadhana (path, practice) as we mature into midlife we do not move from light into dark, as with the seasons, but rather from darkness into light. Gurus, teachers, help light the way. My Scouting mentors on campouts teach me even more by example than by instruction. Yoga of Heart guru Mark Whitwell impressed upon me, "the only effective way to teach is friend to friend."
Gu means Darkness and Ru means Light in Sanskrit, so Guru means moving from dark into light. A teacher merely lights your path; you walk the path. My late friend and student Louise used to say, "I always feel like I've been on a journey with you." Life as journey, with fellow gurus along the path - studded with errors - which also are our friends - how else would we learn?
Soto Zen founder Dogen's words "A Zen master's life is one continuous mistake" brings a smile of relief to me. Ah - So I am a Zen master! That explains much! My favorite book on writing, courtesy of Cindi, a guru friend, is Gail Sher's "One Continuous Mistake."
"Om Sri Shukraya Namaha" [Ohm, Shree, Shoe-cry-yah Na-Ma-Ha]: "Om and Salutations to Shukra"
invokes the September sign of Venus, Libra, reminding us with her principles of harmony and love, balance and justice, to honor all the teachers we meet and ARE on our paths and our fellow travelers' paths.
User Friendly Mantras
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Feb. 24 - March 3, 2007 Retreat in Caribbean
Come relax in the Caribbean and play Yoga with me for a week in New York's bleak winter! Reserve now and get best airfares; check out the details below and download flyer, it is a really good package with all but airfare inclusive, a great vacation and escape and adventure and retreat all in one. Trish Perkins is our expert retreat coordinator and consultant so do email her on anything you have questions on; reserve now and save your spot; pay by Oct. 31 for 10% discount.
Every photo in this eNews except my Scout below is from the Balenbouche Estate in St. Lucia where our Caribbean retreat will be!!
Hope to fly there with you! Bring a friend/family member and let me know their Yoga needs! Or come and make new friends.
Mary's Tropical Escape
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Pre-Order Trees; Be Light to Boys
Every December my son's Boy Scout Troop spends several weekends at one of three Christmas Tree selling sites in Manhattan, raising funds so that every Scout who wishes can attend summer camp and other outings all year 'round. We are raising the next generation of nature-loving and responsible young men. All our leaders are volunteers, most of us busy dads and moms. Our Scouts trim our fresh trees, deliver to your home, set up if you need, and we also sell tree stands if needed. Our hard-working parent leaders are Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Christian Scientist, and more - a true inspiration in interfaith team-building for a common goal: the growth of our young men.
This year we are selling the fragrant Fraser Firs - dark green needles, $60 for 5-6 foot, $75 for 6-7 foot, $85 for 7-8 foot, and more info. available. Pre-ordering helps us plan and deliver much more efficiently - saving more homework and holiday family time for Scouts - so if you'd like to be a "mentor" in this way, send an email to: Troop1Trees@earthlink.net OR to me by Replying to this ENewsletter, and we'll have a Scouter reach you for exact ordering instructions.
Write email to: Troop1Trees@earthlink.net
About Troop One
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Sangha Means Community
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My eNews are a Sangha, a spiritual community, and I respect privacy and never share my email list.
Om Shanti, dynamic peace, be yours
Mary
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Mary's Tropical Retreat Feb. 24, 2007
Come relish nature and Yoga together with me in St. Lucia this winter!
Mary's Retreat |
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Classes
NY Health & Racquet Club, 23 St. Spa:
Tues. 1pm-2pm, Vinyasa Flow
Yogaworks Eastside:
Thurs. 12-1pm Level 1
Fri. 10:45-11:45 Level 1&2 (30 min. Flow; 30 min. Restorative)
Yogaworks East Side |
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