Esplendor y Miseria del Mundo...

November 15th 2008

There are extraordinary happenings afoot on the planet. The ice caps are melting, the tide is rising, the world financial markets (inextricably connected no matter what protectionist nonsense politicians may espouse) are quaking. At the same time the United States of America has just elected an intelligent, youthful, black man to lead us forward into the massive changes we must make to get our nation back on track. Splendorous change is upon us. Miserable things are moving amongst us. Maybe these two things are always true in tandem. In my work with couples I have often said that huge upheaval in relationship should be celebrated because it often signals something new is trying to happen. For us as a planet this is a perspective that can help us to feel positive about where we find ourselves. It is meaningful to note that doesn’t mean pretending nothing is wrong, it just means that when things go wrong there is always a way of seeing it as an opportunity to create and even celebrate change. I found myself thinking about that a lot today.

Our personal situation has been deeply impacted by the shift in world economies and we have found ourselves in a holding pattern, waiting to see if the pendulum will swing back the other way, find a middle ground. We don’t expect to be left unscathed and yet we continue to hope that we’ll land on our feet. Jimmy and I are discovering in our adventures here that staying flexible and taking deep breaths both help as we navigate new information, requiring new positions and new plans - I notice as I write this that is sounds a lot like the foundation of a strong yoga practice.

We hold firmly to the things that matter most and let go of the things don’t, sometimes with reluctance, always with the certainty that acting from our deepest values will take us where we want to go. Funny thing about a plan, it can be a wonderful tool to keep one focused on the path, yet can also, if held to over tightly, cause one to walk blindly into disaster. Holding firmly to what one deeply values will never lead you astray.

Jimmy and I arrived in Buenos Aires in July intent on opening a yoga and art studio. The fascinating process of doing business in this city and the learning curve held us back initially but we held things loosely and kept moving forward in the direction of that plan. All at once we looked up, having been intently moving forward along the path, to discover that our path had a road block. Without the wherewithal to complete the project as planned at this time we have spent the past few days taking some deep breaths, and trying to stay flexible, deciding what moving forward looks like from this vantage point.

A good friend asked me to list 5 things that are really important about our life here and then to ask myself which 2 I would let go of if I had to. In listing 5 things owning a yoga studio didn’t even make the list. That is a means to an end, or 2, or 3. I want to practice yoga in a school and I want to teach, and to build a community of like minded souls. I can do that when a yoga studio opens here, which will likely happen without my doing it. for Jimmy, he wants to be a working artist and to take his art to the world. Running a gallery was never a part of the spirit of his hopes, it was a means to that end.

In the next few weeks we will be watching the world and hoping that we are all breathing, staying flexible, moving forward, but not holding too firmly to any one plan in case the moment calls for change. When you think of us here below the equator and hold hopes for us, hope that we are well, hope that we are calm, hope that we are strong and hope that our dreams come true, no matter what form that truth takes.

Peace Brothers and Sisters