Love is:

Love is being able to honestly "let go", while not taking it personally. Ahhh, so profound!!! Yet, definitely what I discover more and more in both my professional and personal life. People take so much so personally, and when we do that, it is more about ego than about love. Offer your sweetie some freedom; freedom to mess up, freedom to hurt, freedom to move from a hurt place, and you may find that all the things they do that you find hurtful are really not so much about you, but more about their own mortal imperfections.

Not so many comments happening on this little page of mine. Would greatly enjoy hearing other thoughts about this, and what you think "love is", outside of silly fairy tales!!

As I contemplate saying good-bye soon to my very dear feline friend Kaspar, I am yet again deeply moved by the poetry of John de Kadt. Thank you John; for simplicity, depth, and truth. This is the lead number from his Drum Poetry album:


This Rhythm Is Not Mine

this rhythm is not mine
it comes from all hearts beating
all things opening and closing
it comes from the silent movement
of fishtails in the ocean
and from the swinging of waves and tides
it comes from the woodpecker
and from the way the ants
parade across the ground
it comes from the circling sun
and swaying leaf
that falls every autumn
no this rhythm is not mine,
but none of these
can claim it either,
not even the spinning moon
in her waning and waxing
can boast its creation
this rhythm is old
and as constant as our sure death
and as sure as the way morning
appears again and again
on the horizon
nothing does not dance to this rhythm
it is heard in every spec of all the worlds
even the gods are forced to step in time
it’s been around so long
it never began

John de Kadt

Bristol, NY

I went away on Yoga retreat for a few days over Memorial Day weekend; was blessed to be able to take in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of upstate NY. The retreat was hosted in a building that was originally designed to be a hunting cabin, and has now been converted to yoga retreat space. People who own homes in this area generally have many acres of land and if they don’t happen to be right on a lake, rather than digging and installing a pool, they will dig and dig and very easily create a fresh water pond. Which was the case at this sight. This creates a perfect setting for nighttime music of frog and toad calls. This particular retreat drew a small crowd of women, mostly from Colorado. It was very interesting for me to observe their impressions of this most gorgeous area between Central and Western New York State. We truly were extraordinarily lucky to have unseasonably warm and sunny weather (whatever is seasonable anymore?!). The women from Colorado were drinking in, not only the warmth, but also the humidity in the air. It is not what the air feels and smells like in Colorado. To me, this is what late spring and summer just is; to these women, this was a delicious treat. Of course, I had nothing to do with their total enjoyment of the lush green, the gorgeous pond, the singing spring birds, toads, and frogs, the sunny, warm, and humid weather; but somehow all of this felt a little more like mine, and I felt special. No doubt my feeling special came not only from their new found appreciation of what is close to home and familiar to me, but also came from Jeanie Manchester’s yoga classes, Douglas Brooks’ inspiring talks each afternoon, and Vishali’s welcome setting. Many thanks to our talented teachers and to the Goddesses from the West (and East too)! See you at our next gathering!

Blessings, Donna

A very dear friend has experienced a tremendous loss recently. He and his partner, pregnant for the first time, first child for both of them, lost the pregnancy in the ninth month. I feel grief, sorrow, love, tenderness, and so terribly clumsy. What could be more contradictory than death that precedes birth? Than spending the better part of a year in eager loving anticipation of the hopes and dreams that new birth offers, then to have those dreams turn to grief and mourning? My deepest heartfelt sympathies are with you, D&L. Love, Donna

Upcoming Yoga Classes

Apologies for being delinquent on posting my teaching schedule. Here is the schedule for the rest of May and into June:

Monday's 10:00 AM at the Westcott Community Center, corner of Euclid and Westcott St., no class Memorial Day; last Monday class in this series will be Monday June 18th.
Wednesday's 10:30 AM, in my home studio, until further notice. Call for directions: 315-885-3057

Monday and Wednesday morning classes are $10. per class.

My schedule with "The Fit Biz":

Monday May 21st 5:40 PM at Rockefeller church
Monday May 28: Memorial Day, No evening class
Monday June 4 and June 11: 5:40 PM at Bellvue church
Thursday June 14: 4:15 PM at Bellvue Church

See November '06 posting for directions to both churches.

Donna

Concert!!!

Hamilton College’s
College and Community Oratorio Society present:

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burina

and

James Hopkins’ Songs of Eternity

under the direction of G. Roberts Kolb


Lauralyn Kolb, Soprano

Ray Larzelere, tenor

Timothy LeFebvre, baritone

Tuesday April 24, 2007, 8:00 PM

Carol Woodhouse Wellin Hall in the Schambach Center for Music and Performing Arts on Hamilton College’s campus, Clinton, NY

Admission: $6.00, Students/Seniors: $4.00; Hamilton Students free with ID

Should be a Wonderful Concert! Donna

So here's another beautiful poem from Danna Faulds. This is from her collection, Poems from the Heart of Yoga: Go In and In

Allow

There is no controlling life.
Try corralling a lightning bolt,
containing a tornado. Dam a
stream and it will create a new
channel. Resist, and the tide
will sweep you off your feet.
Allow, and grace will carry
you to higher ground. The only
safety lies in letting it all in –
the wild and the weak; fear,
fantasies, failures and success.
When loss rips off the doors of
the heart, or sadness veils your
vision with despair, practice
becomes simply bearing the truth.
In the choice to let go of your
known way of being, the whole
world is revealed to your new eyes.

This little verse spoke to me well this evening. I hope it does for you also. Donna