Sunday- May 31, 2009

Today I taught my first Yoga class since my kidney was removed. It was a moving experience for me and I believe those in class. I am grateful to be leading a Yoga class so soon after surgery.  I am grateful I am able to stretch my body (even a little) and feel the life force move through me as I lengthen my muscles.  I am grateful for the beautiful people smiling at me as they too reconnect with their body after being away from class for three weeks.  I am grateful to tell my story and remind people to listen, trust and act upon the messages coming from their body.  I am so grateful for my breath – the place where everything starts. 

I was moved to tears at the end of class as gratitude engulfed me.  I am grateful to be able to write this.  My gratitude reminds me of a favorite Rumi poem.

This being human is a guesthouse.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight . . .

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond. 

Monday - May 18, 2009 

After two days in the hospital I spent two days at my mother’s house.  Regina, my beloved partner and Madison, my beloved dog were with me.  In our home, Madison prefers to sleep on her bed on the floor alongside ours.  No matter how much we try to persuade her to sleep with us, she is not interested. 

To my great surprise, as Regina and I climbed into my mother’s king-size bed, Madison climbed up too.  She planted herself between us and lay stretched out alongside my leg the whole night.  She never left my side. 

The next night Madison was already waiting for us on the bed.  We found her lying on my pillow.  Again, she spent the night between us.  I know climbing up on the bed was her way of expressing love for me. As soon as we got back to our home Madison returned to sleeping on her bed.  

Madison’s unconditional love moves me deeply.  I know she is helping me heal. 

- Barbara

On April 23, 2009 I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma.  According to the doctor this type of cancer has no symptoms and is most often diagnosed only after it is too late.

But I was kissed by an angel because I experienced an unfamiliar pain that was so intense I could not write it off to a yoga miss-stretch.  My primary care physician could not find anything out of the ordinary.  But he had the wisdom to order further tests. The CT scan found a 2 inch tumor that was completely encased in my right kidney.  A follow up scan showed no other tumors in my body. On May 8, I had my right kidney removed taking the cancer with it.

Because of my good health the doctor said it is as if I am a kidney donor I have had a remarkable recovery.  I am healing quickly and credit much of it to eating well, taking supplements, having a positive outlook, and of course, my Yoga.

I thank all of you for the outpouring of love, good wishes and healing energy.  There are no words that come close to expressing my gratitude for the gift of an angel’s kiss. 

 - Barbara

Hundreds of thousands of people across the globe have already signed up to flip the switch for Earth Hour 2009.  Last year’s event was the largest voluntary power-down ever: more than 50 million people in 35 countries turned off their lights for 60 minutes.

The campaign started in Sydney in 2007.  The city’s carbon consumption dropped by more than 10 percent during the 2007 Earth Hour.  If Sydney maintained that level of energy reduction year-round, it would be the equivalent of taking almost 50,000 cars off the road.

To pledge your participation, sign up at www.earthhour.org - and on March 28, 2009, go dark between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

The African Yoruba proverb, “One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts,” is one cultural variation of The Golden Rule - the fundamental moral principle espoused by world religions.

Have you ever thought how happy we would be, should you and I choose to shift our focus from making lists of things other people must change for our convenience and happiness to one of genuinely treating other people as we want to be treated - regardless how they treat us in return.

For example, on a morning walk we smile and say hello to people we pass. Some people will return our smile and some will smile and say hello. Others ignore us.  And, a true ass may bark, “What are you looking at, Pollyanna?” If we allow ourselves to be offended by people who do not return our friendly gesture, then we will become unhappy, angry or judgmental.  Anticipating a friendly response is our personal-importance expecting a reward for being kind. However, if we smile and say hello, simply to smile and say hello, then we have taken the lead in treating other people as we want to be treated.

When our focus shifts to being compassionate then we change. When we change, we change the world.    

On a sparsely populated stretch of two-lane highway my uncle’s car broke down. Long before the invention of cell phones he was stuck in the middle of nowhere. Completely helpless he was dependent upon the off-chance someone would come along. 

After a short period of time he heard a soft buzzing. It sounded like a distant swarm of bees heading in his direction.  As the noise grew louder he watched the horizon.  Soon a group of motorcycle riders crested the hill.

Although my uncle had never before encountered bikers, he was terrified at the sight of them.  He had a preconceived idea they were dangerous. Most likely they would rob and possibly kill him. With nowhere to hide he felt completely helpless as he watched them approach.

Big tattooed guys with scraggly beards, du-rags and wallets on chains may seem ominous. However, “judging a book by its cover” does not accurately determine whether it is good, or bad. In my Uncle’s experience most of the group waved as they passed him by, but two riders did stop. Politely they asked to be of help.  They found the problem and soon my uncle was back on the road with a new perspective of the gentlemen.

There are times when stereotypes are accurate.  However, more often than not judging other people based upon what you have heard or how they look does not determine whether they are actually good or bad. Like having to read a book before we can make an evaluation based upon our own experience, the same is true for our accurately evaluating the inner nature of individual people through their behavior.

Get to know someone who is a different ethnic, religious or cultural background.  Look for the common threads that connect you as spiritual beings sharing a great human adventure. 

While out and about in my neighborhood, I noticed a group of young boys walking toward me.  Shoulder to shoulder, they spanned the entire width of the sidewalk leaving no room for anyone to pass who may be approaching from the opposite direction.   

Talking loudly and pushing each other around, the group moved in a tight five abreast formation. With a cup of hot coffee in one hand and my little dog’s leash in the other, I continued walking. As we steadily moved toward each other I realized there was nothing for me to do but stop. Seemingly unaware of my presence the group never broke rank.  At the last possible second, I was forced off the sidewalk and into the street when one of the boys intentionally bumped into me.

You may think Beverly Hills automatically inspires the display of more elegant behavior. It does not. The young men never stopped.  The group never looked back. They did not break stride as they went on their way while I collected myself and what remained of my coffee.

In the past I would have, without thought to the consequences of my actions, reacted, “Hey didn’t you see me? You are rude, inconsiderate little jerks.”  However, in this case I did not. I value behaving in ways that leave me proud of how I want to  remember me much more than defending myself against the non life-threatening, self-centered actions of other people.

There are instances when it is the right thing to call another person or organization on their bad behavior; especially when the safety of others is at stake. However, there is a big difference between protecting and nurturing life, or establishing a peaceful and positive atmosphere, and defending pride, or wanting to be acknowledged as the one that is right.

Keeping this in mind I simply looked at the boy on the sidewalk as he moved past.  I learned long ago that my happiness and peace of mind is solely determined by how I choose to behave in response to challenging situations and the irresponsible jerks I encounter. Therefore, I choose to diffuse any anger brought about by the unconscious actions of other people by screaming “FLUFFY BUNNY!” - silently to myself, of course. I release momentary upset in a way that makes me smile and leaves me most peaceful and proud of my behavior.

Regardless how any other person behaves you can make the world a better place by living each day as you want to be remembered. One tool to help you accomplish that goal is to respond to life’s challenges and jerks with the silent, but powerful, FLUFFY BUNNY!

Please join Barbara for a few moments of yoga stretches designed to give you a break while working at your desk.  Each of the short videos allows you to move your body, stretch your muscles and enjoy a few moments of peace and wellbeing.  

~Namaste.