Satvinder at School

Once a month, Satvinder's school has open house, where the kids get to show parents what they are working on. Satvinder is always very excited to have us come - eventhough I'm the embarrassing mom that is constantly taking pictures.

Check it out - our little bug is learning to spell things...like "bug"!

Flagstaff Weekend

Yay for cooler weather!
Satvinder wearing a flower from her Nonni's garden, which is quite impressive.

Dog playdate

Nature walk

Dadaji and Rufus

Satvinder and her Pitaji did lots of flips and spinning

Lots!

7 Years

Today is our 7 year wedding anniversary. I give thanks for the grace that got us here and the blessings of this journey that teaches us so much.

Fart-thee-well!

Satvinder's favorite book right now is The Gas We Pass: the Story of Farts. She took this book for "sharing" the other day at school. As she walked into the school yard, she greeted each staff member (all good natured and, of course, used to kids) by saying "Fart-thee-well!"

Hejira (translation: journey)

Ah, Joni. Different Joni Mitchell songs grab me at different times - she's my all time favorite. Right now it is Hejira. Hejira is it for me this week.

5:1

One of the many "tools" I received from the Authentic Relationships course was the practice of expressing 5 positive feelings for every one negative emotion (at least the ones I am consciously aware of!) It seems like a simple concept but I am finding it profoundly helpful for shifting my mental state at those times when negatively is upon me. It really takes a lot of effort - but it has noticeable results even if just doing it on a thought level.

Here is what the Authentic Relationships manual says about it:

The keys to success are a habit of positive communication, an ability to identify and respond to meaningful feelings and ideas of your partner, and a capacity to use differences, paradoxes and ambiguity in a creative manner to reach common goals and understanding. The couples that expressed five or more positive feelings (verbal or nonverbal) for every one negative emotion had the best chance of overcoming difficulties and staying together happily. Positive communication that was genuine was the strongest factor for longevity.

Eventhough this is aimed at partners, it is helpful for any relationship.

We humans are quick to complain about each other - a habit that closes the heart. The "simple" decision to remember the positives helps to expand the love, compassion, and gratitude.

After Meditation

sweet lips smile
tasting breath that is
You
come to my openness
there is no fear
of death, disappear
the loss
of me

back leaning
sky sweeping eyes gazing
You
bring me back
there is no excuse
not to feel
all that is
Bliss

Authentically Relating!

"In the infinite game (of life) we are happy not from our circumstance but from how we face our circumstance. We are happy not from a relationship itself but from how we face and act in each relationship." - Authentic Relationships manual

Today we completed the sixth day of the Level 2 Teacher Training: Authentic Relationships course. It was deeply profound process of exploring our relationships on all levels - self, thoughts, family, friends. I can't tell you what a special opportunity it was to have this time to work on this kind of self awareness and to go through it with such a great group of people, who put forth full effort and honesty in doing their work too. This course has been really powerful.

Now we have a 90 day process of daily meditation, reviewing the material from the course (the manual is a very rich resource!) and meeting with study groups. We set intentions and picked 4 relationships that we will focus on during this 90 day period.

Here is my intention for what I want to cultivate in my relationships:

It is my intention to have each relationship, even one with conflict, be filled with actions that show integrity, kindness, intelligence, and timelessness. It in my intention to express love first over any projected fear and defenses that are provoked and act from my soul. It is my intention to experience and live in Ultimate Love, embracing polarities and the flow of life with acceptance and compassion.

Group Photo from the course (click on pic to see a bigger version)

Awareness

I saw this a couple years ago at the "Mind and Meditation" course. It just goes to show that what we see isn't always all that is there.