B-RING your bell to new year's eve

NEW YEAR'S EVE BELL RINGING CEREMONY
SUNDAY  DECEMBER 31ST
2-4 PM

'tis here! the bell ceremony ..
ring out the olde.. obscurations..
clean the palate for no new obscurations to settle..
freshen the body - heart - mind..
bring your bells!

all are welcome to join in..
the asana and meditation will be joyous
and just right for any body..
~ by donation ~
all the monies go to anacortes family center..

please consider donating a wee bit more
than the price for class..
we are favored with warm and loving homes..
kind and caring friends and family,
food on our tables, cozy beds, hands to hold..
safe and sheltered..
if someone donates $54 -
and someone matches that..
it is the magic auspicious #..
$108
imagine!

join susan and dunja
@ the crescent moon yoga studio
521 morris street  laconner wa
for asana, meditation and bells ~

we will ring our bells 108 times.
each person will have an opportunity
to visit the altar with their prayer ( if desired..)
affirmations for the new year ~
regrets from the past year ~
any prayer from the heart ~
prayers will be left in the burn bowl...
to be burned at the end of the ceremony.

please come ~
intend the new year,
release the past,
celebrate,
donate..

May the coming year bring mighty compassion,
great wisdom, an opening of spirit,
vital health, deep peace,
true harmony, unfettered joy
and kindness, kindness, kindness...

grace

grace is the permanent climate of divine kindness.
                      ~ john o'donohue

we are living in grace..
each one of us..
every moment of every day..
no matter what the external experience may be..
the heart is the inner sanctum of grace..
grace is the kindness we shed on others..
we spill our grace upon one another..
we offer any or every gift we hold in our hearts..
we feed birds and each other..
we hold hands and paws..
we give pennies, dollars, millions
to the bell ringers..
we offer courage to those afraid..
we clothe the unfortunate ..
we tend the gardens
we walk the paths set out
we sing the praises of those we love..
let us sing the praises of those we don't..
we worship the stars and bring the stardust to our hearts..
we tickle the fancy of earth, grasses, brrrrr -
with our frozen toes..
we heal ..
we help..
we hold the ground..
for any and everything to happen
in the theatre of grace..
the abiding, perpetual climate of divine kindness..
if we are not divine..
who is?
if we are not filled to the brim with kindness,
who is?
reaching deeper into the wellspring of the heart..
of the soul..
of our true and holy nature..
let us bless and bless and bless again..
now and always
amen..
( and women too)

let us bless the air
benefactor of breath,
keeper of the fragile bridge
we breathe across.
      ~ john o'd....
          

reciprocity ~ great thanks

it has been one month and a day since i was
mesmerized and sliced into..
the titanium hip placed expertly into the thigh
so bone and titanium can reciprocate and flourish..
where each can share their gifts of essence..
bone and element atomic # 22
it is astonishing to think that something
so ..so...so..what? could even happen..
reciprocity

reciprocity..
from the latin
reciprocus
moving backward and forward

the bone and titanium must grow together..
weave and merge..
integrate and unite..
meld and weld..
yoga..bringing two together..
heaven and earth
bone and element

astounding!

the most important thing each of us can know
is our unique gift and how to use it in the world.
individuality is cherished and nurtured, because, 
in order for the whole to flourish,
each of us has to be strong in who we are and
carry our gifts with conviction, so they can be shared by others...
in reciprocity, we fill our spirits...
                    ~ braiding sweetgrass

it has been over two months that the mendicant letter
and post went out to beloved friends and students..
my heart has expanded to the size of the galaxy
and i am happy to say my wee bank account has also flourished..
i am not accustomed to much money
so having a tiny pot of gold sparkles my cells a bit
and i trust  that i may manage it wisely and generously..

some alms has been spent on:
thank you cards
stamps
postage
car insurance
dentist bill
long johns 2 pair
soft spacious pants
movies!
candles and more candles
donations to:
community action skagit
wolf hollow
elephant sanctuary
quiet light nuns
enso house
anacortes family center
yoga behind bars

food, gas, holiday gifts
for my great nephews
shampoo
christmas lights for the hummingbirds
to sit upon and warm their toes..
sugar and more sugar for the same wee gems

i still have alms left!

i am humbled and honored and privileged
to know the generosity of each of you
who have dropped your gifts into my bowl..
singing the praises of what true community
looks like, feels like..
that i am a recipient of such community
weakens my knees ..
quite simply, i do not know what i can say
to let you know how tender and open
this has made me..


in the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying
to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives.
in the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender
before the miraculous scope of human generosity
and to just keep saying thank you,  forever and sincerely,
for as long as we have voices.
                 ~ elizabeth gilbert

and this :
from a friend whose son sent generous dana
to the mendicant alms bowl..
when she admired that, he wrote ~

got to put your money where your intentions are.
besides, if we don't help support the people who do good things, who will?
it's not like society is generally awarding a comfortable lifestyle for teachers.
the world has enough bankers and lawyers, we need to fund some frickin' poets!

priceless gifts
an empty day without events.
and that is why
it grew immense
as space. and suddenly
happiness of being
entered me.

i heard
in my heartbeat
the birth of time
and each instant of life
one after the other
came rushing in
like priceless gifts.
     ~ anna swir

new year's eve bell ceremony .. ring-a-ling!

NEW YEAR'S EVE BELL RINGING CEREMONY
SUNDAY  DECEMBER 31ST
2-4 PM
your generous donation happily accepted
for the anacortes family center
anacortesfamily.org

please join susan schanen & dunja lingwood
@ the crescent moon yoga studio
521 morris street  laconner wa
for asana, meditation AND
the bell ringing ceremony..
to practice what is rare to practice..
please come and intend the new year,
release the past, celebrate, donate..

bring a bell (even a pot lid & spoon will do).
we will ring our bells 108 times.
each person will have an opportunity
to visit the altar with their prayer if desired..
affirmations for the new year ~
regrets from the past year ~
any prayer from the heart ~
prayers will be left in the burn bowl...
to be burned at the end of the ceremony.


May the coming year bring mighty compassion
great wisdom, an opening of spirit,
vital health, deep peace,
true harmony, unfettered joy
& kindness, kindness, kindness...

kindness turns me on

kindness turns me on 
                 ~ luka bloom

it does. doesn't it?
endorphins start popping and spinning..
whirling like dervishes with the beloved..

gifting..generosity..is kindness

patience.. endurance..is kindness

ethics.. integrity..is kindness

joyous perseverance..is kindness

meditation..stillness..is kindness

wisdom..sagacity.. is kindness

the 6 perfections ~ kindness

HHDL tells us..
his religion is kindness

one holy lama would ask when
meeting you and taking your hands..
have you been kind today?

gratitude is kindness ~


the thanksgiving class for
community action skagit
collected $ 603.00

kindness turns me on!