holidaze schedule in a nut shell

what kind of nut, you ask?

tuesdays ~
Decembre 23 & 30  8AM

saturdays ~
Decembre 27 & January 3 2015  9AM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBRE 31ST
!!  10 AM  !!
regular asana class followed by -
Japanese bell ceremony
bring bells ~
2-hour sesshin

solstice blessings..here comes the sun!

Almond blossom, sent to teach us
That the spring days soon will reach us ~
                  Sir Edwin Arnold, Almond Blossom

2015 heart sutra sits..

2015!
40 years of guiding yoga classes ~ 2015
no realizations just yet..
- right around the corner!

heart sutra
for the new year..
~ mark your calendars ~

SUNDAY JANUARY 18
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15
4-6 pm
by donation

that's as far as we've gotten
into the new year..
be blessed!

bull’s eye

heart sutra

could’ve been the coyote’s lament -

that wistful cry of the loon..

wind carried this arrow of loneliness

mid-rib 

full center

on the mark

my heart..

the heart of any who wait by the door

shivered..and asked..

who is calling?

who is coming home?

                             

sunset decembre 17 1273

rumi died this day..
the anniversary of his death is called his urs  ~ 
wedding night w/ the beloved ~
he felt that the union w/ the presence
of the one he calls the beloved ..or the friend..
was as natural as breathing..
union w/ that companion
transpires throughout and animates the universe..

i'll say..
his tomb is in konya..turkey..
visited by thousands yearly..

above the door this is written:

i belong to the beloved,
have seen the two worlds as one,
and that one call to and know,
first, last, outer, inner,
only that breath breathing human being.

how alive is he to all of us ~
who read him ..a balm for the heart..

this..from his rubaiyat.. today ..

someone who received 
half a loaf of bread from heaven
and because of her soul's attainment
was given a little nest,
someone who neither desires anybody
nor is desired by anyone -
may she live happily,
for she owns a happy universe.
             translated by kabir helminski

holidaze yoga schedule - new year's eve bell ceremony

ROHATSU - december 8
buddha & buddies sitting the morning star awake!

'tis the season..
as the sun moves northward..
we will be generating joy to the world, eh?

remember :
heart sutra sit
sunday december 14th
4-6 pm
by donation

dunja's class schedule :
yes!
TUESDAY,
12/23  8am

no classes -
wednesday, the 24th - friday, the 26th
yes!
SATURDAY,
12/27   9am

yes!
TUESDAY
12/30  8am
YES!
wednesday
12/31 
*10 AM*
special class w/ bell ceremony
plan on a 2-hour sesshin..
(yes, i know how to spell session..)
1 & 1/2 hour asana & 1/2 hour bell ceremony
please bring a bell (there will be a few extras) and a small piece of paper with your  affirmations for the new year and /or regrets from the year past. we will ring our bells 108 times and each person will have an opportunity to place their prayer in the burning bowl. 
all will be burned at the end of the ceremony. we will set up chairs for those who have knees & hips..we will sit for a wee while in stillness..what a way to ring in 2015!

no classes -
wednesday evening (12/31) 7pm - friday, january 2 2015
yes!
SATURDAY,
1/3  9am

whew!

glad tidings and good cheer

1269 = elephant post !

palms together..

trunks uplifted and trumpeting!!!

we sent off the trunkful of donations yesterday..

on st. nick's day..

st. nick is the patron saint of orphans..

how auspicious! that we would offer $1269

to the orphaned elephants of the planet ~

one of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us

to welcome and help people (elephants) in a way we couldn't

as individuals. 

when we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility,

we can welcome many people (elephants), those in deep distress..

                     ~ jean vanier

we certainly could have sent our individual donations 

one by one..yet..as a yoga shala..we are unified..

and it is too much fun to see how vast and wealthy

we are together!

ursula le quin says in a book..

true wealth is spending..

i understand that to say..

true wealth is giving

&

rumi tells us..

generosity is a gainful trade!

thank you all for sharing your true wealth..

your giving spirit..your deep pockets of kindness..

praises!

dhammapada chapter 23 : the elephant

patiently i shall bear harsh words as the

elephant bears arrows on the battlefield.

people are often inconsiderate.

only a trained elephant goes to the battlefield;

only a trained elephant carries a king. best 

among men are those who have trained their 

mind to endure harsh words patiently.

mules are good animals when trained; even

better are well-trained sind horses and great

elephants. best among men is one with a 

well-trained mind.  no animal can take you

to nirvana; only a well-trained mind can

lead you to the untrodden land.

the elephant dhanapalaka in heat will not eat

at all when he is bound; he pines for his mate

in the elephant grove.

eating too much, sleeping too much, like an

overfed hog, those too lazy to exert effort are

born again and again.

long ago my mind used to wander as it liked

and do what it wanted. now i can rule my

mind as the mahout controls the elephant

with his hooked staff.

be vigilant; guard your mind against negative

thoughts. pull yourself out of bad ways as an

elephant raises itself out of the mud.

if you find a friend who is good, wise, and

loving, walk with him all the way and over-

come all dangers.

if you cannot find a friend who is good, wise,

and loving, walk alone, like a king who has

renounced his kingdom or an elephant roam-

ing at will in the forest. it is better to be alone

than to live with the immature. be contented,

and walk alone like an elephant roaming in the

forest. turn away from evil.

it is good to have friends when friendship is

mutual. good deeds are friends at the time of

death. but best of all is going beyond sorrow. 

it is good to be a mother, good to be a father,

good to be one who follows the dharma. but

best of all is to be an illumined sage.

it is good to live in virtue, good to have faith,

good to attain the highest wisdom, good to

be pure in heart and mind. this will bring you

lasting joy.

december heart sutra

once a month,
we gather together
to chant the heart sutra and sit silently..

sunday
december 14th
4-6 pm
by donation 

om gate gate 
para gate para samgate
bodhi svaha! 

elephant trunk!

november‘s end  -  2014

hello dear elephant sanctuary -

our yoga studio..

a wing and a prayer

had a benefit class on thanksgiving morning

for you!!

enclosed are our cheques for :

( awaiting a few more offerings -

will publish total next week..)

please save your money and send just 

one thank - you to all of us..

we are very grateful to you for 

what you do for the elephants..

and ever so grateful for the elephants themselves..

what splendid beings..

we send you our yoga schedules

so you can see how much we love elephants!

thank you for the opportunity to make 

a difference for these astonishing elephants..

here is a poem we read in class

from the book  -

god got a dog 

by cynthia rylant

god went to india

to see the elephants.

god adores elephants.

he thinks they are 

the best thing 

he ever made.

they do everything

he hoped for:

they love their children,

they don’t kill,

they mourn their dead.

this last thing is

especially important

to god.

elephants visit the graves 

of those they loved.

they spend hours there.

they fondle the dry bones.

they mourn.

god understands mourning

better than any other emotion,

better even than love.

because he has lost

everything he has 

ever made.

you make life,

you make death.

the things god makes 

always turn into

something else and 

he does find this good.

but he can’t help missing all the originals.