Full Moon Blessings to All
Dear Friends,
It has been a whole lunar cycle since I was in Venice admiring the fullness of the moon. Back home now for a few weeks, I am finally getting into my groove and ready to write to you all. Traveling in Europe for three weeks left me in an elevated state, and soon after returning home, I felt myself coming down from the high. Ever experience that crash or downfall after the holidays, the summer season, or a mighty celebration? I was on a high overflowing with all the exquisite sights and experiences: the grandeur of the Dolomites and the phenomenal hikes and meals with Paul, the architectural achievements of Venice, and the layers of complex history in Croatia. Let’s just say I’ve been digesting it all while simultaneously feeling confronted with the daily news, conflicts in the Middle East, local political tensions, and the common everyday built-in stressors. So here I am—raw, real, and very grateful for my health and life—staying focused on what keeps me well and anchored.
There are juxtapositions everywhere we turn. Spectacular sandy beaches littered with trash, snow-covered mountains clouded in smog, raging wars on sacred lands. Like many, I don’t have the answers or clear direction toward resolution, so how do I relate to all of this? How do I stay steady with my practices and rhythms when challenges arise or atrocities are on my mind? I would rather stay busy and not have to face certain harsh realities, but that’s not what true living is all about. True living is staying awake and tuned-in to the highs and lows, the beauty and brutality, the spectacular trips and mundane tasks…and finding a peaceful place along the way.
I didn’t arrive home from my trip with any grand ideas or new insight about what’s next for me, yet I do know that for as long as I’m here, I’ll watch the moon rise and the sun set, and I’ll continue to cherish what is certain and steady. Connecting each day with the Earth’s natural phenomenas and the wild beauty of the Outer Cape satisfies me like this Torta di Grano Saraceno from Northern Italy. Showing up for my community, moving my body on the mat to a new playlist, talking with Paul each evening, planning our next adventure…these are the steady comforts and gifts that keep me hopeful and healthy. For all this, I am very grateful.
The shift from summer to fall has been quite evident in our weekly classes. We are now practicing inside the Truro Community Center with a smaller group of people. Fall classes are simpler and shorter in duration, so as not to eat up all the day’s light and reflect the seasonal vibe.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy being home in the winter months, but it sure doesn’t hurt knowing there are more mountains for me to climb, places to discover on retreat, great art to see, and fantastic food & wine to taste abroad! If you want to join me, here are the next two offerings.
Jaya Jaya,
G