Open Hearts: Happy Diwali, Happy New Year, Seasons Greetings!

It seems people's hearts open more readily during the holidays.

Many say they wish people would act this way all year long, and that is an excellent goal.

We just weren't taught to come from our heart first.

The message of all the movies we watch give us this message: come from your heart! But we don't listen to that very well.

It's reflected in how we treat the least of us. When we solve world hunger and extreme poverty, then maybe we can claim victory of the mind.


So until then, keep sharing your flame!

A River of Coolness, a River of Peace

The baiji told this story:

Once there was a man who was peacefully going about his simple life. One day several men approached him and began mocking him. Their leader took particular joy in making fun of this simple man.

How did the man react to the taunts? He listened to them, and he kept listening. Most people would be deeply wounded by these words that were meant to cause great pain. Some might be moved to commit violence, but this man appeared unaffected.

After a time, the simple man spoke. "I'm sorry, but I have somewhere I have to go right now. If you like, I can return afterward and you can continue saying these things to me."

The leader looked at him harshly, then left in disgust.

The man watched him for a moment, then turned to go on his errand.

One of the others ran up and stopped him, saying, "Why did you not react to his nasty words? He was trying to hurt you, but you seemed to not even care!"

The man looked at him plainly. "You could say his words were like fire, right? And when fire meets water, what happens? It's extinguished."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a river in my heart. A river of coolness. A river of peace."

And at that moment, the men were instantly transformed. Not because the man tried to force them to change, but because of who he was, because of who he was being.

Now, they had the knowledge.

Without the knowledge, Baiji said, we react without thinking, too quickly to respond from our heart.

This knowledge must be taken to heart, so we can come from there in all our interactions. This will help provide the life of peace and bliss we are looking for.

Q: Does Yoga Change You? A: Which You?

Am I a different person if I’m less anxious than I was six months ago because of yoga? Less worried about things that are out of my control, less inclined to indulge in behaviors that, in their absence, now offer more space and clarity in my life, leaving me more empowered?

Yes, that’s different. But did I change?

Yes, but in this way: my ego shrunk, and my higher self expanded.

What does that mean? And why does it matter?

We all know what our ego is: it's that thing that takes things personally, and gets upset at the smallest slights. It's that thing that worries needlessly, and prevents us from being vulnerable, fully expressed loving people for fear of getting hurt (because we got hurt being vulnerable and loving in the past). 

Ironically, the ego thinks it’s protecting us, but it’s just trying to keep us in an emotional, and even spiritual box.

What is our higher self? Does it mean we're "coming from our heart?" Is it referring to "our better angels?” God? The Divine? Our connection to the Oneness? Something we imagine? Something that fills us with great joy? 

I know which sounds better to me. 

Who knew the practice of yoga would shrink one and expand the other and make me so much happier?

Millions of you? Why didn't you tell me sooner?! 

Here's How to Have It All