Dear Yogis,

What a fantastic weekend.  I have purchased a new electric hedge trimmer to cut back the ivy, an electric pruning shear for the wisteria, and was given an electric whipper snipper which started this garden mayhem.  I wish I had done it sooner.  It has made the trimming pruning aspect of my garden manageable, and marginally enjoyable.  It is like cutting hair.  I can see there is a learning curve, and I am prepared to learn.  So all good.

Our Zoom classes.  The Pendulum class was fun, fun, fun (and we learned heaps).  The Tarot on Saturday was great, and the Gita class on Sunday was not to be missed.  We have two new students logging on – which didn’t quite make up for the regulars who post covid are off BBQ’ing, house viewing, and generally reverting to what used to be called “normal”.  Covid lock-down had a lot going for it.   It pushed you all towards more study, and more zoom classes.  

ZOOM CLASSES FOR THE WEEK.
Monday: THE BREATH 6.30.  We will be looking at how eating effects the breath (and life)
Tuesday: THE RUMI STUDY AT 7.30.  This is a fabulous study and we are all learning so much – especially me!  The similarities between Rumi and other spiritual leaders and prophets is getting more and more apparent as we progress into the study.

THE ANGEL PAINTINGS
I was going to do Buddhas on the tea bags, but I have really gotten back into angel paintings and the tea-bags are perfect size-wise.  I have started, and really, if I wasn’t speaking to you, that is where I would be.  In my studio painting.  I will add photo when I am able to get a good image. When I have a few, I will put them in the shop on this site.  The cost will include the frames and postage.  I think $65 would be a good price.  You will be surprised how lovely they look – the tea bag paper is rather lovely, especially the stains.. Miniatures appeal to me, and students are saving their used tea bags, without the tea.  If you can send me some, cut the bottom of the bag after you have used the bag, get rid of the used tea, and post them to me dry.  Leave the tags and strings on – the unusual aspect of the tags appeals to me.  Some are very colourful.

LEADERSHIP.  THE FIRST SELF- HELP MANUAL
You know that I read the Bible, and from time to time  I encourage you to do the same, especially in this case.  

NEHEMIAH,   a book in the old testament, is worth reading on the subject of Leadership.   The Jews needed to rebuild the walls of the city, and all though they could see the need for it, it looked too hard.  There were many obstacles including the inter-racial aspects and the politics of peoples settled in and around that area at the time.  Nehemia saw the problem clearly and had the will to do it.  The story tells how he used intelligence (and marketing) to get the walls rebuilt.

These walls were a symbol of the nation, and it seemed no-one had the heart to rebuild.  Nehemiah called on God, and repented not just for himself but for the Jews entire.  He reminded God of the promises He had made to Moses….

Believing his prayers had been answered (he had faith in things unseen), Nehemiah proceeded to enlist help of his fellow citizens.  He persuaded his employer in Persia to give him time off, he then went to Jerusalem and in the night surveyed the work to be done – speaking to no-one until he was completely aware of all aspects of what needed doing.  Once he had done this, he set about enlisting the help of all the Tribes.  What they couldn’t give in materials they gave in time or services, even guarding the wall was necessary (these were troubled times).  He even organised for those who had grain to provide grain for those who had none,  and to return any payments made.  He negotiated with rival tribes to keep the peace, and laws were devised to protect the people.  By doing this, he was able to bring everyone together for the project.

He didn’t forget GOD, and he didn’t forget to be GRATEFUL, and at every stage gave thanks for what had been accomplished step by step.

This is not a long book, and covers many aspects of Jewish life at the time, however I think it is recommended reading for people who are unsure of how to lead a group of people who are of different beliefs, and meld them together into a whole to achieve a common good.  It could be as simple as getting your family to agree on the building of a fence, or the building of a vegetable garden.  A project that has been agreed on, but looks too big.

It may seem unrealistic to ask you to read it and apply it to your life, but we can all learn something from history.  Like Arjuna in The Gita, Nehemiah was on the battlefield.  How he managed to rebuild the walls, and the leadership strategies he used, were like the tactics on a battlefield, or in any community or family with a project which needs to be finished, all that is needed is a clever, motivated, leader.

Read the book.  Not word-for-word (the first time).  Learn something.  

I look forward to seeing you on the mat.

NAMASTE.  JAHNE