Dear Yogis,

Another fabulous day in paradise!  

So much suffering in nirvana castles
So joyous to sink into this world.

When in old clothes you call yourself Buddha,
What do you call yourself in silk?

Wooden man went out with shoes at night,
Stone woman came back with hat in the morning.

You, for the first time, can perceive when you
Pick up the moon three times as it floats on the pond.
-Zen Master Seung Sahn. “Bone of Space”.

Although technically we are in winter, inexplicably spring has come.  Ask the Manchurian Pears, they will show you, they are just starting to bloom. The tiny buds are exploding out of the branches of the trees… bugs are everywhere taking advantage of the unseasonal sunshine.  I walk in the garden blessing the flowers, the new seeds popping out of the beds I prepared months ago.  Everything that is so small is so wonderful.

Monasteries in Asia are set up according to the seasons.  Three months of practice in the winter (tight dharma), followed by three months of of freedom in the spring (loose dharma), followed by three months of practice in the summer (tight dharma) followed by three months of of freedom in autumn (loose dharma). Like musical instruments we humans need tuning.  Living too tight for too long produces a tight person.  Living too loose produces a loose person.  To be in balance we need periods of both.

What will our period of hard (covid) practice give birth to?  The seasons will tell you.  They are part of us, we are part of them.  Nothing lasts forever – keep on chopping the wood.

Don’t forget.  Teacher Training via zoom on Sunday at 2pm.  Details on the web site www.yogabeautiful.com.au

Have a beautiful, sunny day. LIVE WELL AND PROSPER.

NAMASTE  JAHNE.