Thursday, 26 May 2022

One Nation, Under desks

 One Nation, under Desks

(Paraphrased from Amanda Gorman's poem from Tuesday this week)


I could continue to pace back and forth from small room to terrace, go back to the beach and pick up some more trash hoping to move this pain out of my psyche, or I could write about it.

For my international friends, this line is inspired from a short poem that Amanda Gorman wrote in response to the horrors of gun violence yet again toward little ones, at an elementary school in Texas.  "One education, under desks"

Our national pledge of allegiance is more accurately known now as a pledge to hypocrisy.  Of course there is no One nation, undivided, with liberty and justice for all.  Amanda Gorman nailed it because she knows it, and anyone who holds a global view of humanity can see the arrogance and narrow-mindedness in what we ask our kids to recite in school.  

This year when I was in my home state of California visiting my family who all live on the Central coast, I spent my afternoons relaxing or practicing yoga in the little park behind their home, the park where I watched my nieces grow up, rode bikes with them, kicked the soccer ball around, and watched them grow to become expert tennis players.  One day as I was crossing the wooden plank bridge over the stream that enters the park, a young mom with her little son, perhaps 3-4 years old were walking toward me.  He had just had an energetic exchange with another person in the park, he was carrying his toys.  I heard his mom say, that was very nice that you said hello, but you don't need to tell strangers where you are going and what you are doing, but it was nice that you said, hello.  It wasn't the remarks that hit me at that moment, it was the expression in his young face that went from pure joy to exact opposite, a gray cloud passed his face and he looked afraid.  Boom.  The kid just grew up, he knows now that even in the most intense moment of joy when all feels so light, there is the other shoe that will drop, something to be scared of that he can't understand, yet.  I turned around to watch them go, and saw that his head was down now and his gait slowed.  He was taking this in.  I felt I saw a moment when a kid had to 'grow up.'  His day took a turn.  I hope he asked, why?  I hope his mom found the right words.  But I understand now, this little incident is nothing in a little one's life as, as young as pre-school they are taught about guns, that they will harm them and how to protect themselves.  A child in the U.S. goes to school to learn this.

The first thing I thought of is that quote from Einstein about the important moment in our young lives when we will have to make the decision. is the universe a malevolent one or a benevolent one.   He knew no creativity, no genius, no breakthroughs will come from a place of fear.  Fear is stuck, stagnant. I wanted to find other words for that little guy because of what I saw in his face. 

Tiny kids who hold fear grow to school kids who are nervous and/or can bully their way away from this fear, they can become anxious adolescents then anxious adults who believe in conspiracies, feel they can protect themselves from this fear if they have a gun, we also elect the anxiety-ridden when we are not careful, mindful, resourceful.  I know I just fast-tracked there and it is far more nuanced than this, but is it?  We see it right in front of us everyday when we open our phone.

Amanda goes on to say inhumane, which is what this is.  In a society where taking care of each other is ever increasingly rare, a non-benevolent society. how do we add access to assault weapons to the toxic mix that is our malevolent society.   We, Americans, chose the side Einstein cautioned.  What are we going to do about it?

I remember having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, K through 4th grade classes, when I was little I didn't understand the words, instead of "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all", I said, invisible, with liberty and it's just all fog.


Schools scared to death.

The truth is, one education

under desks.

Stooped low from bullets

That plunge when we ask

Where our children shall live

and how

and if.

--Amanda Gorman




Weekend Yoga

Dear Everyone!

I wanted to write sooner, but the tragic news from the U.S. took some
wind out of my sails.  Systemic problems can do that to us. I hope you
are well.  My practice and lifestyle here is a very sane one to say the
least.   I got feedback that some of you are interested in the Saturday
class online with me at 10am, that sometimes you can join.  Please let
me know if you would like the class this Saturday? Also Caroline is
kindly giving the community classes each Sunday until the end of June. 
We can reassess what is happening with all the summer travel after
that.  I would love to show you a little part of the island!

I put the notice on the website.  Saturday classes online and Sunday at
11 with Caroline.

See you soon!  Namaste kala,

Michelle


Chers tous,

Je voulais vous écrire plus tôt, mais les nouvelles tragiques en
provenance des États-Unis m'ont coupé l'herbe sous le pied.  Les
problèmes systémiques peuvent nous faire ça.  J'espère que vous allez
bien.  Ma pratique et mon style de vie ici sont très sains, c'est le
moins que l'on puisse dire.   J'ai eu des échos que certains d'entre
vous sont intéressés par la classe en ligne du samedi avec moi à 10h,
que vous pouvez parfois rejoindre.  S'il vous plaît laissez-moi savoir
si vous souhaitez le cours de ce samedi ? De plus, Caroline a la
gentillesse de donner les cours communautaires chaque dimanche jusqu'à
la fin du mois de juin. Après cela, nous pourrons réévaluer ce qui se
passe avec tous les voyages de l'été.

J'ai mis l'avis sur le site web.  Cours du samedi en ligne et dimanche à
11 heures avec Caroline.


 J'aimerais vous montrer une petite partie de l'île !


--
Michelle Jacobi
Certified International Assoc. of Yoga Therapists
C-IAYT ERYT-500
Centre de Yoga du Marais
72 rue du Vertbois
75003 Paris, France
0033 (0)6.31.91.82.12


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Thursday, 19 May 2022

Learning through the senses


 I am distilling my daily practice into memory, putting this memory sense, the 6th sense into the marrow of my bones so that my marrow remembers this warmth .  It is in my bones that I feel the chill of Paris winters, I am in the studio and I guide my students but cannot get warm like them.  I think of this often, how can I keep this feeling of warmth in my bones?  Remember.  I am accumulating the heat that drives up from my terrace the warmth of the morning sun, right up into my child's pose simultaneously feeling the warmth of the sun on my back,  I feel like a bagel toasting, the cream cheese in the middle warming and oozing just slightly out the sides.  I will remember and take this back, for the brain won't know if it is actually happening or if it can go along with the ride that you made it take with you.   For my bones to remember softness, I have this, far beyond touch sound sight taste and smell, I have this memory.

First in the mind,
then in the body.
The abdomen relaxes,
then the breath sinks into the bones.
The life force is relaxed
and the body calm.
It is always in the mind.
Being able to breathe properly leads to agility.
The softest
will then become
the strongest.

Wu Yu-hsiang

Honored to have endorsed Peter's book:











Thursday, 12 May 2022

May from Milos

My dear Students,

How is May in Paris?  Are you warm and enjoying your holiday plans this month?  Staying healthy, in your mind and spirit, too?   I hope each day touches you with some peace and joy.

Island life continues to teach me much.  My days and evenings are organized by the rooster who crows energetically 15 meters from my window each morning, so I'm in bed when he's quiet and up with him.  It's fine, I like the routine.  I hear he and his chickens will be moved to a farm when the tourists arrive because they are not going to like this schedule.  I pick up some new phrases or words each day, (from the Greeks, not the rooster) but pretty much concentrate on my own little routine here which is discovering more and more about the yoga practice and what it teaches me.  I feel very good.

Athena, my contact on the island and whom I've worked with 7 times now, would like to see us back.  She offered me a lovely arrangement for next May 2023.  If you would like to think about saving a week mid-month around the May holidays, we can have a week's yoga retreat here, 400 euros, all inclusive.   I was looking at the dates of May 15-21, 2023.  You can keep the idea in your mind and we can plan further when I am back.  No rush, we know there is so much going on in the world.

If you would like to have a class on video from here and see my little terrace garden, the internet is very good and reliable.  I am sure you have found a routine that is nice for you and I hope it is live because it is so important that we all come together in person again, it's important for our mental health and growth.  I will stay here through the summer, but if you would like a video class it could be transmitted through Skype like we used to do.  I can do Saturday mornings at 10, I could also do a Sunday class as well because the mornings work best here.  During the week, if you wanted an early am class before going to work we could do this on Tuesdays like the class we started during Covid.  The fees would be the same as when I was back in Paris. The classes online 1h 15 minutes. 15 euros.

I sincerely hope you are all healthy and well, please feel free to drop me a line with some news whether or not you would like to sign up for a class.  Namaste kala, which is Greek  for Peace be with you,  Michelle

yogamarais.com 
Centre de Yoga du Marais  72 rue du Vertbois  
75003 Paris, France  0033 (0)6.31.91.82.12

Friday, 15 April 2022

April, Milos 2022

 Mais qu'est-ce qui se passe ?


Avec nos pensées, nous faisons le monde --- Bouddha, 555-468 BCE

Pas seulement notre monde, le monde.  

Il existe une parabole indienne dans laquelle un jeune fils demande à sa mère comment gérer les sentiments contradictoires qu'il éprouve et qui le font souffrir.  Soudain, il semble que ces émotions négatives et ces réactions à son monde sortent de nulle part, sans prévenir, et le poussent à agir violemment envers lui-même et envers les autres.  Sa mère lui explique qu'il y a deux loups qui vivent à l'intérieur de chacun d'entre nous, chacun se disputant la domination.  Il demande, qui va gagner.  La mère répond : cela dépend du loup que tu nourris. 

J'ai choisi un bel endroit pour nourrir mon esprit et nourrir le loup qui s'est exaspéré du comportement de l'autre loup.  Je ne peux changer que moi-même, mais je me réveille chaque matin en me demandant ce qui se passe.  Parce que, par nature, j'ai besoin de savoir les choses et que je ne fais pas l'autruche quand les problèmes surgissent, je suis attentif à ce qui se passe dans le monde.  Le bon journalisme informe consciencieusement et de manière responsable de l'essentiel, de ce que, en toute bonne conscience et dans le respect rigoureux de l'éthique de leur profession, nous devons savoir.  Il s'agit d'un accord de confiance depuis l'époque du crieur public.  Je soutiens pleinement le journalisme responsable et je suis conscient que nous avons également besoin d'entendre chaque jour les propos du gentil loup.  Nous avons besoin du rappel de notre humanité innée, car nos cœurs ne peuvent continuer à fonctionner sainement dans le désespoir.  

J'ai le sentiment que notre humanité innée se manifeste en ce moment sur la scène mondiale par le cadeau du président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

La façon dont nous nous comportons les uns envers les autres est de plus en plus évidente pour moi depuis un certain nombre d'années et m'a jeté dans le désespoir en 2015 (plus à ce sujet plus tard) en voyant le manque de patience, de dignité et de compréhension chez nos dirigeants et parmi nous tous qui les votons, la rapidité à nourrir l'autre loup et souvent seulement l'autre loup.  

Le point de basculement, et c'est une horreur pour moi de devoir le demander, mais le texte spirituel de la Bhagavad Gita dans le Mahabharata le confirme, est-ce que le siège et la guerre actuels se produisent pour mettre en relief la façon dont nous nous sommes comportés les uns envers les autres pendant si longtemps ?  Comme le héros Arjuna dans la Bhagavad Gita, nous avons un héros de la vie réelle comme nous n'en avons pas vu dans la légende ou la vie depuis des milliers d'années.  Tout comme Pandava contre Kaurova, frère contre frère, Ukraine contre Russie, nous sommes sur un champ de bataille pour la capacité de compassion contre le nihilisme.  

Les frictions sont inconfortables, la guerre est chaotique et laide, mais elles peuvent être l'énergie du changement.  Un changement qui a été long à venir et qui a nécessité un guerrier sans peur qui savait exactement où était la ligne rouge et connaissait son dharma.  Au fil du temps, nous avons assisté à une érosion croissante des droits de l'homme.  Zelenskyy est arrivé, l'homme qu'il fallait au moment qu'il fallait.  Le bon cœur pour contenir l'horreur incroyable à laquelle il se réveille chaque jour dans le pays qu'il aime.  Le dévouement inébranlable dont il fait preuve à l'égard de sa foi, de sa famille, de ses compatriotes, nous montre qu'il faudra que nous soyons tous engagés les uns envers les autres et envers un idéal supérieur pour pouvoir vivre dans la dignité, un droit humain fondamental.


Pour cela, nous aurons besoin de connaissances, dans notre tradition de yoga, c'est le Jnana Yoga.

Pour cela, nous avons besoin d'engagement et de dévotion. Dans notre tradition de yoga, c'est le Bhakti Yoga.


La Bhagavad Gita est un trésor, elle contient tout.  Il y a Dhirodana, le roi aveugle, littéralement aveugle et malade, qui croit que le petit royaume Pandava de son frère lui revient de droit.   Il y a des massacres et des horreurs et il y a Arjuna qui a été appelé à défendre le royaume grâce à son cœur engagé et courageux.  La Bhagavad Gita nous demande d'aller dans ces endroits sombres et de poser ces questions difficiles parce que la perspicacité, la connaissance et l'action sont l'amour.

La racine bhag signifie partager, participer, obtenir, cultiver, profiter, expérimenter, divertir.  Le sentiment général est l'amour, placer son cœur, placer son engagement.  Krishna, l'ami et le guide d'Arjuna, lui fait comprendre que l'amour est la raison ultime et absolue.

Aimer, c'est se rendre vulnérable, partager son cœur, ce qui peut aussi vous faire souffrir.  Plus vous aimez, plus vous choisissez de devenir vulnérable.  Zelenskyy le sait, et c'est l'amour qui le rend sans peur. Nos vrais héros savent que même dans un cœur brisé, il y a plus d'amour.  Exemples :  Nelson Mandela, Vaclav Havel, Rosa Parks.... tous ceux qui se sont dressés contre l'opposition aux droits humains fondamentaux.

Les valeurs antidémocratiques (la stratégie du méchant) tentent de nous faire croire que nous ne sommes pas à notre place, que nous sommes l'autre, privés de nos droits.  Notre tâche consiste à ne pas laisser leur stratégie devenir notre expérience.  Dans le domaine des jeux de guerre, nous sommes là pour jouer notre jeu, pour rester fidèles à nos principes et lorsque nous sommes affaiblis, nous bluffons, jusqu'à ce que nous nous sentions à nouveau forts, nous prétendons être les Mandela, les Rois, les Zelensky, parce que la Bhagavad Gita nous enseigne que nous le sommes.


Nos valeurs démocratiques auront toujours besoin d'inspiration et de soutien, de vigilance et d'amour.

Procurez-vous un exemplaire, lisez-le, et lisez-le encore et encore.  Regardez quel loup nous nourrissons.


Michelle Jacobi

Milos, Grèce

Avril 2022


L'interprétation d'Eknath Eswaran est un bijou

https://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=The%20Bhagavad%20Gita&search=Find+book

What the hell is going on?

 

With our thoughts, we make the world    --- Buddha,  555-468 BCE

 

Not only our world, the world. 

 

There is an Indian parable, a young son asks his mother how to deal with conflicted feelings he experiences that cause him to suffer.  Suddenly it seems out of nowhere, quite unannounced these negative emotions and reactions to his world cause him to act violently to himself and to others.  His mom explains there are two wolves who live inside all of us, each vying for dominance.  He asks, who will win.  The mother responds, it depends on which wolf you feed.

I chose a beautiful place to feed my spirit and feed the wolf who has been getting exasperated by the other wolf’s behavior.  I can only change myself, but I wake each morning asking myself, what the hell is going on?  Because by nature I need to know things and don’t stick my head in the sand when trouble arises, I pay attention to what is going on in the world.  Good journalism dutifully and responsibly informs of the essentials, in what in good conscience and rigorous adherence to the ethics of their profession, we need to know.  This has been an arrangement of trust since the time of the town crier.  I fully support responsible journalism and appreciate that we also need to hear daily of the kind and gentle wolf.  We need the reminder of our innate humanity, because our hearts cannot continue to function healthfully in despair. 

I feel our innate humanity is displayed on the global stage at this moment in the gift of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

How badly we have been behaving toward each other has been increasingly obvious to me for a number of years and threw me into desperation in 2015 (more about that later) seeing the lack of patience, dignity and understanding in our leaders and amongst all of us who vote them there, the quickness to feed the other wolf and often only the other wolf. 

The tipping point and it’s a horror for me to have to ask this, but the spiritual text of the Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata backs this up;  is this current siege and war happening  to throw into relief how we have been toward each other for so long?  As the hero Arjuna in the the Bhagavad Gita, we have a real time real life hero the likes we have not seen in legend or life for thousands of years.  Just as Pandava vs Kaurova, brother against brother,  Ukraine against Russia, we are on a battlefield for the capacity of compassion vs. nihilism. 

Friction is uncomfortable, war is chaotic and ugly, but they can be the energy of change.  A change that has been a long time in coming and needed a fearless warrior who knew exactly where the red line was and knew his dharma.  We have seen increasingly over time the erosion of human rights.  Zelenskyy showed up, the right man at the right time.  The right heart to hold the unbelievable horror he wakes up to each day in the country he loves.  The unwavering dedication he has to his faith, his family, his countrymen, shows us that it will take all of us committed to each other and to a higher ideal, to be able to live in dignity, a basic human right.

For this we will need knowledge, in our yoga tradition this is Jnana Yoga.

For this we will need commitment and devotion, in our yoga tradition this is Bhakti Yoga.

The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure, everything is in it.  There is Dhirodana the blind king, literally blind unwell, he believes the small Pandava kingdom of his brother is rightfully his.   There are massacres and horrors and there is Arjuna who was called to duty to defend because of his committed , engaged and courageous heart.  The Bhagavad Gita asks us to go into those dark places and ask those difficult questions because Insight, Knowledge, Action is Love.

The root bhag means to share, to participate, to obtain, to cultivate, to enjoy, to experience, to entertain.  The overall sentiment is love, placing your heart, placing your commitment.  Krishna, Arjuna’s friend and guide makes it clear to him that Love is the ultimate and absolute reason.

To love is to make yourself vulnerable, to share your heart, which could also make you suffer.  The more you love the more vulnerable you are choosing to become.  Zelenskyy knows this, and it is love which makes him unafraid, our real heroes know that even in a broken heart, there is more love.  Examples:  Nelson Mandela, Vaclav Havel, Rosa Parks….all who have stood up to opposition of basic human rights.

Undemocratic values (the villain strategy) try to make us believe we don’t belong, that we are the other, disenfranchised.  Our job is to not let their strategy be our experience.  In the field of war games, we are here to play our game to stick to our principles and when we are weakened, we bluff, until we can feel strong again, we pretend we are the Mandelas, the Kings, the Zelenskyys, because the Bhagavad Gita teaches us we are.

 

Our democratic values will always need inspiration and support, vigilance and love.

Get yourself a copy, read it, and read it again and again.  Watch which wolf we feed.

 

Michelle Jacobi

Milos, Greece

April 2022

 

Eknath Eswaran’s interpretation is a jewel.