Eve Speaks to Adam

Today from the Writer's Almanac;
I have often wondered what a conversation between Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden may have been like. I sometimes wonder
if I were that first woman on this planet what would I have thought or said or done in my life. And there are time that I often feel that every day of our lives ,each time we wake up afresh,that the dawn approaches anew we are the first woman and man and have the choice to feel,see, experience life as if this is the nascent moment of our being...
Excerpt from Paradise Lost

by John Milton

(Eve speaks to Adam)

With thee conversing I forget all time,
All seasons and their change, all please alike.
Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,
With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the sun
When first on this delightful land he spreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
Glistering with dew; fragrant the fertile earth
After soft showers; and sweet the coming on
Of grateful evening mild, then silent night
With this her solemn bird and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heav'n, her starry train:
But neither breath of morn when she ascends
With charm of earliest birds, nor rising sun
On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glistring with dew, nor fragrance after showers,
Nor grateful evening mild, nor silent night
With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon,
Or glittering starlight without thee is sweet.

Excerpt from "Paradise Lost" by John Milton.

Melting the layers of our physical being.....the path to Compassion and Generosity

I am nostalgic for the healing, energizing, subtle, thoughtful and poetic week I had at Mt. Shasta recently with the great teacher, ashtangi, guru, Tim Miller who generously imparted onto us the compassion and generosity that he received from his guru,Sri Patabi Jois,rip. A devoted fellow,yogi and friend asked Tim during one of our afternoon ,more oriented devotional practice sessions"why are here anyways,what are we really doing with our lives".Mt. Shasta is at an elevation of about 14,000 feet,so the air is thinner and breathing feels like more of a conscious effort.It leads one to think about the conscious choices, efforts we engage in our lives daily.Ashtanga yoga is ultimately a practice amongst many useful practices on this earth to gain self knowledge and ultimately to use this wisdom in compassion and with generosity in our daily relationships to others. We all have a dense physical armor that requires some melting,softening so we can begin to see our spiritual selves and polish that aspect of ourselves so we may be of some good to each other.
Ashtanga yoga provides some heat , to penetrate past our external layers,the inspirations and expirations of our practice sustain us as we delve deeper into the unexplored within ourselves.The week at Shasta begins with a Native American Purification Ceremony at Stewart Mineral Springs in Weed,Ca. led by elder,Jack Thom,Sr.,Walking Eagle,Hun-Na-itch,Karuk Spiritual Leader. The lodge occurs in utter blank darkness with hot rocks of the earth emitting radiant heat.The process literally begins to soften us,forcing us to look within as it is not possible to see outside of ourselves in such complete darkness.Fears that we fear to face emerge,resilience that is beyond our daily existence surfaces.The purpose of the lodge is to cleanse the mind , body and spirit from toxins,imperfections and negativisms,to begin the process of elevation of our spirits.One of the natural practices of respect was to give an offering of tobacco to the sacred fire as tradition upholds that we give an offering before we take anything for own needs.This is such a simple, but necessary aspect of living to always remember to give before we take.
One of the themes that continued to become apparent in the week with Tim at Shasta was that the ultimate purpose to practice yoga is to live with greater compassion and generosity .It is interesting that this time in Shasta coincides with a time in the Judaic year that begins with a season of self reflection as the cycle of the new spiritual year begins with the commemoration of the birth of earth and all of its creatures and the creation of the human being infused and inspired with an eternal soul that is temporarily housed in the physical space of a body. While at Shasta ,as I daily gazed upon the auspicious mountain, one morning I saw the vaguest hint of a lenticular cloud hovering over it's peak.Lenticular clouds and Mt Shatsa are a well suited partnership.It is as if the mountain offers a space for us to look up to and reflect to us some new unseen part of ourselves.
I will include here an excerpt from a pious, wise,scholarly ,Chassidic rebbe who reflects well on the nature of our yearning souls and the need penetrate the outer exterior layers to find that which is dearest and eternal within ourselves.
" Happy Birthday, Humanity by Abraham J. Twerski, M.D.

Contrary to the popular belief, Rosh Hashanah does not commemorate the creation of the world. Rather, it commemorates the sixth day of creation, the day Adam was created. It is of interest that in the creation of man, G-d said, “Let us create man?” Whose participation was G-d seeking? The Baal Shem Tov explained that both animals and angels were created in a state of completion. Angels do not grow at all, and although animals do grow, they do not voluntarily change themselves. The transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly or a tadpole to a frog is programmed in their genes. They do not voluntarily make this transformation and are powerless to stop it.

G-d now desired a different creature, not totally physical like an animal nor completely spiritual like an angel. Rather, this was to be a creature that comes into the world completely physical, but by one’s sheer effort develops spiritually. For this, G-d required man’s participation. It is as if G-d said, “I can create you completely spiritual, but then you will be just another angel. I will create you physical, but with the potential to become spiritual by your own effort.” G-d was seeking man’s participation in his own creation. Therefore, G-d said to man, “Let us make man. I will give you the potential, and you must develop it.” Thus, Rosh Hashanah is our beginning.

If we develop only intellectually, with technologic and even scientific advancements, but neglect our spiritual development, we will be self-centered hominoids, with just a higher intellect than chimpanzees. To do our part in creation, to be the true human beings that G-d intended, we must be masters over our physicality rather than slaves to it. Spiritual development enables us to give of ourselves to others. Angels were created spiritual. Man has the ability to achieve a status higher than angels, because his spirituality is the result of his own efforts."
As this New Year of self rediscovery approaches may the results of all of our joint conscious efforts give forth to a world that is kinder,gentler,wiser,generous, and compassionate for all beings for all the days of our lives.May we only engage in such practices that lead to such."let us create man".Let us be the women and men that efforts of our internal wisdom leads to the existence of an intelligently compassionate world to live in.....




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Hanuman of Mount Shasta brings to us healing herbs...Sanjeevani

I recently returned from Mt. Shasta, California where I was at an ashtanga /hiking/healing retreat with Tim Miller aka "Hanuman"
who teaches us asana,pranayama and bhakti through devotional chanting and shares with us the wisdom of his lifetime journeys. Like Hanuman in the Ramanaya who brings back healing herbs of spiritual rejuvenation from the Dranagiri Mountain in the Himalayas ,so too the modern Hanuman of Mt. Shasta brings us healing herbs and inspiration from the energetic vortex of Mt. Shasta to help us become more grounded,yet lighter ,softer and ultimately more courageous and more adept at leading a life of compassion and generosity which he embodies so naturally.
I asked the Hanuman of Mt.Shasta ,this question," I/we are lucky to practice yoga and inquire in deeper ways to our own self knowledge. Most of the people that I encounter in my professional and personal world will never practice asana, pranayama or any other aspect of yoga.In light of this, what do you think is a quintessential way of being /interacting with others that I can impart onto them in my daily living that would embody the gifts that one gains access to in yoga. "Hanuman , then in confidence and with humility recited softly Patajali's yogs sutra 1.33


The Philosophy of Yoga (Yoga Sutra 1.33)

Yoga Sutra 1.33 – maitri karuna mudita upeksanam sukha duhkha punya apunya visayanam bhavanatah cittaprasadanam

Through the cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy and indifference in the face of pleasure, pain, virtue and vice, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent. Development of these qualities keeps the mind in a state of well-being and lays the groundwork for our journey towards Self-Realization. Citta viksepa is a current of disturbed thoughts running like a river. In citta prasadana (graceful diffusion) this turbulent flow is dammed up and consciousness diffuses calmly like water in a lake. If the citta is caught in the web of the senses, and the sadhaka (student) fails to cultivate friendliness, compassion, delight and equanimity, then sorrow and unhappiness will arise in his heart. This sutra asks us to rejoice with those who are happy; to be compassionate to the sorrowful, friendly to the virtuous, and indifferent to those who continue to live in vice. This mental adjustment builds social as well as individual health. Besides cultivating these qualities, one should follow the social virtues of yama (11.30) for the well-being of society as a whole. This approach to life keeps the mind of the sadhaka serene and pure.
maitri-friendship
karuna-compassion
mudita-joy,delight
upeksanam-equanimity
sukha-joyful,happy,comfort
punya-virtue,goodness
pra-sadanam-purifying,clarification

from the Ramanaya;Hanuman brings the Sanjeevani to Rama -
Rama was frantic. His beloved brother lay dying and the only cure was tucked away on a forested mountainside far, far to the north. Big-hearted Hanuman could not bear to see their pain. He swelled into a giant; he flew; he battled deadly crocodiles and murderous ogres; he pitted his wits against powerful gods – all to deliver the precious medicinal plant Sanjeevani before it was too late. He brought the entire mountain to rest at Rama’s feet!
In Hindu mythology, Sanjeevani is a magical herb which has the power to cure any malady. It is believed that medicines prepared from this herb can even revive a dead person. This herb is mentioned in the Ramayana when, Ravana's son Indrajit hurls a powerful weapon at Lakshmana. Lakshmana is badly wounded and is nearly killed by Indrajeet. Hanuman was called upon to fetch this herb from the mount Dunagiri a.k.a Mahodaya in the Himalayas or Valley of Flowers[citation needed]. Upon reaching mount Sumeru, Hanuman was unable to identify the herb and decided to lift the entire mountain and brought it to the battle-field
So too, in the our times, The Hanuman of Mt. Shasta, Tim Miller gives us revivifying energy from the mountain to nourish,heal and enlighten our hearts and souls. Jai, Jai Hanuman!

from the Hanuman Chalisa;

11. Laaya sajeevana Lakhana jiyaaye
Shree Raghubeera harashi ura laaye

Bringing the magic herb you revived Lakshman
And Ram embraced you with delight.

36. Sankata katai mite saba peeraa,
jo sumire Hanumata bala beeraa
All affliction ceases and all pain is removed/
for those who remember the mighty hero, Hanuman.

One Thousand Months

Recently I heard a philosophical discussion about "what is a good life", meaning what constitutes a well- lived life. The question was asked,what would you do with your life if you could design it with intention to live this "good" life, if you had only one thousand months ,plus or minus some, to live. Would you be or do differently if you had already used up more than half of the thousand allotted to you. I am thinking about this all the time now as we all go through life quickly using up the approximate thousand months. What is a good life, does our idea of goodness in life change, become more urgent to answer when we realize how so very brief one thousand months really is. I will have some time in nature over the next week or so. This will be on my mind as I climb some rugged terrain beneath my feet and in the rugged recesses of my heart and soul...... answers, actions of goodness for a life lived, a life well lived...

"All children have the right to love,happiness and understanding", words from a child

from Magnum in motion

The poetry of ....Birth

This past winter in Northern Minnesota a webcam was installed in a the cave of a pregnant black bear Lily, as she birthed her new born calf. the voice of the newborn bear crying taking its first breath sounds just like us when we come through the birth canal and enter the word.This is the first time a birth of a wild black bear was captured on film.I was mesmerized by the sighs of the newborn and the reciprocal cooing of the new mom...poetry

We....the Lifeguards

my daughter shared this poem with me today;

The Lifeguard

BY JAMES L. DICKEY

In a stable of boats I lie still,
From all sleeping children hidden.
The leap of a fish from its shadow
Makes the whole lake instantly tremble.
With my foot on the water, I feel
The moon outside

Take on the utmost of its power.
I rise and go out through the boats.
I set my broad sole upon silver,
On the skin of the sky, on the moonlight,
Stepping outward from earth onto water
In quest of the miracle

This village of children believed
That I could perform as I dived
For one who had sunk from my sight.
I saw his cropped haircut go under.
I leapt, and my steep body flashed
Once, in the sun.

Dark drew all the light from my eyes.
Like a man who explores his death
By the pull of his slow-moving shoulders,
I hung head down in the cold,
Wide-eyed, contained, and alone
Among the weeds,

And my fingertips turned into stone
From clutching immovable blackness.
Time after time I leapt upward
Exploding in breath, and fell back
From the change in the children’s faces
At my defeat.

Beneath them I swam to the boathouse
With only my life in my arms
To wait for the lake to shine back
At the risen moon with such power
That my steps on the light of the ripples
Might be sustained.

Beneath me is nothing but brightness
Like the ghost of a snowfield in summer.
As I move toward the center of the lake,
Which is also the center of the moon,
I am thinking of how I may be
The savior of one

Who has already died in my care.
The dark trees fade from around me.
The moon’s dust hovers together.
I call softly out, and the child’s
Voice answers through blinding water.
Patiently, slowly,

He rises, dilating to break
The surface of stone with his forehead.
He is one I do not remember
Having ever seen in his life.
The ground I stand on is trembling
Upon his smile.

I wash the black mud from my hands.
On a light given off by the grave
I kneel in the quick of the moon
At the heart of a distant forest
And hold in my arms a child
Of water, water, water.


We are all lifeguards of sorts trying to protect, save, avert peril,. All parents, teachers, friends do this as their daily service. In my role as a parent, even to an adult child and my role as a doctor, I often feel that i am "clutching into darkness,exploding in breath " and despite my best efforts , nature has intentions and designs greater than my human wishes, hopes,and prayer. Does that mean that we or I ever stop trying. No.... never, not as long as there is someone I can reach out to , grasp into that darkness, and help them to find their breath, their voice "in the binding water". The answer to defeat is not surrender, but that we have so much important work to always do.... We are always lifeguards as much as possible with as many as is possible....