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Dear friends,
Change is life; life is change. One of the very clear teachings of the I Ching, or the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, is that no state of being is permanent. For example, when you are in a time of plenty, the text suggests that it is worthwhile to remember a time in which you did not have so much. Conversely, when you are in a time of lack, it is good to remember a time that you felt full and rich. For in an instant, your state can change.
The I Ching is one of my favorite texts. There are many times in life in which what was true previously is no longer true. We must adjust to a new reality. The best way to manage fluxuation is to develop perspective.
I have been reading "The Art of Happiness," conversations with the Dalai Lama, and he suggests that it is important for us to contemplate suffering. For by that contemplation, we are prepared for anything -- life's suffering will not take us by surprise.
That could seem antithetical to the "art of happiness." But he suggests that some contemplation in that regard can propel us on a path toward alleviating our own suffering (such as spiritual practice) as well as give us compassion for those who are suffering around us. (By the way, living with a heart of compassion, he suggests, is the key to true happiness, in case you're wondering!)
If you put this teaching together with I Ching, it is also good, in a time of personal suffering, to contemplate times in which you were not suffering. In that way, you can borrow from your own memory a sense of peace and stability. Because, as life teaches us, nothing is permanent. If the suffering is so great, that this period of time cannot be remembered, then this is a good time to simply bow the suffering, because its level of work on the soul is very deep during these times.
The benefit of continual meditation is that we tap into a field of Presence greater than the small, worrisome personality. This Presence can hold our changes, and that of others, so that we don't have to hold them. This doesn't mean we don't feel suffering at times-- we simply don't dwell there continuously. The house we are given to live in, through practice and awareness, is much more expansive than this suffering. The Buddhists call this house Emptiness, the Christians call this Christ. Many other traditions have other names for this field of energy that holds everything in balance. Change, held up to this Presence, is only situational. Suffering can be seen as a tool for our deep inner reworking.
In a recent meditation, I came upon the words Ya - henu. In looking this up later, I learned that henu is an ancient Egyptian word for a gesture of praise and honor, especially, cupping one's hands in front of the body, palm upturned. This came to me as a reminder not to forget praise, no matter what is going on in life. Offering praise is an instantaneous way of getting out of your own skin. You do not have to sit for long periods of time, quieting the mind. In offering praise, your attention is transported to something (Something) greater, immediately. In praise, our changes and suffering are held in a context that extends beyond our individual lives and situations.
I offer that to you, a gesture of praise and honor, to Ya (an ancient Jewish name for God), to the One, to life, to you! Praise change, because it transforms us, continually. Praise life, in all of its changes!
In LoveCynthia
Cynthia Yoder
Intuitive Coaching
and Sound Healing
Extraordinary Coaching
Extraordinary Means Tel. 609-799-6071
mail@cynthiayoder.com
www.cynthiayoder.com |
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Classes in October
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Meditation and Mantra Class for Beginners
West Windsor Community Education
Mondays, October 5, 12, 19 and 26
7pm - 8:30 pm. HS South, Room 504, West Windsor
Experience simple meditation and mantra; as well as benefits such as reducing stress and developing mental clarity. Explore techniques such as breath awareness, visualization, spoken or sung mantra, and silent mantra. Together we will develop a take-home practice that's right for you. The class includes a hand-out of select meditation resources to support your practice.
Registration is happening now! Go to ww-p.org; select Departments/Community Education/Adult Education. You can register online or by mail. Email me if you have questions.
40 minute Private Intuitive Readings: Access Your Highest Potential
Your higher self is calling! The Higher Self is the aspect of the soul that contains an imprint --like a photograph --of your soul and the elements to support its growth in this lifetime. One of the most valuable things I can offer people as a reader & coach is a glimpse of this imprint. For long-term coaching clients, I hold this imprint as your highest potential, continually checking situational concerns against this template. In these 40-minute readings, join me in a listening exercise to discover the imprint of this highest potential; I will share with you the messages I receive and together we will come upon an interpretation.
If these sessions do not suit, call me to arrange a phone call.
Offered at the Center for Relaxation and Healing,
666 Plainsboro Rd., Building 600, Suite 635, Plainsboro
Call the center to schedule a session:
Tuesday, Oct. 13 between 7 pm - 9:15 pm
Saturday, Oct. 17 between 2 pm - 5:45 pm
Sessions are $55; registration required to hold your spot.
To register, call the center at 609-750-7432, or email me and I will send you the form.
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Excerpt from "Life In The Slow Lane"
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Surrender: The Quickest Path to Freedom
You are eternal, full of infinite knowledge and grace.
It is not knowledge that any of us need to be seeking.
It is only to bow down to the starry sky, to bow down
To the heart beat, resonating in the chest, to bow down
To the cricket and the bee. All these things are
The doorway to knowledge. When you bow, you let
Go of the notion of separation. You become
Surrendered to that which moves you. And when you surrender,
you become part of.
So bow down to all of it, even that which
You despise. For it is the quickest path toward freedom.
In the beginning, we know infinity is not a concept.
We know it is a feeling in the bones, of love,
Mixed with air and pace and timeless awareness.
It is only the forgetting that we need to address.
Remember who you were before you even knew
What it was to be you. When you knew only experience.
It is a very young age in which we know only experience.
But this is how it is when we remember.
How it is when we merge with infinity.
More excerpts from this free e-course are offered on my blog, magicdreamhouse.com. Come have a visit!
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