Welcome to “My Better Day” August newsletter!
Each month, “My Better Day” newsletter contains tips for your yoga practice, yoga quotes to bring yoga off the mat and into your life, affirmations to brighten your day and motivate, and more! It is my deep wish for your well-being that I send this newsletter to help make your day a Better Day!
In This Issue: Yoga Quote, Practice Yoga Pose, Meditation on the Go, Chakrascope,
Hand Mudra, Featured Card Deck and Quote, Healthy News, Featured Recipe,
Favorite Yoga Music/DVD, Happenings at Better Day Yoga LLC.
*By the way–this newsletter is one of the 8 part/posts newsletters. They took quite a bit of time so I began doing single post newsletters after the February/March 2014 newsletter. That being said, if you want all of the posts of one newsletter for the 8 part/posts, please hit the back button to go back to all the posts listed with the newsletter your’re reading. Hope that makes sense!
Namasté,
Sandy Krzyzanowski
Founder, Better Day Yoga LLC
“Did you know that trees talk? Well they do. They talk to each other, and they’ll talk to you if you listen.”
– Native American Walking Buffalo
We moved to the Minneapolis area from Madison, WI over 15 years ago. Our house in Madison was our first house, and was in a well-established neighborhood on the older, north side of Madison. You know the neighborhood. Each city has them – older homes surrounded by beautiful, mature trees, bushes, and flowers.
Our move to Minneapolis was quite abrupt, driven by a change in jobs after a pretty stressful time in our lives. So there was more than a little apprehension with all of the changes about to take place. We’d spent some time looking for a new place to live, while still living in Madison. After much soul-searching and with the help of a very wonderful realtor, we figured out we could actually afford to build our next house! We found a piece of land in an area that used to be a potato field in Brooklyn Park, MN and we were on our way.
A few days later, we were sitting on our big, beautiful deck in Madison surrounded by all of those mature trees – something I know I took for granted at the time. My husband looked at me with those sad, brown eyes of his, and simply stated: I’m going to miss that sound. Sound? What sound? What is he talking about? He was talking about the rustling leaves. It hadn’t even been on my radar, city girl that I am.
My husband was raised on a glorious, 80-acre farm in Northern Indiana. The farm has been in their family for over 100 years. His Dad was born on that farm, lived his life on that farm, and passed away on that wonderful, healing farmland. Mature trees are everywhere there. As a matter of fact, his Dad planted several pine trees the day Franklin Delano Roosevelt died in office in 1945 – those pines were a marker in time for them. His Mom still lives on the farm, and every autumn rakes the buckeyes that fall outside her kitchen window.
Buckeyes are like talismans to my husband. (He’s not the only one: In folklore, the buckeye tree also has several uses. The nut is considered a good luck charm, and is carried or worn to increase both the wisdom and luck of the bearer. It is also believed to relieve the pain of rheumatism and arthritis when carried on the person, or near the site of pain. Although these claims have not been scientifically proven, they have been present in American folklore for centuries. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-buckeye-tree.htm.) When we went to Poland – our first and only trip to Europe – to commemorate our 25th wedding anniversary, finding the equivalent of a buckeye tree there (the horse chestnut) was a huge high point for him. My husband had grown up with the sound of leaves in the wind and an abundance of Nature surrounding him daily.
The sound of rustling leaves – I’d heard them before, but had been taking the sound for granted, as I’m sure many of us do. We planted some small saplings in our new lawn and I secretly thanked them whenever they flapped their small leaves. I always told my husband they were trying!
It was that simple, longing comment from the love of my life, during a time that was hard enough already with all of the changes, that I came to really notice and love the sound of rustling leaves. Had I loved them before? Of course I had, but in a detached, ambivalent way. Now I noticed them with a deeper appreciation, and since I knew my husband loved that sound, I felt like all the trees were conspiring with me to make him happy.
Conspiring with the trees became a sort of ritual for me. They took on a life of their own, as though they were ancient friends put here to help us learn how to ground and center ourselves. I often use the analogy of sending our roots down into the ground as I open my yoga classes.
When my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, he lived in Florida with my wonderful step-Mom, a long way away from Minnesota. When we’d visit him, you’d usually find him sitting outside on their patio playing his harmonica. The patio was surrounded by big, beautiful mature trees. It may sound silly, but I began to conspire with those trees upon my visits to see my Dad.
I’d mentally ask the trees surrounding my Dad on the patio to please watch over my Dad and soothe him with the sound of their rustling leaves when I couldn’t. It gave me some peace knowing they were there where he was when I wasn’t. Like my husband, my Dad grew up on a farm as well and had always loved and cared for trees, so I figured the trees somehow knew that and would be especially soothing for him. I’d mentally connect with those trees in Florida as I listened to the rustling leaves in Minnesota, and I felt a sense of comfort. To this day, I still feel like I can “talk to” my Dad through the trees even though he passed away in 2003. I’m sure he’s talking back.
Perhaps it was my earlier practice of conspiring with the trees for my husband that made it seem less out of the ordinary for me when I began to do the same for my Dad. If that’s the case, I am eternally grateful to have had the earlier experiences under my belt. For me this is yet another confirmation that unless you practice something regularly, it won’t be as easily accessible when you really need it – like deep breathing or meditation when you are stressed. It is in the practice of things that they become like old friends you naturally rely on as needed.
I’m obviously not the first person to look upon trees as having meaning and a life of their own – yes I probably searched the following quotes out to justify my desire to talk to trees!
“The tree is an ancient life and a powerful symbol. It has a great spirit and it represents all things that grow. It symbolizes fertility and life. To some, it is the world axis, and to others it is the world itself. Its roots are within the earth, and yet it reaches to the sky. It is a bridge between the heavens and the earth, the mediator between both worlds. The ancient mystical Qabala uses the symbol of the Tree of Life as a guide to our entire unfoldment process. Through climbing the Qabalistic Tree of Life, we bridge one level of our consciousness with the next, just as the tree bridges the heavens and the earth.
The tree, as the Tree of Knowledge, has been associated with both Paradise and Hell. In Greek Mythology, the Golden Fleece hung upon a tree. The Christian cross was originally a tree, and Buddha found enlightenment while sitting beneath one. Druids recognized the energies and spirits of trees, while the Norse honored Yggdrasil, the one great, tree of life. Every civilization and traditions has its stories, myths and mystical legends of trees.
The tree has its roots within the earth and its branches extend to the heavens. Because of this, it serves as both a wonderful symbol and a powerful tool for opening the energies of heaven and Earth for us. Trees serve as a home and shelter for a wide variety of animals and thus they are a natural tool of the shaman. Ultimately, work with trees will strengthen your focus, increase your abundance and develop your awareness of all signs in Nature. They mirror so much about us that they will speak to us clearly about our life and what is unfolding within it.
Every tree has its own energy and its own spirit. We don’t have to believe that everything in Nature has a creative intelligence, but we should be able to realize that everything in Nature has some spirit or archetypal force associated with it.” – Nature-Speak, Ted Andrews.
“Have you ever walked through a forest, or even a local park or your backyard, and talked to trees? The wisdom of trees defies explanation. When you are sad, hug a tree, and it will somehow share your sadness with you and then leave you feeling better.
Many indigenous peoples regarded conversations with the Earth, either as a whole or through its many life forms and elements, as a basic aspect of their spiritual and social lives. They experienced being ‘talked to’ by the rivers, mountains, animals, trees, and birds, and they developed individual and group rituals that facilitated two-way communication. In dances, chants, songs, and ceremonies, they transmitted their replies.” The Healing Earth, Philip Sutton Chard. This book offers a couple of ways to use trees to help you with healing or with emotional clearing. It was such a wonderful confirmation of my own version of “conspiring with trees” when I found this book.
We all feel better when we’re surrounded by trees, don’t we? Did you know there’s some science behind that feeling? The wind blowing through the trees emits negative ions. “There are positive and negative ions. Positively charged ions have an adverse effect on the body. Negatively charged ions have a positive, health-enhancing effect on the body. Running water such as a stream, waterfalls or the crashing waves of an ocean, emit large amounts of life-enhancing negative ions. The wind blowing through trees also emits these wonderful negative ions. This is why most people feel so much better when they are in these areas.” http://www.belkraft.com/positive_vs_negative_ions.html. I don’t know about you, but I don’t necessarily need scientific evidence to prove why I’m feeling better. Yet, doesn’t it just feel good to have that “aha” moment? For more on the science behind positive and negative ions you can check this site out: http://www.negativeionsinformation.org/ions_vitamins.html .
The Tibetan monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, has written many books on meditation and being present. A recurring theme he uses to be in the present moment is recognizing the presence of Nature, of being conscious of it and thankful for it. “People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” – Thich Nhat Hanh. I have to admit I was one of those that “didn’t even recognize” the miracle of the wind rustling through the leaves.
Perhaps my conspiring with trees helped me to develop my awareness of Nature in a more meaningful way, as Ted Andrews so aptly put it. Yet, I had more lessons to learn about appreciating Nature deeply.
Several years after we moved to Minnesota, I became aware of a symposium happening at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN. It was put on by the International Institute of Integral Human Sciences, IIIHS (at least I believe this is the full name of the “IIIHS” meeting I attended.) I found out about it the same week it was happening while taking a class at the Open U. There was to be a gathering of shaman from the four corners of the world. This sparked an interest, but I didn’t react immediately. I had not yet learned to listen to my intuition/gut as quickly as I do now. So it wasn’t until the evening before the shaman gathering, after the thought had festered for a few days, that I knew I had to be there. Literally the evening before the event, I left a message for my boss that I would be taking the next day off for something I had to be at.
If you haven’t been to this university, it makes a great local day’s trip. My husband and I have gone there to walk around campus and enjoy the abundant, beautiful scenery and old buildings. We found what remains of an old chapel on our walk, http://www.csbsju.edu/SJU-Archives/SJUHistory/SJUBuildings/StellaMarisChapel.htm, and there’s a bakery on the neighboring campus, St. Benedict, called “Good-2-Go”. (This was before my husband and I were diagnosed as gluten-sensitive…excuse me while I have a moment.)
Memory of the details of where exactly the four shamans were from, and what language they spoke, are sketchy. It’s what I do remember that I will always treasure. I remember that there was one shaman of the four that spoke in a language requiring two translators. I believe he was from South America. So those of us in the audience waited while what the shaman had said was translated twice for us to understand it in English. I think it was the “waiting for it” that seemed to add the infamous “pregnant pause” underlining the message’s importance. It was this shaman’s words that have stayed with me, blessing me with his message.
What he shared with us was, at first glance, quite simple. It might even have gone by un-noted to the casual observer as something we already knew and didn’t need to really remember – kind of like appreciating the rustling sound of leaves in the wind. But since I had felt drawn to this meeting for unknown reasons, I was soaking it all in like a sponge and taking frantic notes – which I have since lost. This gem remains: Every night God gives us a gift in the sunset. That’s it.
Did it hit you like it did me? Hadn’t I noticed sunsets before? Of course I did, but I hadn’t thought of each viewing as a gift from God sent for my personal pleasure; and it has been this “naming” of the experience that has made all the difference. My husband and I often say “God was having a good day” as we watch the colors created in the sky.
Quite literally, since hearing that shaman’s message, there has not been one night in which I take the time to notice the sunset that I have not thought of that shaman’s words. His words have also reverberated with me at each and every sunrise that I’ve experienced since then. Sunrise and sunset—I referenced times such as these in a previous newsletter. Many cultures have considered the “between times”—the time between sleep and awake, dawn and dusk, or any time that is neither one nor the other—“times of greatest inspiration and power” when “You will find yourself more effective in all of your activities.” Animal Speak, Ted Andrews.
When was the last time you experienced a sunset or a sunrise? It is my wish that you, too, will have the same sense of having received a personal gift—created and sent just for you—the next time you are able to look up at the sky and appreciate the uniqueness of that moment’s colors as they envelope the world for a moment.
Are you looking to connect with Nature in a more meaningful, mystical way? In my passion to connect more deeply with Nature, I have found some wonderful tools. Some of them are referenced in this newsletter.
Ted Andrews, referenced a couple of times above, has what I’ll call a trifecta of books on the “must-have” list:
- Animal Speak, The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small—Considered the most comprehensive book on animal totems.
- Animal-Wise, The Spirit Language and Signs of Nature, and
- Nature-Speak, Signs, Omens & Messages in Nature.
Please keep an open-mind when reading his works. As I like to say when introducing new ideas, find what resonates with you, and let the rest sift through. Remember, it wasn’t the books I found first that led me to “conspire with trees”; it was Nature reaching out to me that led me to the books and other tools. It’s all good.
“We don’t have to be environmental activists, geologists, Greenpeace warriors, shamans, or plant biologists to perceive the Earth’s speaking. Her sensory languages are so diverse that there are sufficient ‘dialects’ to reach everyone, but one must be a good listener. As in human relationships, the absence of interest and listening skills will impede the ability to truly hear.
People who want to converse with the Earth can begin with the easiest and most obvious avenue, by listening to her sounds. Wind in the trees, water over rocks, birds, rain, crickets, and countless other resonances are her speech.
Conversations with Nature are honest, expressive, and alive, which is more than one can say about many human discussions. So, if you want someone to talk with, and all those human ears and mouths seem not quite right for what you have to say and need to hear, consider having a heart-to-heart with the Earth. She speaks your spirit’s language.” The Healing Earth, Philip Sutton Chard.
Some of you reading this might think this connection to Nature is “much ado about nothing”. “To each his own”. Perhaps this has piqued your interest enough to consider this: “Often people forget that we can starve as much from a lack of wonder as we can a lack of food. Nature keeps our wonder alive. We rediscover our sense of wonder and we begin to believe once more.” “Recent surveys indicate the average person in the U.S. spends less than an hour outdoors per week. Spending time outdoors is necessary for our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.” Nature-Speak, Ted Andrews.
I can’t help but wonder if it was the “naming” of the experience or “calling it out” that made the sound of rustling leaves and the view of each sunset so much more vivid for me. The concept of appreciating Nature was already in my psyche, but hearing another express it with such passion— made me sit up and take notice. There was no ambivalence in their relationship with Nature. My husband, my Dad, and the shaman had an undeniably deep connection with Nature built into the very fabric of their day.
Have you ever noticed someone having a really great time, and think, “I want what they’re having.” It was like that. They became the expert view that caused me to reassess my own view on Nature in my life. It was in that reassessment, that Nature became more than just my ambiguous surroundings. Nature became for me like an old friend I could rely on as needed. “We cannot tell the precise moment when a friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last one drop that makes it run over. So in a series of kindness there is at last one drop that makes the heart run over.” James Boswell
Source for Ted Andrews’ books: FYI, Sadly, Ted Andrews passed away last year. He founded DragonHawk Publishing, where you can find his works. The Web-site doesn’t appear to have been updated since his death so please keep that in mind if you are looking at the Web-site. Another source for his books is Amazon.
