Dear Fellow Travelers On The Path,
Most of you know that I’m on sabbatical or my idea of a sabbatical. I’m not at the job but I still am part of the company. A sabbatical is time that a person takes to rest, travel and study. It’s a time to assess one's personal and professional life.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
I’m doing great on the rest and recreation aspect and will be ready soon to go a bit deeper when all my company is gone. My study has been to re-acquaint myself with my Yoga roots. That means I’m re-reading Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Over 2000 years old, it’s one of the best spiritual documents.
First Self-Help Book
There are 196 Sutras (loosely translated as threads). I think of it as the first self-help book. The Sutras directs our search for happiness and peace through
“analyzing how we know what we know and why we suffer” according to scholar and yoga teacher, Chip Hartranft. More to follow...
Every Brilliant Thing
Part of my R&R has been welcoming more culture in my life whenever I am able (less political news andmore art and theater). Friday night I saw a one-man tour-de-force called 'Every Brilliant Thing'. It was very avant garde. There was laughter and pathos.
I’ll simplify the premise by saying it’s about a man trying to cure his mother from her depression and suicidal ideation. Starting at age seven he began to
compile a list of the best things in the world and that list grew as he grew and ended up doing more for him than his mother.
The audience was involved and we had numbered brilliant things written. Mine, that I read out loud, was #1007 - The fact that sometimes there is a perfect song to match how you are feeling.
The brilliant things ran from skinny dipping to Clown cars. It was an energizing play.
I have started my Every Brilliant Thing list and so far this is what I have:
1. Breathing
2. Sunrises
3. Family
4. Friends
5. Sunsets
....in the play he ends up having written a Million brilliant things. I will let you know how I progress.
What brilliant things keep you positive and what would you offer to someone else?
This whole idea can be honed down to what are you grateful for...zebras, hot fudge sundaes, puppies, cashmere sweaters, ziplining...
Namaste,
Barbara