Blog
“Persisting into Love” By Michael Greenfield, February 1st, 2012
Happy February to all you Yogi’s. It feels appropriate to write about this subject coming into the valentine season.
Here are some basic questions to consider.
1. What is love?
2. How do we express love?
3. How do we hold back our love?
4. How does love become a demonstration of service?
Just a few simple questions!
So, when god asked me what I thought love is, I looked and smiled. I took several deep breaths and looked straight into God’s eyes and said “love is love.” God looked at me with a squirmy smile and jokingly said, “wow what a profound statement.” I smiled back and offered a bow.
As the conversation went deeper I realized that whatever I said about love, it just couldn’t fully describe this feeling that was filling my heart. So instead of talking more about what love is, I decided to express my love through movement, NOT WORDS. I started jumping up and down, sticking my tongue out and making funny faces. God joined me in the festivities. We started dancing and singing for several minutes, feeling joy and happiness move through our bodies. We stopped and looked at each other once again. NO WORDS WERE NEEDED. Love was all around us. The moment was bursting with light itself. Our hearts were pulsing together in complete union.
God asked, “How do you express your love to others?” I looked at God and smiled. I began to laugh uncontrollably, then stopped. I started crying with tears of joy running down my face. I knelt down in front of God and bowed. I started telling God how beautiful and bright, how smart and witty, how present and focused, how trusting and aware this moment was.
God asked, “How do you know when you are holding back love from others?”
This question is filled with challenge and growth. I usually hold back my love when I don’t get what I want, when I have expectations from friends, my children, or my partner, or when I’m angry about something someone did to me… ha ha. Usually my body contracts, my breath shallows, and my heart closes. Sound familiar?
God gave a chuckle, several chuckles. Then asked me if love & service are one in the same. Another deep question to consider.
I looked straight into god’s eyes and smiled. YES YES YES, oh yeah, you better believe it. I explained that when I truly love (holding my partner, listening to my children, showing my love by doing things for people, saying hello to the police officer or the cashier, helping the elderly pack their groceries, giving someone a ride to work) this is serving and also loving. Hopefully these acts of service are being offered with no expectations. This is what one would call TRUE KARMA YOGA.
Is our attention on love or not? Are we persisting in love more moments than not? Are we opening or closing our hearts depending if we are getting what we want? Are we only going to love if we are loved?
During this romantic time of year please take the time to consider how much you are practicing love. The deeper question is, are we willing to persist into love more than our schoolwork, our job, our worldly possessions? Are we ready to take the free-fall into love over all of these distractions, knowing that love is the deepest distraction of all. By doing so we are truly serving others and relieving tremendous suffering for all beings.
With deep respect for love and persistence,
Michael Greenfield
“Community” By Margaret Kirschner, Jan. 26th 2012
Our first community soup bowl supper on Wednesday, January 18th was a hot success. Our expansion, just like soup, is heating up right next door where we are busy dismantling and preparing to build a dream. Earth Fare generously sponsored us by donating several varieties of delicious soup and bread to feed our bodies, minds and hearts equally. We had several enthusiastic volunteers who donated crock pots, burners and pans, ladled soup, sold raffle tickets, performed beautiful music and welcomed everyone to the place where, together, we will build a unique center for yoga, community, learning, family support and nourishment. We are so grateful for all who share our common vision of providing a place where everyone, from children to seniors, can explore ways to connect with one another, cultivate well-being on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels and witness the improvement in their own lives while fostering strong and healthy families right here in Asheville. The beautiful demonstration of community is evident in all those who walk in our door to practice yoga with us, help us clean at the end of each day, donate talents in the form of gift certificates or artistic items, building skills, fundraising efforts, expressions of gratitude and in many other ways. Looking ahead, our expansion plans include 2 more bathrooms, a room for childcare, more yoga studio space (allowing us to offer two classes simultaneously) and a kitchen for healthy cooking and nutrition classes and community events. New classes will be offered such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong, additional meditation classes and intriguing workshops of all kinds offered by seasoned Asheville Community Yoga teachers. Stay connected and involved; we’re growing and we want you to be a part it! Oh Yeah!
