Winter Solstice 2009

Are you relaxed and calm outside of your yoga studio?

Winter greetings to one and all. The longest night of the year draws near.
Winter solstice here in Egypt begins on the 21 of December at 07:45 until 19:47.

This is a time of life-death-rebirth, as we now journey deeper into the cold days of winter. Even in sunny Egypt, winter's kiss chills into our bones.

Since I could remember, I've celebrated winter solstice. I imagine it is because I come from farmer's roots. It really is my time of rebirth. As a new year approaches, I've decided to open the next 14 days as my personal time to journey into my Self.

1) I AM, I AM: For so many winter solstices before, I've sought workshops or teachers that hold special celebrations. I look outside for teachers to guide me to transformation and enlightenment. But alas, who really can bring someone to transformation or enlightenment? And what does transformation look like? And what the hell is enlightenment?

2) Scripting a New Script: In the face of my seeking, I continue to struggle with unfathomable "stories" that read from a negative script deep within my mind circuits. Despite my numerous 1000-day meditations and devoted yoga practice over the years, I continue to be blindsided by these devastating thoughts. My ego retaliates. I can only guess that I am now bumping into ancient fears that have nothing to do with this lifetime. I recognize that this isn't something personal to me and that we all share similar stories in our "secret" thoughts. After all, we are all one, so I acknowledge that there are no secret thoughts.

3) Teach Present Moment: God has blessed me with the gift of being a teacher. I love the cycle of learning and teaching. However, I feel that I can only be effective if my guiding Truth is truly free from mental burdens and unforgiving story lines. If my ego continues to trap me, my guiding Truth is suffocated. It's time to pull the electrical circuit on stuck mental tapes. The time and space on this planet right now offers us unconditional love to release those old programs. Be here. Be now. Be free!

4) Let It All BE: I embark on a self-guided journey to navigate the wild world ocean of my mind, body, and spirit. First comes concentration, then comes meditation.

This winter solstice, I will sing and dance with the Red Sea. I'll be practicing a selection of kundalini yoga sets to move the physical energy and combine several self-reflective exercises to move my emotional and mental energy.

Who would I be without my story? (Please refer to The Work of Byron Katie for more details about this question.)

If you happen to be in Ain Sokhna, let me know. I invite you to come and join me.

Happy Solstice to All. Happy New Year to One.

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