Mind Body Messenger
Issue #20, January 2005

Keeping Up with Heather…

Dear Friends. Our newsletter is a little late this month (this year!) as both Christopher and I wanted to spend a little extra time expressing our thoughts and feelings as we enter this New Year with such a dramatic Earth change occurring in South East Asia. I had already written my column for this month, discussing the ancient Asian science of Feng Shui and how you can use some of its principals to start the year off fresh. However, after the events of the past week, my article seemed quite frivolous. Who cares if our missing buttons have been replaced and our closets are free of clutter, when we are all grieving the loss and devastation occurring in our world?

So, instead, both Chris and I want to discuss our unique viewpoints on this physical event, and it’s impact and/or causes on a non-physical level. These are just our opinions, keep in mind, and our highest aim is to simply offer another perspective in what I’m sure is already a point of reflection and discussion for you all.

Even before the earthquake and tsunami took place, I have to admit that I was feeling a lot of upheaval, both in my own life, and in the lives of the friends and family around me. The past few years have seen a great deal of change, growth, instability, and insecurity in our inner and outer worlds. Time is speeding up, and we are no longer content to be patient in finding our own unique journey in life. This in itself can cause an incredible amount of pressure and chaos, as individuals take brave steps to find their bliss rather than follow the old status quo. But on top of this is the pressure of global change in economy, politics, environment, and societal values.

This has caused me to feel occasionally a great indecision as to how to progress in my life. Is it essential at this time that we are following our dreams, no matter how fantastical they seem? Or is this time to find a stable foundation from which to offer support to our fellow beings? This is my quandary. If I was to let go of the dream that I have been following and instead find a more stable life, I would be more financially secure, and more able to offer economic support to those in need. However, is this the help that my world needs right now? I doubt it. It’s unreasonable, I know, but I have a strong feeling that what my world needs from me right now is to offer the best of myself, the best of my dreams, in order to help create a better future. (You will have noticed this theme in our newsletter in 2004.)

Following one’s dream is a noble journey, but in my experience also a frightening one. It is a life lived with constant choice and change. I hear from so many of you that you are on a similar path, and experiencing the same fears and insecurities. So, what I would like to offer you today is the wisdom that seems to be coming to me from all angles right now. As I look out into my world, so many great teachers are offering me the same message. The same message comes to me from the teachings of the likes of Joseph Campbell, the Bhagavad Gita, Oriah Mountain Dreamer and my Mom. They tell me to work diligently to find my authentic selves, and offer that as the highest gift possible to my world. This wisdom is demonstrated by artists like Missy Higgins and Delta Goodrem. When I see them perform they are shining with magnetism, and I see clearly the incredible power of people who are in their bliss. Perhaps if we want to be of use to our world, we must each find our own bliss, and offer that back to each other to create a better world, a world where no man lives the life of quiet desperation that Thoreau lamented.

With that said, now comes the hard part. My tendency as a teacher is always to outline an issue, and then offer steps to achieve the desired goal. Well, I have no steps here to offer. How can I know the destiny of another? I am hard pressed sometimes to sincerely know my own destiny. Today I looked at the word destiny for guidance- Destiny-Destined-Destination; and I realized, although we may come from different countries, cultures and belief systems, we all share a desire to reach the same destination.

I cannot offer you a formula for freedom here. I don’t imagine that there is only one road to this destination; we all have our unique path. However, I will offer you some tools to help you to achieve a greater intimacy with yourself, on all levels, in order to better find the path that is most beneficial for you. These same techniques will help you to find a foundation of inner strength and security that will see you through the internal and external chaos that we are experiencing at this time in the world.

My suggestion is simple. Practice relaxation. Practice being present, alive, and in love with your world. Practice Yoga or some other form of conscious movement that allows you to release trapped energy, maintain a healthy being, and attain a state of awareness that will be more conducive to your attunement with your higher self.

Be aware that when you practice Yoga and meditation, you do not instantly eliminate the chaos from your life. However, these tools do give you a stable foundation of technique and experience that will allow you to better deal with change in your life. Through better self-regulation, you can achieve an equanimity from the dualities of human existence (pleasure and pain, happy and sad, rich and poor) and thus reducing the inner chaos of fearful reaction to aspects of the outer world that cause anxiety, attachment and depression.

Where to start? There are as many techniques as there are individuals to practice them. Find a teacher, tape, or book that can lead and support you as you begin. Do your practice daily. This will become the foundation from which you discover and develop your dreams.

There is no time more than the start of the New Year that we are aware of ourselves standing on the gleaming precipice of the future, with nothing but a blank slate in our hands ready to be filled with our highest dreams and ambitions, not just for ourselves but for our future. Let us take this opportunity, with world events bringing us so close together, to create a foundation from which we can, together, create the world of our dreams.

Namaste, Heather

(p.s. As always, we look forward to hearing your thoughts and feelings on this subject)

Who’s Responsible?

Have you ever watched an enormous bank of white clouds sitting suspended against the contrast of a clear blue sky? Amazing isn’t it? The way the water particles and light refractions form the bulging masses, you’d almost swear they were solid and stationary. But on closer inspection they’re anything but. Clouds are constantly on the move, caught in a never-ending cycle of expansion and contraction. Time-lapse photography captures this cycle beautifully and shows us just how dynamic they really are. Similarly just about anything you can think of is in the throes of transformation whether discernible or not. Plant and animal species, oceans, rivers, towns, cities, human beings, technology, the Earth, your last tofu burger, heck you name it, it’s moving. From a blink of an eye to a billion year stretch, there seems to be only one thing that never changes, and that is everything is changing!

Being able to observe transformational processes in action has provided us valuable insight into the tremendous forces responsible for creation. Although measuring and predicting these forces has never been so accurate as it is today, it seems Mother Nature is still capable of producing a lot surprises. Just this week, as the world comes to terms with the devastating tsunami hitting South East Asia, scientists have suggested revising the standards of how earthquakes are measured to accommodate this wave of incredibly intense seismic activity. And already in the last two weeks we’ve had two of the biggest earthquakes ever recorded. So could there be another factor at play here we are overlooking? Are we missing something? Could we, as a collective, have anything to do with the way our world is being shaken up physically and emotionally right now? Although, aren’t we at the point in consciousness when that question is now redundant? Don’t we all know that to some degree we are creating our reality? But, what kind of reality are we creating? If the events of the last few years, culminating in these recent and unprecedented climatic events, aren’t enough to convince us to stop treating each other and our world so shamelessly, what the heck is it going to take to get us to wake up to ourselves!

Before we head to the hills with our tails between our legs to count down the days to Armageddon, lets pause for a moment to consider how we might have found ourselves in this situation in the first place. Thousands of years of domination over and destruction of our planet and fellow man hasn’t really set us up for the most elegant of transitions if indeed this is really what we’re facing? So if the Earth is a Cosmic University for us to learn in and graduate from, how would our report card read? What have we mastered here? Greed, hatred, judgement, procrastination, unlimited consumption, pollution, the list goes on! Don’t get me wrong here as there are some amazingly beautiful aspects to our world and not everyone fits this profile. But to stem the tide of potential chaos I currently see in the future, we need to do more. Just as we have the ability to be heartless and destructive we also have the most awesome potential for love, respect and understanding. We have the power like no other being on the this planet to make a difference in our world, but we can’t wait for someone else to take the steps for us. We are all in this together and, yes, even little old you can make that difference. I often wonder what might come of the world if it wasn’t for the pockets of conscious compassionate souls who are already doing their very best to help us through. So isn’t time we reached out to lend a hand.

If you’ll allow yourself to consider our collective awareness as a force of nature for a moment, you’ve got to admit we’ve let ourselves down very badly and now is the time to reverse this tide. How can we expect the Earth, let alone each other, to respect us when we have shown very little in return? As I mentioned in my last article, how the world will be affected on a physical level approaching the ‘shift’ will greatly depend on what lies in the hearts and minds of those inhabiting it. Ready or not, Earth changes are inevitable as we enter this next cycle, but to what extent these changes will manifest themselves now rests in our hands. We have a greater role in the future of our world than ever could be imagined and because of this, it is our responsibility to do something about it.

If there is one positive thing that we can take from this latest disaster, it is that it has brought all nations and all peoples a lot closer together. Unfortunately it is the human pattern to wait until some type of disaster strikes before responding to each other in a loving, caring way and that’s just simply not good enough. For instance, America (the good guys and Gods greatest defender) pledged an amount of money to the relief effort that was less than what was spent on smart bombs in the first 30 minutes of the war in Iraq? I won’t bore you too much with any more statistics like that but do you see what I mean? This statistic alone demonstrates our mixed-up priorities, and in my opinion, it’s time we all questioned what impact we have on the world and what we can personally do to make it a better place to live in.

What to do? Start in our own backyards first!

We all must stand up and realize that collectively it is our responsibility to help guide our planet and those inhabiting it through this transformation, consciously and compassionately. Our collective consciousness has reached a point where the state of our minds are being instantaneously reflected back at us. If we don’t start realizing this, the type of change we will force ourselves to go through might be far less elegant than the other options at our disposal. And for that reason I am personally concerned.

We have been asleep for too long and although many are beginning to stir and awaken to the sound of alarm bells ringing (or opportunity knocking) there is still a long way to go a fully awakened state. We are responsible for our future and with that accountability comes the need to respond! For so long we have let ourselves be herded by people who don’t deserve such an honour and because we given our power away so freely and without question, it has created an ominous recipe for disaster! How we complain about the state of our world when it was us all along who got us here in the first place? So what do we need to do?

Over the next couple of newsletters I’ll be looking at ways in which we can put ourselves in the best position to have a positive impact on our world. As we are all in this together I’d like to have your feedback and opinions on what is currently going on in our world too.

Love, Light and Freedom,
Christopher.

Upcoming Workshops

Self Mastery I

What will you experience and learn in Self Mastery? Experience Relaxation, Understand Responsibility, Give yourself Permission to Enjoy Life, Tap into Your Intuition, Overcome your Fears, Become Aware of the Magic around you, and Open your Beliefs to new ideas and new possibilities in a fun and safe environment.

• Time Commitment: 7 evenings
• Dates: begins January 18, 2005
• Time: 6:30pm till 10pm
• Venue: The Centre For Focussing, Gogg Street, Toowoomba
• Cost: $400 inclusive ($350 early bird payment before January 10)

Become the ‘author of your reality’ in this experiential course that offers YOU the keys to Self Mastery. For more information please contact chris@yogatrinity.com or call Christopher at 0410 139 050

Self Mastery II

Within every man and woman there is a thin veneer between the everyday person and the metaphysician. During this program you will experience a somersault of thought, and break through this thin veneer to access the incredible unknown powers of “the other side of you”. By crossing “the threshold of no return” you will never be the same again.

• Time Commitment: 5 days residential
• Cost: $600 inclusive
• Facilitator: Christopher Lipscomb
• Dates: February 24 - 28, 2005

Please note: Self Mastery II includes an online component, beginning one month prior to commencement. Self Mastery I is an essential pre-requisite.

2005 Yoga Teacher Training Program

Yoga Teacher Training 2005

Welcome to the first Australian offering of Yoga Trinity’s Yoga Teacher Training program. Each of the nine weekends you attend will include four yoga sessions, breath-work exercises, relaxation and guided meditations to deepen your yoga practice, as well as areas of study the will expand your understanding of the philosophies of Yoga. This 250-hour program is designed to provide you with the guidance, practices, support and techniques to begin your own teaching practice. CD’s will be available for all students to apply each weekend’s teachings between courses. Some self-study, including on-line reporting and written assignments will be included in this program.

Each weekend stands alone as a great retreat to intensify your yoga practice. However, for those practitioners intent on achieving a Diploma as a Yoga Teacher, attendance and full participation in all 9 weekends, plus home study, is essential.

This program is designed and facilitated by Heather Agnew, an internationally recognized Elite Level Fitness and Yoga Instructor with more than ten years experience practicing and teaching Hatha Yoga to students and teachers of all levels. For more information on 2005 Yoga Teacher Training, please contact Heather at 0404 739 277 or heather@yogatrinity.com.

For details on any of our programs or personal services, please call Heather or Christopher to discuss. We look forward to sharing some exciting, innovative, and deeply experiential workshops with you in 2005.

The Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched your own sorrow if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tip of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful be realistic to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trust-worthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours or mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

Yoga For Mind and Body

The eleventh in a series of columns offering yoga postures for men, women, and children to practice at home, school, on the road or in the office. With special thanks to Ross Pottinger of Wink Photo Design in Brisbane, Australia for the photos and the support in this project. And many thanks to Louisa Dick for taking part in the project. Do check with your health care practitioner before beginning a yoga practice. Many postures are not suitable for pregnant women, people with joint replacements, those with hypertension or other medical conditions. If you have a posture that you would like to see in this column, I welcome your suggestions. Namaste, H!

Dhanurasana – The Bow Pose... printer friendly version

To Begin: Lie on your belly and kick your heels up to your buttocks a few times. Clasp the ankles in the hands, all five fingers together, and rest your hips, knees and chin on the floor.

The Pose: Inhale to begin, and then retain the breath while you raise your body up, lifting knees and thighs off the ground at the same time as lifting the chin and chest. Reach up with strong legs, and expand outwards from the chest through the arms. Allow your body to make a soft curve from tailbone to crown, lifting the gaze once you have reached the top of the position, and breathing naturally.

To Intensify: For advanced students, you may use ‘Rocking Bow’ by gently rolling forward and back over the abdomen. Inhale as you rock back, exhale as you rock forward.

Breathing: Breathing deeply in this pose helps to open and stimulate the lungs, heart and chest.

To Modify: If you have a physical condition, or inflexibility that prevents you from completing this pose, you can work with one side at a time, or both sides with this modification: simply allow the legs to remain on the floor while you expand the upper body. Keep the thighs strong to support the arching back.

Focus: Keep thighs lifting evenly and knees no wider than hip width apart. Keep a smooth curve in the spine, not over-extending in any one area. Watch for the tendency to let the shoulders rise to the ears, keep the neck and upper back long and broad.

Cautions: This pose should be done after other backward bending asanas like cobra and locust, and should not be done on a full stomach. People with ulcers or hernia should avoid this pose. Always follow with a forward bending asana.

Benefits: Tones and balances kidneys and adrenals. Massages the internal organs and abdominal muscles, stimulates liver, and improves the overall function of the digestive and elimination systems. Opens chest and improves flexibility of the spine.

Philosophy: Imagine your body as a bow, your torso and legs are like a beautiful young piece of wood, and your arms are the strings. As your suppleness improves, more and more of your own inner power will be available to you reach your highest aims.