reset button

hi Ladies

I have been thinking about everyone this week. I am so sorry that I had to miss the last healing circle. I have been filling my head full with hypnosis trances. Sometimes, I feel like I am in Hogwarts along with Harry and the gang. I have had interrupted sleeping all week. Wondering how you are all doing. There is so much change going on especially with the solstice energy. I had a dream that we are able to set a reset button to start all over again with tremendous health and resources.
Would love to hear how everyone is faring during this time.
Lots of love
Audrey

Wabi Sabi Monsters

Hi Everyone!  I came across a blog entry entitled "Wabi Sabi Monsters" that reminded me of a couple of conversations our Mystery group had--the discussion of "Wabi Sabi" (the Japanese artform celebrating the beauty of imperfection) and our exploration of what souls incarnated on earth as monsters come to learn and teach.   The blog entry really impacted me and I wanted to share it with all of you.  If you have time, post your comments after reading it!  Blessings, Nancy

Link to Wabi Sabi Monsters Blog Entry

Missing Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!  I just wanted to "check-in" to say that I think about you all so often.  I have tangible reminders of you all around me--whether it be the candle screensaver on my iPhone, Norma's feathers, the "I am Enough" bracelet from Debbie which I wear constantly, the pic Nat took of us all, the white shawl from Audrey that is on display in my lavender room....  The list goes on and all I need to do is see one of these items and remember that you are all with me!

Over the weekend I rented a documentary on Amazon called "I AM" that I thought was wonderful and would recommend for anyone that is interested.  The basic theme of the film is that ”We are all connected –  connected to each other and to everything around us."  The documentary was created by Tom Shadyac, the filmmaker behind comedies like Bruce Almighty, Ace Ventura and The Nutty Professor.  When Shadyac was badly injured in a biking accident, it rocked his world.  He suffered from post concussion syndrome and faced spending the rest of his life isolated from others and in a great deal of pain.  His suffering was so great that he welcomed death--and it was from this dark night of the soul that the film was born.  This film is very inspiring and touches on many different things.  It talks about the heart, not the brain, being the primary organ of human intelligence.  It underscores that human consciousness and emotions DO affect the physical world.  The film talks about how it is cooperation, NOT competition, that is the most fundamental principle of nature and that transformation and man's true power comes only when we work together in cooperation and sympathize with one another. And the message that he leaves us with is this:  “...The solution begins with a deeper transformation that must occur in each of us.  I AM isn’t as much about what you can do, as who you can be.  And from that transformation of being, action will naturally follow.”  I found it to be a great reminder and an empowering message for how to cope in our daily lives and in this troubled world.

Love and blessings to you all!  Nancy

Here is a link to the film trailer--hopefully it works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Qr2dFYBgU&hd=1

Memorial Day Weekend

Hello Ladies! 
I miss all of you. Terribly.  I do feel a bit of a loss when I think about the gatherings at the Pear Tree Barn.  It's a little hollow feeling that niggles at my heart, but I know we are all branching and growing on our own as well.

I wanted to wish everyone happy things for this (hopefully) extended holiday weekend.  I did hear of a heat wave across the majority of NJ.  Be careful if you are out and about.  I found a few ideas if you were stuck looking for fun and different events.  Please!  Feel free to share your ideas in case these few aren't up your alley.  Use the comments, or feel free to post! 


Brooklyn Zombie Crawl - If you want to rave with the undead, this is your chance!

New Duke Farms Programs - So many new aspects have opened here as of last weekend.  So much more open to the public, and some great activities are available.

SyFy's Memorial Day Weekend - If you aren't feeling the outdoor thing, this is an option for a fun-filled weekend of SyFy movies and such. 

So, have fun, and know that I'm thinking of all of you.  I hope to be BBQ-ing... I'm sure I'll have extra, and lots of space, so if you're bored, give an email.  If we're around, our casa es su casa.

Love, Light, and Buddha Blessings!

Barbara

Mandala Reminder!!

Hey all!   Here's the Link to the monks building the sand mandala in Princeton this week.  It has all the ceremonies by day.  I hope to make it there a bunch!  Let me know if you want to meet up!
 ~  Barbara


http://www.princetonyoga.com/about/mandala/

Creating new space, energy… Princeton Yoga is honored to welcome monks from the Drepung Gomang monastery to the center. From May 7th to May 12th the monks will be creating a Sacred Sand Mandala. The mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning cosmogram or “world in harmony.” The event includes opening ceremonies, informal conversation and socializing as the mandala is created and formal closing ceremonies. Closing ceremonies include prayers, chanting, deconstruction of the mandala and sharing the blessed sand.
Donations to support the monastery and works of the monks are welcome. The monks will also offer for sale their sacred art, crafts and jewelry during their visit to Princeton Yoga.

During this week some of our regular yoga classes will follow a different schedule: Click here for more information.

Opening Ceremony

Monday, May 7 – 7:30 to 9:30 pm
Open to public. Space limited, please pre-register
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
Each creation of a sand mandala begins with an opening ceremony. Come and join us as the monks consecrate the site and call forth the forces of goodness through chanting mantras accompanied by flutes, drums and cymbals. This event is visually and acoustically striking and not to be missed. The construction of the mandala begins with the drawing of the design on the base, or tek-pu. The artists measure out and draw the architectural lines using a straight-edged ruler, compass and ink pen. The mandala is a formal geometric pattern showing the floor plan of a sacred mansion. Once the diagram is drawn, in the following days you see millions of grains of colored sand painstakingly laid into place.
*PLEASE NOTE: PROGRAM IS NEARLY AT CAPACITY. WE ASK THAT YOU CARPOOL IF POSSIBLE. OVERFLOW PARKING IS AT THE ROCK BROOK SCHOOL ACROSS THE WAY ON ORCHARD ROAD.

Construction of the Mandala

Tuesday, May 8 – Friday, May 11 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Come observe, meditate or just watch in awe as the mandala takes shape.
During these times the monks will pour millions of grains of sand, colored with vegetable dyes or opaque tempera, using traditional metal funnels, called chak-pur. The two “chakpurs” are said to symbolize the union of wisdom and compassion. The mandalas are created whenever a need for healing of the environment and living beings is felt. The monks consider our present age to be one of great need in this respect, and therefore are creating these mandalas where requested throughout their world tours.
The finished Mandala is approximately 5 feet in diameter.
Open to Public

Prayers and Chanting

Friday, May 11 – 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Open to public. Space limited, please pre-register
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
Meet us for spiritual evening of prayers and chanting. The monks will chant prayers and perform traditional rituals. The intent of the rituals is to overcome negativities which may be obstacles in obtaining release from suffering and to promote spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. The prayers are recited in the traditional overtone chanting, each monk singing a full chord of three notes. The prayers are often accompanied by symbolic hand gestures, cymbals, drums, horns and flutes. Join us for this unique experience!

Mandala Completion

Saturday, May 12 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Open to Public,
Space limited, please pre-register
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
See how the mandala gets its final touch and watch as the monks conclude their creation of the mandala with its consecration.

Closing Ceremony

Saturday, May 12 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm
Location to be appointed
Overflow parking is available across the street at the Rock Brook School
During the Closing Ceremony, the monks dismantle the mandala, sweeping up the colored sands to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists. Half of the sand may be distributed to the audience in small bags as blessings for personal health and healing.
Finally travel with the monks, along to a body of water (location to be announced). The sand is then ceremonially poured into the water in order to spread the healing energies of the mandala throughout the world.

If anyone is interested, this very special meditation will be taking place all over the world, and also at my yoga studio.  I'll be there!  -Jenni

Love the Blog--Still trying to figure it all out!   Enjoy these photos of us all receiving our shawls...


XOXO, Jenni



From Roseann:  "Audrey, we give you thanks.  Adorn yourself with your shawl and allow yourself to feel that gratitude and tremendous humility of knowing now the Oneness of service and the Oneness of giving and receiving."

This is SO cool!  Thanks again to Barbara for creating this blogspot for us....the name and the little extras are oh-so-Barbara and just wonderful.....I am looking forward to keeping up with all of you here.

I'm still humming happy after Saturday too!  It definitely wasn't the sad goodbye that I was afraid of but filled with light, love and laughter just like all our other days together!  It was so awesome...just beyond words.

Just wanted to let you ladies know that I am ACTUALLY going to Montana and Washington this July. Have ticket reservations!!! James and I are leaving on my anniversary.....hmmmmmm.....and staying for just over two weeks.  Already called and emailed some of the family and the plans are jumping into place.  I'm nervous and excited....more nervous at the moment.  This will be the first time in a VERRYRRYYYY long time that I have gone anywhere for more than a weekend.  I know that Tara and the two 4H boys - Sam and RJ - will take good care of my animals.....but......mothers worry. : ) Bye for now. Love, Y.

Beautiful group of women!

Thank you Barbara for doing this. It is very exciting to be writing a blog post today. You did not waste any time in doing this.  I am still smiling after our group on Saturday. I think that the angels an fairies were having a field day of the best kind with us.
Lots of love Audrey

NAMASTE!!

Greetings all of you lovely women!

I have set up the blog for the most part.  I have some more work to do to personalize it.  However, the functionality is here.  So, You may all post, use the "Event Planner" widget on the right to post upcoming events you would like us to know about, listen to some zen music I have running, play with the interactive fish to chill out a bit, or whatever.  I'll be sending you all instructions via email.

Enjoy our space.  I would like it to be as sacred as the barn with respect to the non-judgement, the support, and the safety to speak your mind here and be listened to. 

Love to you all, and to our universe.

Barbara