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As a participant in the week Celebrating and Honoring Indigenous People's I've enjoyed the spirit of discovery to relate my daily work more elaborately to the subtexts within the theme of the week. The dedication of our work at EarthTones, our classes, ceremonies and much of what we feature in our gallery keeps helps us to keep mindful of the connectedness to nature. We consider it critical to both give the natural world respect and to be honest stewards.

The principles of first nation people coalesce mostly around this philosphy. Ignoring this relationship pushes greater burden on the Earth but more importantly it can diminish part of the soul. Through the reflections of this week, hopefully each one of us focus more directly on this in our own lives.

Indigenous Peoples Week 2011

Why is this focus so timely.....

How can we establish a more fluent understanding of the contemporary role of indigenous communities throughout the world....

Was there something we were missing...

The focus dreamed up goes beyond a call for health and wellbeing of indigenous communities throughout the world and asks each of us to see where health and wellbeing of our small communities, families and selves can be enhanced by this week.

We have a relationship with all peoples, and this week helps us explore that relationship. Hopefully by the end of the weeken, we'll feel more connected and inspired to consciously contribute.

Hunting for Center

A yoga practice often involves a lifetime of learning. The safe and nurturing beginnngs often sprout to new ventures.

Many start with a basic learning class but we want more. Hustling to "get" the breathing pattern. Honestly sensing the placement of each pose only to crave the next, deeper sensation.

Again, safe and nurturing as the little we bring home acquires an ongoing craving for the sanctuary of a forward bend.

Since we know we can achieve more, the myriad of classes and forms start to attract us. This never really stops. With so many options and opinions. Get it hot, get it slow, like water or earth, yin or yang.

Stay with any form long enough and the introverted nature of yoga comes into focus. You begin to sense the center -- our center. The world start to quiet itself.

When you move from one to the next the phases in yoga start showing you a spiral. A repeated evolution. Get what you can from each arch of the path let it flow inward.

Namaste!

Workers of the World Unite

Workers of the World Unite......was always my mantra for this day. I wondered how I could be in "solidarity" with the families and people that lived more rugged lives. What that says about the current times when globalism has universalized expectations for a middle class life. At the same time pundits state there is a general demise of the middle class. I wonder if we might get back to the nature of "work", the value of our labor, and the sense of nurturing or providing that puts not only food (hopefully organic, locally grown and unpackaged) on our table, but also promotes a sense of connection to her...the land. I am going to take time today to sit on the ground and feel her swell and change, feel warmth or cool, gritty, muddy or dry and remember that the more I interact with her the more vital we both will be.