(not necessarily in that order)
The good news is I’m enjoying the flow of writing this blog.
The bad news is…I’m enjoying the flow of writing this blog! The problem is I tend to write at night, which means I’m getting to bed later and later.
But the 50th anniversary officially kicks off tomorrow and if I begin the week already exhausted I’m going to be very sorry! Therefore…I’ll just say “good night”!
After lots and lots of detail work today, I think I’ll give my brain a rest and share a few photos from this week. 🙂
We’re down to the last three days before the 50th anniversary event, and I’m reminded of other intensely anticipated experiences in my life: my first trip to Europe when I was seventeen years old; the time I auditioned for the San Francisco Symphony; my graduate recitals; getting married…!
There wasn’t much I could have done differently in preparing for that first transatlantic flight, but the other examples all called for a certain balancing act…
The balance between…
Powering through (giving it everything I’ve got and doing my best right up until the Very. Last. Moment.
vs
Acceptance (taking a step back, acknowledging that maybe it’s not yet perfect, but it is as perfect as I’m capable of right now, and allowing myself to be where I am, and letting that be okay).
The balance between…
Technical mastery (gotta get that note/phrase/lick just right)
vs
Trusting the flow (I’ve done my best work; now it’s time to let the music itself guide me, so the “magic” can happen).
The balance between…
Attachment to outcome (I sooo want this to be really, really good–for my teacher, for my family, for my Guru even!)
vs
Nishkam karma (desireless action or action performed without any expectation of a specific result or reward).
I could go on but you get the idea. It’s not about ignoring the preparation or the technical matters. It is about finding that sweet spot where we transcend the preparation and technique and enter into something bigger than we are. An experience that I’m quite certain awaits us in the week ahead.
Ananda Village has been a pilgrimage site for years. Now the Temple of Light will be a powerful new pilgrimage site as well. As I write this, hundreds of people are on their way here to visit these holy places.
Village residents have been encouraged to see ourselves as being on pilgrimage this coming week as well; attending the events and soaking up the inspiration of this blessed time.
This point was brought home to me today as Ramesha and I made up a careful list, then I went grocery shopping. I really stocked up on things and later I found myself reflecting on the idea of “provisions”.
I feel like a throwback to an earlier era, “storin’ up provisions”! But I realize that the motivation behind it is that I want to minimize time spent thinking about mundane things like what to eat, so that I can be as present as possible to the blessings of the experience. Which is definitely part of what being on pilgrimage is about.
Can’t think about anything except the 50th and the Temple.
Well, that’s not entirely true…I do still manage to think of God and Guru occasionally throughout the day! 🙂
But today was bookended by the Temple: helped unload the new “meditation” chairs this morning and finished the day with a choir rehearsal in Wisdom classroom (part of the Temple complex). In between were emails and meetings and phone calls and copious details–all about the 50th and the Temple!
It’s becoming more and more real every day.
The new Temple of Light is wonderful, powerful, and inspiring on so many levels… but right now the music ministry is feeling particularly thrilled about having a closet of our own! And in the same building where we perform, so no more back and forth schlepping of stands and keyboards and crates and binders.
Today we made the big move…
In our eagerness to move into our closet, we overlooked one tiny little detail… with all our stuff there, we had to go ahead and switch tomorrow night’s rehearsal there as well! But, since they’re laying carpet in the sanctuary, we’ll rehearse in Wisdom classroom instead.
And so a new era begins!
At the request of the Sound Dept, a number of musicians–including Ramesha and I–spent time this evening playing and singing in the new Temple of Light.
The idea is to allow the sound team to become thoroughly acquainted with their new equipment and the new venue–all before the start of the biggest event in Ananda’s history.
The acoustic is amazing! You don’t get the full effect in this brief video because the sound folks were experimenting with equipment and levels, but trust me…it’s incredibile!
There really are no words to adequately describe the blessing it is to be part of bringing this Temple into manifestation, even in these little teeny ways.
Jai Guru! Jai Swamiji!
I really have been busy…I didn’t even notice when I passed the one month anniversary of writing this blog!
I’m actually enjoying it. So far, so good…
And that’s all I have to say for now. 🙂
“Sing and the Battle Is Won” is the title of the music workshop we’re scheduled to present two weeks from today, on Friday afternoon of 50th anniversary week. The question I’ve been asking myself lately is…when in the world are we going to find the time to work on it?
Well, this morning I started to understand the answer to that question…
We often start our weekly music meetings by singing one of Swami Kriyananda’s songs as our opening “prayer”; this morning I was inspired to suggest “Sing in the Meadows”, one of his children’s songs. The lyrics go like this:
Sing in the meadows and ev’rywhere:
Sing out a blessing to ev’ryone!
Lift up your voices, Lift your hands on high.
Sing and the battle is won.
Afterwards I realized that this song teaches us how to rise above feelings of overwhelm and stress by singing; blessing everyone; and looking up (keeping our energy flowing in an upward direction).
So now I get it. My preparation for the workship is to practice the principles of the workshop as I move into and through the 50th anniversary week. Singing this song helps me feel the reality of the workshop’s subtitle: Music for Inner Victory. Give it a listen, sing along, and see if you don’t feel inwardly victorious as well!
Another birthday celebrated. Another solar return begun. So much to be grateful for…
I love responding to all the birthday greetings on Facebook because it’s a fun walk down memory lane. I enjoy that once or twice a year connection with people who are a continuing part of the fabric of my life, even though our lives no longer intersect.
About twenty years ago I experienced an “aha” moment of realizing just how blessed I am that I like people and people like me in return. That’s not a skill I learned or something I can take credit for; it’s my good karma and a gift from God.
So many of our gifts and talents are like that–pure and simple gifts from God. But in our egoic human-ness we take credit for them and start thinking how “special” we are, instead of offering them back up to the Divine in humble gratitude.
Almost fifteen years ago Swami Kriyananda, the founder of the spiritual community where I live, gave me the spiritual name of Bhagavati (don’t worry if you’ve known me by my given name for decades; I still answer to Sharon as well). He shared quite a bit about the meaning of the name Bhagavati, but the only thing I remembered afterwards is the phrase: the fortunate one.
Isn’t that beautiful? As someone who’s often had a difficult time feeling content and at peace with what is, my spiritual name reminds me every day to remember–and give thanks for–the abundant blessings that make me the fortunate one.