November 2006 Newsletter

On my desk is a small calendar with daily quotes from my spiritual teacher. Each morning I turn to these few short sentences for a piece of wisdom that might give me clarity about some issue in my life or inspiration for my work that day. More often than not the words really resonate with me and remind me of who I am beyond my personality, identity, and the various roles that I play.

Today’s quote is more relevant to me than most days. Maybe it’s synchronicity or maybe it’s because I am more open to it today. Whatever the reason, I feel it vibrating inside of me hours after reading it. Today’s quote is:

“Those who do not develop strength from inside cannot get it from outside.”

~Yogi Bhajan, PhD

Stop for a moment and think about the power of this idea. It’s easy to weather the storm when we have a nice strong house to keep us warm and safe, a healthy body to protect us from illness and disease, a family to support us through our difficulties and so on. What happens when we don’t have those things? Can we still face life’s challenges with grace and endurance? Can we be our own strength and support? Can we trust our Self to take right action and remain positive?

If the answer to these questions is ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know’ then we need to develop the capacity for inner strength and self-reliance. In order to develop these abilities, we need to consciously engage in activities that challenge us so that when the pressure is on and it’s time to act we will be prepared. If we wait until there is stress or crisis to develop our internal resources then we’ll be too late. We won’t have the necessary stability and centeredness that we need to act in a graceful and responsible way.

None of us would think of going out to run a marathon this weekend without spending several months in disciplined training. Not only would we fail to complete the marathon but we may even injure our Self in the process. In some respects, life can present us with a marathon event at any moment – perhaps as illness, loss of a job, car accident or some other situation. These marathons require the stamina, strength and endurance of a professional athlete. Are we preparing for these events? Are we in denial that anything tragic will ever happen in our lives again?

We will most definitely meet challenges again in our life time. We will meet illness, death, loss and pain. Even though these things are inevitable, they don’t have to be met with fear and dread. If we strengthen our nervous system and our support system then we will have the necessary strength we need to meet any challenges that may come up.

How do we strengthen our nervous system and support system? Yoga and meditation is a great tool for strengthening the nervous system, especially Kundalini Yoga. Groups like Women Healing Women are a great way to strengthen our support system. Research shows that friendships help boost the immune system and reduce the risk of death by more than 60%.

Develop your inner strength now so you can meet all of life’s challenges with necessary tools for success. Tomorrow’s quote of the day sums up my final thoughts:

“You need grit. You need strong nerves. You need the totality of you.”

~Yogi Bhajan, PhD

Traditionally, women have been the transmitters of culture from generation to generation. But our society has seen great changes in women’s roles during the past 40 years. Women are striving to have it all, but at the same time, many are tired, overwhelmed, and worried about their futures.

This 3-hr workshop will help you discover who you are and what your unique purpose is. We will use imagery, music, movement and sharing to revision our lives. We will uncover what we really want and how we can create that with ease and grace. We will come to honor and appreciate the strength, wisdom, and resilience of the sacred feminine.

When: December 17, 2006 from 1:00 to 4:00pm
Cost: $30.00
Where: Bala Yoga, 145 N La Brea, Los Angeles, CA 90036
RSVP: 323-633-0252 or gpelicci@hotmail.com