Thursday, February 25, 2010

But I Wanted It! Brahmacarya!


Om Kriya Babaji Namah Aum!

I was reading Rolf Gates "Meditations from the Mat" and he wrote about Brahmacarya. (moderation)

While reading it I flashed back to the my younger days reading Seventh Day Adventist Church Founder/Writer Ellen G. White's writings on Temperance. Well, I kinda of brushed it off!

The last thing I want is another lecture on moderation. I don't want anyone telling me not to INDULGE when I'm having a good time INDULGING!

But there I was in the Trader Joe's and when I'd finished shopping the lesson hit me loud and clear!

I had three dollars to my name and some money on my credit card. Well, I figured I'd just stop in and get some ground beef to go along with the pasta and the chicken sausage I had at home. It was $1.99. So then, I decided to use my credit card and get a few more items to round out the meal.

I was cooking Italian, and I've been watching alot of cooking shows, so I got a bottle of wine to cook in the sauce. Did I need it? No! Just wanted it! But it was two buck chuck so I felt cool!

I was gonna mix a lil ground round, into the sausage, throw some bell peppers, onions, and garlic and toss it over the pasta!

So, I'm in the car, the money spent, then my spirit says....Brahmacarya!
"What????? Moderation! You didn't need it and now you've spent the money!"

And that's right! I could have skipped, on most of what I bought, even though I didn't overspend or anything. The meal would have still be great! It wouldn't have had all the bells and whistles but it would have still been great!

But I wanted it! My desire outweighed good sense! I went on impulse! See, moderation would have not only saved me then but it would have continued to save me now.

In these economic times there's nothing wrong with moderation and temperance!
Brahmacarya! Om Brahmacarya Aum!

BE Prayerful! BE Mindful! BE Careful!

Jaycee

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Submission

Photographed by "Junior"

Om Kriya Babaji Namah Aum!

I've been trying to really practice meditating. It's alot like going to the gym and starting a workout program. Well, at least it is for me. Whenever I start something new I jump into it head first. I go to all the classes! I read voraciously about whatever subject I've become interested in.

Then, I give up! Well not give up but the discipline that's needed to continue and follow through to the next level I have not developed so I end up quitting.

I see that in alot of areas of my life. Why should meditation BE any different?

It's difficult to sit there quietly and focus on BE Still and KNOW that I AM GOD! Psalms 46!

Thoughts like all the things that I've given up, quit and failed at come rushing at me unfiltered when I'm sitting there quiet, meditating!

But in the stillness I gain clarity! I failed cause I quit! I stopped doing it! That's the lesson! Don't stop! See, the good thing about Yoga is that it does not require that you BE good at YOGA Ever!


It requires that you submit to the eight fold path. The Yamas and Niyamas, the Asanas, The breathing, the focus on the Divine, etc, etc!

See submitting to it means that you surrender or BE willing to let go of what you are holding on to and embrace something NEW! So with that I let GO of my past failures and let downs and I embrace doing YOGA. It's a gift to me from God (IAM)

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Aum!

BE Prayerful! BE Mindful! BE Careful!
Jaycee

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Staying There


"Life ain't nothing but Bytches and Money" Ice Cube 1989
Om Kriya Babaji Namah Aum!

In Eastern Philosophy you hear alot about Attachment and about letting go. "Let Go!"

Let's say you're angry at your best friend. He stole your Woman and she's taken all your money. But your girlfriend had a choice right? She chose him! She emptied the joint account.
Let it gooooooo!

And you say........"Bull Shit"!!!!! Right??????

You're angry! Things like that will change the way you view relationships. So now, you don't trust the homeboys like you used to. You may say "Eff all them Bytches!"

Now you jump from bed to bed, breaking hearts, cause you angry right! No more Mista Nice Guy!

Interesting enough, You got movies, videos and music which supports your worldview. You angry! You money is gone, your homie has betrayed you and your Woman is gone. You should be angry but you can't stay there!

See, mistrust, anger, hurt, ie Suffering, is part of Life. But Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration are options we can choose to help us stop suffering.

BE real, you knew better than to leave your Homeboy with a Woman you wanted to keep. Why? Cause you knew how HE was and what HE Do. Right View!

But HE betrayed my trust Mista Jaycee!

Yeah, he did, but again, you knew who HE was. (Right View) You should have taken care of your Woman, including not placing your trust in your Homeboy to resist his Nature. (Right Mindfulness)

Thinking on it you were not the best Boyfriend. You forgot Birthdays, You stayed out with Homie's and there was that incident with "That Girl!" (Right Action) and You called her the B word. (Right Speech, Right Livelihood, Right Intention)

So her leaving you ain't the real issue is it? It's the Money! It's the "Idea" that someone would Leave You for something YOU Did or Didn't DO. (Right Mindfulness)

But you blinded by Anger and you ignore and refused to see the Truth. Instead your Ego led you away from (Right Intention) (Right View)

I think about the singer Mary J. Blige. Her music reflects her life. When she was sad, angry and her relationships were jacked up her music reflected that. She found a huge audience who related to her lyrics. They tuned in for every album for a refresher on their lives soundtrack.

But then, Mary got delivered! Mary got Happy! And Mary sang of that! Her audience though said Hey Wait! They hadn't moved on, got saved, got delivered, got over it, got on! They were "still" where Mary "use ta" BE!

They wanted Mary to sing that! But Mary had moved on. Some moved on with her. Some found new singers that sang Mary's old story. The audience moved on to another singer that sang where they were "still at".

They "Stayed" There! Again, Yoga like life is about growth. It's evolution and change or rather it should be. If you on the Right Path that God (IAM) desires for us then you can't just "stay" you must change.

Yoga in this instance like the Eight Fold Path, The Bible, and Meditation are just tools designed to help you overcome suffering, solve the problems, and deal with it!

You can BE Angry, Sad, Discouraged, and royally pissed but you Can't stay there. You poison yourself and those around you.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

BE Prayerful! BE Mindful! BE Careful!

Jaycee

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Learning Patience!


Om Kriya Babaji Namah Aum

I went to my Kriya Yoga class on Sunday. I really enjoyed my session but Wow! Yoga is not a competitive sport! In Kriya Yoga we focus on 18 asanas. Well, Integral Shoulder stance is my least favorite cause I can't do that one!

I lay on my back and raise my legs but I can't not raise my trunk. My body is not ready for it yet.

I have to be Patient! Patience is something that I don't have alot of. That's the beauty in Yoga. I'm focused on building up the external but it points out what is weak internally. So with that I exhale and continue doing the asanas that I can do having faith and learning patience.

Hopefully, I will have more patience before I finally am able to do Integral Shoulder Stance.

We see the external but God (IAM) see's the heart. Om Shanti!

BE Prayerful! BE Mindful! BE Careful!

Jaycee