Heart News

Align - Love - Thrive

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Our heart team proudly curates a set of teachings, practices and information each month and season to help you live the life of balance and alignment: yoga! Click through regularly to explore, learn and grow on the path. 

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Awaken Your Voice

Hello, community, 

 

I begin this month's newsletter with a thank you, dear sangha. Your love has served as a reminder that, YES, I can trust the unfolding of what is happening in the world around me because, YES, I do trust the unfolding of the life within me. As a student of Buddhism, I have long led with the belief that our relationship to ourselves is the very ground of healthy practice and activism in the world. When we hold ourselves in tender loving-kindness, and work diligently on the relationship with Self, there is a trust that is created and that reflects out into the world; it is the lens of which our awareness peers out. To me it is true that if you cannot take refuge in yourself, you will wander around the planet feeling hopeless and homeless for all time. 

 

Traditionally speaking, there are 3 fundamental refuges, in Buddhist practice, that we can find genuine safety and peace, a sanctuary for our awakening mind and heart, a soft place to rest our human vulnerability. Within this shelter we can face and wake up from the spell of fear. The first of the 3 refuges is the Buddha or our awakened nature: "taking refuge in the Buddha". The second is the dharma/ the path and the third is the sangha/ community. So let's look at the first step. For many of us who are devotional by nature, we may seek safety and refuge in the living spirit of the Buddha (our naturally awakened heart and mind) by learning to surrender into what we experience as boundless compassion. For instance, if you are struck with fear, you surrender by not trying to get rid of fear but rather by letting go into a refuge that is vast enough to hold your fear with love. We all have that deep well of potential within us. Consider a baby (where we all began the human journey), there is nothing but expansive love there. The constructs that make us "sleepy" later in life are created of the mind. Division, hate, separation and unworthiness have no part in who we truly at our core. Remembering this is to take a refreshing plunge into the cool waters of liberation. Remembering this is to place ourselves back into the cradle of lovingkindness. 

 

Don't get me wrong, no matter how long I have committed to practice, and "taking refuge in one"(mySelf), I forget my Buddha nature. We all do. We all have moments of getting stuck in our limiting stories about ourselves. Next time you notice that you've forgotten, pause and say, "I take refuge in this fully awakened heart". Recite these words, place your hand on your heart and remember your tenderness. See yourself as that precious newborn. In time, that small, limiting identify will vanish and along with it the spell of fear. In time, that Buddha nature becomes more of our living reality. We begin to inhabit the refuge, the sanctuary of truth, that is our essence itself. Start fresh, hit reset as often as you need to; every moment holds all the forgiveness, grace and love that you could ever need. 

 

We are so grateful to be your trusted guides on the path of remembering and rousing Buddha nature! We look forward to continuing our connection online and in Heart center via community practice and personalized one-on-one support. 

 

All the love,

 

 

Meg & Team Heart

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​Every month we make small changes to better serve the community! Take a peek at the weekly schedule below for August. We take COVID19 very seriously and therefore exercise caution for any in-person programs. It is important that we respect the statewide mask mandate when practicing both indoors and out. When practicing outdoors with Gino on Saturday mornings, please be prepared to, at minimum, keep you mask around your neck for easy use. Masks may be removed if you are more than 6 feet away from another student. Please wear your mask anytime you enter the building. Take care to review our FAQ before attending class to observe any changes to in place COVID19 precautions. As you review the schedule, please note some time changes AND double check when signing up as to whether the class is in-person or online. Scroll down to learn about how we are positioning ourselves to better serve individuals through 1x1 service offerings through private yoga and meditation, instruction, wellness guidance, life coaching and so much more. We appreciate you and hope that we are continuing to offer what you need to maintain health and happiness during this very dynamic time.

Past Newsies:

August 2020: Refuge in One and blogging by the sangha

July 2020: Awaken Your Voice and blogging by Meg Lucks

June 2020: The Spirit of Sangha and blogging by Brenna Kempf

May 2020: Just as You Are and blogging bits from Heidi Nehring

April 2020: The Next Buddha is Sangha

March 2020: You and I Are Essentially Infinite Choice- Makers and blogging bits by Heather Kolvenbach

February 2020: Mudita: Taking Delight in the Happiness of Others and blogging bits by Amy Griebenow

January 2020: I am and blogging bits by Heidi Nehring

December 2019: Give the Gift of Presence and blogging bits by Michelle Marrero

November 2019: We are All Royalty by Roy Grant

October 2019: Rekindle the Heart and blogging bits by Brenna Kempf: Interview with sangha member Heidi Nehring

September 2019: Where Your Intention Goes, Energy Flows + Blog by Meg Lucks, Big Love: Loving Like Buddha

August 2019: Come Home & Be Anywhere + Blogging by Madelaine Eschrich, Come Home..., Interview with Maddie HERE

July 2019: Paradise is Now + Blogging by Roy Grant, Paradise is Now & Rich

June 2019: Let Peace Be Your Superpower + Blog, An Open Letter to My Sisters and Our Allies by Keia Wegner

May 2019: Play is our Pathway to Possibility + Blog Playtime is Now by Stephie Overman

April 2019: Give Yourself Room to Bloom + Blogging Bits by Brenna Kempf

March 2019: Living Your Highest Truth by Meg Lucks

February 2019: Out of Love, Our Path Can Lead us to Serve

January 2019: True Belonging is the Spiritual Practice of believing in and belonging to yourself...