Monday, January 21, 2013



Last Friday, I enjoyed a wonderful Kundalini Yoga class. It was certainly long overdue, as I hadn't been to a studio yoga class in so, so long.

Just before the class, there was enough time to lie on my mat and be still before we would officially begin.

I was surrounded by two other early bird yoga students. One man was so relaxed he started snoring loudly. The other man, just to the left of me, was also lying down on his mat (not snoring) but breathing heavily ....in and out, in and out.

In a city such as New York, there really isn't much time for stillness. It seems like an eternal drumbeat ...from a drummer that just doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit". The calmness of the room, the skylight overhead, my fellow yogis .....a little bit of peace entered our Metro area.

As the class began, we started our practice with chanting the Adi Mantra " Ong na mo - Guru dev namo" which translates to "I call on Infinite Creative Consciousness - I call on Divine Wisdom".

I cannot explain the rise of goosebumps that I felt from experiencing the sound of this strong hum of chanting that filled this room. I was so moved.

Just yesterday, I decided to attend a service at The Community Church of New York.  My first visit there, but second bout of goosebumps.

Mid-service, a woman from the choir got up and sang a song called "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Her voice was breathtaking. She literally sang like an angel. Complete goosebumps all around, and quite a few tears filled the church. It was nothing short of amazing.

On this cold and crisp Monday, here is an ode to NYC, as well as every other city and town, for all of it's unique small graces, quiet moments, and unexpected gentle rumblings.


















Monday, January 14, 2013

New glasses for a New Year

It was a few days into the new year and after walking around Chelsea for about an hour or so, I decided to treat my stomach's rumblings to a wholesome lunch at Le Pain Quotidien.

Завтрак в хлебе) до 16:00 между прочим в праздники)#le pain qoutidien#petit dejeuner#breakfast by te4e
photo by te4e
Seated across from me was a table consisting of three men. Of the three, my eye was quickly drawn to a young Asian man wearing red and yellow glasses. There was this inner spark about him. He seemed happy, electric, full of life. Hands animated in self-expression, eyes wide open with enthusiasm. The other two men at the table were closely listening to him as he told his tale. This man of interest, the one with the shnazzy red and yellow specs, was comfortably clad in a grey colored sweater, red pants, a black and white patterned scarf around his neck, sporting white sneakers on his feet, and a small tattoo of the some sort sketched on his forearm.

At the end of every year I hear a good many people talk about picking a word for their upcoming year. My friend's pick for her 2013 theme was the word Kindness. One word seemed a little limiting for me this year so I went ahead and came up with two: Expansion and Love.

While sitting in the restaurant and enjoying my lunch I began to get the inkling that 2013's example of "expansion and love", was sitting right across from me in the form of a man decorated with red and yellow glasses. His core, his smile, his enthusiasm ....his whole essence, all something waiting to be emulated and adopted for the new year.


Have you stumbled upon your own red and yellow glasses? If so, what would they be?