Feathering our nest

It all started with wanting to reupholster two chairs. I called around for quotes on the job and then when it came to picking out fabrics, I mentioned it to Chris in a text. Before we knew it, Rob and I were standing in the Design Centre surrounded by thousands of choices. I wasn't loving anything in particular until I saw a giant peacock embroidery, and then I was smitten.

Now we are looking at rugs and flooring, and going ahead with getting some preliminary drawings done for a basement reno.

With retirement in the not too distant future we will be spending a lot more time at home, why not in a nice and comfortable space?

Full Pink Moon - April 2019

Rob and I took a work holiday in late March and spent the entire day  at the Aga Khan Museum, checking out the exhibits, having lunch at Diwan, and touring the Centre. What an architectural marvel. The building is truly a work of art in the way it captures and reflects light.

The current exhibit is  The Moon, A Voyage Through Time.

In Islamic astrology, the moon is often personified and considered feminine in nature. It is regularly shown as a female figure, or, as in this case, a woman's face, enclosed by a crescent moon. According to the Persian verses above and below this paining, the moon is a positive sign for the one seeking to foretell the future, who is assured, "you will see great benefits this month / you will eat from the palms of joy and mirth / and you will pick a flower from the garden of hope."  from the program

And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all heavenly bodies in an orbit swimming. Qur'an 21.33

astrolabe

The moon is full April 19, 7:12 a.m.

Toronto Yoga Conference

At this year's Yoga Conference I took a one day workshop with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman, dubbed a one day retreat.

Although not certified in the Iyengar method, both were quoting from BKS throughout the day. "Pose and repose." "Inhale. Exhale. Pause. Each with the same length."

A few weeks later, these are the things that stay with me:

Om

When we chanted om, Rodney observed that the class was prolonging the 'o' in om, shortening the 'm', and not leaving much of a pause between one 'om' and the next. We rechanted, and I could feel the difference. The vibration of the 'm' was far more resonant. The pause became a presence. Very powerful.

Michael Jordan pose
Athletes slip into uddiyana bandha on basketball courts and tennis courts and other sports arenas all the time - they just don't know they are doing a powerful yoga pose to replenish when exhausted.

Engaging the Bandhas
Don't force this to happen. Rather, take the asana and then feel the body's response. (In this sense, it is similar to pranayama, you don't do it, it does you. Each asana has its own breath.) It takes years to feel the different bandhas. Feel mula bandha and uddiyana bandha come naturally when in headstand.

...

I brought home a Tibetan bowl and bells for my morning meditation and have been incorporating them into my practice. Very much enjoying the sound and vibration and will explore these elements more.

Iyengar: The Man, Yoga, and the Student's Journey

I saw the documentary Iyengar: The Man, Yoga, and the Student's Journey. Many of the teachers at Yoga Centre Toronto have been to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India, and directly studied with Guruji or his daughter Gita. Both Iyengar and his daughter have died, so I will never have the privilege of taking a class with them, although I have definitely benefited from their teachings.

The two-hour film was a brief glimpse into RIMYI and into Iyengar's daily practice. It was also an opportunity to see other teachers, such as Father Joe, who works with addicts and criminals, seeking to bring them redemption from their problems. Or the woman who founded a home for young muslim girls, to rescue them from the fates of Mumbai slums, who knows that saving 80 girls is "just a drop in the bucket," but doesn't give up. Both these teachers have had such powerful influence on so many lives.

Then I think about all the teachers who BKS inspired, from all around the world, and the lives they have in turn touched. In Toronto we have Marlene, one of the most senior teachers in Canada, who has worked to certify more than 100 teachers over the years. It is phenomenal to think how one man can so profoundly influence so many lives in his own lifetime. No wonder Time magazine listed Iyengar in their Top 100 people who changed the 20th century.

Unstated in the film is that teaching becomes the part of many students journeys. I have thought of taking teacher training more than once, myself. Yoga has become a part of my day and I have been studying it for so many years. I have such gratitude for my teachers, but hesitate to take that road myself.

Yet....

Another plug for Laissez Faire

Having read Kaarina's review of Laid Back On King Street, I want to expand a bit on the criticism of Laissez Faire and its high volume music.

The review concluded with saying, "When we asked for the volume to be turned down, the response was not surprisingly laissez faire - they left it alone. And so will we."

Well actually, I will probably go back. Let me tell you more.

At TTC subway stations and at Dundas Square, where homeless youths tend to congregate, the city has taken to piping in loud classical music to keep them away. I have a sneaking suspicion that some of the trendier restos in our wonderful city are playing loud music to keep the older crowd away. Let's face it, we get in the way of the vibe.

After rave reviews of Pinkerton's Snack Bar in Toronto's east end, I dragged my husband Rob along so we could taste Chef Wilson's small plates. We were the only customers in the place, but still had to shout out our orders. The waitress couldn't even hear us and asked us to repeat. The food and cocktails were outstanding, but my head hurt after leaving.

We eat with ALL our senses. Food is what we can taste, smell, see, touch and yes... hear. The slurp of soup, the crunch of crackers, the murmur of an mmmmm.

So rather than avoiding these places, which are somewhat ageist and discriminatory, but serve pure deliciousness, I will simply pack my earplugs. Why should I miss out on a good thing just because I don't fit in with the scenery?

Second Thoughts About Second Thoughts

It is now about five years since I left a management position, in part because I could actually earn more money. It was a sub-lateral move with less responsibility, more freedom, and less stress. I wasn't the only one to make that decision - several hundred managers across the Ontario Public Service made a similar choice.

The lack of incentive eventually produced a nice money bump for managers. This week I realized had I stayed in that position and 'toughed it out', it would in fact have resulted in earnings of 20% more last year.  I knew this courtesy of the Sunshine list.

AAArrggh!

Coulda woulda shoulda

More money would definitely be nice, but was it really only a money decision? There were definitely other factors at play,  namely an environment I didn't want to go to day in and day out. Who knows what would have happened had I stayed in what I felt at the time was a toxic situation? I wanted and needed a change and was resilient enough to seek a more positive situation.

I'm probably not the only soul living with some measure of regret about career choices. But I really need to stop beating myself up about the decision. I made it because I thought it was a healthier path at the time.

Maybe I am was a Career Romantic, thinking if I only met the right job it would sweep me off my feet and we could live happily every after.

Ironically, my current department has the absolute lowest employee engagement scores in the entire ministry. The survey results are based on the period when I was on secondment, so my responses are not included in the timeframe.

Fast forward with the difference, I now feel I have more influence and impact, and believe I can help shape an environment where I will want to come to work every day.

Since I can't change the past or accurately predict the future, I might as well focus on the present.