Holy Ma

 

 

 

Collect for Today

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

 

 

Proverbs 31:10-31

A capable wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant,

she brings her food from far away.

She rises while it is still night

and provides food for her household

and tasks for her servant-girls.

She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength,

and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

She opens her hand to the poor,

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid for her household when it snows,

for all her household are clothed in crimson.

She makes herself coverings;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the city gates,

taking his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them;

she supplies the merchant with sashes.

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household,

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her happy;

her husband too, and he praises her:

“Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the city gates.

 

Holy Ma – by Music Shantala

Holy Ma
Kali Ma
Jaya Jagadambe  (Everything is holy now)

 

I dedicate these words to my mother, she has had a rough week, but is home now and hopefully healing.  I cannot write a succinct post.  But this blog is about me living my yoga.  So, the above Christian prayers have been put in my path and are a great reminder of a mother strength and the impermanence of all. But even in the impermanence we can remember. The Kirtan piece above has been in my heart and in my ears since its release around 2009, in it we remember Ma the great feminine. It beckons forth the Goddesses, the mothers, Ma. Kali, Durga, and Saraswati. I take comfort in this music even as tears flow. It helps me cope, like music therapy for my soul. I leave these three goddesses for you to google on your own to learn their mythology/story/ or whatever you choose to believe about them. And I ask your prayers, thoughts, love, light, whatever you can send for my Ma.

 

Psalm as Mantra

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,  O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

 

 

 

 

If I were to pick a tagline or mantra for this blog the above would be it.  I was first introduced to this on a regular basis when the First Female Episcopal Priest in Maryland was in her Transitional Diaconate at my home parish St. Bartholomew’s Baltimore.  She used it to open every sermon she preached. I hadn’t at the time fully digested it’s meaning but at that point I liked it.  Since that time, I have used it before speaking at a Daughters of the King retreat and occasionally at other church related functions.  It always beckons me back to those teen years and that huge shift for women.

I didn’t realize as a teen how important the word meditation would become for me. That I would become a Meditation and Yoga Therapist. I didn’t understand that this would be one of my lifelong Mantras or what a mantra even was. But yet here I am remembering again today. 

Sometimes our words can be unacceptable.  Sometimes we can be reactive as discussed last week.  But keeping this as mantra front and center I hope to always be responsive, calm, and happy. Either way I know that I am forgiven and that gives me hope.  This feeling of either way also brings me closer to God.  Strive for the good, even if all that presents is not good.  This week surely has much of that for all of us in the United States.

Twenty years ago this week I was a senior at Berry College.  I didn’t/couldn’t watch TV. I was intentionally out of that loop. In the afternoon I went to Berry Singers rehearsal where in one 75-minute session we prepared a mass that was presented at a memorial service that evening.  Many students walked out as those of other faiths spoke.  The wound was raw, some were reactive, many stayed. There were rough times following this event, there are still rough times today.  But through all of this we are forgiven, we are hopeful, we are good, and we are not. We are acceptable. We are all one.

 

Karma Yoga – Works for All

 

 

 

Proverbs 22:9

Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor

 

 

 

 

James 2:1-9, 14-17

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

 

Mark 7:24-37            

Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go— the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.

 

Jesus learns. The mother above was not considered a person "worthy" of Jesus's healing. Yet she had much faith. Therefore, Jesus laid aside his prejudice and in the name of her faith offered healing. Her faith, not her heritage, healed her. Jesus continued with this revised version of his ministry to heal many that disagreed religiously yet held in common a faith in Jesus.

Jesus further challenges all of us to do good work for all. To not be simply believers, but also doers, to not pick and choose who is helped, and to be generous. Karma Yoga is the branch of action and selfless service. I believe Jesus was challenging us all to practice Karma Yoga or leading by example. He challenged us to believe in him and serve all no matter what those we serve believe.

I get sad when I look at the state of the world. We can do so much better. Christians need to stop isolating themselves by denomination.  We may not agree but we can still be of service to each other. Beyond that Jesus calls us to learn and expand our mission beyond just Christians to all that need help. This is our Karma and our Karma Yoga. To help all in need without placing labels.  To love one another even if we disagree. To lead with a compassionate, loving, and open heart.

 

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