Apa Guru
On Relaxing (a most important topic): I honor the sacredness of this weekend for many and, also, I’m interested in the spiritual practices of the world. In the spiritual tradition of Dzogchen, a Tibetan Buddhist practice, is the concept of apa gurus or everyday teachers. Often the apa guru is considered to be a manifestation of our own inner wisdom. I often think that, in my family, our dog and cat family members are apa gurus around ‘relaxing’, which they do often and shamelessly…and, wow, do they ‘own it’!… they plop down because their body wants to and they stretch out in the sun or in a warm corner or cuddly blanket…they do not critique or question their need to relax, they simply honor that it’s time. I aspire to do the same! What about you?
Cairo & Lotus relaxing on the couch with our dog, Scout
A few lessons I have learned from our cats
Lesson 1: Own yourself…utterly and completely! So: You are infinitely and divinely deserving.
Lesson 2: if you have done something fun or impulsive that results in a ‘crash’ of some object (which, let’s face it, had a fleeting life on this planet anyway), no worries, your worthiness vastly outweighs such pesky problems. So: Mistakes do not change that we are, without a doubt, worthy.
Lesson 3: When in doubt, a blazing bout of Parkour always makes things better. So: Keep moving!
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Lesson 4: When the plants are being watered in the atrium, this is an EVENT and we show up. Always. So:…Be present for the things which engage you.
Lesson 5: None of that flittering around for us, none of that crashing through the world like our (very secretly) beloved humans. We are still, quiet, and graceful. We fit our surroundings. So, …be in harmony with the natural world.
Lesson 6: Everything, literally everything, warrants curious exploration. So,…be curious.
Lesson 7: The best thing in life, next to play hunting everything and everyone, is to cuddle with your sibling, to wrestle and jump on each other, and to give one another baths. So,…what matters is having your people and keeping them close.