May Museletter

"Come What May"

This week I was sharing with Bev Ward, our dedicated Tai Chi Chih instructor, that I was feeling overwhelmed by expectations and a bit frustrated by rigid structures of belief systems in our society that lack compassion and knowledge of self. I asked him about his own journey into energy & understanding of self, as to how we can extend all that The Shift is with our broader community, here and beyond. We chatted briefly about his experiences, but he shared a story with me about how much he loved the Night-Blooming Cereus and how he was intrigued by them ever since his boyhood where he was introduced to the "Queen of the Night" in his grandmother's backyard. He went on to tell me how he and his friends would have watching parties during the night of bloom, just one night a year, at his restaurant. One of the things he realized in all of his watching was that they needed to dim the lights to truly engage with the experience.

Petal by petal, hour by hour, the thin creamy outer petals unfold, followed by broader pure-white inner petals, which surround yellow stamens. The flower finally reaches its full glory -- which may be as small as 5 inches across or as wide as a foot -- around midnight, give or take an hour or so. According to the site, Flowers and Their Meaning, night-blooming cereus means "transient beauty." Source: www.worleys.com

What does this mean to me? For us? As I was practicing "tremoring" as part of trauma release exercises, I realized how much of the past I had stored in my own body and began to deepen compassion for those who had not yet come to yogic practices or taken an interest in paying attention to their bodies in the context of the collective, amidst the busy world around us.

What we know from Yoga is that everything around us is in constant rhythm. Yet, so often, being tied to expectation, to outcome, to the "to dos" ensnares my of us. Our past carries the baggage of failed expectations, but it may also lead us to our innate wisdom and recognize how resilient we are. Stress is our body's natural response and has been given a negative connotation, as so often it traps us in fear and disillusionment. I challenge the collective Shifters to recognize that construct and to see stress as a way to motivate us, to seek solutions, and to recognize impermanence in loving surrender. There is beauty all around us, whether we see it or not. We may have to turn down the lights, or feel our way through the dark, or seek to accept the terms of the relationships we have available to us. I honor the Night-Blooming Cereus for its transient beauty and honor each of you for all that you are...divine. Thank you for being part of our conscious community, no matter where you are in your journey.

"In the presence of eternity, the mountains are as transient as the clouds"

- Robert Green Ingersoll

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Member Spotlight:

Laura Miklowitz

Member since 2015

Some of you may have not yet met Laura...I'm sorry! Laura came to yoga early in her life as her parents were involved in the practice. She practiced "yoga party tricks" where she would demonstrate to her audience how the body could move in the postures of yoga. She chuckled when she told me this, especially when I asked "what are yoga party tricks?!" Emphatically, I wanted to know!

It's hard for me to envision who Laura was in the "early days" of her life, but she is the epitome of strength and faith that the right things will happen. During our interview, she gave me views of her childhood. She shared with me that she had met her husband as a child; he was the best friend of her own best friend's boyfriend, but the two never connected during that time. It was only later, at the University of New Mexico (across the country from where they had lived) that the "absurdity" of the two of them dating shed away. They have been together now for 45 years. She hinted at days with Black Panthers and is an advocate for change still with the Progressive Women of Hendersonville.

Having lived in many places, Laura knows that "this is our home".

Insanely human, Laura the creative, the maker, the shaker, discovered a lump in her breast in 2013. The clarity that "popped up" for her astounded me, as I have always asked myself what I would do if I should discover a health concern like that.

Does information like this encourage and strengthen? Does it weaken and crumble?

Laura asked herself, "If I fall apart, what will it serve?" What did she learn? "Surrender."

The power to make choices has given her the resources to move better, eat better, and see these life events as gifts - not thieves.

During the time of discovery, the findings of breast cancer led to the findings of a sarcoma. Was she going to be cut, zapped and poisoned? Laura opted out of chemotherapy, but found alternatives, even in the world of western medicine. She now serves as a LiveStrong Coach. The reward of being in her own body gives her the wisdom to see getting older as a treat, that there is great reward in our bodies and a catalyst to say "Your body believes in you". Laura is alive in her ability to build, find the best in anything, and accept her abilities as an empath.

With a wonderful sense of humor, style, and ease, Laura has a heart-level presence of power. She says "the rest of the world goes away" when you are faced with opportunities that challenge your sense of comfort in "what was" and accept "what is".

Laura stressed the importance of movement, partnering with your doctor, and storytelling. She used to wear all black, but now you can find her in some of the most colorful clothing. Her favorite color is purple.

Laura is an only child, but has many sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews. A member of the Atomic Sisterhood, a local a capella group. You can find her each December at the ATOM in Brevard (Aluminum Christmas Tree & Ornament Muesum).

"Yoga is my medicine." She started one day a week with yoga while working full-time and can be found at The Shift most days of the week!

Laura is a hostess and giver extraordinaire. If you would like to be a part of a Meal Train for Emily & her family, please contact Laura at: vimik@bellsouth.net