Oh Me, Oh My

Well, tomorrow's the big day. the long awaited adventure has arrived. Part of me feels like I am holding my breath until we reach that final beach, 11 miles in on the rugged Na Pali coastline - holding my breath because there are so many wild cards involved. Potential wind, potential rain, the physical health and ability of the team, the sheerness of the trails, the stream crossings...hopefully they will all work in our favor. And hopefully, I will have the peace to accept whatever shape this backpacking trip takes. Oh boy. Here we go!

On a totally separate note, exposure to the loosey-goosey spiritual teachings for my yoga teacher training delivered this idea at my door. The Garden of Eden story isn't so much about us being born evil, it is about us being born with the freedom to choose. We have the capacity for both good and evil, and I really think the beauty of this story is how it illustrates what we so often do with our ability to choose. I think the historical church party line has been to see it as proof of our inherent sinfulness, but I think it points more to a God who loved us enough to give us the freedom to choose, to experience what it is like to struggle, and to come to appreciate a relationship with him. I know, this means Evil too. We pay a high price, but God pays a higher one - Christ. if you don't like this thought, take it up with me. if you do like it, praise the Source.

And on that note... Virginia Tech. I've heard people talking about how people in Iraq experience these types of things on a daily basis. My Bible study leader had something that I thought was really valid - instead of jumping on the "Why, God?" bandwagon, she said that the presence of the Spirit in believers holds back so much evil, and that in the last days, when God takes away his Spirit there will be nothing left to hold back evil on this earth. Wow did that hit me in the stomach when I was driving home - a passion for being more aware of people in my life that do not know God.

One more thing. My yoga teacher was making an announcement this morning about her small studio that she's been running independently for years closing so that she can manage a larger yoga studio down the street that is part of a chain. She been really positive about it so far, and very take-charge about it all, but today, she broke down and cried while announcing it to this group, and it was so raw. There was such a deep, uncontrollableness to it. I immediately teared up too (orbitalfrontal mirror neurons...). I felt so much love for her. What's that about? I mean, I've known her for a while, and she is really a great, wise woman, but why the swell of such love? This is so fem, but emotions are so beautiful.

oh yes, and the chakras. we were doing a little self-body scanning and we were supposed to put our hand in front of our chakras one at a time. i had kind of thought it was mumbo-jumbo, but then as I was holding my hand in front of them (eyes closed) to my amazement, I felt my hand push forward on its own. it was wild! all of them were pretty strong except for the good ol' throat chakra...the familiar dead land. speak yo' truth girl! i wonder if jesus was on board with the kundalini thing...

okay, and just have to say, if it is the Lord's will that I somehow perish on this trip, please someone tell my parents about my little blog.