I faced a situation today that I felt really needed to be pursued. After much thought, I opened my mouth and expressed my concern to someone in power. There could be, in fact would be, consequences if my involvement were to be discovered by my boss. But I just could not let it go. I'm not so sure what part of the 8-limb path this situation belongs to, but I feel pretty comfortable that I did the right thing.
Our high school, where I work, is on its' way to being overcrowded. Technically we are not over capacity but we have several classes that, due to staff cuts, are getting very full. My son's class, the sophomores, seem to be particularly hard hit. His geometry class has 32 students in it at this point. I believe it will hit 35 before we are done enrolling.
This is understandable to me as a parent as well as a school district employee. The economy has hit our state hard and consequently our education budget is shrinking as well.
What is not understandable to me is why we are taking two foreign exchange students. We also are taking two students from other high schools in our district. They have applied to our school, their parents are not district employees (the people who are usually allowed to do in-district transfers), and yet they are planning to enroll at our school. Yes, it's true that the other high schools in our district are also facing growing class sizes. But the reality is that students from our part of the district do not apply to go to the other schools. We are near a major metropolitan area and the rest of the schools are further away from that. Students like to move north to us and not south to them.
So why are we moving "optional" students in to our schools when our own students are already packed in their core classes?
I didn't ask my principal this question. There are reasons for that which I don't want to go into. But I did call my school board member. As I suspected, he was not aware of the situation. He made a call immediately to the board chairman and called me back to assure me that the issue would be raised with our superintendent. He also said they would bring up this concern while masking the source of the information.
Should I have done this? Conscientiously, as a parent, I felt I had to. But as an employee, I committed a faux pas by leapfrogging over my immediate superior.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
satya & asteya
"commitment to truth"
"nonstealing"
You never know when something is going to hit you out of the blue. But when it does, the 8-Limb path can help you decide immediately how to handle it.
I arrived at work on Monday to begin the new school year. I found out a coworker, who generally works the same days I do, had reported back the PREVIOUS Monday.
I asked her about it. "We report back two weeks before the teachers," she said. "I just figured you had worked something else out with [the Principal]."
hmmm....I've always come back two weeks before school. I look back on the previous three falls and I can see now that I've essentially ripped off the school district by five days each school year. YIKES!
I've talked to a few of my coworkers. Each of them said, "Forget about it, you work hard enough." And that is true. I do have a very strong work ethic. I don't fool around and I work as long as it takes to get stuff done. It's a demanding job. I even mentioned this to my close friend and school board representative. "Forget about it" was also his response.
But I can't. I mentioned working the five the furlough days we've been assigned this coming year. I'm told I can't work those. They want the building closed up those days.
I'll figure out how to make these days up. I really don't think I can do much about the previous years, but I'll figure out how to do the 40 hours I work. It will ride on my conscience until I do.
But my other conundrum is that I have not mentioned this to my Principal. We don't have a very good relationship anymore. And I don't really respect her as a manager.
So I'm going to sit on this for a bit and see what comes to me about it.
"nonstealing"
You never know when something is going to hit you out of the blue. But when it does, the 8-Limb path can help you decide immediately how to handle it.
I arrived at work on Monday to begin the new school year. I found out a coworker, who generally works the same days I do, had reported back the PREVIOUS Monday.
I asked her about it. "We report back two weeks before the teachers," she said. "I just figured you had worked something else out with [the Principal]."
hmmm....I've always come back two weeks before school. I look back on the previous three falls and I can see now that I've essentially ripped off the school district by five days each school year. YIKES!
I've talked to a few of my coworkers. Each of them said, "Forget about it, you work hard enough." And that is true. I do have a very strong work ethic. I don't fool around and I work as long as it takes to get stuff done. It's a demanding job. I even mentioned this to my close friend and school board representative. "Forget about it" was also his response.
But I can't. I mentioned working the five the furlough days we've been assigned this coming year. I'm told I can't work those. They want the building closed up those days.
I'll figure out how to make these days up. I really don't think I can do much about the previous years, but I'll figure out how to do the 40 hours I work. It will ride on my conscience until I do.
But my other conundrum is that I have not mentioned this to my Principal. We don't have a very good relationship anymore. And I don't really respect her as a manager.
So I'm going to sit on this for a bit and see what comes to me about it.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
isvarapranidhana
"to lay all your actions at the feet of God."
Today our son graduated from combat basic training with the U.S. Army and tomorrow he heads to further training in San Antonio, Texas.
Riley is not our son by birth. He is not formally adopted either. He came to me after he graduated from high school and needed assistance navigating the unfamiliar waters of enrolling in college. I was his chosen person because of my job in a high school guidance department. Because he had no home, we invited him into ours and he has been with us for a year now.
We could barely afford the two sons we already had, but knew right away that Riley needed to be one of us. We instinctively knew that, by being willing to offer our home and parental guidance and love to him, God would help us provide for any needs that might seem beyond our financial resources.
My husband and I are often congratulated for our generosity and we are uncomfortable with those kinds of remarks. We have never had much but we've always known we would be okay and not starve or end up on the street. God has seen us through tough financial times over the course of our 28-year marriage. As long as we continue to do what seems to be right and good and honest, we know that our needs will be provided.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about trusting God to supply all our needs. The passage Matthew 6:25-34 is about the lilies of the field and the birds of the air and how God cares for them. We are so much more to God than that. Verse 33 says:
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Now as this beloved son leaves for the next phase of his Army career, we say goodbye to him and send him with small tokens and expressions of our love. Riley told me today that he is coming to know God. We pray for him daily and one of the prayers we will offer for him is that he too, can know the abundant life God will give him as he learns to lay his actions at HIS feet.
Today our son graduated from combat basic training with the U.S. Army and tomorrow he heads to further training in San Antonio, Texas.
Riley is not our son by birth. He is not formally adopted either. He came to me after he graduated from high school and needed assistance navigating the unfamiliar waters of enrolling in college. I was his chosen person because of my job in a high school guidance department. Because he had no home, we invited him into ours and he has been with us for a year now.
We could barely afford the two sons we already had, but knew right away that Riley needed to be one of us. We instinctively knew that, by being willing to offer our home and parental guidance and love to him, God would help us provide for any needs that might seem beyond our financial resources.
My husband and I are often congratulated for our generosity and we are uncomfortable with those kinds of remarks. We have never had much but we've always known we would be okay and not starve or end up on the street. God has seen us through tough financial times over the course of our 28-year marriage. As long as we continue to do what seems to be right and good and honest, we know that our needs will be provided.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about trusting God to supply all our needs. The passage Matthew 6:25-34 is about the lilies of the field and the birds of the air and how God cares for them. We are so much more to God than that. Verse 33 says:
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Now as this beloved son leaves for the next phase of his Army career, we say goodbye to him and send him with small tokens and expressions of our love. Riley told me today that he is coming to know God. We pray for him daily and one of the prayers we will offer for him is that he too, can know the abundant life God will give him as he learns to lay his actions at HIS feet.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
svadhyaya
Svadhyaya: self-study
The practice of meditation brings about a great deal of self-study. Particularly this 40-day Liberation Kriya I am doing. I completed day 29 this morning and I am pleased to realize that my day does not feel complete until I have done that 9 minutes. In fact, I find myself feeling a bit out of whack in the morning until I do it. There have been days when circumstances have prevented me from doing it first thing, and I find myself fretting about about getting in at some point.
But this morning's self-realization was that I no longer wish to do it as a TASK...something to check off each day. And while I'm doing it, I no longer wish to be clenching my body and WORKING to keep the arms up(right arm) and down(left arm) and in position. I have gained enough strength in both arms and shoulders now that I am pretty much able to just let my arms BE. Just floating out there in space. Now I am concentrating on just resting in the silence and not working to shut my brain off. I've been always on guard for the errant thought that needs to be released to the ether. This being on guard has actually been a thought process I've held onto!
And so now I feel like I'm getting to the point in my yoga journey (about 3 years now), that I believe my body will take care of things while I allow my mind to be set free.
Maybe I'm getting this?
The practice of meditation brings about a great deal of self-study. Particularly this 40-day Liberation Kriya I am doing. I completed day 29 this morning and I am pleased to realize that my day does not feel complete until I have done that 9 minutes. In fact, I find myself feeling a bit out of whack in the morning until I do it. There have been days when circumstances have prevented me from doing it first thing, and I find myself fretting about about getting in at some point.
But this morning's self-realization was that I no longer wish to do it as a TASK...something to check off each day. And while I'm doing it, I no longer wish to be clenching my body and WORKING to keep the arms up(right arm) and down(left arm) and in position. I have gained enough strength in both arms and shoulders now that I am pretty much able to just let my arms BE. Just floating out there in space. Now I am concentrating on just resting in the silence and not working to shut my brain off. I've been always on guard for the errant thought that needs to be released to the ether. This being on guard has actually been a thought process I've held onto!
And so now I feel like I'm getting to the point in my yoga journey (about 3 years now), that I believe my body will take care of things while I allow my mind to be set free.
Maybe I'm getting this?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
pratyahara
I have no idea what this means: "control of the senses." I haven't thought about this limb and I don't really think I understand the description of it. I think I may start to research this one.
I've been in Minnesota since the 16th and have kept up well with the Liberation Kriya I started at home on July 31. As I write this the day is nearly half over and I haven't done it yet, but I'll get it done. It pulls at me. The day is not really well started until I've done it.
Today I visited a yoga studio in Lakeville and took a Hatha yoga class. It was very enjoyable. Not too hard, but challenging enough that I feel well stretched-out and relaxed.
I've been in Minnesota since the 16th and have kept up well with the Liberation Kriya I started at home on July 31. As I write this the day is nearly half over and I haven't done it yet, but I'll get it done. It pulls at me. The day is not really well started until I've done it.
Today I visited a yoga studio in Lakeville and took a Hatha yoga class. It was very enjoyable. Not too hard, but challenging enough that I feel well stretched-out and relaxed.
Friday, July 9, 2010
yamas: satya
"commitment to truthfulness"
The throat chakra, the 5th chakra, where "one's inner truth is expressed."
This has come up in my meditation the past few days. Earlier this week I began to feel a strong pull to offer silent meditation and prayer at our church. I decided to speak with our pastor about it, and I mapped out four weeks of meetings. I told her what I thought I would do and then said that I would not want to start this until my 40-day personal meditation was over. I want to absolutely certain that this is something I am called to do. I (and my pastor) have serious doubts that our church is ready to take on an hour-long meditation meeting each week. And I want to be sure of my own commitment. We agreed to pencil it in for the Thursday after Labor Day.
But now what I'm experiencing are feelings that I may be an impostor. I emailed my girlfriend and said:
We'll have to see how this whole thing evolves. At Wednesday night's class, she invited anyone interested to stay after class tomorrow morning for a 30 minute meditation. I think she'll lead it, but she has mentioned me doing it.
The throat chakra, the 5th chakra, where "one's inner truth is expressed."
This has come up in my meditation the past few days. Earlier this week I began to feel a strong pull to offer silent meditation and prayer at our church. I decided to speak with our pastor about it, and I mapped out four weeks of meetings. I told her what I thought I would do and then said that I would not want to start this until my 40-day personal meditation was over. I want to absolutely certain that this is something I am called to do. I (and my pastor) have serious doubts that our church is ready to take on an hour-long meditation meeting each week. And I want to be sure of my own commitment. We agreed to pencil it in for the Thursday after Labor Day.
But now what I'm experiencing are feelings that I may be an impostor. I emailed my girlfriend and said:
"As I did my kriya this morning, and I kept YANKING my mind back where it had floated off to, I found myself saying "I'll tell people all these things they can do to try to quiet their mind...to try to wait for that small voice of God to speak to me...to hear that whisper of His love...and I myself can't do it for a millisecond. Who am I to try to help people to do what I myself am incapable of doing?"
Remember that story of Jesus in Gethsemane? He went off to pray and a few of the disciples said they would stay with him. But they kept falling asleep. That popped into my head this morning.
Mark 14:37-41 (New International Version)
37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'"
We'll have to see how this whole thing evolves. At Wednesday night's class, she invited anyone interested to stay after class tomorrow morning for a 30 minute meditation. I think she'll lead it, but she has mentioned me doing it.
Friday, July 2, 2010
dharana and being beloved
Today was the 3rd day of my 2nd attempt to do the Kriya of Liberation for 40 days. The other day I made a sound file to use for the kriya. It's a Burmese gong followed by 3 minutes of silence, gong, silence, gong, silence, gong. And there it ends. It's been wonderful not having to grope around for my timer every 3 minutes.
I loaded the sound file onto my cell phone and put it in a folder called "Meditation." There is nothing else in the folder. But I can't seem to figure out how to have the music player just stop after the meditation file. It automatically goes on to the next song in my phone, which happens to be "Beloved," by the group Tenth Avenue North.
Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes
There you will find what you need
Give me your life
Lust and the lies
The past you're afraid I might see
You've been running away from me
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
It binds you to me
It's a mystery
Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes
There you will find what you need
I'm the giver of life
I'll clothe you in white
My immaculate bride you will be
Oh come running home to me yeah *now*
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
and Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites usFind More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
and it binds you to me yea now now
Well you've been a mistress, my wife
Chasing lovers it won't satisfy
Won't you let me make you my bride
You will drink of my lips
And**taste new life
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
it binds you to me
You're my beloved
Forever we'll be
Our love it unites us
And it binds you to me
It's a mystery
Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes
There you will find what you need
Give me your life
Lust and the lies
The past you're afraid I might see
You've been running away from me
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
It binds you to me
It's a mystery
Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes
There you will find what you need
I'm the giver of life
I'll clothe you in white
My immaculate bride you will be
Oh come running home to me yeah *now*
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
and Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites usFind More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
and it binds you to me yea now now
Well you've been a mistress, my wife
Chasing lovers it won't satisfy
Won't you let me make you my bride
You will drink of my lips
And**taste new life
You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
it binds you to me
You're my beloved
Forever we'll be
Our love it unites us
And it binds you to me
It's a mystery
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