Yes, and…

Friends,

I am traveling back today from Tiger and Colin's wedding weekend, in which I had the fantastic honor to officiate. My heart leaped with joy to celebrate these two extraordinary people and their inspiring relationship.

It was such a gift to be amongst many people who love them. Guests came from across the country and overseas to show their love and support. Finally, after two long years of Covid restrictions and isolation, we all got to dance and celebrate the union of this new family, born from love.

It was a weekend of love, yes, and...

also in my heart were contrasting feelings. In the background of all this merriment, I could not help but reflect on the tremendous tragedy that continues to unfold across Ukraine. In between festivities, were conversations and news broadcasts showing the tremendous trauma and suffering of an entire nation, and the world.

How to balance it all?

How to dance and sing and enjoy while so many others are mourning?

Sadly, this has been the story of humanity for millennia. There is always this juxtaposition of life and death, tragedy and triumph, prosperity and hardship, happiness and sorrow.

Countries are at war while others are prospering. Some prosper despite the war, and others--sadly-- because of it. Beyond Ukraine, think of this list of conflict and war regions: Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Georgia, Armenia, Somalia, Kosovo, and the Balkan States, and the list goes on.

A baby is born on any night at any hospital while someone else, two floors down, dies.

Humanity is complex, and feelings are complicated. And I am a yoga educator and yoga therapist, so I see life through a particular lens biased by believing that we are all divine beings having a human experience.

Please do not misunderstand; digesting the news and the personal accounts of the people murdered, families separated, and desperate citizens fleeing brings me to tears every day. I feel both the heartbreak and a call to action with every news report.

Eric and I are planning how, beyond the money, to do more to contribute and to help in any way we can.

Still, I want to come back to this point of remaining joyful. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda is foundational reading for many yoga practitioners. In it, Yogananda writes, "Learn to be secretly happy within your heart in spite of all circumstances, and say to yourself: Happiness is the greatest Divine birthright—the buried treasure of my Soul."

So, from my yogic perspective, I believe that we have souls and divinity. But, on the physical plane, we need to make ourselves stronger, better, and more resilient. Otherwise, we are no good to anyone.

Pema Chodron, in her book, “When Things Fall Apart” writes this,

“Every day we think about the aggression in the world. Everybody always strikes out at the enemy, and the pain escalates forever. We could reflect on this and ask ourselves, “Am I going to practice peace, or am I going to war?”

By choosing to practice peace, we continue to do the practices that sustain us and enable us to have the abundance necessary to help others. So we have to show up and keep showing up, whether in the kitchen, the barn, or a wedding weekend. So, in keeping with this, it also means that you continue to celebrate the joyous moments and nurture your "Divine birthright."

Let the anger, grief, and outrage motivate you to positive action in whatever appropriate way for your circumstances.

However, first and foremost, take care of yourself, your family, and your abode. Then, if your cup runneth over, assess what you can do.

If you don't know where to start, here is a link to help you.

TimeOut magazine offers 15 ways to help Ukraine right now: https://www.timeout.com/news/15-ways-you-can-help-the-people-of-ukraine-right-now-022522

My Newsletters will continue to focus on yoga and Katonah practice-related topics. After all, my dharma is to be a yoga educator, not a surrogate politician. However, please know that I am--like many of you-- and have always been motivated to help alleviate suffering. To this end, I will also continue to talk and post about my goats, dogs, horses and farm, because that is how I practice peace, and because I know that they also bring so many of you, some much needed joy.

With so much Love,

Kari