This concept of Biting Through came originally from a card in the Oracle Card Deck that I often use. In the reference book for the deck, Biting Through relates to the idea of using a scalpel to cleanly cut through that which is in excess, or prevents us from moving forward. As opposed to a rusty, dull knife, which creates more pain and takes more time.

We are invited, through this imagery, to consider our lives carefully. Where are we carrying excess? What relationships are outdated or in need of more clear boundaries? Are there patterns of our own behavior that need to shift or be shed?

As we have progressed through this investigation, I have been speaking in classes about the idea of the warrior’s sword, in place of the scalpel. Reminding us that we all have a sword that can be drawn, metaphorically, to help us slice through situations with conviction. This is not about violent action or anger-filled behaviors (though anger may be the rightful, original fuel for taking action), but rather about compassion. If there is a call to put an end to something that is causing stagnation, pain, or confusion, the sword becomes the tool of compassion. Making a clean cut so that suffering is reduced.

At one point in the month, a BodyMantra participant spoke about the actual image of Biting Through and how that in and of itself was an arresting notion. That biting into something – particularly something gritty or tough – requires us to then go beyond the act of biting through, but then to the chewing and the digestion. Implying that Biting Through isn’t always clean, but often requires us to work with our choice, chew on it, be with the texture of the outcome. And what strong medicine this image brought to our inquiry of Biting Through – giving us permission to experience the not-so-cleanness that can come with decisive action.

And so the inquiry evolved yet another time. As I considered this notion of biting, chewing, digesting for myself, I started to feel exhausted. Realizing that the acts of drawing and wielding a sword and chewing on something tough or challenging requires a level of vigilance that can feel draining and overwhelming at times. Of course, this begs the notion of resting. Of stepping back and integrating all that we are tending in this way. A worthy topic to consider. However, though my mind was telling me that the logical choice was to turn away from this tiring practice, that is not what arose from my exhaustion.

Just as I was ready to succumb to frustration, throw up my hands, and walk away… something surprising happened.

I was speaking to a beloved friend of mine about something very dear to my heart. It was clear that Biting Through was required. That I needed to speak some truths in order for us to come closer together. But what came was not the sword. Not the biting through with teeth, tongue and mouth.

Tears.

I felt the warmth of tears pouring down my cheeks as I spoke Truth. Feeling both fear and grief as my tears became a tool of expression. As I wept and spoke my deepest feelings with clarity, I realized that my tears were my sword. That these saline drops were meant for Biting Through in a way that a blade could never do. I came to the realization that moving through challenging situations does not always require a scalpel, a sword, or the act of biting and chewing. That tears can slice through with their own strength and wisdom. That the grace of tears honestly shed and words clearly spoken, together, can keep us on decisive forward path… releasing us from the need to only wield a sword to Bite Through.

Abide in the presence and pleasure of your purpose.

It took me a some time to ingest the full meaning of this phrase, though it struck a chord right away in my body. Some part of me knew that it was speaking about accepting myself and what I am here to do… and reaping the joy that lies there. Not looking for things outside of myself or attending to things that divert my attention, but aligning with what I Am and living that completely.

I admit, I still went right home and looked up the word “abide,” to be very clear about the action part of this statement. The dictionary reads: to act in accordance with as well as to stay with or dwell in. Ah, yes! This solidified it even more for me. The invitation here is to entwine myself with my purpose – not to shun it, look elsewhere, or be distracted from it. To walk in tandem with it, drink in the pleasure of it, act in solidarity with it. Dwell in it as I would my home and sanctuary.

Easy enough. Unless… my purpose isn’t altogether clear or right in front of me.

Which opens up a more grand and certainly worthy prayer and query: What is my purpose?

Rather than trying to answer this question with the mind, the invitation is to ask it over and over as time passes – as with a koan – and trust that the answer will reveal itself in time. That bringing attention to the notion of Purpose will spark the seed of your personal purpose into action and ask it to grow more actively within you. Revealing itself not through a logical process of mind, but through an organic process of faith and curious inquiry. At which point we can consider how to stand fully, un-apologetically, in the presence of our purpose.

And so this short, simple phrase opened a world of possibility last night. Bringing us to a potent offering to the group at the end of our passage:

Invoke these three words – Presence, Pleasure, Purpose – in your daily prayers, meditations, wanderings, dreams, and between-busy spaces during the upcoming week. Be open to what wants to be revealed by bringing focus and careful attention to these evocative words. Allow yourself to feel all that rises within you – joy, frustration, relief, fear, clarity, passion. Let’s bask in the power of intentional, conscious inquiry!

Sunday | 10:00-5:00p

As the summer days gently shift, the leaves turning color, the evening temperatures a bit lower, and the days a bit shorter, we will gather on this weekend at the sacred Starhouse in Boulder to harvest the wisdom of our summer days, in preparation for the transitional days of Autumn. Participants will be encouraged to tap into the resonance of the summer and all that has unfolded, taking time to appreciate and embody those experiences. This will serve as the groundwork for moving into the shifts that come with Autumn, bolstering our bodies and minds for the days that move us toward the hibernation and inward journey that is Winter.

Learn more about the practice of BodyMantra.

Add To Your Weekend Experience
Expand your weekend exploration with one or both of the following opportunities:

Work one-on-one with Kimberly before and after the weekend to bring more personalized understanding and integration to your inquiry. Sessions are offered at a discounted rate of $100/session when booked in tandem with the weekend event. Sessions must be scheduled during the two weeks on either side of the weekend.
« Read about private sessions with Kimberly

Join us on Saturday morning, September 17, for 90 minutes of BodyMantra at the Starhouse. This event is included in your registration fee, should you choose to attend. Please let us know in advance if you plan to join the morning class.
« Details

The Starhouse – A Sacred Location
The Starhouse was created with the deepest of intentions to honor the land on which it is built and to provide a space for sacred work to unfold. Please take note of the following details:

• Carpooling is encouraged, as the Starhouse is on private land and endeavors to make the smallest footprint possible – registered participants will be e-mailed in advance of the weekend so that carpooling connections can be made
• Allow plenty of space in your schedule to get to the Starhouse on time, as there is a short walk from the parking lot to the Starhouse itself;
  approximately 30 minutes from Central Boulder

To learn more about this location, visit the Starhouse website.

This class will be taught in place of our regular Saturday class for this September weekend.

Due to capacity limitations at the Starhouse, this event is limited to 25 people. Pre-registration is required. Regular class pricing and punch cards apply.
« Email us to register

If you are registered for this event, please note the following details about this location:

• Carpooling is encouraged, as the Starhouse is on private land and endeavors to make the smallest footprint possible
• Allow plenty of space in your schedule to get to the Starhouse on time, as there is a short walk from the parking lot to the Starhouse itself;
  approximately 30 minutes from Central Boulder

To learn more about this location, visit the Starhouse website.

As we approach the longest day of the year – June 21, 2011 – we will gather for a day of personal expression and investigation at the sacred Starhouse in Boulder. With the outward days of summer in full swing by mid-June, our day will be designed to honor all that is coming forward in our lives during this expansive time. Facilitated in the BodyMantra tradition, our day will invite free-form movement, shaped by a wide range of music textures, and short periods of contained, conscious dialogue with other participants as our body wisdom unfolds. This is an opportunity to slow down, take time to listen deeply to the body’s organic impulses, move authentically and with curiosity, and open to the ah-ha’s that can often be obscured by the hustle and bustle of summer days.

Please bring a light, nutritious lunch, as we will take a break mid-day to enjoy the sacred land surrounding the Starhouse.

Pre-registration is required for this event.

If you are registered for this event, please note the following details about this location:

• Carpooling is encouraged, as the Starhouse is on private land and endeavors to make the smallest footprint possible
• Allow plenty of space in your schedule to get to the Starhouse on time, as there is a short walk from the parking lot to the Starhouse itself;
  approximately 30 minutes from Central Boulder

To learn more about this location, visit the Starhouse website.

Join us for this special evening as Kimberly Jonas and violinist Anthony Salvo combine forces to guide you through a sacred passage of conscious movement and sound. Facilitated in the BodyMantra tradition, this event will invite us to calm the stories of the mind and allow the voice of the body to come fully forward, expressing our innate wisdom through gesture and breath. Our evening will be built on a foundation of layered sounds and textures created by Anthony, improv artist and composer.

Our evening will begin promptly at 7:00 with a group invocation. Please note that this event requires pre-registration.

Anthony Salvo

5/6 Mbira from Anthony’s Sanctuary album:
5_6 Mbira.mp3

Violinist Anthony Salvo is steeped in many world music traditions, including classical, jazz, gypsy swing, latin, and klezmer. He specializes in spontaneous, improvised composition and performance that expresses his understanding of deep spiritual and emotional experience.

Anthony has collaborated and performed with many artists and musicians, including Diane Butler, Suprapto Suryadamo, and Coleman Barks. He is a founding member of the avant-garde improvisational group, the Free Range String Quartet. From his passion for teaching and nurturing the possibilities for young people, he runs a full Suzuki violin studio. He performs regularly as a solo artist, creating unique compositions for dancing, movement, and conscious listening.  www.anthonysalvo.com

If you are registered for this event, please note the following details about this location:

• Carpooling is encouraged, as the Starhouse is on private land and endeavors to make the smallest footprint possible
• Allow plenty of space in your schedule to get to the Starhouse on time, as there is a short walk from the parking lot to the Starhouse itself;
  approximately 30 minutes from Central Boulder

To learn more about this location, visit the Starhouse website.

Are you willing to give up your dreams for the Truth?

Wow. It felt like a pretty hefty question when she spoke it, and still today feels the same. This profound query gives way to an exploration of Self that can be at once trepidatious and sure-footed. If we are to live by this inquiry on a daily basis, we have the opportunity to step into an exploration that will most certainly lead to even more questions and wondering, while keeping us strongly on the path of revelation and self-knowing.

At its core, this question begs us to consider our dreams. The stories that we craft as invention of the future. It is asking us to assess how we hold those dreams. If we cling defiantly to projections and internal narratives that separate us from the present moment, our reveries serve solely as an altered reality that disallows true reality to get our attention, to serve as an unfaltering guide toward a life authentically shaped by Truth. On the other hand, if we are able to loosen our grip on any promised outcome or expectation for what these visions will bring, dreams can be the fuel that keeps us moving forward with a sense of purpose and knowing. By allowing dreams to be an ever-evolving canvas, moved and shaped by Truth, we welcome the most genuine, aligned version of ourselves into the world.

And the bottom line is that the Truth is not always pretty. An altered reality can so often be much more alluring that what is right in front of us, asking to be seen. However, the more we turn away from what is true, we turn away from our true selves. As we perpetuate our dream of another way of being – another job, another partner, another house, another body – we perpetuate the suffering that comes with not facing the Truth, with believing that the grass is always greener.

Not that Truth is asking you to loll in the status quo. Most often it will spark you to take action, invoke change, start a revolution. For when we face Truth square-on, we are inviting ourselves to call forth and align with that which will move us forward. It won’t always be roses and champagne, for the “cold hard truth” can be just that: cold and hard. That may just include stepping into the Fires of Change. And, it can reveal itself as a breath of fresh air – the thing that allows you to stop holding your breath and emit a huge sigh of relief.

However it presents, Truth is dedicated to bringing us closer and closer to a life of ease and alignment. A life in which we both embrace and challenge our reality, forming and re-forming our dreams from those seeds of truth. Our charge is to walk daily with the mantra: Be willing to give up your dreams for the Truth. To watch where we are gripping, fantasizing, spinning a story to avoid what is true. For, as the saying goes: the Truth will set you free.

Perhaps the invitation for the New Year is slightly different:
To bring into this New Year the wisdom of past experience, shedding what no longer serves, bringing forward what is brilliant and informative, so that we may craft a new perspective that is informed by cumulative experience.

To me, this seems more realistic – and less daunting, really – than wiping the slate clean and starting all over. Though I would love to be the weightless human being that can shed all past experience and live only in this exact moment in time, I am more curious about how I might weave the value  of my past into my passing days. Realizing and embracing the fact that cultivating presence is not about living or acting in a vacuum, but about learning from past mistakes and victories and rolling that into the next moment. The challenge here is to be wary of carrying a lot of baggage – what of the past still serves and deserves to be carried forward, and what needs to be released, burned, thanked, and blessed as it is dropped from my weary shoulders so that I may move forward with as light a step as possible?

This is our practice. To welcome new experience – today, in the form of a Full New Year Ahead – without forsaking all that we have learned thus far. As the saying goes: Why reinvent the wheel?