Author Topic: Cody Rickett, LMT, RYT  (Read 244 times)

AYPadmin

  • Posts: 2269
Cody Rickett, LMT, RYT
« on: May 03, 2019, 11:54:01 AM »
Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

Posted - Aug 10 2017 :  11:15:29 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Topic  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Message  Delete Topic
www.codyrickett.com

This is my homepage for massage therapy, reflexology, and of course, teaching Advanced Yoga Practices. I've just launched it, so much content will be added in the coming weeks. I'm filming an instructional video series on AYP that will explore many of the nuances within the techniques, based on my 7 years of experience, which most recently culminated in being certified in AYP in France.

I will also be posting about group meditations and retreats I'll be hosting, so stay tuned!

Love. Radiance. Unity.
lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Aug 10 2017 :  2:40:30 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Where's the like button?
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts

 Posted - Aug 10 2017 :  3:54:30 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Wonderful website and vision, Cody!

Wish you best of luck and joy in the materialization process!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Aug 10 2017 :  10:03:32 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thank you, Lalow and Omsat!

Yes, we need a like button.
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Charliedog
1532 Posts

 Posted - Aug 11 2017 :  02:55:45 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Charliedog's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply

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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
661 Posts

 Posted - Aug 11 2017 :  04:43:21 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
blessings
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Aug 11 2017 :  07:42:35 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Be blessed LIKE for the LIKE amazing LIKE work you have LIKE done LIKE. Love LIKE radiance LIKE unity LIKE
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Aug 11 2017 :  2:31:56 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by jusmail

Be blessed LIKE for the LIKE amazing LIKE work you have LIKE done LIKE. Love LIKE radiance LIKE unity LIKE

 There you have it!
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Aug 13 2017 :  7:44:09 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I like jusmail's post.

1/2 way to AYP sanctuary. Do it, Cody!!!
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Blanche
USA
544 Posts

 Posted - Aug 13 2017 :  9:07:08 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Blanche's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Congratulations! Very cool, Cody.
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1140 Posts

 Posted - Aug 14 2017 :  01:50:19 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
 

Sey
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Aug 14 2017 :  07:42:41 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by lalow33

I like jusmail's post.

1/2 way to AYP sanctuary. Do it, Cody!!!

Exactly, Lalow! That is the vision.

Much obliged, Sey and Blanche.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Aug 17 2017 :  4:36:13 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Boundaries of Time
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/08/17/Altering-Boundaries-of-Consciousness


A couple days ago, I was helping my mom clean out the attic. The space was stuffed with memorabilia. In one of the boxes, I came upon a baseball jersey with my name on the back. The shirt was from my Bayshore Little League days over on Davis Island, where I pitched and played shortstop. I pulled out the jersey from the tightly sealed plastic bag and put on the garment. Obviously, it barely fit, but I nevertheless managed to squeeze into it.

A little swell of sentimentality came brimming up, and I said to myself: Let's bring back the magic. Little League baseball was surely a magical time, and I'm sure everyone has memories from childhood that linger with a certain kind of purity and innocence. On the flip side, I know we all have memories that are not so picturesque or poignant. The reason I'm writing about my joyful recollection is because I want to pay homage to the past, and also to the future, and to talk about how those elements of time relate to bodywork, reflexology, and AYP.

One of the trendier fashions in spirituality these days is to harp upon staying in the the present moment. With the rise in popularity of philosophies like mindfulness, there seems to be an obsession with keeping one's awareness fixed upon the immediate circumstances of the physical environment. Don't let your mind drift into the past or future, or lose touch with the breath or body! This emphatic plea to stay in the present moment is understandable, because after all, the present moment is what bridges the past with the future. The present is the fulcrum upon which we seesaw.

But, can you even identify or capture the present moment? Contemplate that. If we tracked the present moment with a clock, we could associate the ticking of the second hand with the passing of each moment, but that unit is just a construct that we superimpose onto the present moment, for purposes of convenience and functionality. The present moment seems to be moving, along with the rotation of the Earth, and in tune with many other phenomena. Yet, there is some quality of stillness in the present moment as well. It's as if the eternal moment of Here and Now is holding and embracing all the changes that flow through our perception, but the eternal bosom of Here and Now itself remains unchanged. Alas, we have a paradox. The present is both moving and not moving, changing and not changing.

I don't mean to indulge much in abstract thought, but these principles actually have very practical implications. Let me explain.

One of the wonderful things I get to witness with my reflexology clients is the transformation of consciousness that occurs both during and after the session. A classic example of this transformation is a change in breathing patterns that happens once the client is lying on the table. There is a subtle, yet audible, shift that can unfold, often in a matter of minutes. The "walking" method of reflexology creates a very soothing rhythm that the nervous system quickly absorbs, thereby inducing a state of deep relaxation. Clients often describe this condition as being nestled in between waking and sleep. This state of consciousness is very similar to what occurs during Deep Meditation of AYP. Other favorable symptoms include gurgling of the stomach, muscle twitches, and facial itching.

Now, bringing this discussion full circle, and going back to the trendy mandate to stay in the moment...imagine if I were to try to keep a client's focus solely on the physical sensations I was creating with my hands. That would be an incredibly invasive and restrictive style of reflexology. Instead, my style is one of allowance. I want to fully surrender to the prerogative of the client, and that means letting their awareness drift into whatever state of consciousness they're naturally falling towards. That could be a transcendental state. That could be a place filled with memories, or a vision of the future. Or maybe their attention will stick to the physical and energetic sensations for most of the time. It's all acceptable, and it all crosses the spectrum of past, present, and future.

However, as a therapist, it is indeed important for me to stay in the present as I am palpating and carefully listening to their body?making sure I don't drift into la la land. So, surely, there is a necessity and even urgency to stay focused in the present moment, but that depends entirely on what role we're playing at any given time. I'm merely giving credence to the flexibility that is needed in regards to the boundaries of consciousness, especially for the sake of the client.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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Dogboy
USA
1550 Posts

 Posted - Aug 17 2017 :  9:22:33 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
  as always
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Sep 20 2017 :  12:49:28 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Dunkirk, and The Internal Battle
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/09/19/Dunkirk-and-The-Internal-Battle


Last night I saw Christopher Nolan's new film Dunkirk. The movie is a very sober portrayal of the hundreds of thousands of British men who were stranded on a beach in France during World War II as the German enemies were rapidly closing in. Fortunately, many of them were rescued and evacuated, even by British civilians who ventured across the English Channel with small sailboats to fetch them.

It's often been said: War is hell. Even if you've never been engaged in military combat, if you watch a movie like Dunkirk, it's easy to empathize with the sentiments regarding the horrifying aspects of industrialized violence conducted on a large scale.

But I'm not writing this particular blog to pontificate about military wars between countries. I'm writing to reflect upon the wars we tend to wage with ourselves, and how we can bring peace to the battlefield within our own body and mind.

In reflexology, we observe markers on the extremities that give us clues to the inner condition of the client. An instrumental part of interpreting the markers involves using the four natural elements of earth, water, fire, and air to better understand the predicament(s). For instance, if there is excess redness in Horizontal Zone 2, that is a fire symptom. The chest region has been fire-bombed from the inside, much like the beaches of Dunkirk. But unlike Dunkirk, the enemy has manifested not from an outside source, per se, but from the internal behavior patterns of the client, or perhaps from how they're handling an external challenge in their life. Fortunately, we can use the elements to counterbalance each other, and in the case of fire, water is obviously a tempering response to the agitation. More fluidity, more hydration...not just in the physical sense, but in the emotional/mental spectrum as well.

In the Samyama book of AYP, there is a delightful appendix that holds an extended list of sutras, in addition to the standard nine that comprise the core routine. Here is one of the sutras on the extended list:

26. Elements ? mastery over the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and inner space), enabling manipulation of all matter, including the size, appearance and condition of the body.

When dropped into stillness, that sutra cultivates an improved relationship with the elemental forces that make up our body, including the more subtle regions of our mind (inner space). To touch the sutra with our awareness is kind of like touching the extremities with reflexology. We press and release, and let the nervous system do what it will. It's not so much about trying to materialize an exact result as it is instilling a rhythm and habit of trusting the genius of the body's command center. That is why, at both the Foot Whisperer and AYP, we cover the full range of our target, without fixating too long on particular points. We take a global approach to our microcosmic territories.

Going back to the theme of war, I have found virtue in the concept of being a peaceful warrior. Yogani has hinted at how we can further embody this archetype: "We can choose to become active in surrendering our stories and dramas (and our knee-jerk reactions) to what is happening right now, even as the stories and dramas continue to play in our head. That's fine. Let them play. We just release in stillness and live our life. In doing so, we can become fierce warriors of Being."

So, to bring peace to our respective battlefields, we don't have to become meek or subservient. Quite the opposite. We have to actively engage the elements that compose us, and work with them, rather than against them. The scenario is not: Human vs. Nature. The true story is: Human is Nature.

Be still, and flow.
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kami
USA
920 Posts

 Posted - Sep 20 2017 :  2:03:52 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Congratulations, dear Cody. I'm excited for the world! It is such a joy to see you grow into your leadership potential, and to see the coming together of your years of sadhana in such a perfect, blissful way.

Wishing you the very best in all you do.

So much love.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Sep 20 2017 :  4:04:57 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thank you, dear Kami. You've been such an inspiration yourself, and I'm certainly following your lead in using the open-source knowledge and making it our own.
Edited by - Bodhi Tree on Sep 20 2017 4:37:35 PM
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Will Power
Spain
413 Posts

 Posted - Sep 20 2017 :  4:49:46 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I am very happy for you Coddy, best wishes with this project!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Sep 20 2017 :  7:57:07 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thank you, Will Power!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 04 2017 :  3:21:24 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Here is a video in which I give brief instructions in Deep Meditation:
https://youtu.be/5Ums4fv92-g

I posted this as a precursor to the weekly meditations I will be holding at the Foot Whisperer in Tampa, Florida beginning next Wednesday, October 11th.

Enjoy, and swing by if you happen to be in Tampa!
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Oct 04 2017 :  10:19:39 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Nice video and nice voice. Maybe you could have added that if they have a very busy day, they could cut down on the meditation time.

Just curious if you are still on the initial mantra or on any mantra enhancements since you have been in AYP for 7 years!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 04 2017 :  11:58:01 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thank you, Jusmail. That's a good component of self-pacing to mention, and one that I have touched upon in the 1.5 hour version, so I will probably release that video in the not too distant future.

I am currently on the second mantra enhancement, used with solar centering. My daily routine is: Asanas, Spinal Breathing, Yoni Mudra Kumbhaka, Bastrika, Deep Meditation, Core Samyama, then ending with Cosmic Samyama. I do some other non-AYP tricks as well throughout the day. Always striving to get a little closer to the Mystery.

Love. Strength. Wisdom.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 06 2017 :  11:19:22 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Why Community is So Important
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/10/05/Why-Community-is-So-Important



I spent a summer in Alaska, working at a resort on the edge of Denali National Park. At that time, Jon Krakauer had recently published a book called Into The Wild, which is a non-fiction account of a young man named Christopher McCandless, who ventured into the wilderness of Alaska by himself, and tragically died due to food poisoning and starvation. I read the book while I was in Alaska, and was very moved by the story. Sean Penn eventually directed a film based on the book, and the movie is equally as compelling as Krakauer's piece.

Though the story seemingly ends tragically, there is some beautiful silver lining in the tale. McCandless kept a journal in his dying days of solitude, and he came to a wonderful realization. To paraphrase, he wrote: The realest kind of happiness is that which is shared. He had exerted a lot of effort to unplug from the mainstream grid, to distance himself from the demons of his family, and to embark on a solitary journey, but ultimately, he yearned to reconnect and to reconcile with the family and society he had run away from.

With spiritual practices like meditation, there is a place for solitude. To go within is to some extent to be alone. But, there is great strength and power when we meditate in groups. The more, the merrier, as they say. The meditation retreats I have attended have brought increased bliss and traction in stillness, and that's why I will be holding weekly meditations at the Foot Whisperer. I want to pay it forward by facilitating group settings. We desperately need the community dynamic, even more so than solitude.

Not to darken the mood any further in regards to tragic deaths, but I can't help but comment on the recent shooting in Las Vegas. Those kind of events are a symptom of the residual disconnective-ness that is being purified and transformed as we move forward in human evolution. When we meditate together, you can be sure that our radiance will mitigate, and ultimately eliminate, occurrences like those. When we set our minds to cultivating inner silence, we are moving in the opposite direction of nonsensical violence. We are moving towards unity, divine love, strength of character, and many other utopian qualities. We are being part of the solution, and not part of the problem.

Community is the glue that binds the world together. You know, the word "attachment" often gets a negative spin in spiritual lingo, but for me, there is very much a positive version of attachment. I'm talking about the kind of attachment that links hearts and minds together. I'm talking about the chains that secure and fasten our livelihoods and infrastructures. Some chains don't need to be broken or gained freedom from; some chains actually support and fortify our relationships as interdependent organisms.

The motto here at the Foot Whisperer is: Truth. Community. Purpose.

Let's find our truth by uniting as a community for the purpose of cultivating ecstatic bliss, stillness in action, and an outpouring of divine love. It's bound to get better if we implement potent practices and stick with our vision over the long run.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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Dogboy
USA
1550 Posts

 Posted - Oct 07 2017 :  6:07:46 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Community is the glue that binds the world together. You know, the word "attachment" often gets a negative spin in spiritual lingo, but for me, there is very much a positive version of attachment. I'm talking about the kind of attachment that links hearts and minds together. I'm talking about the chains that secure and fasten our livelihoods and infrastructures. Some chains don't need to be broken or gained freedom from; some chains actually support and fortify our relationships as interdependent organisms.

The motto here at the Foot Whisperer is: Truth. Community. Purpose.

Let's find our truth by uniting as a community for the purpose of cultivating ecstatic bliss, stillness in action, and an outpouring of divine love. It's bound to get better if we implement potent practices and stick with our vision over the long run.


Amen, brother 
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Blanche
USA
544 Posts

 Posted - Oct 08 2017 :  06:51:49 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Blanche's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree

Why Community is So Important
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/10/05/Why-Community-is-So-Important




Though the story seemingly ends tragically, there is some beautiful silver lining in the tale. McCandless kept a journal in his dying days of solitude, and he came to a wonderful realization. To paraphrase, he wrote: The realest kind of happiness is that which is shared. He had exerted a lot of effort to unplug from the mainstream grid, to distance himself from the demons of his family, and to embark on a solitary journey, but ultimately, he yearned to reconnect and to reconcile with the family and society he had run away from.



The shared happiness is the foundation of true love - the wish for the happiness of the beloved, and the joy in the beloved's happiness. Happiness is our true nature, and the individual self is an inter-relational self - it expresses itself in relations, through relations. We are woven together in the tapestry of the world, each of us an unique expression, each of us an essential part of the wholeness.

Thank you for sharing, Cody. 
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 08 2017 :  8:13:42 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Right back at you, Dogboy.

My pleasure, Blanche.

AYPadmin

  • Posts: 2269
Re: Cody Rickett, LMT, RYT
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2019, 11:56:57 AM »
Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 10 2017 :  4:09:20 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Here's a little tour of the Foot Whisperer Reflexology Institute in Tampa, Florida, where I work:
https://youtu.be/EhgX5srM6ac
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Oct 11 2017 :  12:32:28 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Nice tour. Keep it up!

Can reflexology cure tinnitus?
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 11 2017 :  07:09:56 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Yes, reflexology can help with tinnitus. Like AYP, good reflexology works with the nervous system, so it's just about stimulating and relaxing the nerves via the extremities. However, nothing is ever guaranteed, so I'm hesitant to use the word "cure", but it's certainly worth trying.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 11 2017 :  12:12:08 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Disc Golf!?
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/10/11/Disc-Golf



Lately I've become enamored with the sport of disc golf?both playing in the Tampa Bay Area and following the professional tour on YouTube. There's something deeply satisfying about launching a disc hundreds of feet and watching it soar across the natural landscape.

Disc golf is certainly similar to more traditional "ball golf", but it also stands out as a unique addition to the athletic compendium of the world. One way that disc golf is different from ball golf is that there is much less manicuring required to maintain a disc golf course. Whereas a ball golf course requires the fairway to be totally clear of trees or obstacles, a disc golf course can actually incorporate trees, bushes, bodies of water, man-made structures, and other elements into the fairway of a hole. This integration of diverse elements creates a challenging playing field, as well as a scenic route from the tee pad to the the target basket. Also, there is no special grass required for the fairways or greens. The ground can be composed of grass, clay, sand, dirt, shell, and so forth.

The final destination of a disc is to land in a target basket, i.e. the hole. Baskets are made of a metal pole and framework that support the web of chains needed to absorb the incoming flight of a disc. When the disc hits the chains and the central pole, there is a signature "bing" sound that resonates loudly as an unmistakable confirmation of success. Like the crack of a bat in baseball, or the swoosh of a net in basketball, disc golf has delightful traits that define its personality.

The discs themselves come in a wide array of shapes, depending on function and purpose. For instance, a putting disc, designed for short range and a straight trajectory, is quite different than a driver, designed for more curvature along the flight path and significantly longer distance. A mid-range is somewhere in between those two. Then there are variations in flight stability, with some discs pulling more to the right, and others more to the left. The four common characteristics of a disc are: speed, glide, turn, and fade. Clearly, the sport utilizes the science of physics to optimize performance of its athletes and to push the limits of possibility.

This past weekend, Nate Sexton won the United States Disc Golf Championship in Rock Hill, South Carolina. I was rooting for him the whole way. He is one of my favorite players, and he provides commentary on many of the YouTube videos that capture the pro tour. His sense of humor and positive attitude are uplifting. When he made the final putt on the 18th hole, he was flooded with hugs and cheers from other top players from around the world who had been competing with him in the tournament. It was obvious by their smiles and sincerity that despite not winning themselves, they nevertheless found great joy in watching him claim the title. A stellar athlete like Nate Sexton can transcend competition and generate lots of camaraderie, friendship, and community in his respective field, and beyond.

I've always needed role models and heroes to emulate. To progress in my own self-actualization, I look to others who have achieved mastery. If they can do it, I can do it.

We can do it.

Be still, and flow.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 18 2017 :  5:08:36 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/10/18/The-Leading-Edge



What does it mean to be on the leading edge in any particular field or endeavor? Is "progress" a real phenomenon, or are we just spinning around in circles?pretending that there is a linear, innovative quality to our movement through space and time?

These are important questions to me, because I do believe that progress is real, both in the specific field of bodywork and in the broader realms of self-discovery and spirituality. Though there can be no denying that life unfolds in cyclical patterns of repetition and sameness, neither can there be a denial the each moment seems to hold a unique signature that is patently different (perhaps only by the slightest degree) from what has come before.

For instance, if you have ever seen a school of minnows scrambling near the surface of the ocean, you will notice how that cluster of tiny fish operates like a single organism. As a group, they dart to and fro in perfect symmetry. Furthermore, their bodies appear virtually identical to each other. But, if we were to cast a net upon them and bring a sample set into a boat, we could observe and measure the variations in size, shape, and other characteristics.

Often, from a zoomed-out view, all appears the same, but upon zooming in, the deviations and anomalies are revealed.

When it comes to the notion of progress, we must consider the dynamic of change in relation to a certain goal or ideal. Within the context of pursuing a goal, change is not merely an arbitrary shift in form, but a transformation and evolution that is getting closer to a desired state of being and doing. So, to use an example from my last blog on disc golf, players improve when their body mechanics are more aligned with achieving the best possible throw to land the disc in the basket.

With bodywork, the most common goal is to bring a client into a condition that is not only pain-free, but full of pleasure, versatility, and the inherent capability to move as they wish. There are many modalities seeking to reach the end goal, but what modalities are on the leading edge in helping accomplish the ideal result?

Well, I think quite a few modalities are riding on the leading edge, but I will comment on what is most familiar to me, which is, as of late, reflexology.

Sam Belyea at the Foot Whisperer is taking reflexology to a new level by placing emphasis on the foot reading aspect of the modality. Foot reading engages the client in a two-way dialogue so they can better understand what their body is trying to communicate via the feet and other extremities. With the inclusion of assessment, coaching, and education (A-C-E), Sam is going well beyond the actual technique of thumb-walking the reflexes. The ACE philosophy operates on the premise that the more informed a client is, the more empowered they will be to make appropriate lifestyle changes to address the underlying causes which have produced the visible markers. Of course, such an informative dialogue cannot be forced. The effectiveness of the ACE platform depends upon a readiness and willingness in both client and practitioner.

In regards to the broader field of self-actualization (achieving the utmost potential in oneself), AYP is very much on the leading edge in that category for a variety of reasons. One of the primary reasons is due to "The guru is in you" mentality. AYP is an open-source system that provides knowledge for both beginners and seasoned practitioners, without the co-dependency that comes along with older guru paradigms. With AYP, we can draw from the baseline and make our own modifications as we refine our routine and pursuit of higher consciousness. It is designed for autonomy, independence, and personal freedom.

Being on the leading edge invokes an adventurous feeling. To be a pioneer is to venture into the unknown. Inevitably, charting new territory will come with trial and error. Mistakes will be made. But I do believe that the payoff will far exceed the friction and learning curve along the way. To dare to dream is at the core of the human spirit.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 24 2017 :  3:22:38 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Here's a video in which I steal more of Yogani's thunder, per the usual. Enjoy the Dare to Dream Formula:

https://youtu.be/dbomQ4MscDE
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Oct 25 2017 :  5:29:36 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Getting Closer to the Masters
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/10/25/Getting-Closer-to-the-Masters



I drove up to Jacksonville on Saturday night after certification class. I booked a hotel downtown overlooking the St. John's River, and the view was lovely.

In the morning, I did my full AYP routine and then ate breakfast at the overpriced buffet in the hotel, but I didn't mind the cost. Then I drove to the New World Disc Golf course, which was hosting the final professional tournament of the year.

The best players in the world had made it to the final round: Paul McBeth, Ricky Wysocki, Simon Lizotte, and James Conrad. And there was one more, a much lower-ranked wildcard named Dana Vicich. I've been watching these players on YouTube for the past year, so it was quite surreal to finally see them in person.

The regulation of the spectators was loose and nearly nonexistent, so I was able to literally stand about 10 feet away from the tee pad with a couple of other earnest fans. The rest of the fans were in golf carts or standing on the side of the fairways. I studied the players meticulously. Their body mechanics, their facial expressions, their gait and other details. I felt like I was in a movie most of the time.

I started talking to another spectator, who turned out to be an avid player from Clearwater, and we knew some of the same people. We talked about getting together to play in the future, so that was reassuring.

As we approached the 18th hole, James Conrad was in the lead, but he shanked a drive into the woods, and he lost 2 precious shots in the process of pitching out. I was positioned in the fairway, and he walked over close to me and kept shaking his head. He was filled with disappointment. I wanted to say to him: "It's OK, man. Breathe through it. There's still a chance. You're playing great." But I held my tongue, because I felt like he needed to process his own emotions and recover without interference, despite how benevolent my intentions might have been.

James wasn't able to pick up the strokes he lost, and Ricky ended up winning the tournament. At the awards ceremony, all the players were signing autographs, so I indulged myself and had them sign a mini-disc I had bought in the club store. I hadn't asked for any athletes' autographs since attending a spring training baseball game as a young teenager over 20 years ago, so my experience was kind of like returning to that state of starry-eyed adolescence. I was happy to surrender to a burst of renaissance from my youth. Also, Nate Sexton (who recently won the U.S. Championship and is an excellent commentator on the YouTube coverage) happened to be in the clubhouse, so I ended up getting his autograph too.

When I left the golf course, I felt a twinge of sadness, not because I was leaving, per se, but because I still yearned for much more connection. I wanted to hang out with the athletes like they were my good buddies. I wanted to get to their level. I still felt like a bit of an outsider, even amongst the spectators. I wanted to penetrate the inner and outer circles. Also, there was the fact that I happened to be in Yogani's hometown, and meeting up with him was not granted as an option, despite the many hours I had devoted to spreading AYP and his teachings.

But the sadness didn't linger long or cast an oppressive cloud over me. I started singing and jamming out on the ride back to Tampa. I envisioned boosting my local connections there, and settling into the groove of gradual progress.

Sometimes, the primal desire to merge with the Chosen Ideal is so strong that such an impulse beckons for instant results, as if a push of pure will from the gut, heart, and mind could make it happen in a lightning flash. Maybe it could happen like that one day?you never know. Until then, it's business as usual.

Be still, and flow.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Nov 14 2017 :  4:47:32 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
The Divine Masculine
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/11/14/The-Divine-Masculine




As I sit here filing my nails, I wonder what it is to be a true man. Maybe some Hollywood wisdom can help me answer the question.

In the cult classic film The Big Lebowski, the wealthy but wheelchair-bound Big Lebowski says to the Dude (who shares the same last name): "Funny, I can look back on a life of achievement?on challenges met, competitors bested, obstacles overcome. I?ve accomplished more than most men, and without the use of my legs. What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski? Is it being prepared to do the right thing?whatever the cost? Isn?t that what makes a man?"

To which the Dude replies, "Ummm...sure. That, and a pair of testicles."

Speaking of cinematic humor, this weekend I saw the new Marvel adventure movie Thor: Ragnarok, in which the theme of masculinity is thoroughly explored, with plenty of laughs along the way. For instance, on the planet Sakaar, where Thor manages to get stranded, there are intergalactic portals literally dropping out of the sky. To leave the planet, one merely has to fly a spaceship through the portal of their choice, and voil??the ship will be rocketed to another dimension. The most intimidating portal on Sakaar is a swirling vortex of red, chaotic energy, and it catapults space voyagers farther than any other portal, so for those wishing to zoom extra far into the universe, the risk may be worth the reward. And what is the name of that dangerous but powerful portal? It is none other than: the devil's anus.

Ultimately, Thor must bite the bullet and venture into the devil's anus so that he can return back to his home planet and save his people from the clutches of an evil sorceress (who happens to be his sister). The film is full of other innuendos and self-deprecating quips that get uttered by Thor and the other male superheroes, so that thick layer of humor balances out the more macho and aggrandizing elements of the movie. The influx of comedy and humility into the ever-expanding Marvel universe is a refreshing and well-rounded approach to satisfying the market's demand for ongoing sagas of epic proportions. We, the audience, still yearn for big muscles and superhuman strength, but we also want to see the characters get humanized and brought down to our level. Fortunately, Thor: Ragnarok accomplishes the paradox splendidly.

But, life is not exactly like a Hollywood movie, obviously. There aren't any clever editing cuts or tricks of cinematography that can conveniently bundle up our experience into a well-packaged, 2-hour performance that disappears when we leave the theater. Our experience is ever-present, unedited, unbroken, and very long...much longer than a couple of hours. Real life is far more complex than a fictional story on screen, and that is why real life is truly miraculous, because our continuous passage through space and time is filled with unfathomable depth, substance, and meaning. And what a joy it is that we get to navigate and decode the movie mystery that is our life!

Anyway, going back to the theme of masculinity, I am finding that what gets me in touch with the divine masculine is to strive for integrity, autonomy, value through service, exquisite skill in my profession and other endeavors, and yes, to cultivate self-deprecating humor and humility. This package of enlightenment is surely diverse, and at times, the ripening of one's character requires a softening of the heart, while at other times, a hardening of personal will is what's called for. Sometimes, as a man, you have to be silky smooth and flow like water. Other times, you have to stand firm like a mountain. It is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.

As we can clearly discern, the divine feminine is also soaring into the visible foreground of not only Hollywood, but our culture in general. A wise man will integrate this rise of Shakti, and use that renaissance to kindle his own vitality and self-worth.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Dec 01 2017 :  2:55:18 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Lady Bird, and Collapsing into Simplicity
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2017/12/01/Lady-Bird-and-Collapsing-into-Simplicity



As I was walking out of the movie theater last night after watching the critically-acclaimed Lady Bird, I noticed how my sensory perception had become sharper. The objects in my field of vision were more luminescent and well-defined. My strut on the sidewalk was brisk and sprightly. The essence of the sutra Akasha ? Lightness of Air seemed to be magnified within my being.

It's not the first time I've walked out of a movie feeling rejuvenated, inspired, enhanced. Since I was a young child, I've imbibed in motion pictures and let their magical effect linger in my consciousness as long as could be sustained. And as I continue to age and mature [well, actually, the maturation of my character is questionable, but the passage of time is pretty guaranteed], I wonder why it is that the silver screen consistently captures my attention and catalyzes some kind of alchemical reaction inside my body.

Speaking of capturing attention, the main character in Lady Bird, Christine, seeks counsel from a nun at her Catholic school, and at one point, the nun suggests to her: "Maybe attention and love are the same thing."

That struck me, like quite a few other poignant and witty moments in the story.

Our attention is a peculiar aspect of our personality. And what is attention but a kind of focused awareness that is controlled and directed by the intimate driver seated in the mind? If I give you my attention, I give you my full awareness, not dumbly or blindly, but with some level of care and investment. Deep down, we all crave to give and receive attention. And as we progress in the scheme of life, we demand higher qualities of attention to satisfy our desires of grasping, letting go, creating, identifying, merging, and so much more. Who doesn't desperately yearn for their awareness and attention to be saturated with scenery that fulfills the longings of the heart? Ultimately, we want our scenery to be sublime and meaningful, like a Hollywood happy ending that closes the loops in the plot and brings clarity to the mystery we've had to suffer though.

In Lady Bird, the scenery is simple, realistic, and suburban. There is nothing particularly glamorous or extravagant about the setting, nor is there meant to be. Most of the action takes place inside middle-class houses, school rooms, cars, parking lots, and other familiar fixtures of modern society. The characters themselves are easily believable for that same reason. They come across as genuine representations of real-life human beings. If I had to label the genre of the film, I would call it "indie", because it lacks much of the mainstream fanfare and exaggeration that big-budget projects often splatter upon the audience.

I find simplicity to be a fundamental place to fall back into. If I'm going to surrender, I want to fall into a net that catches me without the trappings of complexity. I certainly love the challenges and intricacies of living in a complex world, but at the end of the day, I want to be able to let go, to give up, to abandon any efforts to try to understand or piece together the vastness of The Puzzle.

Inner silence, stillness, peace, tranquility...these qualities of the Divine Personality seem to be safe foundations into which one can collapse. Within the realm of the quiet heart, the worries that come with advancing in the field of knowledge or personal development greatly diminish, and are proportionally shrunk as to become laughable.

Thank you for reading. Be still and flow.
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Dec 03 2017 :  8:11:46 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thanks, Cody. The attention=love hit here as well.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Dec 03 2017 :  9:16:29 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply

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Chard
239 Posts

 Posted - Dec 04 2017 :  11:22:05 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Cody, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful works with us all! Keep writing and sharing! C
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Dec 05 2017 :  11:10:03 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thank you, Chard!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Jan 03 2018 :  11:58:46 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Rambling through Joy
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/01/03/Rambling-through-Joy



There is a window to joy:

in distant memories (going to the pizza parlor with my little league baseball team and playing arcade games);
in future imaginings (envisioning an AYP-based meditation center in my hometown where many come to practice);
in the present moment (listening to the cars slosh rainwater outside my window as I type these words).

Many are confused as to the nature of the Here and Now. The Here and Now encompass Past and Present. There is a Past Now and a Future Now; a Past Here and a Future Here. Linear time is just as real as the cycles of repetition that unfold like clockwork in our matrix of perception. One aspect is old and familiar; the other is fresh and new. And in between, there is a nexus that joins the polarities. That nexus may be perpetually mysterious, or so it seems.

There is a competitive joy in sensing that others are confused, and that I am more in the truth, and that I might relieve your confusion, but then watching others believe that I am in fact the confused one, and watching you try to fix me, and then realizing that neither of us is proving the case definitively. Who will win the contest of truthfulness? Time will tell. And some will say there is no contest, and to this, I chuckle to myself. And there will be plenty of times when I will chuckle with you, and already have. And there is a better joy in being on the same page, surely, with no confusion at all. So just relax, I'm not trying to surpass you (that much).

Some words I have deleted, because they didn't want to stick to the screen. Editing has value. Not all of the creative flow is flawless.

Still, there is a story to be told?a growing history?with signature characters, and countless minor characters that have not been embedded in the printed archives. Perhaps they are stored in an archive that does not rely on physical or digital imprints, because physical imprints are bound to fade away, aren't they?

And yet, the sun fades away behind the horizon, and keeps returning, to resurrect a new day, and it makes you wonder: Perhaps every piece of the whole is just as eternal as the whole itself is.

It's fun to write in a stream-of-consciousness, childlike way, because the rules are forgotten, if only for a moment. The objectives and parameters are discarded, and the writing determines its own course. Inner space expands. Outcomes are nullified. There is almost a complete trust in the uncertainty of things, even as there is a parallel (or maybe identical?) trust in the certainty of things.

Right now, I'm working on an online writing course that will empower writers to get more in touch with Spirit, with their chosen ideal. It feels great to share the bag of tricks that have helped me unpeel the layers.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Jan 03 2018 :  1:04:05 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I'd like to argue, but I've got zip today. Some future day?
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Jan 03 2018 :  2:03:24 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
LOL.I'm always open for business, and for your arguments, Lalow.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Feb 13 2018 :  8:55:04 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Mr. Clean
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/02/13/Mr-Clean



At the Mister Car Wash, I sat on a metallic mesh bench and watched my Ford Fusion get scrubbed inside and out. I thought to myself: I should be doing this dirty work, instead of paying other people. Where's my motivation for self-care and self-maintenance? If I was a man's man, I'd also know more about the car engine and other manly things. Damn my mediocrity!

Earlier in the day, I had watched two carpenters install a wooden railing on my grandfather's back porch. One of the carpenters said to Pop:
"Hey, if you ever want to get rid of that 1946 Ford sitting in your garage, let me know."
Well, it's going to my grandson," he said, pointing to me. "But he's never even driven it."

That was true. The old Ford is an antique with manual transmission, and I have yet to learn how to drive stick shift. But I'm certain I could learn, because I have plenty of dexterity and hand-eye coordination, so it's not due to a lack of capability that I have yet to get behind the wheel of that vintage, cherry red convertible?with its whitewall tires, and a Marilyn Monroe suicide knob that compensates for the lack of power steering.

Back on the bench at the car wash, I found myself staring into the distance, gazing at trees surrounded by concrete pavement and buildings. I contemplated the juxtaposition between pure nature and human-made structures. There was the tree: growing out of the ground, perfect in its gnarly symmetry, presumably designed by the hand of God?a hand I have been seeking to shake for quite some time now. On a daily basis, I reach out into the darkness of consciousness...groping for those divine fingers...opening my palms with surrendered receptivity in the hopes that all levels of flesh (physical, energetic, astral, causal, sub-causal, super-subtle, ultra-secret, majorly refined, etc.) might intertwine and merge to yield a new plateau of Being and Doing. It's that sublime continuum of experience I crave, if you know what I mean.

Returning my wandering focus to the thrifty men cleaning my vehicle, I couldn't help but think of how animals prune and manicure each other. Cats lick each other's fur; parrots peck at their respective feathers; dogs sniff their fellow canine's anus. The circle of life.

I tipped the gentlemen who had done a top-notch job on my ride and drove away feeling better about life. It feels good to be clean. Never mind the fossil fuels burning underneath the hood and spewing out carbon emissions into the atmosphere. I'm sitting on leather, man! Let's indulge in this twisted, co-dependent luxury while we still can!

Everywhere I turn, I see perfection. Perfection in the dysfunction of our bodies, perfection in the disease of the perverted mind, perfection in the lopsided evolution of humanity.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow (if you're in the mood for it).
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1468 Posts

 Posted - Feb 14 2018 :  3:59:10 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
Be still, and flow

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Arunachala Bhakta
Finland
26 Posts

 Posted - Feb 15 2018 :  03:28:52 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
 

"(physical, energetic, astral, causal, sub-causal, super-subtle, ultra-secret, majorly refined, etc.)"
 Very nice sounding new koshas to explore!
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Feb 15 2018 :  06:08:43 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
We can offer diplomas after submitting proof of your exploration :)
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Arunachala Bhakta
Finland
26 Posts

 Posted - Feb 15 2018 :  4:23:29 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by jusmail

We can offer diplomas after submitting proof of your exploration :)

I can only offer my mega-low post count as a solid proof of my super-subtle activity, mainly at ultra-secret territories of excistence.
The diploma you can leave to the top of the mountain, thank you very much. I'll pick it up when passing by next time.

But seriously, I'm so glad that Bodhi dosn't act only ultra-secretly! Thank you for sharing your flow.

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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Feb 16 2018 :  09:39:30 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I want to travel to Finland (in the physical body). I've enjoyed watching the disc golf events on YouTube that happen there, like the European Open in Nokia. Disc golf is like physical samyama for me: touch...and release!
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Arunachala Bhakta
Finland
26 Posts

 Posted - Feb 16 2018 :  2:34:54 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree

I want to travel to Finland (in the physical body). I've enjoyed watching the disc golf events on YouTube that happen there, like the European Open in Nokia. Disc golf is like physical samyama for me: touch...and release!

Lot of flying discs around here! 600+ courses in a small country. Hype has been high for about 5-7 years now, almost "everyone" throws. Except me; had to give it up after 45 minutes and 2 discs lost to the lake and one to the bushes
Way too much damage to mother earth, if i'm involved. I felt so bad for a long time after that.
So i'm going for core & cosmic samyamas first.

Welcome! Our clean, quiet and safe nature is even more amazing than da disc-boom! Lot of prana in the evergreen forests.
If there is something, that I can do for you when you're coming, just let me know, and I'd be happy to help. I live 1 hour away from Nokia.

Edited by - Arunachala Bhakta on Feb 16 2018 3:08:22 PM
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Feb 16 2018 :  8:08:42 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Sounds like a beautiful country.

I look forward to visiting and doing some damage of my own, especially to the environment. There's nothing quite like wrecking a pristine place.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Feb 22 2018 :  6:15:37 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Ready Player One
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/02/22/Ready-Player-One-1


Last week I read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I was pretty blown away by the story. I started to write a blog about my thoughts on the novel, but I ended up deleting my draft. Something wasn't clicking. I wanted my review to capture at least a fraction of the magic I had experienced while getting lost in the science fiction masterpiece. So, here I go again?trying to extract a little chard from the glass of my mind, which absorbed the light of Mr. Cline's words as they shone through the darkness of my eager eyes.

I suppose I could give you a brief synopsis of the plot, or maybe an insight into the themes and motifs within the narrative, but once again, I feel compelled to do something different. I don't just want to write about the story; I want to continue the story. Do you know what I mean?

How do I continue the story then, instead of merely rehashing details and highlights from the book? Well, what comes to mind is the Star Wars expanded universe. The Star Wars expanded universe refers to the body of work derived from the original trilogy created by George Lucas. Many offshoots and adaptations have sprung up from Lucas' original mythology. So, in that vein, I could commence with expanding the universe of Ready Player One and craft my own derivative novel, and the magic could continue.

But I'm not going to do that. Too much depth and commitment. I don't have the drive or the skill set to write a novel. I'm just going to stick with eking out a few insubstantial blogs here and there, plus a lengthy Facebook post from time to time, and of course some poignant emails to friends and family. I'm going to ride that wave of mediocrity and immaturity into the sunset of insignificance and missed opportunities. It is my destiny. And for one who has awakened to their true nature, letting go and acceptance are the benchmarks of awakening. To let go of everything. To accept everything as it is. [TEST: Do you detect any sarcasm? Are you aware of subtle tones of cynicism and mockery?]

Actually, in Ready Player One, there is a virtual reality program called the OASIS (Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation). In the OASIS, users can escape the dreariness of their real-life Earth circumstances. By throwing on a retina-scanning visor and slipping into a haptic jumpsuit, any person can enter the open-source system with its infinite possibilities. Oh yes, the OASIS is open-source, meaning that users can encode and create their own planets within the digital space. It is a blank canvas, ripe for creativity and imagination.

Just in case you're not familiar with the term "ontologically" (which shows up in the acronym OASIS), let me offer a definition for you. Ontology is the study of Being. The objective is very simple. How do we exist? How do things come into Being? What is the source of Being? Questions like that.

Within the context of OASIS, the Being-ness of the virtual world is centered around humans (anthropocentric). The program is a playground for humans to become whoever they want to be, including non-human creatures and entities. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Well, that's about all I can say about the marvelous novel. Perhaps one day the OASIS will be accessible here in non-fictional reality. In the meantime, I'm just going to fall back into nurturing my egoic, anthropocentric view of myself and the world. [I'm not being sarcastic this time. I promise.]

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
Edited by - Bodhi Tree on Feb 23 2018 3:02:21 PM

AYPadmin

  • Posts: 2269
Re: Cody Rickett, LMT, RYT
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2019, 12:00:29 PM »
Dogboy
USA
1550 Posts

 Posted - Feb 23 2018 :  5:01:01 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
  keep being you!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Feb 24 2018 :  04:45:42 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Yes, I think I'll celebrate the I-ness.
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Feb 24 2018 :  7:05:57 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Cody,

It's challenge time! I challenge you to pick up a perspective of someone you disagree with for at least 3 days. If you agree, I'll do the same.

Nevermind. It's something I need to do. I choose my youngest sister, which you have heard about.
Edited by - lalow33 on Feb 24 2018 8:33:01 PM
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Feb 24 2018 :  11:34:59 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Hmmm...interesting. I shall marinate upon the thought experiment.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 08 2018 :  11:37:16 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
It's Our Time
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/03/08/Its-Our-Time

What is an emotion? Is it where the intangible mind meets the physical body? Is it an energetic substance produced by the heart space? Is it something vital to life--like the elements of earth, water, fire, or air?

One time I was sitting on the train tracks, waiting for a text response from a girl I had asked out on a date. I remember how much the suspense was killing me. If only she would say yes. If only my wishes would come true. If only...

Well, she did say yes, and the date turned into a relationship, but in a matter of a few months, I found myself sitting on the train tracks again, but this time wishing for a much different result, albeit with a similar intensity of wantingness. Please disentangle me from this relationship. Please let me be single again. Please let me be free.

Emotions...they can be fickle, can't they? Desire, in particular, is a volatile animal.

I've succumbed to a few errant desires--impulses that have led me astray, ideas that have gone wrong, actions that have brought about confusion and despair. Who hasn't?

Even so, I'm not quite ready to throw out the baby with the bathwater, as they say. I still believe in the purity of desire, in its fertility and divinity. When desire is stretched out over a long period of years/decades/centuries, we call that devotion. And devotion is beyond whimsical moods and rash decisions, isn't it? Devotion endures the self-beatings, survives the tragedies, transforms the raw into the refined.

I think if I'm devoted to any higher ideal, it would probably have to be the actualization of heaven on Earth. Not heaven in the next life (nothing wrong with that, of course), but heaven in this life. How heavenly can I become in this body?--that is the question. Naturally, I have my own perception and imagination in regards to what heaven means, and my heaven on Earth is surely not the same as everybody else's, but there must be a few out there who are envisioning my kind of playground. And when mine and yours intertwine and merge, then the space becomes ours.

As Mikey said in The Goonies: "Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here."

So, with that utopian ideal perpetually on the horizon of my mind, all emotions (no matter how base or noble) can be directed to actualizing that reality. That is the only formula I think will work, because it's the formula that's been working for time immemorial, if you review the history books.

Vision + Desire + Action = Achievement (with persistence and consistency being the underlying qualities on the left side of the equation)

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Mar 08 2018 :  1:24:29 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I'm more negative than others, but can't god be in crap. The crappiest of crap.

Utopian ideals aren't really here dealing with what's going on. Let's just move and create our small world and the leader become powerful.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 08 2018 :  1:35:15 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I agree with you 100%. God is in crap. I would say God even has a streak of evil.

I believe progress is real. Utopia is a place for me to imagine betterment?beginning here and now, and working from there.
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Mar 08 2018 :  1:38:27 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
There's a post by Yogani that says that people think this a Hell realm or a Heavenly realm and neither one is true. I wish I could find it. That's one of favorites. Of course, I could be taking it out of context.
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Dogboy
USA
1550 Posts

 Posted - Mar 08 2018 :  4:56:03 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
How heavenly can I become in this body?--that is the question.


Ask this regularly, in all types of situations. Just by asking, the spirit responds.
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Mar 08 2018 :  6:33:08 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by lalow33

There's a post by Yogani that says that people think this a Hell realm or a Heavenly realm and neither one is true. I wish I could find it. That's one of favorites. Of course, I could be taking it out of context.

Lalow, I wonder if it is this post?
https://aypsite.com/forum/


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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 09 2018 :  1:47:29 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
@Dogboy

Heard and resonated with.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

@jusmail

I like that old post of Yogani's. It makes me want to dig through those early posts, where specificity and personal narrative seemed to be more common than in recent years.
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Mar 10 2018 :  5:24:13 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by jusmail

quote:
Originally posted by lalow33

There's a post by Yogani that says that people think this a Hell realm or a Heavenly realm and neither one is true. I wish I could find it. That's one of favorites. Of course, I could be taking it out of context.

Lalow, I wonder if it is this post?
https://aypsite.com/forum/





That ain't it.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 22 2018 :  3:50:28 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Shallow ~ Deep
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/03/22/Shallow-Deep



The mind seems to have a space of its own, apart from the land we walk upon, or the sky we fly through, or the ocean we dive into, or the fire we burn.

So if I were to tell you...I went deeper into my mind...that's not as clear-cut as saying, for instance, that I walked 3 miles on Bayshore Boulevard, adjacent to Tampa Bay in the State of Florida.

The trouble with describing the territory of the mind seems to come from a lack of fixed positions, standard metrics, and precision in general. Nevertheless, there is plenty of universal scenery within the mind that allows for us to communicate effectively and create some kind of loose map of consciousness.

I'm not even going to entertain the notion that the mind is contained solely within the brain, so let's set those parameters right off the bat. The brain is a complex physical organ that is intimately linked to the mind, surely. However, I know?at such an intuitive level, and through a variety of experiences?that the mind, and my broader consciousness, is not limited to the physicality of the brain. The mind is within the heart as well, and in every cell of the body, and well beyond the confines of muscle, bone and blood.

Earlier today, I was meditating with a friend in a quaint Catholic church, and I felt inner space grab ahold of me. It's a delightful sensation that happens from time to time, especially during meditation. Essentially, what happens is that my limited sense of awareness (centered in the body, and observant of the mind's activity) begins to be stretched by a seemingly infinite source that is both within and without me. Space, stillness, a void. And my mind rejoices at this union. Everything about the sensation is welcoming. It is a shift from limitation to limitlessness.

Here's the tricky part.

As much as I would like to grab ahold of That, and to be rollin' in the deep as soon and as often as possible, the rules of the game seem to operate on principles which prohibit grabbiness on my part. That is why I said: Inner space grabbed ahold of me (and not the other way around). I surrendered to That, by virtue of easily favoring the mantra and allowing my shallow scenery to unfold in a non-forceful way.

The lesson here is: To get deep, we often have to spend due time in the shallow water first. For me, that means tolerating the inner, narrative voice of Cody, who wants to comment on, and shout about, a great many things. For you, it might be slightly different, but I will suggest one thing on the matter: The journey of meditation is not one of fighting the ego, but befriending it.

Often, when I accept my shallow perception, and take full advantage of my feeble faculties, that is when God swoops by like a thief in the night and engulfs my mind in a maneuver of transcendence and grace.

It really makes sense if you think about it. There is an order, a sequence, an alignment to personal development and enlightenment. First things first. The shallow before the deep.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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sunyata
USA
1388 Posts

 Posted - Mar 22 2018 :  5:12:05 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply

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Dogboy
USA
1550 Posts

 Posted - Mar 22 2018 :  9:10:09 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply

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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 26 2018 :  02:24:13 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
McBeast Mode
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/03/26/McBeast-Mode


My addiction to disc golf was once again validated when I drove to Brooksville, Florida today to watch the final round of the Throw Down The Mountain tournament.

Now, in case you didn't know, there are no mountains in Florida. In fact, the highest point in all of Florida is a measly 345 feet above sea level. If you compare that to our neighboring state of Georgia?with its highest point being 4,784 feet?you can then start to comprehend the substantial difference between our respective terrains and elevations. Georgia has mountains; Florida has a few hills. We're pretty flat. We kind of melt into the Gulf of Mexico on the west side, and dissolve into the Atlantic Ocean on the east side, and there are no staggering cliffs or jagged peaks on either side to interfere with this merging of our soft shoreline with the warm, welcoming saltwater.

Brooksville happens to be one of the few places in Florida that contain a treasure trove of rolling hills, so it's a nice Floridian anomaly. Therefore, as a tournament name, Throw Down The Mountain is a bit of an exaggeration, but not a complete misnomer.

The whole reason that I've devoted 2-and-a-half paragraphs to emphasizing Florida's flatness is because I want to dramatize the sensation I felt when I saw the one, the only, 4-time world champion Mr. Paul McBeth launch a disc off a cliff?50 feet above the fairway from where I was watching down below. Remember, since I am Floridian (born and raised), even a 50-foot cliff will catch my eye, especially when a round piece of plastic is torpedoed off that precipice at a speed of about 75 miles an hour?making a terrific buzzing noise as it soars nearly 600 feet in horizontal distance and cuts through the air like some kind of ultra-versatile, miniature UFO.

And what's even cooler was that I got to share my bewilderment and awestruck appreciation with fellow onlookers. In particular, I began to talk to a father and his eager son. They, too, couldn't behold the spectacle without their jaws dropping at least a smidgen. Once we walked down the grassy fairway to the target basket, I gazed backwards towards the original blast-off point, which seemed miles away, and so far beyond my capability of disc-throwing.

The father discerned my residual amazement and said: "You still can't get over Paul's drive, can you?"
"No," I admitted. "I'm looking back there, and I would barely be able to cover half the distance."
"Yep, it's pretty incredible," he empathized.

Needless to say, McBeast won the tournament, as he's done so many times before. Like a true champion, not only of the sport but of the fans, he stuck around to sign discs and take pictures, even after the sun had set and the darkness was upon us. I got a buddy to snap a picture of me standing next to him.

Precious memories, tenderly held onto.

McBeast is a specimen of what we would call stillness in action in AYP. His physical fluidity and poise are a reflection of his sublime mental state, which in turn is a reflection of the quality of his shining soul.

Sorry to get all spiritual with this hippie, grassroots sport, but I can't help it. I've read too much Walt Whitman.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Mar 26 2018 :  09:25:59 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Thanks for the lovely writing.
Be still and THROW
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 26 2018 :  11:11:02 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by jusmail


Be still and THROW

Love it. If I ever start a company that sells disc golf products or services, I think I'm going to steal that motto, Jusmail. I promise to give you some royalties.

On the note of throwing from stillness/silence, that's one of the finer points of the sports I enjoy. At a pro event like the one yesterday, when a player is on the teepad and preparing to throw, the gallery of fans always gets dead quiet. It's the coolest thing. You can hear the proverbial pin drop. I soak in those moments of silent reverence.

Be still, and throw.
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jusmail
India
455 Posts

 Posted - Mar 27 2018 :  02:36:48 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
And you could be a disk golf coach too
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 30 2018 :  01:19:14 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
You know what's funny, Jusmail? After you posted that, I was thinking: Yeah, that would be cool. Then yesterday, I was out in a park throwing discs, and a couple of young lads came up to me and asked if they could throw. I showed them some of the basics, and it was a great time. Nothing better than teaching the youth. Thanks for planting the seed in my mind.

Samyama works.



Creativity
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/03/30/Creativity



As I sit here in my underwear on the couch, late at night, getting ready for bed, I wonder: what is creativity?

How is that we can create something from nothing?

How does a song come to the lyricist; how does a bird chirp with an array of melodies; how do thoughts bubble up in the mind?

I don't know, and I don't care too much, because getting lost in the dynamic is enough for me?at least for now. As Ms. Janis Joplin sang: You know you got it, if it makes you feel good!

So this cycle/spiral/endeavor/exploration is a Mystery that invites We, the Seekers of Mysteries, to indulge in a dance of innocence with our perpetually enticing Source.

[As I'm typing on my laptop, I hear a train in the distance, and I immediately recall Mr. Paul Simon's lovely observation: Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance. Everybody thinks it's true.]

The Muse is the Mother of all Creation and feeds Her Children with morsels of inspiration, genius, compassion, connectivity.

[OK, forgive me. I've used way too many capital letters and proper nouns?not to mention all the fluffy adjectives.]

I do believe that creativity will solve the bulk bonanza of our trifling troubles, and let me end this blog with some stuff from
the bender of rules, grammatical and societal,
ee cummings:


i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun?s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any?lifted from the no
of all nothing?human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
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Charliedog
1532 Posts

 Posted - Mar 30 2018 :  03:16:05 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Charliedog's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Creativity is Stillness in Action
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Mar 30 2018 :  09:38:48 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
I second that.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Apr 05 2018 :  11:37:24 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Holding Space
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/04/05/Holding-Space



I think I got something figured out when it comes to bodywork.

Much of the success of a session hinges upon the therapist's ability to hold space, and upon the client's receptivity in allowing the therapist to fulfill that role. What I mean is: The more secure and stable I feel, literally, in a bodyworker's hands, the more inclined I will be to let go. And as we all know, there is no better feeling than letting go...falling into our inner world, cascading through stillness, arriving more in the vast, expansive center of our being.

The particular technique being used?whether that be reflexology, Swedish, Thai, or anything else from the cornucopia of modalities?is almost secondary to the more primary foundation of holding space effectively for the full duration of the appointment. I don't care if you're thumb-walking, doing cross-fiber friction, compressing the muscles, stretching limbs, or gliding in a stroke of pure effleurage?it's the native stillness behind the effort (or non-effort, shall we say) that will make the biggest difference.

Of course, depth and pressure are always a fickle thing in bodywork. There's such a wide range of preferences when it comes to what people want. Some clients want to be shredded and ripped into; others want the lightest of touch. So, in order to hold space effectively for you, yes, I have to line up with your preferred style of bodywork. But the question still remains: Can we access inner silence together, even amidst motion and movement?

Fortunately, the answer is yes. Both client and practitioner can be in touch with boundless, inner space, which is available both at the center and periphery.

Ironically, I think one of the best gifts I can give to a client is none other than my disappearance. I know this because I've been on both sides of the coin. When I'm a client, and the therapist is plugged into me, and then we both disappear and melt into a field of consciousness, I don't necessarily have to focus on their physical, or even energetic, touch. It's an option, but not a requirement that's being demanded of me. And that is freedom. The freedom to drift in and out of levels of consciousness...feeling safe and secure in the wandering.

At the same time, it's not advantageous for me as a therapist to be absent-minded or overly detached in the giving, because part of what conveys a secure feeling to the client is the sensation that I am staying aware of the surface details, so that they don't have to. Hence, holding space is really a deep, unspoken agreement based on trust and latitude. By establishing trust and familiarity, an increased latitude of consciousness is achieved.

Holding space is not a strain, but an equanimity, a poise, a balance. It is the bubble in the middle of the carpenter's level.

Practices like Deep Meditation cultivate the optimal condition for holding space across multiple platforms (personally, professionally, socially, and beyond).

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.
Edited by - Bodhi Tree on Apr 05 2018 11:43:43 AM
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lalow33
USA
929 Posts

 Posted - Apr 05 2018 :  1:02:32 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Hmmm... I thought " Holding space" was a made up term by alternative psychologists. You are using the term differently. If you and the client stay in the physical is it not okay?
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Apr 05 2018 :  2:44:37 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Are you asking if it's OK if the awareness is limited to the physical body only?

I would say that's totally OK. The whole point is to allow the awareness to be where it naturally wants to go, so if that is entirely physical, it's all good. If it's a mix of physical, emotional, and more subtle states of mind, that's fine too.

It's a wide spectrum. Some clients really prefer the physical, while others lean more towards the non-physical, and everything in between.

As to the origin of the term holding space, I'm not really sure who coined it, but it has a broad context, obviously. Much like the dynamic of easily favoring, I find holding space to be a matter of returning to center, and riding that paradoxical wave of bringing something new to the experience, while also relying on a bit of structure and routine. So, if I'm holding space effectively, it's a BOTH/AND scenario. I'm both connecting with the person in a fresh way, while also relying on experience from the past to guide me towards the ideal.

Dogboy
USA
1550 Posts

 Posted - Apr 07 2018 :  12:33:04 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
quote:
Holding space is not a strain, but an equanimity, a poise, a balance. It is the bubble in the middle of the carpenter's level.

Practices like Deep Meditation cultivate the optimal condition for holding space across multiple platforms (personally, professionally, socially, and beyond).


Beautiful analogy. As ecstatic conductivity arouses in asana class, I find I can "hold space" by closing my eyelids and "finding" my third eye. This seems to 'lock in' optimal energy flow in the shusumna on its own, and just by residing in that feeling, I can reopen my eyelids (a little or all the way), bring that feeling forth from the interior to the exterior and discover stamina, ease, and full expression within the pose. This is both doing and not doing, this is intention followed by surrender. Being open to the optimal expression of energy has been a revelation.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Apr 07 2018 :  10:01:42 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
As per usual, Dogboy, your writing brings a freshness and uniqueness to these common experiences we are all having. In particular, favoring the third eye to lock into the sushumna is a lever within the subtle anatomy that I would never want to lose at this stage. Quite the contrary, the hunger for stillness prompts me to "drink" in as much spaciousness as I can handle (or more accurately, as much as the Divine will grant me).

Onward!
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts

 Posted - Apr 12 2018 :  3:43:06 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Visit Bodhi Tree's Homepage  Edit Reply  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Get a Link to this Reply  Delete Reply
Bad Form, Conor, Bad Form
https://www.codyrickett.com/single-post/2018/04/12/Bad-Form-Conor-Bad-Form



In the archetypal tale Peter Pan, the villain Captain Hook often chides the eternally pubescent Peter Pan with the admonition: "Bad form, Peter, bad form."

Form is such a fascinating concept and reality. Anything that can be perceived has form. Even ideas in the mind have some kind of subtle form, albeit nebulous and often less discernible than a wooden table in the living room.

In the realm of martial arts, form is of paramount importance. How a fighter moves their body can mean the difference between an unscathed victory or a punishing loss. Through quickness and deception, a fighter molds his/her form into a weapon able to penetrate defenses and disarm an opponent. It is a vicious dance of versatility and fierceness.

Recently I went to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class, and I had a blast. My limited training in judo from high school days started to kick back in, and I was enjoying the camaraderie among fellow students.

I've been following UFC the past few years, and last Saturday I watched UFC 223, which was headlined by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Al Iaquinta. But the notorious Conor McGregor nearly stole the show with his antics preceding the fight, when he attacked a bus full of fighters and injured two of them with a projectile he launched into a glass window. McGregor's motive was one of retaliation against Nurmagomedov, who had taunted one of McGregor's teammates, Artem Lobov. But Nurmagomedov emerged untouched from the scuffle, and all that McGregor and his Irish gang managed to accomplish was wreaking some collateral damage that not only injured two fighters, but removed their chance to fight in the event.

Of course, McGregor has been lambasted by MMA professionals and the media for crossing a whole new line of unregulated violence, and he is facing felony charges in New York, so his future stardom hangs in the balance.

I hope The Notorious is able to bounce back into a more respectable and honorable form?one in which his showmanship does not violate the boundaries set by the professionalism of the sport.

One thing I've learned about my mistakes is that they create new opportunities to learn and grow. The question I ask myself is: Can I process my guilt and shame and adapt to a higher form?

Yes, I can.

Thank you for reading. Be still, and flow.