Moving Away from the Observer

Dear Friends,
Biannually, I receive a financial report from the CEO of my publishing house, Singing Dragon.
Such a report might sound like a great candidate for an immediate crumple-and-toss, but this CEO has— as one would hope of a publisher— a way with words.

There is a truism that two products are more able to withstand recessions than most – books and chocolate, because both are affordable luxuries that repay investment with great pleasure. For the hours of enjoyment that one gets from books and the depth of their emotional impact, I think they are terrific value for money compared to many other forms of entertainment (gaming, cinema, TV), and this year’s robust sales bear this out.

When I read that opening paragraph, I was heartened. I wholeheartedly agree about the luxury of books and chocolate. To me, those two translate to  Sunday mornings lounging on the couch with a hot cocoa, a soft warm blanket, exploring through the symbols and spells we call words, having a moment of reflection and discovery. It also reminded me of how I best enjoy the company of friends—
with presence, nourishment and a sharing of ideas.

I think of our time together in class, which too is 100% recession-proof.
We are here for ourselves and each other.
And in a world of human silos, that is a beautiful thing... and a luxury we can all experience.

In writing To Be Like Water, my intention was for readers to feel into that Sunday morning sit— a space-time for tuning in, exploring what life is like in this home we call 'body', and reflecting on what we've discovered. And each time we return to the mat, our experience is totally fresh and often surprising.  I hope it is a gift you'll find worth sharing this holiday, not because it will make that CEO happy, but that it's the kind of resource so many are yearning for.

And so, here we are again, the holidays, and winter is coming.
I plan on taking some time off from explicitly showing up— my own recession, a movement away from the observer. 
I think it's essential to follow our sap and go inward, nourishing our roots and letting our branches be bare, not to call in the light or create more energy or stuff—just to rest in silence and emptiness.
This is an essential recharge for all of us when our purpose is to show up for each other.

Please be especially mindful this season to check our class schedule and sign up for class. A bit of housekeeping to help my attention be put to best use: I won't be sending out links or link reminders if I don't see you signed in for that particular class. If you are member, you don't need to sign up for katsugen or full moon as you're on my list to auto-send.

And in 2023 I have some special events for you, a few of which I'm sharing below.

Also, I plan on being away for teaching gigs, to visit my family after these three years of Covid separating us, and to take a hermit retreat with my son Paolo.
Just this morning, I received a second sign toward a particular purpose:
to create space for individual and communal retreat.
More on that to come...
just waiting for the third sign!

Meantime, I'm here for you, and being together, with warmth in our hearts, is precious to me.
Please join us when you can, whether you have warmth to share
or need some friends to tend your hearth.
Thank you.