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Full Moon Wisdom
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"Boredom: the desire for desires." - Leo Tolstoy
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| Dear Michael, | 
Amid the deep snows and dark months in the middle of winter, you may notice yourself or people around you starting to get sick of the season. You may hear people complain about having cabin fever or being frustrated with all the layers of clothing it takes just to get out of the house. Or maybe you feel a general sense of irritability or boredom as a result of the confinement.
In my last Moon Letter, I wrote about honoring the cold this time of year by adjusting your activities and rhythms, in particular, slowing down and accepting the change of pace. Yet, there is an edginess that is also naturally part of this season. And once again, instead of getting upset or frustrated about the many weeks of winter ahead, it is valuable to consider how one may skillfully deal with the condition of boredom that frequently comes up around now.
With the Full Moon that will appear overhead tonight, I would like to reflect on another aspect of the moon's force to suggest how we can move through the season with greater ease. To start, just consider how stunning the January Full Moon is, peering out from clouds through clear dry and cold air. Indeed, this is a time when the moon seems most brilliant and may appear closer than at other times of the year as well, goading us to reach out and grab it. If you think about that, maybe you should take the opportunity to break the monotony and do something unusual today, such as going outside in the middle of the night in January so that you can gaze upon the full moon in all its clarity. While it is true that during winter, the dominant state is dormancy, this is not to say we don't need some movement now and then. This is the time!
Happy viewing,
Michael
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Consider This...Skillful Reflection | |
As many of you already know, many of the answers we seek about our health can be attained by asking ourselves better questions. Much like interpreting pain as the way our body tells us we need to change a behavior, listening to the way we react to boredom and asking how it might contribute to our overall well-being will help us deal with it more skillfully.
Clearly, this is challenging, since, as a society we constantly desire stimulation. But rejecting boredom will not eradicate it, we must consider another approach On one hand, having wants and desires is beneficial to our physical and mental well-being, but there is a distinct difference between accepting a healthy lull in activity and becoming immobilized or "locked in" by winter. Indeed, a rigid view of the season will only add to the feeling of confinement. If winter is starting to seem monotonous and spring seems too far away, it may be time to break away from the way you view your usual routine, and break free from the mental constrictions that exacerbate your uneasiness.
As I have mentioned before the event of the full moon is the time to take action and the perfect time to do something different. Undoubtedly, there will be times when we are feeling antsy and restless. It is okay - important even - to feel this way most of the time during this season. But, it doesn't have to rule you. The true test is learning how to deal with the feelings rather than rejecting them; and to stay in a rhythm--while the beat may slow down, it has not stopped! Once every 29ΒΌ days, try breaking the monotony by engaging in something you wouldn't normally do.
Remember how close to nature we have the ability to be. If you're getting cabin fever, go outside. The thought of forfeiting your warm, cozy couch for thirty minutes on a cold, winter day may not seem optimal, but if you're properly dressed, you'll find that once you're outside you will feel energized. Not only that, but when you return back inside, you will appreciate the warmth at an entirely different level.
In truth, "boredom" is a judgmental word. It is not beneath us. Tap into your boredom. Identify the difference between how active you are now as opposed to during the summer. Simply put, not having much to do is a normal occurrence, but it is also natural to "desire desire." If we embrace the inactivity and break it up with appropriate activity, we can champion this process.
Please share your thoughts... |
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Advice from the Skillful Doctor | |
Question: Sometimes in the colder weather, I find that I have trouble sleeping even though it is quiet and comfortable in my house. It is difficult for me to pinpoint the reason for my restlessness, yet it frustrates me. I need to be able to function during the day, so I need to sleep through the night. How can I find out what is wrong with me? 
Answer:
I'm not sure I will be able to simply pinpoint the reason either. Perhaps what you do before bed is too stimulating or possibly there may be a lot going on for you, subconsciously, that is stirring you. Still, when you're having trouble sleeping, one of the best things to do is to get up and not try to figure it out. Indeed, resistance often makes it worse. While it may be worth trying to reconfigure your evening or your life to achieve more peace as you sleep, there may be another angle altogether that will assist you and that is to consider what your body-mind may be seeking in the middle of the night.
Instead of falling deeper into your frustration, get up and try to feel what you are being led to do. Here I'm not talking about housework or the completion of a project. The ancient mystics and modern meditation masters all suggest that the middle of the night offers a special opportunity to embrace the stillness in the quasi-awake state that is so natural at that time, so much so that they intentionally get up at those hours. And counter intuitively, medical studies confirm that this "activity" is quite restful and restorative. Again, because it is so natural to be in this "quasi-awake" state in the middle of the night, even without a meditation practice it might actually feel good to you. You should try it!
Indeed, there may be no single answer to why our sleeping patterns get thrown off. If you don't know why you woke up, ask yourself why. Listen to your body. Think in connection with the outside world; consider what is taking place beyond the four walls of your home. What is nature doing that might be contributing? I sleep in a room with a floor to ceiling window, and on very clear nights, the light from the stars wakes me up and I've learned to enjoy this gentle caress from nature. Tap into what your body is trying to tell you and respond to yourself without any judgments about it.
The next time you're having trouble sleeping, instead of lying there all aggravated, seek the deeper feelings and give in to your body. For some reason, it wants to be awake. Sit up and find a comfortable seat and enjoy the experience as if you were listening and absorbing the great music in a concert hall. The fact is, very few things are more restful and restorative.
Submit your own question here.
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Announcements | |
- On Tuesday, February 15th at 7pm, I will be leading a workshop at The Bedford Post Inn < http://www.bedfordpostinn.com/yoga-loft/about/>. The workshop will cover "Restoring Balance in a 'Chronic' Culture." Chronic health conditions on the rise in the US, where more than half of Americans are afflicted with a long-term or permanent illness. This workshop is designed to help anyone who is dealing with a chronic condition, anyone whose loved one has a chronic condition and anyone who feels out of balance. Whether someone is struggling with fibromyalgia or asthma, migraines or depression, back pain or cancer, infertility or addiction, the workshop will offer actionable steps for dealing with a long-term condition physically, emotionally and spiritually. I will also offer thoughts on why these often-devastating afflictions are so common today.
To register, please email Michael@sunraven.org. If you have any questions, you can email Rebekah at the Bedford Post Inn: yoga@bedfordpostinn.com.
- Dr. Finkelstein will also be hosting a Group Juice Fast beginning February 24th at SunRaven. Two programs will be offered--a 4 day program which will conclude on Monday February 28 and a week-long program which will end on March 4th. If you have been thinking about undertaking a true "cleanse" or detox, a green juice fast along with a comprehensive protocol developed by one of the leading experts in the field can be an extremely valuable experience. The SunRaven Group Juice Fast is unique in that it offers the support from a group of participants who share this interest and live in the same community, as well as guidance and participation from Dr. Finkelstein himself. For more information or to register, write to: juicefast@sunraven.org.
- Coinciding with the Group Juice Fast, Tuesday March 1st at 7 pm will be the first 2011 meeting of the SunRaven Book Club. The book to be discussed is Women Food and God by Geneen Roth, a look at what people's relationship to food says about their relationship to life as a whole. All are welcome. For more information or to register, write to: bookclub@sunraven.org.
- The next two episodes of The Skillful Living Room will be available here the day after they air. You can, of course, listen live, by tuning into the "listen live" link at Business Talk Radio.The show airs every Saturday at 12 Noon EST.
- On January 22nd, Rick Jarow PhD the author of Creating the Work You Love, and The Alchemy of Abundance, will speak with us about "manifestation," in particular, the challenges relating to finding the right career by listening to our own intuition and values.
Links
- For more information on SunRaven, Dr. Finkelstein's holistic health center in Bedford, NY, please visit Sunraven.org
- Twitter
- To comment on this letter, please visit The Skillful Living Blog
- Skillful Living Room
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FINALLY! A New Thought for the New Moon
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FINALLY! A MeaningFull Action for the Full Moon
I close today's letter with this suggested activity for the full moon:
Make a list of 5 things you like to do in winter. Then make a list of 5 things you have never done, but would like to try. Now do one of them!
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Michael Finkelstein
SunRaven
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