"The Sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers but for the wide world's joy."––Henry Ward Beecher

Inside This Letter

• The eyes are the window to the soul
• 12 Gifts of the Sun Workshop
• Bonus Yoga Class on Monday-Sign Up HERE​

Hello Reader,

Sometimes, when talking to someone, I must remind myself to focus on the other person's eyes.

For some reason, this isn't always easy for me. Perhaps I feel vulnerable in that closeness, which I try to guard against. Perhaps I worry that I will be judged and criticized for who I am.

But I make myself do it anyway because it feels like the most important connection I can make with someone.

In yoga, two words come to mind about how we focus the gaze of our eyes: drishti and trataka.

Both "trataka" and "drishti" refer to focused gazing practices in yoga. Trataka is a specific technique where you stare intently at a single point, often a candle flame or a black dot, often until tears form, aiming to enhance concentration and mental clarity. Drishti is a broader term referring to the conscious direction of your gaze at a specific point during yoga postures to maintain focus and balance, often with various designated points on the body depending on the pose. Drishti practice helps improve balance, concentration, and focus and calms the mind, while trataka is generally considered a yogic cleansing practice.

Both practices are intended to help us to see more clearly that all is Divine.

And what better window into the nature of divinity than another being's gaze?

I receive weekly writing from the poet and writer Andrea Gibson. Last week, their article was entirely about the eyes. Andrea inspired me to contemplate the eyes and why I, too, might resist staring into another's gaze. So, the other weekend, at our Bliss Day Festival in Keene, I challenged myself to hold eye contact during Kirtan and at specific moments when I talked with others. I prefer to keep my eyes closed while chanting.

I found that, yes, there is an initial discomfort and sense of worry, but then there is a deep softening and sense of peace when we stare into the eyes of another.

Andrea says the practice of holding a steady gaze of our eyes, whether with another being or with our own reflections, enables us to see our eternal self.

Yes, I feel this to be true.

Andrea wrote about the very present need to bring such a practice into our daily interactions, especially right now:

"As our country is more divided than ever, I find myself thinking about eye contact and asking: What if, while speaking with family members who share very different political beliefs, we looked into each other’s eyes? What if, in the heat of political disagreement, we first spoke without our voices? What if we allowed the simple, silent act of looking into one another’s gaze to begin bridging the distance between us? And then to speak from that open, idea-less place?

Eye contact, I have come to understand, is the bridge of truth between humans and between humans and the divine. The fear of being seen, the anxiety of judgment, the self-doubt—all of these fade away when we are fully present in the gaze of another. The more I look into people’s eyes, the more I find myself becoming who I truly am."

I invite you into the long gaze of another's eyes. Try it with a loved one. Try it with someone you struggle with. Try it with your beloved animal companion. Try it in the mirror. Let me know what you discover.

With Love in My Eyes for YOU,

Angie

Quotes for the Eyes

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." ~ Audrey Hepburn

"Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts."~Paramahansa Yogananda

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant? “ ~Henry David Thoreau

“The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart.” ~St. Jerome

Links and Events

Bonus Yoga Class Monday, Feb 10 at 6 PM Because I have had to cancel several yoga classes recently, I decided to add one bonus class for you: Join Yoga and Live Music on Monday, February 10, at 6 PM. It's one night only. Class pass, drop-in, or membership required. Sign up for the Monday Night Bonus

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Yoga Classes, Meditation, Kirtan, & YTT

Yoga Class Schedule 🌑 Sunday 9-10 AM–Rise and Shine! 🌑 Tuesday 11-1–Be strong, Breathe Strong 🌑 Thursday 10-AM, Mantra and Meditation (starting 9/12) 🌑 Thursday 6-7 PM, live music with Josh Hall–Strength and Ease Studio at 1383 Rt 44, Brownsville, VT New student pass– 3 for $30!! See ALL class offerings

Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson​ ​ Andrea Gibson’s collection is a masterful showcase of the poet whose writing and performances have captured the hearts of millions. With artful and nuanced looks at gender, romance, loss, and family, Lord of the Butterflies is a new peak in Gibson’s career. Each emotion here is deft and delicate, resting inside of imagery heavy enough to sink the heart while giving the body wings to soar. Check it out

Cat Corner 😻 Welcome to the Cat Corner of my newsletter...I'd love to feature your cat (or any other pet). Please send me pet pictures! I love this picture so much I am sharing it again! Adorable Kitty Photo by Marco, via Unsplash. Send me your pet pictures!