Category Archives: Update

Blood super moon tonight….

And tonight's blood moon- not seen since 1910- will be visible to all they say.....
the action may have been felt for humans as tight inhales the last few days, felt it at all? Tightening, frantic. Or, your 'leading up' may have felt like inertia, 
confusion, and lack of follow through. 
This comes to us as an invite so we can balance both.
it's not the power of the moon I speak of as an out of this world genie in a bottle granting wishes (although who knows, that could be. I haven't a clue) - it's 
physics, energy, stardust, kosmos and cosmos (as the Greeks said) I am referring
to. Like string theory. 
Last few days was the long inhale.....and tonight is the big exhale. 
Set a larger intention because we can- and exhale with all of you, whatever does not totally serve THAT larger intention. Do it with your doubts or skepticism, or your utterly belief. Doesn't really matter. And do it without expectations of a result. 
Pretend it's an old custom we humans have done for as far back as we have been able to trace humans.
See you in the moon tonight. Katrina

“The Duality Reality” Article by Katrina Chester

 

299735_253512391359706_175197413_n“…I will be remembering…
the day my heart, soul and humanness was completely captured,
smacking me hard on the ass and equally in the head,
collapsing this blind equity I’d placed on my mind – no sense can be made.

I will be remembering…
the day my heart, soul and humanness was completely captured,  smacking me hard on the ass and equally in the head, exploding an “alive kinda LOVE” as there stopped being “others” and we walked into One. all the smoke and the mirrors that covered true-faces have released the grip, allowing and sharing such suffering  and grace. in the mirror’s reflection, only LOVE had survived….”

excerpt from…“The Duality Reality” – written by Katrina Chester

Zitlcourse@gmail.com or Facebook.com/functionalyoga

FunctionalYogaOnline.com for Zooming in the lens online courses

Registration for ZITL online course; group 3 ... opens: October 5th on                                       RamDass.org/Zooming !!!!!

 

What is this podcast ZITL?

ZITL podcast is a discussion for people interested in “spirituality”. Wait, wait… 🙂 before you click off… your host Katrina Chester, is aware of the overuse of the word spirituality. Her intentions lie in discovery; unpacking the punch she and her guests feel through practice while along the way cultivating space to pack up misconceptions.

“Spiritual practices unveil innate abilities humans really have to ‘be with what is’. And, speaking of ‘what is’…colloquial, i.e., street language teachings are in demand for so many, yet remain infrequent within spiritual dialogues. In turn, it’s not out of the ordinary to hear that teachings feel unrealistic to so many. I hope these talks speak a language you resonate with; to feel you have found a virtual spiritual family where “spirituality” doesn’t feel separate, dogmatic, or out of reach. From there, to be able to narrow down a practice to propel a direction and new individual interpretations toward defining YOUR “spiritual practice”. Listening to audio podcasts, without looking for right or wrong, is a yogic practice. I was told years ago to “forget everything you thought you knew and your ahead of the game”. The once narrow inner and outer perceptions (subject-object, organism-environment) grow wider, and out comes the sometimes drastic balancing act I call… spiritual practice. The ones who scoff at spirituality report to me they are more logical thinkers. As a 35 year victim of believing all spirituality is not logical, I’m happy to say I can now smile warmly remembering that as one of the first “punches” I received early on in practice. Are there things that make my eyes roll? Of course! And, the misconception that a Yogi, a teacher, a practitioner, or any human is perfect or finished with their practice, was the second biggest “punch” received. Wisdom… for me is logic – the most living and breathing entity I have ever experienced. If you have a sense of humor – bring it 🙂

ZITL represents the in’s and out’s of waking up but also of going to sleep, metaphorically speaking. The teachings of many methods incorporate beautifully into already existing, modern life. It doesn’t ask us to change, move to a monastery, demand a guru… Yoga takes you just as you are, neurosis and all – which was something I could barely wrap my head around as I started. Guidance is primarily external in most of the western world – the media, society, etc., and it acts as the parental figure for a culture that never grew up. Most good children do listen, right? But that info is gathered by peering into the bigger and better yards – and they yell back to us “This is the logical path to happiness! They have an outdoor screen TV- Let’s get one, NOW!” So I say…go home. Listen inside. I know nothing but am willing to share that nothingness. The rest is up to you. I am grateful for you listening with the practice of compassion and curiosity because this is one hard practice – a podcast. I am really happy to share this ‘well’ of incredible friends, from all different methods, religions – as seekers and just normal folk looking for peace and celebrating / sometimes kicking- the holy shitness of life”. –Katrina Chester

Join us and subscribe here! Bit.ly/ZITLPodcast

Questions and ideas for topic encouraged - e-mail
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Music & editing by Ian Hatton at MIXFORPIX.COM
SUBSCRIBE HERE! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/zooming-in-the-lens/id974484840?mt=2

SUBSCRIBE HERE! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/zooming-in-the-lens/id974484840?mt=2

RESOURCES from Ep 14 “The ‘Don’t-Know Mind” Part 1 Love !

As promised, resources from Podcast #14 with Rena Joy and Cara Evans discussing The Don’t Know Mind, balance in both the heart and the mind, discussing the seemingly unexplainable and unproven. First topic is LOVE….enjoy!

The Princeton PEAR Project – This is the link that has some amazing studies that were conducted prior to their closing in 2007. This looked at human emotions and thought and how they can produce measurable influences on physical reality.
http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/theory.html

The Placebo effect – The New England Journal of Medicine – The Baylor school of medicine, published in 2002 looked at surgery for patients with severe and debilitating knee pain. Many surgeons know there is no placebo effect in surgery, or so most of them believe. They were cited as concluding that the placebo group improved just as much as the other two groups.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa013259

“The Emperors New Drug” – a study on depression and pharmaceuticals using the placebo effect.
http://psycnet.apa.org/…

Hafiz Poetry used:
Hafiz of Shiraz (Khwaja Shams ud-Din Hafiz-i Shirazi, 1326-1390) is widely recognized as the pre-eminent master of the Persian ghazal form. Very little is known about his life, yet the lyrical beauty of his poetry has been celebrated by people around the world for centuries. Hafiz is one of the great Sufi poets, in the tradition of Rumi. In his native land of Persia (modern Iran), where his Divan is revered to an extent rivaled only by the Qur’an, the beauty of Hafiz’s lyrics has always been most appreciated when accompanied by music. His words are not so much poetry as they are songs.
I Have Learned so Much
I
Have
Learned
So much from God
That I can no longer
Call
Myself
A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim,
a Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself
With me
That I can no longer call myself
A man, a woman, an angel,
Or even a pure
Soul.
Love has
Befriended Hafiz so completely
It has turned to ash
And freed
Me
Of every concept and image
my mind has ever known.
From: The Gift Translated by Daniel Ladinsky

Rumi – Sufi Poet
“Your task is not to seek love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

You will be missed….

You will be missed here on earth. Two GIANTS who added SO much to our world passed. Dr Wayne Dyer, who I wasn’t knowledgeable about but liked rdwayne-250x300(seen left with Ram Dass- to read what RD has to say upon Wayne Dyers passing click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A legend to me and so many – Dr. Oliver Sacks who was the real life Dr, played by Robin Williams, in a movie where he is able to revive catatonic patients. He did so much work on perception looking into the eyes as “seeing” Unknownorgan, but also sight from the brain stem. Amazing man, amazing Dr., and an inspiration to so many. Dr. Oliver Sacks passes away You will both be missed…Thank you for all you gave to us while on this earth. Safe journey.

 

 

another great read by Oliver Sacks on learning he has cancer: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/opinion/oliver-sacks-on-learning-he-has-terminal-cancer.html?smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1

“God Has No Religion”

Incredible speech by progressive Christian Rev. Dr. Ray which can inspire us all to use the boxes humans created but not let them use us. This is parts of his lecture chopped up but take a listen to the whole 15 minute lecture. Parts of this lecture will be included at the end of episode 14 of Zooming in the Lens Podcast where I get to speak to a musician in his late 20’s. This conversation progressed naturally to his practice of Islam. A very interesting intro to being Muslim, shedding light into misconceptions we may have since 9/11-which I was a personally a part of. “God has no religion.” (these next ones are not word for word quotes)- God doesn’t have invested interest in architecture either (temple over church, mosque over cathedral). Do you know the difference between a town and a city, the logically reasons for the differences? Having a cathedral gives a city a title-don’t have a cathedral? You are a town. So put religion in a box (a building) and you get better titles. Here his words at the link below! Thank you Rev Ray-religion looks good on you.