There is a vortex
Practice & Journaling Session Inside
There is vortex happening right now Swirling us around From news To night Whether we’re clued in Or tuned out We can’t avoid the Vibration emanating from the ground and around
I’m not here to retell each news report. Which fire. Or which platform has been politically corrupt.
But to remind you to find the vortex within. Your own force. That inner voice that speaks louder than influence. Because the magnitude of what’s happening - requires you to be even more magnetic.
Not more forceful. Or louder. But grounded in your Truth.
This is our time for our collective strengths within our smaller communities. And even smaller circles.
Don’t lose sight of this small collective power. Because the vortex is bigger than we imagined.
I’m here to provide you with practices to remind you of That. We practice because sometimes we forget. We practice because sometimes we need to hear it again. We practice to be pillars in our community, outside of our practice. In the real. Harsh. World.
There. Is. Still. Beauty.
Last year I wrote about the Four Desires. And I’m here to remind us of what all that means once again and how we can revisit it when we think of our goals for 2025.
I rarely use January to set firm goals for the year. Instead, I use these next two months to brainstorm, journal, and reflect on what those goals could be.
In the Vedas, the knowledge source of where yoga comes from, there are the four goals of human life known in Sanskrit as Purusharthas.
This time I want us to reflect and understand not only what they mean or translate to but how they show up when they are in balance and how they may show up when out of balance.
The light and the dark.
And perhaps taking it a step further, not only how they are showing up in yourself- but using this framework to understand and see what’s happening in our current events.
Watch this cozy video to feel like someone is practicing with you
No frills just teachings - timestamps are in the description.
Listen to the audio if you prefer
Or keep reading below if you prefer it on paper.
Dharma (Purpose)
Definition: The desire to fully become who you were meant to be; to thrive and fulfill your destiny.
In Balance: Your purpose feels aligned with the collective good. There is a sense of reciprocity of giving and receiving. For some of us, this has nothing to do with your job.
Shadow Side: The ego-centered purpose that focuses on "this is my purpose" or “I need to find myself” without seeing it as a gift for the whole.
Artha (Security)
Definition: The desire for material needs like money, security, and health to support living out your dharma.
In Balance: A sense of home, belonging, and financial security; a healthy relationship with finances. For some of us, this may be our day-to-day job we have that provides financial security.
Shadow Side: Becoming a workaholic. Or being overly focused on material goods that your relationship with your finances may suffer (i.e not looking at credit card statements or ignoring student loan debt).
Kama (Pleasure)
Definition: The desire and longing for pleasure, sensuality, and joy.
In Balance: Finding pleasure in connections, friendships, and savoring life's beauty.
Shadow Side: Overindulgence or underindulgence in pleasure and sensuality. This could manifest as rigidly monitoring something like your sugar intake, even when there's no pressing health concern, such as diabetes.
Moksha (Freedom)
Definition: The longing to be free from worldly burdens, experiencing spirit and a state beyond the other desires.
In Balance: Feeling free, spacious, and alive. This could be running with your favorite song on. Or skiing down a mountain. Or sitting in meditation in community.
Shadow Side: Struggling to maintain financial or worldly responsibilities, such as paying bills consistently.
As you read these, spend some time this weekend or throughout next month just journaling on what comes up for you when you read the balanced and out-of-balance side of them.
Are there any dreams, goals, or practices that seem to fall within these categories?
Allow yourself to write freely. No pressure to have answers. Just listen to sweet whispers of truths or fantasies.
As you keep writing and exploring them - a lightbulb might click.
Sending you grounding and warmth during this time,
Brenda
My heart is with LA 💙
LA is home for me. Among the many labels and identities I have, being from Los Angeles feels the truest to who I am. It feels more authentic for me to say I’m from LA than to say I’m Latina, or Central American, Salvadoran, American or United States-person. I’m just… from LA. While I don’t physically live there anymore my heart aches for the families and communities out there. I’d like to share a few GoFundMe’s from people I know.
The Wisner’s: My ceramic high school teacher. In a time of my life that felt so unsettling, Mr. Wisner’s ceramic class allowed me feel free. It was the first time I felt like I was an artist.
The Dicterow’s: I met Whitney on a retreat in Topanga Canyon. I was there solo and didn’t know anyone else there. She immediately made me feel like a long-time friend.