23 Comments
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Bob Musikantow's avatar

Waking up in the morning, then waking up again as I move in alignment with the music. What a delight.

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

Yes! Since human beings are double-natured (self and ALL, finite and infinite) we need two wake-ups every day: a cup of coffee and a glass of eternity!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

Confession: when I'm consumed with frustration, exhaustion, despair, fear, or anger (a state which sets in about 30 seconds after reading the headlines), usually the LAST thing I want to do is turn on a musical track and move. I'd rather stew, tackle a bunch of tasks, or surf the internet for a more pleasant distraction. This habit persists, even though experience has taught me that six minutes of surrender to sound + movement puts me almost instantly back in touch with eternity in a way no thinking or talking ever can.

Six minutes and twenty-one seconds of wordless surrender to the current and my whole being is realigned with the source and force of creation.

It’s an experience my rational mind cannot comprehend, and therefore it continues to doubt it. When faced with the clear need for an electrical (rather than psychological) reset, I re-face the same crossroads all over again to follow the wisdom of the ecstatic saints rather than my Idiotic Logic Generator. Even after all these years, my dear mind insists that nothing is beyond its reach and that it will be waiting for me with lots of important thoughts once all this movement nonsense is out of my system. It means well.

But if I waited for my conscious mind to conjure the motivation to put on a track and move, I’d be waiting forever in a lifeless, un-plugged state. So I put my faith in the lineages of ecstatic movers and shakers, let go of myself, and then get breathing, listening, and moving with the rhythm of nature. And then I’m home again (until the connection comes unplugged a few hours later and I must come back for another round).

Reset!

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Maria Shantz's avatar

Thank you for pulling our hearts home with these rhythms, tones, and calls to movement that enable me to feel the longing for Thee!

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Severin's avatar

Thank you for this earnest confession and beautiful reminder Hillary. It is greatly appreciated.

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

Now, time to hit 'play' :)

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Sylvo Frank's avatar

To ‘play’ or not to ‘play’: no longer a question. And now, a moving answer!

Thank you!

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Hayley Merron Stevens's avatar

Thank you Hillary. I really appreciate you sharing your experience that speaks to the incomprehensible in me! And the reminder - do not wait, plug in and go home! You’ll be glad you did!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

Yes, when all other motivation fails, there's Sister Gertrude Morgan shouting, "eat that bread!" :)

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Sylvo Frank's avatar

Eating!

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Chris Jacob's avatar

The little light inside me is dancing for joy on reading this. My hippo mind is sulking in the corner. Here’s to plenty more of his re-sulks!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

Hippo forgets it loves to move!

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Shari's avatar

Every re-listen is new, hearing surprises I "missed" before. Swaying. A half-word or tone murmuring up from me. Swaying. Thank you, Osumi Sensei and lineage...what a wonderful way to be alive!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

What a wonderful way to be alive, indeed.

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Sabrina Damato's avatar

Thank you for this concentration reminder. Felt the simplicity yet challenge of this important teaching. Breathing and moving with the rhythm of nature. Others, Lord, others. Thank you!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

"Felt the simplicity yet challenge of this important teaching." Same, every time.

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thundershock's avatar

How helpful to breathe with the rhythms of nature and simply concentrate on letting yourself be moved.

I also catch myself again and again being pulled back into the old rut by the grooves of my thinking. It's true that I need this kind of “concentrate" to return to the movement and rhythms in my body and how good it feels when I immerse myself in an Ecstatic Sound Movement track and allow myself to dance with the rhythms of nature. Afterwards, I always realize how much I needed this immersion in the flow of nature and the reset. Often the burden of everyday life feels lighter afterwards and I find myself smiling. Thank you so much Hillary and Brad!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

"Afterwards, I always realize how much I needed this immersion in the flow of nature and the reset." Yes, every time.

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Hayley Merron Stevens's avatar

Breathing with the rhythms of nature… every note, movement, every breath opens my heart and floods me with gratitude for the eternal. Thank you for the turn around that moves me in the direction of love!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

"...every note, movement, every breath opens my heart and floods me with gratitude for the eternal." Thank you - heading back for another flood.

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Dominic VW's avatar

Thank you for this beautiful track and teaching. A cascading waterfall of rippling joy that feels like a soul-quenching taste of eternity. Truly I need this every day amid all the chaos and suffering and mind losing its mind over everything!

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Hillary Keeney's avatar

"Truly I need this every day amid all the chaos and suffering and mind losing its mind over everything!" AMEN x infinity.

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Becky Magnolia's avatar

Oh that was so much fun!!! I think I felt a little imp at the end...like this little smiling creature was floating around me saying, "Again! Again!"

That was super fun and enlivening. Thank you.

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