venus, jupiter, saturn and yoga

Last night was another edition of "Yoga Under the Stars".  This time we did not face Cedar Crest but the creek instead. I think it was a little too wet on the other side. But the moon was on the Cedar Crest side. What to do? Turn around, of course, once the Capricorn moon had risen to the point where it could be seen.

Who knew you could learn astrology and astronomy doing yoga?

I arrived early for a parking space and walked the loop around the park. I had to get my  walk in. I had my nose stuck in a book all day. (an most of the night too. But I finished it.) It wasn't too hot and was actually pleasant. The park was still full of people. I was sure to click the clicker each time I passed it. Including when I left at 10:30.

I returned at 8:58, and they started about 9:04. People were still coming in. There was about half as many people as last time. Maybe 50. (None of my pics come out.)

The first thing I noticed was not stars, but planets. I was wishing I had brought a star chart. But then there's always google when you get home. That is the reason I know that Venus, Jupiter and Saturn were easily visible after sundown.

How did I know the new moon was a Capricorn moon? She told us. I could only find info online from astrology people. It sounds a lot like what she was telling us. And that it's the brightest regular size moon of the year.

"Full moon coming into bloom in Capricorn brings core issues to the forefront of our consciousness. This is a time to strengthen personal boundaries and time to honor our feelings as we carefully navigate the delicate shores of our relationships.

Time to send our roots deeper into Mother Earth and call upon our unseen allies, angels, and great Spirit within and around us to help us walk with grace and strength through what could be some tricky territory."

Last night I had trouble. Maybe it was the change in direction. Or the mat I was using. I kept sticking to it. But when you pick a spot near the citronella candle you do not want to fall over!

Like the last time, this one lasted 1:15. A long class but it doesn't seem long.

I think that yoga and meditation fall into the "mindfulness" camp. They are even teaching it in schools. That's what "Yoga In The Park" donations support. Each class at Muhlenberg Elementary will have mindfulness as part of their day.  Mindfulness is a hot topic right now. I think it hinges on the world becoming violent, and people mean. All the kindness and humanity has gone away. People want to re-boot with what's important in their lives.

Why am I telling you this? I've signed up for another test panel for a book. This one is called "The Art of Stopping Time".  The blurb for the book on Amazon says:

We’re all struggling to find time in our lives, but somehow there’s never enough to go around. We’re too tired to think, too wired to focus, less efficient than we want to be, and guilty about not getting enough time with our loved ones.
     We all know that we feel starved for time, but what are we actually doing about it? Precious little. In The Art of Stopping Time, New York Times bestselling author Pedram Shojai guides us towards success with what he calls Time Prosperity―having the time to accomplish what you want in life without feeling compressed, stressed, overburdened, or hurried.
     So how do we achieve this Time Prosperity? We learn to Stop Time. To do that, Shojai walks us though a 100-day Gong, which is based on the Chinese practice of designating an amount of time each day to perform a specific task. The ritual helps you become mindful, train your mind, instill new habits, and fundamentally transform your relationship with time. We can find moments of mental awareness while in the shower, eating a snack, listening to podcasts, and even while binge-watching our favorite TV shows.
     He shares how to use Gongs to reprogram your habits, reduce stress, increase energy, exercise the ancient practice of mindfulness, and become a master of your time. Whether you do one per day, a bunch at a time, or read the whole book in one sitting, practicing the Gongs is a dedicated act of self-love that snaps us out of our daily trance and brings the light of awareness to our consciousness. The more we practice, the more we wake up, and the better off we are.

We are only doing 50. I hope I make it. If 2 stick I'll be a happy girl. But I think this all hinges on a person having some sort of spirituality. I've got none. Zip. Nada. I also lack self-esteem which might be problematic. This should be interesting.

Miles/Steps: 3.7 includes 2 dog walks
Bathrooms:   None used
Wildlife:        Fireflies. Lots of fireflies like glitter in the sky
Weather:      I'd say low 80s. Sky was clear enough to see planets and a dipper. My angle was bad so I couldn't see which one.
$ Found:       0
Extras:          The Yoga people are having a Mindfulness seminar Wednesday morning. I'm thinking of going. Why not? It gets me away from the most toxic thing in my life—the roommate.