Hi Friends,
Greetings from NYC!
If you get this email every week (that means you are a Substack paid subscriber or Blue Mala member) you might have seen the technical snafu last Friday that resulted in a first draft of the newsletter being sent out, rather than the finished version I had scheduled for publication.
Is this a big deal? No.
But also kinda yes.
Because for writers, showing an unfinished draft of anything is kind of like going pants-less on the stage of Madison Square Garden.
Substack sent a message about the glitch — and while it sucks, it’s tech. It happens.
It still made me so squirmy to have the mistake out there. There was nothing terrible in this unfinished draft, no launch codes or damning photographs, but it still bothered me. It gave me the stomach flip, cringy, tortured-perfectionist feeling that lingered for quite a while.
So there I was in Texas, running a Veteran retreat with some of my most beloved people, playing in the sunshine, processing the fact that some of my friends might be going to Ukraine to fight — and I was completely distracted and obsessing over an email glitch that was entirely beyond my control.
Ridiculous.
In yoga philosophy, there is a concept called Brahmacharya. We’ve been talking about it this week in my Blue Mala yoga and meditation classes. It basically means noticing where you put your energy1. Brahmacharya asks us if we are focusing on the things that really matter. Are we putting our time and energy into things/people/situations that are worthy of it? Are we focusing on external desires and overlooking everything that we currently have? Do we need to stop wasting our energy and get back to the things that can serve to benefit us and the world?
In summary - we only have so many fucks to give. Where are yours going?
I was giving way too many fucks about an email. I needed to refocus on the people I was with and the present moment experiences I was having. I needed to be right where I was.
Because my present moment meant cuddling with a dragon, it was just silly to not enjoy that.
Here’s what else happened this week:
Why I’m in NYC
What made me laugh
It’s funny because it’s true.
What I watched
Naked and Afraid. Why did I watch this show? I was in a hotel room in Houston and while I regret watching it, I also can’t stop thinking about it. I am simultaneously horrified and enthralled by this entire situation.
The homework I was given
My military fam is trying their best to educate my civilian brain. One of my homework assignments is to watch these short videos, which are pretty fantastic. I loved this one, for obvious reasons.
What is coming up
Later today we are heading up to Kripalu for my writing and anxiety management workshop! I can not wait to get up there. If you can’t make this one but are interested in doing a weekend retreat with me, check out this program at Omega in June.
Make sure you check in with my social media for updates on the Mrs. Doubtfire Musical, and all the food I ate while in NYC.
Much love to you all,
~Lisa
OK, if you’re going back to the traditional meaning, it can also mean celibacy but that’s not the definition we’re talking about here. I mean, we can talk about it, but it doesn’t have the kind of general appeal I’m going for.