Patience is a Virtue

On the left you see a picture of the full moon in Cairo along the Nile, close to where I live. A moment of beauty amidst lots of chaos. It's been almost a month since my last post and another new moon approaches. I don't know about you, but the last few weeks have been quite challenging for me - inside and out. It could just be because I am living in a foreign country away from my comfort zone and those I love most. However, from what I have been reading on Facebook and feeling from lots of others - the challenges have been everywhere.

How do we stay in love and hope and humor, when life around us seems so out of control? This is absolutely my meditation during my days here in Cairo. And so I can choose to focus on what's not working - I don't have my own apartment yet, the school is not finished being built, the children, though incredibly bright and enthusiastic, don't really get my American desire for community respect and discipline like listening to the teacher or each other.

Or I could focus on what is working - It's 90 degrees and sunny all the time. Tomorrow I am going to the Pyramids with a VIP tour guide. I went to a beautiful and healing contemplative service at an Anglican church in Maadi last night and last week I went to Africa Live and met some of the warmest and best dressed people in Egypt - Christians from Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal and other countries in Africa.

Some days I feel like a Master, staying in love, detaching from drama, being in service and some days I feel like a neglected child - sad, angry, cranky, feeling resentful that the school is not what I thought it would be - reaching for the fruits allover the place!! And there it is - who I am. who we all are - light and dark. adult and child. love and fear. and so, I choose each day as best I can. And I am grateful when I am reminded of my True Nature - both love and fear, and God is both.

On a less metaphysical level, the music room is shaping up nicely and we have great instruments, so we are all learning to drum and play music with each other. At times I feel like Mr. Holland trying to teach that one kid with no rhythm (for hours) or Jack Black in School of Rock and wonder if these Egyptian kids don't just think I am totally insane. But in the end, all you can do is be yourself. I am also teaching them songs from something called the Virtue Project, hence the title of my post. So far the virtues we have performed at assembly were Thankfulness and Responsibility. Next week is Respect and hopefully we will do Patience soon. If I learn nothing in Egypt, it will be patience.

Below are some pictures of the music room and the school. In about 5-7 years, it will probably be everything it hopes to be, but right now we are in the growing pain phase and I trust I am here for many reasons that have yet to reveal themselves. Also there is a picture of Nesrine, my Egyptian music teaching colleague and her son Timo. they are both a great blessing and keep me laughing every day.

As this new moon in Libra on Sunday approaches I remember the teachings that come from many Great Religions. We must know God within ourself, but God is often most dynamic in relationship. It is through our relationships - the mirrors of other people showing us our own gifts and challenges that we feel and see God most deeply.

Notice the relationships in your own life- how have they changed? how are they changing? give thanks for the most difficult ones, for they are often our greatest teachers. Thanks for reading and staying tuned - feel free to let me know what is happening with you.

And did it really snow already in the NorthEast? crazy!

love love love
Alicia

Settling in the Newness!

Hello Friends!!

It seems fitting that I am finally updating this blog on a New Moon in Virgo. I am a virgo and have come to learn that this sign is about fully purifying, aligning and integrating mind, body, and spirit. Virgo's are often in professions of service. So here I am in Egypt on the ground level of founding a new school (sometimes literally a pile of sand that is supposed to be the drama/music room). With this experience so far, it has all been all about purification and alignment. My physical body has been going through many changes and is not always happy about them, while my mind and spirit longs to stay positive and in a state of trust. When my physical body begins to hurt or revolt in some way staying in a state of trust becomes harder and harder. Good to notice. It's sort of like when you're sick, all you want is your mommy.

And so again, on even a deeper level, I am invited to go deep within myself and be my own mommy. Which for me really is the path to full Self-Realization. This process of Self-Love allows me to be more purely in service of those around me, which is my true hearts desire.

Somedays I say, really God? is there where I am supposed to be? And then I remember, I used to say this to myself when I was on Cape Cod in January. hmmmmmmm.

Hopefully school will start Oct. 3 and we will really begin to ground in. With threats of further delays due to Swine flu, we are creating a alternative plan in which we may teach students off-site in small groups. Because of this we got to meet many parents and some students yesterday. This gave of us all a great deal of hope and inspiration. Suddenly the many moments of frustration were eclipsed by one brief interaction I had. One of my students who is in third grade and speaks very good English lights up as she sees that I play guitar. "I have a guitar," she says beaming, "but I don't know how to play it". "I'll teach you then, " I say, "we'll have fun" Her smile grows, as I her feel her mother next to her thrilled to see her daughter talking with her new teachers. I also sang "Let it Be" during the third grade meeting, while waiting for some parents to arrive. This took me back to a particularly fabulous evening at Creacon Lodge just a few weeks ago in which I was blesssed to play in the meditation hall. (A shout-out to all my fellow yogis!). And I thought, "Yes, music is a vibration that connects us all".


Today, also on this new beginning (virgo new moon), we, the six american teachers, will finally be spread out into 2 different apartments in Maadi, an expat friendly part of Cairo. We have all been living for the last 6 weeks somewhat on top of each other, while we wait for our official residence to be completed (prob by Nov.) and were starting to desolve into a bad reality TV show. The up side of that is we have really gotten to know each other and recognize how extraordinary a group we are. Thank God we laugh incessantly about almost everything. Both apts. in Maadi are gorgeous and one is on the 20th floor on the Corniche overlooking the Nile. On a day with light or no haze (about once a week) you can see the sun rise or set over the pyramids. Pretty amazing!

And so, I am grateful for the other teachers who have taken on this adventure with me with creativity, kindness, and determination and I am grateful for the many friends on facebook and at home who are following along and sending little comments of encouragement.

I am sure many of you are also beginning new today, whether inside or out. Take some time, tune in, be grateful for all that you have changed or has changed around you and let go. Open and recieve the new. Give yourself credit for how far you have come and all that you have already released. Even though we may have struggles, there is no better time to be a human being on this planet of ours. And we are all being called to step up and into our True Selves and be in service to those around us.

Would love to hear what is happening with you. feel free to comment here or email me directly.
love love love
Alicia