Tuesday, September 18, 2007

September 18, 2007

Life has been a whirlwind. I have been to Hawley, Pennsylvania for a retreat and to enjoy the Ritz Theater, the visionary community theater started by James Murphy’s family over 30 years ago. Then I went to Philadelphia for the rich family experience of the Bar Mitzvah of my daughter and her husband’s son. AndI I just returned from a trip to North Carolina at a beautiful family wedding and afterwards went to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, where I spent time at my grandparents’ home every summer growing up. Between these trips, I had wonderful visits with friends and family from Scottsdale and Berkeley. This week my cup is full with more friends, this time from Sausalito, West Virginia, San Francisco and Boca Raton.

I am feeling well and tolerating the chemo. I am practicing yoga, walking and napping. I have gone back to teaching a few classes and teaching this wonderful subject nourishes me. I am grateful to be back in touch with this rewarding part of my life.

Your prayers are with me.
With love to all of you,
Mary

13 comments:

Mary Beth Early said...

Hi Mary,

A whirlwind of connecting and reconnecting with family and friends takes time and effort but gives back so much. You appear to have amazing energy, doing more than some people with no health challenges might attempt - and then enjoying it so thoroughly! How wonderful that you have been able to resume some teaching!

I think of you quite often. Since you connected with the horse-chestnuts, I thought you might have smiled at recent sightings of young squirrels along the fence ferrying pale green horse chestnuts from garden to garden, the horse chestnuts a tad larger than their little skulls. Such intensity to manage such large burdens!

Hoping to see you one of these days, and continually sending you loving and healing wishes,

Mary Beth

Ann McDermott-Kave said...

Hi Mary ~
What fabulous travels and time with family/friends!
Hope you are balancing your time to also be still & nourish yourself.
You're amazingly terrific to be teaching! Look forward to being in your class again soon.
I miss you very much!
Namaste & love,
Ann

Unknown said...

Hey Mary! I had a dream about a week ago and you were in it teaching, laughing, eating and walking about...it all made so much sense and it was SOOO real and it really makes sense now after reading this latest entry! Keep on truckin'!! Lots of Love, Maureen

Anonymous said...

It was a big surprise and wonderful honor to have you back as our teacher on Monday. May I also say: you look great!

Chris Kerr said...

Dear Mary,
Thank you so much for yesterday's class. The message of taking our practice from a calm,peaceful state is an important one for me to learn and one which you exemplify so well. It was wonderful to have you back, but please don't overdo. With much love and respect.
Chris

Catherine said...

So glad to hear your absence from the blog for a few weeks was due to so much positive activity (I was a little concerned you had not posted in awhile, but I know sometimes people on chemo are just too tired to do even simple things). Family and friends and spending time in beautiful, well-loved places is so important and must have had a healing effect.

Continued good wishes as your healing journey continues.

Cathy

Richard Jonas said...

Yoga Haiku

Like the artist stretches his canvas

Extend yourself, she tells us,

Body, then mind.

Tuesday -- 12:15 -- Mary on the platform

All is right with the world

Anonymous said...

Was so wonderful to see you at the Institute and have you back for teaching! How wonderful to share your loving energy visiting friends and family...
Much love and healing wishes and hoping to be in your class very soon,
Varoti

Unknown said...

Dear Mary,

I'm so glad I had the chance to hug you and say hello the other day. I told you about the comment that Roger Cole made during his Yoga and Anatomy workshop.

"When you find peace, the structure will come, and when you get the correct structure, you will find peace."

I thought it was such a beautiful way of expressing this art of yoga, and how we attempt to do the physical movements with an integration of our heart and mind and body.

I am also remembering what you told us at the retreat in Mexico last year:

"The directions are not eternal. The directions are ephemeral; they are meant to guide us based on where we are in our present mental state. WE are eternal."

And so many other wonderful statements you have made like that which have helped to guide me towards a better understanding and richer experience with my yoga practice.

Looking forward to hearing more statements like that (and some jokes!) in a class with you soon.

Lots of love,

Cynthia

Jon Peterson said...

Dearest Mary: Though you've continued to teach us all via your blog, it was soooo wonderful to have you back in person on Thursday morning! I've added the word "puppyify" to my vocabulary (and won't tell you what my spellchecker suggested...).

Please, please be careful not to overdo it!

Cheers from my mom, who's flying back from London today.

Blessings, light, love, and peace, Janna (AKA Joann)

Jenny Otto said...

I am so happy to hear you are teaching again.
To do what you love brings out the spiritual chance for growth and personal fulfillment. And in giving, you receive.
We all want to give back to you.
Love and Blessings,
Jenny

maria c said...

Dear Mary

I have been reading your blog pretty often and always enjoy all the news/shares and wonderful writing you present.
Every time I read a new comment for you I make my attempts to drop you a line but lately with not success. IT seems the computer and I have had to work out some differences to become friends again. It rejected me tons of times but I do persist and so I am here now :).
I feel so uplifted reading you and doing so I refresh my admiration quote toward you every time. Also every time I visit your blog that picture of you take my breath away. It's magic and perfectly you.

It's good to hear you have a good friend visiting you with you were remembering those good times that always bring joy to our heart. Friends are our good fortune, the richest one and you are incredible wealthy!
I'd like to have a Chris Saudek at home as well! Not just because of Chris who is a wonderful person/teacher but also for the great help to clean up piles of old papers which sometimes get stack at home and it seems not easy to let go. At least for me. I have to work a lot on aparigraha! One feels more motivated when somebody else around has less trouble with it. And what a great help that is. Good for you!
Any cleaning, of any kind, make us feel better, lighter, and some more ether can travel more easily :)-

I can see how your days go by with plenty of wonderful things to enjoy, movies, walks, visits to the institute, friends, family, poetry, nutritious food and keeping the right practice at this moment to kindly reenergize yourself with the restorative poses that are a blessing for us. You are in the right path! Keep that up and enjoying every minute of what you do. I know you do, that's why you are who you are, our great beloved Mary Dunn! :)

You are always present among us, here in the IYISF from where we send you tons of good vibes and infinite love.

warm big hug from
maria ;)!

I wrote this on Sep 5- but never went to you. I have written other comments, I'll send later. Almost everytime you post I feel like writting back to you, but I'll wait a bit to send the rest so you don't get exhausted with just me.

Unknown said...

Hi Mary,
You've been in my thoughts. I can't wait for you to meet our 6 month old baby Bijou! Sending you lots of love, Marta, Julian and Bijou Lwin