Tantra Tip of the Day- Surrendering Control

I had a great time teaching in Toronto, Canada in July. On returning to Sedona I found myself needing to go inward. This process kept me off the computer and somewhat disengaged from the world. My mind kept saying, “get to work” and I knew I needed to not do and instead to be. It is a challenge to be in a doing world. I just had to let go, surrender control and trust the process.

I spent a week just letting go of doing and becoming empty. Then I was able to go deeper into myself and look at my own Tantric practice and to take time to connect more deeply with my inner teachers. I re-read Passionate Enlightenment : Women in Tantric Buddhism by Miranda Shaw, a book I first read 6 years ago. I highly recommend this book, especially to women new to Tantra. It is full of wonderful stories about the women who taught the men, who are credited with creating the Tantric Buddhist traditions. Reading it reconnected me with the deeper truth of Tantra, which is about waking up from the delusion, called life that most of us take so seriously.

One of my biggest challenges is how to “be in the world but not of it.” When I start focusing more on business, making money and being successful than on being present in the Now, I begin to believe in the world of delusion and start to loose my way. Spacious awareness is reality not the thoughts in my head or the Dow-Jones Industrial average. Surrendering control allowed me to empty out and be refilled and brought me back home to the spacious awareness that I am.

Try this: Notice when your need to control arises. What is the situation? What is the fear? What would happen if you let go? Isn’t control really an illusion created to keep fear at bay? Explore what happens when you surrender control. See what you discover.

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(C) Copyright 2009, Crystal Dawn Morris, all rights reserved.

Tantra Tip of the Day - Midwives, Birth and Tantra

Today, May 5th, is International Midwives Day. Many of you may not know it but I have been a certified nurse-midwife since 1988. I have helped deliver almost 1800 babies over the past 21 years. I have to say that catching my 3 grandchildren who were all born at home was a highlight. Learn more about it at http://mana.org/IntMidDay.html.

I was reminded of this fact this morning when I received this note on my Facebook Wall from my lovely Daughter-in-love:

It's Midwives Day and I wanted to take this time to thank you for being present and supporting me during three of the most amazing times in my life--the birth of my beautiful children, and your grandchildren. I feel so blessed to have you in my life. I don't know that I would even have known about homebirth without you, but thank goodness I did. My homebirths not only made me feel more powerful, but gave my children a great start into this world. Thank you for being a great mother-in-love and for helping so many mamas and babies.
Namaste,
Tara

Here was my reply:
Thank you Tara,
Being a midwife and attending births has been an important part of my life. Supporting women as they connect to their power and bring forth new life is a gift and an honor beyond words. I want to thank you for trusting yourself enough to birth at home and for allowing me to catch all 3 of my grandchildren as they entered the world. I can't imagine my life without you or them in it.
OXOX,
Mimi ( My granddaughter, Abbey, gave me this moniker.)

One reason I felt called to teaching Tantra was to help women have easier births. I have even written a rough draft for a book about Tantra and childbirth. One day I will finish it.

Being at a birth is about being in the moment. The air is vibrant with “life force energy.” There is a smell to birth that is rich, earthy and powerful. The veil between this world and the Source is thin. Watching new life emerge from a women’s body is a miracle every time. Life is so very precious. Those who work around birth and death know this viscerally. I am honored to be a midwife and I appreciate every woman who allowed me to be a part of her birth.

Do you know the story of your birth? How can you give birth to this moment as fresh and unique? Notice what is being born into your life today.

www.TantraGal.Blogspot.com
www.TantraForAwakening.com
(C) Copyright 2009, Crystal Dawn Morris, all rights reserved.

Photo and more info on homebirth can be found at: http://navelgazingmidwife.squarespace.com

Tantra Tip of the Day - Daffodils at Dawn Cultivate Being

This morning I went out for a walk as the sun was rising. It was quiet except for an occasional bird twittering in the trees. As I walked up the hill behind my house, I saw a bunch of daffodils blooming in my neighbor’s yard. Seeing the bright yellow flowers made my heart sing. They had popped out of the same earth that only 2 weeks ago was covered in snow. I continued my walk, watching as the sun lit up the world. Sedona is especially beautiful at dawn because the dawn light makes the red rocks glow as if illuminated from within.

As I walked along I felt this profound peace fill me. In that moment there were no problems, no desires and nothing to do. I slipped effortlessly into being; mind at rest, heart open, feeling love for nothing in particular. Life can be so simple when I just stop, even for a moment and allow my mind to be free, then I can see the gifts that are hidden in ordinary things.

Try this: As you move through your day see if you can find moments of stillness. Then notice what you discover hidden in your seemingly ordinary world. See if you can slip into being. How does it feel to just be? Notice the difference between being and doing. When you cultivate being, the doing happens with much less effort.

(C)Copyright 2009, Crystal Dawn Morris, all rights reserved.
www.TantraForAwakening.com
www.TantraGal.Blogspot.com