Jennilee Toner - Compassion Is…

May 6

I think this might be the first time I have ever publicly acknowledged this…but until I met Jennilee…I thought there was a chance that I wouldn’t “fit in" with the yoga crowd. Then about 3-4 days into my 200-hour YTT at Frog Lotus Yoga, she arrived wearing Chuck Taylors and I’m guessing she was borrowing Steven Tyler’s yoga gear. In less than a nano-second, I was put at ease. To make things even sweeter, we love the same music and football team. I am sooooo glad our paths crossed.

When I think of the word "compassion" I think of a softened, sweetened heart.

One that is open to experiencing one's own sadness, hurt, and disappointment.

A heart not so quick to jump straight to anger.

I think of the times when my hardened heart has melted - like, as Dana Faulds writes, "sugar on the tongue of life".
Music is a constant compassionate teacher. Music helps my tough, hardened heart to break open. Music helps me tune into the vulnerable parts that I tend to overlook, ignore or repress.

Music is a tried-and-true way to keep me connected - to my own inner soft heart (and the precious, soft heart of others).

A few songs that break the cage of my heart wide open (and for which hurt and for whom):

My father (his abandonment of his children): Slip Sliding Away by Paul Simon
My mother (her unreachable high expectations): Mother by Danzig
My sisters (my inability to be a better role model, to be there for them "more"): I'll Stand by You by The Pretenders
My dogs (those I put prematurely into the ground...my biggest guilts): Gravedigger by Dave Matthews and for generations of my people suffering from depression & alcoholism: Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel AND the version by Disturbed)
And for my innate ability to be cruel (and for my fellow humans too who can be oh-so-cruel): There's Blood in the Water by Dave Matthews

And once my heart breaks...then these songs fill my opened heart with so much love & laughter:

For my father: The Great Pretender by The Platters (he was such a charismatic "character"...I am a lot like him!)
For my mother: You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester (I remember those happier days with her when I was very young and SHE LOVED DISCO!)
For my sisters: We Are The World (the three of us sang this for my mother and her friends as a show when we were little)
For my dogs: I Feel Love...Sam Smith's version! For every dog, I've had (thank you for filling my heart with so much love!!!)
and for my ancestors...actually...TO & FROM my ancestors: Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
And for ALL OF US on this journey, we call life, all of us just walking each other home: Stay Human by Michael Franti.

So grateful for this opportunity to dive deep into my heart and share what I found there:)

With so many wishes of love, peace, and abundance, Jennilee
PS...Here is where to find me!

Jennilee’s Website