Everything Yoga

Good-bye and Hello

I can't believe it's gone by so quickly, but it's almost time to say good-bye to 2011 and hello to 2012. As usual around this time, I've been reflecting on the year gone by. I've said good-bye to a great many things/people/circumstances/situations this past year, with a hello to new things/people/circumstances/situations following close behind. I've noticed that pattern this year -- I only get to say hello to the new when I say good-bye to what I've been stubbornly holding on to. Life is funny that way, eh? It reminds me of a card that I received a little over four years with the Zen proverb that made my heart race -- leap and the net will appear. 

Yes, the leap can be scary, but without it, there's nothing ventured. Yes, you often can't have a hello without first saying good-bye. Then again, I might be wrong here -- perhaps the leap isn't scary but exhilarating. And just because people associate good-bye with sadness doesn't mean that saying good-bye can't be a good thing. Speaking from personal experience this year -- my good-byes have all been positive. And it's those good-byes that have allowed me to say hello to new experiences, new ways of being, more positive choices for my life. That's right -- not all good-byes are bad. And not all leaps are scary. One thing I can say for sure though -- both are necessary at some point in one's life. 

So, what are you saying good-bye to and hello to as you head into this new year?

This morning I said hello to a different sort of yoga practice. I actually put on some music (normally I don't like to practice with music playing in the background) and did a fluid, dynamic version of Sun Salutations that looked nothing like I've learned in past teacher trainings or in a yoga class or workshop (and didn't even closely resemble what I teach to clients either). Instead, I focused on moving in a way that felt good rather than practiced, fluid rather than rigid, unique rather than classical. The change felt good. Will my daily practice always look like it did this morning? Probably not. That's the thing about good-byes and hellos -- they don't always have to be permanent. 

As you begin the new adventure that 2012 brings, what do you desire to say good-bye and/or hello to? What do you need to say good-bye to before you can say hello to something even better? Perhaps a little something to ponder the next time you're lying in Savasana...

Before I sign off for 2011 (no worries -- I'll be back in 2012 [wink, wink]), I wanted to share a funny and a little something useful:

• I'm not sure if I was amused or horrified that I could totally identify with this funny article on Elephant Journal. I sure did get a laugh though. And yes, I've done all 10!!!!
• If you're feeling in need of a little detox as the holiday season comes to an end, this brief video offers a variety of detox bath recipes -- one of which I've personally tried and loved. 

May your hellos and good-byes lead you to exactly where you want to go (and beyond). Hello 2012 and good-bye for now.

Namaste!

 

Inside First, Outside Second

I'm currently indulging in the relaxing downtime that I so enjoy during the time between Christmas and New Years. As I slow down, the inevitable happens -- I get those lovely intuitive hits about where I am and where I need to go. This past year I've gone especially far and I'm experiencing a deep sense of happiness and peace unlike anything I've felt before. Yes, a lot of stuff has happened on the outside -- I've had changes in relationships, work, location, etc. In order for all of those things to happen, a lot of stuff on the inside needed to change.

As I sit on the precipice of a new year -- and in many ways, a whole new life -- I find myself most grateful for the internal changes (although I certainly do appreciate the external changes as well) that have brought me to this place. In the riddle of "what comes first, the chicken or the egg?" I know that the answer lies in what's inside; you change the inside first and that's when things on the outside start to change (so I suppose in this scenario, it would be the egg that starts it all). Now that I'm taking some quiet time, it's easier for me to acknowledge and appreciate all of the internal transformation that often gets lost in the static of daily life. 

As I think about the new year, rather than write down goals that are outside-oriented, I'm focusing instead on what I want to have happen inside. How do I want to be in life? How do I want to feel? What do I want my day-to-day experience to be? I know that everything else will spring forth from that. It sure will be interesting to see how it all turns out/translates into the outside world. It's sort of like the best kind of surprise that one could receive.

So here are a few things that will help you slow down, tune in, and do some of the inner work that leads to the sweet stuff in life: 

• Whenever I slow down -- especially if I've been going through a particularly busy time in my life -- I tend to gravitate towards hip opening poses. In fact, it's not uncommon for my yoga practice to be made up solely of hip openers. Check out this wonderful list that includes all of my favorites. 
• Since I just spoke about transforming the inside in order to change what's going on outside, I think that this wonderful article by John Douillard is quite fitting. Your emotional footprint isn't just something that you should think about during the holidays but all year long. Try following the advice here and notice what happens in your outer world after changing your inner world.
• If you're longing to make some internal changes and want to learn/try something new, why not try one (or both) of these virtual yoga events: 

1. YogaHub's 3rd Annual World Yoga Conference (this year's theme is Yoga, Meditation, and the Philosopher's Stone)
2. Sofia Diaz's 7-week digital yoga practice entitled Buddhayana Yoga: The Yogic Art of Sitting, Standing, and Walking

            Both events are relatively inexpensive and a great way to kick off the new year (and since they             are virtual, no travel is required).

Here's to slowing down, inner transformation, and a new year filled with serendipitous wonder (all of that stuff that happens on the outside is merely icing on the cake)!

Namaste!

 

 

Stripped

I'm a little quirky in that I tend to get excited about starting from ground zero. Perhaps it's the freshness, the possibility, of a new start. Regardless, shedding the old and starting anew revs my engine.

After 6 years in the same place, I'm moving and doing a life reboot. The reaction I've gotten from many is, "Wow, sounds scary." I suppose it is -- changing everything you've known and shedding the stuff that you thought you needed can be a bit...disconcerting. Frankly, I love it. I'm finding myself uncomfortable in ways that have clued me into how much I was holding onto things. And in getting a clue, I discovered that I actually need very little. My preferences have gone through an entire revolution -- many have fallen away. Scary? Nah...I'm thinking very cool. It's sort of like one big meditation practice in which you have those beautiful glimpses of clarity and nothingness.

I've given up my beloved chest of yoga props/mats/straps/blocks and have simplified to two yoga mats. I've donated and packed up dozens of yoga books. Paring down the ridiculous number of yoga pants that I have has been a bit more challenging (I justify this by telling myself that I'm actually using them as opposed to them sitting in a drawer), but progress has been made on that front as well.

As I rid myself of the stuff, a funny thing happened -- sort of like in yoga when you open up the physical body the emotional body follows -- my emotions followed suit. I'm feeling a whole heck of a lot lighter these days. And, as an extra added bonus, I'm finding that letting go of old stuff makes more room for me to be me sans the trappings/ideas/constructs of the past. Scary? No way! More like liberating!

I share this because I wish for you this feeling of freedom (and with the new year approaching, the timing seems apropos). No, I'm not suggesting you pack up all of your stuff, move, and start fresh (unless you want to, of course) -- but letting go of what you only think you need might not be a bad idea. Personally, I started small -- I boxed a bunch of yoga books I was so sure that I needed and put them in the basement. I never missed them. That got me thinking about what else I could let go of and never miss. Perhaps you could start with the very same baby step that got me started.

If that's still feeling a bit radical to you, I'll share some cool resources that'll make you feel good without all of the letting go:

• The lovely Kate Moller has written up a lovely blog post that encapsulates the beauty of simplicty and letting go. I can especially relate to her last point -- home is not a place. 
• One of my favorite yogis/bloggers, Linda Sama, wrote a wonderful blog post full o' wisdom from one of my other favorite yogis, Mark Whitwell. I just love Mark's advice to stop meditating.
• For those of you who enjoy making New Year's resolutions, check out this video from Susan Piver. 
• Looking for a little energy to go with your holiday eggnog? Check out this wonderful video from the folks at YogaMind that includes a vegan eggnog recipe and the energizing Lion's Paw Kriya. 

Enjoy the resources and this glorious holiday season.

Namaste!

 

Ha Ha Ha Happy Holidays!

‎"When we travel we often feel renewed and come alive. We think this is because we've gone somewhere new. It's silly isn't it? It's because we're somewhere new and we expect and open ourselves to notice. We recognize the presence of beauty and newness. We go intending to have fun. We allow ourselves to relax. Why do we save up this attentiveness and availability for joy for our vacations? Why not take a vacation today right now wherever you find yourself? Can you discover the beauty and fun, the playfulness and freedom of a holiday right in your own normal every day life? What a gift!" ~Meredith Murphy   [Thanks to Tracy Stalker for this]

 

I know that for some the holidays are anything but happy. And for others the holiday season means stress, busyness, and a never-ending to do list. Personally, I find the holidays to be a happy -- albeit a little too busy for my tastes -- time. This year, I've been busy with lots of personal changes. Couple that with the holiday buzz and it's a recipe for stress and frazzlement. Since I'd rather be more fa-la-la-la-la than fra-fra-fra-fra frazzled, I'm using my yoga. That means working in pockets of time in which I sit still and focus on my breathing or 10 minutes of extra slow asana. I always find that directing my focus inward -- especially in times when my focus is continually being pulled outside -- helpful.

Today I'd like to bring happy back with a few yoga-inspired goodies that are sure to put a smile on your face, regardless of how you feel about the holidays:

• Perhaps it's my Italian roots, but I'm a hugger by nature. Not only does hugging make me happy, but watching others hug makes me happy as well. Here's a little hugging happiness accompanied by a jolly little tune.  Scroll further down on the page and you'll find a wonderful challenge for the rest of the month (and beyond) -- hug someone every day. 
• They say that music soothes the savage beast, and I've found this to be true. If the holiday music is starting to get to you, why not try some soothing mantra music? Click here to download a free mix from the talented Surya Devi. 
• What happens when Santa is stressing out over the good and bad lists and worrying over toy production? He turns to yoga, of course! Click here to see Santa's yoga routine and to practice right along with him. 

There...feel better?

Namaste!

 

Let it Shine

This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine I'm Gonna let it shine
Gonna let it shine...

 

Perhaps you've been here -- you're in a yoga class during which the teacher adjusts you, resulting in pain, but you say nothing. Or perhaps you're sitting with a group of yogis who are discussing yoga philosophy and the pitfalls of Raga and Dvesha and because you're embarassed by the fact that you don't know what they're talking about you stay silent while nodding and acting like you understand. Or maybe you respond with an unconscious "it's fine" to the yoga student who, after slipping  into class late, leaves his/her phone on vibrate and continues to respond to text messages throughout class and tosses it off with an "I hope you don't mind."

And these are just some yoga-related examples. There are plenty of ways in which we don't speak up in daily life as well. Why, oh why, is it so hard to tell the truth? The fact is, I'm one of those nice people who sometimes has trouble telling the truth (or I'll tell the truth but dilute it/pretty it up quite a bit to lessen the sting) for fear that it will hurt the other person. Yes, truth sometimes skates over the fine line between what's true for you and what hurts others. I suppose this is why I tend to remind myself of this little fact -- just because I don't want to hear it doesn't make it any less true.

I've been telling the truth a lot lately and, frankly, it's gotten me into quite a bit of trouble with some folks. These days, this nice girl doesn't give a hoot that people aren't appreciating my telling the truth. I'm not saying it to be hurtful (and, yes, I attempt to say it in the nicest way possible) nor am I being harsh under the guise of "I'm just being honest" -- I'm merely saying what's true for me (note I said what's true for ME not some sort of black and white global truth) so that the person I'm dealing with clearly understands where I'm coming from. Again, I have to remember the first part of the little fact that I mentioned above -- some folks don't want to hear it.

Granted, telling the truth may feel good for the person doing it, but that person must remember that the truth-telling may not be received all that well...or at all. I had a personal experience with this that truly blew me away. After years of telling a friend of mine how I was feeling about the state of our relationship, nothing changed. I learned that hearing doesn't always equal listening. Needless to say, I ended that relationship (after saying the same thing in a myriad of ways over a period of years).

Maybe it's not even about telling the truth. Maybe instead it comes down to this -- do you want to live in integrity or do you want to perpetually fear stepping on someone else's toes? Here's a wonderful blog post that explores this topic a bit more. 

And here is a wonderful lecture from yoga teacher Elena Brower (speaking at the Wanderlust Festival SPEAKEASY Lecture Series in Stratton, VT) on a related subject -- discovering our light and working through the fear that dims our light and robs us of our lifeforce energy. 

And here's what might just happen when you veer off the path of integrity (Sorry Deepak, but you might have gone a bit too far here).

Are you letting your light shine?

Namaste!

 

Yoga Outrage: A Lesson in Not Taking it All Too Seriously

There were a couple of years somewhere in the middle of my yoga journey that I took things a bit too seriously. In fact, it's quite possible that I didn't once crack a smile on my mat during that time. Oh no -- I was the serious yoga student, intent on moving her body through the postures, with no time for something as frivolous as fun (after all, what did fun have to do with proper yoga form, anyway?!). 

Then I'm in a yoga class one day and as I come into Pigeon Pose, I feel my belly start to shake until I erupt into chuckles. That was the end of my serious yoga period. I'm happy to say that I haven't looked back since. In fact, I've even flat out guffawed on my mat at times. 

When my dear friend says, "I don't know how to think about it," my next thought is, "You just have to laugh." This past week in yoga news has been quite laughable -- and has served to remind me that you just can't take it too seriously:

• Trophy Yogis -- I once worked for a company that offered up a free NY Post newspaperevery morning (it was delivered to each desk). I never took advantage of this "perk" once in the whole time I worked at that company. Needless to say, I'm not a NY Post fan. After reading this ridiculous article about wealthy men captivated by their yoga teachers, I'm reminded why I never read this paper. The story was a sensationalized nightmare. And for those of you keeping score at home -- if you're a yoga teacher/student who's trying to "land a big fish" you've lost sight of what you're practicing.
• The Undercover Yoga Sleuth -- Move over NY Post -- the NY Times wants a piece of the cheesy pie (no, I'm not talking about pizza here). The story highlights Yoga Sleuth, who goes from yoga class to yoga class reviewing the teachers and publicizing "sleuth-approved" classes. "Teachers are our rock stars" -- really?!?!? Call me a rebel but I don't quite agree with the sleuth's viewpoint of yoga and I don't give a Downward Dog about sleuth approved yoga.
• Bikram Sues Yoga to the People -- Ah, my greedy buddy Bikram is at it again. This time he's gunning for the donation-based Yoga to the People because their hot yoga class allegedly infringes on his copyright. Wow -- just typing that made me laugh. Perhaps the heat (and possibly the greed) is getting to Bikram's head because asana and copyrighting is absolutely preposterous. 

Once you wipe the tears from your face after laughing so hard about the ridiculousity of the above, here's some light-hearted fare to restore your faith in the world:

• 3 Tips for Happy, Stress-Free Holidays -- The holidays tend to stress people out. If you're one of those people, check out this wonderful article by Ayurvedic expert John Douillard. Check out the one minute meditation technique -- it's fabulous.
• Muppet + Enlightenment = Laugh of the day -- The new muppet movie is out, but it looks like Gonzo is doing a little yoga teaching on the side to supplement his acting paychecks. Hmmm...I gotta get me a pair of those yoga pants...

Okay, I'm done laughing. You know it's rough when a puppet makes more sense than the news outlets. Yep, you just gotta laugh about it.

Namaste!

 

Comfort and Strength

As a yoga blogger, you just never know where you'll get inspiration for your next post. This one comes from Christmas music, which seems to be cropping up everywhere these days. Comfort and joy. Yoga's version of comfort and joy is Sthira and Sukha. The concept here is a balance of opposites -- effort and ease, strength and comfort, stability and relaxation. I've heard many definitions of Sthira and Sukha, but the idea remains the same.

The first time I heard a yoga teacher say "If you're shaking in this posture, you're working to hard and need to come out," I had a true ego response -- "No way -- I can handle it." Yes, I was the good little yoga student, muscling her way through her poses. I had lots of strength but very little comfort, which was obvious by the fact that I held my breath often (I could have used this wonderful and wise yoga towel to remind me to breathe).  

The idea of strength and ease didn't crystalize until I was in a yoga training years later learning about Ananta. Rather than relate the story here, I'll include the entry in the Urban Dictionary (of all places):

a Sanskrit word meaning "infinity", "without end". It may refer to Vishnu (The preserver God in Hindu's trinity) or
Ananta Shesha, a serpent on which Vishnu lies.
Ananta generally is referred to the Adishesha - the great serpent on which Vishnu rests after creating a new Universe. "Lord Vishnu's Couch" Ananta is strong enough to support the creator of the Universe and soft enough to be God's couch. So one of the main principals of Yoga - Sthira and Sukha (ease and effort) is represented by Ananta (Adishesha)Patanjali is a reincarnation of Ananta Shesha.

Sthira and Sukha are also how Patanjali defined asana. Funny how I had missed that for entire years of yoga pratice.

Interestingly enough, not only was I lacking Sthira and Sukha on the mat but in my life as well. As I started to change this, both my yoga practice and my life changed quite dramatically. Now there's a beautiful ease to my life that didn't previously exist. 

Yes folks, comfort and joy isn't just for the holidays...

One of my favorite mini practices that honors both Sthira and Sukha is simple but fun (not to mention excellent for developing strength and flexibility at the same time):

Plank to Dolphin -- Yes, it's that simple. I just alternate between the two in a mindful and gentle fashion. I hold each for as long as is comfortable (meaning my breathing remains stable).

Being that the holiday season is upon us and that's it's a difficult time for many, I think it's appropriate to wish you both Sthira and Sukha beyond your yoga mat. 

Namaste!