Accepting what is - is perhaps the hardest lesson to learn and to embody gracefully. At least, it is for me...
On Saturday afternoon, I attended a yoga workshop with Betsey Downing, one of the first Anusara Yoga teachers to be certified, and now a co-chair of the certification committee herself. The theme for the session, which focused on forward bends and pranayama - was: "Accepting What Is."
I couldn't help but think of Byron Katie's book - Loving What Is, and of essential Buddhist teachings which tell us - that when we resist what is - we suffer. Wanting situations or others to be what we want them to be invariably leads to pain. Freedom comes in letting go. But of course, that is more easily said than done. And working on this, is nothing more and nothing less than a life-long enterprise!
Here are some of the insights from Betsey I managed to record...
"Self-acceptance reminds us that we are all part of the same thing. You are born worthy - you don't have to prove a thing...
In forward bends - you have have to let the level of your pose just be. You can't push yourself through them...They teach self-acceptance.
Anusara Yoga teaches us to accept what is and look for the most life-affirming choices...
You can transform a situation through the magic of how you choose to focus your attention. You have the ability to choose what you focus on. And what you focus on, expands. First, accept what is - then ask yourself what you are going to do about it...
Yoga is the ability of choosing where to direct your consciousness.
Instead of focusing on what's wrong - focus on what is right - and what is good. And as you do, you will start to create a different situation...
You acknowledge what is - but then focus on something else so you are not re-creating the same thing...
Stop talking yourself out of the life you most want. Instead, talk yourself into the life you most want..."
Today, be willing to accept what is - but be willing to transform any situation - but ultimately, be willing to transform who you are by shifting your consciousness. You have the power to do so.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Courage and Grace
Yesterday, I spent the day studying with Betsey Downing, one of my first yoga teachers, and one of Anusara Yoga's true gems. It has been both amazing and an honor to have witnessed her evolve both as a yogini and an human being over the course of 15 years.
I wanted to share some of her insights from yesterday...
In the first session of the day which highlighted backbends, Betsey spoke of the origin of the word "courage," which is derived from the French word "coeur," or heart. Courage invites us to be our most authentic self...
"Yoga is living with virtuosity and being your authentic self...
Anusara means to be in the flow of your own essence...
Courage means you are able to lead with your heart...
We need to re-commit to practices that make us grounded and whole...
If you consider a golf ball, the outside or exterior is hard - and it is representative of our ego. But the inside is bouncy, and the center is surrounded by rubber bands. Our Light, our essence, is wrapped up by our insecurities and our fears, like the rubber bands. Yoga loosens and starts unwrapping those bands [or ties that bind!].
Courage is stepping out into the unknown.
The courage of the heart is to be willing to reveal who we are and to be honest with what is going on inside of ourselves...
Do you want to be right - or do you want to be happy?
Yoga studios are harmonious when people are willing to do their inner work...
Whenever you act from your heart, you're making a difference.
It takes courage to listen to your heart and not do yoga and push through pain when you want to..."
Betsey wove her theme beautifully as we worked through a number of backbends in a wonderfully paced sequence. There was so much more she shared that I will be pondering for a long time to come!
I wanted to share some of her insights from yesterday...
In the first session of the day which highlighted backbends, Betsey spoke of the origin of the word "courage," which is derived from the French word "coeur," or heart. Courage invites us to be our most authentic self...
"Yoga is living with virtuosity and being your authentic self...
Anusara means to be in the flow of your own essence...
Courage means you are able to lead with your heart...
We need to re-commit to practices that make us grounded and whole...
If you consider a golf ball, the outside or exterior is hard - and it is representative of our ego. But the inside is bouncy, and the center is surrounded by rubber bands. Our Light, our essence, is wrapped up by our insecurities and our fears, like the rubber bands. Yoga loosens and starts unwrapping those bands [or ties that bind!].
Courage is stepping out into the unknown.
The courage of the heart is to be willing to reveal who we are and to be honest with what is going on inside of ourselves...
Do you want to be right - or do you want to be happy?
Yoga studios are harmonious when people are willing to do their inner work...
Whenever you act from your heart, you're making a difference.
It takes courage to listen to your heart and not do yoga and push through pain when you want to..."
Betsey wove her theme beautifully as we worked through a number of backbends in a wonderfully paced sequence. There was so much more she shared that I will be pondering for a long time to come!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Honoring Our Teachers
This weekend, I have the wonderful pleasure of studying once again with Betsey Downing, a Master Yogini, whom John Friend has affectionately referred to as the "Grande Dame" of Anusara Yoga.
Betsey was one of my first two teachers, and I took my first yoga teacher training with her, back in 1996. And, she was the first person who game a job teaching yoga back in 1997. But here she was, beginning the Friday night session of her weekend workshop, taking the time to honor her whole lineage of teachers - all those who had gone before her and brought her to the place that she is today.
I marveled at the fact that here I was, at her feet once again, with my current teacher, Suzie Hurley, who is also a dear friend of hers. In her introduction of Betsey, Suzie expressed gratitude and joy for the opportunity to enjoy Betsey as a student herself this weekend. And as I have noted before, a good teacher is always - first and foremost - a good student!
Another one of those present last night, is a friend who completed teacher training with me as well. The room was filled with teachers and students of all levels. And so, it occurred to me, that the lineage continues. I receive - what has been passed on. And I pass on - what has been received, in an endless circle of time and eternal dance...
I thought of my own lineage of teachers - and how everyone has had an impact on me in some way. Some of my teachers, I have honored by trying to embody the essence of what they imparted. Others, held up a mirror to where I needed to work, and showed me the kind of teacher I did not wish to be. So, we learn from all of our teachers, and thus, must be grateful for all of them...
Betsey's theme was: "Riding the Waves of Change," and she wove it with great artistry throughout her wonderful sequence of poses, that was perfect and delicious for a Friday night.
She noted that we are living in the midst of a major planetary shift in consciousness, and that we truly chose to be here - at this time - to be a part of this process, and thus we were people of the Light.
Betsey invited us to "become artists of the possible," and to "ride the waves of change by grounding ourselves in meaningful practices," such as yoga and meditation. The whole evening was an invitation to re-commit ourselves to those practices that were life-affirming.
I found myself driving home, late last night, grateful for Betsey's gentle presence. She is truly a Master, and one who gets better with age, like a First Growth Bordeaux. I expressed gratitude for the whole lineage of teachers that have supported me - and have supported my own teachers as well - for what we have received - we pass on to a new audience and generation. We plant seeds that germinate. We cast pebbles into rivers and oceans that ripple out to distant shores. We choose to change and become most fully the People of the Light to make this world a better one. What better task is there to do?
Betsey was one of my first two teachers, and I took my first yoga teacher training with her, back in 1996. And, she was the first person who game a job teaching yoga back in 1997. But here she was, beginning the Friday night session of her weekend workshop, taking the time to honor her whole lineage of teachers - all those who had gone before her and brought her to the place that she is today.
I marveled at the fact that here I was, at her feet once again, with my current teacher, Suzie Hurley, who is also a dear friend of hers. In her introduction of Betsey, Suzie expressed gratitude and joy for the opportunity to enjoy Betsey as a student herself this weekend. And as I have noted before, a good teacher is always - first and foremost - a good student!
Another one of those present last night, is a friend who completed teacher training with me as well. The room was filled with teachers and students of all levels. And so, it occurred to me, that the lineage continues. I receive - what has been passed on. And I pass on - what has been received, in an endless circle of time and eternal dance...
I thought of my own lineage of teachers - and how everyone has had an impact on me in some way. Some of my teachers, I have honored by trying to embody the essence of what they imparted. Others, held up a mirror to where I needed to work, and showed me the kind of teacher I did not wish to be. So, we learn from all of our teachers, and thus, must be grateful for all of them...
Betsey's theme was: "Riding the Waves of Change," and she wove it with great artistry throughout her wonderful sequence of poses, that was perfect and delicious for a Friday night.
She noted that we are living in the midst of a major planetary shift in consciousness, and that we truly chose to be here - at this time - to be a part of this process, and thus we were people of the Light.
Betsey invited us to "become artists of the possible," and to "ride the waves of change by grounding ourselves in meaningful practices," such as yoga and meditation. The whole evening was an invitation to re-commit ourselves to those practices that were life-affirming.
I found myself driving home, late last night, grateful for Betsey's gentle presence. She is truly a Master, and one who gets better with age, like a First Growth Bordeaux. I expressed gratitude for the whole lineage of teachers that have supported me - and have supported my own teachers as well - for what we have received - we pass on to a new audience and generation. We plant seeds that germinate. We cast pebbles into rivers and oceans that ripple out to distant shores. We choose to change and become most fully the People of the Light to make this world a better one. What better task is there to do?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Yoga is Seeing the Divine in All
I've spent much time this last week, contemplating and reflecting upon Professor Bill Mahoney's definitions of yoga, particularly this one: "Yoga is seeing the Divine in all beings." As I mentioned in a recent entry, he also defined yoga as a state of being - and as a technique or practice leading to a state of being.
So, I chose to focus on this idea of yoga as seeing the Divine - or the good in everything - in my classes this week - challenging my students a little more deeply than I have, and a few had breakthroughs and experiences that they had not had before...
Last week, when I studied with John Friend, he reiterated over and over again, that as practitioners and teachers of Anusara Yoga, we must look for the good - and for the highest always. It is one of the distinguishing hallmarks of our system. This is a practice - and a technique that leads us to a state of being and conversely, this state of being enables us to see the Divine in all.
This does not mean that seeing the good and the highest is always the easy thing to do - but it certainly does color our world, and over time, it can lead to profound shifts. I believe that if this attitude is your starting point in life - even if you fail and miss the mark, things will in the long run - work out for the better.
As I look outside of my bedroom window, and I marvel at the beautiful cherry blossoms that are beginning to open - how can I not honor the beauty that is budding out of a very long, cold, dangerous, and historic winter that was also one for the record books?
Even as I contemplate the backlash and the violence resulting from the most sweeping reform of our health care system that was signed into legislation yesterday, I remind myself - that even in those who attack, and those who hurt others verbally or otherwise - there is still a spark of the Divine.
So, look for the good. Be willing to see the Divine in all things and in all beings. I only exhort you to do - what I constantly remind myself to do.
So, I chose to focus on this idea of yoga as seeing the Divine - or the good in everything - in my classes this week - challenging my students a little more deeply than I have, and a few had breakthroughs and experiences that they had not had before...
Last week, when I studied with John Friend, he reiterated over and over again, that as practitioners and teachers of Anusara Yoga, we must look for the good - and for the highest always. It is one of the distinguishing hallmarks of our system. This is a practice - and a technique that leads us to a state of being and conversely, this state of being enables us to see the Divine in all.
This does not mean that seeing the good and the highest is always the easy thing to do - but it certainly does color our world, and over time, it can lead to profound shifts. I believe that if this attitude is your starting point in life - even if you fail and miss the mark, things will in the long run - work out for the better.
As I look outside of my bedroom window, and I marvel at the beautiful cherry blossoms that are beginning to open - how can I not honor the beauty that is budding out of a very long, cold, dangerous, and historic winter that was also one for the record books?
Even as I contemplate the backlash and the violence resulting from the most sweeping reform of our health care system that was signed into legislation yesterday, I remind myself - that even in those who attack, and those who hurt others verbally or otherwise - there is still a spark of the Divine.
So, look for the good. Be willing to see the Divine in all things and in all beings. I only exhort you to do - what I constantly remind myself to do.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Embodying Divine Attributes
I awaken slowly, still filled with the insights from last week's study with John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, drinking in the sweet singing of the birds outside of my window - as if, they, like Rumi, were instructing me, "Don't go back to sleep!" They urge me to awaken, not only on this day, but from the deep, dark sleep of living unconsciously:
I arise, in fullness, with greater awareness, drinking in the light of day, and note how in the simple act of rising, and awakening my consciousness more deeply, I have manifested some of the attributes of the Divine!
I recall John Friend giving us an overview of the the Nature of Ultimate Reality, of the attributes of the Absolute - of the One - that we cannot truly define - yet we are capable of knowing in our deepest hearts...And something stirs deep down inside there, in the cave of my own heart...
The Divine is at once, Pure Consciousness and Bliss without end - totally Self Aware - always Dancing out of its own delight - in an eternal dance of Pulsation and Vibration - always Luminous - shining forth this Light into every darkened corner - and yet reflecting it back as well. The Divine is the embodiment of the Ultimate Freedom that we all seek and truly yearn for. And yet, at all times, and in every moment - the Divine is Full...
I move slowly, consciously, going back and forth from that place between worlds, knowing that in my essence, I too, embody Supreme Consciousness and Unlimited Creative Potential.
Let me shine my Divine attributes, today, and every day!
"The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth between the
door sill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep."
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth between the
door sill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep."
I arise, in fullness, with greater awareness, drinking in the light of day, and note how in the simple act of rising, and awakening my consciousness more deeply, I have manifested some of the attributes of the Divine!
I recall John Friend giving us an overview of the the Nature of Ultimate Reality, of the attributes of the Absolute - of the One - that we cannot truly define - yet we are capable of knowing in our deepest hearts...And something stirs deep down inside there, in the cave of my own heart...
The Divine is at once, Pure Consciousness and Bliss without end - totally Self Aware - always Dancing out of its own delight - in an eternal dance of Pulsation and Vibration - always Luminous - shining forth this Light into every darkened corner - and yet reflecting it back as well. The Divine is the embodiment of the Ultimate Freedom that we all seek and truly yearn for. And yet, at all times, and in every moment - the Divine is Full...
I move slowly, consciously, going back and forth from that place between worlds, knowing that in my essence, I too, embody Supreme Consciousness and Unlimited Creative Potential.
Let me shine my Divine attributes, today, and every day!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The First Buds of Spring
I go for a walk, and drink in the first buds of spring...My soul is deeply enriched and fed after a week spent in the energy of my teacher, John Friend and my Anusara Yoga family...
I think of the song, "Blossom," by James Taylor, and the adolescent still very much alive in my heart, sings these lyrics once again...
I am full of insights, gratitude, and awe - for the birthing of spring - for the week I had - and for the many blessings and expressions of love given and received - in so many ways. Truly, love is all there is...
My heart aches for eternal union - yet my soul knows there will be a day millions and billions of years in the future when all souls will merge in the Ocean of Divine Love - only to be sent forth again from the Heart of the Divine as individuals rays of this Love, pulsating in and out, in an eternal dance of union and separation. Out of the One, issues forth the many, and the many become the One, in a fluidity of motion and stillness without beginning and without end...
So many impressions and recollections bubbling inside of me - truths embraced - seeking to be embodied eternally...
"Yoga is a state of knowledge characterized by light - illuminating discernment. Yoga is a state in which one sees the Divine in all beings. This is Samadhi...
In Samadhi, everything is held together as an integrated whole. When this happens, there is delightful inner freedom. There is no identifying with constricted ways of thinking. There is only ecstatic union with the True Self...
Any place can be made sacred, even those in which terrible things have occurred..."
In one moment, I have a sense of being so much more, contained in the small vessel of this body, and I taste and embody the attributes of the Divine from a Tantric perspective - I experience myself as Consciousness, as Bliss, as Ultimate Freedom, as Fullness, as Auspiciousness and Eternal Pulsation....
Once more, I drink in the first blossoms of spring outside in the fresh breeze, in my home, and in my heart - and know that they too, embody these very same attributes of the Divine in which we are all one - Divine Love embracing all of creation in its Eternal Dance...
In my fullness, I am one with the One...
I think of the song, "Blossom," by James Taylor, and the adolescent still very much alive in my heart, sings these lyrics once again...
"Blossom, smile some sunshine down my way
Lately, I've been lonesome
Blossom, its been much too long a day
Melt my cares away...
Blossom, there's an empty road behind
Sit you down beside me
Blossom, there's a sweet dream in my mind
There's a song inside me
Take these chains away..."
Lately, I've been lonesome
Blossom, its been much too long a day
Melt my cares away...
Blossom, there's an empty road behind
Sit you down beside me
Blossom, there's a sweet dream in my mind
There's a song inside me
Take these chains away..."
I am full of insights, gratitude, and awe - for the birthing of spring - for the week I had - and for the many blessings and expressions of love given and received - in so many ways. Truly, love is all there is...
My heart aches for eternal union - yet my soul knows there will be a day millions and billions of years in the future when all souls will merge in the Ocean of Divine Love - only to be sent forth again from the Heart of the Divine as individuals rays of this Love, pulsating in and out, in an eternal dance of union and separation. Out of the One, issues forth the many, and the many become the One, in a fluidity of motion and stillness without beginning and without end...
So many impressions and recollections bubbling inside of me - truths embraced - seeking to be embodied eternally...
"Yoga is a state of knowledge characterized by light - illuminating discernment. Yoga is a state in which one sees the Divine in all beings. This is Samadhi...
In Samadhi, everything is held together as an integrated whole. When this happens, there is delightful inner freedom. There is no identifying with constricted ways of thinking. There is only ecstatic union with the True Self...
Any place can be made sacred, even those in which terrible things have occurred..."
In one moment, I have a sense of being so much more, contained in the small vessel of this body, and I taste and embody the attributes of the Divine from a Tantric perspective - I experience myself as Consciousness, as Bliss, as Ultimate Freedom, as Fullness, as Auspiciousness and Eternal Pulsation....
Once more, I drink in the first blossoms of spring outside in the fresh breeze, in my home, and in my heart - and know that they too, embody these very same attributes of the Divine in which we are all one - Divine Love embracing all of creation in its Eternal Dance...
In my fullness, I am one with the One...
Friday, March 19, 2010
My Teacher Shares His Wisdom
I have concluded a week of sitting at my teacher's feet with about 100 or so students within the Anusara Yoga community. Some of those attending were Certified teachers, some Inspired, and many were fairly new on the path. But that did not matter - for each soul in attendance reflected a unique ray of the Divine's light. Each one of us is simply in a different stage on the path. And, we were all there as students with a beginner's mind...
The week was filled with insights, doubts, fears, breakthroughs, inspirations, turning points, revelations - all the typical things that a week spent with John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga always seems to elicit. He never says that we should not have doubts or fears - but it is how we use and transmute them that makes a difference in our practice and ultimately in our lives. Every time I study with him, I come away with profound insights and gems that I take and cast in the river of my students' hearts, where the ripples widen. They expand in my heart and soul as well for a very long time...
One of the many highlights of the week was listening to Professor Bill Mahoney, who teaches at Davidson College, give the most exquisite summary on the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, that I have ever heard. Listening to him was like imbibing the sweetest nectar - or like drinking a vintage Bordeaux. I could have listened to him forever.
Bill introduced yoga as being both - "a state of being" - and "a technique that leads to a state of being." He spoke of yoga as being a state in which one sees the Divine in all beings. That statement simply took my breath away... And, he referred to yoga as a dance, that while experienced in the drama of life, can lead to luminosity and liberation. As practitioners we must dance the dance in the drama of life, without being part of the drama.
Bill Mahoney ended by discussing the last of the Niyamas, personal observances described in the Yoga Sutras as an important practice. This last Niyama is the practice of Ishvara Pranidhana - or of devotion to the Lord. Bill reminded us once again that the Divine is in each and every one of us, and that this teaching really means that we should just simply bow to the Lord in everything that we do - every action, word, or practice - be it our asana or meditation. We should bow to the Lord, in every act of compassion - in equanimity and in all moments..Just simply bow to the Lord, he repeated over and over again, like a mantra, and I could see that he embodied this practice in his own life...
There is so much more I could write and share - but instead, I will share some of the wisdom I transcribed and imbibed from my teacher, John Friend - some of these were instructions received in our asana practices, and some came from our philosophical discussions...
"Open to the light of the sky - and become spacious. Then melt with sensitivity. The Universal is behind you. Trust in the Guru Principle (particularly in inversions!)
A true teacher teaches you that the Guru Principle is in you. God dwells in you as you...
The Guru's light cuts through you with great gravitas...
When you do everything with effort and surrender, that is perfection...
When we move from the core, it connects us to the Universal...
The more energy splits out from the focal point, the more opening you get in a pose...
The drama is a problem only when you forget that you are playing a role...
The game is to stay awake when you go into the shadow...
Let go of the footnotes of your life and embrace your blessings...
Anusara Yoga is a mindfulness practice that enables you to stay in the Guru Principle...
Shraddha (faith) is trusting that the Guru is holding you...
Look always for the highest.
100% is the delicate balance between effort and grace - this is the threshold of the practice and when it is sattvic.
If your practice is not at 100% - the body will tell you - the shakti comes in when it is...
I root down to rise up and show the beauty of my heart...
Honor your highest self - not your neuroses. That is not your essence.
The gateway to the heart is in the middle of 100% of rooting and rising...
Everything you think, say, or do - leaves an imprint on the akasha..."
I have 75 pages of notes and so many good things to review and nourish my soul, and those that I encounter, for a long while!
The week was filled with insights, doubts, fears, breakthroughs, inspirations, turning points, revelations - all the typical things that a week spent with John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga always seems to elicit. He never says that we should not have doubts or fears - but it is how we use and transmute them that makes a difference in our practice and ultimately in our lives. Every time I study with him, I come away with profound insights and gems that I take and cast in the river of my students' hearts, where the ripples widen. They expand in my heart and soul as well for a very long time...
One of the many highlights of the week was listening to Professor Bill Mahoney, who teaches at Davidson College, give the most exquisite summary on the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, that I have ever heard. Listening to him was like imbibing the sweetest nectar - or like drinking a vintage Bordeaux. I could have listened to him forever.
Bill introduced yoga as being both - "a state of being" - and "a technique that leads to a state of being." He spoke of yoga as being a state in which one sees the Divine in all beings. That statement simply took my breath away... And, he referred to yoga as a dance, that while experienced in the drama of life, can lead to luminosity and liberation. As practitioners we must dance the dance in the drama of life, without being part of the drama.
Bill Mahoney ended by discussing the last of the Niyamas, personal observances described in the Yoga Sutras as an important practice. This last Niyama is the practice of Ishvara Pranidhana - or of devotion to the Lord. Bill reminded us once again that the Divine is in each and every one of us, and that this teaching really means that we should just simply bow to the Lord in everything that we do - every action, word, or practice - be it our asana or meditation. We should bow to the Lord, in every act of compassion - in equanimity and in all moments..Just simply bow to the Lord, he repeated over and over again, like a mantra, and I could see that he embodied this practice in his own life...
There is so much more I could write and share - but instead, I will share some of the wisdom I transcribed and imbibed from my teacher, John Friend - some of these were instructions received in our asana practices, and some came from our philosophical discussions...
"Open to the light of the sky - and become spacious. Then melt with sensitivity. The Universal is behind you. Trust in the Guru Principle (particularly in inversions!)
A true teacher teaches you that the Guru Principle is in you. God dwells in you as you...
The Guru's light cuts through you with great gravitas...
When you do everything with effort and surrender, that is perfection...
When we move from the core, it connects us to the Universal...
The more energy splits out from the focal point, the more opening you get in a pose...
The drama is a problem only when you forget that you are playing a role...
The game is to stay awake when you go into the shadow...
Let go of the footnotes of your life and embrace your blessings...
Anusara Yoga is a mindfulness practice that enables you to stay in the Guru Principle...
Shraddha (faith) is trusting that the Guru is holding you...
Look always for the highest.
100% is the delicate balance between effort and grace - this is the threshold of the practice and when it is sattvic.
If your practice is not at 100% - the body will tell you - the shakti comes in when it is...
I root down to rise up and show the beauty of my heart...
Honor your highest self - not your neuroses. That is not your essence.
The gateway to the heart is in the middle of 100% of rooting and rising...
Everything you think, say, or do - leaves an imprint on the akasha..."
I have 75 pages of notes and so many good things to review and nourish my soul, and those that I encounter, for a long while!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A Good Teacher is Always a Good Student
Every good teacher - is first of all a good student. My students have always heard me say that they should not study with someone who is not studying with someone themselves. So, here I am, in Columbia, South Carolina, doing the Anusara Yoga Immersion Part 2. This is a program really designed for students relatively new to Anusara who want to learn more about the principles and the philosophy undergirding the method. But here I am, with a beginner's mind, taking it all in...
I had hoped to make regular entries here, but it has been a bit busier than I had anticipated...
The days are long. We meet twice a day from 4 hours, to 4 and half hours at times - doing 2 to 3 hours of asana at a time, and then covering philosophy, principles of alignment, and so forth. It is a good experience for me to review all of these teachings and then embody them in the practice, which John Friend always does, so masterfully. He is incredibly gifted at weaving his themes into the practice - in a way that is very deep - and just may push your buttons too! Why? because he wants his students to awaken more deeply.
Yesterday was an intense and emotional day for me. Part of the morning practice involved offering up asanas - particularly inversions for those we love, but also for those we are in conflict with. It was a difficult morning for me, and the practice found my "stuff" and brought it to the forefront. I worked through it, and today I felt that other layers fell away, but not before struggling and shedding some tears.
I shared my experience briefly with a dear soul last night who wisely advised me to let go of all those parts of myself that were not the authentic and real me. As a yogini herself, she suggested that I root my wise and eternal self into the ground in order to rise and connect with the Divine. And that truly, all else would pass away. She was right of course.
I got on my mat this morning, and set this intent, and something shifted for me, even though the practice was not always easy for me. It involved long holds and multiple repetitions, and working very deeply, but I was in a different space. I went from doubt and self-limiting thoughts and feelings, to more lightness and clarity and so many incredible insights.
There is so much that I could share, but it will have to wait. It is late, and I have been functioning on 5 hours of sleep or so.
I will end with some teachings from John Friend:
"In the Absolute, everything exists simultaneously. Time and space are in the Absolute, and it takes a prism to break it out...
When we get stuck in the negative, we can't see auspiciousness...
In Tantra, the kleshas (afflictions) are different, because you take everything that happens to you and you use it for a positive or life affirming advantage. You need difficulties to grow. How you respond to these things is the important issue.
In Tantra, we dance with something until it leads to that place in the middle. How can I make ugliness in my life a beauty? That is skillful action and transmutation...
Ask yourself, what I am grateful for? How did I get here? Who guided my path? Who mentored me? And then say, today I will be the best that I can be - for this ultimately will reflect on my teachers. Remember your teachers with love...
Yoga is skill in action - and it is cultivating dharmically the way to respond to a situation - which is to align with the Divine. Grace pours into you when you are aligned.
We are responsible for the future.
If you are not here and now - you are no where.
What you do now is actually changing the past...
Who you choose to be with either contributes to your aligning with the Divine - or it doesn't."
More to follow...
I had hoped to make regular entries here, but it has been a bit busier than I had anticipated...
The days are long. We meet twice a day from 4 hours, to 4 and half hours at times - doing 2 to 3 hours of asana at a time, and then covering philosophy, principles of alignment, and so forth. It is a good experience for me to review all of these teachings and then embody them in the practice, which John Friend always does, so masterfully. He is incredibly gifted at weaving his themes into the practice - in a way that is very deep - and just may push your buttons too! Why? because he wants his students to awaken more deeply.
Yesterday was an intense and emotional day for me. Part of the morning practice involved offering up asanas - particularly inversions for those we love, but also for those we are in conflict with. It was a difficult morning for me, and the practice found my "stuff" and brought it to the forefront. I worked through it, and today I felt that other layers fell away, but not before struggling and shedding some tears.
I shared my experience briefly with a dear soul last night who wisely advised me to let go of all those parts of myself that were not the authentic and real me. As a yogini herself, she suggested that I root my wise and eternal self into the ground in order to rise and connect with the Divine. And that truly, all else would pass away. She was right of course.
I got on my mat this morning, and set this intent, and something shifted for me, even though the practice was not always easy for me. It involved long holds and multiple repetitions, and working very deeply, but I was in a different space. I went from doubt and self-limiting thoughts and feelings, to more lightness and clarity and so many incredible insights.
There is so much that I could share, but it will have to wait. It is late, and I have been functioning on 5 hours of sleep or so.
I will end with some teachings from John Friend:
"In the Absolute, everything exists simultaneously. Time and space are in the Absolute, and it takes a prism to break it out...
When we get stuck in the negative, we can't see auspiciousness...
In Tantra, the kleshas (afflictions) are different, because you take everything that happens to you and you use it for a positive or life affirming advantage. You need difficulties to grow. How you respond to these things is the important issue.
In Tantra, we dance with something until it leads to that place in the middle. How can I make ugliness in my life a beauty? That is skillful action and transmutation...
Ask yourself, what I am grateful for? How did I get here? Who guided my path? Who mentored me? And then say, today I will be the best that I can be - for this ultimately will reflect on my teachers. Remember your teachers with love...
Yoga is skill in action - and it is cultivating dharmically the way to respond to a situation - which is to align with the Divine. Grace pours into you when you are aligned.
We are responsible for the future.
If you are not here and now - you are no where.
What you do now is actually changing the past...
Who you choose to be with either contributes to your aligning with the Divine - or it doesn't."
More to follow...
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Will Power in the Words of Yogananda
I have arrived safely in Columbia, SC, after driving down with a friend and colleague to study with John Friend for a week. We will be delving into the Anusara Yoga Immersion, part two, and it will be a very busy time indeed. I will be touching in as the opportunities arise.
Tonight, as I review the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda in his Spiritual Diary, I notice that all of them for this week have to deal with the subject of "will power." As often happens, what I read in his Diary, often is precisely what I need to hear...
"Always be sure, within the calm region of your inner Self that what you want is right for you to have, and in accord with God's purposes. You can then use the force of your will to accomplish your object; keeping your mind, however, centered on the thought of God, the source of all power and all accomplishment...
Mind is the creator of everything. You should therefore guide it to create only good. If you cling to a certain thought with dynamic power, it finally assumes an outward tangible form. When you are able to employ your will always for constructive purposes, you will become the controller of your destiny...
If you use all available outward means, as well as your natural abilities, to overcome every obstacle in your path, you will thus develop the powers that God gave you - unlimited powers that flow from the innermost source of your being. You possess the power of thought and the power of will. Utilize the uttermost these gifts!"
There are still so many more entries on this topic, but these few are contain a rich goldmine of insights!
Tonight, as I review the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda in his Spiritual Diary, I notice that all of them for this week have to deal with the subject of "will power." As often happens, what I read in his Diary, often is precisely what I need to hear...
"Always be sure, within the calm region of your inner Self that what you want is right for you to have, and in accord with God's purposes. You can then use the force of your will to accomplish your object; keeping your mind, however, centered on the thought of God, the source of all power and all accomplishment...
Mind is the creator of everything. You should therefore guide it to create only good. If you cling to a certain thought with dynamic power, it finally assumes an outward tangible form. When you are able to employ your will always for constructive purposes, you will become the controller of your destiny...
If you use all available outward means, as well as your natural abilities, to overcome every obstacle in your path, you will thus develop the powers that God gave you - unlimited powers that flow from the innermost source of your being. You possess the power of thought and the power of will. Utilize the uttermost these gifts!"
There are still so many more entries on this topic, but these few are contain a rich goldmine of insights!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Purnatva-Perfection
I am in the process of cleaning the house like a divine domestic goddess, and packing to go to Columbia, in South Carolina to study with John Friend the founder of Anusara Yoga for a week. It will be a long and intense week of delving into the second part of the Anusara Immersion - the jewel of the Anusara Yoga curriculum. The Curriculum Committee worked hard at standardizing this back in December, so I am excited to experience the fruits of our labor from the hands of a Master Teacher.
Yesterday, I went to take my own yoga class with Suzie Hurley, another Master Teacher, and the owner and director of Willow Street Yoga, and as always, she did not disappoint! And, as often happens, she delivered a message I needed to hear.
Suzie spoke about how we become trapped and defeated by our need to be perfect, when we are already that in essence. We worked with hip openers, and instead of striving for perfection, we were invited to embody the fullness we already manifest on so many levels.
The class was truly joyous in so many ways and we explored the meaning of "purnatva" - often translated as fullness and perfection. This is a common theme in Anusara classes.
While we were in Savasana, Suzie played a rendition of an ancient Sanskrit chant from the Shavasya Upanishad, from the Yajur Veda, which has always been one of my favorites:
While there are many translations of this mantra, this is one I resonate most deeply with:
As I often tell my students, they are already Divine in their essence, and their poses are already perfect as they are - because they are expressed from within. All we do in class is enhance them. Each one of of my students is already an unique manifestation of the Divine, and through our shared practice, we make beauty through the artistic expression of our poses.
Suzie ended class with this beautiful poem by Dana Faulds:
Go out and weave your own tapestry of fullness and perfect and shine your beauty and poetry on the mat!
Yesterday, I went to take my own yoga class with Suzie Hurley, another Master Teacher, and the owner and director of Willow Street Yoga, and as always, she did not disappoint! And, as often happens, she delivered a message I needed to hear.
Suzie spoke about how we become trapped and defeated by our need to be perfect, when we are already that in essence. We worked with hip openers, and instead of striving for perfection, we were invited to embody the fullness we already manifest on so many levels.
The class was truly joyous in so many ways and we explored the meaning of "purnatva" - often translated as fullness and perfection. This is a common theme in Anusara classes.
While we were in Savasana, Suzie played a rendition of an ancient Sanskrit chant from the Shavasya Upanishad, from the Yajur Veda, which has always been one of my favorites:
" purnamada purnamidan
purnaat purnamudachyate
purnasya purnaamadaya
purnameva vashishyate"
purnaat purnamudachyate
purnasya purnaamadaya
purnameva vashishyate"
While there are many translations of this mantra, this is one I resonate most deeply with:
"This is perfect, that is perfect
Perfection comes from the perfect.
Take the perfect away from the perfect,
and only the perfect remains."
Perfection comes from the perfect.
Take the perfect away from the perfect,
and only the perfect remains."
As I often tell my students, they are already Divine in their essence, and their poses are already perfect as they are - because they are expressed from within. All we do in class is enhance them. Each one of of my students is already an unique manifestation of the Divine, and through our shared practice, we make beauty through the artistic expression of our poses.
Suzie ended class with this beautiful poem by Dana Faulds:
Perfect Emanation
"The perfect emanation is
alive inside each one of us
right now. I'm not denying
my imperfect translation,
my stumbling fits and starts,
or my dark side.
Yet look at what is
manifesting! Witness how
the thread comes off
the spool without tangles,
how the tapestry of life
weaves itself
using me a loom."
"The perfect emanation is
alive inside each one of us
right now. I'm not denying
my imperfect translation,
my stumbling fits and starts,
or my dark side.
Yet look at what is
manifesting! Witness how
the thread comes off
the spool without tangles,
how the tapestry of life
weaves itself
using me a loom."
Go out and weave your own tapestry of fullness and perfect and shine your beauty and poetry on the mat!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Mahasamadhi Musings on the River
I sit in meditation on this, the Mahasamadhi of Sri Yukteswar, who was Paramahansa Yogananda's own guru, and I drink in these words from him to Yogananda, coming from what is perhaps, one of my favorite passages, for it denotes what a true soul companion does for another:
The day is sunny, warm, and radiant, like an invincible spring emerging from the rubble of winter, undefeated, and I make it down to the river which is perfectly still, and undeniably placid...
I paddle to the middle of the river, surround by birds of many kinds, some floating, some singing, some flying to and fro, and I drink in the beauty and majesty of every moment - so real, so pure, and so present!
I give thanks for all that is, and on this day of the conscious exit from the body of one great guru's guru - I merge my prayers with that of all devotees and ask that my friends, family, and loved ones, receive whatever it is that they need to receive in this moment in time...
I enjoy every present moment on this river, so impregnated with life - reflecting the Divine in all things. And for a moment, I truly see and understand what it means to embody unity, as I float, lost in the beauty of nature's symphony of luscious sounds!
"I will be your friend from now to Eternity,
no matter whether you are
on the lowest mental plane
or on the highest plane of wisdom.
I will be your friend
even if you should err,
for then you will need my friendship
more than at any other time...
You and I shall smile together,
so long as our two forms appear different
in the maya-dream of God.
Finally, we shall merge as one
in the Cosmic Beloved;
our smiles shall be His smile,
our unified song of joy
vibrating throughout eternity..."
no matter whether you are
on the lowest mental plane
or on the highest plane of wisdom.
I will be your friend
even if you should err,
for then you will need my friendship
more than at any other time...
You and I shall smile together,
so long as our two forms appear different
in the maya-dream of God.
Finally, we shall merge as one
in the Cosmic Beloved;
our smiles shall be His smile,
our unified song of joy
vibrating throughout eternity..."
The day is sunny, warm, and radiant, like an invincible spring emerging from the rubble of winter, undefeated, and I make it down to the river which is perfectly still, and undeniably placid...
I paddle to the middle of the river, surround by birds of many kinds, some floating, some singing, some flying to and fro, and I drink in the beauty and majesty of every moment - so real, so pure, and so present!
I give thanks for all that is, and on this day of the conscious exit from the body of one great guru's guru - I merge my prayers with that of all devotees and ask that my friends, family, and loved ones, receive whatever it is that they need to receive in this moment in time...
I enjoy every present moment on this river, so impregnated with life - reflecting the Divine in all things. And for a moment, I truly see and understand what it means to embody unity, as I float, lost in the beauty of nature's symphony of luscious sounds!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Yogic Musings on the River
After teaching this morning, I made my way down to the offices at Algonkian Park, and bought my 2010 boat launch pass for Grace, my kayak. I spontaneously decided it was time to make it into the Potomac River after a long winter hiatus.
At exactly 2:00 PM, I pushed away from the boat launch and paddled out into the waters, breathing in the fresh, crisp air, and delighting in this unexpected opportunity to commune with the river once again. I could see a couple of blue herons off in the distance. I cannot remember when I last went kayaking, but I suspect it was some time in October. This, was the first opportunity I have had this year to go paddling, even if it was only going to be for a brief period...
It is hard to describe how vibrantly alive one feels in the river. I enjoyed my moments there as I relished the memories of teaching my yoga class this morning. I worked with the theme of holding the mirror up to where we need to do our work, inspired from an blog entry I made last week.
We worked through increasingly challenging twists - which are always good to do in between seasons to detox and cleanse the body - and I noted how every day we experience so many opportunities that invite us to reflect on what it is that we need to work on. Sometimes friends hold up the necessary mirrors for us to see these reflections - or family members do this, but most often it is those we are in conflict with that become the needed messengers in our lives.
Yet, the mat also offers us that opportunity to see what it is we need to see. The mat reflects back to us what our issues are. Some poses push our buttons and we avoid them, only doing them when our teacher instructs us to do them. Last week I discussed how certain poses push our buttons with a couple of other teachers at Willow Street Yoga, and it was fascinating to hear what poses elicited what for different people.
During the early years of my doing yoga, handstand was a pose I was actually very much afraid of. Then, over the course of time and lots of work, it became my favorite inversion - but it was not an easy transition to that point. That is why I am very compassionate towards those who also harbor that fear.
After that, it was hand balancings, or arm balances. I had many gut wrenching experiences attempting them that conjured up all sorts of insecurities. Being led to the right teachers I needed at different junctures helped me to address the underlying issues those poses elicited.
Practitioners of yoga also come together in a community where we work on poses that are challenging and hold up the mirror to where we need to do our work. Together, we can offer each other the support that is needed to make a needed breakthrough.
As we worked this morning, one student shared how the theme was precisely what she needed to hear. Recently she had gotten a new boss that pushed all her buttons and she was seeing it as an invitation to grow and move on to a different job - a move she had actually been avoiding...
When Grace and I first launched into the river, I could not have anticipated how this river would hold up a mirror to so many places inside me that I needed to work on. And so, for nearly two years, I received many needed insights until all the major broad strokes had been addressed.
Today, and this week, slow down and take a moment to listen to whomever or whatever is holding a mirror up to the work you need to do. And then, take the time express your gratitude for the opportunities received, for they are blessings in disguise.
At exactly 2:00 PM, I pushed away from the boat launch and paddled out into the waters, breathing in the fresh, crisp air, and delighting in this unexpected opportunity to commune with the river once again. I could see a couple of blue herons off in the distance. I cannot remember when I last went kayaking, but I suspect it was some time in October. This, was the first opportunity I have had this year to go paddling, even if it was only going to be for a brief period...
It is hard to describe how vibrantly alive one feels in the river. I enjoyed my moments there as I relished the memories of teaching my yoga class this morning. I worked with the theme of holding the mirror up to where we need to do our work, inspired from an blog entry I made last week.
We worked through increasingly challenging twists - which are always good to do in between seasons to detox and cleanse the body - and I noted how every day we experience so many opportunities that invite us to reflect on what it is that we need to work on. Sometimes friends hold up the necessary mirrors for us to see these reflections - or family members do this, but most often it is those we are in conflict with that become the needed messengers in our lives.
Yet, the mat also offers us that opportunity to see what it is we need to see. The mat reflects back to us what our issues are. Some poses push our buttons and we avoid them, only doing them when our teacher instructs us to do them. Last week I discussed how certain poses push our buttons with a couple of other teachers at Willow Street Yoga, and it was fascinating to hear what poses elicited what for different people.
During the early years of my doing yoga, handstand was a pose I was actually very much afraid of. Then, over the course of time and lots of work, it became my favorite inversion - but it was not an easy transition to that point. That is why I am very compassionate towards those who also harbor that fear.
After that, it was hand balancings, or arm balances. I had many gut wrenching experiences attempting them that conjured up all sorts of insecurities. Being led to the right teachers I needed at different junctures helped me to address the underlying issues those poses elicited.
Practitioners of yoga also come together in a community where we work on poses that are challenging and hold up the mirror to where we need to do our work. Together, we can offer each other the support that is needed to make a needed breakthrough.
As we worked this morning, one student shared how the theme was precisely what she needed to hear. Recently she had gotten a new boss that pushed all her buttons and she was seeing it as an invitation to grow and move on to a different job - a move she had actually been avoiding...
When Grace and I first launched into the river, I could not have anticipated how this river would hold up a mirror to so many places inside me that I needed to work on. And so, for nearly two years, I received many needed insights until all the major broad strokes had been addressed.
Today, and this week, slow down and take a moment to listen to whomever or whatever is holding a mirror up to the work you need to do. And then, take the time express your gratitude for the opportunities received, for they are blessings in disguise.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A Guru's Mahasamadhi
I awaken at 4 AM, intending to meditate early before I am off to teach yoga on the side of the river. But, I fall back asleep and finally get up at 5 AM instead. I go into my meditation room and my heart rejoices as it sits before my altar, festively decorated with peach colored roses and surrounded by the warm glow of the two long lasting votive candles that I lit at twilight yesterday - intending that their flames, span the length of two Mahasamadhis on alternating days - that of one guru - and his own guru...
I sit for an hour, giving the intention to merge my prayers and meditations with a dear friend, drinking in the sweet nectar and graces of this Mahasamadhi - the day that Paramahansa Yogananda consciously exited his body and merged with the Divine. It is said, that on such a day, special blessings and graces are available to the devotee, so I ask for blessings not only for myself - but for special friends and family members as well. I ask that all receive what is meant for their highest good...
A guru shows one the way to the Divine, and I delight in these words from Yogananda's writings:
I sit in the morning, as the last of the darkness begins to melt into the first emerging rays of light, and I give thanks for all that is - and all that I have received in the midst of a very busy week teaching and subbing 12 classes. I am filled with the many wonderful experiences stemming from all that teaching and sharing...
I repeat this prayer wonderful by Yogananda, slowly and mindfully:
I think to myself - what else is there? What work could possibly be more sacred than to open the doorway to Divine Love for others?
As I prepare to go about the tasks of this day, I recall one last favored verse from a poem by Yogananda:
On this magnificent day, full of sunlight and love, and all good things, my heart proclaims: Jai Guru!
I sit for an hour, giving the intention to merge my prayers and meditations with a dear friend, drinking in the sweet nectar and graces of this Mahasamadhi - the day that Paramahansa Yogananda consciously exited his body and merged with the Divine. It is said, that on such a day, special blessings and graces are available to the devotee, so I ask for blessings not only for myself - but for special friends and family members as well. I ask that all receive what is meant for their highest good...
A guru shows one the way to the Divine, and I delight in these words from Yogananda's writings:
"The friendship that exists between guru
and the disciple is eternal.
There is complete surrender,
there is no compulsion,
when a disciple accepts
the guru's training."
"My body shall pass
but my work shall go on.
And my spirit shall live on.
Even when I am taken away
I shall work with you
for the deliverance of the world
with the message of God.
Prepare yourselves for the glory of God.
Change yourselves with the flame of spirit."
and the disciple is eternal.
There is complete surrender,
there is no compulsion,
when a disciple accepts
the guru's training."
"My body shall pass
but my work shall go on.
And my spirit shall live on.
Even when I am taken away
I shall work with you
for the deliverance of the world
with the message of God.
Prepare yourselves for the glory of God.
Change yourselves with the flame of spirit."
I sit in the morning, as the last of the darkness begins to melt into the first emerging rays of light, and I give thanks for all that is - and all that I have received in the midst of a very busy week teaching and subbing 12 classes. I am filled with the many wonderful experiences stemming from all that teaching and sharing...
I repeat this prayer wonderful by Yogananda, slowly and mindfully:
"May Thy Light shine forever
on the sanctuary of my devotion,
that I may be able to awaken
Thy love in all hearts."
on the sanctuary of my devotion,
that I may be able to awaken
Thy love in all hearts."
I think to myself - what else is there? What work could possibly be more sacred than to open the doorway to Divine Love for others?
As I prepare to go about the tasks of this day, I recall one last favored verse from a poem by Yogananda:
"In waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping.
Serving meditating, chanting, divinely loving,
My soul constantly hums, unheard by any:
God! God! God!"
Serving meditating, chanting, divinely loving,
My soul constantly hums, unheard by any:
God! God! God!"
On this magnificent day, full of sunlight and love, and all good things, my heart proclaims: Jai Guru!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Re-Setting Intentions to Heal
In the last few weeks, I have undergone a significant shift in consciousness regarding how to approach pain and various issues in my life, and it basically comes down to shifting my whole perspective and taking on the ownership of my own healing.
For too long my focus has been on the total elimination of physical pain, rather than dealing with it mindfully. I have been slowly moving more intentionally in the direction of trusting my inner wisdom. So, most of entries in the last few weeks have dealt with various aspects of this journey. And in a very real way - I write and share what I need to hear and learn myself. We teach in order to learn.
I shared a lot of my insights today with my gifted craniosacral therapist, who nodded affirmatively in acknowledgment of my realizations which were primarily about letting go of a goal - and focusing more on the process.
As spring begins to make its presence manifest - I have a desire to work on so many of these issues. For the first time in a while, I am excited about the task at hand, recognizing that I have many more tools available to me than most that I can readily access...
I came home, and read these principles for manifesting intentions that came from the Chopra Center Agni Newsletter.
Deepak Chopra offered this reminder in his own letter:
Our true self is:
From the newsletter:
"The following principles will help you become aware of how you create your reality and will empower you to transform or let go of whatever is no longer serving you. Choose one principle to focus on and practice each day.
1. My true self is pure, unbounded consciousness.
I will remember that thoughts come and go, but the core of consciousness is forever. Today I will experience myself beyond limitations. I will set aside time to meditate and be present with myself in the silence and peace of pure consciousness. I will experience myself as love, as a light that flows from my heart and spreads out into the universe as far as my awareness can reach.
2. The events in my life reflect who I am.
I will choose one thing that happens today and see how it mirrors my self. If I feel angry at someone, I will consider if what I dislike about that person actually exists in me. If an overheard conversation grabs my attention, I will take those words as a personal message. I will look at the world inside of me.
3. The people in my life reflect aspects of myself.
Today I will look at my friends, family, and everyone I meet as a group picture of me. Each person stand for a quality I want to see in myself or want to reject. I learn the most from those I intensely love or intensely dislike.
4. Whatever I pay attention to will grow.
I will take an inventory of how I'm using my attention. I will keep a log of my activities to find out how much time I spend on activities that fulfill me, or escapist fantasies. I will ask myself, "What do I want to grow in my life?" The answer will tell me how much my attention needs to shift.
5. Nothing is random - my life is full of signs and symbols.
I will look for patterns in my life. They could be anywhere - in what others say to me, the way I react to situations, how I am treated. I will open my awareness to hidden beliefs that shape my reality. These are signs of whether or not I believe I have personal power. I will look for signs about my belief in whether I deserve love - or not.
6. The universe always give me the best positive results.
Today I will focus on the gifts in my life. I will show gratitude for what is working rather than dwelling on what is not. I will notice how my own level of awareness shapes my perception of the world I am co-creating.
7. My inner awareness is always evolving.
Today I will ask myself how far I've come on my chosen path. Where do I stand right now? Where am I going. Even if I don't see immediate external results, do I feel that I am growing inside? I will set my intention on moving from Constriction to expansion."
I could easily lose myself in any one of these, and I feel re-setting my intentions is off to a good start!
For too long my focus has been on the total elimination of physical pain, rather than dealing with it mindfully. I have been slowly moving more intentionally in the direction of trusting my inner wisdom. So, most of entries in the last few weeks have dealt with various aspects of this journey. And in a very real way - I write and share what I need to hear and learn myself. We teach in order to learn.
I shared a lot of my insights today with my gifted craniosacral therapist, who nodded affirmatively in acknowledgment of my realizations which were primarily about letting go of a goal - and focusing more on the process.
As spring begins to make its presence manifest - I have a desire to work on so many of these issues. For the first time in a while, I am excited about the task at hand, recognizing that I have many more tools available to me than most that I can readily access...
I came home, and read these principles for manifesting intentions that came from the Chopra Center Agni Newsletter.
Deepak Chopra offered this reminder in his own letter:
Our true self is:
- Connected to all that exists
- Unlimited and unbounded
- Infinitely creative
- Fearless and willing to step into the unknown
From the newsletter:
"The following principles will help you become aware of how you create your reality and will empower you to transform or let go of whatever is no longer serving you. Choose one principle to focus on and practice each day.
1. My true self is pure, unbounded consciousness.
I will remember that thoughts come and go, but the core of consciousness is forever. Today I will experience myself beyond limitations. I will set aside time to meditate and be present with myself in the silence and peace of pure consciousness. I will experience myself as love, as a light that flows from my heart and spreads out into the universe as far as my awareness can reach.
2. The events in my life reflect who I am.
I will choose one thing that happens today and see how it mirrors my self. If I feel angry at someone, I will consider if what I dislike about that person actually exists in me. If an overheard conversation grabs my attention, I will take those words as a personal message. I will look at the world inside of me.
3. The people in my life reflect aspects of myself.
Today I will look at my friends, family, and everyone I meet as a group picture of me. Each person stand for a quality I want to see in myself or want to reject. I learn the most from those I intensely love or intensely dislike.
4. Whatever I pay attention to will grow.
I will take an inventory of how I'm using my attention. I will keep a log of my activities to find out how much time I spend on activities that fulfill me, or escapist fantasies. I will ask myself, "What do I want to grow in my life?" The answer will tell me how much my attention needs to shift.
5. Nothing is random - my life is full of signs and symbols.
I will look for patterns in my life. They could be anywhere - in what others say to me, the way I react to situations, how I am treated. I will open my awareness to hidden beliefs that shape my reality. These are signs of whether or not I believe I have personal power. I will look for signs about my belief in whether I deserve love - or not.
6. The universe always give me the best positive results.
Today I will focus on the gifts in my life. I will show gratitude for what is working rather than dwelling on what is not. I will notice how my own level of awareness shapes my perception of the world I am co-creating.
7. My inner awareness is always evolving.
Today I will ask myself how far I've come on my chosen path. Where do I stand right now? Where am I going. Even if I don't see immediate external results, do I feel that I am growing inside? I will set my intention on moving from Constriction to expansion."
I could easily lose myself in any one of these, and I feel re-setting my intentions is off to a good start!
"Everything in your life
is there as a vehicle for transformation.
Use it!"
~ Ram Dass
is there as a vehicle for transformation.
Use it!"
~ Ram Dass
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Reflections in Mirrors and Murtis
I do a practice that is slow, and mindful - deliberate movements flowing with the breath - dancing with the Universal Principles of Alignment of Anusara Yoga. I end with many Urdhva Dhanurasanas - a pose I have avoided because of all the emotional issues it unleashes. But now, as the dry "vata" season of the fall and winter - yield to the wet "kapha" season of spring - I feel drawn to a practice and cleansing rituals that will balance my primary dosha. Something deep inside is awakening once again, after a long hibernation and deep slumber...
For so long, I avoided a practice of intense back bends even though they held up the mirror to where I needed to work. But I was not ready to go there...
If we are honest with ourselves, we will recognize that we are offered many opportunities to see our reflection in the mirrors dear friends hold up to us to do the work that we need. These opportunities come in all our experiences on a daily basis - and often they are offered by those we are most in conflict with. Colin Tipping the author of Radical Forgiveness says these people are truly angels, for they perform a most important task in our lives...
What we avoid, and what we embrace also reflect to us what we need to know and what we need to work on...
I reflect on these things, as I go for a walk in the rain. I review some of the things I was reminded of once again, at a workshop I attended at Willow Street Yoga this weekend, with Dr. Manoj Chalam - a fascinating man - with a doctorate in chemical physics who answered his calling to teach and make available rare and sacred murtis - statues which are truly infused with spiritual energy.
While many might look upon these statues as being mere representations of Hindu deities and therefore dismiss them, Manoj explains they are so much more. Through the telling of the stories of the deities and their symbolism - he reveals how they are really archetypes which Carl Jung recognized as present in our collective unconscious. It is no accident that we are primarily drawn to certain manifestations of these deities. I am amazed at my own attraction to Siva.
I have been drawn to Siva for many years - primarily in his manifestation of the dancing Lord - even before I had embarked on this yogic journey of mine. Years ago, I bought a Siva Nataraja in SoHo in New York because I was mesmerized by it. I knew nothing of the inherent meaning of its symbols. A year ago - a dear friend who is an intuitive - was able to see this archetype of Siva in me - and not really knowing anything about Siva - described this deity as dancing in my heart in a circle of flames. When she saw the murti in my room - she pointed to it.
Deities we resonate are called our "ishta devatas." My intuitive friend also revealed that Jesus and Buddha were also my soul's companions...
The dancing Siva speaks to those who are in a process of radical transformation. One of his hands is held up in the "abhaya mudra" - which is a gesture that says: "Fear not!" This mudra removes fears and uncertainties. A flame in a second hand - exhorts us out of our comfort zone. Another hand holds a drum that represents oneness and multiplicity at the same time. One more hand points down in a gesture that says - "Let it go!" It invites surrender - which is my greatest spiritual lesson in this life. The snakes that wrap and surround Siva represent our desires and invites us to be in control of them.
One foot of Siva stands over a demon that symbolizes our forgetfulness of who we are and our true essence. The wheel surrounding Siva represents the cycle of life. This manifestation of Siva ultimately invites us to live more deeply from our heart center. Siva dances through the chaos of life - symbolizing the changing the unchanged - reminding us that life represents both aspects.
It amazes me that I was drawn to a murti that in effect, summarized my life's greatest issues and the very areas I have been working on these last few years...
I know that my murtis have held up a mirror to those places in me needing work. Last year I purchased several Sivas - one of them doing a one handed handstand - floating in the air without effort. This Siva represents ultimate freedom - and I bought it during the Anusara Yoga Teachers Certified Gathering on a day John Friend had me demo a handstand in a room full of 150 yogis - and in a year that his tour was called "Ultimate Freedom!" This murti is also the symbol of a true "Jivanmukti" - one who is living - remaining embodied while having attained liberation - which is the goal of every yogi and yogini.
This weekend I purchased two Natarajas - one for my home studio, and another for my meditation room.
Ultimately, the murtis reflect our own sacred and Divine nature back to us. We are all murtis - for we are all temples of the Divine. We are also murtis to one another - holding up the mirror to each other - and doing so - is really the greatest gift we can give to another - no matter how painful it may be... And so, I wrote this poem to one such soul who has done this for me, over and over again...
You Held Up the Mirror
you held up the mirror
showing me the places
where I had to do my work
you held up the mirror
pointing the way
to where I needed to heal
you held up the mirror
and revealed the darkness
hungrily seeking the light
I looked and saw
what was there--
trying to remain hidden
you held up the mirror
reflecting the doorway
to the Other Side
you held up the mirror
and like Rumi,
I entered the ruins
of my own heart
and learned the meaning
of humility
you held up the mirror
and like the first bud of spring
my soul began to germinate
yet once again
Who and what holds up the mirror for you to see your own reflection? The opportunities are there - all around you - if you are willing to see them...
For so long, I avoided a practice of intense back bends even though they held up the mirror to where I needed to work. But I was not ready to go there...
If we are honest with ourselves, we will recognize that we are offered many opportunities to see our reflection in the mirrors dear friends hold up to us to do the work that we need. These opportunities come in all our experiences on a daily basis - and often they are offered by those we are most in conflict with. Colin Tipping the author of Radical Forgiveness says these people are truly angels, for they perform a most important task in our lives...
What we avoid, and what we embrace also reflect to us what we need to know and what we need to work on...
I reflect on these things, as I go for a walk in the rain. I review some of the things I was reminded of once again, at a workshop I attended at Willow Street Yoga this weekend, with Dr. Manoj Chalam - a fascinating man - with a doctorate in chemical physics who answered his calling to teach and make available rare and sacred murtis - statues which are truly infused with spiritual energy.
While many might look upon these statues as being mere representations of Hindu deities and therefore dismiss them, Manoj explains they are so much more. Through the telling of the stories of the deities and their symbolism - he reveals how they are really archetypes which Carl Jung recognized as present in our collective unconscious. It is no accident that we are primarily drawn to certain manifestations of these deities. I am amazed at my own attraction to Siva.
I have been drawn to Siva for many years - primarily in his manifestation of the dancing Lord - even before I had embarked on this yogic journey of mine. Years ago, I bought a Siva Nataraja in SoHo in New York because I was mesmerized by it. I knew nothing of the inherent meaning of its symbols. A year ago - a dear friend who is an intuitive - was able to see this archetype of Siva in me - and not really knowing anything about Siva - described this deity as dancing in my heart in a circle of flames. When she saw the murti in my room - she pointed to it.
Deities we resonate are called our "ishta devatas." My intuitive friend also revealed that Jesus and Buddha were also my soul's companions...
The dancing Siva speaks to those who are in a process of radical transformation. One of his hands is held up in the "abhaya mudra" - which is a gesture that says: "Fear not!" This mudra removes fears and uncertainties. A flame in a second hand - exhorts us out of our comfort zone. Another hand holds a drum that represents oneness and multiplicity at the same time. One more hand points down in a gesture that says - "Let it go!" It invites surrender - which is my greatest spiritual lesson in this life. The snakes that wrap and surround Siva represent our desires and invites us to be in control of them.
One foot of Siva stands over a demon that symbolizes our forgetfulness of who we are and our true essence. The wheel surrounding Siva represents the cycle of life. This manifestation of Siva ultimately invites us to live more deeply from our heart center. Siva dances through the chaos of life - symbolizing the changing the unchanged - reminding us that life represents both aspects.
It amazes me that I was drawn to a murti that in effect, summarized my life's greatest issues and the very areas I have been working on these last few years...
I know that my murtis have held up a mirror to those places in me needing work. Last year I purchased several Sivas - one of them doing a one handed handstand - floating in the air without effort. This Siva represents ultimate freedom - and I bought it during the Anusara Yoga Teachers Certified Gathering on a day John Friend had me demo a handstand in a room full of 150 yogis - and in a year that his tour was called "Ultimate Freedom!" This murti is also the symbol of a true "Jivanmukti" - one who is living - remaining embodied while having attained liberation - which is the goal of every yogi and yogini.
This weekend I purchased two Natarajas - one for my home studio, and another for my meditation room.
Ultimately, the murtis reflect our own sacred and Divine nature back to us. We are all murtis - for we are all temples of the Divine. We are also murtis to one another - holding up the mirror to each other - and doing so - is really the greatest gift we can give to another - no matter how painful it may be... And so, I wrote this poem to one such soul who has done this for me, over and over again...
You Held Up the Mirror
you held up the mirror
showing me the places
where I had to do my work
you held up the mirror
pointing the way
to where I needed to heal
you held up the mirror
and revealed the darkness
hungrily seeking the light
I looked and saw
what was there--
trying to remain hidden
you held up the mirror
reflecting the doorway
to the Other Side
you held up the mirror
and like Rumi,
I entered the ruins
of my own heart
and learned the meaning
of humility
you held up the mirror
and like the first bud of spring
my soul began to germinate
yet once again
Who and what holds up the mirror for you to see your own reflection? The opportunities are there - all around you - if you are willing to see them...
Monday, March 1, 2010
How to Be More Positive
Jon Gordon's Weekly Newsletter for this week offered these 5 simple suggestions to neutralize complaining in our lives, and thus contribute to a more positive outlook and behavior. I list them here because they compliment my entry from yesterday so well!
On this first day of March - as we joyfully enter into the emerging season of spring - we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to start spring cleaning our souls - thus preparing them to be filled more deeply with radiant life!
These are truly wonderful reminders for all of us as we enter a new month. We have the chance to begin one again!
For more information, visit:
www.jongordon.com
On this first day of March - as we joyfully enter into the emerging season of spring - we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to start spring cleaning our souls - thus preparing them to be filled more deeply with radiant life!
- Practice Gratitude. Research shows that when we count three blessings a day, we get a measurable boost in happiness that uplifts and energizes us. It's also physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time. Two thoughts cannot occupy our mind at the same time. If you are focusing on gratitude, you can't be negative. You can also energize and engage your coworkers by letting them know you are grateful for them and their work.
- Praise Others. Instead of complaining about what others are doing wrong, start focusing on what they are doing right. Praise them and watch as they create more success as a result. Of course, point out their mistakes so they can learn and grow, but make sure you give three times as much praise as criticism.
- Focus on Success. Start a success journal. Each night before you go to bed, write down the one great thing about your day. The one great conversation, accomplishment, or win that you are most proud of. Focus on your success, and you'll look forward to creating more success tomorrow.
- Let Go. Focus on the things that you have the power to change, and let of of the things that are beyond your control. You'll be amazed that when you stop trying to control everything, it all somehow works out. Surrender is the answer.
- Pray. Scientific research shows that daily prayer reduces stress; boosts positive energy; and promotes health, vitality, and longevity. When you are faced with the urge to complain or you are feeling stressed to the max, stop, be still, plug-in to the ultimate power, and recharge.
These are truly wonderful reminders for all of us as we enter a new month. We have the chance to begin one again!
For more information, visit:
www.jongordon.com
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