Tadasana

Tadasana - Standing Mountain Pose

Asana can be translated to mean "take your seat".  Obviously, you're not seated in this & many other poses in this practice.

"Take your seat".  It means get comfortable.  Settle in.  Not just into the pose, but into your body.  Get in sync with your breath & your energy.  In Tadasana, become the embodiment of a moutain.  Deeply rooted in the earth & in the moment.  Solid, grounded, steady & reaching for the sky.

Such a simple pose, when you look at it from the outside.  Yet there's so much going in when you bring your attention & energy fully into the moment & into just what you are doing.

Try it.  Try standing in Mountain Pose for 5 minutes.  It's unexpectedly challenging - again, if you are fully present & committed to bringing all of your energy & attention into the moment.  You start to notice the sensations in your legs & arms change.  You notice how much your mind wants to wander.  You notice your breath.  You notice the air on your body & how the ground feel beneath your feet.

Everything you do can be Mountain Pose.  Washing dishes, brushing your teeth, folding the laundry.  Simple actions, everyday actions.  But when you bring your energy & attention into your breath & into the moment, it changes everything.  You can really notice what you are doing & how it feels.  It's a shift - a different way of doing things.  It becomes a practice of meditation - it's yoga off the mat.

Live a Life Less Ordinary

 
"live a life less ordinary, live a life extraordinary...."

I love this line.  It's the opening song in a Curious George movie my son loves - I love the movie too.

I sang this line (off key) to my husband the other day & he laughed at me.

I don't actually know why he laughed.  Maybe because I can't sing.  Maybe because from the outside our life looks anything but extraordinary.

My husband works in Boston & we live in CT, which means we're often apart for the better part of the week.

We're in our 40s & we live with my mother.

We drive two beat up, old cars.

Not exactly what a lot of people would call extraordinary.

But it is to me.  Our life is extraordinary.

We love each other - a lot.  We love to spend time together - working in the garden, grocery shopping, doing not so extraordinary things. We love my mom.  We love our son & our grumpy dog.  We love that my Mom watches our son when we are "working".  We love living very close to our extended family.  We love not needing a lots of stuff or money to be happy.  And we love that we let our dreams drive the choices we make, rather than public opinion or even practicality.

To me, this is extraordinary.

 I've seen a lot of unhappy, unloved & unloving people in my life.  People who care too much about what others think.  People who worry too much about the past or the future & miss out on the joy of the present.

Sure, there are things that we wish we're different.  But we do our best to enjoy the things that are.

It's extraordinary that out of all the people in world, we found each other.  Extraordinary that my mother is so generous.  Extraordinary that our son is so amazing.

Live a life less ordinary. 

Love & Light

The type of yoga that I teach is a very physical practice - that's what makes it so attractive, I think, to so many people in our culture.  You can skip the gym, you don't need weights or cardio - you get it all in heated power class.  It's a flow - it just keeps coming at you - kind of like life. 

It's also a practice of moving energy.  Even if you don't buy into the talk of moving & shifting energy, you can't help but feel it.  You can get on your mat feeling crappy & worried & stressed & fearful & like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.  And at some point in your practice you'll start to feel better.  Most of the time, that is.

The tragedy of last Friday is different.  I see people coming into class worried & fearful & filled with sadness.  I see people crying quietly in class.   I hear teachers, healers, saying they're not sure what do or what to say.  I'm not sure what to do or what to say.  What can you say?

The Winter Solstice is this Friday.  12-21-12.  It's also the end of a cycle of the Mayan calender.  People talk about the end of the world, especially in light of what happened Friday.  

I find myself talking about energy & intention.  You do awaken a tremendous energy within yourself when you practice yoga.  And you feel tapped in to a bigger energy around you.  Intention, to me, is the simple act of dedicating that energy.  Dedicate it to the people touch by Friday's tragedy.  To anyone out there in pain.  To world peace.

I imagine that same energy as light.  We are all energy & are filled with light.  When you practice, you awaken your energy & your light.  If this is starting to sound like a bunch of new age, mumbo jumbo, just remember the last time you met with a really dynamic person or,  for that matter, a really peaceful person.  Didn't they seem to give off light?  Couldn't you feel their energy?

I don't really know what to do or say about last Friday.  So I set an intention everytime I get on my mat.  I ask my students to set an intention.  I remind myself that I am filled with love & light & that the world needs more love & light.  And I send my love & light out into the world.  I remind my students that they are filled with love & light & that the world needs more love & light.  And I ask them to send their love & light out into the world.

I am inspired by my teachers & my friends who are healers who are also reminding people of this.  It can be easy, in a dark time, to turn to anger & give in to fear & close people off.  Sometimes it's more challenging to keep an open heart & to send out love & light, but it's needed.

The Solstice is a reminder that in the darkest of days, light will return - strong & bright & vibrant.  And this Solstice, it seems especially appropriate.  We all have the opportunity, every day, to share love & light.  Yes, I think it's especially powerful when you get on your mat & tap in & offer this up.  But you can do it anywhere - anytime.  Sitting at a stop light, cooking dinner, waiting in line - you can take a deep breath, feel your heart open & send love & light out into the world. 


You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/

Yoda was a Yogi, Part 2

If you missed my post from last week, scroll down & check it out before continuing.

After I wrote my blog last week, our 3 year old son sat on my lap & said "mommy, draw this truck".  I replied "ok, I'll try".  (I'm not the best artist)

I caught myself saying this & quickly followed the "I'll try" with a simple "ok, let's draw this".

My truck didn't look much like the original:)  But instead of trying, I just did it.

Later in the shower, I was thinking about the day & what we would do (first issue - I was totally not present & enjoying the shower....that's a blog for another day).

I found myself thinking about a certain frozen coffee-like drink from a fast food joint for which I have a weakness.  It's a comfort food.  It tastes great going down, but inevitably I wind up feeling not great afterwards. 

I'd been focusing on eating only good, healthy food that makes me feel good.  And when I started thinking about how good one of these drinks would taste, I told myself "I'm going to try to not have one of those drinks this week".

Wait a minute...what did I say?  I'd done it again.  There was that "try".  I reframed it.  "I'm not going to have one of those drinks this week". 

It was interesting to me to see how often I used that word.  I'm going to try to eat better.  I'm going to try to do a better job with my bookkeeping.  I'm going to try to...fill in the blank.  I did it alot.  I thought alot about trying instead of doing.  Alot of energy going into trying instead into doing.  Think about it, how often do you try instead of do?  And what happens?

Like anything, once you bring some awareness to what you think (and say), it becomes easy to shift it. And then what you think & say carries over into your actions.  And suddenly, you're no longer trying, you're doing.

I did it.  I went the week without the fast food drink.  And I'm writing & posting a new blog this week.

See what you can do when you're not trying.

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/

"Do or do not.  There is no try." - Yoda

My husband is regular blog reader.  He has some that he reads every day, some that he reads every week.  He reads my blog.  Periodically (like last week), he says jokingly "I really like this blog.  I wish the author would post again".

If you follow my blog,  I try to post every week.  I try to post on Mondays - a good start for the week.

"Do or do not.  There is no try."   Hmm.

The writing part usually isn't difficult.  I get inspired to write & it just flows.  I have a bunch of drafts, potential posts, waiting in the wings.  So that, in theory, on Sunday night or early Monday morning, I can just polish a draft up & post.  Done.

Or....not so done.  Sure, I can come up with all kinds of excuses about why I don't get to my blog.  There are other, more important things & people & animals that need my attention first.  Sometimes, I get too in my head about the blog.  I get hung up on polishing a piece.  Or I decide that since I didn't post on Monday I should just wait until the following week.

It's like anything that you want to do.  It's like Yoda says - do it or don't do it.  (Yoda was yogi, you know).  What is "try" ???  Try is that "well...maybe, if things go just right & everything & everyone is all set & the planets are properly aligned it'll happen".

Truth is, there's always going to be something or someone else that wants your attention.  Doing is different that trying to do.  Doing involves intention.  It involves commitment.  It's an energy that you call up within yourself & around you.  So that what you want to happen, does happens.  And hopefully with time & doing, it takes less & less effort & it flows.

At least, that's my theory & what I'm going to try...oops.  I mean, that's what I'm going to do with my blog.  Set the intention & blog every week.

Check back next Monday for a new blog!

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/

No buts...

 

The other day I was thinking about one of my friends.  She's a great friend.  I've known her forever.  She's family to me & she would do anything for me or my family.  She is generous, kind, smart, loving, funny - the list goes on.

We've had alot of ups & downs, but we've always been there for each other.

As I was thinking about her, I suddenly realized that my good thoughts about her end with "but".  For example..."she's generous, but she's so opinionated".

For every good thought I had about her, I realized, I had another, not-so-good thought.  Some characteristic about her that I thought could use some improvement.

And it struck me, quite suddenly, that by ending my good thoughts with these not-so-good thoughts, that's what I was really focusing my energy on, and attracting to me. And in the meantime, I was making myself feel not-so-good too.

I realized all I need to focus on & think about are her good qualities...no buts.

Her generosity, her kindness, her compassion, her abundance...no buts.

If there are things about her that I think aren't perfect, well, that's my deal, not hers.  We are all works in progress.  But we are all also just right where we are, if we choose to accept that.

And here's the thing...the moment I realized that it shouldn't be about the "but", I felt better & lighter.  I no longer felt icky for thinking not-so-great things her.  I could just accept her where she was - and focus on all the good that she is.  And we both benefit.

It doesn't matter who it is...your friend, your boss, your parent, your sibling.  Forget the buts.  What do you love & respect about her?  What do you appreciate about him?  Find some quality that you can relate to & focus on that. Seek that out, especially in the person you find most challenging.  Attract that quality to you.

No buts...

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/

Me, My Mat & the Laundry

 

 

 

The other morning I woke with the plan to get right on my mat & practice.  I got my son breakfast, settled him in with a video & then took a look around.

There were toys everywhere (we hadn't picked up the night before).

The dishwasher needed to be emptied & the sink was full of dirty dishes.

The laundry basket was overflowing.  And the floor definitely needed to be vacuumed.

I was torn - I had limited time.  The disorder was almost overwhelming.  I new I'd feel better if I cleaned.

But I knew if I didn't practice right then & there, it would happen at all.

The first Yoga Sutra of Patanjali can be translated to "now begins the study of yoga".  Short, sweet & simple.

Now begins the study of yoga.  

 

As in - right now.  Not a month from from now when work settles down.  Not tomorrow when I have more time.  Not after a cup of coffee.  Not after I pick up the toys.  Not after I take care of the laundry.

And this is what I came back to that morning (and many mornings since then)....Now begins my study of yoga.

I walked past the laundry & the dishes, literally pushed the toys to the side & unrolled my mat.

And began my study, my practice, of yoga.

 

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/