Keep Calm

This is what I tell myself right now. But all I want to do is run and jump and play and go shopping and hang out with friends and family and eat and drink and be merry. Ahh!!! It's the holidays and I miss and love everyone that I miss and love.

And we have 1.5 days of work left. So I have to buckle down.

A bit.

And I even wish I had more presents to buy or wrap, so I'm thinking of things to keep me in the merry spirit. Although I have been only living in it! Xmas music during sadhana every morning, during every drive to the gym, store or yoga...I'm in it dear sir.

I am just excited and trying to use brahmacharya to maintain the senses.....

PRACTICE practice practice.

Do the yamas and the niyamas ever get old?

Pun intended.

Love and be merry.

From someone who is soon to be married!

-Me.

It's Friday

And that means we get a release from the week of work! And the gift is a lightness and a freedom. And having the girls over for a sleepover. Woop!

Today I received this quote:

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."

-Chinese Proverb 1831-1881.

A good quote to remember...let's all give what we're here to give. We don't need to solve the worlds problems! Just do our part. And do what we love. Cuz they go together.

LOVE.

On healing...

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."

—Attributed to
Thomas Edison

"I make the most of all that comes.

And the least of all that goes."

-Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)

This quote has stuck with me since I came across it. Only to recently research a bit more about its author. Turns out Sara was a poet who suffered from poor health most of her life. Her fate may have been dark, but her words, these words, prove a good reminder to me in how to face the waves in life.

With a smile.

:)

Satya

Truth in our hearts and our beings. This week's practice is with satya, the second nama or restraint in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. And I can't help but love even the written word! It's beautiful, inside and out. To me, this practice of satya reminds me to be honest with myself in my heart. What really matters to me? What is superficial and what is real? What will make my heart happy? What will help people? What will positively affect those that I love? There are so many ways to instill satya into your self. I have been doing it via chanting and reciting it as mantra (word or group of words capable of creating transformation).

Since the first half of Yoga Therapy training I have been waking up at 6am, meditating from 6:30-7 and doing asana from 7-8. The asana flows from what I feel I "need" with a few "regulars" that my body appreciates and a bunch of other asana/kriya that my body needs on a given day at a given time. So when I practice the asana I feel as though I'm creating space in my body, within my cells that constitute my bones, breath, blood, skin, ligaments, tendons...and within that space I place the intention of satya.

I want to instill that feeling of truthfulness in my heart as a "part" of me, as a physical and spiritual part of who "I" am. And really, who I am is really that which connects to everyone..that which we are all. A higher being, a higher love (no intended Steve Winwood props). And that is what makes me feel closer to the truth. It's almost a circle of truth. It takes me practicing to get in touch with that truth, and this truth is the universal truth upon which all beings connect. And it is from that truth that the world moves. I just like connecting to the source. It makes me feel pure. Like a big ball of light. It reminds me of what we all already know.

Which brings me to my job as a yoga teacher.

To remind people of what we already know.

Love.

Ahimsa

Non-violence. Practice this. (I'm talking to myself.) This weekend I felt I was doing things that were rude or not fair or my nicest self. And I have no idea why! I catch myself after the fact not acting out of my true nature or my highest self. For what reason? I have no idea. To be a brat I guess. It's too bad. So I find myself today with the mantra "ahimsa" or non-violence in sanskrit. I am trying to forgive myself for having behaved this way. And it's extremely difficult. I'm basically sitting around feeling bad, and only time can improve this. Which I know.

Perhaps I could have avoided the constant mantram today. Yep, if I was constantly practicing this yama (discipline). Many times people think it's ahimsa against other people, animals, etc. My most difficult practice is with myself. Giving myself a break for being human. And not even letting that be an excuse! Yes we are human, but we are all of a higher consciousness that connects to every living thing. Including yourself and your heart. You are lucky enough to be a part of this higher world, and just as much a part as anybody else. Don't forget it. Practice it if it helps to remember.

Repeat the mantra 9 times, as many times a day as needed. Say it under your breath or repeat it silently as you put away the dishes or make a phone call, take the puppy out, etc. It works, I'm telling ya. :)

Satya

The truth. The truth for you every day as well as throughout your life. Your sva-dharma or limitations for any length of time. Your straight-up dharma is, to me, more of the life-long path. Work within your sva-darma or limitations for today or for this week. In a posture as "mainstream" as trikonasana (triangle pose), I always have to honor my truth and I don't really get too deep in this posture. I attempt in teaching to help practitioners to see that they may not have to go so deep to feel the stretch in the back of the front leg and the twist in the torso. People see trikonasana with hands at the ankle or on the floor and want to mimic the posture as opposed to working with the posture to stretch, lengthen and strengthen. It's all good, unless of course you want to continually build and improve upon your base knowledge of yoga, both body and mind.

Take it slow. Focus on alignment. Feel.

And have fun!!