Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Resolve
“To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes.” –Pema Chodron
Have you made your New Year’s resolution, yet? Lose 10 pounds. Quit smoking. Pay off debt. I have a tendency to be an extremist. For me…it’s all or nothing. Starting tomorrow…this body will not eat a refined carbohydrate for the next three months. I will rise at 5 a.m. to run 5 miles 5 days a week. From here on out, I am only drinking wine on Wednesdays. And from now on, I will ban Starbucks and make my Americanos at home. The list goes on… it’s exhausting and typically, doesn’t last for very long.
I was raised in a good Catholic household. If we worked really hard, deprived ourselves and repented for our sins, we just might enjoy the fruits of life. Our home was not one that necessarily nurtured compassion, rather hard work and achievements. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t such a bad thing. I value hard work, I appreciate goals and challenges, and I look forward to celebrating the rewards. But what I never quite understood was compassion toward myself and ultimately, others. In my world, there is always more to accomplish… a higher level of success to attain…and new ambitions, targets and objectives to nail. But what about compassion?
Tibetan Buddist teacher Pema Chodron writes: “When we talk of compassion, we usually mean working with those less fortunate than ourselves. Because we have better opportunities, a good education, and good health, we should be compassionate toward those poor people who don't have any of that. However, in working with the teachings on how to awaken compassion and in trying to help others, we might come to realize that compassionate action involves working with ourselves as much as working with others. Compassionate action is a practice, one of the most advanced.” Fostering compassion can help us fine tune our choices. Compassion creates the pause to contemplate, reflect and deliberate the large and small decisions we make in our lives. Compassion towards ourselves means we care about how we take care of ourselves, the life we live and ultimately, the energy that we give out. When we have compassion, we find kindness in our every action. So when we are compassionate, we respect ourselves and ultimately, the choices that we make nurture and support our well-being.
Yesterday, a friend said to me: “Jen, I know this sounds selfish but my New Year’s resolution is to start taking care of myself.” I responded: “You’re brilliant!” When we awaken compassion within ourselves, we are not bothered with losing 10 pounds, quitting smoking and getting out of debt, instead each reflective compassionate action in our lives rears reverence and admiration for the life we are living. Compassion generates value. There are no extremes, just simple contemplative choices. Year by year, month to month, week in and week out, every day and every moment in between.
It’s not easy. Work is required. And practice, critical. But the reward is fruitful. So maybe this year, you rethink your New Year’s resolution and instead of swearing off carbs, you invite compassion, and in that compassion you just might find that the donut doesn’t taste as good, the cigarettes become stinky and the dress not worth the debt. Once and for all, resolve.
“Compassion starts with making friends with ourselves…particularly with our poisons.” -Pema Chodron
Have you made your New Year’s resolution, yet? Lose 10 pounds. Quit smoking. Pay off debt. I have a tendency to be an extremist. For me…it’s all or nothing. Starting tomorrow…this body will not eat a refined carbohydrate for the next three months. I will rise at 5 a.m. to run 5 miles 5 days a week. From here on out, I am only drinking wine on Wednesdays. And from now on, I will ban Starbucks and make my Americanos at home. The list goes on… it’s exhausting and typically, doesn’t last for very long.
I was raised in a good Catholic household. If we worked really hard, deprived ourselves and repented for our sins, we just might enjoy the fruits of life. Our home was not one that necessarily nurtured compassion, rather hard work and achievements. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t such a bad thing. I value hard work, I appreciate goals and challenges, and I look forward to celebrating the rewards. But what I never quite understood was compassion toward myself and ultimately, others. In my world, there is always more to accomplish… a higher level of success to attain…and new ambitions, targets and objectives to nail. But what about compassion?
Tibetan Buddist teacher Pema Chodron writes: “When we talk of compassion, we usually mean working with those less fortunate than ourselves. Because we have better opportunities, a good education, and good health, we should be compassionate toward those poor people who don't have any of that. However, in working with the teachings on how to awaken compassion and in trying to help others, we might come to realize that compassionate action involves working with ourselves as much as working with others. Compassionate action is a practice, one of the most advanced.” Fostering compassion can help us fine tune our choices. Compassion creates the pause to contemplate, reflect and deliberate the large and small decisions we make in our lives. Compassion towards ourselves means we care about how we take care of ourselves, the life we live and ultimately, the energy that we give out. When we have compassion, we find kindness in our every action. So when we are compassionate, we respect ourselves and ultimately, the choices that we make nurture and support our well-being.
Yesterday, a friend said to me: “Jen, I know this sounds selfish but my New Year’s resolution is to start taking care of myself.” I responded: “You’re brilliant!” When we awaken compassion within ourselves, we are not bothered with losing 10 pounds, quitting smoking and getting out of debt, instead each reflective compassionate action in our lives rears reverence and admiration for the life we are living. Compassion generates value. There are no extremes, just simple contemplative choices. Year by year, month to month, week in and week out, every day and every moment in between.
It’s not easy. Work is required. And practice, critical. But the reward is fruitful. So maybe this year, you rethink your New Year’s resolution and instead of swearing off carbs, you invite compassion, and in that compassion you just might find that the donut doesn’t taste as good, the cigarettes become stinky and the dress not worth the debt. Once and for all, resolve.
“Compassion starts with making friends with ourselves…particularly with our poisons.” -Pema Chodron
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Be a Lifesaver
“Blame keeps the sad game going. It keeps stealing all your wealth – giving it to an imbecile with no financial skills. Dear one, wise up. -Hafiz
After leaving my former long-term relationship, many people asked me: “Why?” How do you sum up the fall-out of a relationship? How do you explain the failure, the disappointment, the shock, the night when…, the day he…, the moment you…, the fear, the uncertainty, the anxiety, the sadness, the unbelievable, the this can’t be my life and ultimately, the realization that the dream was no longer and never really was and never really could be, reality? I couldn’t sum it up until I understood it and when I did understand, I knew the reason why I left: I had to save my life. It was the only thing I could do.
It sounds awfully dramatic and aren’t break-ups always that way? So dramatic. They are. And in this case, the apocalypse was revealed…naked, bare and raw: I had to save my life. Apocalypse can be defined as a disaster, destruction or the end of the world. It is also means to uncover, reveal or to stand exposed. In her new book Yoga and Vegetarianism, Sharon Gannon says: “When we let go of holding on to things, our hands will be open to receive everything.”
Many of us are often most content in a state of discontent. It’s the old: “I’ll be happy when…” Facing our personal day of reckoning is scary and oftentimes gets very ugly before the beauty is revealed. When I made the decision to leave, I got some very good advice from a dear friend. She said: “Jen, it’s gonna get worse before it gets worse.” And she was right. And it was okay. It is only when we confront the discontent, challenge the discomfort and examine our truth that the joy, splendor and celebration of life can begin. No one else can do this…only you. No one else is to blame…only you. No one else can save your life…only you. Buddha says: “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
Day to day, we forget how much power we hold in our hands and in our hearts. Instead, we hold onto the monotony and the displeasure. And rather than let the thing go that keeps us suspended, we hoard it and feed it and drag it around. Sharon says: “We each weave our own tangled web of karma and most certainly become entangled in it, as our reality is being created from our own actions.” What if you headed heart-first into the disaster, exposed and vulnerable, and let the revelation begin? What if you just let it go? Instead of saying, “I’ll be happy when…” what if you simply did the thing you needed to do to be happy now? What if you saved your life?
“We must embody what we feel is good and beautiful and not wait for others to lead us.” -Sharon Gannon
After leaving my former long-term relationship, many people asked me: “Why?” How do you sum up the fall-out of a relationship? How do you explain the failure, the disappointment, the shock, the night when…, the day he…, the moment you…, the fear, the uncertainty, the anxiety, the sadness, the unbelievable, the this can’t be my life and ultimately, the realization that the dream was no longer and never really was and never really could be, reality? I couldn’t sum it up until I understood it and when I did understand, I knew the reason why I left: I had to save my life. It was the only thing I could do.
It sounds awfully dramatic and aren’t break-ups always that way? So dramatic. They are. And in this case, the apocalypse was revealed…naked, bare and raw: I had to save my life. Apocalypse can be defined as a disaster, destruction or the end of the world. It is also means to uncover, reveal or to stand exposed. In her new book Yoga and Vegetarianism, Sharon Gannon says: “When we let go of holding on to things, our hands will be open to receive everything.”
Many of us are often most content in a state of discontent. It’s the old: “I’ll be happy when…” Facing our personal day of reckoning is scary and oftentimes gets very ugly before the beauty is revealed. When I made the decision to leave, I got some very good advice from a dear friend. She said: “Jen, it’s gonna get worse before it gets worse.” And she was right. And it was okay. It is only when we confront the discontent, challenge the discomfort and examine our truth that the joy, splendor and celebration of life can begin. No one else can do this…only you. No one else is to blame…only you. No one else can save your life…only you. Buddha says: “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
Day to day, we forget how much power we hold in our hands and in our hearts. Instead, we hold onto the monotony and the displeasure. And rather than let the thing go that keeps us suspended, we hoard it and feed it and drag it around. Sharon says: “We each weave our own tangled web of karma and most certainly become entangled in it, as our reality is being created from our own actions.” What if you headed heart-first into the disaster, exposed and vulnerable, and let the revelation begin? What if you just let it go? Instead of saying, “I’ll be happy when…” what if you simply did the thing you needed to do to be happy now? What if you saved your life?
“We must embody what we feel is good and beautiful and not wait for others to lead us.” -Sharon Gannon
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Give
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” -Mother TeresaGive Peace. Give Joy. Give Freedom. Give Yoga.
During the month of December, bring a friend, family member or co-worker to our class and they practice for free!
“If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.” -The 14th Dalai Lama
I am looking forward to meeting your buddies this Saturday and every Saturday!
Peace and joy and freedom to you and yours…
Friday, November 28, 2008
Grace
"Grace was in all her steps, Heav'n in her Eye, in every gesture dignity and love..." –John Milton
I stumble over myself, a lot; my thoughts, my words and my feet. I stumble. I sweat a lot when I get really nervous. I walk so fast and furious at times that I trip over my own feet, bump into the person walking next to me and bang into walls; clipped a shoulder here, knocked a hip there and stubbed many, many toes. Sometimes I feel like the Tasmanian devil! I’ve always thought of grace or the quality of being graceful as a skinny beautiful ballerina with a long venous neck who smokes lots of cigarettes, eats iceberg lettuce and practices with determination, discipline and desire until her toes bleed in order to achieve such polish, precision, poise and sophistication in each movement as she glides across the stage. Grace can be defined as elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion or action. I’ve never been particularly graceful.
In his book Anusara Yoga, John Friend describes grace as “saying yes to the whole magical spectrum of life. It is a willingness to be aware of all parts of ourselves – the light and the dark…to look at whatever arises with freshness and freedom…without clinging or pushing.” Sharon Gannon and David Life explain grace as pushti marga or simply effort and surrender. Practice and trust. Knowing that despite what is swirling around in life, everything is exactly as it should be. This is the path of grace.
Particularly around the holidays, it’s easy to melt down and give in to the distractions that make us clumsy. Easier to question or second-guess our path and our purpose. I’m not sure what happens at the holidays but we can often get thrown off course and bump into walls, stub our toes and trip over our own feet when your grandmother asks if you’ve gained weight, or your aunt asks if you are dating anyone or your mother asks when you are going to settle down and buy a house. But truly knowing grace means that you surrender fully to all of the peaks and valleys of life and you answer their questions but know deep in your heart that you have the only real answer you need. I never understood grace until I felt it. I’ll probably keep tripping up here and there but with effort and a whole lot of trust, I feel graceful. And like a ballerina, I’ll continue to glide through life.
Enjoy the process, soften into the path and stay authentic this Saturday with a graceful practice.
I stumble over myself, a lot; my thoughts, my words and my feet. I stumble. I sweat a lot when I get really nervous. I walk so fast and furious at times that I trip over my own feet, bump into the person walking next to me and bang into walls; clipped a shoulder here, knocked a hip there and stubbed many, many toes. Sometimes I feel like the Tasmanian devil! I’ve always thought of grace or the quality of being graceful as a skinny beautiful ballerina with a long venous neck who smokes lots of cigarettes, eats iceberg lettuce and practices with determination, discipline and desire until her toes bleed in order to achieve such polish, precision, poise and sophistication in each movement as she glides across the stage. Grace can be defined as elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion or action. I’ve never been particularly graceful.
In his book Anusara Yoga, John Friend describes grace as “saying yes to the whole magical spectrum of life. It is a willingness to be aware of all parts of ourselves – the light and the dark…to look at whatever arises with freshness and freedom…without clinging or pushing.” Sharon Gannon and David Life explain grace as pushti marga or simply effort and surrender. Practice and trust. Knowing that despite what is swirling around in life, everything is exactly as it should be. This is the path of grace.
Particularly around the holidays, it’s easy to melt down and give in to the distractions that make us clumsy. Easier to question or second-guess our path and our purpose. I’m not sure what happens at the holidays but we can often get thrown off course and bump into walls, stub our toes and trip over our own feet when your grandmother asks if you’ve gained weight, or your aunt asks if you are dating anyone or your mother asks when you are going to settle down and buy a house. But truly knowing grace means that you surrender fully to all of the peaks and valleys of life and you answer their questions but know deep in your heart that you have the only real answer you need. I never understood grace until I felt it. I’ll probably keep tripping up here and there but with effort and a whole lot of trust, I feel graceful. And like a ballerina, I’ll continue to glide through life.
Enjoy the process, soften into the path and stay authentic this Saturday with a graceful practice.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Soup's On!
“When we were growing up, we were so poor that our heritage was the only thing we had. Mama would say, “Kids, pour more water in the soup. Better days are coming.”
-Ashley Judd, American actress
Whenever I am unable to practice yoga and I am feeling unsettled, I default to making soup. Last week, I made three pots! Making a pot of soup grounds me. There is something so magical about a steaming pot of soup with all of its individual ingredients blending together yet allowing each herb, vegetable or spice to stand out. Soup crosses all borders, all ethnicities, all religions and always returns back home to our hearts. Soup is universal and soup is unique to each culture. Soup is a beautiful thing.
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the first sutra should be enough to ground us: “Yogas Citta Vritti Nirodhah”. It means the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff: the chatter, the voices that say you should or you shouldn’t or you should have. This is Yoga. All of the yogic practices are based on this one sutra. If you can control the ebb and the flow, the frantic and the calm, and the rise and the fall of the mind, you will experience Yoga. Well…some days are better than others!
There are oftentimes in life when the world seems to be spinning so quickly; especially now. People are worried about their jobs, their children, their finances and the future. Uncertainty breeds discontent and it becomes increasingly difficult to manage the chatter or the citta. It is in times of uncertainty when we need to practice yoga the most, but sometimes that too becomes a challenge.
So what grounds you? When you can’t get to yoga or the yoga just doesn’t seem to work that day, what is it that reminds you that everything is okay our world? Maybe you make cake or cookies or maybe you balance your checkbook or review your accounts; maybe you clean out a closet or cuddle with your sweetie or your kids; or maybe you cuddle up with Ben & Jerry (I’ll admit it…I’ve done it). Maybe you go for a run or get on your bike, or maybe you write a letter to a friend, or call your mom or dad. Me…I make soup and I am reminded that all is right in the world. Soup is a sure thing.
The Kindest Course
“Soup is cuisine’s kindest course. It breaths reassurance; it steams consolation; after a weary day it promotes sociability…there is nothing like a bowl of hot soup, its wisp of aromatic steam making the nostrils quiver with anticipation.”
-Chef Louis P. DeGouy from The Soup Book, 1949
Reminder: Class will be cancelled this Saturday due to the Dean Learner workshop at the Yoga Room. Check out www.greentarayoga.com for more information.
-Ashley Judd, American actress
Whenever I am unable to practice yoga and I am feeling unsettled, I default to making soup. Last week, I made three pots! Making a pot of soup grounds me. There is something so magical about a steaming pot of soup with all of its individual ingredients blending together yet allowing each herb, vegetable or spice to stand out. Soup crosses all borders, all ethnicities, all religions and always returns back home to our hearts. Soup is universal and soup is unique to each culture. Soup is a beautiful thing.
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the first sutra should be enough to ground us: “Yogas Citta Vritti Nirodhah”. It means the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff: the chatter, the voices that say you should or you shouldn’t or you should have. This is Yoga. All of the yogic practices are based on this one sutra. If you can control the ebb and the flow, the frantic and the calm, and the rise and the fall of the mind, you will experience Yoga. Well…some days are better than others!
There are oftentimes in life when the world seems to be spinning so quickly; especially now. People are worried about their jobs, their children, their finances and the future. Uncertainty breeds discontent and it becomes increasingly difficult to manage the chatter or the citta. It is in times of uncertainty when we need to practice yoga the most, but sometimes that too becomes a challenge.
So what grounds you? When you can’t get to yoga or the yoga just doesn’t seem to work that day, what is it that reminds you that everything is okay our world? Maybe you make cake or cookies or maybe you balance your checkbook or review your accounts; maybe you clean out a closet or cuddle with your sweetie or your kids; or maybe you cuddle up with Ben & Jerry (I’ll admit it…I’ve done it). Maybe you go for a run or get on your bike, or maybe you write a letter to a friend, or call your mom or dad. Me…I make soup and I am reminded that all is right in the world. Soup is a sure thing.
The Kindest Course
“Soup is cuisine’s kindest course. It breaths reassurance; it steams consolation; after a weary day it promotes sociability…there is nothing like a bowl of hot soup, its wisp of aromatic steam making the nostrils quiver with anticipation.”
-Chef Louis P. DeGouy from The Soup Book, 1949
Reminder: Class will be cancelled this Saturday due to the Dean Learner workshop at the Yoga Room. Check out www.greentarayoga.com for more information.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Carving Pumpkins
“The Great Pumpkin always picks the most sincere pumpkin patch to rise out of. He's just gotta pick this pumpkin patch. He's just gotta! Look around. You can see that there's not a sign of hypocrisy anywhere. Nothing but sincerity reaching out as far as the eye can see.” –Linus from It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
After spending Saturday afternoon with my mom, she suggested that I take home one of the 12 pumpkins that she and her husband had displayed in honor of Halloween. My mom and her husband are those people in the neighborhood; the ones that decorate for every holiday. The trick or treaters love it, and my mom loves the kids…so it all works out. But when she suggested that I take a pumpkin home, I said: “What am I going to do with a pumpkin?” Responding quickly and nonchalantly, she said: “Carve it. Peel it. Roast the seeds and the pumpkin.” “Okay,” I said. So, the pumpkin and I headed back to the city.
Carving a pumpkin is tough. After slicing the pumpkin in half, I scooped out the insides including the seeds which you have to separate from the stringy guts of the pumpkin…now I know why pumpkin seeds are so expensive. After cleaning the seeds, I sectioned the pumpkin into manageable parts in order to peel its skin. It was at this point that I began sweating, swiftly cut my finger and found myself and my kitchen covered in pumpkin skin…but I refused to give up despite the injury. Finally, I was able to cut the pumpkin into bite-size cubes in order to roast. I was exhausted!
I don’t remember carving pumpkins being so dangerous, so that leads me to believe that I never actually carved a pumpkin as a child. My family carved pumpkins every year, but after carving this pumpkin, I am confident that any adult in their right mind would never, ever let a child carve a pumpkin! So it was my parents or my older brother who bravely risked their fingers or hands every year carving pumpkins so that I could enjoy the full Halloween experience.
In the end, the roasted pumpkin was delicious. Even more, were the scrumptious memories of Halloweens past and the sweet realization that there are special people in our worlds who do things large and small to make our lives wonderful… memorable… easier.
Who has made your life a little easier or sweeter this week, this month, this year or in this lifetime? Thank them today. Thank you, Mom, Dad and Johnny for risking your fingers to make every Halloween enchanting for me.
This Saturday, devote your yoga practice those people or that one person that you want to thank!
Roasted Pumpkin Recipe…if you dare! (servings depends on the size of the pumpkin)
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees
-See paragraph 2 to begin and proceed with caution
-Toss pumpkin cubes in the best olive oil you can afford, 100% pure maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, sea or kosher salt and fresh pepper
-Spread pumpkin cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes or until tender; toss midway
-Serve as a side dish, with plain Greek-style yogurt or with Ben & Jerry’s vanilla bean!
After spending Saturday afternoon with my mom, she suggested that I take home one of the 12 pumpkins that she and her husband had displayed in honor of Halloween. My mom and her husband are those people in the neighborhood; the ones that decorate for every holiday. The trick or treaters love it, and my mom loves the kids…so it all works out. But when she suggested that I take a pumpkin home, I said: “What am I going to do with a pumpkin?” Responding quickly and nonchalantly, she said: “Carve it. Peel it. Roast the seeds and the pumpkin.” “Okay,” I said. So, the pumpkin and I headed back to the city.
Carving a pumpkin is tough. After slicing the pumpkin in half, I scooped out the insides including the seeds which you have to separate from the stringy guts of the pumpkin…now I know why pumpkin seeds are so expensive. After cleaning the seeds, I sectioned the pumpkin into manageable parts in order to peel its skin. It was at this point that I began sweating, swiftly cut my finger and found myself and my kitchen covered in pumpkin skin…but I refused to give up despite the injury. Finally, I was able to cut the pumpkin into bite-size cubes in order to roast. I was exhausted!
I don’t remember carving pumpkins being so dangerous, so that leads me to believe that I never actually carved a pumpkin as a child. My family carved pumpkins every year, but after carving this pumpkin, I am confident that any adult in their right mind would never, ever let a child carve a pumpkin! So it was my parents or my older brother who bravely risked their fingers or hands every year carving pumpkins so that I could enjoy the full Halloween experience.
In the end, the roasted pumpkin was delicious. Even more, were the scrumptious memories of Halloweens past and the sweet realization that there are special people in our worlds who do things large and small to make our lives wonderful… memorable… easier.
Who has made your life a little easier or sweeter this week, this month, this year or in this lifetime? Thank them today. Thank you, Mom, Dad and Johnny for risking your fingers to make every Halloween enchanting for me.
This Saturday, devote your yoga practice those people or that one person that you want to thank!
Roasted Pumpkin Recipe…if you dare! (servings depends on the size of the pumpkin)
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees
-See paragraph 2 to begin and proceed with caution
-Toss pumpkin cubes in the best olive oil you can afford, 100% pure maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, sea or kosher salt and fresh pepper
-Spread pumpkin cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes or until tender; toss midway
-Serve as a side dish, with plain Greek-style yogurt or with Ben & Jerry’s vanilla bean!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Liberation
“Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.” -Thomas Jefferson
This past weekend, I had the unique opportunity to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. It was an amazing experience all around. During the run, I relied heavily on my yogic practices: methodical breathing, mantra, karma and trusting wholeheartedly in the Universe. During the first half of the race, I repeated one mantra over and over again until there were moments during the run that I didn’t even think about running…my body was just moving. During the third quarter of the race, I began to send out a little karma to fellow runners. I told people that I liked their shorts or their shirt and if I saw a struggling runner, I sent them some shakti love. Finally, in the last quarter of the race, I had to pull out the most magical, sure-fire, get-it-done ritual: any and all Madonna on my IPod. Works every time!
This race was particularly meaningful and moving, especially during this historical Presidential election. Erika, my good friend said: “What an exciting time to be in our Nation’s capital!” And she was right. We started at the Arlington National cemetery and ran across the Francis Scott Key Bridge into Georgetown. We traveled along the Potomac River and around the Thomas Jefferson Memorial down Constitution Avenue to the Washington Monument. The course took us along the front of the Capital building where a marching band played patriotic tunes to motivate the pack. One last time over the Potomac, we finally crossed the finish line at the Iwo Jima Memorial and I was grateful to live in a country where I am free to run (in a running skirt, no less), and I was reminded of the goodness of humanity… the hundreds of spectators who spent their Sunday morning handing out tissues, Twizzlers and Tylenol at their own free will…just to help us finish.
Our country is not perfect and we are certainly facing uncertain times, but we are free. Free to choose our vocation, free to choose our religion, free to protest and free to run. Celebrate your freedom and take advantage of the opportunity to vote…to make a statement for what you believe in. My teacher’s teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life say: “You can’t help but be political. Every action, every choice you make affects us all. To say that you are political is to say that you care about the world we live in.” My little rituals helped me along the way: mantra, Madonna…oh…and did I mention those Marines? But it was liberation that I celebrated as I crossed the finish line.
Celebrate your freedom this Saturday, November 1st with an invigorating asana practice.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Invest
Class will be cancelled this Saturday, October 25th resuming on Saturday, November 1st. Please contact me with any questions.In the meantime, practice sending shakti (meaning force, power, energy) love out into the world around you. It is the most solid investment you can make today and is guaranteed to pay dividends.
Shanti...shanti...shanti...
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Coming Home
“In traveling, a man must carry knowledge with him, if he would bring home knowledge.” -Samuel Johnson
There was a time in my life when I did not want to go home. Whether it was coming back from vacation, returning from work travel or just heading south on I-71 from a regular old Wednesday in the office, I dreaded going home. I lived in a beautiful large house with everything I could have possibly wanted: a big indulgent bathtub, a chef’s dream kitchen and a lovely fireplace. Such a sad thing…not to want to go home. But now, coming home from Italy to my tiny apartment in the city, I couldn’t have been more eager.
Back then I didn’t recognize that my home was always right inside of me despite what else was going on in life. Rama Jyoti Vernon says: “With yoga…you will hold to the peaceful center that always is and always has been.” For sometime, it had been difficult for me to define my core, my truth. People always say: “Just do what makes you happy.” I often wanted to say, “Duh...I know that.” But how do we determine what makes us happy or more importantly, what taps into that peaceful center?
While in Italy, my teacher Amy Ippoliti shared some practical exercises that may help give you some insight into your core being or your truth or the gauge or barometer by which you measure your actions, plan your goals and realize your dreams. Even if you already know your truth, these simple contemplations are healthy reminders and can serve as simple tune-ups to make sure that we are staying true to our core:
- Surround yourself with good company. Make a list of the names of the people who you spend most of your time with and ask yourself: do they enhance my life?
- Do the things you love to do. Write down the things that bring joy into your life and commit to doing those things more often.
- Make a list of the things that are you good at doing. Look at this list often to give yourself a little esteem boost!
- Give and get hugs. Be touched. And if you don’t have anyone to hug, schedule a massage.
- Remember your breathing. Like one of my yogis once said: “If we’re not breathing, what are we doing?”
- And finally, remember: what you consistently do everyday, you become.
My journey to Italy was so valuable. In the hills of the countryside, I left behind the things that were no longer serving me and I am inspired. Inspired by my teacher. Inspired by the interesting yogis and yoginis that I met from around the world. And inspired by my trusted travel companions, Denise and Erika who remind me to adorn my inner goddess. Mostly, I am inspired by my truth and I am reminded that “There’s no place like home.” -Dorothy Gale, from The Wizard of Oz (my favorite movie)
Hope to see you this Saturday, October 18th for a powerful core practice!
Happy & Free
A fellow Jivamukti yogini from Singapore. Miss you Lynn and Su Mei, too. Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ahimsa
“Nothing comes from violence, and nothing ever could.”-Sting, “Fragile”
Over the next few months, we will begin to examine the 5 tenets of Jivamukti Yoga. Jivamukti Yoga was created by my teacher’s teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life www.jivamuktiyoga.com. Jivamukti means living liberated; being free while on this planet and in this physical body. “Take from me all that is not free.” –Bhagavan Das
One of the 5 tenets of Jivamukti Yoga is ahimsa meaning non-violence. We can practice ahimsa in a variety of ways: managing our thoughts during road rage, refraining from using swear words or simply committing to compassion. His Holiness the Dalai Lama says: “If you seek enlightenment, or even if you seek happiness, go to the cause. Nothing exists without a cause. The root cause of happiness is compassion.”
October is World Vegetarian Month. The benefits of a vegetarian diet are vast and wide. What a perfect way to practice ahimsa. Consider the following benefits from the North American Vegetarian Society:
-Reduces the risk of major killers such as heart disease, strokes and cancers while cutting exposure to food borne pathogens;
-Provides a viable answer to feeding the world’s hungry through more efficient use of grains and other crops;
-Saves animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and terror of slaughter;
-Conserves vital but limited freshwater, fertile topsoil and other precious resources;
-Preserves irreplaceable ecosystems such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats;
-Decreases greenhouse gases that are accelerating global warming;
-Mitigates the ever-expanding environmental pollution of animal agriculture.
Contemplate ahimsa and how it plays out in your life. Maybe you chose one day a week for the month of October to be meat-free. Maybe you chose one full week to be meat-free or maybe the entire month. Thomas Edison said: “Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” If a meat-free diet is not appropriate for you at this time in your life, maybe you simply practice compassion. The Dalai Lama says: “Everybody is praying eagerly about that.”
Ciao, bellas!
Denise, Erika and I travel to Italy tomorrow. My friend Amy Turn Sharp www.doobleh-vay.blogspot.com gave me the following advice in her typical Haiku style:
live hard over there baby
be safe
keep yr eyes open
kiss
eat
drink
write
Seems like good advice to me. After we indulge for three days in Rome, we travel to Umbria where we will retreat for a 7 day yoga immersion with the amazingly gifted Anusara teacher, Amy Ippoliti www.wildspirityoga.com. Amy is one of my teacher's teachers. I am eager to deepen my practice, develop my teaching skills and leave behind those things in life that are no longer serving me. We are staying in a restored castle called La Locanda del Gallo. Check it out at www.locandadelgallo.it.
I have decided to completely unplug while in Italy; no Blackberry, no laptop. Therefore, I will be blogging the old-fashioned way...in my journal. My dear friend Maria gave me a charming new journal to document my travels. I will resume my weekly emails when I return.
So...I've got the eating, drinking and writing covered. We'll see about the kisses!
Reminder: The lovely and talented Joanne will be substitute teaching on October 4th and 11th while I am am traveling. I will return to class on October 18th.
Ciao, bellas!
live hard over there baby
be safe
keep yr eyes open
kiss
eat
drink
write
Seems like good advice to me. After we indulge for three days in Rome, we travel to Umbria where we will retreat for a 7 day yoga immersion with the amazingly gifted Anusara teacher, Amy Ippoliti www.wildspirityoga.com. Amy is one of my teacher's teachers. I am eager to deepen my practice, develop my teaching skills and leave behind those things in life that are no longer serving me. We are staying in a restored castle called La Locanda del Gallo. Check it out at www.locandadelgallo.it.
I have decided to completely unplug while in Italy; no Blackberry, no laptop. Therefore, I will be blogging the old-fashioned way...in my journal. My dear friend Maria gave me a charming new journal to document my travels. I will resume my weekly emails when I return.
So...I've got the eating, drinking and writing covered. We'll see about the kisses!
Reminder: The lovely and talented Joanne will be substitute teaching on October 4th and 11th while I am am traveling. I will return to class on October 18th.
Ciao, bellas!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Little People with Chocolate Toes
"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." - Charles M. Schulz
I just walked in the door and realized that I have chocolate cake smeared on the right arm of my cream-colored jacket. Hayden, my cousin Nikki’s youngest of four celebrated his first birthday today. As tradition would have it, he was given a massive chocolate cake to do with as he pleased. It was really too cute. After the cake massacre, I held Hayden in my cream-colored jacket without a second thought of his cute chocolate fingers and toes. I wondered why we only get to experience this cake explosion when we turn one.
My cousins have lots of little ones. I have 21 first cousins on my mom’s side of the family. Of the 21, 8 have a combined 21 children. So in my world, any normal family function consists of lots of kids running around in dresses, little suits and costumes laughing, screaming, fighting, smiling and yelling, “Mom…he touched me!” The kids rule. Today, I taught my little second girl cousins to say “namaste.” They were balloon princesses on a mission to share love and compassion throughout the world…or at least at Nana’s house. So they would run up to me, bow with hands in prayer and murmur namaste or mamaste or lamaste and then run out into their world and give kisses.
After the one year-old celebration, I met my buddy Howard. We ate cheese, drank some wine and chatted about life. At the end of this day, I am grateful. I am grateful for the people in my life: chocolate-toes Hayden, balloon princesses, my aunt whose grandchildren call her Nana and my bud Howard. No matter what our gunas are doing at any given moment, we might consider the people in our lives and how they impact us. It is huge and it is small. Especially balloon princesses and little people with chocolate toes.
I just walked in the door and realized that I have chocolate cake smeared on the right arm of my cream-colored jacket. Hayden, my cousin Nikki’s youngest of four celebrated his first birthday today. As tradition would have it, he was given a massive chocolate cake to do with as he pleased. It was really too cute. After the cake massacre, I held Hayden in my cream-colored jacket without a second thought of his cute chocolate fingers and toes. I wondered why we only get to experience this cake explosion when we turn one.
My cousins have lots of little ones. I have 21 first cousins on my mom’s side of the family. Of the 21, 8 have a combined 21 children. So in my world, any normal family function consists of lots of kids running around in dresses, little suits and costumes laughing, screaming, fighting, smiling and yelling, “Mom…he touched me!” The kids rule. Today, I taught my little second girl cousins to say “namaste.” They were balloon princesses on a mission to share love and compassion throughout the world…or at least at Nana’s house. So they would run up to me, bow with hands in prayer and murmur namaste or mamaste or lamaste and then run out into their world and give kisses.
After the one year-old celebration, I met my buddy Howard. We ate cheese, drank some wine and chatted about life. At the end of this day, I am grateful. I am grateful for the people in my life: chocolate-toes Hayden, balloon princesses, my aunt whose grandchildren call her Nana and my bud Howard. No matter what our gunas are doing at any given moment, we might consider the people in our lives and how they impact us. It is huge and it is small. Especially balloon princesses and little people with chocolate toes.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
"Within you lies the simple silence. Be quiet & listen." -Unknown
“All I am gonna do is just go on and do what I feel.” -Jimi Hendrix
Anytime I’ve ignored my gut, I’ve gotten myself into trouble. Even when my intuition has screamed loudly: ‘Danger! Danger! Huge red flag approaching’ my brain gets in the way. I begin sorting, filing, justifying and sometimes ignoring what I know to be true and right inside of me. But why?
When our gunas or qualities of nature begin to bully each other, especially good ‘ole rajas and tamas, we get confused. There is too much commotion and we can’t hear our intuition kindly trying to speak to us. When my gunas get in an uproar, I can become overly rajasic and move at lightening speed…but even sometimes that lazy, hazy tamas slips in and I can turn into a slug. I usually end up sluggin’ it when I have had weeks or months or years of frantic rajasic behavior and I simply stop. It’s as if I have no control.
Realizing that graceful and peaceful sattvic balance allows us to observe, touch and understand the truth inside each of us. Getting to that truth (and sometimes facing it) is the tough part. Whenever my gunas get out of whack, I know it’s time to settle in, clear out the clutter and quiet the mind so I can listen to that insightful teacher who is always present.
Consider some ways in your life that you can settle in, clear out the clutter and listen:
Settle In: Say no to some activity one day per week (well…except yoga). Do you really have to go to every Happy Hour, every baby shower or every dinner party?
Clear Out the Clutter: You can clear out the clutter by cleaning up your diet. Consider choosing one day a week to eat only fruits and veggies, nothing processed and lots of refreshing H2O.
Quiet the Mind: Just sit. Catch a glimpse of what arises in the mind and let it slip right on by.
I am looking forward to seeing your beautiful sattvic faces this Saturday. Bring all your gunas to class and we’ll work on balancing them in our asana practice.
“I feel there are two people inside me - me and my intuition. If I go against her, she'll screw me every time, and if I follow her, we get along quite nicely." -Kim Basinger
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Juicy. Dirty. Joyful. Scary.
“Don't strew me with roses after I'm dead. When death claims the light of my brow, no flowers of life will cheer me: instead you may give me my roses now!” -Thomas F. Healey
For many, dying is life’s greatest fear. I’ve never been afraid of death. I certainly don’t want to suffer a long, painful or gruesome death but the whole idea of dying never bothered me. I even worked at funeral home while in college. I didn’t seek out the position but as it happened, it never troubled me and it was a good job.
During my teacher training, my teacher asked us eager yogis: “What do people fear the most?” Without missing a beat, my peers responded with a resounding: “Death.” I said: “Failure.” Instead of fearing death, I’ve been afraid of life. I have been navigating numbly through this world with caution, assessing risk and asking all the right questions to avoid failure. I’ve been so busy protecting myself from failure that I am flunking life. Even in my asana practice, my fear of failure manifests itself physically. I have built up a protective shell on my back which creates added difficulty in many of the poses. My teacher calls me a little armadillo!
Because death is inevitable I’ve always thought: “What does it matter?” But it does matter…every year, every month, every week, day and minute. According to Buddha, we are responsible for our own happiness or misery which is dictated by our actions here and now. We are the architects of our own faith.
So consider living and celebrating all the juicy, dirty, joyful, scary, delightful and uncertain moments of life. Speak from the heart, tell the truth, and open up to the possibilities…even if it is terrifying…even if you risk defeat, embarrassment or a wounded heart. The risk otherwise is far greater. I’ve never feared death, but I think now I should.
“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.” –Isaac Asimov
For many, dying is life’s greatest fear. I’ve never been afraid of death. I certainly don’t want to suffer a long, painful or gruesome death but the whole idea of dying never bothered me. I even worked at funeral home while in college. I didn’t seek out the position but as it happened, it never troubled me and it was a good job.
During my teacher training, my teacher asked us eager yogis: “What do people fear the most?” Without missing a beat, my peers responded with a resounding: “Death.” I said: “Failure.” Instead of fearing death, I’ve been afraid of life. I have been navigating numbly through this world with caution, assessing risk and asking all the right questions to avoid failure. I’ve been so busy protecting myself from failure that I am flunking life. Even in my asana practice, my fear of failure manifests itself physically. I have built up a protective shell on my back which creates added difficulty in many of the poses. My teacher calls me a little armadillo!
Because death is inevitable I’ve always thought: “What does it matter?” But it does matter…every year, every month, every week, day and minute. According to Buddha, we are responsible for our own happiness or misery which is dictated by our actions here and now. We are the architects of our own faith.
So consider living and celebrating all the juicy, dirty, joyful, scary, delightful and uncertain moments of life. Speak from the heart, tell the truth, and open up to the possibilities…even if it is terrifying…even if you risk defeat, embarrassment or a wounded heart. The risk otherwise is far greater. I’ve never feared death, but I think now I should.
“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.” –Isaac Asimov
The word kindness has a softness, an ease about it...
“It’s easier to be generous than kind.” –Mercy Ermakov
This past Sunday I was running with my regular Sunday running buddy, Mercy and she said, “It’s easier to be generous than kind.” I don’t remember the complete context of our conversation but I do remember the profound effect that her statement had on me. In all honesty, her friendship has had a profound impact on my life and I never even realized it until she made that comment on Sunday.
Mercy and I are unlikely friends. On paper our lives couldn’t be more different. I met Mercy in a running club about two years ago and I never expected to spend so many hours with her having interesting and often random discussions…but here we are. For the past two years, we’ve met almost every other Sunday to run and in my case, to learn kindness. Mercy has unknowingly taught me about kindness.
Ever since Sunday, I have been thinking about kindness. Consider kindness in your life. How are you kind to yourself, to others and to the world around you?
Next time someone gives you a compliment, you could say: “Thank you. You are kind.” Rather than: “Oh…thanks…but I still need to lose 10 pounds.”
Be kind to your body. Instead of forcing your body into an uncomfortable pose in your asana practice, back off. Be kind. Be considerate.
Try really listening to someone while they are speaking with a genuine heartfelt sympathy and a gentle tenderness rather than thinking about what you are going to say next.
Spend one whole day using grace, pleasure, compassion, benevolence, affection and kindness as your guiding intention and disposition in everything you do and say. Note how this feels…
During the time in my life when I first met Mercy, I was rather narrowly focused on my goals, my priorities, my routine. I wouldn’t or maybe couldn’t open up to the softness, the ease, the grace of kindness, but Mercy could and she did and she asked me if I would consider meeting her on Sundays to run. And I said yes.
This past Sunday I was running with my regular Sunday running buddy, Mercy and she said, “It’s easier to be generous than kind.” I don’t remember the complete context of our conversation but I do remember the profound effect that her statement had on me. In all honesty, her friendship has had a profound impact on my life and I never even realized it until she made that comment on Sunday.
Mercy and I are unlikely friends. On paper our lives couldn’t be more different. I met Mercy in a running club about two years ago and I never expected to spend so many hours with her having interesting and often random discussions…but here we are. For the past two years, we’ve met almost every other Sunday to run and in my case, to learn kindness. Mercy has unknowingly taught me about kindness.
Ever since Sunday, I have been thinking about kindness. Consider kindness in your life. How are you kind to yourself, to others and to the world around you?
Next time someone gives you a compliment, you could say: “Thank you. You are kind.” Rather than: “Oh…thanks…but I still need to lose 10 pounds.”
Be kind to your body. Instead of forcing your body into an uncomfortable pose in your asana practice, back off. Be kind. Be considerate.
Try really listening to someone while they are speaking with a genuine heartfelt sympathy and a gentle tenderness rather than thinking about what you are going to say next.
Spend one whole day using grace, pleasure, compassion, benevolence, affection and kindness as your guiding intention and disposition in everything you do and say. Note how this feels…
During the time in my life when I first met Mercy, I was rather narrowly focused on my goals, my priorities, my routine. I wouldn’t or maybe couldn’t open up to the softness, the ease, the grace of kindness, but Mercy could and she did and she asked me if I would consider meeting her on Sundays to run. And I said yes.
"Every cubic inch of space is a miracle." -Walt Whitman
"The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors, who...looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air."
-Wilbur Wright
I don’t know about you but there are often times when I feel as if I am scheduled within an inch of my life! In our culture, being “busy” is often regarded as being important, efficient and in demand. We fill our lives with so much minutiae that there is little space for that something amazing that just might be waiting on the periphery to slip in.
Even in our asana practice, our shoulders tend to hunch over, our bellies hang in the way of our breath and we shorten our stance leaving little room for the freedom to explore, embellish and enjoy the possibilities of the pose.
This week, we will focus on creating space in life and in our poses. Let’s work toward opening our hearts so that we can let the infinite light that shines in each of us shine out to others. Similarly, let us find space so that we can be receptive to the beauty and joy that others can share.
"Between stimulus and response, there is a speace. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom."
-Viktor Frankl
-Wilbur Wright
I don’t know about you but there are often times when I feel as if I am scheduled within an inch of my life! In our culture, being “busy” is often regarded as being important, efficient and in demand. We fill our lives with so much minutiae that there is little space for that something amazing that just might be waiting on the periphery to slip in.
Even in our asana practice, our shoulders tend to hunch over, our bellies hang in the way of our breath and we shorten our stance leaving little room for the freedom to explore, embellish and enjoy the possibilities of the pose.
This week, we will focus on creating space in life and in our poses. Let’s work toward opening our hearts so that we can let the infinite light that shines in each of us shine out to others. Similarly, let us find space so that we can be receptive to the beauty and joy that others can share.
"Between stimulus and response, there is a speace. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom."
-Viktor Frankl
Back to School
“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” ~Kahlil Gibran
Ahhh…back to school. I’ve always loved this time of the year. Picking out interesting pens and pencils, the perfect Trapper Keeper and of course, new “school” shoes! The elementary school buildings all smell like a fresh box of 64 Crayolas while the high school gyms still smell, well, fresh. My life has always been dictated by the academic calendar. Even in my career I live and die by the first and last days of school. But as summer softly winds down, this time of the year also generates a yearning within to pause, dig deep and reflect. My brother said it best in a card he recently sent to me:
“As I rode the Towpath this morning, I was showered in falling leaves that had lost their summer green. It was a true sign that autumn is just days away. I always look forward to these transitional periods as they conjure great memories and create new opportunities…So here is to fall 2008. A time to wind down, draw our attention to inward reflection of ourselves, shed the old leaves we carry and reach an inner sense of calm and quiet…”
This is a wonderful time of the year to study, contemplate and understand the three gunas or qualities of nature in the context of our own lives:
Rajas: passion, dynamic activity, movement outward, external creativity;
Tamas: inertia, heaviness, darkness, obstinacy;
Sattva: balance, lightness, purity, movement toward the inner.
We are all mixes of the three gunas until we reach liberation. Some of us are a little more of one than the other. I tend to be (okay, I am) very rajasic…lots of activity, constantly moving and always questioning, wondering and considering. I am the one in class asking: How? Why? When? Will this be on the test? As you can imagine…seated meditation is extremely challenging for us rajasic types…I much prefer walking meditation.
Therefore, during this seasonal transition, I intend to devote more of my time looking inward…adding a bit more heaviness to life…getting grounded. I invite you to look inward, too and really explore what’s going on in there. Scary…I know!
As we go back to school this month and explore the gunas, we will consider how each rises and falls in our lives and in our asana practice; knowing when we might need more raja or when we need to pull back and let the tamas come forward, moving us toward eventual sattvic balance. Honor the divine teacher and student within you.
Ahhh…back to school. I’ve always loved this time of the year. Picking out interesting pens and pencils, the perfect Trapper Keeper and of course, new “school” shoes! The elementary school buildings all smell like a fresh box of 64 Crayolas while the high school gyms still smell, well, fresh. My life has always been dictated by the academic calendar. Even in my career I live and die by the first and last days of school. But as summer softly winds down, this time of the year also generates a yearning within to pause, dig deep and reflect. My brother said it best in a card he recently sent to me:
“As I rode the Towpath this morning, I was showered in falling leaves that had lost their summer green. It was a true sign that autumn is just days away. I always look forward to these transitional periods as they conjure great memories and create new opportunities…So here is to fall 2008. A time to wind down, draw our attention to inward reflection of ourselves, shed the old leaves we carry and reach an inner sense of calm and quiet…”
This is a wonderful time of the year to study, contemplate and understand the three gunas or qualities of nature in the context of our own lives:
Rajas: passion, dynamic activity, movement outward, external creativity;
Tamas: inertia, heaviness, darkness, obstinacy;
Sattva: balance, lightness, purity, movement toward the inner.
We are all mixes of the three gunas until we reach liberation. Some of us are a little more of one than the other. I tend to be (okay, I am) very rajasic…lots of activity, constantly moving and always questioning, wondering and considering. I am the one in class asking: How? Why? When? Will this be on the test? As you can imagine…seated meditation is extremely challenging for us rajasic types…I much prefer walking meditation.
Therefore, during this seasonal transition, I intend to devote more of my time looking inward…adding a bit more heaviness to life…getting grounded. I invite you to look inward, too and really explore what’s going on in there. Scary…I know!
As we go back to school this month and explore the gunas, we will consider how each rises and falls in our lives and in our asana practice; knowing when we might need more raja or when we need to pull back and let the tamas come forward, moving us toward eventual sattvic balance. Honor the divine teacher and student within you.
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