Sharing the journey

14 billion years later….

2012-01-26T15:36:00.001-08:00

When you think about it, it’s taken the Universe 14 billionyears to produce you. From nothing to matter, to Earth, to apes and assholes,here we all are. If that’s not amazing, what is? The other question is, whatare you going to do with this opportunity?

Will you burst forth and create with the same kind ofmadness the Universe is manifesting every living thing, every shape, form,color, texture and smell? Will you be as bold and as busy, as fearless and magnificent?Or will you be just a pile of flesh, bones and sorry ass excuses for why youcan’t do something?

I mean, human life is short as it is. It’s no time at all,in Universal terms. Yet, in that no time at all, there’s an opening, apossibility and a potentiality in every one of us to continue to manifest thisUniverse in whichever direction we choose to.

Looking around, it makes me think that the most complex,exiting and full of potential creation of the Universe – us, humans, may befailing at realizing its importance. Not as in “self-importance.” We are goodat believing that. As in Universal Importance. As the creators of the future.As the foundation for evolution to continue from us in whatever amazingdirection it needs to go.

Note the words “it NEEDS to go.”

Do you ever wonder what you are here to manifest, inUniversal terms?

If you are hearing answers such as “I want to…” you arelooking in the wrong direction.

If you are inspired to do something, but…there’s a “but” inthere leading to your excuse of why you are not already on your way tomanifesting your inspiration, you are fooling yourself. Buts are just likebutts. Everyone’s got them. They get big and cushy the more you sit on them.You simply have to move and keep moving.

So, no buts, butts, or baloney. Be that which you are hereto do.

Enough said.

How busy is the Universe?

2011-12-25T23:23:00.000-08:00

It’s almost the end of the year and I can’t help but noticethat I am saying, again, “This was the most awesome year ever!” Exactly what I saidlast year. And the year before. Probably because that’s how I see things, notbecause the year has anything to do with it and not because the actualcircumstances support the notion. Yet, I am convinced that this was indeed thebest year ever and I can point to a few things that would constitute “proof” inmy mind. But that’s just in my mind. That’s also because I get happy justbecause, so one may say; low expectations go a long way.

One thing I try NOT to say anymore, though I did used to saybefore, is that the Universe had something to do with how things are. You knowthe usual expressions: “The Universe is telling me something,” “The Universe isopening doors and helping me along the way,” “The Universe is teaching me alesson,” “The Universe is responding to me.” Basically, it appears that folksblame everything from good to bad, to strange and unexplainable on theUniverse. This means, the Universe is really busy these days!

It actually is, but not in this way. In its own way the Universeis indeed super busy. Stars come and go.Celestial bodies are moving with astronomical speeds. Galaxies are stillforming. Comets are buzzing through space. The Universe is expanding, than not, thanexpanding again….you name it. It’s happening in very real terms.

What is not happening is “Personal Catering by the Universe.”I expect folks would get a little confused with all the enlightened teachingsout there that they hold dear – from dream boards and the Law of Attraction tothe Secret, to all sorts of New Age excitement. What’s even more interesting isthat somehow yoga got mixed up with wishful thinking and ended up being “feelgood” escapist pursuit. So, now you can hardly go to a yoga class without someenthusiastic yoga teacher, telling you to release your worries to the Universe,or trust the Universe to guide you, or pay attention to what the Universe istelling you….

In all my years of studying yoga I have never encounteredthe notion that the Universe is my personal goodies delivery system. TheUniverse can actually be a scary place, with all the gods, goddesses and theirrelations, according to Hinduism. On the other hand, the Universe appears tobe, just like all visible reality, a temporary phenomenon – every time Brahmagoes to bed, a new Universe is being destroyed and another one is created inthe morning after he wakes up. It’s a good thing a day & night in the lifeof Brahma is 8.64 billion years, which happens to be more than the age of Earthor the Sun, and about ½ of the age of the Universe according to astronomy. Therefore,our Universe is now longer than a day & night in the life of Brahma, sothank God Hindus were wrong in their calculations, because we should have beendead about 5 billion years ago (The current age of the Universe, as we know it isestimated at 13.75 bill years)

What they did get right is how dynamic and temporary theUniverse is.

Yet, I haven’t read anything about the Universe working forme out there. So, I am guessing theUniverse is just not the kind of thing that works for anyone. Not even forBrahma, since Brahma seems to just make it up as he goes along and then leavesit to Vishnu to maintain it until it’s time to start over, in which case Shivasteps in and torches the whole thing. I guess, this shows you how seriouslythey take it.

So, why do we feellike when we are doing things “right” we are supported, doors are opening,things are happening, and we end up in the “right” place?…Likewise, if we arefinding difficulty, struggling, encountering obstacles, suffering, we feel likesomeone is trying to tell us something, teach us a lesson, show us where ourmistakes are. Why is it that your dream board seems to work (sometimes)? Whydoes it have to be a “someone,” an “intelligent entity,” of some sort, thatopens or closes those doors?

Could it be because we selectively choose what to focus on, havean insatiable need for meaning, hate to be alone, are desperate for approval… Isit all just wiring in the brain that colors things this way or that way,tricking you into experiencing a real connection where one does not exist,drives you out of unexplainable mixture of brain chemicals and hormones andbasically has you enacting your species’ survival mechanisms?

No one likes thinking we are just flesh, bone and brainchemicals on a planet in the middle of nowhere, with no purpose and no meaning. We must be more important than that!Aren’t we?

People prefer alternatives such as the existence of God, areason for being, and a place to go after this is over. (Then they fight overwhich version of this is the better one. For thousands of years.)

Meaning, purpose, life…those are the big questions that weall entertain sometimes, or in my case, all of the time. The Universe seems tobe how people fold everything into one word, a notion that encompasses all our hopes,dreams, needs and faith. The Universe is just like God, but you talk about Godin church and you talk about the Universe in a yoga class and among your non-religious/spiritualfriends while looking down on the folks that go to church. So, now we haveanother layer of discrimination: God vs The Universe. Theoretically God createdthe Universe, so why not just say God. On the other hand if you don’t believein God, why attribute to the Universe the characteristics of God?

My biggest question is why do you always look outside of yourselffor all the answers? Could it be that you are God, the Universe and everythingelse, and that’s why yoga scriptures always seem to find a way to point yourattention back at your own being? Could it be that because you are all that,you are the inspiration, the motivation and the power for creating reality andthat’s why your dream board works, or doors open, and when they don’t it isbecause you are not focused and acting out of that selfness? Could it be thatmystics through the centuries and from all sorts of spiritual roots have beentelling you all you have ever needed to know – You are IT, and you have notbeen paying attention?

“Love the questions.” said Rilke, and I think that’s allanyone should do. Love the questions as they lead you ever further, ever deeperand show you where you are not exactly jiving.

What is this (reality)?

Who am I?

What should I be doing with “this one wild and preciouslife?”

Sometimes the answers come. Sometimes they don’t. Either wayyou are a changed person. Next time yousee me, don’t tell me what the Universe has been doing for you. Tell me whatyou have been doing.

Happy New Year.

The winds of change...

2011-12-01T17:49:00.001-08:00

Is it winter, or is it summer? It’s hard to say by justlooking outside. The nights are long but the days are sunny and warm. And then,there’s the wind…. Rattling windows, blowing leafs and whistling throughwindows.

That’s generally how I feel just before somethinginteresting is about to happen. First I get a little confused and discontent asto what am I really doing, why and how long have I been doing it and am goingto be doing it. Then I find my meditations getting longer and my mind shuts outthe world of activity and goes into contemplation mode which kind of feels likedreaming, thinking, sleeping and meditating all at the same time. Then I startsmelling the winds of change and shortly after I get blown away in some amazingdirection and I am off to a new adventure!

It’s easy for me. I am sort of a romantic adventurer with passionfor learning and discovering, so when I hear that wind hauling, I am off, fullsail and a smile on my face. I don’t even mind the high seas or the occasional thunderstorm that inevitably appear. I believe that every good adventure is worth allof its thunder storms and even the occasional getting lost. It’s who I emergeat the end that makes all the difference.

Yet, not everyone welcomes the winds of change with equalenthusiasm. Folks batten down the hatches. Close the blinds and turn on the TVlouder so they don’t have to hear the whispers through the window cracks of consciousness.

There’s something comforting in knowing where you are, whatyou are doing and thinking that you have control over every aspect of yourlife. The need for certainty rules all other needs. So, we seek shelter, food,friendships, things that make us feel stable on our two feet and secure in thefuture.

Krishnamurti finds this need for perpetuity at the root ofall human drama and struggle because, as he said, the self that seeks it is theego and the ego is nothing but a story, told and retold, over and over again.You can’t make a story “feel” happy. It’s a story. And it is a story that doesnot exist outside of your own head.

As Wei Wu Wei put it:

Why are you so unhappy?
Because 99.9% of everything you think,
And everything you do,
Is for your self,
And there isn’t one.

So, what story are you listening to when you are all alonein your own head? Do you like it? My point is that if you are going to betelling yourself stories, you should at least pick one that you like. It beatsthe alternative. However, be aware that it is still a story. Swami Chetananandaones told me “The difference is that I can hear my own bullshit.” And that madeall the difference for me at the time.

How amazing that we can invest so much energy and effort, sacrifice so much for a story!

What would it be like if you choose to be storyless? I canimagine something like this…

Hi, what’s your name?
Everyone calls me Valentina, or Val, or Tina…

Or something like this…

Who are you?
Which “you” are you talking to?

Or like this….

So, tell me something about yourself?
Something.

So, you kind of need a story if you are going to enjoy aconversation here and there. Just as long as you don’t put all your chips on itand try to defend it, perpetuate it and uphold as if it is true, and at anycost. Let the story change with the times and the requirements of yourcreativity. Feel comfortable with that change and enjoy the results.

The stronger the identification with your story, the morepainful the inevitable transformations. You can’t stop the winds of change. Youcan shut yourself in for periods of time and pretend you don’t hear what’scoming, but you can’t avoid it forever. While you are trying to avoid it, youare suffering, struggling and unhappy. Eventually, the storm that’s brewing outthere smashes your shelter to pieces and you have no choice but to stand outthere, your illusions blown to pieces in all directions, and kneel on the grownwith gratitude that you are still alive.

I know. I’ve been there.

Now, I hear the winds of change, step outside of the shelterof my story and let them carry me away to where I should be.

Ah…so much easier. So much more fun. So much more to learn.

Looking at the leafs of the maple trees in autumn….

2011-11-17T19:48:00.001-08:00

When you look back at your life, what do you see? Do you seethe crossroads? Do you see the missed turns, the lucky breaks, the shady spotsand the faces of those that have made an impact? Do you see the moments of“aha,” the moments of “oh, shit,” the moments of “I don’t have a clue,” themoments of “OMG,” pure joy, pure love, pure fear, pure being? Can you lay yourhead down today and say that you have lived an authentic life? One that atevery step of the way represented you at that very step of the way, 100%...Ifnot, what are you waiting for? When do you start living your trueness? When doyou start strutting your goodness around for everyone to see?

Each leaf that falls to the ground does so in its full gloryof color, splendor and complete fulfillment. It goes out in a blaze of orange,red, yellow glory like no other leaf before it and falls gently to the earth,resting peacefully, contently, delicately under its tree. Soon the brancheswill be necked and quiet in the cold of winter with the potential for a renewaldeep in the roots, waiting for the sun to welcome it back in the spring. Everytree loses its crown without anxiety. Every tree grows beautifully a new set ofleafs in the spring. Every leaf is its own creation. Every creation iscompletely unique. Every uniqueness transforms in the fall and lets go of itssecurity on the tree branch to meet the earth in an elegant fall. It depositsit’s beingness to become food for the roots out of which it was created, givingback, without anguish, that which it had received in order to come toexistence.

Each person lives a unique life, but each person holds on tomemories, holds on to security, to safety and fears to let go. Fears a fall.

Some day we all have to fall. Sometimes we fall more thanones in a life time. Ultimately, the human life ends less gloriously and lesscolorfully than the life of a single maple leaf. When that moment comes and youlook back all you will see is not a labyrinth of choices and possibilities buta single path you’ve walked, curving and twisting. Will you die with a smilesaying – this life was an awesome experience? Will you get there full? Full as in there isn’t anything more that canbe added to become any happier, any fuller, any better. That kind of full. Theyogic word is “Purna.”

To get there at the moment of your death, you have to livethat way every day. Every night you go to bed and recount the steps of yourday, you should feel that fullness, contentment that comes from knowing thatyou did what you are here to do. It has nothing to do with the circumstances ofyour life. It has nothing to do with the events of your life. It has to do withliving from your deepest heart, authentically and mindfully.

You will never have all the answers. You will never be ableto see what happens in the future and how your decisions in this moment willripple out to tomorrow, to others and back at you. You may guess, anticipate,hope but ultimately you have to resolve yourself to not knowing and to beingtotally comfortable with that. When you are totally comfortable with notknowing than you can allow life to express itself through you and make yourdecisions based on what is the best course of action NOW.

To know what the best choice is NOW, you have to knowyourself intimately. You also, have to be willing to behold the reality ofwhatever is going on in your life and call it what it is. If you are not willingto accept the way things are, because this is how they are, than you areeliminating the possibility to move forward from right understanding into rightaction toward the right outcome – whatever this outcome may be, even if it isdifferent than what you are planning for.

If you are mistaking complacency for contentment, then youhave a problem. It’s like mistaking numbness for comfort. It’s like mistakingan ice cube for an ice cream. They are both cold, but one actually has flavorand the other does not. Contentment has flavor. It’s the intensity of living –magical, curious, vivacious, joyful, open, rich, full body contact, kind of living. Complacency is just dullness andflavorlessness.

If you are conflicted about something, it is because there’sfriction between the way you live your life and the way you could be livingyour life. Only living from you trueness produces frictionless living.

Making mistakes is OK. You can always correct them. Wakingup and realizing that you are different person is also OK. Now live up to thatrealization even if you have to re-arrange the furniture in the living room ofyour life, haul off a few pieces that no longer serve a good purpose. Nothingshould be left just sitting there because it was there 10 years ago, or becauseyou simply don’t know what to do with it. Everything in your life should glowwith meaning, richness and purpose. Everything in your life should feed yoursoul with inspiration and creativity. Even when things are “bad.”

Nothing should be left unturned, unchecked, undigested. Inthe process, if you discover that things are not the way they used to be,that’s fine. It means you are paying attention. Now what do you do? Do you tryto make things into what they used to be, knowing that it’s impossible? Do youpretend that they are the way they used to be? Do you make excuses and continueto allow things to be without responding to the call of transformation?

You have a responsibility towards life and towards yourself,to rearrange, change, move away, or whatever you need to do to keep things inalignment with your purpose.

What’s your purpose?….It is the same thing for every human.It is simply to be yourself. You are Life! You have to express potential. Youhave to express creativity. You have to express you self.

We start by being a blank slate on which living writes itsstory in a way of experiences, impressions and learning. We, then, proceed tomistaking this story line for who we are. This leads to continuing along thesame lines and building more experiences, memories and solidifying even deeper thisidentification with the story line.

Being yourself is the easiest and the hardest trip you willever undertake. Naturally, most people get disoriented among expectations,cultural values, commercials, available options, desires and fears. Disorientedto a point of tuning everything out and going back to what one always does.Most people chose to turn the other way instead of turning in and digging deep,asking questions that may, or may not, lead to answers one wants, or does notwant to hear. Getting out of the groove takes work. It’s scary for most peopleto let go of the tree branch they’ve been hanging on all this time and take theplunge towards transformation. They mistakenly fear “the end of what is” withsimply “the end” when in reality “the end of what is” may mean a “transformationinto betterness, richness, awesomeness.” Transformation is scary.Transformation is resisted. Transformation may cause conflict with others whoare expecting you to be what they think they need, selfishly…. Transformationmay mean losing a few things you think you care about, re-definingrelationships, boundaries, re-drawing the blue prints, letting go of a fewsuitcases of stuff you carry around for no particular reason, discoveringsomething about yourself that needs your attention, learning to shine, bravelyopening to the unknown… Transformation leads to contentment. Otherwise, there’sjust complacency.

As the seasons change, so can we. We all spring intoexistence in one way, express it, and eventually transform into somethingdifferent whether we like it or not. If we make this process a mindful,conscious process, than we fertilize this future metamorphosis with the deathof the previous. If we are not willing to accept that, then we get stuck.Unhappy. If we are willing to transcend and include all previous experiences,and forms of being, without guilt, conflict or attachment, than we grow andrefine our personality, our existence, and fulfill our potential, for thatmoment and into the next, all the way to the end of a life time as we know it,and for the benefit of all beings…..

Each one of us not only lives to transcend our individualkarma, but in the process, delivers karma to all we come in contact with. Now that’sreally big. It means that if you are not growing, learning, fulfilling yourpotential, if you are not being yourself, NOT only are you NOT transcendingyour own karma, but you are robbing others of the opportunity to transcendtheirs by not “delivering” those opportunities to them, the opportunities thatbecome available due to your own transformation. Nothing is an isolated eventin a world of interconnectedness. The realizations that you have today, whichlead you to take action NOW, produce a reaction of some sort in those aroundyou, which then affords them the opportunity to look within themselves, shouldthey chose to, and can lead them to be the best they can be, and in the processmaking a difference in the lives of those around them…and so on, and so forth.

Be well. Be full. Be happy. Really happy.

Love & Light.

Pretension…and yoga.

2011-10-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Is this possible?

Not only it is, but it is also everywhere. Unfortunately.Such is life. You will have to use your discernment skills to weed out the pretentionfrom the authenticity.

For starters, yoga teachers are not egoless, selfless beingsof light, no matter how much they try to work on their peaceful teaching voice,elaborately constructed resume, or how many yoga workshops they attend and howmany books on yoga they read. In fact, for many that is part of the pretention.As if somehow, if one lists the number of teacher training they’ve taken, dropsa few yoga celebrity names, and lists a few books on yoga this somehow meansanything.

The funny thing about yoga is that it is something that onehas to eventually embody. Teacher training in this day and age is pretty much ameaningless money making machine for yoga studios, as proved by the poor qualityof yoga instruction around the country. Any warm body with $3500 in theirpocket and a few weeks to spare can get through a teacher training, completewith a piece of paper serving to testify that this warm body is now a yogateacher. Young, inexperienced, wellmeaning folks, who still don’t know their own minds are in the business ofteaching an ancient mystical tradition that requires grueling selfinvestigation, long years of struggle, skillful teachers as guides andselflessness.

This is not to say that everyone attending teacher trainingsis a ding-dong with stars in the eyes dreaming about having a “following” and theeasy life of an urban yogi, or a yogini, who’s loved by all, makes more moneythan a doctor and keeps up his, or her yoga figure well into old age to the amazementof everyone. Some people actually are truly interested in learning about yoga.They are interested in delving deep into the philosophy of the ages, themystery of the practice and the depths of self discovery. Those folks wouldmake great yoga teachers, indeed. Most of them come from at least a few yearsof their own practice and study, and are truly looking for some guidance sothey can grow further.

Questionable quality of teacher trainings,producing teachers of further questionable quality in a world of yoga that hasnow been officially named an “industry” – that’s where we live. Multi-billion dollar figures get thrown aroundas proof of the industriality of this industry. Branding is just as prevalent inyoga as it is in cereal manufacturing. Yoga celebrities have yoga fans. Yogaconferences abound everywhere. Thousands of yoga books get published everyyear. Yoga studios pop up on every corner. Gyms dedicate space as “yoga rooms.”The word “yoga” gets slapped and mashed into everything one can think of. Yoga fordogs is doga, as if dogs need yoga. Last time I checked they were way moreliberated than any human I know. Yoga + Palates = Yogalaties. I have no ideawhat that’s like since I have never taken a class.

Open any Yoga Journal magazine and you will find out thatyoga sells everything from wine, snacks, sneakers, and purses to homedecorations, vitamins and supplements, cars, cleaning products and what not.That’s in addition to the usual stuff like yoga mats, props and clothes. Yoga advertising, yoga foods, yoga clothes,yoga life style, yoga relationships, yoga for children, yoga for black people,or gay people (as if it makes a difference what color you are or who you liketo screw), yoga for increasing productivity, yoga for getting in touch withyour sexuality, yoga for grieving, yoga dates, yoga phone apps, yoga Wii…that’sin addition to the usual health benefits the practice is well known for.Somehow, yoga is always “for” something, or else people don’t want to do it ortalk about it.

Yoga, is just yoga. That’s how simple it is. Yoga is not averb. Yoga is a noun. People forgot, mainly because there’s no one to teach themthat. We, in the West, “do” yoga. Yogis of old, attain yoga. That makes all thedifference. Postures are for posers…abumper sticker said. It’s funny because it’s true.

Take the famous second line of the Yoga Sutras: Yogahcittavrtti nirodhah, which roughly means, “union (integration of the outermostlayer all the way to the innermost self) is a state of control, restriction,cessation of the chitta (the vehicle of observation, attention with its three functionsof cognition, volition and motion)” Or simply: yoga is a state of mind. Evenmore simply, yoga is a state. A state is a noun not a verb. That’s why yogaused to be attained and attainable and now yoga is doable and thereforeunattainable. By definition you need to stop doing in order to attain. Doing isa mental predisposition that prevents being and for as long as you are doingyou aren’t being.

I can already hear people ready to argue because how are yousupposed to do yoga postures without doing. Well, that’s when you know you’veattained yoga – the yoga postures get done while you are being. So does everything else in life – it getsdone while I am being. That’s yoga.

Not very many yoga teachers can say that they know thefeeling of that. So, how are they supposed to teach you to get there….

Actually, I’d be happy if most of the yoga teachers outthere at least acquire some anatomical knowledge. Just that would be nice. Therest of the stuff one can work on by reading, investigating, meditating, etc.Anatomy is easily learned. Yoga teachers should at least know the names of afew most commonly used muscles and how they interact with each other, so thatat the bare minimum they are not hurting people. When I look at the list ofstuff yoga teachers say and make people do, commonly, and how harmful thosethings are, I cringe! It’s definitely one of the reasons why people going toyoga with great expectations for fixing their bodily problems end up with moreof them at the end. It’s another pretention – pretending to know what you aretalking about in front of a group of people who hope that you do.

Anyhow…I am just saying that if you are going to be involvedin the process of yoga, you should know a few things. 1 – Why you are doing it.2 – There is different quality of teachers out there and you should seek thebest because it could be detrimental to your well- being. After all you are paying for the service.Demand quality. 3 – Don’t chose a yogateacher based on their entertainment skills alone, or the brand of clothingthey wear, or the brand of yoga they teach. Look for experience, depth of knowledge andsubstance. Look for someone who actually lives what they preach, as much aspossible. No one’s perfect but some people are really off the mark and off thewagon all together. 4 – Don’t relay on the Universe to find you a yoga teacher.The Universe is too busy being a Universe and you should learn to rely on yourown Self….that’s what yoga is ultimately about.

What is Yoga….realy?

2011-09-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

If you ask this question in a yoga class, you are guaranteedto hear the teacher even a few of the eager yoga students chime right back atyou the same answer you will read in every book written about yoga, which isalso likely to have a chapter called “What is Yoga,” that answer being “Yogameans yoking. Yoking your individual self with the Devine Self.”

“Really?” say you rolling your eyeballs into your head. “Iam just here ‘cause my doctor told me it’s good for my back.” Or “I am justhere to work out.” Or “I am just here to be away from the kids and thesignificant other.” Or “I am just here because…..” Perfect! Be that way and beproud of it. Honesty is the first step towards even getting a chance to grow.So, good for you for being honest.

I love this practice and for me it is a lifelong explorationof the mystery of living, being human and growing. But don’t fool yourself –going to a yoga class, just any yoga class, won’t get you any closer to yourTrue Self or Devine Self, any more than buying that new style of Lululemonpants, or the latest model of Yoga Toes.

Yes, going to a yoga class may increase your chances ofoccurring to you to connect to your body and be curious about your personalprocess, but there are no guarantees. Why so, if this ancient practice promisesto transform the mind, body and spirit into enlightenment and eternal bliss….?Why so?

Folks, you are paying $5 - $15 per class and sometimes youare taking the classes for free. What do you think the price of enlightenmentreally is?

For starters, the teacher teaching you is likely to havejust rolled out of cookie cutter yoga school, which any one can attend withoutany apparently important pre-qualifications, and anyone can graduate fromwithout anyone as much as suggesting a way of testing the worthiness of thisnew fledgling of a teacher to spread the goodness around. The time is long gonewhen for one to learn the meaning and practice of yoga, one had to chop woodand carry water for the guru and collect every crumb of wisdom that said gurumay choose to drop, thus toiling and learning one valuable lesson at the timethrough living, serving and stewing in his/her own juices for considerableamount of years before finally being kicked out to meet the world. Besides,most yogis of old, didn’t really care to meet the word. If the world wanted tomeet them, a long journey up to a cave somewhere may be required. Those guyswere outcasts on the fringes of society, controversial in their practices andexperimentation and most definitely underappreciated by the status quo.

Not only is the average yoga teacher today incapable of pouringany amount of meaningful insights or wisdom into you, for they lack itthemselves, but often they will annoy you with the things they throw at youwhile teaching you the physical postures, standing above your downward dogslike great eagles who are sweetly repeating things out of books you too havealready read, or bubble gum-feel-good advise you too have already heard onTV. A lot of yoga teachers don’t knowthe difference between a yogi and a yogini and you will often hear them useyogi universally. Well, folks as a female practitioner, I resent you calling mea yogi. I have the appropriate apparatus to be a yogini and intend to keep itthat way.

Furthermore, there are many aspects of yoga that TOGETHERlead the practitioner on the road of Self discovery. Asanas – or what you dowhile you are in a yoga class, is just one of the practices of yoga. One andnot all. For a moment here, I’d take the Zen approach and tell you that you don’treally need to do anything to become enlightened. Actually, one can neverbecome enlightened because one already is so. That being said, an asana classmay indeed be more than one really needs to realize their own enlightenment,but it’s not really likely to happen. If you are anything like all the otherhumans on Earth, your ego is well settled in and it will take a lot of convincingto, willingly or unwillingly, relinquish its grip on your reality.

Therefore,even though you don’t have to, you still have to practice something to helpyourself along. Asana is not enough. Most people only do asana. Most yogateachers only do asana if they do anything at all. I am willing to bet thatthere are yoga students who do asana more often than the teachers who areteaching them…

Good news is that those asanas, when practice correctly forthe level your body needs to be in, have endless benefits for you physically.That’s kind of why they exist in the first place – to purify and to keep thebody healthy so that the practitioner can then go around doing more importantand subtle work, such as, oh, say, mediation or self inquiry… instead ofcamping out in front of the doctor’s office or popping pills or dealing with ailmentsof all sorts. They are also suppose tobe the training wheels on your mindfulness bicycle so that when you do end uptrying some of the other stuff, and when you do leave the yoga room, you haveat least a glimpse of the way you habitually are, what your mind map may be andtherefore, they lay one more brick in the foundation from which you are togrow, if you so choose.

Bad news is that those asanas are an awesome opportunity toshow off and thus they are a great tool to increase the ego’s bubble beyondbursting proportions. Of course, you wouldn’tknow the difference either way, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Most teacherswill encourage you to try new things even though you hardly have a clue about theold things, show you harder postures as if postures are something to be had andaccomplished, and as if postures mean anything at all. So, as a good student,you will want to please your teachers and show your fellow practitioners howmuch better you can do things and how much better you generally are. There’snothing more fun than walking out of your yoga class with your head up hightelling yourself “piece of cake” and it’s even better when the teacher says toyou “You have a beautiful practice,” or another fellow student stops you andbeams at you their admiration for your postures. Right? Who do you think thatis, talking to you at those moments???

So, let’s get a few things straight.

Asanas, or as you know it “a yoga class” is like car maintenance.If you want the car to drive you around to all your important appointments, youneed to rotate and change the tires, change the oil, put in gas, check on the transmissionfluid and so on. Asanas are body maintenance. If you don’t move your parts,they freeze. If you don’t fuel the body with circulation and oxygen it poopsout. If you carry too much weight, your shacks give out. If you don’t payattention to the way you drive it, the alignment goes out and all sorts ofthings start creaking and squeaking. If you drive it all the time, non-stopwithout rest, it overheats and wears out its parts. Bottom line – body needsmaintenance. Asanas are great for that. Asana practice is not a glorifiedexperience or meaningful endeavor. Of course anything is meaningful if youlearn to pay attention, and asanas are a great way to learn to pay attention. Topay attention you don’t have to do cart wheels. Just sitting there is hardenough. If you don’t believe me, take up mediation. So, asanas have no meaningit terms of “who “ you are or “what kind of person” you are, or “where you are going”from here, or “what are you going to become.” They are meaningful because ifyou choose to pay attention to how you are, what drives you and what you aredoing, you can learn about yourself.

Yoga is more than asana practice but asana practice may beall you want to be involved in at this stage of your life, so being honestabout it is admirable. So, don’t let people look at you like you are a secondgrade yoga citizen just because you don’t wear mala beads on your neck, don’t smelllike incense, don’t know what “Namaste” means, or you don’t belive the Universeis like UPS delivering whatever you need at your door when you need it.Someday, you may be interested in finding out more and then it will be a goodthing to pick up a few books, seek out teachers who live the practice not justtalk the practice for an hour during your class, go on a retreat, experimentwith things at home… the opportunities arise as you become ready for them, orat least it seems so because you are able to spot things out that otherwisewould have gone unnoticed.

Finally, don’t make your yoga teachers your spiritualguides. Let’s face it, how old is the average yoga teacher you’ve met lately?That’s right. Don’t you remember knowing everything when you were in your 20’stoo…? It takes years and years of practice for a yoga practitioner to earn theright to share any kind of meaningful growth advice. And I mean “grow” advice; Idon’t dare say “spiritual” advice. It takes countless hours of study to evenscratch the surface of yoga spirituality. With more than 10 years under my beltof teaching and thousands of hours of studying history and philosophy I amstill hesitant to open my mouth and make a claim that I know what I am talkingabout. All I know is that there is a vast body of information which spansthousands of years in time and it is so diverse that it is often contradictoryand one cannot fully appreciate it unless one puts it in the context in whichit was created. Therefore, I am pretty sure that the average yoga teacher inher 20 or 30 is not likely to be of any spiritual assistance to you. That’s not to say that age matters but timeon Earth spend does matter in a sense that, if you were just born yesterday,you are unlikely to have already finished reading the Vedas, and you are unlikely to have asked any of the Big questions about Life, the Universe and Everything Else between your feedings.

So, all this being said – don’t go to yoga classes thinkingyou are getting anything more than what you are getting. Enlightenment ultimatelycomes at the price of sacrificing your own habits and hang ups and letting goof any notions about enlightenment. Ultimately, enlightenment is not a setpoint in time, which once reached is the end of your journey. It’s actuallywhere things start getting hard. It’s the beginning and an on-going processthat demands your attention and your refinement because like it says in theBible among many other places: For once you were darkness, but now you arelight in the Lord. Live as children of light” and that folks, is the realchallenge. The rest is easy as pie!

So, what is Yoga?? Well, what’s it to you? Don’t accept thecanned answers you hear every day. Find out on your own. Good luck.

Traveling and learning....

2011-08-19T06:10:00.001-07:00

I have just arrived in Bulgaria. My brother picks me up from the airport and we are making the "the short" cut trip to my mother's apartment weaving through the back streets, avoiding traffic lights and traffic all together. As always it takes a while for the ugliness to set in. I make a comment: "Why can't people in these giant, communist apartment complexes get a piggy bank going, an HOA, and repaint the outside of these buildings?" I mean, rust is streaking down the balconies, the original colors long ago fainted and satellite dishes hanging in disarray do not make a pretty site, by any stretch of the imagination. Add to that the hanging laundry, waiving it's whites and colors to the world and the occasional "home improvement" project which consist of folks enclosing their balconies and making them as part of the interior by way of glass or other not previously agreed upon materials and you can see how each building resembles a gypsy patchwork of tasteless functionality and dubious safety. "They don't care" he said.

A few hours later, the sun set but the summer night still pleasnatly warm, we are seatted in an old gazibo in the Tsar's summer garden. It's now the property of Tabo&Co and the place is alive with drinking and smoking. The menu sports over a hunderd alcoholic bevarges but i find a fresh squeezed lemonade with mint in it for the price of $3. Yes, this is indeed the Tsar's summer garden on the back side of the Tsar's palace in the heart of Sofia. Once the communists claimed the place and kept it off limits but now it appears everything is within limits.

Dressed up dolls walk around in their high heals with properly applied make up and seemingly an intention to outdo the next one. Guys stooping over tables with cigarettes between the fingers and the usual "I am too cool" scrunched up eye brows, seem to be all involved in very serious, loud conversations. Hardly any laughter, which makes my giggling all the more abvous and a few heads turn around to check out who can possibly be so happy!

My brother's child hood friends arrive and they both proceed to explain to me how hard things are and how if they just had more money, all their troubles would melt away. One would take over a defaulted restaurant and make a bank. Theother is deffinitelly sure that the root of his problems is that he's not making enough money, which amazes me because by his own admission he makes above the average pay check and lives rent-free with is mother at the age of 30. What also amazes me is that on the way to this fine establishment we have passed by many big and small coffee shops, restaurants and night clubs with flashy facades and judging by the expensive BMW, Audis and the likes of cars parked on the outside of these places, everyone's a BMW, or the like, driver with everyone has too much money and too much time to spare packing these places at 11 pm on a Thursday night. Yet, you do have to drive through a lot of pot holes to get there. "They don't care" he chimes.

What's that got to do with yoga...all of it. First of all, yoga, as a way of life, makes a person care. Ghandi cared so much he caused a revolution. Modern day yogi and yoginies are involved in variety of causes from helping children, to urban development, to support for homeless and raising money for varieties of causes. Practicing yoga, even if you don't devote your time studing the philosophy of it, opens you body and your heart to a sense of connectedness from which comes care and genuine compassion and concern for other fellow humans, nature, the environment, everything. Bulgaria, and the whole world for that matter, needs yoga. I am the only one laughing all evening while a few more of my brother's friends pour out of the dark say "hi" to me.

"What do you think?" one of them askes me. I say "I am hearing a lot of 'no', 'cannot,' 'it's impossible,' 'no way' around here" - I say."I am more used to 'why not,' 'lets give it a try,' 'everything is possible' and 'what the hack, if it doesn't work, do something else' where i come from."

First of all, that's just how most American's are - optimistic, oportunistic, adventerous bunch, dispite alot of things. But second of all, in my little yoga comminity, i see enthusiasm and trust that things will work out and life is more fun than trouble over all. You don't have to do yoga to be that way, but yoga definitelly helps you gain a perspective, a greatitude for everything you are, everything you have and everything you can be. Which, overall is a better place than being in the Tsar's summer garden on a Thursday night in Sofia.

"The glass is either half full or half empty" i tell my brother's friends. "What do you mean?" they say. I go into my gratitude lecture with enthusiasm and more laughing, to which more heads get turned as my second lemonade arrives and i just about give the waitress a hug and tell her how wonderful this fresh squeezed lamon, suger and crushed mint tastes. She likes my outburst but is clearly confused as to what to do with it. People are sure guarded around here. I guess i used to be too. So, i count my blessings and with gratitude in my heart for my karma, which i am fully aware of, is the product of my choices and the ability to unpack the potential given to me, i pay for the drinks and leave the place laughing on the way to the car as my brother endearingly makes fun of my made up Bulgarian/English words.

"I love when you visit" he said. "It's like the sun shines all the time you are here." "It's always shining", i say," you just have to change your sunglasses and be willing to bask in it's glory without judgment, nacked, open to whatever comes and greatful for the way things turn out, even if they don't turn out the way you think they should." After all, who are we to know how things should turn out. It's enough to know that we are all God's creatures and when it says in the Old book that we are created in God's image, it does not mean, we all have long beard and sit on a cloud. It means that we are all creators. That's power. That's responsibility. That's inevitibality and that's the beauty of life!

Yoga is skill in action, according to the yogic teachings. Yoga is the yoking of your individual self, with the Supreme Self and in that way, yoga is the yoking of you with Life without and ALL of it's manifestations. So, enjoy. Tat Tsvam Asi - You Are That.

This being human….

2011-06-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Life goes on, weather you are a hero or a cowered…I read this somewhere. It stuck. It means that life is not personal. It means that regardless of what I want, like, deny, become, live through, etc, I am really just there for the ride. Sometimes the ride may make you nauseous – too many twist and turns on the road. Sometimes it makes you exhilarated, looking at the scenery ahead and around. Sometimes it’s dark and sometimes it’s so bright you have to put your shades on. Either way, the road you are traveling on, doesn’t much care you are on it. You care, though. You think you chose you destination, you find your road and you are going places. You think….

You think, therefore you constantly qualify, analyze and file your experiences in the usual categories – like, dislike, want, do not want, good, bad, beneficial or a waste of time…

You think, therefore you can’t see that life has nothing to do with you.

You think that you are you. You think that there’s a “you” out there that makes it all happen. This you visualizes getting what it wants, suffers when it doesn’t get it. Gets in trouble. Gets out of trouble. Goes on a diet. Goes off the wagon. Goes on another trip.

Constantly trapped by what the yogi’s call “The 5 afflictions of the Mind” this “you” suffers.

1 Affliction: Ignorance. Yes, ignorance as in not knowing the facts, the way of things, what to do, etc. More importantly, ignorance of who you really are. Therefore, Know Thy Self. That’s different than knowing what you want, what you need, what you like and dislike, what you think you deserve. That’s helpful for sure, but that’s just scratching the surface of the illusion.

Know the nature of beingness that is life flowing through this manifestation you call “yourself.” That’s enlightenment. Everything else is circumstantial. Play chips on the board of life you think of as real money.

2 Affliction: The I-maker. That’s the “you” you think of when you think of “yourself” conventionally. That’s the personality which evolves because it’s necessary to navigate through the world of phenomena, because you don’t Know Thy Self and because you need it while you are embodied. That’s also the collection of personality traits that are responsible for all of your karma, suffering and generally the experience of living a life as an individual. That I-maker tends to take over and make itself the all important experience of who you think you are because it does thenthinking. It thinks in terms of itself as separate and it likes to make itself feel better by thinking of interconnectedness and compassion and wonderful aspirations like enlightenment, wholeness and wellness. It plays games like “growing” and “learning,” “healing” and “achieving” and in the process it inflates itself, if it conceders itself successful, especially when it compares itself to others. That is, if left unchecked. How do you check it? Know Thy Self and you will know what the I-maker is too.

3 Afflictions: Attraction. That’s all the things the I-maker likes, considers important and generally gravitates towards. Which is all kinds of fun, when you consider all the things people like and want. The more you have of what you want, the more solid that I-maker feels. It erects a castle around itself surrounded by the walls of all of its accomplishments, possessions, labels and titles, all of its future aspirations, all of its wonderful past experiences and stories about itself. The more of what you want you get, the bigger that sense of ME and I. “This is who I am” you say. “This is what I do.” “This is what I want.” The idea being that the more you get of what you want, the happier you will be because the fuller “I” feels! These are what the “I” becomes attached to. Unless, of course, you Know Thy Self.

4 Affliction: Aversion. That’s all the things the I-maker dislikes, considers unimportant and generally gravitates away from. Which is all kinds of fun, when you consider all the things people dislike and do not want. The more you stay away from what you don’t want the more solid the I-maker feels. It builds a castle around itself on top of all of its mistakes, mishaps, judgment of others, all of its denials. Buries it all in the basement and stands on top bigger than all of it. Bigger than its problems. Bigger than its issues. Bigger than its ignorance. It’s “Who I am not.” It’s “What I don’t do.” It’s “What I don’t want.” The idea being is that the less you have of what you don’t want the happier you will be because the fuller the “I” feels. These are what the “I” becomes disconnected from. Unless, of course, you Know Thy Self.

5 Affliction: The Fear of Death. That’s anything that hints of annihilation of “I” as you know it. The death of a dream, the unachievable goal, the failed relationships, the terminal disease, the rejection from someone else, the disappointments, loss of status, job and friends, the not having enough of (money, house, friends…), the ultimate Death. This is what the “I” feels anxious about, all of the time. Unless, of course, you Know Thy Self.

You can call yourself whatever you like – a looser, a life coach, a day dreamer, an accomplished anything, an artist…those are just labels. They are useful in describing something to someone else or to yourself, such as “This person is tall.” Or “I have HIV.” Or “I am the mother of 2 children.” Or “I am an artist, come check out my gallery,” You are not the labels though. If you can’t live without the label, you limit your ability to experience the mystery of life and you make your life be about your labels.

You can deny anything you don’t like – an addiction, a disease, a friendship, a move to another town, a talent, a psychological trait. It eats you up from the inside, festers there in the basement of your castle. It makes your life about labels. You are not those labels either. If you can’t live with those labels you limit your ability to experience the mystery of life and you make your life about your labels.

Life is not about labels. Life is not about you. Life is just life. So, life is not supposed to be fair. Life is not supposed to be easy or fun, or anything at all. Life IS and it is every moment, weather you are sick, or blind, or preoccupied, or alert, or happy or sad. Life does not know of emotion. Humans do and they tend to attribute their own emotions to it. Life lives. Life happens. Your interpretation of it is yours and yours alone, and therefore, your experience is yours and yours alone. When you Know Thy Self, than you ARE. You live. You happen. All of it is absolutely fascinating, however it turns out. You play the game with skill and you use your chips in creative ways, discovering possibilities and manifesting life through your fingertips like it’s nothing. Because it is nothing and in being nothing it’s absolutely everything. It’s the end of “growing,” “achieving” “learning”. It’s the death of “you” and therefore its life in full force in infinity and eternity….and the bills still get paid, the house painted, the kid’s nose wiped off and the divorce wrapped up. You donated to charities, eat ice cream, pet cows, climb mountains, learn French, yell at someone here and there and vote for your favorite politician…chop wood, carry water. Absolutely delightful. Then the lights go out. Or so it seems. Life still lives. So do you. Again. Or so it seems.

At your disposal....call me if you want to know how things are :))

Breath, Metabolism and a Peace of Mind!

2011-05-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Recently a girl I know asked me a question. She said: “My roommate and I decided to loose weight and started working out. She started doing yoga and I am going to the gym. We do it regularly. My roommate’s lost weight. I’ve gained weight. Why? “

I always educate the world of the many benefits of yoga, but I definitely have a more psychological, emotional, spiritual bend on the practice, rather than strictly physiological, although I never miss a news announcement that shows latest research of how yoga helps anything from high blood pressure, to fertility, to cancer survivor rates…you name it. Today, I’ll focus on the physiology of yoga and specifically on the AWESOME benefits of the breath.

Most people are completely unaware of their breath and don’t even know that there are better ways to breath, ways that lead to less stress, more energy, weight loss, low blood pressure and generally a healthy body. Yoga utilizes varieties of breathing techniques to give you that advantage in life. Deep diaphragmatic breathing is an integral part of every yoga practice. Most yoga styles incorporate the breath with the movements. A few, will instruct breathing separately from the movement. My personal preference, and from my observations, moving and breathing is better than move now – breath later. I will explain why in a minute.

Deep diaphragmatic breath stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and kick starts the relaxation response in your body – hence less stress. Drs. Brown and Gerbarg in a recent article in Current Psychiatry show how trained deep breathing can relieve trauma symptoms. The sympathetic nervous system, which is stimulated in times of stress and anxiety, controls your fight or flight response, including spikes in cortisol and adrenaline that can be damaging when they persist too long, becoming responsible for conditions such as depression, anxiety, muscle tension and pain, insulin sensitivity, GI issues, insomnia, adrenal fatigue and cardio vascular disease, among scores of other conditions.

Deep diaphragmatic breathing is the fastest way to influence the nervous system. Also, it increases oxygen in your blood stream. More oxygen = more active metabolism. More active metabolism = leaner body. 1 L of oxygen burns 5 calories. Which is why people exercise. When you exercise, your body demands more oxygen. Even after you finish exercising your body stays saturated with oxygen for a while which keeps you metabolism more active, continuing to burn calories. This is known as the “afterburn” effect.

Now you can see why moving AND deep breathing is better than just moving and then deep breathing. When you combine the two, as in the way of yoga – you move, increasing the demand for oxygen and your deep breaths supply extra amount of oxygen. This results in high metabolism, which results in burning more calories even though you may be working only at the level of moderate intensity. Some forms of yoga are very active and intense. The effect there is even more pronounced because the intensity of your effort is directly correlated to the amount of oxygen consumed post exercise. Nevertheless, it’s the deep breathing that turns a gentle or moderate activity into a fat burning activity through stimulating your metabolism. This also means that more intense practice will be more effective if combined with deep breathing. But that’s not all!!!

Breathing is the “pump” for the lymphatic system – that’s the sewer system of your organism, the way the body transports and gets rid of toxins. Your cells must have oxygen to survive moment to moment. They rely on a complex exchange between the circulatory system and the lymphatic system. Blood flow carries nutrients and oxygen to them, while the lymphatic system carries away destructive toxins. Proper breathing is the moderator of this exchange. More oxygen to in the blood stream = less toxins in the cells, to put it simply. But that’s not all either!!!

Pranayama is a whole practice of yoga on its own when one delves into various breathing exercises which have such an immediate and pronounced effect on your body/mind that only a few minutes per day can be of great benefit. Because of the profound mental, physical and energetic effects of some breathing practices, the supervision of a qualified instructor is necessary. So, don’t just do something because you read about it in a magazine.

Curious about what it’s like to live life with energy and lightness in health and happiness, rather than stress, gloom and discomfort? Give yoga a try today. As always, remember the teacher has a lot to do with the outcome of your practice, so try a few and choose wisely.

Happy breathing, all.

Valentina Petrova has been teaching yoga since 2001. She owns Holistic Movement Center in Morro Bay, CA where she teaches group classes and advises people privately. For more info, or to book an appointment, call 805-909-1401, or visit the web at www.holisticmovementcenter.com.

PS...Some fun calorie burning facts, in case you care...

Energy expenditure and tables with a calorie calculator: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/energyexp.htm Also, there at the bottom in the extra info you can find other tools like ideal weight (which tells me i am on the lowest border), body type, and all kinds of other stuff.

Scientists have found out that the burning of carbohydrates during exercise is equivalent to 5.05 calories for every one liter of oxygen consumed. For fat it, is 4.73 calories per one liter of oxygen. They also found out that there is a greater production of carbon dioxide when carbohydrates are burned compared to when fat is burned. So, scientists can accurately determine how many calories come from carbohydrates and how many come from fat during a single session of exercise. In fitness textbooks, the figures are rounded off to 5 calories per one liter of oxygen.

Cardio Equipment
Most cardio machines (treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer, and rower) base their calorie burning formulas on a reference person who usually weighs 130 or 150 pounds. Unless you weigh exactly that much, the number being displayed on the console is slightly inaccurate. Here's how to make it more accurate.

Find out from the gym staff what the cardio machines calculations are based on. Let's assume its 130 pounds. Divide the number of calories burned by 130 pounds. Multiply the answer by your weight in pounds.

For example, the treadmill's display console says you burned 300 calories. Divide 300 calories by 130 pounds. The answer is 2.30 calories per pound. Multiply that by 120 pounds (your weight). The answer is 277 calories.

Then, if you are feeling bad because that's all the calories you burned for one hour of walking, console yourself with the fact that you burned 277,000 physics calories.

A calorie in physics is different from a calorie in nutrition. Doherty explains that one food calorie (which should technically be spelled with a capital C) is 1,000 times bigger than one physicist's calorie (spelled with a small c). In other words, a food calorie is actually a kilocalorie (Kcal). It is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celcius. Sometimes, the physics calorie is called a small calorie while the food calorie is called a big or large calorie. Whew! No wonder one website starts its definition of calories with an ice-breaker question: How many calories do you burn just trying to understand what a calorie is?

So now you know that a cup of rice has 220,000 physics calories or in food terms, 220 Calories or 220 kilocalories.

Humbled and Grateful...

2011-04-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

I do not have a problem with people dying - disease, or accidents or natural disasters. In a way. I think there are too many humans on this planet to sustain a healthy balance and that we prove this every day. I happen to think of humans as just another species and do not think that we should expect to continue as species indefinitely. So, actually, i am OK with the entire human race being wiped out in a flash by a meteor. Why? Because, I don't think we are entitled to life and we are definitely not entitled to life forever. We are just organisms on the face of a planet which is hurried through the Universe at 67,000 miles per hour to imminent destruction. These are the facts of life.

But there are other facts, which are equally present. The fact that suffering exists. The fact that the higher the nervous system, the more developed the brain, the more developed the ego, the deeper, stronger and inevitable the suffering. So, as humans we hold first place in being able to experience suffering. No other creatures on this planet can make themselves so miserable as we can. Mainly because no other creatures on this planet has the well cultivated egos that humans have. That being said, i have nothing but compassion for ALL beings but especially for the beings who experience the greatest suffering daily, hourly and by the minuted - humans.

Outside of being parasites on the face of the Earth, humans are also magicians and creators of the highest order. We are the only species who can imagine and manifest from that imagination. This is nothing short of amazing. This is Godly attribute. And what makes it more amazing is that we always, almost certainly fail to recognize that, so we devote our time and attention to building identities, acquiring things - beliefs and objects that will re-enforce those identities and then we spend a lot of time asserting those identities, fighting over our differences and defending our selves from folks who challenge our identity. Meanwhile, we are cooking delicious meals, creating art, inventing technology, raising kids and not even noticing.

So, I find here and there something i can do, like teach yoga, not eating anything with eyes, support the American Cancer Society...to perhaps alleviate some of the suffering, even though i know that suffering is nothing more than the experience of an ego who cannot accept the way things are. Pain is definite but suffering is optional - as we are told by the sages. If we reach a place in time when cancer, or other disease are no longer anyone's concern, we've solved our political dilemmas, or figured out how to build nuclear power plants that don't explode, it is likely that suffering will still exist because humans are masters at finding reasons to suffer.

At the end we shall all be returned to dust and it won't matter. Meanwhile, Ghandi and Mother Teresa showed us that helping people without judging them is a noble pursuit and makes a huge difference while we are around. Humbly, I try to learn from them and others and count my blessings every day because i realize that life is a bitter sweet phenomena, temporary, unreasonable, unfair and that it will never be reasonable and fair, because reasonable and fair are not adjectives that should be used with the word life. Life is consciousness manifested in form.

For me to live something dies every day. But does it? Consciousness is never born, and it never dies. "One man believes he is the slayer, another believes he is the slain. Both are ignorant." teaches the Bhagavad Gita. Chew on this for a while. Enlightenment is when one realizes this truth and after that....as the Zen folks would say "Chop wood. Carry water."

So, i choose to dwell on the marvel of being here and the opportunity to experience life as this form in this moment and look forward to crafting the next moment equally consciously. I am grateful for the life forms that are "lost" everyday for this life form to continue it's temporal existence. I always ask "what should i be creating" knowing full well that the answer to this question would, at best, contain only a relative truth with relative significance that makes all the difference in this space-time reality of illusion. This heart beats the words of Ramana Maharshi: The World is unreal. Brahman only is real. The World is Brahman.

And tomorrow is another day and time for a cream cheese croissant, listening to birds, painting the bathroom, getting into arguments and wondering at the stupidity of politicians, why my phone battery only lasts a few hours, when will we finally have the teleport..."chop wood, carry water."

Yours truly....
Valentina Petrova. Call me if you want to know how things are :)))

Clean cut and color co-ordinated....

2011-04-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

So, the Yoga Journal has a "talent search" which consists of sending your picture in a yoga pose and writing a paragraph about your self. Over 2000 people respond. Most of them with less then 5 years of yoga practice experience. A lot of them in postures they can't fit into but trying anyhow. People have to vote by clicking on 1 - 5 stars to show their vote. No telling of how many folks have voted for each person just by looking at each one, but we will be told who wins by the Yoga Journal staff at the end of the round.

This starts me thinking along these lines....

Folks flock to see the celebrity yoga teachers out there and the Yoga Journal apparently manufactures them - the prettiest face on a picture will get to be featured and as soon as that happens, this pretty face is now also a celebrity folks will flock to. No wonder i don't go to YJ conferences anymore. I am not into pretty faces who don't know much about yoga, teaching me what i can learn on my own from books and teachers who have earned the title.

You know how when you want to sell or rent your house, you have to make it "vanilla" so that essentially has no character. The idea is that since you don't know what a buyer may want, you don't want to turn someone away just because they don't like your color pallet. Well, yoga journal models are "vanilla." White background, color coordinated, perfectly representing the woman/man ratio of 70/30 and the white/ethnic ratio (which means mostly white, middle aged females) clean cut, smiling faces, no wrinkles and nice toe nails...

Last time i checked, all the yoga sages were on the scruffy side. Mad hair. Dark skin. Old (most of them). Skinny. Basically on the wild side of life and on the fringes of society. Probably stinky too, but since i never met one that i can remember, won't say anything about that. Those are the folks that left us the greatest teachings, the wisest of scriptures and coolest of practices. All we are going to leave is a hole in the Amazon forest where the trees to print the Yoga Journal's glossy advertising for things we do not need, came from.

Not that we should all aspire to cruffiness or stinkiness, but i find it hard to believe that there are no accomplished yoga figures out there that have more character than the Easter bunny. I mean, yoga is about building, or more accurately, unleashing your character in it's full potential. There's nothing "vanilla" about yoga and there can't be any because this practice gets deep down inside where the shadows lurk and churns your world upside down, if you let it (and you should). Is Ramana Maharshi vanilla? Is Gandhi vanilla? Is Yogananada vanilla? Is Krishnamurti vanilla? How about Aurobindo?

I think i sound like a broken record, but folks have to earn their teaching credentials, not just take a teacher training, or look good on a picture. I look good on a picture too but until you hear my voice, you have to idea who i am or if i am your cup of tea at all. Gymnasts look great on pictures in yoga posture, mainly because their bodies have been beaten into submission from an early age and not without the price of injuries, but they do look awesome in yoga postures. That's not the same as having a clue about yoga.

So, if you also got the "vote for your favorite" from the Yoga Journal, think about what you are really voting for. Next, think about what yoga is for you. Then think of who your teacher is/are. If you are after working out - the gym is very effective and less costly, not that there's anything wrong with working out, because you do that too while practicing yoga. If there's more to your practice than a work out, make sure your teacher is more then a pretty face, entertaining figure or sweat talking son of a preacher-man.
Just a suggestion....

Call me if you want to know how things really are :))
Namaste.

This life...know thy self!!

2011-03-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

There used to be a time when I'd look in the mirror and be so absorbed in thoughts that I wouldn't even see my image there. The hair got brushed - yes i did see those early gray strands, which produced more thinking of the sort "Darn, why do i have to be just like my mother?" The teeth got brushed. The face got washed...the usual stuff. I just didn't see what was in the mirror, or who was in the mirror...

All those wonderful days living in Hawaii I notice the fragrance of the Plumeria tree in front of my window. I noticed the red headed cardinal skipping about from branch to branch. I noticed the smell and the sound of the rain drumming on the roof...I noticed the waterfalls off the Pali as i drove through, right after the rain. I noticed the deep green on the leafs and the mist on the tips of the mountains. The rainbows mauka and the waves makai...that's mountain side (mauka) and ocean side (makai)...I noticed so many things. The work load just to pay the bills. The school load just to get an education. The friends, the huli-huli chicken stands and the malasadas in front of Daiei supermarket, the colorful sarongs and puffy mumus of the local, the way the clouds make a hole right over Diamond Head...so many things.

I just didn't notice me. In all that beauty i managed to find my self depressed. In all that life I managed to write morbid stories. I forgot all about them but i just found them unpacking boxes from the past. It's been 13 years since I've left Hawaii for California, and yes, friends, it is a downgrade, but things can be a lot worse. There could be real snow out there, and this would be a major bummer. One should not live where the weather can kill you!

So, reading those things, at first i wondered where i got them from and who wrote them. There's a definite advantage of selectively remembering only about 20% of my life. It's not Alzheimer's. It's bliss. Anyhow. I red a few things and it sounded strangely familiar until the full details of that particular piece of broken heart, or lost soul, creativity floated up to the surface of my mind... and OMG - this was really me!

Anyhow...all that just to say one thing - Know Thy Self. Here's why:

1) It seriously cuts down on the drama. Well, if you like drama, this will be a bummer for you, but then, if you really like drama, you'd never really want to Know Thy Self. You'd "know" a version of your self you like to display to the world and make everything that happens totally personal for that version of you. And in order to be convincing to others, you'd have to believe that this version of you IS you. Therefore, you will defend it. Hence, the drama.

2) Getting older is not that much fun. I know because i work with older folks and listen to them talk about their younger days and about all the body parts that just stopped working. I have wrinkles too, and apparently my face is starting to sag. Seriously? I mean, really?? Whatever! This body has a shelf life and an expiration date. You can either accept it and move on with other more important things to wonder about, than your own demise, or stew in the inevitability of degeneration, cellulite and indigestion. Which one would you rather do? Because, you know, all the plastic surgery in the world will not stop your liver from producing liver spots on your face....and no matter what, your hair is going to turn white and start falling off and everyone will be able to see your skull through it....what are you gonna do about it? Know Thy Self so that you can see through the illusion of aging and the inevitability of decay.

3) Finally, and MOST importantly, Know Thy Self so that you can be of use to others and you can manifest that which you are here to GIVE. There isn't anything more sad than the face of a selfish person knowing that he or she is running out of time and scramming to make meaning out of this blink of an eye existence. "Me," "Myself" and "I" are not your best buddies! Looking back at nothing but your self and your problems and concerns over a 50, 60, 70 year period is not just boring, but down right depressing!

That's just my opinion. I've earned it because i started out like all other forms of life in Bulgaria with nothing but "Me," "Myself" and "I" to play with and with plenty of examples of how well this works out on the long run. I had one example on the other side of the spectrum - my maternal grandmother. She was so selfless and so giving that we kids knew exactly how to get what we wanted! She died making dinner for my uncle, who shortly after that kicked my grandfather out of the apartment where they were living and where she made that last supper.

I've earned this opinion the hard way through loss and through error and through drama and, dear God, I hope I've paid up all that karma from when i was a bad person on the wrong side of the street. But in my defense, I wasn't bad, i was just hanging out with bad people and giving them smart ideas on how to do their bad things...which is why at one point in my life i was thinking I'd make a great lawyer. Anyhow...

Know Thy Self because it is the only door to self fulfillment, to lasting happiness and a better world for all beings.
Know Thy Self because it is the only thing you'd ever really know. Everything else is pure speculation.
Know Thy Self because no one else will ever really know you.

The shortest way to knowing your self is...the way of yoga and meditation. Don't fool yourself otherwise. There are folks out there who have been going to therapy for 20 years, or more and still have the same "issues." That's not to say that therapy can't be effective. Yes, it can. But therapy with yoga is definitely effective, and for many people yoga and meditation is their therapy. Even for a few therapists i know...

That's all folks.... See you on the mat! Call me if you need someone to tell you how things are without beating around the bush :)))

Spring is upon us....

2011-02-25T16:05:00.000-08:00

It's a rainy day and the coldest temperatures in a 30 year history, and yet, there's no mistake that Spring is slowly taking over. Just look upon the blossoms on the trees and the fragile, green sprouts of grasses and flowers and you will know it. Look at the longer days, the nice light and the impulses within to do things, to go out, clean up, get organize, have fun! Yep. It's Spring.

Yoga and Ayurveda offer plenty of suggestions for a balanced life, one of which is "live with the seasons!" We are organisms and just like all other organisms we are affected by the way of Nature. We feel things on a basic level, despite our busy lives and crazy schedules.

Spring is especially interesting as it is associated with the birth of life and newness. It is associated with blossoming of potential. We get creative, fall in love, plant the garden, look forward to summer vacations and fun. In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains his attributes as: "I am the Soul in the body, the Mind in the senses, the Eagle among birds, the Lion among animals. Among all the trees, I am the sacred Bodhi tree, and of the seasons, I am Spring."

Me too. I am Spring! I've had about 11,000 projects that i want to do all equally. Right Now. I am the gardener. I am the mushroom picker. I am the dancer again, the writer, the home decorator...I am making an exotic brew of herbs and spices to match the season....

According to ayurveda, coming out of the winter we are heavy on Kapha dosha - that's the state perdominated by the water and earth elements. It's cold, heavy, stagnant, sleepy just like what we are suppose to be while we hibernate. It builds in us through the winter until by the beginning of spring it accounts for fatigue, dullness, congestion and gaining of weight. When the spring hits the hills, all that water and congestion starts running out and results in colds and runny noses.

The quality of Spring is warm, moist and gentle. It's this warmth that pulls all that excess water out of your system. So, let it run and help it along.

So, what's in my tea??? Fresh ginger, cinnamon, pippali, clove, black pepper and lots of honey :))

There are many herbs and spices you can use to flavor your spring drinks and meals. Changing what you eat, according to the season will mean that you give up the oily, heavy foods and go wild and crazy with some green leafies. Sour and salty foods increase kapha, so I'd stay away from them. Even sweet can increase kapha, but if you are an obviously strong vata (air & ether predominating element constitutions) then you'd keep the sweet in moderation and strictly natural, of course.

Avoid ice cream and cold or icy drinks.

Incorporate more bitter, pungent and astringent foods, such as onions, radishes, chili, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, okra, sprouts, spinach, yellow split peas, red lentils, garbanzo beans. Use fewer dairy products, especially in the morning. Ghee is OK but only in small amounts. Seafood, lobster and duck are not a good idea during Spring season (and in general, if you care about life in more than just a food kind of way.) Fresh juices are great, especially apple, pomegranate and berries.

Start waking up early. Go for walks, do yoga, dance, build things, plant things...do things. Don't nap in the middle of the day. If you practice yoga, make it harder! More movement, more Sun Salutations, more energy, more heat, more standing postures, more back bands. It helps move that kapha.

It's a great time to start learning new things. Your mind is ready after being half awake through the winter and hankering down, concerned with survival, heavy on oily foods, not enough light and not enough motivation to do anything of consequence.

Those of you coming to my Spring retreats you get a healthy dose of all the right yoga stuff. We eat well and we do tons of stuff. That's why Spring retreats are fun, productive and enriching. (For the next Spring Retreat in March, check this link: http://holisticmovementcenter.com/Spring2011.htm)

Cleanses are also productive during changes in the seasons. So, this will be a good time for one. Right around the equinox. Clean up from inside and from the outside. Kiyoko will lead you through a Chakra cleansing workshop and Narayni is putting together a Spring Equinox and Renewal Workshop where she will tell you about herbs and aromas and yoga postures...For those of you in the area, keep you eyes open for the information in the newsletters and Facebook and always check our website.

If you need help figuring out what to do with your self, call me and I will help you put a little program together that you can follow for a few weeks as you transition with Nature.

Cheers all. Happy Spring right around the corner....

Valentina
valentinap@holisticmovementcenter.com
(805)909-1401

Yoga – the practice, the teacher, the outcome….

2011-01-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

Those of you practicing yoga for a while, already know that there are different styles and ways to practice yoga, that each teacher is his/her own flavor and the results you get form one class to another may vary dramatically. Yoga is showing up these days not only in yoga studios and gyms, but neighborhood lawns, and private living rooms, garages, the beach… There seems to be an abundance of yoga teachers, and there are always folks who are willing to try anything, and even more folks who are willing to sacrifice anything to save a buck.

This leads us to a peculiar situation where we have all this wonderful research coming out of many of the leading universities in America, as well as the medical establishment, who point to the incredible benefits of yoga – physically, psychologically and even spiritually, and at the same time people who say “I tried yoga, I got hurt. No thanks.” We get news of yoga teachers improperly using their position to take advantage of their students. Others, even committing unthinkable acts of violence, like murder and rape. Yoga seems to be main stream, main news, main controversy and mainly remains a mystery to this day.

Here are a few words from my more than a decade of teaching experience and even more than that, of practicing. Hope this is helpful to all.

First – let us start with the practice itself. Yoga is a very personal journey to becoming a healthier, happier, more compassionate human being. Through the varieties of practices it offers, one can address the whole mind – body system and develop mindfulness. This keeps everything from your bones, to your heart, immune system, brain and every organ, tissue, vessel and so on, healthy. It also gives the person an opportunity to learn about their mental, emotional environment, habits, hang-ups, dreams, inspirations, strengths and weaknesses. One, then, has the opportunity to let go of things and develop a different outlook, attitude and overall predisposition. So, one is liberated from the habitual accumulation of negativity, stress and drama and free to explore the freedom of being at ease with whatever comes.

Second – let us see the role of the teacher. While yoga is a personal journey, because ultimately everyone of us does the work for our selves, the teacher matters. The teacher is one of your first gateways to the practice. One can read a book and get an idea of what is to be done, but the teacher is there to sort of guide you in the way in which it should work well for you. It “should” indeed, not that it actually “will.” For a teacher to be effective, he or she should know what they are doing. Doesn’t every yoga teacher know what they are doing? The sad answer is “No.”

Here’s a common scenario – a person starts doing yoga, takes a few classes, gets infected by the mystery and next thing you know they want to be a yoga teacher. All one has to do is call a few yoga studio and find a teacher training, pay a sizable price and a few weeks or a month later, emerge a “qualified yoga teacher.” Now contrast this to the way things used to be back when yoga was still in the caves of India where you would have had to follow your master for years and listen to everything he said, lectured and did so that you can collect the wisdom and the practice - one crumb at the time. Meanwhile, you were suppose to endure hardships, learn to serve others, let go of your attachments, commit and indefinite amount of time to the process and be willing to live a life in the fringes of society.

These days yoga teachers are celebrities, akin to movie starts. In the olden days, every bit of wisdom that came out of a yoga mouth was earned through experience and distilled in the fire of the practice until it is every bit embodied. Now, a yoga teacher plays rock & roll music in class that highlights our very attachments and faulty ideas about love and life. Now, a yoga teacher wears Prana or Lululemon or whatever brand of expensive clothing is out there, promotes the latest herbal supplements, special yoga shoes, or mat wipes…Yoga teachers mechanically repeat bits and pieces of wisdom found in books and movies and somehow can’t find a way to translate them into their own lives. Yoga studios make great money from yoga teacher trainings and so they are willing to take anyone who has the time and the money to commit to the process. The teachers, teaching the new comers are themselves, often questionably worthy of the role. So, the blind leads the blind…and the masses go to yoga classes wondering what happened to the promise of enlightenment, health and wellness.

So, my advice to every yoga student that leaves my Intro To Yoga series is – please shop around for your yoga teacher. Ask for qualifications. Try a few classes. Don’t take everything you hear for granted. Ask questions. Try to get a sense for what this or that teacher is really like.

Third - know why you are doing yoga. If you are trying to rehab an injury you will have to be more selective of the teacher’s skills, the level of class or the environment to you go to vs if you are just working out. If yoga is part of a stress reduction effort, or a part of your spiritual journey, or a combination of all these and more…you will have to be more selective with your teachers and environment. Yoga studios generally attract better teachers than gyms. Mainly because yoga studios, generally, are owned by people who love yoga, so the focus is different. Generally! Not always. Some gyms have good yoga teachers too. Generally, folks who teach at home are teaching at home because the yoga studios and the gyms prefer not to have them. Generally, not always….so, you have to do the work of fining good yoga teachers. Generally, someone with more years of teaching experience will have more to offer, but sometimes, some new teachers are real gems. Ask of the person’s background. Ask of the person’s personal practice. Ask for references. Ask for credentials. Try classes and teachers until you find what feels right, works right and is right for you. Feel free to go to more than one yoga teacher. One can be good at one thing and another can be good at another thing. You are not enslaved to your yoga teacher and I know some want you to feel that way so you can just follow them around – yoga teachers have egos and need money too, just like everyone else.

Find a class that serves your needs. Not all yoga classes are the same. Your needs may change on daily basis. You may have to attend several classes a week and they can all be different and with different teachers. Feel free to experiment at home once in a while. Yoga is about self empowerment. You should not be totally dependent on your yoga teacher. What will happen if your yoga teacher does not show up one day? Will your yoga practice be doomed? This is one more reason to know more than one good teacher.

Cost should not be your sole consideration when you decide where to take yoga. Price often reflects quality. Have you tried to buy a BMW for the price of a Kia? Good luck. The smooth ride, the safety features, the impeachable mechanics are not cheap and the reason is because it takes years to develop that kind of standard and performance. If you want real cheap, you can go for a golf cart, but you won’t be able to travel very far or very comfortably. Same with yoga classes – the class may be cheap, but the trip to the chiropractor’s office, or worse, the doctor’s office is not.

Accept that sometimes, even with the greatest of intentions and the greatest of teachers, things can happen – no one is immuned to injury. But if you chose your teacher well, go slow and at your own pace, do not compete with yourself or others, listen to your body, ask good questions and practice regularly, your chances of an injury are slim to none. In all those years of yoga practice I have NEVER had a yoga injury….except ones, when I was trying to go into a handstand from a cartwheel..one too many times. My arms got tired and I fell on my right shoulder, dislocating my collarbone….So, use good judgment in everything you do.

Ultimately, you determine the outcome of your practice because it is YOU, who finds the teacher, chooses the practice and chooses to practice.

Happy yoga days, friends!

Valentina Petrova is a yoga teacher & personal adviser. She owns Holistic Movement Center in Morro Bay, CA where she teaches group and one-on-one sessions. She’s the host of “Yoga for Life” TV program on Ch. 2, Charter. Call 805-909-1401, or visit the web at www.holisticmovementcenter.com for more information.

Strengthen relationships for longer, healthier life

2011-01-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

This one, straight out of Harvard Medical School.....

Each January, most of us make a list of New Year’s resolutions — maybe we want to strengthen our bodies, or our resolve to eat better, or the determination to quit smoking. As it turns out, strengthening your social relationships may be an effort worth adding to your list of New Year’s resolutions — for the good of your health.
Social connections like these not only give us pleasure, they also influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet, and not smoking. Dozens of studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer.

Conversely, a relative lack of social ties is associated with depression and later-life cognitive decline, as well as with increased mortality. One study, which examined data from more than 309,000 people, found that lack of strong relationships increased the risk of premature death from all causes by 50% — an effect on mortality risk roughly comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and greater than obesity and physical inactivity.

What makes social connections healthful
Scientists are investigating the biological and behavioral factors that account for the health benefits of connecting with others. For example, they’ve found that it helps relieve harmful levels of stress, which can adversely affect coronary arteries, gut function, insulin regulation, and the immune system. Another line of research suggests that caring behaviors trigger the release of stress-reducing hormones.

Research has also identified a range of activities that qualify as social support, from offers of help or advice to expressions of affection. In addition, evidence suggests that the life-enhancing effects of social support extend to giver as well as to receiver.

All of this is encouraging news because caring involvement with others may be one of the easiest health strategies to access. It’s inexpensive, it requires no special equipment or regimen, and we can engage in it in many ways.

What counts
The quality of our relationships matters. For example, one study found that midlife women who were in highly satisfying marriages and marital-type relationships had a lower risk for cardiovascular disease compared with those in less satisfying marriages. Other studies have linked disappointing or negative interactions with family and friends with poorer health. One intriguing line of research has found signs of reduced immunity in couples during especially hostile marital spats.

Having a network of important relationships can also make a difference. A large Swedish study of people ages 75 and over concluded that dementia risk was lowest in those with a variety of satisfying contacts with friends and relatives.

Strengthening ties
For many of us, the recent holidays meant family gatherings, getting together with friends, and participating in special religious, community, and workplace activities. Such occasions are an opportunity to check in with each other, exchange ideas, and perhaps lend a supportive ear or shoulder. Now is a good time to strengthen your ties throughout the years to come. Here are some ways to start:

Focus on your most meaningful relationships.
Choose activities to do together that are most likely to bring joy to you and the people you care about.
Delegate or discard tasks that eat into your time, or do them together with family or friends.

What does yoga have to do with this?
As you nurture your self, learn about your self, accept your self and grow, your become the kind of person to nurture, learn, accept and grow with others. You become the kind of person you'd actually want to hang out with, so others, naturally, want to hang out with you.

Through yoga we learn to be present and observant - two mindfulness skills that are integral to any and all relationships.

Through yoga we learn how to be patient. We learn gratitude for the way things are. We learn about our limits, our challenges and what works best for us. This knowledge is a good place to stand on as we interact with others.

Yoga keeps this body healthy, so we can enjoy life more fully, manage the stress of full time jobs, be able to take care of our loved ones.

Basically, in my humble opinion, any yoga is better than no yoga, and any relationship is better when one has yoga in their lives.
Cheers.

Thank you and a Happy New Year

2010-12-22T22:54:00.000-08:00

Another year almost gone. I am going to have to say what I have been saying every year for the last however many years – “This has been the best year of my life!” There are many reasons why, but one thing I have to mention for sure is how grateful I am to teach in a yoga community that’s diverse, caring, giving, sincere and fun. It’s like seeing friends every day I go to “work.” Here are few reminders of what this little yoga community has done this year, through the Holistic Movement Center.

For starters, Narayni, a long time teacher at HMC, decide she has to wake up at the crack of dawn and offer a Karma yoga class to benefit the Red Cross and their relief effort in Chile after the earthquake. Folks got up for a yoga class once per week at 6:30 am. HMC matched donations. Then Narayani had to do it again and did the same thing for the floods in Pakistan. We had our Karma yoga classes collect money and HMC matched the donations again.

Then came the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and with only 2 weeks, or so, to prepare we put a team together and walked the walk collecting almost $3600, which incidentally represents about 10% of what the event raised, out of the 20+ teams present. People came out, shared their stories and walked for a 24 hour period in the relay. It was by far the most touching of events. Yours truly shed a few tears and you know me – not one to sob over anything, unless it’s a chick flick.

We also collected donations for the Woman’s Shelter for a couple of months and for the Animal Shelters to help them keep the animals cozy in the winter. It seems like the donations bin and the Karma classes were taking turns almost every month. And people kept giving! In these tough economic times, people kept giving. That’s why I want to thank everyone for their support and compassion.

What does 2011 hold for us? I don’t know, but I already have a beginning planed. On 3 consecutive Saturdays, I am teaching 3 classes at 3 different locations to raise awareness and support for the work of San Luis Obispo Child Development Center. The Center offers programs for protection, prevention and treatment of children who are neglected or abused. Their work is valuable as the children need all the help they can get. So, come to a class and instead of paying for the class, donate something to SLOCDC. Here’s where you can go: January 1, 2011 at 10:30 – 12:00 noon at HMC, 845 Napa Ave, Morro Bay / Jan 8 2:00 – 3:30 pm at Smiling Dog Yoga, 1227 Archer St, SLO / Jan 15^th at 3:00 – 4:30 pm at Serenity Natural Living, 104 Main St, Templeton. (To learn more about this event, please visit our website, or call at 805-909-1401, or find on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/HolisticMovementCenter)

So, yes, I feel privileged to be a part of such a big hearted community. It’s fun seeing you all a few days per week and hearing people’s stories. Thank you all for being a part of “the best year of my life.” Happy New Year to all and my 2011 be the “best year of your life” too.

Cheers.

Happy Thanksgiving...

2010-11-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful day in Morro Bay, California, it's hard not to be grateful to just be here. Add to that the yummy smells of cooking delights, the textures, the conversations, the pie and you start appreciating all of your 5 senses and all of the organs that go with them...If on a day like Thanksgiving you can't appreciate being a human, than you are really hopeless. You obviously need more yoga and probably a good therapist. Thanksgiving beats even Christmas in my book. Christmas has gotten a little warped into a gift giving mania, while Thanksgiving is about enjoying the gifts of friends, family and the bounty of the table, the bounty of life.

Can't tell you the joy of eating freshly cooked cranberry sauce on a morning toast after a yoga practice! There are no words for that in the English language, but there are a lot of sounds such as "mmmmMMMmm" "ahh"...etc. Then off to figuring out how to make a procini risoto. Loved porcini, although a practically made myself allergic to them in Italy in September. I ate so much porcini that i was getting headaches. Goes to show you, less is more. Nevertheless, after a 2 month break, I am welcoming porcini mushrooms on the Thanksgiving table.

Hope all of you are as excited about this day of the year as I am. Also, somewhere between the tastings while cooking, the conversations, the setting up of the table, you make the time to reflect on the wonderfulness of your life and human existence. Instead of a second plate of food, get a second look at how you are on this day of your life. Watch this body glide through the kitchen, listen to the laughter of friends, barking of dogs, chirping of birds, delight in the taste of single spoonful of cranberry sauce, hug your kids, parents or pets, and just soak up the moments as they bubble up to the surface of time. You may not remember half of what happens on this day, but the delight in your heart will make you smile long after this day is gone.

If this all sounds like too much Hippie talk, than you definitely need more yoga! Besides, all that awesomeness around Thanksgiving comes at the price of over consumption of goodness, which means, you definitely need yoga to process the holiday.

See you on the mat!
I am thankful for the opportunity to share this practice and this life time with all of you. I am assuming that my previous lifetimes have been equally worthy of appreciation, but this life time, so far, has been pretty awesome. Whatever may come ~ it's been great so far... and thank you all for sharing.

Yoga, gymnastics and history....

2010-10-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

This note was inspired by Karen Croley, who read a recent article in the Yoga Journal and asked a good question – about the historical roots of yoga and it’s relationship to gymnastics. Here’s my response, similar to what I answered on Facebook but expended upon.

The article I found was titled: New Light on Yoga by Anne Cushman. She talks about a book by a guy named Sjoman who did some research on Krishnamacharya and where he got his yoga, from where we now have our yoga via Pattabhi Jois and Iyengar. The article makes mention of the fact that Krishanamacharya was interested in British gymnastics and used the gymnasium and the tools there to elaborate the yoga postures that are now a signature of the Ashtanga tradtionion, but also transcend it and have become what we now recognize as "yoga postures".

Anne Cushman does make one point in the article which gets overlooked generally among yoga practitioners - it's not WHAT you are doing but HOW you are doing it that makes it YOGA.

That being said - I have to agree with her article. It's well put together and it mirrors my sentiment and teaching style. It is because of the above mentioned point, that I tell people what to do, then tell them to experiment and find out what works for their body precisely! Each body IS different. We owe Ieyngar the attention to detail and the precision of yoga posture alignment but ultimately even his strict instructions must be adopted by a body and its own peculiarities. A posture must feel organic, dynamic, alive and what I like to say “juicy.” It’s like eating a good dessert. It could be done with most precise measurements of ingredients but it still may not be the kind of flavor you prefer. To your bread pudding you may want to add some rum, or nuts. I prefer chocolate. So, that’s the stuff that’s still left to you to figure out in a pose – where is your chocolate and your rum, and how much of a nut are you trying to perform the postures, rather than let your body express them.

Indeed we are left with very little instruction on the postures of yoga. Like the authors mentions in her article - the Hatha Yoga Predipika only has 15 postures and they all are sited, forward bends or variations thereof, or of padmasana (the lotus pose). Even things like Shiva Samhitta are short on a few postures when you compare it to yoga lore, the story told of when Shiva danced in front of his wife and manifested the 850,000 yoga postures....The Shiva Samhitta states that of all 8.4 million posture (notice the number just went to a million) only 84 are important. Most of these texts did not emerge until the 15^th -17^th century. Prior to that yoga was a philosophical exploration of reality aided by meditation and varieties of ritualistic practices. The Vedas mentioned the word “yoga” thousands of years ago, but in the context of spiritual growth, not in the context of exercise. In fact, thousands of years ago, it never occurred to anyone that exercising is good for your heart. They considered closeness to God, serving others, understanding the nature of reality, to be good for your heart…and your mind, and your karma, dharma and neighborhood.

So, as far as postures go - it has been left to the imagination of the practitioner to manifest a flow that works for the body. When that mentality and Krishnamacharya’s creative expression came to America, we added steroids to it and made everything fancier, more challenging, more fun, more everything, until it was all about the posture and not at all for the PURPOSE of the movement - which is to purify the body, the energy and the mind. So, our yoga postures became nothing more than a mind trip like everything else we do. That is not to say that a person cannot work with these postures for the right reasons and indeed purify the body, energy and mind. Many do exactly that. Creativity in itself is not a problem. In most cases creativity is the result of listening, experimenting, being present in the moment and manifesting the inspiration of the moment. In this case it's the HOW of the movement that makes it YOGA.

Yoga is about growth, transcending suffering, realizing one's full potential and contributing positively to the lives of others. Even enlightenment is about that, not about a trip up to a cool place you can later tell all your friends about.

So, that's why I generally get ticked off when people start asking, what I consider irrelevant questions such as" Do I get enough cardio when I do yoga?" Not only does it depend on the style of yoga you do, but also it begs the question "Why are you doing yoga in first place?" If you want cardio - run, bike up the hill, box... there are tons of ways to get cardio, why bother tying yourself in a knot to do it. If you jog, bike, spin, or whatever for cardio, you also get to keep your dignity. In a yoga class, your hind end is up on display, you get to see, feel and hear body parts and mind tendencies you may not want to know that they exist, so if you want to keep the pretense of your ego personality, you should pick something more forgiving.

Even though we are left with very little instruction on the yoga postures, we are left with tons of instruction on how to be present, evolve and develop and realize our full potential, be happier, serve others and enjoy life...which is what yoga is really all about. The best part about it is that we get to learn these truths by first facing our own selves, learning to listen to our own bodies and intuition and learn to enjoy the present moment in the safety of our own mat. When we sincerely approach the practice, the practice changes how we are, even though we may have never heard of the Shiva Samhitta or Patanjali, or Krishnamacharya. The grass does not need to know how to grow. When the spring comes, it grows. It doesn’t even know what kind of grass it is or who brought the first seed over. It just grows and fulfills it’s grassness.

To Karen – thank you for the question.

Letting go.....

2010-09-04T07:45:00.001-07:00

Letting go…
Let’s face it – we use this little phrase all the time. There always seems to be something we could, or should let go of – relationships, ideas, past experiences, judgments, expectations, and stuff around the house…. you name it.

Why is it important to let things go? Because by letting go you make space. In yoga language, the human mind develops attachments to all sorts of things. It does that in order to affirm and maintain its egoic sense of self, safety, security and perpetuity. It holds on tight to what it knows whether or not it may be a source of suffering. So, we hold on to harmful beliefs, relationships, situations, habits…rather than learning new things, experiencing new things, becoming different people. Sometimes, we think we are learning new things, experiencing new things and becoming different people just to find ourselves sort of in the same boat as before, just with a different set of circumstances around us. This is why we often comment “Why is THIS always happening to ME?” We do not account for the fact that we have not let go of any of the mechanisms that have lead us down this path before, we simply moved to a new locations, changed jobs, significant others, wardrobe, traded one guru for another, one diet system for another…

Attachment can be said, is also a control issue. It’s the illusion that we need to control everything in order to manipulate reality into our liking. Some people are more direct, forceful, organized, and good hearted, others are more dysfunctional, manipulative, and selfish, others are somewhere in between, but we all have a sense of wanting to elicit an outcome to our liking and that is a form of control.

The Amritta Bindu Upanishad tells us that the mind is both the source of our suffering and the source of liberation. If attached (to things) it leads to suffering, if non-attached it leads to liberation. The text calls the mind which is “possessed” of desire an “impure” mind, and states that only a “pure” mind can lead to liberation, while a “possessed” mind leads to “bondage.”

Dr. Phil – an unlikely reference for a yoga article, but nevertheless providing wisdom, asks “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy? And how’s that working out for you?” he also makes another point “Life is not a success only journey. You are going to get beat up along the way!”

Why is it important to let go? Because not letting go, in simple terms, results in suffering. Suffering comes in many forms – we obsess, perseverate, become physically and emotional exhausted, stressed out, bitter, disappointed, frustrated, feel guilty, taste failure, depressed, become competitive, self-judgmental, critical, sarcastic….in other words, we become the kind of person we’d never want to hang out with yet we expect of other to make us feel like the kind of person we would want to hang out with.

This being said, we must begin the process of letting go by simply being willing to surrender control for a moment, become present in the moment and see. What will we see? This thing we call “reality.” If we are willing to sit and experience the way things are without rationalizations, expectations, criticism, judgment, fear and making things personal, we can see things for what they are. Not worse than they are. Not better than they are. Not what they could be, if only… We can see objectively, factually, honestly the way things are.

Then we must accept what we are seeing. Accepting is not a giving in. Accepting is giving to the moment what it deserves – your full attention. It gives you back knowledge. That’s the knowledge of how things are. If you don’t know where you are standing, you cannot possibly proceed in any meaningful way. It would be the equivalent of being in the middle of China without a map and no ability to read the language, and trying to get home by convincing yourself that this is really not China and you are really not lost and that hopefully tomorrow when you open your eyes you’ll be in your living room, just like that. Forget about it!

Once we accept the way things are, we may see some options ahead of us. We may see what is in our control and creativity to do and what is not. We may see who may have answers for us, who may be of help, who may be of inspiration. We proceed from there.

But we proceed. As we make a decision to move forward, we are making a decision to let go of the attachments that we have witnessed to be in play. We choose not to dwell on the way things were. We have already acknowledged them. We proceed forward with an action plan. Whether we like or dislike the options ahead of us is not the point. Whether we are sure that the future will be what we want it to be is not the point, in fact, such expectations in themselves may be a problem if we are rigidly attached to them. Let the future be an inspiration rather than an expectation. Our action plan may be to digest the past with the help of a therapist, or it may be to look for a new job, or give up old friends, clean your house top to bottom, take more time for rest, clean the fridge and coverts from all the junk food….make new friends.

We have an action plan and we follow the action plan paying attention to how things are along the way and being honest with every moment. The mind actually likes looking forward to the new when it thinks it’s going to be beneficial. So, we put a smile on our face and remember that the yogis tell us that motion equals emotion. If we act as if we are excited, we become excited. If we act as if we are happy, we become happy. If we act as if we are enjoying the possibility for growth, we start to enjoy it. Here one finds varieties of visualizations and affirmations that can be used as part of your action plan. But none of them will work if you do not go through the process up to this point. Visualizations and affirmations only make sense and produce results if one has come to terms, honestly, to the way things are and is now motivated to proceed in a different direction.

As time goes, we find ourselves free and open. We find out that we have let go. Whatever we were trying to let go of has somehow been released and is now just information in the mind. It is only information and it does not produce an emotional or psychological reaction as parts or all of that information is brought to our attention. Memories are just information. People are just information. Things and place – information. Soon we may even find ourselves not remembering all of the details that we used to painstakingly remind ourselves about, regurgitating and re-living. Now, they just fade away and we feel space, we feel lightness and we feel available for whatever comes without the usual fears, expectations and judgments. We find out that they have been replaced by curiosity, excitement, a sense of adventure and gratitude for life just as it is.

Then we know we have indeed let go…. Until we identify something else that we need to let go of. Eventually, the yogis say that we completely let go of the notion that our personality is who we are and therefore, we use this personality to navigate to word, but we shape it to resemble more and more the divine magicians that we are, when we are not attached to a particular personality.

Meanwhile, remember, you are here temporarily. Enjoy the ride and travel lightly – less baggage is more fun because it’s easy to move around and take less time to pack and go.
Cheers.

Comparing apples and oranges….

2010-06-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

Lately, it seems that the topics of conversation in the yoga studio are revolving around whether yoga is enough to make you fit, give your heart a workout, increase your metabolism, and other similar concerns. So, let us take a closer look under the hood of the fountain of youth mobile and see what we can see.

First of all we need some definitions.

The first and foremost definition is the definition of “Yoga.” The word itself has been translated in varieties of ways from simply “yoking” (as in yoking with ultimate reality), to the classical definition of “Chitta Vritti Nirodha” meaning - cessation of the fluctuations of the mind; to the Bhagavad Gita’s “Yoga is skill in action.” Also, “Yoga is Samadhi,” says Patanjali.

Yoga is one of the accepted schools of philosophy (dharshansa) within Hinduism, standing on its own feet along side Sumkha and Vedanta. In Jainism, yoga is the sum total of all activities — mental, verbal and physical. For Buddhist the yogachara path is a framework of philosophy and psychology for engaging in practices that lead to the path of the bodhisattva. Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh teacher referred to as the “Great Yogi” by Yogi Bhajan (the founder of Kindalini Yoga and the 3HO movement), taught to engage all beings as members of the one family, being in service to others and deepening one’s own awareness of the mysteries of the body and mind.

Other important definitions:
Physical fitness/Health Related Fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness (a state of health and well-being,) and Specific Fitness/Skill Related Fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports, or occupations). There is no simple definition of fitness, but when spoken of, it is generally understood that fitness has to do with the ability of the human body to function effectively, efficiently, meet energetic demands on it imposed by physical activity and be free of conditions occurring as the result of sedentary lifestyle.

Therefore, there are 5 major areas that are looked at when Health Related Fitness levels are assessed.

Cardiovascular fitness (Aerobic fitness) which refers to the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to skeletal muscles during sustained physical activity. Regular exercise creates cardiovascular fitness by enlarging and strengthening the muscle of the heart, thus making it more capable to pump more blood with each heart beat, thus supplying oxygen to skeletal muscles. In addition, it is shown that regular exercises increase the number of arteries in skeletal muscles that are regularly worked. Further, the amount of oxygen being inhaled increases (lung capacity) and thus more oxygen is available for the system to function on.

Flexibility – this one should be self explanatory, but in case you are unsure – this is a measure of the range of motion in the joints of the human body. If one cannot tie their shoes, or scratch their head – there‘s not flexibility.

Endurance is a measure that shows the ability of the body to exert energy over a task and over a prolonged period of time. The definition of “long” generally depends on the type of activity being performed and the level of intensity of that activity.

Muscle Strength and Body Composition are the final two parameter looked at when speaking of Health Related Fitness. While muscle strength is an obvious one, body composition refers to the percentage of fat, muscle and bone in one’s body at any given time. Two people with the same weight and height, but with different body composition will look completely different.

On the Skill Related Fitness end of things, things like Ability, Balance, Motor Coordination, Speed, Reaction Time and Power are relevant. One can take this in an everyday sense to determine if one can go up and down the stairs, bend over and squat in order to perform everyday tasks, or if one is coordinated enough to dance and play music, can get things done fast and is able to react to environmental stimuli appropriately. On the other hand, one can take that to the sports arena and depending on the sport in focus, these parameters must be within certain ranges, for the person to be successful in that sport. If you are going to be a soccer player but you can’t duck, kick, squat, take off running, change direction in an instant and jump, you will have a hard time playing at all.

Further on fitness, age and gender play a role in what is considered “excellent,” “good,” “moderate” or “poor” level of fitness.

Does yoga, then, have anything to do with fitness?

Physical fitness is a way of keeping the body healthy through a cycle of exercise, nutrition and rest.

Yoga is a path to liberation and fulfilling your potential as a being while embodied. Physical fitness is only important as it enables the individual to proceed along the path with minimal distractions such as illness or discomfort. Hence, the asana and pranayama practices. However, physical fitness is not in and out of itself the goal.

The number of pushups one can do is absolutely irrelevant to personal freedom. Standing on one’s head is no measurement for wisdom. Ability to sit in lotus is no prerequisite, or a guarantee for fulfillment and enlightenment. The number of pushups done with grace, the lightness and control of a head stand, the ease of a lotus posture are only indications, (not always good ones either) of the time spend in a committed practice.

More important things such as mindfulness, equanimity and compassion have more of a chance of developing with a long committed practice. Think of it this way – the asanas will prepare your body for long hours of meditation, or the grueling demands of service to others. The asanas will give you the energy, stamina, and physical freedom to pursue other things you enjoy – from the great outdoors to cooking, writing music or playing sports. The asana will open the door for you to see and even understand many of your own traits and mental habits, teach you to be aware of your being physically, energetically and even mentally and emotionally.

Meditation will refine these skills and take them further into and outside of your being.

Long and committed practice in itself is no guarantee for moral, ethical or psychological progress, not even for enlightenment. But as the yogis say, no effort is wasted on the path. You may get the point next time around. Meanwhile you are gathering the stones to pave the road when you are ready to do so, and while you are at it, you are still enjoying many of the physiological benefits of the practice.

If the ego owns your asana accomplishments, rather than viewing them as simply manifestations of possibilities, and opportunities to observe yourself in yet another twisted situation, than your asana practice is gymnastics and your time in a yoga class is strictly a work out.

Good news is that yoga can be an excellent work out too. It is sad to reduce the practice to just a work out, but if all you want is to work out – than be my guest.

…Which brings us back to comparing what kind of fitness levels we can achieve with just doing yoga.
Since I have been a full time yoga teacher for many years now, and at least 75% of my physical activity is yoga (the other 25% being split between dancing, occasional bike rides, hikes, gardening and walking around town with the sporadic and unusual fun things like zip lining, swimming, etc., when on vacation), I decided to go through a few standard fitness tests just for fun. Please understand, that I am not the kind of person to work too hard at physical things. I like hiking but slowly, so I can enjoy the scenery. I like biking – the same way. Going at 12 miles per hour is like…way too much work, and there better be some kind of a treat. So... my long training days and competing have long gone!

I got on the scale noting my weight – 115 lb, body fat -21% this morning (it actually ranges from 19 – 22% depending on what I had for dinner, how much water I drank, and when I got on the scale). I am age 38, height 5.4. Here are the results of this morning’s experiments:

BMI is 19.7, which makes me normal (18.5 – 24 for female of 38).
Below 21% body fat for a female of 38 would be “too little,” and 21 – 33% would be normal.
Blood pressure – excellent 109/75…or something of the sort.
Resting heart rate while typing on the computer is 60 (female athletes ages 34 -41 get 54-60, excellent is considered 61-65, good is 65 - 69).
Flexibility – off the charts.
Upper body strength (the push up test) - did 27. Excellent is 25+ push ups in a minute (and I did chaturangas which are harder)...and it's sucks to hurry up. I can do more s-l-o-w-e-r.
Abdominal strength (simple crunches for 1 min) – Excellent. I did a total of 54 no fuss, no sweat. Second try was 63 still no sweat. Hmm... (39 + is considered excellent.)
Leg strength – that’s the infamous wall squat test. 3 minutes. Actually, my alarm when off at 3 min but I could have stayed longer. I’d say I was at about 60 % capacity at that point, but who knows. That’s also “excellent.” Excellent is considered to be something above 46 seconds for women of 38 and 51 seconds for man of 38.
Balance test – you’ve got to be kidding me, right? Anyhow, I did it. It’s a joke. They don’t have a category for a person that can stand on one leg for more than 3 minutes doing varieties of twisted things.
I did not do the Explosive Power test since I do not have the proper equipment and I am committed to none violence. But I can open my own jar of spaghetti sauce, thank you.
Will do the running test and let you know how it goes soon. I need someone to spot me, but I am guessing I’ll score in the excellent category as well.

Furthermore, I am guessing that anyone who’s been doing yoga at least 2 or 3 times per week in the strong beginner to intermediate level will be able to score in the good to excellent category.

Why? Because WHAT IS CONSIDERED HEALTHY IS NOT THAT MUCH! To be healthy, yoga can give you more than you need.

Yoga is not Olympic training. It’s a health and wellness practice. If you want to win Ironman, you will have to train for that and push the limits. Winning the Ironman is not a measurement for either health or wellness. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment for which one will pay the price later. Just like all athletes pay the price later – physically, mentally, emotionally, there’s always a price to pay for our greatest accomplishments….Why? Because they are, most often, accomplishments of the ego and in most cases they are in disregard of other important things in life and in the body.

Did you know….. The average world class athlete retires from his sport at the age of 33. Incredibly, the average NFL player is retired by the age of 28, the average world class wrestler by 24, and the average elite gymnast by 19.

And here’s another staggering statistic: The average elite athlete will die by the age of 67. That is considerably lower than the 76 year life expectancy of the average American. According to the NFL Players Association, the average life expectancy of an NFL player is 58 years of age.

With yoga, on the other hand, since it is not about accomplishments, the only thing you’ll get over time is more health, more wellness and more happiness. Lots of people I know began yoga at 58 – the age the average NFL athlete is already dead! There is a multitude of yoga teachers over 50 and a respectable number of them over 70. If you want to see what yoga can do for your longevity, see Patricia Walden, Iyengar, Dharma Mittra. Krishnamacharia died at a 100 years of age. Indra Devey at 101 and there a countless others, most of whom continue to practice all the way to the end. There’s a reason yoga is called “the fountain of youth.”

So, to all my friends who are wondering if they are getting enough from yoga, I suggest you ask yourself the following few questions.
1) Why are you doing yoga?
2) Are you actually doing yoga?

Of course, there’s a lot more to be said about the incredible benefits of yoga physically. News and research is coming out regularly, expounding on what yoga can help you with, heal you from and in general what it does to your biology, physiology, psychology and spirituality. Since, I’ve written plenty on the subject, I will save my ink here. However, next time your doctor, or your friends tell you that yoga is not enough for you to maintain a healthy level of fitness, you go ahead and invite them to a yoga class with me.

This being said, if you are one of the folks out there, enjoying your really gentle and restorative classes, and you never find yourself physically challenged, you may consider trying harder classes, or supplement your yoga with daily walking, swimming, biking and whatever else you like. People do yoga for different reasons. Peace, calmness, relaxation and enjoyment ARE very good reasons to be practicing gently. Just realize that you are not addressing all of your body’s needs, even though you may be addressing all of your mind’s needs…. As always…there’s got to be a balance!
Cheers.

Emotions & Equanimity

2010-05-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is a small part of a larger essay i am working on for publication....Enjoy....

A lot of people have the misconception that Equanimity means sitting around while things are happening, escaping from the world, suppressing one's feelings, missing out on some fun and opportunities, being complacent. Emotions are seen as two kinds – positive ones you want to have more of and negative ones you want to have less off. Let us investigate.

Emotions.

What are emotions? No one really knows how to define “emotions.” There are numerous theories of what they are and how they come about. The definition, explanation and classification of emotions vary depending on the school of thought. No one has a clear definition, but who needs one. We all know emotion when we see it and feel it.

The drama and spice of life is associated in people’s minds with emotions. The pursuit of happiness is nothing more than wanting more pleasant, or positive, emotions which people seem to think they can get by getting more stuff, status, power… Everything else is a cause for unpleasant, or negative, emotions which people seem to think are brought about by the lack of the aforementioned.

Things like peace, love and compassion are not merely emotions. They are states of being. Joy is a state of being too. According to yoga and Buddhist philosophy, those are the characteristics of our natural state of being, naturally present when one learns the truth of who they are and the nature of reality.

Anything that can arise unconditionally is how we really are. The so-called “negative” emotions cannot arise unconditionally. They are dependent on circumstances to which we react emotionally. Example: Love is unconditional unlike “being in love,” which is conditional on someone else being there. Compassion is absolutely unconditional unlike “feeling sorry for” someone, or something.

The side effect of this emotionality is what everyone is trying to avoid, namely suffering. Suffering comes in many shapes, forms and levels of intensity – from being competitive, to being downright unhappy, stressed out, agitated, depressed, impatient or afraid. Basically, all of the “negative” emotions can be called by one name – suffering. Avoiding suffering leads to more suffering. The Buddha and yoga tell us that suffering is part of life, that it can be transcended and they leave tools for how to transcend it.

Humans continue to suffer - because, says the Buddha and yoga philosophy, we are ignorant of who we really are (and generally ignorant). This ignorance is the root cause of all afflictions of the mind. Craving, grasping, attachment and aversion follow as a result of this ignorance. Fear of death, too. Make a note that suffering and the causes of suffering are all strongly related to Me, Myself and I – the egoic personality that makes choices, experiences emotions and seeks to improve its lot.

Equanimity.

Equanimity allows one to do things selflessly and with attitude of compassion. It is a state in which one is fully present and not disturbed by fear, pain and aversion, likes and dislikes, or any other distractions and afflictions of the mind, and does not escape the reality of the moment as it presents itself.

Inaction and silence in the face of injustice and cruelty is not a sign of equanimity, but rather a lack of it. It is a sign of cowardice even selfishness. In some situations the best action is inaction. In others, specific action is absolutely necessary. Which is which, and how one chooses will determine where things go from there. Unless wisdom is present, things can get worse.

The basis for equanimity is mindfulness. When one becomes more mindful, one lives a little more. Moments are richer in colors, tastes, smells, textures, sounds and meaning. Mindfulness gives one the strength to stand in the full experience of the ever present waves of feelings, not their suppression. Only when one is fully able to experience oneself without the constant chatter, interpretations and negative self judgments does one start to develop equanimity. If one suppresses one's feelings, equanimity does not develop.

A mindful person eases into a state of equanimity. As the state is disturbed by an emotional event of some sort, it is mindfulness that naturally quiets the ever arising feelings and returns the mind to equanimity. A mindful person is aware of arising feelings, thoughts, reactions and moods but observes them and acknowledges them with acceptance and without judgment for having them. Instead of being owned by the emotions, confused by the thoughts, or blinded by the feelings, a mindful person returns to a state of equanimity and sees the right choice of action in whatever way the situation necessitates, rather than the way the emotions dictate.

By learning to observe and be mindful, we know the fleeting nature of things and we become grateful for the gifts of life that come our way. We thoroughly enjoy that which is happening without attachment to it, without grasping and wanting more. Equanimity does not imply a stone cold demeanor. Joy is our natural state of being and it naturally expresses itself when we are not tangled up in our own egoic personality. We are life as we are and we are constantly expressing life just by being here.

Valentina Petrova is a yoga teacher & personal adviser. She owns Holistic Movement Center in Morro Bay, CA where she teaches group and one-on-one sessions. She leads workshops and retreats locally and abroad and produces the “Yoga for Life” TV program on Ch. 2, Charter. To contact Valentina, call 805-909-1401, or visit the web at www.holisticmovementcenter.com

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

It's Easter, so I've been wondering about Jesus and the resurrection thing. Some people take it literally. Some people speculate the actual physical possibility for it to occur under bazaar circumstances. Some people think it's plane nuts. I'd like to think of it in metaphorical terms.

It's interesting how we take events in history and assign them specific meaning. After the vail of centuries, the mystery of Christ's death and the lessons of his life are a powerful draw to millions of people to a particular way of life, despite modern science, scandals and other lessons we've learned in more contemporary times.

So, to my Christian friends out there - I admire your perseverance. Perhaps, you won't agree with what i have to share here, but you can pray for me. I too can be saved :)

To go back to the metaphor....
3 days to resurrect the Christ. 40 more days on Earth, appearing to his disciples before he Ascends to Heaven.

Day 1 - Christ is dead and wrapped up in a cloth before sundown, placed in a tomb. Where the tomb is again depends on who you ask but somewhere between a rock and a garden.
Day 2 - he's in a tomb and no one knows what's happening inside. It's locked and guarded.
Day 3 - An angel, or two, or a "youth dressed in white" - depending if you are reading Mathew, Luke or Mark appears and Mary Magdalen is looking at Jesus who's talking to her.

The actual act of Jesus getting up from dead to being alive again is not recorded in canonical scripture. There's just a dead Jesus, then an empty tomb with the door busted and walking and talking Jesus after that, but only for 40 days. Funny enough, Jesus first chose to appear to 2 women....

Incidentally, did you know that after the Buddha reached enlightenment he was hanging out in that state appearing to people and talking to them for several weeks - like 7 in total, according to some accounts, or that's about 56 days or so?

Here's how i see this.
A person is born on this plane, in the body and circumstances, according to karma, or chance if you don't believe in karma. We struggle through a developmental process - from learning that we have a body in the first few weeks or months of our existence, to learning about other people, society, dreams and desires and how to make it all fit together. That's a really hard thing. It appears that there are 7 billion variations of the theme and although some appear more successful than others, no one seems to get it perfectly right.

We chug along on this planet making a mess of our ourselves and the planet while (hopefully) trying to learn from the mess and be better to our selves and to others. Some people make a big splash on the map of humanity - like Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the Buddha, Mohamed...and many others. Others make an even bigger splash but of a different kind - like Stalin and Hitler. Ultimately, we all are born, live and learn then die.

A lot can happen during this living and learning phase. Like growing. Like enlightenment.

So, i see the 1 day of Jesus as a time the person dies with compassion for others and for the good of all beings, much like a Bodhisattva would do. But also, i see him as transcending his attachment to life. I see Jesus in the time leading to this moment, in a process of growth. Growth which leads him to do what he did and to accept the events as they transpired with humility, faith and love.

I see day 2 of his death as a transformation from regular life to an enlightened life. There's closing down that happens in the process. Not closing down of life itself, but sort of closing the book of living a "normal" life with all the afflictions, drama and struggles it inherently possesses. A time of things settling down in a different way, although staying the same. A time for digestion of the discovery of being awake - as in the Buddha's case, just sitting there contemplating, or basking in it.

Day 3 is the emergence of the new Jesus, different to all others, the awakened Buddha, who now walks on earth with a different quality of being. We don't know what happened to Jesus after the 40 days. We do know what happened to the Buddha after the 7 weeks. And we do know that during this initial period, right after the awakening experience, both of them were ignited with the spark of the experience and drawing interest to themselves by those who came in contact with them. Inspiring wonderment, devotion and motivation in other humans.

So, was it 3 days that Jesus was laid up? Was he dead or alive at the end? Was he stolen from the tomb? Was he even the kind of person described in the multiple accounts of contradicting story tellers..... I don't think it matters. What matters is the pondering these stories provoke, should one choose to explore. What matters is the questions that get raised about who we are, and how we are, and what is important in the life.

So, while you color your eggs this weekend, think of the many colors of your life and personality. While you sit in church, don't think of the suffering of Jesus on the Cross, think of the enormity of his unconditional love, the strength of his faith, and mastery of his life. Connect to that. Become that. You too will break through at the end to an eternal heavenly life....right here on Earth.

Cheers!

On Emotional Release and more.... from my Yoga for Anxiety & Depression class

2010-02-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

A few words on Meditation, Yoga and emotional release:

Mindfulness meditation is a form of meditation which will teach you to observe the present moment – emotional and mental states included, without judgment and with ease of knowing that “this too shall pass.” In this sense, we feel liberated from the grip of emotion and the states we are in tend to pass through more rapidly. It is so because the usual tension, pushing back, despair, agitation, etc, that normally accompany the realization of depression or anxiety (or anger, vulnerability, panic, jealousy, and any other human emotion) actually complicate and worsen the situation.

However, if you are already very depressed, or suffer from an anxiety based depression, it may be excruciatingly difficult to just sit and observe. Furthermore, if your state is the result of unresolved trauma, it is strongly recommended to sit and practice in the presence of an experienced teacher, as symptoms may worsen temporarily. You will need the guidance of someone to walk you through.

There are other forms of meditation that may be of good use to you:

Loving kindness meditation, or “Metta” is a form of meditation in which we sit and project loving kindness to others, or more importantly, to our selves.

“My you be well,” “May you be peaceful and ease with whatever comes.” “May you be free of suffering,” “May you be happy” These are some suggestions, but you can find your own words. Directing the Metta toward you can have a profound easing effect in moments of distress.
Even though it may feel unnatural at first, focus on being as sincere as possible and as genuine as possible, thinking of your being as something you love and care for.

Opening Heart Meditation is a form in which we use the breath and focus our attention on the area of the heart. As we inhale, we visualize the heart expanding in all directions and flooding with joy, love, ease and light. As we exhale, we focus on relaxing tension from wherever we are aware of tension. With every inhale the heart grows and fills with space and ease and we observe the feeling mindfully. It will feel like the heart expands past the boundaries of your body, and so be it. The bigger, the better. Again, we visualize and stay sincere and genuine. Using deep diaphragmatic breaths may help you as well. Otherwise, use normal breaths.
Finally, you can slip from one form into the other as appropriate to you.

If you start with Metta and slip into Heart Opening meditation than you can transform it into Mindfulness and even practice Mindfulness while practicing one of the other two. The idea is to make the transition as seamless as possible.

Taking an Introduction to Meditation, and practicing with a teacher for a while may be helpful to you. If you are new at meditation and if you fear that your emotional state will get the best of you, then do seek private time with a teacher.

What to do when emotional release approaches while you are on your yoga mat, or during your meditation…..

1) Remember that whatever is happening is a good thing, even if it transports you into memories of trauma and discomfort. It is the body/mind system’s attempt to dump the baggage of that memory. Just like oil rises to the surface, the dislodged seeds of “samaskara” rise to the conscious mind from their storage place in the body and mind and are ready to be let go of….if you so chose.

2) Do not suppress what arises. Let it run its course naturally, while you mindfully observe everything about it. From the Witness Consciousness you will have a sense of safety observing the waves of emotion, memory and thoughts rising and subsiding. Acceptance and non-judgment are a key element here, so that whatever arises stays uninhibited by rejection, self-criticism, shame, or judgment. That which remains undigested will literally give you a belly ache. So, the more open and allowing you are to the moment to express its content, the faster you are digesting the experiences from which this emotional state is arising. (See it as it is, nor worse than it is and let it go.)

3) Practice gratitude. Remember to be grateful for this moment, as you are and as it is, with whatever is happening in it. The gratitude will give you strength to remain in the Witness and will inspire you to take care of yourself and follow through with any actions that may be necessary, after the emotional release is over.

4) Some things come at you like a freight train, and others drip in barely noticeable. Sometimes, you will be conscious of what this emotional release is connected to, and others, you won’t. It is important not to make stories, or attempt to look for reasons why this feeling is arising. The cognitive mind may, or may not, make a connection to a situation. It DOS NOT MATTER. Understanding is NOT required for letting go. Understanding is NOT required to be mindful. Anyone who tells you otherwise, is only helping you get stuck looking for a story rather than moving on and being free.

However, it is the nature of the mind to dig for worms, so be patient and stay focused on the present moment, and not on a story you are weaving through your head (even if the story happens to be true). Sometimes, days later, you may get an insight of what the emotional release was all about. Sometimes, you will experience similar releases over a period of time, and then you may, or may not, get a clue of what it was about. Either way, you will feel much better letting the emotion run its course while you mindfully observe it. Some day you will find yourself responding differently to familiar situations, finding yourself more adventurous in your life, or ready to do something you never thought you can, or should. This is the result of the process, even if there is not cognitive, sequential understanding of the process. Trust that the body and mind can work things out without “understanding.”

You may have to seek the help of an experienced practitioner to guide you through the practice while things are arising. You may also, want to visit a therapist with your newly found insights. Whatever helps you with your digestion process, do it without delay and without hesitation. This is the process of cleaning up, of liberation.

Good Luck & call me if you need me. (805) 909-1401

Yoga Philosophy to the rescue….

2010-01-30T11:13:00.000-08:00

In light of the previous conversation about discerning what comes as a response to the moment rather than from the ego space and my challenge to you, I can see from the e-mails I got and the conversations I’ve had with some of you in person that you may need extra help on the subject….

I turn to yoga philosophy and offer you what has been helpful to me along the way. Briefly. As the subject matter can and has filled up countless books indeed.

First we need to understand 2 basic concepts. What is dukha and sukha. Dukha is the state of unease and discomfort – mentally, emotionally, energetically and physically. I’ve seen it translated as “unhappiness” as “bad space” or “restricted space” or “obstructed space.” The word comes from a reference to the space of a wheel on a carriage that’s been jammed and thus makes movement of the carriage at the least bumpy and at the most it halts it completely. Sukha is its exact opposite. A space that is “open,” “good” and movement can continue smoothly. So, it is also referred to as “happiness” and “ease.”

Everything about yoga and meditation (and let me state here that meditation IS yoga, the highest form and practice of yoga), everything about the practices of yoga is about reducing dukha and by doing so, increasing sukha. From suffering to ease and happiness in a state of what the yogi’s call jivan mukti. Jivan mukti literally means “the human soul liberated” but since Jivan is a term for the human self/soul that refers to the self while the human is living, we get “liberated while still living.”

Notice that one has to be “liberated” in order to be unconditionally “happy.” Right there is the answer to all questions of why we are unhappy, some of the time or all of the time. Unhappy with who we are, how our life is, our relationships, accomplishments, gifts and experiences. Unhappy can be anything from a low grade of discontent to major depression and anxiety, just like the wheel of the carriage can be only slightly obstructed to fully jammed and immobile. From complaining and grunting through life to being critical and aggressive to being suicidal – these are all behaviors that are connected to the same thing – being in an “obstructed space” mentally and emotionally.

Liberating ones’ self from the obstruction should then be helping the wheel roll down the road of life smoothly even if there are bumps on the road itself.

And…of course…the liberation process gets to be a little complicated. Complicated not by itself but by the way we go about it. But this is a totally different blog discussion.

To be liberated, the Yoga Sutras prescribe several simple things: The Yamas – those are restrains one needs to be committed to or else more suffering is created as you go along and therefore, instead of freeing your wheel from the jam you are adding to it and getting more stuck by the minute.

The first and foremost of the yamas (and in other spiritual traditions of other cultures and heritages, it also ranks of the highest importance) is Ahimsa which is non-harming. Non-harming is a practice of being considerate toward other beings and toward yourself. Honoring boundaries of others and of your own body. Considering the consequences or your actions to others and for yourself. This includes anything from what you eat, to what you wear to where you live and how you do your yoga practice. We can be violent in so many ways without even realizing that we are. So, the practice of ahimsa is the practice we undertake to learn about our violent ways and consciously attempt to minimize them.

We do this by becoming truthful (the second yamas, or satya) in every moment. Satya is truth and the truth will set you free as we all know. One must be completely honest within themselves as to what they are doing and saying. Exaggerating? Why? Telling a story? Why? Manipulating a situation? Withholding the truth? A white lie? Yes, there are many ways we attempt to control reality and reshape it in our terms instead of accepting it. This mainly means, we are not accepting of the "who we are" and trying to create an illusion for others about us that we think we like better, or that they will like better than the real thing.

Either way, by not being truthful, by not practicing satya, we rob others and we rob our selves of the opportunity to experience reality as it is and grow from there in the mysterious way we are suppose to, or as the Bhagavad Gita puts it – to fulfill our dharma, our duty to ourselves, to all the beings and to the divine dance of life. So, classical yoga recommends that we practice asteya: non-stealing. Stealing time by wasting time is still stealing. Channeling your energy in unworthy pursuits is stealing from yourself. Hording things, taking things that are not yours no matter how you rationalize it, not giving others what they’ve worked for or is rightfully theirs, not giving your kids or pets attention they need….all those are forms of stealing. It weighs on your consciousness and therefore it jams the wheel of your carriage more than you imagine.

So, the yogis recommend a “godly conduct” known as brahmacharya. Often this is translated and understood as restraint in the sexual energy and expression. Therefore, there are yogis who take the path of celibacy. For householders the recommendations is to be faithful to your partner and use sex for reproduction mainly. There’s a lot said in the yogic literature about sexuality and how the energy that is channeled into sexual activities is a vital energy you can use for creative endeavors, getting closer to God or varieties of practices that would make you a better human being. The literal meaning is under the tutelage of Brahma, or God. Godly conduct goes beyond sexuality into every aspect of our lives. Sexuality is a primordial instinct we have for the reason of perpetuating our species, just like hunger is for survival of the organism. Eating is always a good thing, unless one is indulging in it for other reasons and excessively. Same with sex, or any other human behavior. Whatever you do, if you are excessive and doing it and coming from the wrong place into it, there are going to be consequences which amount to creating more “obstructed space.”

Wanting too much of anything, or for that matter, wanting a specific outcome and going into things with a predetermined idea of what you should get out of it, borders on the need to practice the final restraint – apargraha: greedlessness. Acting for the actions alone and from an authentic place within you not yearning for specific fruits of your labor, says the Bhagavad Gita is the way to live without creating more karma, or consequences that cause suffering for yourself. Greedlessness is the ability to say – I had enough. I am good for now. I have what I need. I feel secure with what I have. I am confident in my abilities. More is not always better. Sometimes more is just more stuff you have to worry about, take care of and pay attention to that tie you down a little too much for no particularly good reason. Generosity is a way of acknowledging that you are full, good way to lighten yourself up and to contribute to someone else’s needs.

For these restrains to be valid and have an effect on your mind and life, they have to be done in speech, in thought and in deed. You can’t smile on the outside and plan revenge on the inside…. The yamas are practices that we undertake at first because we need to, and as we become more educated and grow, we practice because it becomes how we really are.

These restrains prep and maintain the ground for the practices of the Niyamas (Observances) to naturally grow out of. While the yamas address your conduct in the world around you, these practices address the world within you.

The first one – shauca: purity, includes the purity of body and mind. From a place of purity, non-violence and non-harming as well as the other yamas, naturally arise. This has implications not only to what you put in your body but what you choose to put in your mind and what you include in your life. Your friends, relationships, the books you read and the movies you watch – are they contaminating you? Is your attitude toxic? Are your intentions pure?

If there’s purity, then there’s contentment. Samtosha: contentment is being in peace with whatever comes, with oneself, and with one’s life exactly as things are….so it requires acceptance, which requires honesty. There’s also gratitude in contentment. It is a place from which, with gratitude for the way things are, you guild the future. It is not a couch on which you complacently snooze. Contentment recognizes life, so far and how it has brought you to where you are, and says: “Great! Let’s see what comes next!” You contently put one foot in front of the other to get to where you are going, and every step of the way the contentment says: “Great! “ It’s a positively charged productive place of discovery of every moment.

The last 3 of the niyamas are the 3 legs that create the utmost balance in the human psyche and are the absolute definition of yoga itself. Those are: Tapas, Svadyaya and Ishvara Prhanidhana.

Tapas is translated as austerities. But it also means fire. Either way, it means a method which transforms one thing into another things. Your yoga practice on the mat is tapas; a willful practice to cook out the impurities. It is just like making ghee - starting with regular butter and cooking out the solids, one gets a golden gleaming substance that has been transformed from a not so healthy butter to a healing substance known as ghee. The postures cook out the kinks and the energetic blockages through the body. By doing so, they free the flow of vital energy and free our movements, giving us a more lively ability to enjoy life as an embodied soul. One of the obstacles to practice is said to be ill health. The mind becomes preoccupied with survival and tends to the parts that are broken in this body. A healthy body is no longer an obstacle. It is a well oiled vehicle for transformation. But your yoga practice on the mat is only tapas if you practice with all of the above in place! Otherwise it is just an exercise and some exercises can lead to injury :)

Furthermore, as we diligently work with the body, we make self discoveries. This is the practice of svadyaya: self – study. What was mental has become physical. What is emotional has a physical expression. What is energetic has a physical imprint. So, this body is a map to what is within us and a solution to many of the bumps on the road itself. As we work with it we observe how we are with it. Are we practicing the practices mentioned above? What is happening mentally and emotionally? What is our attitude? What moves us? What inspires us? What drags us down? We see it by being willing to practice mindful self-study. Self study is also learning through books and teachers. It is also observing and learning through experiences in life – pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, exciting or ordinary. Every moment is an opportunity for self-study.

The more we know about who we are, the more in awe we are of the magical mystery of being. Or at least the more opportunity there is to practice reverence, gratitude and love of being. (You can also be learning and bitching that you are not that which you are reading about and how it is really someone else' fault because they did something to you in the past!....it's your choice which way you want to be learning.) This practice is called Ishvara Pranidhana. It is often translated as love, or reverence for the Lord. But knowing that Patanjali (the author of the Yoga Sutras, from where all these categorization comes from) subscribed to a philosophical system that was dualistic in its nature, I have to say, he wasn’t talking about God in the conventional sense. Ishvara here is more like your full potential, your connection to the wholeness of things making up this Universe. Still for those who feel a connection with a deity – then this is your Ishvara, your Jesus, your Krishna, and your devotion is right here. Offering your practice to the good of all beings – this can also be Ishvara Pranadina. It is also translated as surrendering. But surrender to what? Does it mean giving up? Does it mean sit around and do nothing?

Surrender means trusting that you can do what needs doing, and that whatever needs doing, you do it because it needs doing, not because you are seeking a particular outcome. It is really surrendering attachment to our ideas and expectations. It means surrendering the notion that you have ALL control of events and circumstances. It means acknowledging that the only control you have is over your attitude and your focus.

There are always obstacles on the road. Some obstacles are more like potholes. Some are more like rivers. Some are more like the Grand Canyon. This is just the topography of life. If you live by the ocean, learn to enjoy the surf and the smell of seaweed. If you live on a mountain, learn how to enjoy the storms, the snow and the clarity of the thin air. And know that sometime you can go down the mountain to the beach, or from the beach to the desert, or to a concert at Carnegie Hall. Whatever is happening on the outside is just scenery.

Surrender the egoic judgments and self judgments that are built around taking things personally. Surrender the notion that everything is happening to you. Everything is just happening. Pain is just pain. Pain is not suffering. Suffering is optional, teaches the Buddha.

This is the wisdom of yoga that one learns only by practicing. Practicing once will make a difference once. Just like taking a pill helps for a few hours but then the symptoms return and you need to take more pills, your yoga practice must be regular. Dedication to your yoga practice guarantees results. The level of commitment and sincerity will determine the results. So, results will vary! Unlike pills, your yoga practice helps you grow as a person and a soul, and the only side effects that exist are actually things you’d really like having as a part of you.

The only way to learn what comes from the ego, and what comes from the moment as it is…is to learn what is in your ego. These practices do the trick. Knowing this, you can move pass the habits of the ego and perhaps retrain it. The ego is only a tool for evaluating a situation and executing actions accordingly. So, you can use this tool to execute the actions that are inspired by being present in the moment and grounded in your deep, authentic self (or Ishvara). The ego knows how to drive a car, cook a meal, and keep this body from crossing the street in front of a truck. It has skills. It’s just a matter of employing these skills in the right direction and not just for the ego’s own self perpetuated illusion of realness. Think of the ego as a kid that’s been growing up unsupervised for a long time and now you have to retrain it a little and refine its manners. That’s all. Surrender the games, the stories, the attachment to them. Awaken to the present moment, free of the unnecessary load that these games, stories and attachments to them represent. Be a liberated soul, a jivan mukti.

PS…these practices are the long way there…. The short way to becoming a jivan mukti is to….just be it. Hehehe.

PPS: these practices are the short way there....The long way there is to take all of this and use it as rationalizations for acting the way you usually do, calling what you do what it is not. Remember, words are just labels. Slapping a "Gourmet Chocolate Truffles" label on a can of tomatoes, will not change the content of the can. Hehehe....

Your Challenge!!!

2010-01-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I have been wondering if i should just tell people the difference of what comes to mind being of the mind or inspired from a deeper intuitive place you should pay more attention to and trust... It seems that we all want to "know" things and want to know them NOW! This can be attributed to the way we live, the character of our society. There's a solution for everything and most things lay claim to making a difference NOW.

Go to the hardware store and you will see all the stuff you can buy to clean fast, to fix something fast, to make something as easy as 1-2-3.... The commercials on TV promote products that will help you now, make this easy, or that easier, get better results faster! These are words we hear in our heads like mantras.

The truth is - things in life that are worth it take time. How long does it take the Earth to produce a diamond? How long does it take an artist to create a musical piece, a painting, a poem? How long does it take a baby to be born and then to be an adult?

We seem to want magic. Instant results, rather than be involved in a process, much less being mindful in the process. So we look for teachers, for postures, for books....something that would give us all the answers so we can just hear it, see it, read it and not have to bother discovering it. It takes too long to discover something!!!

Unfortunately, even though it works to listen to some good advise and not have to rediscover ALL things on your own, it is also much more valuable to discover all things related to your self on your own. No one has access to your heart the way you do. No one has access to your mind the way you do. Therefore, for things of this nature, you have to find the answers pertaining to your self, by your self, or else it won't be nearly as valuable.

Think of the addict who's been told by friends and family "You are an addict" and who says "Whatever! I know what i am doing. Leave me alone." For there to be an opportunity for transformation, one must know what needs to be known from within.

That's not to say that reading something will not have an effect on you. If you are in the right place, reading something that means something to you from within will definitely cause a deep impression. But in this case, the only thing that's written and needs to be written is "Listen for the difference between thoughts that come as a result of your egoic mind constructing things and your intuitive self suggesting things." This is all that's necessary for you to begin exploring the content of your own inner space.

I can tell you how i know the difference, and how it feels to me and what my challenges are and, perhaps I will some day. I can also tell you the theory. But theory, when it comes to matters of the Self is not as useful as practice.

So, I challenge you to practice. Practice being present and mindful of the content of your mind. Use the breath to quiet your self when necessary, or a mantra, or your yoga postures, or whatever you are used to doing. (I assume that people reading know the basics of meditation, if not, i will gladly present those) Then just listen. Listen to what comes and how it feels and where it goes without making more thoughts out of the ones that already arise naturally. Just listen, pay attention to the way things make you feel. Be honest, objective, open and without any expectations for a particular outcome. Just be there. Then also try to be just like that during the day as you are involved in your work, conversations, shopping, cleaning, walking the dog, whatever you are doing - watch your self do it and watch what happens within you while you are doing it. If you are willing and if you are diligently practicing, you are bound to find out where things come from...even why the do so!!!

Practice is the mother of all skill.....It takes practice and this practice over time evolves into a skill. Mindfulness is a skill. Trusting your intuition is a skill. Skills cannot be imparted on a person, they can only be gained by practice. Remember the first time you tried to ride a bicycle? If you read the theory of what makes bike riding successful and how it feels, do you think you could have just got on the bike and rode like a pro?

Furthermore, a skill can become your permanent trait rather than simply a passing state. Imagine if mindfulness was your permanent trait! What would your life be like then?

Good luck & report back when you have some ideas and experiences :)

Part 2 - Past, Present & Future all happening Now

2010-01-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

OK, I was suppose to write the rest of it "tomorrow" and it's now been a week, or so.... my bad. But as it often happens with these things, when i get a bright idea it's like fireworks - goes up, makes a big bang and then fades away, and I can't possibly describe it in detail. So, when "tomorrow" came i was thinking to myself..."what was that?"

Let's see if i can recapture and relate the fireworks....

Last thing that happened was that we watched "Mr. Present" and "Mr. Responsible" about to battle out the contradiction between being present in the moment and paying the bills, raising kids, planning for the future.

What contradiction? There's no contradiction!!!

At least - it doesn't have to be one. I will explain.

It is only an apparent contradiction. It appears that if you are present in the moment, you shouldn't/couldn't be planning for the future because then you are in the future and not in the present moment. Well, almost.

If planning comes, than planning is in the moment. You see. The planning happens in the Now. There's nothing wrong with that. You are observing planning and just planning. The problem arise when you mentally transport your self to the future and start worrying about the "what if" this and "what if" that, or building sand castles you hope to live in.

When expectations arise and you become attached to them - that's when you are really in trouble. There's nothing wrong with expecting that your children will love you when they grow up and be outstanding citizens making you proud. But, if you get too attached to the idea as if there is no other possibility, you may set your self up for disappointment. If you don't believe me, just ask my mother. She though that her daughter's love and care was a given and blood relationship is all that was necessary for that condition to be fulfilled. She still can't figure out why her daughter is not acting as expected.... well, i wasn't there for the last 20 years to even know what is expected and she wasn't there for the time before to lay the foundations for it either. On the other hand, my brother turned out to be a drug addict (in recovery now for many years). I am sure that's not what she was envisioning for the future when she first decided to get hitched to my father. Not even when she found herself a widower at 32. She was going for a nice house, love, security....or whatever she was doing for. I suppose she's the only one that can answer that.

Whether it is in relationship to a job, a loved one, a vacation plan... whenever you get your self too transported into the future and start tasting the expected outcomes you are fantasizing about, be ware - it may or may not happen and often when it happens it isn't nearly as spectacular, pleasant, or even scary, uncomfortable and horrible as you may have expected. Meanwhile, since you have transported your self in the future you are missing out on important arisings in the present moment around you that constitute the process of "living and being." To plan is fine. Even some expecting is fine....as in "if you touch a hot stove, you are likely to get burned." (this one is called learning) Or, as in "rain is expected - i better pack the umbrella." (This one is call, preparation.) Or as in "If i save some money today, some day i may be more comfortable and won't have to work as much." (This one is called Being Self Reliant.) Or, "if i pay my mortgage on time and regularly, the bank won't take the house away." (This one is called paying the bills) That's not to say that mother nature won't take your house away - don't get attached to the house. It's just a place where you are living now. Or that you may or may not live to enjoy your savings, or your saving may or may not be worth anything later - time will tell, just don't get attached to your ideas on how you are going to be spending your savings.

As it is said in the Gita - Action is better than inaction, but be not attached to the fruits of your actions. Krishna advises Arjuna that one should act from a place of non-attachment only because one is simply participating in the cosmic game fulfilling his/her individual purpose for the benefit of the whole. If one acts from a place of expectations and self benefit - those would be considered "karma producing" actions. Wise are those who are the same in success and failure, in pleasure and in pain. As they are rooted in the true self they are not diluted and affected by circumstances.

That's great wisdom, but one only feels it when one is fully present in the moment. Intuiting, acting as the moment requires. If the moment requires planning, than plan. If the moment requires listening to your kid's story for the 10th time, than do it like you've never heard it before. If the moment requires, dropping everything you are doing and helping a neighbor, than do it. Whatever the moment reacquires, just do it. But you only know what that is if you are present in the moment as the moment.

Therefore there is no contradiction.

Warning: The ego is clever and tricky. How do you know that what you are feeling as necessary action comes from the moment itself as intuited by your authentic self , rather than a rationalization from the egoic self looking for a particular outcome, or acting out of fear, insecurity, hope, or something else? Hehehe.

May be next time....

Namaste.

Past, present or future all happening now...

2010-01-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Well, i may actually irritate people with this post, but those of you reading, please keep an open mind. An open mind is a mind which hears and considers different points of view without judging them as wrong ONLY because they may be different.

Before i begin, I ask that you forget all that you know from reading and studying about what it means to be "present in the moment." Just forget about it. I am going to say some things you may already know but humor me and act surprised. Then hear the things you may have not read, or heard about and lets see what happens for you. As for me, I am just writing this as it comes, so i am just as curios as you are about what comes next.

Here's something that seems logical and true to a degree: The past is history, the future hasn't arrived, so all you've got is the present moment (whether you like this present moment, or not).

Now consider - the past is your karmic record, you experiences, learning, growing, pleasant, unpleasant, important, or unimportant....that past has shaped this body, mind, beliefs and quests as you have it at this moment.

Now consider - all your hopes, dreams, anticipations, preparations and planning for the future has shaped your choices for action and direction...which are now actions of the past, although some are still in the future, but also bound to become the past some day.

Finally, you can say that NOW you are where you are as you are as a manifestation of your past and your future together at this moment. The past and the future collapse into This Now.

Eckhart Tolle said (paraphrasing here) that when you think of the past the memory arises in the Now. When you think of the future, the idea of it arises in the Now. By the time you get to executing the idea you will be doing so in the Now. I am only adding that Now you are what you are as a result of your past experiences many of which are influenced by your future desires, goals and inspirations based on which you were taking actions, therefore gaining experiences which are now part of your past. Or you can turn it around and say that your past experiences have shaped the kind of future you want to envision which then has shaped the kind of actions you want to take or not take, still resulting in more experiences which are now the past, leaving you who you are at this moment. Therefore, the nature of who you are and how you are, who you are going to be and how you are going to be is always manifest in the Now.

Now consider what does it mean to be present in the moment.....well, i guess you just can't resist saying to your self the things you've read, heard and tried to practice over time - "being present in the moment is knowing what is arising within and on the outside of you and paying attention to it without judgment." Great. Lets break it down a bit more - "paying attention to physical sensations, the breath, the heartbeat." I must have said this a million times in the yoga classes i teach. Definitely, more than once per class. Some of you are probably hearing my voice in your head "are you paying attention to your breath?" I know it because you've told me.

What else..."watching the thoughts, emotions and your reactions to them.....being in honesty with what is actually occurring....witnessing without judgment....and if you come from the Zen tradition - just seeing, just feeling, just listening...."

Keep going... don't you feel the uneasiness of a contradiction pushing through...as in, if i am suppose to be in the present moment, who's suppose to plan for the kids schooling, my mother funeral, for graduation, for my next meal, for my vacation, for my wedding, for ..... If i don't do any planning, am I being irresponsible for my own life? Won't i end up like the crazy neighbor on the block taking care of 20 cats scattered, making no sense to anyone babbling about energy, vibrations, constellations, using too much patchouli oil and maybe with a foreclosure sign in front of the house?

To let go of the past seems not only wise and convenient but also much more easy than to surrender to...what...? Hmmm.

If this contradiction has never "baked your noodle", as the Oracle would say in the Matrix, you are really not paying attention. And if it has, than what did you do with this line of questioning? Ignored it? Pushed it back to where it came from - your suspicious mind....or perhaps your intuitive mind...or perhaps your tired mind...your not "true self" mind...egoic mind...or your "true self" mind...

I can just hear the non-dualist out there chiming in "Who's asking?" .... well, i guess the one that needs to pay the bills and get up for work....unless you think you can replay to your boss who tells you "Mr. Anderson, if you want to work here, you will have to show up on time. Can you make this commitment?" - with "Who's asking?" complimenting the question with an enlightened look on your face. If it works - then try it on your IRS 1040 too. After you put your name, SS# and address, where you income goes, you can write "Who's asking?" but do state all of your expenses. A tax deduction is a tax deduction and a good thing!

Anyhow....an apparent contradiction. In the right corner with red sorts we have "Mr. Present." In the left corner, with blue shorts we have "Mr. Responsible." ....what happened to peace, love and happiness.

While the two battle it out, i am off to get something to drink, enjoy the sun and give my chickens a squeeze. Stay tuned for the rest of this pondering tomorrow.... For now just sit back, relax and let it cook for a while.

Namaste.

Are you guilty?!?!

2010-01-05T23:22:00.000-08:00

A Cop out is an idiom meaning to avoid taking responsibility for an action or to avoid fulfilling a duty.

It's funny how we humans can take wisdom and instead of using it to our advantage we turn around and use it to continue down the path to self destruction or at least distraction. Everyone of the following statements are widely used and many times perfectly legitimately, honestly, meaningfully and sincerely. Yet, other times, they are nothing but a cop out.

Here are my favorites:

"I am listening to my body"
If you are in a yoga class and your body is straining and screaming at you to back off, you better be listening. If you are sick and need to lie down to rest - you should be listening. But if you are reaching for the fatty burger or the 7th glass of wine today, telling people, you are a listening to your body and you feed it what it needs.....really? If you are zonked out in front of the TV for hours and for no particular reason, perhaps you are not tired and listening to your body, perhaps you are just being lazy.

"It doesn't matter after all. Everything around is just an illusion."
Really? Is this what you are going to tell the IRS when they come over to audit you? Or to your kids who are growing up without your guidance, attention and proper care? Or the electrical company when they disconnect your electricity for not paying your bill? A person who's had the actual experience of the emptiness of the form around us also understands the meaning of "emptiness is form". And if you don't understand this sentence, than you are definitely using this statement as a cop out. Will you say that everything around us is just an illusion if your doctor just told you that you have a horrible, incurable disease which will cause you great suffering for many years to come?

"I am following my path."
Are you following the path you should be following? Or just the path you happened to be on right now and you don't want any one to question you. Is your path just a road to self gratification, or an actually meaningful experience, contributing to growth and the greatest good?

"I have to do things my way. This is my process."
Is your process (when it refers to personal growth) getting you stuck in the past and distracting you from what is actually occurring in this moment? Is your process actually helping you give up the stories and the excuses of why you are as you are right now or is it just "bitching rights" but leads to no actual change? What exactly does it mean "my process" and "my way?" Or perhaps you are using this one to indicate that you rather struggle trying to do things your way than take the advise of someone who's been there or suggesting to you how to do things and save time or get better results - whether for personal growth or just doing things.

"I am a spiritual person."
I met one of those today. She was saying it as if being "spiritual" is like a hat you wear or a political affiliation. Spiritual people normally do not call themselves spiritual. Others do it for them. Also, spiritual people do not make a separation between "spiritual things" and "regular life things" because if you are really spiritual, you see every things as spiritual and meaningful. Just naturally. Finally, if you are using "spiritual" to somehow mean "better than"....you know what i am going to say to that!

"We are all one!"
Great! Give me your money! Remember this one next time your next door neighbor, or your spouse, or you parent annoys the Bjesus out of you. If you have never actually had the experience of oneness, than you should really modify your statement to say - we are all interdependent, or something to that effect. Oneness is not just about peace and love and rock an roll, but don't touch my stuff. Oneness is about realizing universal compassion and your responsibility to fulfill your part for the benefit of the whole (which includes you too, by the way).

There are other ones too, but it's past my bed time so, i am starting to forget things a little. Not to worry, since we are all one, and this is just an illusion after all, it's just my process as a spiritual person to listen to my body and say Namaste and good night.

2010-01-01T15:43:00.000-08:00

2010 has a nice ring to it. However, it means that the future has already arrived! I remember the 1984 Science Fiction movie "2010 - The Year We Make Contact." I was 12 years old and 2010 seemed way out there in the future.... Well, little did i know then that 2010 was going to be the "Now." Goes to show you - it is always NOW. If you haven't noticed that yet, you are simply not paying attention. Nothing ever happens in the future. By the time you are there it's the NOW. Furthermore, as this 2010 movie shows...well the when the future arrives as the now, it can be very different than what you may have dreamed of.

As Wikipedia says about the movie: "The film was only a moderate success, disappointing many critics as well as viewers." Replace "the film" with "My Life" and "viewers" with "my own expectations" and you get how most people feel these days about themselves. "My life was only a moderate success, disappointing many critics as well as my own expectations."

Replace "The Film" with "My marriage" and viewers with "family members and friends."..... Get the point.

We often imagine something grand is suppose to happen in the future and when we get there, OMG, that's not what you were expecting even if you get what you though was coming your way! Well, who's fault is this anyway?! I mean this not as that you didn't do your best to get there. I mean this as 1) Expectations - what did you base those expectations on? 2) How attached are you to those expectations? - Did that narrow your filed of vision to the exclusion of awesome opportunities that may have come along and you didn't notice? 3) Everything is grand when you are present for it! Just the fact that you have over a million different processes in your body going on at the same time, with your body made up of 10 - 100 trillion cells, all doing something at the same time - is in itself an amazing manifestation. Every breath you take is amazing. Every time you open your eyes and they behold something - that's amazing too. Tiramisu cake is amazing. The process of growing and birthing a human is beyond amazing. So, how can you say that your life sucks. My neighbors playing Scottish bagpipes at midnight is amazing too. (I do not know how to even hold one)

Really! What you are you focusing on?!

Reality check! There's nothing wrong with reality, only perhaps with your perception and processing of it. Based on that you choose and develop behaviors and adaptations, a.k.a conditioning. That's where suffering comes from, according to the greatest teachers of the past. All of human suffering is nothing more than a psychological, emotional condition locked up in the box sitting on your shoulders and caused by inability to stay present and see things for what they are. Circumstances are circumstances. No circumstances cause an emotional suffering all by themselves. It's hard to accept that if your hubby, or your daddy/mommy uses you as a punch bag. I know. However, you wouldn't be there or stay there, if you were not already suffering. Furthermore, one can be the subject of mistreatment and misfortune and still not suffer. Pain is definite but suffering is optional, teaches the Buddha.

Confusing?
Perhaps.
Try this for the New Year - ask the question "What is this moment?" Focus on what is going on within and without and see what it does for you.

Try yoga and mediation while you are at it. Get skills for happy living under all circumstances :)

Cheers.

How do you know if you are doing the right thing?

2009-12-29T10:08:00.000-08:00

1) Check the facts.
2) How much discomfort - mentally and emotionally, is your decission causing you?

3) Do you feel free to change your mind and open to suggestions without getting emotional about it?
4) Do you think that it's someone's fault and doing that is causing you to....whatever....?
5) Are you at peace with the consequences of your actions and decisions?
6) Check the facts (about the consequences of your actions).

Well, of course this all assumes that you are willing to be totally honest with your self regardless of what you find. It also assumes that you are ready and willing to act in the right direction at all times without judging your self....which incidentally can shows up as judgment toward others and projecting your feelings and shortcomings to them.

Finally, there is something to be said about being attached to your own drama. After all - it's all you may have known your whole life and most drama does come with benefits - attention, sympathy, bitching rights...and variety of others including things like always getting your way, praise and admiration (as in the case of a workaholic who manages to achieve a lot), top pecking order status....

Yes, it sounds complicated but not really. It requires moment to moment awareness to allow for the possibility to become conscious of all these forces. Once you become conscious of them - accept that this suitcase of old stuff is yours, put it down and move on. The 6 steps above are a way to check in to make sure you have really put down the suitcase not just repainted it or moved it to your other hand.

Cheers.

Spiritual Life vs Regular Life

2009-12-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

So, I've had this blog now for a while and those of you how have read it know...well, i don't keep it up very well. This morning I woke up thinking about that and decided that i should post more often onto it and really "share the journey." Therefore, here I am and committing my self to regular posts (hopefully one per day) with something that will hopefully be useful to all.

This is open to discussion and comments, so if you have a contribution - bring it on!

This one is on spirituality and life.

It's come up in a few of our meditation sessions on Sundays in my house. I've said some things about it and now I share this with anyone who's reading it.

Spirituality and "regular life" are, in my book, not two and different lives we live. Tantric yoga text, Buddhist scripture and in other places one can get a glimpse of the concept. "Spiritual life" and "everyday life" are one and the same thing. It should be...if you intend to stay sane! In fact, the purpose of spiritual practice IS to enlighten you to the possibility of seeing, feeling and living "regular life" as an expression and manifestation of spirit and your spirituality. Yes, even things like doing the laundry and washing the dishes can be an experience of spirituality. Raising your children, waiting for the bus, going through chemo therapy...everything is spiritual.

Why, you ask, it doesn't feel that way? Generally because of the ego-self's tendency to concur and divide, to want to understand even that which cannot be understood by the rational faculty, to assign importance to itself and by doing that to put you in the center of the universe as the doer, the expereincer of good, bad and neutral events and to hold on to the notion of it's own history and perpetuity.

Therefore, we end up thinking that being spiritual is wearing certain types of clothing, religious or spiritual symbols like the Om sign or a cross, doing things like hanging out with only spiritual people, burning incense, bowing, doing yoga, sitting to meditate.... Yes, being spiritual is all this indeed IF you are going about these things with attention, presence in the moment and wonder of living. What makes an activity a spiritual one is your ability to remain present in the moment and express the moment through the activity rather than express your ego's needs and preferences through an adaptation of behavior, or a dress code.

Being in the moment requires giving up your notions and judgments of what this moment is really about and intuit the right course of action from a place of openness and willingness to participate in the manifestation of life just as you are rather then as you would like people to see you.

This is not the same as giving up control in the conventional sense. It is about gaining control of the possibilities that lie ahead without being attached to any particular outcome. This is not the same as not planning for the future, or copping out by saying "It all doesn't really matter at the end" or "we are all one." This is about realizing the marvel of the oneness and the responsibility to do that which should be done for the benefit of all beings...which includes you :). By giving up your attachment to a particular outcome, you continue to work in the direction you think you should, but you keep your eyeballs open and you are available to change course, to refine your actions, to learn from them and if that which you were expecting to happen in the way you were expecting it to happen, does not happen, than there is no mental and emotional suffering in store for you.

There is only the joy and excitement of stumbling along the path you should be on, which beats any day zooming along a path that's not for you to travel on. As it is said in the Gita - "it is better to struggle in your own dharma that it is to succeed in the dharma of another." Another way to put this is - if you want fulfillment - travel lightly on the train you should be on in the direction you should be going, not just any train, any direction just because you can.

More on that another time.....

Yoga For Life - TV program!

2009-12-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Yes! You can watch the Yoga for Life program on Ch. 2 (Charter) SLO County! 1 hour of yoga information and practice. Educational, inspirational and experiential.
Every Thu at 4:30 - 5:30 pm and Sat at 8:00 - 9:00 am. Starting Jan 7, 2010.

These programs are made possible by the support of our sponsors.
The January program was sponsored by the Trust of Clare Telford - Supporting Spiritual Growth and Compassionate Living.
The Feb show is sponsored by the Trust of Clare Telford and also by Barbara Strassel, the owner of two of our locally famous stores: Poppy (805-771-9738) & Sole Mia (805-772-4249) on the Embarcadero in Morro Bay.

If you are interested in sponsoring a show - we can use it! Please call me at 805-909-1401.

We hope this program will be of value to the community. We thank our sponsors and suppprters and we wish you all a wonderful and successful 2010! Cheers.

Beliefs, Yoga and Meditation

2009-12-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

A quote from Robert Dilts, one of the a developer, author, trainer and consultant in the field of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) on the nature of beliefs: "The thing to realize about beliefs is that they are not intended to match existing reality. They are intended to provide a motivation and a vision so that your actual behavior can begin to develop and rise to meet them."

This quote has stuck with me for years now. Right there you can see why we are often in conflict with each other and in a conflict within. If i believe one thing and you believe another we will manifest different behavior and sometimes this can be a cause for contention. On the other hand, if i have a belief about my self that is unsupportive of a goal and intention I have to manifest a certain action and an outcome, I will never get it right or get it done because my internal "programming" does not support it.

Those of you who know me, know that i am a big fan of NLP and now EMDR which works on the same principles, acknowledging how beliefs about one's self, reality and the world around are programs constantly running beneficially, or detrimentally as one navigates through life.

How's this related to yoga, you may ask?

The concept of samsara, samskara and karma and the transcendence there of are greatly related to the findings of NLP and EMDR.

Samsara is your daily grind in which you chug along karmicly bound to whatever is happening, with the illusion of free will always choosing the same action in particular situations - "your way " of doing things and therefore pretty much getting a similar outcome from your actions. Life after life, death and rebirth - that's the domain of samsara.

Samskara are the mental conditioning that cause the above manifestation of samsara by virtue of creating karma. Mental conditionings - learned, adopted, self created - either way, that which works in the background to make your decisions for you while you think you are freely making decisions.

In other words - may i suggest - we are all programmed. What are we programmed with? Our beliefs.
Beliefs are the tools in your tool box you use to operate in this world - from assessing the environment, to who you are and how you are, to what to do about this or the other. In other words - your beliefs are your software package that make this enactment of life...well, enact living.

A belief can be "causal" as in what the causes what - the causal relationship between experience. A belief can be "meaning" as in what is the meaning of one experience, or another. A belief can be about limits. Based on these 3 things you decide what causes this experience, what the meaning of the experience is and what your limits are in relationship to it. Based on those you then chose a course of action. But as you can see....your belief may or may not be representative of reality so therefore, your course of action, may or may not be the most appropriate one. Furthermore, the results you get will at best confuse you and at worst really piss you off, disappoint you or leave you in wonderment of "why does this always happen to me?"

Here comes yoga and meditation - the practices where, if you so decide, you can learn to observe what comes and without judgment recognize it, own it, and then transcended. Basically, you can rewrite your software package. Keep what's useful, dump what's not, upload something new. Ask anyone who's sincerely undertaken the practices of yoga and meditation for a while and you will see that everyone acknowledges "shift of consciousness," "insights," epiphanies," "mental change," etc. all of which results in life changes.

Please, make no mistake, if you just show up to yoga classes, it doesn't mean you are going to get those benefits. Even though you can definitely get relaxed, stronger, more flexible and have better balance, it does not mean you are going to grow personally. Some people show up to yoga classes to work out. That's more like gymnastics. They steer clear from anything that looks like, feels like and smells like personal transformation. You can always spot those types - they fidget, are impatient in the beginning of class because the 3 -5 min the teacher allows for "centering" is way too much time to be quiet and still and they keep wanting to get to another pose, ready or not, just like in life they keep wanting another experience and never finding what they really want....because, they don't know what they really want!

This all being said, do you know what some of your beliefs are? Here's an easy one - who's better Republicans or Democrats? Why? Keep going with the questions. Sooner or later you will find out that you don't have a clue. All the answers that come out are likely to be just other beliefs. There's a difference between a belief and a fact. How many actual facts do you have to support the statements you are making?

Here's another one - My last relationship failed because......? Really?
And another way - If i had more money I'd feel much better? Yep, you and 7 bill other people on this Earth.
And my all time favorite - I am like this because when i was growing up my parents..... OK, then. I guess you just have to be that way forever. Happy suffering to you.

I work with people one-on-one and often go into this as we practice yoga. Can't say everyone like to know that their own beliefs are running the show. It's much better to shift the blame and do things that make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Still there are others who as soon as they identify a harmful belief, rejoice in the possibility of dumping it and re-wiring the circuitry for something different. That's the fun of living, in my personal opinion. The ability to put the bags down and hop on a different train anytime!

Cheers.

From the Scientists' Desk

2009-12-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share 2 studies that came out very recently about some of the benefits of yoga.
A study called “Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders” published in the Journal of Adolescent Health on Nov 3, 2009 found that practicing yoga can help people who suffer from eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

People with eating disorders, basically suffer from a strong disconnect with their bodies and do not know what the body needs. By doing yoga, people re-establish the connection. We become more patient and compassionate toward our being, which included the body, and so the road to healing becomes easier.

The study tested 50 adolescents from ages 11 to 16 who had been hospitalized for their eating disorders. The patients were put into two groups, and one group received the usual treatment, while the other group received the same treatment plus two hours of yoga classes a week with a certified yoga instructor.

The study found the group who practiced yoga in addition to treatment showed more improvement on tests of eating disorder behaviors and thoughts than the group that did not practice yoga. The study also found the group that did not practice yoga relapsed back into eating disorder behaviors more often than the yoga group.
This one is from Science Daily, Nov 9, 2009: ” Heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners, according to research to be published in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics.”

The autonomic nervous system regulates the heart rate through two routes - the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The former causes the heart rate to rise, while, the parasympathetic slows it. When working well together, the two ensure that the heart rate is steady but ready to respond to changes caused by eating, the fight or flight response, or arousal.

Heart failure affects more than 5 million people in the United States and is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65, according to the American Heart Association. Heart failure occurs when the heart’s pumping power is weakened – by coronary artery disease, a heart attack, high blood pressure or various other conditions – and the heart is unable to pump sufficient oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream.
Though many heart failure patients are unable to engage in vigorous activity, regular exercise is an important part of rehabilitation and improving quality of life, but also can be custom-tailored to the individual.

From the Harvard Health Publications – April, 2009 – “By reducing perceived stress and anxiety, yoga appears to modulate stress response systems. This, in turn, decreases physiological arousal — for example, reducing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and easing respiration. There is also evidence that yoga practices help increase heart rate variability, an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress more flexibly.”

Those who practice yoga do not need convincing of how important it is to their physical, mental and emotional health. “This is not a luxury for me” says Hilary, one of the many yoga students at the Holistic Movement Center in Morro Bay, “I need this!”

Tonight's thoughts

2009-12-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

Life is fundamentally difficult. This is what we fail to realize and hope that there is a place and a time where this may not be true. However, despite this fundamental characteristic of life, one is not bound to being miserable. Difficult does not have to equal miserable. Compassion and loving kindness, toward self and toward others, are two things that make life less difficult and less miserable.

Roatan 08 Pictures

2008-10-25T10:26:00.001-07:00

The Beach

Hear no evil...

Ah...the ocean

To see more pictures, please go to: www.holisticmovementcenter.com/roatan_pictures_08.htm

2008-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

One more incredible adventure on Roatan!!!
Yoga Retreat 2008.

After the blast we had in 2007 on Roatan, i didn't think that much can be improved! Yet, this year the island greeted us with most perfect weather. Every evening we went to bed to the sound of rain and some times thunder. Every morning we woke up to the surreal stillness of the ocean, splendid radiance of the morning sun and the magical song of birds! The white sandy beach beckoned us for a morning walk . The reef tempted us with it's magical kingdom and curious inhabitants. The palm trees gently shaded us during a midday snooze. There was time to read books. There was time to go places, meet people, make new friends and taste new flavors.

For me personally, and for everyone who came - this trip was most extraordinary!

We shared meals together. We shared yoga and meditation together. We got to know each other and enjoy each others' company. We explored around the island.

One of the highlights for me was meeting Peter the 1 year old monkey at Cumbalimba park. Peter was so refreshingly curious and entertainingly busy trying to figure out what everything was - from hair pins, to cameras, to big floppy hats and eye classes. He was soft and cuddly and from the moment i saw him, i started devising plans to kidnap him! It was love at first sight - for me that is. He seemed pretty oblivious and perfectly happy to hang out at Cumbalimba.

While at Cumbalimba we also got to see the island's legendary Monkey Lala lizard. He walks on water. He runs funny on his back legs and upright. He's rather charming but very elusive. The day we went to the park, we were fortunate to see several of them, just enjoying the shade under the palm fronts and flowering bushes. From our guide we found out that green iguanas taste better than black iguanas, and while we watched with fascination in our eyes the prehistoric shape of these creatures, our guide was rubbing his belly and licking his lips.... Different worlds!

While snorkeling at The Blue Chennal, curious yoga retreaters communed with nature swimming with turtles, and counting florescent blue dots on tiny velvet black fishes. But every day was a great day for snorkeling and exploring the reef. So, most of us did it, since the reef is just a few steps and a few fin flaps away from the front door of our resort. Silver fishes, black fishes, mango colored fishes, shy fishes, curious fishes, big fishes and small fishes, social fishes traveling in schools or solitary fishes poking around the coral.....so many shapes, colors and forms of coral....no pictures will ever do it justice. It's one of those things in life that has to be experienced because no explanations can ever do it justice. Every day is a whole new experience in the water. Every day is a new opportunity to be with something you've never seen before.

Our entertainment staff made sure we don't turn into sleepy beach logs seducing us with Caribbean rhythms and dance. So, we had the pleasure of Roberto and Nancy swinging and swaying on the beach teaching us to dance. Yoga students do have rhythm!!! It has been proven now for the second year in a row! How fun!

At night they entertained us with funky skits and clever plays in the "Teatro." By special request they put up the Full Monte for us and one of our fellow retreaters, no to mention any names (Shannan), had the personal pleasure of a lap dance from Roberto and in front of the entire audience.... we've got pictures to prove it! But what happens on Roarrrtan stays on Roatan :).

Dancing the night away, we bumped into a friend from last year - Eddie - all grown up and handsome.... at Fosters. Cheap drinks. Fun music, barracuda swimming under the dance floor...well that's Fosters. Don't get too drunk or piss anyone off, or you may end up barracuda food.

Shopping at West End, this year the getting was good! The local authorities even graded the dirt road that is the Main (and only) Street on the West End. So, our crossing from shop to shop was easy. Barbara even watched a Guatemalan woman weave tapestry. After seeing it she could no longer bargain for Guatemalan tapestries because she figured this woman was making a penny a minute... definitely different worlds!

We had the pleasure of many locals joining us for yoga at the Henry Morgan! Yoga unites! Who would not enjoy our beautiful yoga room? Hardwood floors, white whimsical lighting and tons of space to spread around! This year, we also experimented with doing yoga in what is normally the Beach Bar by day. They cleared the furniture, draped some flowing white curtains, brought out a few fens and washed the wood floor and we were ready for yoga on the beach! What a view from that palapa! It was definitely an experience! It was hot... but so is Bikram yoga :) and being on the beach and looking at the water while doing yoga is most awesome. I know that because i do it every morning from my platform on the beach no more than 5 feet away from the water.

I can ramble on and on about our stay on Roatan.... I have been doing it now for a year and a half. Everyone knows i LOVE the place. But here are a few things other people say about it...

"I think i am truly different than i was a week ago - it was transformative. I loved the discipline of doing yoga every day - i felt stronger. I slept better. And towards the end of the trip, I had one of the best 24 hours of my life doing yoga, swimming with dolphins, dong my first dive. Perfect! My connection to my Spirit and Nature has been deepened by this experience." DS

"I love the resort and beaches. The staff was phenomenal. Lots of things to do and see. I love the option of having yoga both and not being obligated"

"The resort and location are excellent. This is the best value in vacationing I've ever had. I can't believe how much you get during your visit. The people were friendly and the staff was excellent. Yes, i plan on coming next year, or I would be sad now instead of happy."

"I liked the relaxed atmosphere. No pressure to follow any schedule. The environment was perfect and the people in our group were so friendly. I just cannot complain or think of anything that could be better."

"What a luxury to do yoga and meditation in such a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere! The facility and the people were fabulous! The yoga and meditation classes were what made it all happen. When you feel good, everything is good."

Well, i have 15 more evaluation forms....but you get the point. WE LOVED IT!

Roatan, Oct 2007 Yoga Retreat

2007-10-19T15:42:00.001-07:00

Morning Meditation

Donna with her new friend.

I start this blog with a letter from one of the ladies who attended the Yoga Retreat on Roatan Oct 6 – 14 2007. In her words…

Roatan Yoga Retreat
What a fantastic place to practice yoga. So relaxing. No pressure, just practice yoga everyday as much as you want and then relax by swimming in amazingly clear, warm water—the snorkeling was the best I’ve ever seen—brilliantly colored coral and fish. Another highlight was snorkeling with dolphins at the dolphin encounter—what a treat to be in the water to watch them play underwater. The evening meditation was the perfect culmination of a great day of yoga and as much or as little site seeing as you wanted. I will always cherish the memory of sitting on the beach at sunset sipping my complimentary pina colada by a palm tree in the sand. I went on the retreat without knowing many of the other yogis in our group but everyone was very open and friendly and included me in all the activities I wanted to attend. The yoga room was beautiful with a hardwood floor, great lighting, and air conditioning. It was also interesting to live in another culture for 8 days. I enjoyed the interaction with the Hondurans and Italians at the resort. There is a family atmosphere at Henry Morgan and many guests brought their children which indicates to me that they felt it was a safe and enjoyable place to bring your family.

I would highly recommend this yoga retreat and can’t wait to go again. Thank you Valentina, for putting this all together.
Namaste
Susan Burchiel

As for me… I love Roatan. The first time I went (see previous blog entries) I did not want to come back. This time it was even harder to leave. What made it even more enjoyable then the first trip are 2 things.

First of all the Henry Morgan Resort is really not on this Earth. I think once you drive in you are actually in Heaven. The place is beautiful and tons of fun. The staff is helpful and enthusiastic to share their slice of paradise with you. As a guest I got so much attention and had so much fun, it’s no wonder I now want to live full time at the Resort.

For starters, you get a fun ride from the airport. A nice guy telling you stories and explaining to you all the fun you can have while you are visiting. Then you come to your room which is rather large and really pretty but the best thing about it is this great balcony with 2 hammocks so you can swing yourself to day dreaming all you want. Every morning your maid will leave you a surprise… your room will never be the same twice. And, oh…all the flowers….

If you are not there to hang out in your room, head out to one of the bars. Drinks of all sorts are complementary. Fresh fruit is available to you all day long. The restaurant offers variety of food, all you can eat every day with excellent coffee and tea, juice, lemonade, soda and orchata. You will be fed well and served with pleasure by the wait staff.

The beach is by far the best beach on the island and one of the best in the world. I was out there doing yoga on a wood platform every morning greeting the sunrise. I can’t even describe the colors of the sky and the water during sunrise. I don’t think I know the names of such colors. The pink and silvery blue even hints of gold mixed with hues of purple… this just can’t be Earth.
During the day you will have an opportunity to learn a local dance from the most incredible Oscar – he is truly something to see for you ladies out there…. Just follow his butt swinging and swaying and you will never miss a step no matter how complicated the dance may be… May be you get a chance to dance hand in hand with the man himself! This will be similar to winning the lottery, because there is normally a flock of overly excited females following that butt around all day and access is restricted…

Or perhaps you’d like to indulge in the treasures of the sea. Head to the dive center at the Henry Morgan. Lindy the dive master gets special recommendation from those who went diving with him. Apparently the guy is really good and knowledgeable. He took Heather and Christina to some pretty spectacular spaces. Heather could not stop talking about it for hours after that. She did 2 dives on the same day because she just couldn’t get enough. This is the second largest barrier reef in the world after Australia, still living coral and most spectacular creatures all in a package for only $50 a dive. Can’t beat the price. Can’t beat the experience. If you are not a diver, go snorkeling. At the end of the beach you walk into waist deep of water and the reef starts… bob around the water all day with you mask and snorkel if you like, just remember – the water is 85 degrees which means you will swim about for hours and your back will be burnt to a crisp if you forget your sun block or a rash guard for protection. Have fun… you only live once and the chances are the creatures you will see in these waters you will never see again any other place….for everything else there’s Master Card :)

How about some dancing – well the resort has a stage and a small theater where they entertain guest every night after which the floor is open for dancing. The in house DJ is all yours! Latin rhythms will warm your heart and stir such passion for life you’ll feel like a god/goddess in charge. If you actually want to leave the resort you can head to the West End and do some bar hopping, dancing extravaganza. There are free buses that leave the resort several times per week to take you on this 5 min ride to the West End at 10:30 pm and to bring you back if you are so inclined to come back at 1:00 am. If not, catch a ride back with a local taxi.

In a mood for lobster – lobster is always fresh on Roatan. It’s likely that what’s on your plate was in the water a couple of hours ago and still remembers freedom. Lobster Pot is a funky restaurant that’s got no building other then what houses the kitchen. You will be fine dining under huge trees with your feet in the sand and a candle light. Watch out for the crabs walking around. I think they are looking for their lost relatives that may very well be your dinner tonight.

There are plenty of other restaurants in the area that satisfy all tastes and budgets. Go exploring. Or not… hang out at the resort. Try out all the couches that they have. I did. They all have a similar quality of getting you sinking deeper and deeper into oblivion. God, I love this place!

We were lucky to have Eddie as our designated care taker. This guys knows everything, everyone and can make anything happen. And he is handsome…. And he CAN dance!!! We loved Eddie so much we adopted him. He’s now going to get presents from us via FedEx.

The second thing that made this retreat such a special event were the people present. The group was fun and spontaneous. Somehow we all found a way to be with each other in an intimate but not invasive way where we all had space to be who we are and do what we want and yet we all found each other’s company fun, enriching and special. Life stories got shared. Dreams got shared. Experiences got shared. Just like that. Just like magic. The chemistry was incredible. I have never laughed so much for so long in my whole life. Part of it was the yoga – doing yoga helps people open up and feel good about who they are and how they are. Part of it was the warm Caribbean softening our souls, part of it was the care and treatment of us by the Henry Morgan Resort which left nothing to be desired just time for fun. Overall, this was an experience of a life time for me, and it sounds like it was the same for the people attending. Soooo, I really can’t wait to go back, so I will!!! Hope you can join me. If i missed anything friends, feel free to add on.

Pictures

2007-10-19T15:22:00.001-07:00

Above - Christina and her mom sharing a hug. Heather and Chrisitna geared up for a dive. Nicole came for this all the way from England. Garifuna fire dancing on the beach at Henry Morgan. The whole group shot!!! Angie you should be a snorkle model.. Waiting for the water taxi... Heather and Stephanie beach babies... Val and Oscar - don't ask, it's legal in Honduras... A most amazing sunset on Roatan...

More pictures....

2007-10-19T15:14:00.001-07:00

Above, Eddie gets a much deserved kiss, then Oscor gives a kiss to a bird while taking a group to Cumbalimba park on a nature adventure. Yoga anyone... Sittin on the steps at Sundowners, West End... even though it's not sunset yet.

2007-04-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

For information on the Yoga Retreat in Paradise, Oct 4 - 12, 2007 go to http://www.holisticmovementcenter.com/roatan_yoga_retreat_2.htm

Adventure on Roatan, Honduras, March 2007

2007-03-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

So…yes, it was very difficult leaving this place…
Meet Petie the bird – an Amazon parrot who can’t fly but this doesn’t stop him from causing trouble and getting around. He sleeps somewhere in the trees tops by the house. Come morning he comes down and starts whistling for some company, but at 6 am he’s not likely to find any. I get up at 6:30 to do my yoga practice and open the door. He considers this an invitation to come in and makes his way down the rail, across the deck and right into the middle of the room. All along chanting in many voices: “Hello, hello,” “Come here little bird,” “@&$%” (Something in a language I can’t make out). He wants a scratch on the head and wants to chew on a wicker chair in the room. If you try to get him out, her runs sideways trying to escape you, if he likes you, or charges at you to bite you, if he doesn’t like you. Luckily he likes me. After he’s made sure everything is to his liking in room 3, he strolls down to the first floor and tries to get the attention of one of the cooking ladies to give him some breakfast – pancakes, eggs, fruit, whatever they have, after all Petie owns this place!

West End is where we are staying. The paved road that goes long ways through the island ends here. You have a choice of turning Right and going to one of the few “hotels” – houses is more accurate of a description. Some are nicer than others – vacation rental style, others are B&B island style, a couple of “resorts” with nice views to the water. If you turn left you will end up on the strip – the heart of the action! Down this bumpy sandy road is about a mile and a half of restaurants, palapas, bars island style, funky hotels, hostels, colorful vendors, match box size grocery stores, dive shops on every corner, a really nice church. All day and night this place is full of life. During the day, burnt tourists in bathing suites and/or diving gear clutter the street looking for a place to have a bite, a street phone that works, an internet café that may be open – if the power is on, someone to take them out for a dive. Around lunch the fruit trucks come by and fresh papayas, mangoes, watermelons and green oranges (they are ripe, they just have a green rind) are offered at whatever price you can negotiate. Taxi drivers/tour guides are cooling it in the shade of palm trees with a beer in hand. If you listen you will hear more languages than you thought you knew. The locals for the most part speak English and Spanish, plenty of them speak Italian as well. There are “new” locals form every country in Europe, tourists from every part of the world. All get along. Everyone’s happy to talk to you, tell you where they come from, why they are here, what they’ve done so far.

At night, the place is even busier. The fruit trucks are gone and the church goers have gone home, changed their proper Sunday best, for the flirty, colorful, lots-of-skin-everywhere dancing clothes. But first a drink at Sundowners, watch the sunset…ah…this is what life is all about. Than get a bite to eat – the choices are from good to great and really exceptional, but definitely not what you would expect. Just because it’s called a veggie burrito it doesn’t mean it’s the same thing in every restaurant. Some places it comes with onions, peppers and milky tomato sauce that tastes more like Hungarian mish-mash. Some times it’s more like a cross between a fresh veggies wrap and a pita bread with cheese…So, keep your mind open and you will have a great time. It’s all good. Just don’t try to rush it. Expect a meal to last at least a couple of hours. What’s the hurry anyhow, the Purple Turtle doesn’t really starts happening until after 9 pm. And if you miss this action, the Twisted Toucan will welcome you with open arms. If you stay there long enough, and get hungry again, right next to it is a local lady making “baliadas” on a grill made out of a car wheel and a rack from a refrigerator. She’s there until midnight! For a $1 each, you must give in to the wonderful smell of fresh made tortillas, which are more like pita bread, and grilled meat, or if you prefer, for half price you can have it vegetarian. Dancing starts around 10:30 pm. And dancing is what everyone does… lustful Caribbean rhythms, Spanish hip-hop, blues, the Punta – a dance of the local Garifuna Indians, even your favorite hits from the USA. You’ll loose some weight, I guarantee!

If you are a beach bum and just want to bake in the sun and swim until your heart desires – West Bay is your place. The most beautiful beach on the island, according to many. White sand melting into liquid turquoise. Palm trees gracefully decorating the blue sky. The water is always calm because it is protected by the barrier reef. Grab a book and hang out, or stroll around people watching. For a place this beautiful, even in the heart of the busy season, it is surprisingly not crowded. Local ladies come by asking you if you want to have your hair braided, or how about a massage on the beach. Some balance buckets of ice cold drinks on their heads. The ice cream guy announces his presence ringing little bells as he pushes his cart down the beach. A groovy song arrives on the wings of the breeze from the nearest beach bar where a few people are chatting about living and loving it with a cool drink in hand under the palapa roof made out of palm leafs. Life can’t get any better. If it does, you may be dead and gone to heaven.
West Bay is where you see the really nice but still charming and unobtrusive upscale resorts, where one can find everything just like in the USA.
Yet the best part for me was getting up in the morning and doing my yoga practice. The warmth of the air, the sounds of the birds, the feeling of the breeze and the peacefulness this place radiates made an inspirational backdrop. Than with a heart full of joy, I went through the days soaking up the charm of the island, it’s people and the surprises that came our way, just to make things even more interesting. I can’t wait to go back.

Maha Lakshmi Puja

2006-07-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
You know I went to Portland to the Rudrananda Ashram last week. It was a time for a lot of learning. If I can sum up everything in a sentence it's this:
Live your life true to your heart, doing what needs to be done, without attachment to your ideas for outcome and with full trust in the unimaginable possibility that is Life and everything it holds for you.

(The guy with the orange shirt and yellow garland of flowers is Swami Chetanananda. 4 Brahmin priests chanting and performing the Puja and Havan. The ritual went on for 2 days. Lakshmi is a major Hindu goddess associated with spiritual and material wealth and prosperity, as well as light, beauty and wisdom. This rituals were meant to celebrate the spiritual abundance that Swami Rudrananda represents to the lineage and all people who's lives he has transformed.)

Dedicate your Yoga Practice

2006-06-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly McGonigal 6/17/2006
(image to the left is Val between a rock and a hard place, The Baths, BVI)

The word "yoga" brings to mind poses - perhaps downward facing dog - and practices like deep breathing and meditation. But yoga is not defined by the practices that we do in a yoga class. It is more accurately defined as the state of union we experience through a yoga practice. It's easy to forget this when we talk about "doing yoga", as in, "I did yoga this morning, and I feel great". That feeling is closer to "yoga" than the poses that produced the feeling.
When we say we feel great after a yoga practice, mostly we mean we feel relaxed, or content, or energized. We feel focused and centered, strong and able to face whatever the day brings. Although we often think of yoga as creating this kind of balance and "union" within ourselves, true yoga is also the connection between ourselves. Yoga is the union of our small, individual "selves" to something bigger -connection to others, to community, to purpose, to spirit.
One of the greatest hindrances to this experience of connection is a narrow self-focus in your yoga practice. The pursuit of "fixing" yourself is a giant distraction from the experience of yoga. You can "do" yoga all day long and not experience yoga.
When I realized this, my yoga practice transformed from an endless personal self-improvement project to something much deeper, and less tainted by the anxiety that I was not improving fast enough. The desire to "achieve" in the practice lessened, and was replaced by a desire to discover the practices that created a sense of connection.
One way to free ourselves from this preoccupation and self-focus is to offer your practice to something bigger than your own well-being. Dedicate the efforts of your practice to someone or something, at the beginning and the end of your practice.
Some possible dedications:
"May all beings be free of suffering, and may my practice in some way contribute to their happiness." (a traditional yoga dedication, offered at the beginning and end of each practice)
Dedicate your practice to someone or something you are grateful for. A traditional meditation practice is to keep a running list of all people you feel gratitude for - and to extend this list by one person every time you practice.
Dedicate your practice to someone in your life, who is struggling or suffering. Imagine that your own efforts can free up some energy for this person. In particular, you can offer challenges in your practice - and your willingness to face them - to this person, as an act of compassion and connection.
Dedicate your practice to your teachers, including not just your formal yoga teachers, but all the people and experiences in your life that "teach" you every day, by providing you with an opportunity to learn, change, reflect, grow, and practice.

Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. writes about yoga, does yoga research and teaches yoga students and yoga teachers. She is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy.

Asking Questions....

2006-06-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
There are 2 ways to ask your yoga questions. 1) you could use the comments link under this post, and 2) you can e-mail me and I will e-mail you back with the answer and also post the answer here so it will be available for everyone to read, if it is the kind of thing other people would benefit from.
Take care.

2006-06-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

More pictures...

2006-06-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

British Virgin Island, July 2006 - The Baths. There is magic everywhere. Some times you have to peak around a boulder and off the beaten track to find it, though. This picture was taken while on a sailing trip with my husband and a few friends in the Caribbean. We managed to survive a tropical storm. Got to swim in 80*F water. Met some very exotic, colorful tropical fish, a dolphin, and lots of nice local people and happy vacationers. Danced the night away during the Full Moon Party on Tortola. My husband dived for treasure on Treasure Island (Norman Island). I did yoga every morning at sunrise on the top of the boat - gives "balancing" poses a whole new meaning. If you go and you drink alcohol - try the Painkiller! According to the friends I went with it does work! I stuck to fruit drinks and water... A lesson to remember - if you buy a rasta hat, don't wear it to the airport on your way out. One of the girls who came with us did exactly this and wondered why she got singled out and her luggage searched from inside out. She missed her connecting flight. We came home refreshed, a little darker, and inspired for a life of freedom and no obligations. Now how do we get it.