Progress

One of the most rewarding moments that I have experienced over years of teaching is looking at a class and having that inner voice scream "YES!" as I bear witness to the progress that each student has made.



At times, the changes seem barely perceptible. It can sometimes seem like forever before I notice any changes. We just keep applying ourselves and then what seems to be a significant overnight metamorphosis becomes apparent after weeks of seemingly little progress. It's quite a magical moment.



This perspective is what keeps us committed to our practice whether it be our golf or tennis game, a piece of art, writing or our yoga practice. If we can develop the awareness to open ourselves to the moment that we are currently experiencing, we begin to drop away our attachment to the outcome. As we let go into the process, we merge with the experience rather than the result. We enter a state of flow, the perfect balance of execution and experience that seems to unfold in an effortless manner.



And perhaps that why it's so striking to see students in poses that I hadn't witnessed before. As we focus more on being in the moment, the expectation of what is supposed to happen is shifted to the feeling of the experience.



Most of us know the saying that "it's not the destination, but the journey' that matters. What that really says is supportive of the notion of staying with what is. Knowing that who we are, what we have and what we do are enough. Can we be satisfied with that? I believe it is completely possible through surrendering to each moment as THIS moment is its own perfection.



The challenge is to stop striving for something outside of where you think you should be, toward some greater goal, something bigger and better and step into where you are. Bascially if we allow ourselves let go and commit to doing, progress will naturally unfold.



Breathe it all in. Now. In this moment...

Staying Centered

It seems to have been a week filled with "bad" news. The huge enviromental impact of the oil spill, unexpected deaths of friends of friends, plane crashes, poor financial markets and blah, blah, blah. We are bombarded with this through our media sources and conversations continually. The bad news is always in the news. But at times it seems as though the volume has been turned up inside of my own head and awareness around the bad news. For whatever reason it seems to be more personal this week.

Being surrounded by so many challenges, how do I find that place of equanimity and balance? How do I remember all of the good news?

In our practice of yoga, we seek to find balance. A union of energy between our bodies, minds and spirits. When we are in a half moon balance (as pictured above) we strive to extend away from our middle, reaching through our limbs and crown of the head as we stay firmly planted on our standing leg. This pose is an illustration of my thought for the week.

If we focus on the extremes, in this case our extremities, and direct our energy away from the center, we topple. We lose balance. We disconnect from our center. But, if we build our pose from the ground up, from our foundation of support on the standing leg and reach out into the extremes, keeping our breath and eyes steady and focused, we are able to stay on balance.

Life is like this. If we put our energy into the extreme emotions and thoughts of good or bad, we can dwell in places that seem to be dark and hopeless. But, if we build a basic foundation of ritual and practices that maintain the essence of who we are and seek to be, we can begin to accept both ends of the spectrum as being an inherent part of living. Good and bad things happen. As aware individuals we have the power and choice to create our reaction to them.

Knowing this and having heard bad news this week, I come back to my yoga and meditation in order to find my balance. To find gratitude and in doing so I find my center.

What do you do as a practice to bring yourself back into the middle? What is your foundation built on?

On The Other Hand

This is the second time in my life where I have had to adapt to using my left hand due to injury/surgery on my right side. And being a dominant right-hander, I have to say that the second time around has been much easier. I keep telling myself that when I switch to using my left hand as the dominant hand, that it's great for my brain.

Being right-handed, I hold many of the characteristics of a left-hemisphere, dominant brain. I'm methodical, linear in thought and often quite stoic. Many lefties that I've known in my life (and I come from a whole family of them...) often have the more creative, expressive and blissful sides of their brains active. Those lefties brains just don't seem to follow the same path as mine.

So here is my opportunity! As I heal from right shoulder surgery, I have the chance to spend more time in the right hemisphere of my brain...the more blissful, loving, expansive and creative side of me. It's not like I never spend time over on that right side, I do and my yoga practice helps me cross the border more now than ever. But, with my automatic pilot left brain in a holding pattern, my right brain can have first dibs!

I challenge you this week to look at your own automatic pilot of doing things on either right or left sides. Do you always step forward from a standing position with the same foot? Do you always step into your underwear with one particular leg leading the way? Do you always reach for an object with your dominant hand?

OK...so try this to give your mind and body a new perspective for a few days:

1. Move your computer mouse to the opposite hand.
2. Try eating with the opposite hand (yes...even with chopsticks).
3. Get dressed in a different sequence....usually socks on first, put them on last.
4. Brush your hair or teeth using the opposite hand.
5. Throw a ball or frisbee with your non-dominant side.

You get the picture. We tend to repeat familiar patterns of behavior, over and over throughout our lives. You can imagine that the brain has disconnected itself from many of our basic activities (and for the good reason of time efficiency), so why not shake it up a bit and offer the mind and body a different way of connecting and communicating?

Let me know how you do...I feel smarter already!

I Think My Dogs Meditate

The other day I was talking to somebody about the challenges we face in the practice of meditation. How we can use breath, mantra, song, stillness and posture to narrow our attention in order to dive deeper into a meditative state. And then it dawned on me...how simply both of our dogs are capable of going directly into this state, not that they are necessarily sitting either in lotus or at all. Maybe they are never out of this state in the first place! Nevertheless they have the inate ability to become focused on a single thing almost instantly.

Our female dog, Yindi, sees me holding a treat and wham...her eyes don't leave it for a second. She doesn't blink, bark or move. She's focused. Our male dog, Koele, sees a cat out on our walk and nothing is in his attention more than where that cat went, what it was doing and how he's going to "catch" it. He becomes utterly oblivious to my gentle coaxing of "leave it". Focused.

Our dogs are both Golden Retrievers, smart, loving, playful and part of the family. It's in their nature. They have times when they are at home, eyes half closed, gently breathing and appear to be fully present. They are great teachers of knowing what they want and staying focused on it. If what they want isn't immediately present, they wait patiently until that walk, pat or food comes around.

Why then, is it so challenging for so many of us to not become distracted by the busy thoughts that swirl in our heads? Is it simply a canine/homo sapien thing? Perhaps. But my intuition tells me that the dogs are able to get to the heart of their feelings and are in a now, in this moment, present way of living. They show unconditional love and trust. They don't hide behind complexities or excuses, but just thrust their feelings out there for all to see and experience.

My thought for this week is to tap into my own inner downward or upward facing dog. To let go into the experience of life, including emulating the ease of becoming focused on a single, seemingly simple thing like my breath or a mantra.

If my dogs can do...perhaps so can I!

Idyllwild Retreat 2010

With the weeks of planning that need to happen leading up to a retreat, one thing that I couldn't plan was the arrival of a foot of snow the evening before we landed in Idyllwild. As I drove the winding road up the mountain, the beauty kept growing and my jaw kept dropping. I had never seen it so beautiful on that drive! I passed large numbers of yellow flowers in bloom and as I gained elevation, the flowers gave way to snow. The sun was out, the sky was brilliant blue and it set the scene for a magical weekend.


The group, made up of three new retreaters and four repeater retreaters began the weekend with a walk in the freshly fallen, untrodden snow. I asked the group if we could walk as quietly as possible to engage our senses to the natural environment. We made our way to the perfect spot (pictured above) to undergo a quiet breath-centered, Tai chi like session. We found ourselves grounding into the cool earth, listening to the sound of the flowing creek and birds chirping and began to gently flow with our breath to greet our environment.

For those of us who spend most of our time in the dry desert environs, this was an unusual treat.

The remainder of the weekend, we were able to practice postures (asana), sit in quiet reflection and meditation, visit deep relaxation and eat fresh vegetarian (gluten-free) cuisine. In other sessions we got to know each other on a deeper level, learned about the Chakra energy system, were introduced to the practice of Kirtan (call and response singing) and looked at a deeper level of self-inquiry known as the "Purusharthas" (the four aims of life).

What I enjoy most from the retreats that I have offered, is seeing people open their hearts to the tradition and philosophy of yoga on a deeper and more personal level. It allows us a time and space to step away from our everyday commitments, take a deep breath and reflect.

I thank and say "Namaste'" to the fascinating women that I had the privilege of spending time with in Idyllwild. If you missed this retreat, know that there is more to come...

Australia September 2-7, 2010
Idyllwild April 29-May 1, 2011

Mark your calendars!