Sacred Cycles

We have just experienced the Solstice, winter in the Northern hemisphere and summer in the Southern hemisphere. Here in North America our days will begin to get longer. The interesting thing is that we are not likely to notice this gradual lengthening of daylight hours as it's in such small increments. It's likely we'll begin to sense the difference six weeks from now but, for the moment, we are sitting in the heart of winter.

With the cycling of the seasons we are reminded of natural and sacred rhythms. Cycles exist in our day as we begin with the earth turning toward the sun and end by turning away. They exist in other ways such as the menstrual cycles of women, the cycle of the week, school semesters and with the arrival of each birthday. On a more subtle level is the ongoing cycle of our breath with each inhale and exhale marking one cycle. Considering that at rest we breathe an average of 12 breaths per minute, we are constantly in a motion. One moment arises and falls away into the next moment. We can even think that the cycles of our life are simply the present moment connecting to the next moment...one continuous thread of moment to moment.

The same applies to our individual practices of yoga and meditation. What often happens initially on our mats is that we have a profound or breakthrough experience. It's as though we've been sitting in ignorance and then WHAM!, we are struck by a life altering experience or thought. We sense an immediate and obvious shift. However it doesn't always happen like that. It can often feel as though we're plodding along in our practice, perhaps doing the same or similar daily ritual or practicing the same yoga poses. And then, just like the gradual lengthening of daylight hours after the winter Solstice, we notice a shift. It might not have been obvious but with each and every intentional effort to step into our practice, we continue to fertilize the depth and richness of our own journey.

In a story once shared by the Buddhist meditation teacher, Sharon Salzberg, she spoke about all of us having an empty bucket. With each intentional act of consciousness, we add a single drop into our bucket. Over time, we begin to fill the bucket up and all of it has originated from the place of our highest self, with intention and discipline. Imagine if we live unconsciously for years and years, perhaps saying things publicly that we feel won't affect others, perhaps harboring negative thoughts or perhaps holding onto the limiting belief that what we are isn't enough. Over the same amount of time, our bucket remains empty.

It's through conscious choice that we step into our practice and it's through conscious choice that we honor the sacred cycles that we meet along the way. At times it might feel as though we are standing still and that nothing is happening, yet the wisdom traditions affirm that the magic of what we are doing will manifest in some form at some time in our future.

So just as we naturally cycle from the darkest days toward light, we can do that metaphorically by staying with our practice, even when we think that nothing might be changing. As sure as the sun will rise and spring is around the corner, the cycles of our own practice will awaken. Trust the darkness to bring you into the light. Trust that every noble act, every kind word, every message of love sent to self and others is another drop in your spiritual bucket.

Start filling it up and let the light shine in!

Peaceful Solstice

Here in the northern hemisphere, the days are getting short and the nights long. The natural environment seems to be drawing into itself and shedding excess leaves and growth until a more opportune time to grow and bloom. We are about to pass the Winter Solstice.

I love the idea of the Winter Solstice as it relates to light. The actual day in 2015 is Tuesday December 22 representing the shortest day of the year as it relates to the number of daylight hours that we see. From December 23 the daylight hours begin to lengthen. 

We step from darkness into light.

Isn't that what our own personal growth is about? Gaining clarity about our own life path and purpose? Moving from ignorance towards greater wisdom? Turning inward to see our own inner light's radiance? We acknowledging the darkest moments of our soul as we step into our own light and expanding consciousness. Another way to look at it is as we awaken consciousness, we bring what is lying in our own shadows into full view. We take a look at that which we've pushed away or tamped down and bring it into the light. When we do so, the power it has over us begins to diminish and we start the process of making peace with our shadow selves.

One of the fundamental teachings in yoga is that we are all born divine. This divinity possesses a radiance that is often referred to as residing in the heart center. Just look at a healthy newborn and you can't help but see that they are divinely perfect beings. And the thing is, that never changes...it never leaves us. What happens is that we simply forget. We travel through our lives and begin to disconnect from this notion of being whole and beautifully complete. Ways that we learn to cope on a day to day basis, often in the form of defense mechanisms, often leave a layer that takes us further away from knowing our deepest selves. 

What our yoga practice does, is help us to remember. It helps us to still the distracting chatter of our mind, to peel away the layers and to celebrate the magnificence of our physical body so that we can connect once again to the light that dwells within.

Let's take a moment as the Winter Solstice passes to connect to our inner radiance and all the potential that is sitting within us.

The word Namaste' describes this precisely. 

"The light in me, sees and honors the light in you. When we are both in this place, we are one."

Peaceful Solstice.

Daily Practice

The other day as I sat sharing my words of the week, "Daily Practice", I was speaking from the perspective that our practice is always in front of us. What we need to be practicing has a way of revealing itself and it's up to us to open our awareness and see what is sitting before us.

Can you think about the first time you stepped onto a yoga mat? Do you remember what your intention was? What had brought you to that moment? For me, my practice was just turning up once or twice a week. I had no idea of what "my practice" was or what it could look like. I simply had the intention of showing up and seeing what that particular session had in store. When the class was over, I'd leave and head back into the same frame of mind that I had before the class and perhaps feeling a bit physically different. And it was like that for quite a long time. I'd turn up, do the practice and wait until the next session before I did it again. I didn't have any awareness of the residue that would stick to me following each session. Yet, over time, it began to show itself.

The more times I came to the mat, the more insight I started to notice. My thoughts became as entangled in the process as did my physical self. I began to notice my breath (or lack of it) as well as how often I sat in self-judgment (and there was a lot of that). At some point along my journey, and I can't even pinpoint when, I saw my yoga practice leaking off my mat and into the time when I wasn't "in class". I started to notice my words more carefully and to bear witness as to the effect they had on others. I caught myself wanting to blurt something out and instead, pausing and deciding if it were wise and kind.

My awareness of being in practice off the mat accelerated when I started to delve into the philosophy of yoga and other wisdom traditions. I learned that a framework existed within the Sutras of Patanjali (an ancient text) that made sense to me...a way in which I could begin to live my yoga on a daily basis. What I do remember is having a profound moment of thought that if I were to be teaching these things, I had to be living these things. I couldn't ask others to do what I was unwilling to do. I needed to be connected to the practice (in my own way) both on and off the mat to echo and transmit a sense of authenticity.

You can't avoid it. Transformation happens when you step onto a yoga mat or sit down to meditate. It's inherent in the process but there is a caveat...consistency. In order for the magic to appear, we have to commit to doing the work. Every day and in whatever way it appears before us.

The more awareness we allow ourselves to open to, the greater our growth is along our ever evolving path. I refer to us having two selves: the evolving self and the un-evolved self. The evolving self is the one that sets the intention to attain a state of inner peace, connection to purpose, living with compassion and in a state of being with whatever is happening in the present moment. Our un-evolved self is the "old" us, the behavior that perhaps feels embedded from years of repetition. The behavior we'd like to change as it points us in the direction away from our highest and truest selves. The more we recognize our practice and work on it, the more quickly we recognize our un-evolved selves. We can feel it in our gut when our reactions are less than what we want for ourselves.

So my thought for the week is to keep at it. You may feel as though you're doing the same thing or not enough, but stick with as much as you can do. Notice your practice when you're not on your yoga mat or sitting on a meditation cushion. Let your life be your practice and to quote Pattabhi Jois, "practice and all is coming".

Be Empty

This time of year we become inundated with things to fill us up-the Thanksgiving feast, Black Friday sales, Cyber Monday, holiday parties, gift giving and spending and so many social engagements rushing us toward a new year. It can all seem a bit much and it's little wonder that we'll stumble into the new year feeling like we need to "detox" from the holidays. So in order to avoid the ever tempting opportunities to overdo the holidays, my thought for the week has been to "be empty". That's right...NOW is the time to take the time to clear out the clutter to avoid the somewhat inevitable overload.

Clearing the clutter can be quite literal. The recent long Thanksgiving weekend I was fortunate to have a four day "staycation". Not only was I able to see a movie, go on long bicycle rides and a couple of hikes with family and friends, I took some time to load up three boxes of donation items for one of our local charities. In preparation for the Thanksgiving meal, I was searching for placemats, serving bowls and napkins and, in doing so, realized how much stuff I hadn't used since the last Thanksgiving three years ago. If I hadn't used it...it went into the box. This rippled out to clearing out some dresser drawers and clothes in my closet. It felt enormously gratifying to be rid of these things. My thought was that it's time for them to find a new home and be loved by someone who will actually appreciate them.

And so began this weeks teaching of emptying out. And the thing is, I could turn around after such a cleanse and realize I could do it all again many times over. When we let go, we have the tendency to refill again. 

When we empty out, we dump things not only from our physical space but from our psyche. When we become empty vessels, we remember the deeper essence of who we are and why we are here. If we keep adding to the physical and emotional clutter, we can easily get distracted from what matters most. One way I practice being empty is through a daily meditation practice. Each morning I have sacred time dedicated to checking in and clearing out. This practice definitely sets the timbre of the day. It's as if each day begins again from a clear perspective of what's possible and what matters.

We can also "be empty" through the use of our breath and visualization. We can breathe into the inner borders of our body as though we are offering ourselves more and more space on each inhale and we can empty out whatever has arisen on each exhale. And just as things empty, then tend to come back in...just like the ebb and flow of the ocean. If we can regularly practice emptying out, we are freer in each moment. Instead of dust gathering on the mirror of who we are and altering the our true reflection, we gain clarity by clearing.

So perhaps begin this holiday season by giving yourself the gift of a feather duster, an empty box and some time to let stuff go. Less clutter equals more clarity both at home and in the heart.

Breathe in and let go...

Build Your Tribe

We have just passed the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, a day not only rich in turkey, stuffing, pies and tradition, but a day that can be honored with an attitude of thankfulness. As the day approached I was struck by a deepening sense of the importance of community. Following the Paris terrorist attacks with the anger and rhetoric that ensued, along with deep sadness, it reminded me of how important it is to stay connected to each other from the highest place of intention and integrity.

My thought of the week is to create our own tribe, to build a network of people who are supportive of each other even with each of us having different objectives and ways of life. The stronger we can come together with a collective intention of loving kindness to manifest peacefulness in the world, the better. Even if it just begins with you and one other person  sharing the hope of peace and acting upon it can begin to offer a shift away from negativity toward a more positive vibration. The point is to act upon the intention of support rather than keeping it as a theoretical and perhaps seemingly unattainable ideal.

When I began to shift my teaching career out of the fitness industry toward teaching the mind-body practices of yoga and meditation, it took quite a bit of steady determination. I had been teaching very large and often popular group fitness classes where people would arrive early to "get their spot" and would often need to share equipment to ensure everyone could undertake the practice. It was an abundant time yet deep inside I knew I was being called to work more with the connection of body-mind-spirit. I had the experience for quite some time of sitting by myself in the yoga studio, hoping and waiting for someone to walk through the door. Classes were often just a couple of people but my heart wanted to teach as though the class were full...and so I did. Fortunately, this determination and persistence has begun to pay off with what feels like an ever-expanding pool of people who've stepped onto the mat or sat down on a cushion.

Part of doing what I do involves building our local community of yogis and yoginis and what's astonishing is that some 12 plus years later, I'm actually bearing witness to its ripple. Building a loving and conscious community is vital for us to propagate peace in the world, even if it's just one person at a time. 

Since moving back to the States in 1997, I often felt like I couldn't find "my people". For years I had (and still have) what I call my "heart family"-the group of friends who hold your heart dearly and support your own path of growth and evolution. Leaving Australia, I left this behind and was hoping to find a similar connection back in the States. But what happened was somewhat surprising. My new tribe seemed elusive and I had many false starts as to what I was hoping to be authentic and long-term relationships. It was through walking my own path, being driven by a sense of my purpose in the world, that my tribe started to appear. It was as though I had to let go of what I wanted from other people and needed to focus on what I could do to serve other people.

Perhaps as you read this you're thinking about your circles of friends and community. Perhaps you already have a strong sense of connection. My thought for the week is to say: if you don't have it, build it through your own intention and if you do have it...make it bigger and be the catalyst that fosters a deeper sense of acting from love and support.

And to all of you who have crossed my path and joined me in this pursuit, my heart is wide open with gratitude. Thank you.

Peace and Harmony

It's been another one of those weeks where we've been transfixed on the occurrence of yet another horrible act of terrorism, this time unfolding in the city of lights, Paris. I heard the news of the attacks late on the Friday night after they happened and was away for the weekend to celebrate the wonderful event of our granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah. I didn't see any television coverage or hear anything on the radio during the weekend as the energy was all about seeing a young, and quite capable, near teenager become part of a community. It was about celebrating with family and friends as well as carrying on traditions that have been passed through the generations.

It wasn't until I started to make my way back home that I saw, not so much the news of the attacks, but how people were reacting to them. As Monday morning arrived, I had to decide on my teaching theme of the week and sat thinking to myself, "Again...another opportunity to talk about something so heinous that it breaks our hearts and tosses us into the den of fear. How should I approach things this week without sounding cynical or hopeless?"  It felt like the only refuge that I personally had was to go into my heart and pray for peace and healing, even though I had done this countless times previously, it still seemed like a sacred place to reside.

So how do we stay in our practice when such devastating things are part of our world? How do we continue to manage the feelings of disgust, anger and hatred toward others? And more powerfully, how do we hold such deep sadness in our hearts? I sadly believe that I will not see peace in the world in my lifetime. Does that mean that I should stop trying to?

My thought of the week is around holding ourselves in a place of compassion and love. That in order to find peace in the world, we must find peace within ourselves. Such events have only strengthened my personal resolve to make continued choices that are of the vibration of love and compassion, rather than "turning to the dark side". In order for my stunning granddaughter 
and spectacular grandson and all of our future generations to find peace in their lives, they must be supported in fostering this from the generations that have come before them. So I am determined to hold my own vulnerability, anger and fear in such a way that it is felt and acknowledged but doesn't lead my actions. Rather, my actions are led by trusting that at the core of my own essence is love which is the most powerful of energies and intentions.

We must begin with ourselves in finding self-love and offering ourselves loving kindness. May I be safe, happy, healthy, live with ease and find peace. What I wish for myself is what all beings wish for themselves. It's as though the seed of my compassion needs to be planted and nourished within my own heart so that it may ripple away from me, to all of my relationships, to all of my actions, to all beings known and unknown, so that the energetic vibe is that of love. 

May all beings everywhere be free of suffering. May all beings everywhere be safe and have enough food to eat. May all beings be happy and healthy. And may all beings everywhere find peace.

Om shanti shanti shanti...

Shine Your Light

My teaching theme and hence my thought for the week has been about "Shining Your Light" out to the world. It was inspired by this week's new moon (meaning "no moon") and a completely darkened night sky which signaled the beginning of Diwali, a sacred holiday in India. To quote yoga teacher, Saul David Raye:

"Diwali is a sacred festival from India, honoring the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil, wisdom over ignorance and hope over despair. It is a time to pause and reflect within, to remember the light within our hearts and that truly we are made of light. With the flame of awareness, we light the lamp of wisdom, the lamp of love, the lamp of peace within our hearts and invoke the power of the Oneness."

I love the image of light illuminating darkness and the metaphor of us sharing the light that lives within each of us, yet it is the same light that lives within all of us. We all have something to offer, some unique way of sharing our gift with others and when we tap into that and feel our individual offering we begin to express the deepest and most soulful aspect of ourselves. This light is the light of love. So instead of us focusing on our suffering, of what needs to be better or our own darkness, let's take this lead from Diwali to focus on the light.

A good way to practice bringing our focus onto our shining light is by asking the following questions:

What is going well in my life?

Why is this going well?

What have I done to invite this manifestation into my life?

When I asked myself those questions, one thing that arose was my past and current yoga teacher training courses. As I sometimes focus on what's next or what could be better, the questions above bring me back to my original intention of why I created the course in the first place. It allowed me to sit in recognition of something I have worked hard at, given many hours to and find deep satisfaction in doing. Why is this going well? I know it is when I hear the stories of graduates bringing yoga to their community, when they share what has been challenging and fulfilling. I know it's going well when I hear trainees ask insightful questions and show up with incredible curiosity and a hunger to learn. I know it's going well when I feel that deep sense of doing what I am here to do, to walk my path of dharma (purpose). It's as though my heart swells and gratitude is what is filling it.

And what have I done to invite this? I listened to that inner voice that whispered many years ago, take a chance, trust what you know and follow your path. Instead of just saying, "oh that sounds good, but I doubt I could do it, it seems too hard." I took a chance, did the groundwork, built the foundation and put it out there. Being passionate drives us to do great things in our lives...the beautiful and true saying, "if there's a will, there's a way". We find a path that supports our desire and try to make it happen. It also means taking a risk in that it might be different to what we imagined or it might take a turn in a direction we never could anticipate.

Letting our light shine is a fulfillment of our soul. We dig into what truly will bring meaning to our lives and radiate it out there. The more we do it, the easier it becomes, the more fulfilling it is and has greater impact. My thought for the week is for all of us to trust our inner wisdom, to expand our awareness of what's whispering inside our hearts and to let the peace and love flow out of us from the deepest source of our being.

Let's hold Mother India in our hearts for lighting the way and let's all shine our light and illuminate the Universe.

Is Anybody Out There?

I've been writing this blog for quite some time now it all began when I wanted to keep in touch with the many folks who are seasonal visitors to the desert, as well as to stay connected to my circle of people in other places such as Europe and Australia. My "Thought of the Week" was inspired by those asking for what I was teaching on a weekly basis and to reach out to them via cyber space. They wanted to stay connected to what I had been sharing during our time together. And so was born the weekly e-newsletter and associated blog.

Since beginning this outward communication, I had no other intent than to have one more avenue in which to share my experience and knowledge with people who have crossed my path. I write, my husband Ed edits and I hit the "send" button out into the vast unknown. I have little to no idea who will open the newsletter, what they'll read or if anything will actually resonate. It's as though I take a leap of faith each week that perhaps what I have written might make a difference to someone else.

What continually drops my jaw is when I hear a story about what I've written and how it impacted someone else. Sometimes I feel as though I'm writing and sending thoughts into an abyss, wondering "is anybody out there?". It truly is a practice of trusting an inner voice and then letting it all go. The simple act of writing regularly is a spiritual practice unto itself. If nobody ever replied or commented, it is still a way in which I delve into my soul, look for the weekly lesson and offer my voice as an expression of my own individual journey.  For someone who likes to feel a sense of control, this is definitely a practice of surrender.

It blows me away when people say "I look forward to your blog/newsletter every week", or "I felt like what you wrote was directed precisely to what was happening with me". I feel immense gratification every time I hear one of these stories as the expectation I hold is that I write and let go...so when something comes back, it's a joyful moment of surprise!

It's the same for offering teachings at charitable events. My experience through the Off the Mat fundraising year and through Poses on Paseo/Poses For the People have been personally satisfying as I feel that one way for me to be of service is to teach from my experience in the hope of raising funds and awareness. Recently, I had two stories of people who had crossed my path this way. These were people I didn't meet directly during those events but who came to offer their support and energy to a cause. Additionally, they started receiving my weekly e-newsletter, have followed various happenings and writings and are now undertaking my Yoga Teacher Training through Desert Yoga Therapy!

My point of all of this is not to boast about what I'm doing but to be reminded of the impact we can have through what we are doing. All of these are examples of me just putting it out there and letting go. My intention is to offer whatever I have through my heart with authenticity and passion. My lesson has been that as I stay true to that, I might just be surprised by the incredibly powerful impact one action may have acting as a catalyst for another action to be ignited.

My thought for the week is to put it out there...whatever "it" may be and do so from that inner realm of your soul. It's speaking to us constantly and if we can get quiet and listen, we are empowered to spread whatever it is that we have to offer.

Trust and offer it up. As I'm learning, the answer to my question, "is anybody out there?", is YES!

Quiet Time

It is said that when something crosses our path three times within a noticeable time frame, that perhaps it's a lesson waiting to be learned. I had my third lesson this week, reminding me of the importance of unplugging. It all began with the first sign at the yoga retreat at Sanctuary, in Australia. The environment simply invites you to unplug as no TV's or radios are in sight and we don't use our US cell phones when traveling overseas. WiFi is available should you choose to connect but the views are so stunning they tend to draw people's awareness to the surroundings rather than toward technology.

The second sign was at the end of the first Module of the Yoga Teacher Training course which began last weekend. One of the students observed that during the first break, people gathered in the foyer for conversations and no one went to grab their phones. This was such an amazing observation from the perspective of where our habits are now falling - toward our technology and away from people. When the opposite happens, it seems like an unusual occurrence.

The third sign happened first thing on Monday morning when I dropped my cell phone and the screen went blank. I knew there were text messages that had arrived overnight, plus a voicemail, but I had no way of retrieving them. For two days I went temporarily unplugged from my phone...a forced sabbatical! 

Now I'm not suggesting we get rid of technology as I use it to support my work. This newsletter and blog is a prime example of getting the word out and technology provides that avenue. What I am suggesting is how MUCH we are governed by the habitual beeping and ping-ing of our phones. Do we make time every day to find quiet time for ourselves?

To quote Pema Chodron from "The Fruits of Solitude":

"We can't kid ourselves: if we never take a break from our busy live, it's going to be extremely difficult to tame our minds. This is why it's recommended to take time every day to meditate. Even short periods of sitting silently with ourselves allow the mind to settle down."

The first line of this quote really struck me-"we can't kid ourselves" in that if we truly are seeking to find more peace not only in our world but within ourselves, we are kidding ourselves if we don't make time to be peaceful. Do you make time to be peaceful? Have you befriended silence?

In making time for ourselves to be quiet, we can approach it by reframing the statement of "can I meditate today?' to "when can I find 5 minutes today to meditate today?" Setting the intention in a practical way to step into silence, to unplug from our devices, to close the door, to look at a sunset or stare at the ocean is vital to quieting our minds. Acting upon the intention seems to be challenging for so many of us in that we seek quiet yet are unwilling to commit to any quiet time. Even a few still minutes every day will begin to impact how we feel and how we face the world. 

Perhaps this is the gentle nudge you need to move from intention to action. Perhaps you're not in the current position to fly away to a retreat but if you're really seeking deeper inner peace then know you can do it. And if you need a reason to start...drop your cell phone and hope it breaks to offer you a "forced sabbatical".

Close the door. Find a cushion or chair. Sit down. Close your eyes. Breath. Done.

Soul Food

One of the interesting things about being human is that we can't survive for too long without being fed both food and water. It's a basic means of sustaining life. We also know that the quality of water and food greatly impacts the quality of our health state, which we hope is one of energy and vitality. But it's not only our physical selves that need to be fed. We need mental stimulation to feed the neurotransmitters in our brain and keep our synapses firing. Our mental state can also be affected by the fluctuation of our emotional selves and how we react to the ebb and flow of our changing landscape. We can feed our mental self through practices of meditation and contemplation. But more deeply, our soul needs to be fed just as much as our physical and emotional selves. Do you know what feeds your soul?  What is it that connects you to that deepest part of yourself where you experience purpose in your life and connection to others and something greater?

I know that when I want to feed my soul, I need to let go of other things that stop me from doing so. One way I do this is spending time with my feet and hands in the sand along the ocean. As I wiggle my toes deeper into the sand and the waves kiss my ankles, something begins to drop away. It's as if this primal action of feeling the earth move below my feet reminds me of being here. I drop into a state of radical presence as the senses come to greater vibrancy...the ocean breeze whipping my hair around, the smell of salt water, the sound of waves rolling in and out. As I begin to notice those moments the greater worries of my life get thrown into perspective and I'm caught asking myself the question, "What's important?"

I had many such moments of feeding my soul recently on our jaunt Down Under and, as sometimes happens, it didn't seem to be quite long enough. We spent our time on retreat at Sanctuary Retreat near Mission Beach, Queensland which was followed by beach strolling and time with friends. Two full years had passed since our last trip to Australia. We had thought about holidaying in Asia this year, but I could hear the beckoning calls from Down Under.

These calls came from a deep place within me, asking me to put my hands and feet on Aussie soil to feed my soul. Thankfully, I listened to the call and was able to embed the earth into my cells. Sanctuary is a special place that has brought insight and healing in the past and did so during this years experience. Perhaps it's the all-around nourishment you receive when you go there...incredible food, a disconnection from most forms of technology and entertainment and the time given to be quiet, find breath and move the body as an act of kindness and healing. Not only did it enrich my soul but the mind and body were thankful as well.

Knowing what feeds us on a deeper level is vital to maintaining overall health. Nature provides this arena and for so many of us is often within easy reach. It seems appropriate to conclude this week's blog by quoting from "Radical Acceptance, Embracing Your Life With The Heart of a Buddha" by Tara Brach:

"Just as the Buddha touched the earth in response to Mara's final challenge, when the voice of doubt afflicts us, we touch the ground by arriving, on the spot, in this moment. We touch the ground by directly connecting with the earth, the life of our bodies, our breath and our inner weather. We touch the ground by looking directly into awareness that is the very source of our life. As we connect with what is right in front of us, we realize the true immensity of who we are."

Om Shanti to that, Tara!

Eight Reasons To Undertake A Yoga Teacher Training

Ever wondered what it might be like to undertake the process of a 200-hour yoga teacher training program? You've been practicing yoga for a while and have developed a stronger physical practice and begin to wonder, "how can I begin to learn a bit more about this ancient practice?" Many people who undertake a teacher training do so for a variety of reasons: some to become teachers, some to simply learn more and others...well, who knows?

I posed this question recently to the graduates of my past two 200-hour teacher training programs asking them what benefits they received from the training. Below are some of their responses...check it out, there might just be something that resonates deeply within you. The following are quotes from the graduates:

1. You will learn about asanas (postures).

" We did work much on asanas, the proper way to teach and the importance of both alignment and anatomy."

"Jayne's immense knowledge of the body helped me to understand and appreciate all that is going on and what to pay particular attention to while practicing asanas."

"Greatly deepened my own practice from learning basic anatomy (skeletal and muscular) and in a way I now visualize my body from the inside out while doing asanas."

"Jayne provides a strong foundation for a safe, logically-sequenced and anatomically correct physical practice." 


2. It will open you to a wider meaning of what yoga is.

"It broadened my knowledge of the fuller practice of yoga by learning more about yogic philosophy, chakra energy, meditation - and, most importantly, then bringing that knowledge/practice into a real world daily setting in regards to managing stress, communicating with others, relaxation and self-care."

"Teacher training really opened my eyes to the vast world of yoga. Moving from the specific details of a pose; to the muscles, bones and joints involved; to the energy streams that feed or are released by a pose; to the way those energies feed body and mind; to the notion that poses are only the beginning of what there is to learn; to the various ways yoga is interpreted; and finally the release of all of these concerns in order to simply be in the moment, savoring that one breath."

3. It will deepen your personal practice.

"However, if teaching is not your goal, that's okay because the training goes so much deeper into the philosophy of yoga- the Yamas and Niyamas, the practice of meditation, breath work, mantra, chakras and much more. A student can take any one or all of those topics and delve deeper into their own practice."

"The main reason I took teacher training was to deepen my own practice-and it worked!!!"

"Jayne focuses on what yoga truly is. Not just the physical practice but the lifestyle. Through reflection of all Eight Limbs and listening to others peoples' life experiences, I was more able to examine my life and spirituality and to treasure how truly blessed I am. It also gave me a roadmap to set a path to achieving a truly yogic lifestyle myself."

"The course was like a journey to self discovery - through body awareness and alignment, knowledge and learning, reflection and testing out ideas, absorbing and integrating what resonated with my beliefs and prior knowledge. I learned to listen to my body and to honor its wisdom. This course opened up my curiosity and awareness of the connection and alignment between body, mind and soul. It was a magical journey toward wholeness."

"Teacher training helped me become a better teacher to myself, which was my goal, and to practice the focused serenity of yoga with more confidence and ease."

"I fell in love with yoga from my first class. I was 58 and did not expect to find a consuming passion, much less one that was very physical. This was thrilling to me. The mental and emotional challenges drove me even further into a quest for knowledge of all things yogic."

4. You'll re-ignite the beauty of being a student.

"I also realized how much I enjoyed "learning" again - to challenge my body and brain were an extra unanticipated bonus."

"I really loved taking the training because it melted medical (knowledge of the body/anatomy/precautions), yoga and personal growth all in one."

5. You'll be part of a like-minded community.

"It was fun to meet so many different people and to be exposed to their life and what has made them the way they are. Through all the illnesses, problems, meltdowns and moments...it was so worth it."

"I met new people that have become good friends and opened me to a new "yogic" family."

"The teacher training also brings you into a new community of like-minded, supportive, loving people."

6. Self-transformation. You might let go of some baggage!

"Jayne sets up a space that is safe, secure and embodies trust. In this environment I was able, not just to be myself, but to find, discover, evaluate, absorb or discard aspects of myself." 

"The learned aspects of living a yogic lifestyle and the application of simple philosophies when facing life's challenges have been positively effective and beneficial to me in my life and to the people I come in contact with."

"The class without us knowing it, gave us the opportunity to deal with things that may have been baggage that was holding us back, healing areas that were wounded and opening areas that may have been closed due to trauma. It made me really think about how I am living the best I can and being truly honest in how I care for myself."

7. It might reveal to you the joy in teaching others.

"I can teach yoga more effectively knowing more details about alignment, effective adjustments and benefits of postures."

"I continue to learn and expand on the knowledge gained in YTT. I am a yoga teacher and am excited to share yoga with other people!"

"I am now a yoga teacher that is teaching without fear. I can further my practice while at the same time helping those who have cancer go through their journey, forming their own practice."

"Now that I have begun to teach, I realize how much I actually learned at teacher training. It seems that Jayne was able to infuse all this knowledge in me and I wasn't fully aware how much until I began to teach. Alignment, needs and wants of my students, compassion, focus and, most importantly, wanting to give back all that yoga has given to me!"

"The intense time and study involved helped me to strengthen my own practice immensely, which makes me feel more comfortable when I step onto my mat as a teacher."


8. It will help you give to others.

"In order for me to be able to support others in my life, such as my husband, children, friends and co-workers, I need to take care of and be supported myself. I had always seen yoga as "me-time". However, I had come to believe that it was time for me to be able to share it with others, too."

"I have always known that I was meant to give back to the world. I always thought it would need to be through some large organization or a charity. I was way off. The most important gift I could give was small but just as important as any large scale project. I could give compassion, love and kindness through teaching. Sharing what I truly believe, what I learned in teacher training. That we are all connected by the spirit residing in our hearts."

At the beginning of each training session whether it be the 200-hour yoga teacher training or a workshop, I share my basic belief as to what we might be able to expect through such a process. Whether or not you teach in a more formal setting of a yoga studio,within a country or health club, at the local community center or to a group of friends you've gathered at your house, one thing will always shine through. How you are in the world influences everyone you come into contact with. Your actions "teach" others whether they be fee paying yoga students or your children and family.

What we undertake in the process of teacher training is the building of a foundation that can translate to many styles of yoga and into how we live our everyday lives. It sets the framework to function from a conscious perspective and it's an amazing journey to experience. If you're curious, speak to me and I'll see if a YTT is right for you!

Make Lemonade

Sometimes things pop up in your path unexpectedly. This past weekend, I was once again attending BhaktiFest, an annual gathering in the high desert of Joshua Tree as part of a yoga and music festival. My three days there were spent practicing yoga, meditating, singing mantra and hanging out with many like-minded people. The tribe had gathered to bask in the practices of devotion, known as bhakti. After having spent consecutive days in this frame of mind, my functioning mind shifted from my analytical left hemisphere into my more creative and non-judgmental right hemisphere. When I returned home on Sunday evening, tired and a bit blissed out, my main intention was to get things in order for my work week and get to bed.

That was until I got a text at 9:15 pm letting me know that the air conditioning at our main studio was kaput and it was suggested that I "cancel all of my Monday classes". "Oh", I thought, "I don't think that's going to happen. I have 20 people signed up for classes tomorrow and canceling is not really an option". So in my right-brained state, I began to look for a solution. I wandered into the garage looking for an old oscillating fan to bring to the studio. I found it, tested it out by plugging it in and put it in my car. I found a smaller fan and put that in the car as well. I texted my colleague asking if she had an extra fan and after sending the message I began to get a glimpse of the left side of my  brain that said: "That's not going to work. You don't know how hot it is in the studio. These fans aren't going to make a difference. You can't have people come to a hot studio unless they were planning to do that in the first place. What to do? What to do?". In that moment, I realized I had access to another studio, which wasn't being used on Monday. The problem was beginning to find a solution. 

However, by this time it's now getting close to 10 pm and way past not only my bed time but my personal limit as to when I'll contact people. So I shoot off a quick message to my first morning class asking if they're interested in practicing at the other studio. And on it went: the rearranging of people into classes; the contacting of people; the update as to when the AC might be back working. And what initially felt like I had been handed some lemons and a major buzz kill following a blissed-out weekend, turned out to reveal not only a teaching theme for the week but a reflection of sincere gratitude.

As people attended classes on Monday, they were incredibly thankful for the classes not being cancelled and some were delighted to return to the "original" studio where many first began their practice of yoga. I began to realize a solution to a scheduling issue I had tucked way back into my consciousness, by being confronted with a different way to look at the current challenge of not having one studio for a week. Where a solution was lacking previously, this particular challenge triggered a solution to something else. 

Often when things arise unexpectedly it may be overwhelming. In that moment, we may have feelings of helplessness or despair, yet, it is in precisely those moments that we begin to gain a different way of looking at what happened. Now the AC going out isn't life altering, but it illustrated how when we reflect, things have a way of working themselves out. It helped me to remember that where we are on our journey is exactly where we are meant to be and in order to find ease with that we need to do a couple of things: trust and let go. The trusting is about having a deep sense that all will be okay just as it's unfolding. The letting go is about releasing the need for it to be different to what you expect or want. When this element of surrender occurs, we release our attachment to outcome and gain a greater sense of empathy and compassion. It's in these moments that we expand our experience and although it might feel like we've been handed a bushel of lemons, we now have the opportunity for insight in a way never imagined. We make lemonade. 

So next time something happens that takes you by surprise, realize this as a moment of looking at life through a different lens. Let creativity arise and squeeze the heck out of those lemons! 

Nourish

My thought of the week has been the culmination of the topics I've been talking about over the past three weeks. We explored the topic of "Expansion" a couple of weeks back, where our attention is drawn into a particular event/thought/emotion and we contract around it. Expansion offers an opportunity to create space around that focal point to allow for all in our field of awareness. The following week we looked at what the practices of yoga and meditation offer to us in the form of self-discovery. What is it that we have been taught by stepping on the mat? What is the current lesson that is underway at the moment?

As we open to spaciousness and begin to discover what is arising in our practice, a third element needs to occur. How do we adapt to what we've uncovered? This week, we've been exploring how to nourish ourselves through our practices, our words, actions and choices. Now that we have a greater awareness of what's happening, how do we begin to hold onto positive changes that we make?

Herein lies the challenge. What might have been working for us ten years ago may no longer be effective. This happens due to the dynamic nature of being human. We are constantly in flux with both planned and unplanned events arising in our daily lives that can throw us off-kilter. If we lack awareness and keep repeating the same behavior, we can find ourselves in a place of dis-ease and imbalance. Finding what works for us and then having the consciousness to refine and tweak is a large part of keeping ourselves in balance.   By asking ourselves some of the following questions, we can fine-tune our connection to self and as Wayne Dyer said, 

"When you're at peace with yourself and love your self, it is virtually impossible to do things to yourself that are destructive."

1. Who are you hanging out with? Are those relationships nourishing you?

We know that the company we keep influences how we feel and the decisions we make. It is innate that we seek those like us, we look for our tribe as they offer a reflection back to us, as to our own true nature.

2. How are you nourishing your physical body?

Take a consciously deep and slow breath. It's that simple. This is just one way to feel connected to your physical presence. Choose whole, real food. The life force within the food affects the life force within your tissues, so pick vibrant foods that nourish not only your taste buds, but your cells. 

Move your body every day in some way that is multi-directional. We spend much of our time seated and its impact is long-term. Reach, bend, twist and get into those well-fed tissues. Not sure what to do? Head outside and take a walk. It doesn't have to be complicated or involve a FitBit.

3. Do you spend time every day in silence, stillness and contemplation?

Nourishing ourselves on a deeper level can be found through more subtle practices. Allow the agitated thinking mind to take a break and open to the wider field of consciousness. Get connected to your inner self as knowing ourselves on this level supports us in managing stress and finding peace.

4. Are you doing what you love and loving what you do?

We spend a large chunk of our lives at work. If it isn't something you love doing, considering changing it to something you do. You'll find richness in ways that just might outweigh the size of your paycheck.

5. Are you connecting to something bigger than yourself? Are you able to serve others?

Moving away from our own self-centeredness supports our own self growth. If you're feeling out of touch, feed someone. A bit down? Do something nice for somebody else. Often when we get out of our own way, we are reminded of our connection to all beings, every where and when we expand further, we connect to that huge eternal expanse of consciousness.

As we contemplate these few questions, do so from a place of openness and curiosity, rather than judgment. See what arises as this inquiry might open the gateway for a deeper sense of purpose, connection and love.

Now that's nourishment!

Self-Discovery

One of the primary intentions of the practices of yoga and meditation is the unfolding connection to self discovery. Most of us have no idea as to what stepping on the mat for the first time means or on what type of journey it will take us. Over time,
these practices begin to reveal deeper and deeper truths about ourselves as though we are peeling away the many layers of an onion. It most often begins with the most obvious layer, that of the body. In yoga, the five layers of who we are are referred to as the koshas and the longer we journey on the mat the more we get to know these layers.

The annamaya kosha is known as the food sheath, the outer physical layer of our being. We come to know it the moment we begin moving into various postures. We begin to learn about how our structure functions (or doesn't) by informing us of how tight our hamstrings might be, how some poses seem easy and others completely impossible. We get to know how our skeleton lines up when we're working against gravity and what needs to strengthen in order to keep it in that position. And this is sometimes where people stop exploring...they experience the physical efforts of their practice and perhaps think that's enough.

Yet the longer we stay with the practice, the greater the exploration of our more subtle layers. The next layer is the pranamaya kosha-the breath sheath. The breath in yoga is what distinguishes it from just about all other movement forms. It's the connection to the breath that carries us through and penetrates all of the other layers, as though it is the conduit to deeper connection. As we learn more about our practice, we get to know our breath in ways we might not have ever imagined. Prior to beginning my own practice, the only things I knew about my breath was when I didn't have enough of it (working out at high intensity or diving to the bottom of a pool) or when it got knocked out of me. Other than those moments, I was completely disconnected from the power that getting to know my breath held. This discovery points to how our breath can directly impact our emotional and mental states as well as efficiently delivering oxygen to all cells.

As we move deeper into our practice, we begin to notice our mental state and the myriad of thoughts that arise both on and off the mat. This layer, the manomaya kosha, awakens those moments where we begin to have a gap between what we think and what we do. We begin to grow the reaction time to allow space for more choice. Instead of reacting with defensiveness or anger, we can become aware of thoughts arising, notice them and pause which offers an opportunity for us to shift from reactive to choice behaviors.

As we peel away the layers, we begin to know the vijnanmaya kosha, also known as the wisdom layer. This is the layer of deeper knowing and insight. It's that layer where we trust what our inner senses and intuition are telling us. We become wise to the silent inner voice and guided by its presence. And finally, the deepest inner layer (or the one furthest out depending on your view) is the anandamaya kosha. Ananda in Sanskrit means bliss and this sheath is the place where we touch the perfect harmony of our existence, not only to ourselves but to everything else. It is in this sheath that we don't strive, tug, pull or force anything to happen as all is in perfect balance. 

We have all had moments of bliss in our lives, where we feel connected and all one, yet for most of us, these moments are fleeting. We have glimpses of them and then we revert back to being in our familiar and conditioned state. Yoga is ultimately about enlightenment, about finding our way into these states almost always! Imagine that! You can bet that all of the great sages, saints and radiant ones before us have spent time peeling their own onions. In our own process, it's likely to make us cry, but the light in blissful moments is worth more than just a sneak peak.

Trust the process, peel your layers and see what happens. You might find yourself becoming a radiant one as you just never know what you might discover.

Expansion

Not long ago I had a conversation with a student who expressed difficulty in focusing on anything that was good in his life. He said, "I am constantly drawn to the negativity in my life and the different challenges that I've been handed". I could see the deeply etched suffering and chronic stress that he held.  This was a moment for me to hold the space of compassion and to offer the possibility of something new---holding suffering and the broader picture of who we are, both at the same time. To make room not just for the challenges but to broaden the field of awareness to all that we are and what we experience. This is called expansion.

When we have something happening in our lives that is deeply emotional, we tend to contract around it. It becomes the primary focus of our thoughts and feelings. Just think about the first time you "fell in love". For me, I would float through the day, thinking of what he said, when we would meet and what might the future might hold. On the other end of the spectrum is when we broke up. Both times, same relationship, the experience of clinging to the major emotion was present. When we pull our energy and attention into one thing, we often forgot all else, which isn't a bad thing if you're serving for the championship match at Wimbledon, but not so useful when we become overly fixated on an emotional event or happening.

Grief is a prime example of contraction. When we have a loss it tends to hold so much power over us, often leading to moments of deep despair and being overwhelmed with all of life. When I spoke this week in class about expanding around the feeling of grief, someone reflected back to me later that they didn't think it was possible. My reply was, "Initially, it might not be possible. But over time, we are able to broaden the space around the deeply held grief and begin to realize all of the other emotions existing in our experience. Grief might be the most obvious one, but it's not the only one."

One way to work with expansion is through our physical body. Emotions and events tend to lodge themselves in our physical realm. When we get better at noticing a particular sensation held in the body, such as tightness in the chest, butterflies in the stomach or a knot in the shoulder, we begin to connect to our body-mind matrix. You may have heard in a yoga class the cue, "breathe into your hips". Now as far as I know, we don't have nostrils in our hips so "breathing into them" seems impossible. However, if we think of it in terms of tension, we can use our breath to begin to relax the muscles around the hips, which seems to create more space from the inside out.

Our bodies are our emotional barometers and the better we get at reading them, the more freedom we begin to invite into ourselves on both a physical and mental level. To practice creating more space and ease within, close the eyes, slow down the breath and bring your awareness to your body. Where do you feel the most tightness? In your throat? Heart? Belly? Can you sense what's driving this constriction? Can you relate it to how you've been expressing your energy in your day to day happenings? Next, find your breath and visualize it moving into the tight area and opening the spaces around the constriction. Give it lots of room and no judgment.  Allow yourself to be with what has arisen within your field of perception and realize you can hold all that is present.

Now take a deep breath, relax, let go and expand beyond the borders of your physical being. See where it takes you!

Let Go

As I sat down to write this week's thought, I went through my past blog posts (over 300) to see if I had this as a previous theme and/or title. Much to my surprise I did not!  The reason for it to be surprising is that the topic of letting go seems so fundamental to the practices of yoga and meditation.

Some of the first yoga teaching cues I was taught was to "let go of judgment, let go of competition and let go of expectation". Those three suggestions have firmly stuck with me, partially because when I first began practicing it had never been suggested to me that this was a starting point. I was often judgmental without much of a second thought, have always been competitive and held all sorts of expectations (both high and low). When I was asked to let go of it, it was a completely new way of being in my world. But I liked it...the confronting began to awaken my own awareness as to how often I held onto judging, competing and expecting. Those words were powerful and as I began my role as teacher I began sharing them with others.

Over this past week I have watched the students reaction when I said the words of the week were to "let go". In the pause between that announcement and what was next said, I watched faces of recognition and contemplation as though those words held some personalized meaning to each nodding head. It's as though many of us know on a subconscious level that holding onto thoughts, things, words and beliefs will create our own suffering. A part of us fundamentally recognizes that in the end it's about being free of our "stuff". It's in the unclenching of our rigid fists that we begin to find true liberation.

So throughout this week we practiced different ways of letting go. We began with letting go of the exhaling breath. Our breath is on loan for our entire lives. At no point do we own the breath, but rather simply pull in what we need and then release it back into the greater atmosphere. But focusing on seeing and feeling the breath leave and dissolve into the greater realm, we have a momentary insight of letting go.

Another perspective is to look at the path of our lives in relationship to the body, mind, spirit paradigm. If we break our life into three parts the first chapter would be focused on the body. As we are born and grow we find our physical way in the world through seeking food, learning how to move and in creating relationships with others. The second chapter is about using our mind to establish who we are in the world. Our attention is on education, family, career and placing  down our roots. It's the time where we seek to discover what our role in the larger scheme of life looks like. The final chapter, having let go of the first two, is spent in delving fully into our spiritual self. It's the time for contemplation, introspection, reflection and passing wisdom along to others. If we are fully in this practice the ultimate letting go of our bodies as we die is something that's a natural transition rather than one of regret or surprise. 

A third perspective is learning to let go of the heavily ingrained reactions we all possess. Pema Chodron describes this as shenpa, or the act of not biting onto the baited hook. The easiest place to get hooked is from our familial relationships as they are typically the longest. We are so used to having our buttons pushed, that to have a different reaction seems remote. However, when we begin to see the bait and decide not to bite down on the hook we have that moment of awareness where we can choose a different path. We let go of what might have been familiar and open up to a freer path.

As I end this weeks thought, take a moment to see if there's something that you're ready to let go. A toxic relationship, self-judgment, an unfulfilling job or a momentary habitual reaction are all great candidates for finding more liberation. Realize that in letting go, we find freedom. Deep breath in, slow exhale and see all returning to the whole.

Wholeness

This entire past week, I've been teaching around the theme of wholeness. It took some contemplation to find the word that would convey what had inspired the thought and wholeness was as close as I could get. As I mentioned in the previous weeks blog, a member of my extended family passed away at the age of 103 and her funeral was held over the weekend. It was officiated by a rabbi and as he spoke, I sat there thinking that what he was saying was the kind of thing that I would talk about in a yoga class. I realized that although he was coming from the Jewish perspective (and I'm not Jewish) that we were still viewing humanity similarly. He was viewing if from his lens and I through mine, just as we all view the same thing from our own viewpoint, yet I felt connected to what he was saying and connected to the other people in attendance.

So often, particularly in fear-based cultures, institutions and religions, we have an "us versus them" approach; "I'm right, you're wrong"; "me and you". From many of the wisdom traditions, it is said that the root of suffering is the belief in separation. We see ourselves only as individuals and forget that we are all inextricably inter-connected. One of my teachers explained it to me like this:

A vast ocean of consciousness exists throughout the universe that is eternal and whole, sometimes called super-consciousness or ultimate reality. When we come into being, we are given a cup of this consciousness, as though it were scooped out of the vast ocean of ultimate reality. And when we die and are no longer in our body, it returns to back into the vast ocean of all pervasive consciousness. It's a reflection of the word that is often said at the conclusion of a yoga practice, Namaste'. The translation I gravitate toward is:

"The light in me, sees and honors the light in you. And when we are both in that place, we are one". 

What I take that to mean is that although we may think we have nothing in common, we don't even have to like or agree with one another, we at the very heart of it, hold the same element of connection within us. We are all connected at the most fundamental level and in recognizing that, we are no longer separate.

Another aspect of wholeness is our own personal balance between body, mind and spirit. Often we don't realize when we're out of balance until we tip so far to one side that something shows up in either our body such as a physical ache or illness or in our thought process which can manifest as anger, frustration, greed or selfishness. What makes staying in balance is the ever-changing fluctuations of simply being alive. One day we're full of pep, the next day, not so much. How do we know when we're out of balance? If you're curious, try the following:

Sit quietly and take three deep breaths. If it's comfortable, gently close your eyes and ask yourself "what could I being doing more of to keep me in balance? What could I be letting go of?" Sit for a few moments and see what pops up. Once you begin to become more conscious of what helps to support you keeping in balance, honor that and see if it can be part of what you undertake on a regular basis.

We know that when we are in balance, the energy that we send out to others comes from a completely different place then when we find ourselves under-nourished. Since we are all connected parts of the whole, what we say, how we act and what we think affects others. When we are in balance, when we are whole, we recognize our connection to the larger web of all life in a deeper and more profound way.

Namaste'. 

The Big Picture

It never fails. I seem to be reminded of the important things in life with many seemingly small daily lessons. This past week, in two separate families with whom I am close, saw the passing of a beloved 103 year old grandmother and in another a beloved mother. Just over two weeks ago, was the date of the passing of my father 33 years ago. And it's not the dates of their deaths that matter but the reminder of the value and impact that each of those lives had on so many others.

One of the strongest lessons I was exposed to with my Dad's death was that life is short and you never really know when your time will come. It taught me to not wait for the perfect moment to make things happen, to get out there and fully experience life. One constant truth is that all of us will die...you and everyone you know. Yet, we often live in a state of denial, bypassing true connection by getting distracted by things that simply don't make any difference in the big picture of life. We get tangled in drama, we let the emotional situations become grand stories and we begin to shrink away from living with an open heart. We begin to close down just to get through the day.

Take a moment to think about something that has taken a big chunk of your emotional energy. Perhaps it's a family situation, an upcoming gathering where the organizers are doing things differently to how you would do them. Or perhaps, it's a work situation where a colleague is getting under your skin for not getting back to you or doing a task in a different way to how you might do it. Sometimes we have our own projects that take on a life of their own. We want to get a new dishwasher and end up remodeling our entire kitchen.

Part of our yoga and meditation practice is to become a witness to our own experience. It truly is something we need to practice as this doesn't come easily to most of us, the ability to actually take a step back, to pause and notice things simply as they are. To quote Jack Kornfield:

"When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present moment. This is the beginning and the end of spiritual practice."

The lessons of people passing, of situations that challenge us and of emotions that tend to overwhelm us, is to recognize that they are all teaching us something. If you look to the stories that have consumed your emotional energy, what have they taught you? In these moments can you pause, take a step back and look at the grander big picture of your life?

As I journey down this path of transformation, I more easily recognize how the little dramas truly pull me away from the beautiful unfolding of the present moment. In those moments, we have a choice to further indulge the distraction or to put it all into perspective. We are all connected through the same wave of energy, through breath and ultimately through love. Holding gratitude in our hearts for the daily little lessons reminds us of something much bigger. Thank you to those who have brought these lessons to us and have passed along. May we all find peace and live with ease.

The Long Haul

It's everywhere: fast food, Instagram, overnight delivery, ready made and frozen meals, texting...ways in which we can get instant gratification with little effort and little need for patience. Gone are the days of the Pony Express, Aerograms and other forms of snail mail, growing and hunting for our food, taking a train cross country or even waiting for our dial up internet connections. Things move fast these days, faster than they did even five years ago. People sometimes yearn for the "good old days" of slow cooked meals, leisurely conversations and canning their home grown produce. It's so missed there's even a "slow movement" underfoot as it relates to exercise, eating, traveling and socializing.

With a mentality that the more we get done, the more productive and successful we'll be, we over-stuff our day which can have the opposite effect of leaving us feeling unproductive and somewhat frazzled. When we don't get to the 10 things on our to-do list, we might feel that we just aren't quite good enough...oy! I do have a little secret to share with you...slowing down might actually make you more productive.

Two things that haven't changed over the past many years are the broad practices of yoga and meditation, paths leading to more balance in your life, more awareness of your impact and your connection to the whole. And these practices are a slow process. The choice to undertake them is often prompted by the knowledge that they'll be good for us, but we have never been encouraged to look at the long term commitment it takes to truly see its magic. We become impatient, looking for a faster solution because that's what we are accustomed to, so many people stop their practices without giving them time. It's as though we have a societal schism, with one side telling us to be economical and do it efficiently and another side begging us to slow down. Can the two actually coexist? Being both busy and slow?

I have often heard the excuse that "I'm too busy to sit still. My mind just won't settle down. I've tried meditating, but it just doesn't work for me".  And here's another part of the secret, in sitting down to meditate we need to let go of having any form of expectation of what we'll get out of it, especially if we're new to the practice. I feel as though I'm still in the early stages of my nine years of committed daily meditation. I have come to understand that this was something that I chose to do for the long haul and it took some prodding from my teachers for me to finally launch into a daily practice.

With that being said, I know that the practice has many moods. Some days it's serene and peaceful. Some days, I'm agitated and bored. Other days my mind seems as though it's racing and some days I find myself being in that perfect place. The point is, it varies and my practice is to become at ease with all of it. What I've noticed from the years of concentrated meditation is that I can more easily slow down and step aside from chaos. I have more ability to pause and notice my reaction before doing or saying something I'll later regret. Over the years, the practice has become a complete part of my day and without the practice, I don't feel as centered throughout the day.

If you're one of those people who loves the idea of meditating or stepping into a yoga practice but hesitate, give yourself another chance. Give yourself ample time to begin to find your way with it. We know that a ton of research has shown the myriad of benefits of different mindfulness, contemplative and meditation practices, but the real benefit is your own personal journey. When we sit, we begin to really get to know ourselves. Like any worthy relationship it will hold up over time.

Begin with 10 minutes of dedicated time each day and give it a year. If you don't feel any different then maybe it's not for you. I'm curious as to what your journey will reveal...are you willing to give it a try? Are you in it for the long haul?