Intention

It's quite typical at this time of year to pause and reflect over the previous 12-months. We project into the future by setting goals and resolutions and, sometimes, when we get to mid-February what we have earnestly resolved to change has slipped off our radar.  We wonder what happened to our New Year's Eve willpower and determination. Change is challenging and when we slip up, when we realize how human we are, we can feel ashamed of our inability to "get it right, for once!"

One challenge we have when we set goals is that often they have an extrinsic focus, one that is outside of ourselves. It's not an uncommon story to hear how people dip into states of malaise or depression upon accomplishing a major goal such as graduating from college, reaching a sales or fundraising target or retiring from the workforce. Our focus is drawn to hitting the target and when it's over, we can get lost in what's next. Goal-setting itself isn't a bad thing as it can definitely point us in a direction that is desirable and offer certain levels of motivation. But it can also feel empty.

My thought of the week has been to recognize the common cycle of the New Year's Resolution and shift the focus from an external to an internal one - to that of setting an intention. I remember one of the first times during a yoga class I heard the instructor say, "Now...take a deep breath and set your intention." I thought to myself, "What? What do you mean by setting my intention? I'm here. I've shown up! What more is there to do?" And perhaps that was my unconscious intention, to simply make time to step onto my mat.

Intentions are deeper than goals. As I heard it described, when we connect to our highest intentions, we connect to purpose. Intentions are the state of "being" as we are doing whatever we are doing.  And if we can understand the intentions that we hold as being most important to us, it's as though we are inscribing our own daily personal mantra of how we wish to be in our everyday actions, words and deeds. One way to tap into what you hold as wisdom from the best version of yourself is to ask this question, "When I feel that I am at ease, fully present and connected to myself, to others and to the earth, what am I doing?"

I love this question as it gives us a personal frame of reference for what it feels like, in our own skin, to be living in that connection to purpose. When we don't act in accordance with our highest selves, we can actually sense the physical sensation and if we're paying attention, we have a choice in that moment to alter what we are doing. Alongside that practice, when we notice we aren't in harmony with our deepest intentions, we begin to shift by offering ourselves compassion for being imperfectly human. We are motivated how to be in our lives regardless of the outcome.

So imagine that we are sitting opposite a dear one, a beloved. The two of you are sitting in silence, in a space of love and ease and your dear one asks you, "What's most important to you?". How would you answer? What do you hold dear and valuable from the deepest essence of your heart space? Allow yourself to be with this scenario for a few moments. Close your eyes, find your breath and hear the question being asked of you. 

Whatever arises is a sign of your highest self and the wisdom that it wishes to share. Listen as this is the truth of who you are wanting to be expressed through your relationship with yourself, to others and to all beings, known and unknown on this earth. Instead of setting a short-term resolution at the turning of this years' calendar, dig a bit deeper and sense the seed of your deepest intention. Personally speaking, I can't wait to see what blossoms in the new year!

You Carry The Light Within

As I begin writing this weekly blog, it's gray and raining outside. It feels like I should be curled up on the couch in my pj's with a lovely cup of chai. The natural world is beckoning me to turn inward and get quiet. Ahhh...this is what I love about the Winter Solstice! We've just passed the mark of short daylight hours and are now turning more toward the sun with longer days gradually making their way into our awareness. The word solstice literally means "sun standing still" so perhaps, we can take its lead and turn inward during this busy holiday season. 

No matter in which hemisphere you live (they've just passed the summer solstice in the south), we are all called to match nature's rhythms yet, instead of listening we hit the mute button and power on through. It's interesting that the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere coincides with what is often a busy and stressful time of year for many. Holiday parties, gift buying, traveling and completing all of those tasks before the holidays hit, often leaving us harried rather than relaxed, disconnected rather than connected. A sense of urgency is everywhere, from long lines at the post office and shopping centers to backlogs in traffic and long holds on our phones waiting to get through to a customer service rep.

As the season turns toward winter, deciduous trees drop their leaves and fruit trees become dormant as they wait to foster what is to be blossomed in the spring. And if we were paying attention to the natural world, we too would allow space to find inner stillness. I love this time of year as it feels as though nature is beckoning me to do the same thing. Get quiet and turn inward. Just over a hundred years ago we were more in touch with the cues of light and would have to get by with lanterns, candlelight, and bonfires. We've lost touch as we have access to electricity 24/7/365.

My thought of the week is to remember our natural rhythms. As the light outside is at its lowest point in the year, we are drawn to the light that we carry within. In yoga, it is thought that all beings are born with an inner divine light. ALL of us carry this very same light. For some, the light has been so buried beneath walls of anger, disillusion or mistrust, that it's nearly impossible to believe that it's even present. Part of our path to "enlightenment" is the idea that we are all connected and in feeling separate from one another, we create suffering for ourselves and others. This light is reflected in the word Namaste', where we place our hands at our heart, slightly bow our head and say the word. My favorite translation of this word is, 

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

If we take a moment to think about it, that's the recognition of the other person as holding one thing in common with you...the inner divine light. In the blockbuster movie, Avatar, they would place one hand on the other person's heart and say, "I see you". The first time I saw that I thought, "they're saying Namaste' to each other!" It's about connection rather than separation.

One way to turn inward is through the practice of pratyahara, one of the limbs in the eight-faceted path of yoga as written by the sage Patanjali. Pratyahara is a withdrawal of the senses, a turning inward away from external stimuli toward our own inner realm. In the darkest hours whether they be during the Winter Solstice or some metaphorical moment in our life, we turn toward the light. When we sit on the edge of the unknown, staring into the blackened void, we can do one of two things. We can either turn away or we can shine our own light into it. In these turbulent times, we certainly could benefit from shining our inner radiance and therefore our collective beacons to face the darkness. When we are connected to this inner realm, we unveil our highest truth, the best version of ourselves. And when we are there, we connect into the powerful emotions of love and compassion.

Thank you Solstice for the darkness, the reminder to turn inward and connect to the light, no matter how dark it might be or seem.

Begin Again

A journey that began about five months ago came into full manifestation this past week as we opened the doors to our own yoga studio, Desert Yoga Therapy. It's the second time in my long, nearly 35-year career that I've had a place that is my own rather than working within a University, commercial gym or medical office/hospital facility. The first time was a small personal training studio that we set up in our house in Oakland. I loved that self-contained (albeit small) space with its lovely windows and natural light,  and it was an easy commute...just a few steps downstairs and I would arrive at work. That all came to an end when we relocated to Southern California and for the past 17 years, I've been housed in someone else's space. I've been lucky in that chapter with many doors opening generously to offer me a place to teach yoga, run workshops and trainings and work 1-1 with people.

When I found out a few months ago that my role within Eisenhower would be coming to an end I took my time in deciding what the next chapter would look like, and this week, the vision has become a reality.

We begin again all of the time. It's a phrase that's often talked about in the practice of meditation, where upon noticing that you're no longer in your center, you "begin again" by coming back to whatever you're using as an anchor. It may be coming back to the breath, a mantra or focusing on a physical sensation in the body (I like to bring my awareness into my hands). The renowned meditation teacher, Sharon Salzberg, talks about beginning again in her teachings. She says that we may have to restart countless times throughout our session and that is the practice. It's so easy to get drawn into distraction...future, past, problem-solving and to-do lists are ever so tempting places to lay our attention. Yet, the magical moment of the practice is when we notice that we've been pulled away. And, in that moment, we begin again.

In a wider context, this week was about beginning again. In the months of deciding and planning, countless moments arose where I was pulled into distractions: location of the new space, what color should the studio walls be, type of flooring, should I have others teach in the space with me? On it went. It was incredibly easy to get drawn into the details and the long list of items that needed to be crossed off countless lists. When I found myself beginning to carry the weight of it all, I reminded myself to begin again. I had to remember the core reason of why I was doing what I was doing --ultimately to create community, to have a place where I could do what I am meant to do and support others in the process.

We all go through cycles in our lives when something comes to an end and we are then at that next starting point. It can often seem as though we are standing on the edge of a dark abyss, uncertain as to what lies ahead of us as we stare into the unknown. If we are able to remember why we are facing a new beginning and connect to purpose and the big picture, we have a beautiful opportunity to shine our light into the darkness. This time for me has been ripe for creativity. I awake in the predawn hours with more ideas than I've had for a long time and it's a lush time for truly developing a vision that is coming from my deepest self and highest intentions. That alone is not only terrifying but undeniably thrilling.

The other emotion that I've experienced this past week is intense gratitude. It has taken a village to bring this studio forth. My heart is indescribably grateful for the tireless support from my husband, Ed. We've had so many people lend a hand, send messages, flowers, plants and cards, shown up in classes and made postings on social media showing their excitement at this new beginning.

I breathe deeply into my heart and recognize that an intention set over 10 years ago of growing my local yoga community has been realized. I put it out there and although part of me shouldn't be surprised, so much has come pouring back to me. Wow...and to think that I had something to do with that affirms a profound truth. When we tap into our inner goodness, follow what our inner voice is asking of us and try to do so from a place of integrity, we can manifest many magical moments.

Thank you to all who've been my companions along this journey. May all of us enjoy our new sacred space and spread the love into a wider community. I hope to share this new space with you and that our paths will cross soon.

The Swing

Ever since I can remember I have loved swing sets. At recess in school I would bolt out of the classroom to ensure that I'd get a seat. Of course, I'd tire of that and head off to hang upside down on the monkey bars or play some tetherball. To this day if I'm at a park or playground with some kids, I embody that past memory and hop on.

There's something about swinging that has a sense of creating momentum and then letting things take their course with just the occasional leg pump to maintain it all. At each turning point, a moment of stillness exists which is opposite to the sensation of feeling your whole body being pulled toward the earth before taking the next ascent along the pendular path. Effort, let go...effort, let go.

My life has felt a bit like that over the past couple of weeks with a sense of big swings between effort and letting go. I felt crazy busy during my final few days with the job that has just concluded. Shortly after my last day at work we headed off to Iceland for 6-days of exploration and relaxation. Within hours of returning, I hit the ground running in order to open my new studio next week. It feels as though I'm on that massive swing of life with bouts of high intensity, long hours of work and  "getting things done" and then experiencing a completely different sensation, floating in the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik and spending time in Iceland...completely letting my body absorb and literally soak in the waters of the earth.

 

As I sit and write this, I'm dreaming of floating in those warm, healing waters that tells me I need to be paying attention to keeping myself in balance. We can handle short bouts of high intensity and amped up levels of stress, but if we live in that energy on a continual basis it builds up to something called "chronic stress". As we evolved, we naturally experienced short intense episodes of stress as a mean of surviving whatever might have been threatening us in our environment and when we retreated into our "cave" we recalibrated our nervous systems, welcoming harmony once again. In today's culture, we do so much surviving and so little retreating that we throw ourselves out of whack on all levels of being-emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.

I often state how grateful I am for my practice of meditation and yoga -- two things that are a daily ritual which hold the intention of keeping myself in balance. They are non-negotiables in my routine as past experiences have taught me; without them, I'm not nearly as resilient to everyday stressors.

My intention as I launch into the first week of my new chapter is to remember that not everything has to be perfect from the beginning. To allow myself wiggle room to figure it all out and to remember that the reason I do the work I do is to ultimately serve and support others in finding balance and peace within their own lives. My intention is to walk my talk and offer myself compassion for being perfectly imperfect.

Oh...and to let myself play on a swing set and soak in healing waters even if it looks like my own bathtub and not the Blue Lagoon!

Transitions

The past five months have been quite the chapter in my journey. This past week, my three-year stint as the Mind-Body Program Manager of the Eisenhower Wellness Institute ended. I also taught my final classes at the Urban Yoga Center here in Palm Springs who provided us a place to practice after we lost the studio space where we had previously been holding classes. Both of these experiences came about from things that had changed and I needed to find a solution to the question of "what's next?'. I have had some challenges along the way but it all seemed to be the soil in which I was planting the seeds for the next incarnation of my path.

And so here I stand, yet again, at the doorway to something new. When I found out that the program that I had been running would be coming to an end, I took several weeks to take a good long look at what I wanted to do next. It all felt a bit heady and, at times, heavy as I had expected to be in my role for a while longer. Some of the options on the table were to find a local established studio where I could simply teach classes. Another was to rent space within another business. Was this the sign that I needed to step into a completely new direction and try something totally different? Was this the time where Ed and I packed up and set off to travel the world? As I played with these questions and possibilities, I sat down one day and took out a piece of blank paper and decided to simply write down what I LOVE doing.

The list looked something like this:

• Travel
• Teach yoga
• Run retreats in beautiful places
• Support people to go deeper into their practices through workshops
• Teach others to become teachers

It all seemed fairly simple and straightforward. I have been slowly building not only a following, but expanding my own education over the past 10 years. I had students, I had interest and all I needed was a place in which to do it. So began the hunt...for a place that felt "just right". It took three months of looking at local commercial properties in the heat of the summer until we came to find our new location that will become the home of Desert Yoga Therapy.

The new studio space has been undergoing its own transitions with changing out flooring and lights, adding some paint and creating a space in which everything feels welcoming, safe and beautiful. It's on the cusp of being ready and barring any unexpected delays, we anticipate opening our doors in a few days.

In the interim, I am taking a short break. It's been a big load emotionally over the past few months and I'm happy that we booked a trip to Iceland back in April before all of this began to unfold. So we'll bring our warmest clothes, camera equipment and pack our passports to take a welcome hiatus from our "normal" lives. It's time to go into stillness and hopefully see the Aurora Borealis. I'm ready to retreat for a few days, so like a caterpillar morphing into a butterfly, I'll be ready to re-emerge into my next chapter. 

Transitions are happening all the time...some huge and some barely perceptible. If we can stay in the space of being open and radically present, they have the power to transform us. These transitional few months have given me the opportunity to truly be in my practice and to experience the myriad of ebbs and flows. I believe that if this were happening to me some 30 years ago, I would have toppled over in some way and perhaps that's what our life is there to do...teach us to manage the changing tides from a stance of steadfastness and equanimity. Okay...I'm ready for what's next and on a deep level know that somehow everything will fall into place.

Gratitude

It's the weekend after Thanksgiving which lends itself to an easy (if not obvious) thought of the week...that of gratitude. In the past, I have undertaken a gratitude practice via Facebook where I was asked to join a group that set the intention of writing and sharing five things of that we are grateful, every day for a month. I thought this to be a great practice, one that I can share with a larger community, but more importantly, a practice that reminds me of how incredibly abundant my life is. The stunning thing about that experience was that as I wrote each day about what I was thankful for, people started making comments. They were also stating what they were thankful for. It was amazing to see how my own public expression of gratitude had its own ripple. Who knew?

This phenomenon has been reflected in a research study that showed having a conscious practice of gratitude, such as the Facebook challenge mentioned above, increased happiness by 25%! Such a simple practice with fantastic outcomes! What makes it effective is practicing with a specific awareness of what we are thankful for. I have asked many 1-1 yoga therapy clients to undertake a practice of gratitude in order to recalibrate their focus, particularly when life is throwing all sorts of challenges in their direction. 

This conscious choice to acknowledge what we already have in our lives brings us into the present moment and allows us an opportunity to release negativity.  In the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, this is one of the Niyamas known as contentment or Santosha. When people dwell on a pattern of thought that isn't a reflection of their highest self, it can be likened to a downward spiral, dragging our energy, attitude, and spirit into darkness. Our body reflects this in slumped posture, illness or agitation and we become a short fuse in the world that may ignite rapidly given the slightest chance.

If we find ourselves trapped within the looping negative dialogue where nearly every thought and sentence begins with something like:

I'm frustrated with...

I don't have enough...

I'll never get...

I'm mad at...

I'm not worthy and...

This country is in a..."

Then maybe it's time to undertake a serious gratitude overhaul!

In these turbulent times in which we live, we often get pulled into the narrow vision of what's happening and forget the bigger picture of our earthly interdependence. Slowing down into an inner space of reflection and asking ourselves, "what am I grateful for in this moment?" is a way to broaden our often restricted view. When we sit each day and engage in an inner dialogue that conjures up all that we're thankful for, it's as though a switch is flipped. We shift our perspective away from what appears to be lacking to what is present in our lives. A practice of gratitude allows us to remember all that we are, all that we have and all that we can do. It's more than enough when you get right down to it.

So, for this Thanksgiving and the next few weeks, I will stay committed to my daily gratitude practice. Feel free to join me...you'll be thankful you did!

Release

This past week we were fortunate to have a Super Moon, the closest the moon has been to earth since 1948! I hope that you had clear skies for spectacular viewing as we did here in the desert. The moon gifted me not only with its early evening rise, but I caught the final glimpses of it early the following morning as I headed out on my bicycle ride. It was just ducking behind our local mountains which were growing pink from the early morning sunrise. Ahhh...to step outside and bear witness to something so far away and beyond us yet still part of us was truly refreshing!

To say the least, it's been a fascinating week here in the United States following the Presidential election. The mood that followed was evident of the obvious political divide in this country with some people celebrating and others deep in despair. My thought of the week was inspired by these seemingly unconnected events-the full moon and the turning tide of the political climate. As a result of these two events, this week has been focusing on releasing energy that doesn't serve us and brings connection back into focus.

Astrologically, when we see the full moon from the earth it means that the sun and moon are facing each other directly, with the sun's light bringing the moon into full illumination. In yoga, many of us have heard the term hatha yoga but many are unaware that "Ha" translates to sun and "tha" translates as moon. It acknowledges that these two energies co-exist with the sun representing masculine, fiery, hot, yang energy and the moon representing the opposite feminine, cool, calming, yin energy. And although they are vastly different, they are all still part of the whole universal system and have co-existed since before human consciousness.

A few weeks back I wrote about the energy of the New Moon (in case you missed it, click here) during which time it is ripe for planting seeds of manifestation with the full moon being the time where what we've planted is reaped. As Divine Harmony wrote, "Full moons bring times of climax, crisis or culmination. Full moons pit the conscious self and ego (sun) opposite the unconscious (moon). What we began or the seeds we planted at the previous new moon can be found now to bear fruit-and we certainly will reap what we sowed!"

So if we are dissatisfied with what we are reaping, we have the fortunate opportunity to once again till and fertilize the soil for what we wish to bring about for ourselves, others and the planet. It's the perfect time to release being tangled up in unproductive thought, word or action and step in the illumined light of the moon toward what you truly wish to manifest. All of us have a light within and when we connect to it fully we begin to recognize that light in others. This is what the term "Namaste'" means: the light in me, sees and honors the light in you.

If we find ourselves getting triggered by what people say or do, it can be us recognizing what we don't like within ourselves. Part of healing the divide is to release anything or anyone that stops our light from shining or that stops us from connecting to our inherent goodness. We do our inner work so as to be able to hold up the metaphorical mirror so they recognize it not only in themselves, but within others as well.

What this time has reminded me to do is to live deeply within my own light and to remember my connection to the whole. This time is teaching me to listen deeply to the needs of others and as Katrina Kenison (full post) so poetically put it:

"When the going gets tough may I open my heart before I open my mouth. When the going gets tough may I choose love over fear. Every time."

Let these unsettling times of turmoil and change offer us new seeds to plant to reaffirm what is coming from our hearts. Let us be reminded that all of us are part of this human family and that we must live in harmony for the health of, not only our own selves, but for the future of this earth and the generations to follow. May we all reflect the radiant light that shines from each of us to each other, just as the moon reflects the light of the sun.

Tightrope

Do you ever feel as though you are walking along the tightrope of life?

I do sometimes. This image came up in a conversation I had with a friend about a week ago as we were lamenting about our physical ailments and challenges. I have this thought that as we age and move along our own life's journey we need to pay close attention to how we are stepping along the path so that we can keep ourselves in balance. As an example, someone who has osteoarthritis knows that they need to move, but not too much. Inactivity will make them worse and too much activity will make them worse-so they need to find that perfect sweet spot of balance, as though they are walking along a tightrope.

As we age, it can seem that paying attention to this becomes more critical. We need to truly listen to the voices inside us that guide our physical choices, knowing that if we push too hard, we could be paying the price the following days or weeks to come. Looking back to when we were younger, it seemed as though we had a bunch of wiggle room. We could do something with a slightly higher risk of feeling the after effects, like having a big night out partying, running in an annual fun run or going bungee jumping and still be okay the next day. Perhaps a bit sore or hung over, but nonetheless functional.

Last weekend I was celebrating my 35-year high school reunion (yikes!) and as I was sitting with a friend I've known since junior high school, a group of classmates at the opposite end of the table were toasting good times with a round of tequila shots. My friend and I looked at each other with a similar expression...one that telegraphed that if we were doing that, we'd have a whole lotta sorry the next day! I may have chosen that 20-30 years ago but as my life is now, keeping myself in balance is a high priority and having a tequila shot would have knocked me off my tightrope. I don't have the same wiggle room and wisdom (and experience) has taught me well...having a morning after hangover was something that would cause suffering.

My thought for the week wasn't just around avoiding hangovers or finding the right amount of movement, but more profoundly to embody the mindset of a tightrope walker. I asked a class this week, "How does a tightrope walker move across the rope?" to which someone replied, "Very carefully!". If you've ever seen someone do this, its a demonstration of absolute commitment, concentration and focus on being in the present moment.

The walker carefully places their heel upon the rope then slowly transfers their weight through the foot into the precise placement between their toes, finds stability on the forward leg before off-loading the back leg to shift their weight forward. They don't run across the rope, but instead move with such incredible mindfulness that the only concern is the present moment. If they got ahead of themselves, started to entertain the "what if" scenarios or took their awareness elsewhere...ka-bam...off they would go.

Our practice this week in class was to engage the mindfulness and attitude of the tightrope walker by bringing our full attention to our mats, to slow down and sense our inner experience, to notice how we moved from one pose to another. Staying present is a challenging practice, yet the more we come into this moment, the more we recognize how alive we are here and now.

No matter what turbulence we are experiencing, offer yourself an opportunity to slow down, take a deep breath and move mindfully through each and every step. One careful step at a time...

Get Grounded

Change is in the air! Not only with the opening of our new studio in December, but the seasonal weather is shifting here in the desert. During my road cycling last week, one morning I was in long tights, long sleeved jersey and vest and the next time, short sleeves and short cycling pants! It's a bit unpredictable which is a sign that it's a great time of year to focus on getting grounded. Just at the autumn leaves are dropping from trees and the cooler, dry wind is picking them up and tossing them about, we too can get quite uprooted during this time of year.

In classes this past week, we have been focusing on connecting into the steady and grounding energy of the earth. When we feel a bit tossed about by life, setting our intentions and feet firmly into the vibe of Mother Earth can support us in finding stability and focus. Getting grounded can be quite practical. Just the other day one of my yoga teacher training graduates sent me a note saying, "I'm subbing at such and such a place. I'm terrified. Help!" It brought a wry smile to my face as I've stood in those footprints on many occasions. It takes a certain courage to face things we feel are intimidating and open up that crack of vulnerability within us. My reply to my student was to "Stand firmly on the earth, take a deep breath and open up your heart...teach from the heart and you'll do just fine."  

I had another opportunity to get grounded just the other day. I needed to make a phone call that I didn't want to make. I was squirming at the possible confrontation and had delayed as long as was reasonable. So before I made the call, I said to myself, "Slow down. Take a deep breath and remember to come from your heart. Remember that your intention in relationships with others is connection and compassion". I then dialed the number and the call went smoothly. Although I didn't get all the answers that I wanted, I didn't feel as though I crumbled, but instead stood in my truth and spoke from my intention.

When we remember our connection to the earth's' energy, we are in a position of rising up to higher levels of awareness and consciousness. If I hadn't grounded myself prior to making that difficult phone call, I could easily have found myself in what I call my "unevolved self", that part of us that responds through habit rather than from the highest version of who we want to be in the world. Knowing that I want to be acting from a place of compassion and connection, slowing down and consciously practicing to do so is vital to establishing the "evolved self" which then becomes our automatic face to the world. I didn't want to be run over by the conversation but to stand firmly in my truth with an open heart.

This truly is a practice. It takes time to undo layers of habitual patterns and to re-establish a different, more awakened way of being in our lives.

My thought for the week is for us to connect barefoot to the earth. To feel held in the safe and secure solid form that is beneath us. My hope is that we celebrate our place on this planet and can stand firmly in our own footprints in a higher state of consciousness through that connection. Let's get grounded so we can elevate higher!

Yoga: A Living Practice

 

As I reflect on where I first began my yoga journey some 20 plus years ago, and think about what my practice looks like today, I can definitely see how much it has evolved. Like most everyone who steps onto the mat for the first time, I was swimming in a world where every pose sounded the same-blah, blah, blahasana. My practice was clunky and mechanical. The image I held of being a balanced and healthy person began to be shattered as I felt sensations I'd never felt before and was asked to stand still and gently focus on one thing. What was this all about? It took me several years before I began to gain some level of understanding as to the broad scope of what the practice of yoga and meditation had to offer.

And that's the beautiful thing about it...it's a living practice. As we journey down our endless rolled out mat, our practice tends to magically appear before us. At some point in the process, a shift happens away from the gross to the more subtle aspects of our experience. The more I learn on the mat the more I carry off it and into my everyday-ness. Just when I think I've got it nailed, an entirely new and seemingly raw experience explodes onto my horizon and, once again, I turn to the "what's next" element of my practice. Being a perpetual student is the practice. Learning how to find ease in everything is the practice. Letting our breath become part of our consciousness is the practice. But the practice unfolds as we need it to unfold...there are no shortcuts. As our being is ready to learn, we learn what's next...not sooner than what we are actually ready to understand and digest.

As Sue Flamm said, "yoga, is a lifelong study that continues to reveal itself with years of practice and dedication. Yoga is not perfecting positions, or yoga asanas; it is so much more. Yoga is a living practice. What is revealed to us on the yoga mat serves as a metaphor for our lives." (Puja, Restorative Yoga 2013 p 13).

As we evolve in our practice, what rises to the surface are often things of which we were completely unaware. When my husband and I first started dating I had a habit of saying "ya know" at the end of or in the middle of sentences. I had no idea when I said it until Ed began to repeat "ya know" after my every utterance of "ya know". It drove me crazy as I tended to say, "ya know" much more than I thought. But what happened was that it broke this long-held pattern of speech. What I wasn't aware of, an ingrained habitual speech pattern rose to the surface and the pattern untangled itself. That's becoming conscious. The awakening to unintentional behaviors that we notice and often want to shift. 

In yoga, these are called "samskaras" or what I like to think of as "brain ruts". These are ingrained patterns of that we default to in certain situations. They aren't necessarily good or bad unless we begin to notice that they really do not serve us. In that moment of realization, we have the choice to start digging a new groove of behavior. Over 10 years ago, I began digging my own trench of a meditation practice...every day making the conscious and intentional choice to sit on my cushion. I wanted to create a new samskara, one that would serve me in a way that was better than my previous pattern-that of a morning coffee and switching on the news. And it has served me better by setting my daily compass in the direction I which to point.

A good practice for this thought of the week is to notice if something doesn't feel quite right in your daily patterns or habits. Ask yourself, "what would I like to have more of in my day? How would I like to support a sense of my highest self? Is there anything that I could do now to start creating a new way of being?"

Let me know what you come up with. It might just awaken my own old stuck patterns...ya know?

Honor Your Current State

I recently had a conversation with a friend who was experiencing massive changes in all of life's arenas: business, where she lived and relationships. She was expressing feelings of agitation and frustration at not having the answers and being unable to see beyond the current moment. The words of my teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, rang loudly in my ears, "If you're confused, be the best-confused person you can be...". I have heard this from Judith several times and have come to learn to be with whatever is going on in our lives. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago about feeling incredibly sad at our local tragedy of two police officers being murdered, I knew that I needed to let myself feel the deep sadness without altering, pushing away or wishing I felt different. And with all emotions they'll change, so instead of becoming attached to them we allow them to flow through us, shifting the energy and being fully present with what's actually happening rather than what we think "should" be happening.

Being with what is, is also part of our physical practice of yoga. This past week, I've been referring to one of the yoga sutras within the text penned by Patanjali 2:48. The sutras were written some 2000 years ago and of the 196 succinct aphorisms, only three pertain to the physical practice of yoga or "asana". If the sutras were written by a westerner today, it would probably be 193 of them focused on the physical and only three on the philosophical approach to the practice! From my perspective, I think it's important to keep feeding the original teachings into the modern class as so much of it is relevant.

This sutra is Sthira Sukham Asanam, which can be translated as"Postures should be steady and comfortable" or "Posture is that which is firm and pleasant". So as we approach all physical postures, we are seeking a balance between the effort we apply to the posture and yet at the same time, seek to have a sense of ease no matter what posture we're practicing. In our culture, we are programmed to "push hard and find our edge" over and over again. What this sutra is saying is to be firm, to find the edge and then back away just a bit...that's the sukham or the ease that is present in all postures.

About 25 years ago, when I first was practicing yoga I knew nothing of these concepts. I was in a class at Melbourne University with my first teacher, Murray, and practicing Warrior Two (Virabhadrasana II), which is a strong standing pose. Murray came over to me and asked me to "stay just as you are" and then called the entire class over to where I was practicing. He asked the class to "look at my pose, then to look at my face. This is what we're trying to do, he said. You can see that her face is relaxed." Without knowing it or trying to be a particular way, I was exhibiting Sthira Sukham Asanam, the beautiful balance between effort and ease. I was immersed in the practice of yoga--that of union.

My thought of the week is to focus on the balance between our exerted effort and what we can surrender in the process. If you want to see a great example of much effort with little ease, spend some time watching people weight lifting at your local gym and watch their faces as they move. When you are in your practice, no matter what type of pose you're doing, can you sense and invite ease into it? A couple of ways to know if ease is present is to be able to easily find your breath and to notice if you're in pain. It's a way of deepening the connection to our own experience and it brings us sharply into the moment.

So why not try it on this week...as you exert yourself, relax and let what needs to be tense be tense and what doesn't...let it go!

Love In, Love Out

This past week has been a challenging one. It's been filled with deep emotions that included sadness, helplessness and a sense of wondering if things will ever change. 

Last week I was fortunate to have fours days in San Francisco with my teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, and a beautiful sangha of fellow dedicated and long-term yoga practitioners. We've been studying together this past year on the theme of "embodied empathy" and much of what we were practicing required deep inquiry and reflection. When I'm away studying, I'm often quite disconnected from what's happening in my local area so I hadn't heard the news of a tragic event that occurred in Palm Springs until speaking with my husband that night. Two of our local police officers had been shot and killed about a mile from our house and the nearby was put on lockdown for a few hours as the situation was assessed.

Upon hearing this news, I didn't go online to find out more but simply went to bed. However, it was obviously on my mind as I awoke at 4:15 am thinking about what had happened. I began to weep. I lay awake in the early morning hours feeling a deep and profound sadness about what had happened. Having been in my practice for a few years now, I knew that it was okay for me to just let myself feel everything that was arising without the need to change, tamp down, alter or try to fix the experience. So I cried as I thought about the affected families and local police force. I cried for our own precious community that felt suddenly and violently violated. I cried for all of the violence and sadness in the world and wondered  if we would ever reach a tipping point where violence would no longer be part of our daily lives. And I cried because I couldn't see the end to it. I allowed my heart to crack open and weep for all the deep wounds.

Then I allowed myself to think about the perpetrator. I wondered at what point in his life was he no longer held in unconditional love. At what point did love abandon him in his life...when he was a month old? Year old? Ten? The reason I thought about this is because I believe we can't be in unconditional love and be violent at the same time. These two places do not exist in the same moment. And then I thought about the moments in my own life when I didn't feel held in love and it was that moment that I recognized what I needed to do...offer myself love.

This awakening to my own truth led me to my thought of the week, "Love In, Love Out'. We must bring love into our own hearts, offering ourselves self-compassion, self-empathy and self-love. We must fill up our own well of love so fully that it can't help but spill out into everything else that we do. When we are holding ourselves in a place of love, we cannot hurt others or ourselves and this gets to one of the strongest tenets of our yoga practice-Ahimsa. Ahimsa is the first of the Yamas as written by the sage Patanjali a couple of thousand of years ago and has profound relevance today. It is the practice of compassion and love for all beings and the planet. It is the practice of non-harming or nonviolence toward ourselves, toward others and toward the earth. When we hold all in reverence we are steeped in the practice of yoga.

So this week, with so many of us suffering on many different levels, we can offer ourselves love. Breathe love into your own being. We can offer love to others. Breathe love out into the world. Let this become the most powerful mantra and purpose-filled intention of today. 

Love in.

Love out.

The Only Constant Is Change

Last week I was planting the seeds of what I wish to manifest in the future, the opening of my own studio and launching back into being a business owner. The New Moon last Friday was a ripe time for turning inward, visualizing and preparing the soil for what's next. This change into my next incarnation has been bubbling under the surface for a while and it seems that now is the time that the universal energies have converged to make it happen.

One of my primary concerns when I learned that things would be shifting from my current role to whatever was next, was how my students and fellow instructors would transition through the change. In an ideal setting, things would flow smoothly from one location to the next with some anticipated changes but overall continuity would be maintained. As most of us know what we imagine will happen and what actually does happen often times don't have anything in common. Over the past few months I have taken many emotional rollercoaster rides. I'd feel like the answer had been found only to find out that it really wasn't the answer. Then I'd drop into despair that nothing was going to happen at all and I'd be left without answers.

I knew though that I had to remain open and optimistic. I had to remind myself to trust the process of unfolding and to look at many possibilities. I knew that change was afoot and that change can often feel like we are straddling a faultline. I knew a certain element of surrender was being called forth, that I needed to hold on tight but not too tight. I also knew this was the perfect time to truly be in my practice...those many words that I had offered to classes were ringing true within my own ears. Trust, open, breathe, envision and be okay with whatever happens.

One thing that is constantly showing itself in each of our lives is change. Last week's blog on the phases of the moon was a reminder that every day things are shifting. When we forget to recognize that, when we try to hold onto what we know and deny that things are changing, we begin to create our own suffering. Just think about the self-talk as we age..."I wish I felt like I was 25 again", wanting some things to remain eternal but knowing that the natural law is that everything is shifting. 

These reminders come in the form of the seasonal shifts. Here in the northern hemisphere we are just stepping into autumn. It's cooler in the mornings here in the desert, the wind has kicked up a bit and the air is bone dry. Our daylight hours are shrinking and we are beginning to bring out warmer clothes and gravitate more toward soup and hot beverages. Soon, some trees will begin their transition into turning inward by dropping their leaves, resting as they prepare for a spring awakening. 

So as things change how do we stay in balance with it all? Here are a couple of ideas taken from an Ayurvedic perspective that might support us as things change:

• Slow down
• Create ritual in the mundane
• Start to adapt your diet

The first one sounds easy but is challenging to do. Slowing down implies that we recognize that we're moving too fast. As the seasonal snowbirds begin to return to the desert, it's easy to feel the pull of busy-ness. Notice when you're rushing and pause to take a deep breath.

Creating ritual in the mundane supports an ability to become more connected to the present moment through the practice of mindfulness. For example, when you make your morning cuppa, notice the water boiling or percolating; get a whiff of the scents; pay attention to the tinkling sound of your spoon hitting the sides of your mug; anticipate that first sip and feel the warmth radiating as you cradle the cup.

As the season shifts, so too should our diets. Just take note of what's fresh at the local Farmer's Market and indulge in what's seasonal. In the northern hemisphere we can get more grounded through cooked, oily and slightly spiced foods. Think soups and stews rather than cold salads (and the reverse is true for the southern hemisphere).

When we create daily rituals, slow down and know that things are constantly shifting, we are able to better ride the waves of change. Even when those waves seem huge and crashing, we can embrace the idea that change is the result of seeds that have been planted sometimes many months or years earlier. Embrace the blossoming of all that you've planted. Happy manifesting!

New Moon, New Beginnings

Change has been underfoot for a few months as it relates to the work I've been doing with my current employer over the past three years. Our program is coming to an end as is my role within it. It's been a roller-coaster of emotions over the past few weeks as I set an intention of being able to offer a smooth transition of classes from one setting into another.

That's why talking about the New Moon this week has been the perfect place to land. The New Moon happened on Friday, September 30, 2016 which means that it was in 0% illumination, that is, we can't see the moon in the night sky. Although we can't see the moon, it is still there and lit from the other side that faces away from the earth. If we were astronauts floating about in space, we could still see the New Moon being illuminated on the side that nobody on earth would see. As I contemplated and learned more about what the new moon represents, I recognized two things: darkness/light and cycles.

Life moves in countless cycles just as does the moon. The other  morning as I opened my window blind prior to my meditation I saw a waning crescent moon, just the slightest sliver in the pre-dawn sky. Change is constant and is reflected in the cycles of the moon. If you stepped out to view the night or morning sky every day for a week, the moon would never be the same. Each day it shows itself in a different way, moving through cycles of darkness and light.

New Moon's represent new beginnings which is precisely where I am at the moment. With my current role ending and my next chapter about to begin, I realize that I am the one holding the quill of what is to be written. I've had numerous moments of falling into doubt, frustration, anger and anxiety about the process. It has been as though my practice was testing me. "So you think you've got this stuff figured out...how about we throw just another challenge into the mix?". Thankfully, my practice has truly come to life as I am now better at watching the fluctuating moods and emotions. But the whole point is that it does fluctuate, it changes and it morphs, just as the moon does. Many moments have presented themselves in which I could have gotten quite distracted from connecting to my soul's mission. It's had times of being quite a tumultuous ride. But what I have noticed is that I have numerous skills that bring me back to purpose.

Many deep breaths later, many moments of letting go of clenching my teeth and many more moments trying to simply remember the bigger picture and purpose of my life. When I think of the many faces who are touched by this practice and who choose to share their experiences with me, I am deeply humbled and brought back to the space within me that simply knows. We do the best we can in each moment that we have and sometimes it's really hard. And sometimes we think we'll crumble or just want to run away. But then something bigger happens. We connect to community, to our truth and to how we express ourselves. Instead of sweating the small stuff (which I've done plenty of) the focus is drawn back into moving one step at a time to what brings meaning to my life.

The first two weeks of the new moon are ripe for planting new intentions and sowing those seeds over time into manifestation. So as we all experience this new moon, what are you putting in your garden? I know that my garden's soil is rich and ready to put forth the buds and blossoms of what's next. I'm optimistic that the universal forces and mysteries are guiding me in the right direction. I can feel it in my gut.

Now, deep breath, relax the shoulders and take the next step forward.

Peace

This past week was marked by the International Day of Peace, an idea placed on the calendar by the United Nations. We also passed through the equinox, the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere. The equinox is the day where the earth is at such a tilt that daylight and darkness hours are equal. In the northern hemisphere, we are heading into fall and our days are slowly growing shorter with the opposite being true for my southern hemisphere friends-spring has sprung and you're heading toward summer.

I used the theme of peace this past week in my classes and its connection to the equinoxes as it's about finding harmony, equality, and balance. As I contemplated the concept of peace, many thoughts began to arise. What does peace mean to me? What does it look like in my life? Through the work that I do and through setting the intention of peace for my life in general, I wonder if I will ever truly see peace in my lifetime. Sadly, I don't think I will. In fact, nobody has seen peace in their lifetimes as we have been warring with each other for at least a couple of thousand years. In the yoga teachings, a time is said to have existed called the "golden age" where people lived in harmony. However, we have cycled away from those times to what is now called the "Kali Yuga-the dark ages". It is thought that we have the potential to find another golden age, but only if there's a rise in the collective consciousness of humans to shift into that direction.

I don't think it's a coincidence that there's been a huge up-tick in the number of people who participate in yoga. Last I heard, the count was around 20 million in the United States alone. People are looking for a way to connect to greater ease in their lives and yoga is one road to take. In thinking about peace and bringing peace into the wider realm of the world, we need to begin within. How can we find peace in the world if we ourselves are not peaceful? Part of our practice is to make peace with our body; to make peace with our thoughts; to make peace with where we are in life. When we begin to connect to the inherent peacefulness that resides within, something magical begins to happen-it starts to ooze out of us and begins to positively influence our relationships, our connections to people in our larger communities and eventually to all beings everywhere.

We know that one path to this inner peace is the path of meditation. Sitting quietly, observing the present moment from a state of non-judgment and equanimity. Yes...it takes practice on a regular basis. But for me, this commitment isn't just one to myself and my own essence of life, but hopefully part of a legacy that I will leave as my own footprint once I've left this earthly realm. I wish for peace in my own life, but bigger than that, I wish it for my grandchildren's lives. If I can be part of that growing wave of a positive and peaceful collective, then I will absolutely do it.

My wish is the wish of loving-kindness. May all beings be safe. May all beings be healthy. May all beings be happy. May all beings find ease and live with peace. May we step along our own path of peace, gently kissing the earth with our feet as Thich Nhat Hahn stated. Let's walk this walk together, supporting each other in connection rather than separation. And may we be part of the ushering in of the golden age.

Om shanti, shanti, shantihi.

Positivity

This past week I've taken a different kind of journey. An inner one rather than the one I've just returned from which included planes, trains and buses. For those of us who have traveled through different time zones, we realize that arriving back home can be a challenge. We physically landed home last week, but I didn't feel like I had actually arrived until six days later. My body was here, my mind was experiencing some cultural readjusting and I felt as though a schism had been created in my whole being. I was just that little bit off.

What I noticed in that state was that anything that was challenging, hard, disappointing or generally negative, got really loud and anything that was easy, loving and wonderful, shrunk next to it. I was grumbling and I could feel like my heart space was closing down. I'm thankful for the many years of being in practice, recognizing more quickly that things were off-kilter. In the past, it would've taken a major breakdown to recognize things needed to be re-wired. Fortunately, I had planned on going to BhaktiFest, a yoga and music festival held in the nearby high desert of Joshua Tree. This festival has been happening for eight years now and I've not only been to BhaktiFest for most of those eight years but also have enjoyed ShaktiFest which is held in May.

As I settled into being at the festival an amazing thing started to happen. I began spending quality time with friends I hadn't seen for a while. I participated in a couple of yoga sessions (and a hooping session!). I chanted the 40 verses of the Hanuman Chalisa early in the morning and listened to several kirtan artists throughout the day and into the late hours of the night. As I stepped into this community, things began taking on a more positive feel. I had an incredible experience at the end of a practice with Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band during savasana. We had been in a storytelling based practice, laughing, breathing and moving. As we lay in stillness in our final relaxation pose, Sean and his bandmate, Gwendolyn, started to sing. As their voices moved through the stillness of the hall, my heart began to not only open but to grow bigger and bigger. I felt as though a part of me was remembering what it was like to be in love. It flowed through me and out of me.

This feeling amplified throughout the weekend feeling as though so many of the people I was hanging out with were holding up mirrors, reflecting love back to me. It felt like this two-way channel was being blown open. My insight was to hang out with people who light your fire. Those who hold you in a space of love and non-judgment. Those who truly look you in the eye as you are either laughing or crying. It was magical.

Another great moment happened when I was in one of the stalls in the women's bathroom. I heard two women chatting and when I exited, I realized I knew one of the women. We hugged as we said hello and I said to her "I haven't seen you" to which she replied, "I saw you, but you were hugging someone else!" That statement epitomized the lifting and shifting of my energy. It reminded me that when I feel out of balance that I have the tools and choice to shift back into balance. Being part of a loving and supportive community is one powerful way in which to do that. Over the weekend I was able to shift into a state of positivity. It wasn't that things were wrong with the world, it was how I was perceiving things and needed to shift what was happening within me. As Gandhi has been famously quoted, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I know that the bah-humbug state wasn't serving me or anyone I was coming into contact with and, thankfully, the residue of hanging out with uplifting people has been sticking with me all week.

My heart is filled with gratitude for those who knowingly or unknowingly nudged me back into balance. My heart is open once again.

Show Up

We have just returned from an overseas trip which took us first to Australia and then Japan. The time away was filled with many flavors, different experiences and a true unleashing of connection to my everyday life here in the desert. It was a much needed and welcome break. We landed back into Los Angeles at 11 am and were back at home by 3 pm. When adjusting to the time change, my strategy is to get on the local time as quickly as possible, which meant staying awake for what seemed like hours. After two loads of washing, unpacking and a trip to the grocery store, I fell into bed and slept soundly for the next several hours.

Then it was back to work the following morning and I said to myself that the first thing I needed to do was to simply "show up". And so I did and, thankfully, so did some of my regular yoga students. It got me thinking about what it means to show up. It's often the first step we take into what's next, even if we are pulled to want to do something else (like sleeping for me, which would have been my preference on that first morning back) or when we don't know what will happen next. It's a practice of finding ourselves in the next present moment. For me, it meant following a familiar pattern of arriving at the studio, setting up the space and waiting for students to arrive. What unfolded was a beautiful return to teaching, refreshed and ready to be radically present in the process.

It made me think of the time when I had decided to leave gymnastics. It had been a major part of my life as both a gymnast and later as a coach. I ate, slept and breathed gymnastics for years on end and knew I had come to the time when it was the end of that chapter. I remember giving myself permission for the next 12 months to say "yes" to anything that came across my path that seemed reasonable. I gave myself permission to try stuff that perhaps I otherwise would have said "no" to. In that year I worked at a restaurant, taught aerobics classes and began working at a pub where I eventually took up a role as a cook in their kitchen. I was basically being taught how to cook and getting paid at the same time. It was vigorous and often hectic work, but I loved it! I was learning a new skill and hanging out with a group of people who were fun loving and working just as hard as I was. At one point I thought to myself, "maybe I'll go and become an actual qualified chef" but that thought ended as it was overpowered by my desire to travel the world instead. Which I did...for 20 months away from Australia. 

Again, I just showed up for what was next and had no great plan as to what that would look like and it resulted in an unexpected chapter in the story of my life. It was wonderfully freeing.

Sometimes it's like that in our practice of broadening self-awareness and practicing self-care. Even on those days where something is tugging you in another direction, sometimes we just have to show up on our mats and let go of what happens next. It's part discipline and part surrender. How many times have you shown up to something when you felt that perhaps you didn't want to? And how many times has that turned into being a surprising and wonderful event?

So my thought of the week is...just show up. See what happens. You can always go back to bed later...

What's Your Vibe?

My thought of the week has taken about a month to formulate so that I could articulate what I've been pondering. It hit me Monday morning, "What's Your Vibe?". I have been thinking about how polarized people in our society have been feeling and how that polarization is getting amplified through the current political climate. It's not just politics though that is splitting us apart, but other world-views of religion, race and beliefs. One of my life's intentions is to work towards an environment of peace and harmony, both within myself as well as within all beings who tread this earth.

At times though, particularly through media portrayal, it seems as though we are being ripped apart and that gloom and doom prevail. So how do we as individuals who seek peace begin to reconcile the schism? As I contemplated this and other questions around division and unity, my thought of the week began to get influenced through three different lenses: Buddhism, Shamanism and Yoga.

I was listening to the renowned Buddhist teacher, Pema Chodron on her recent 80th birthday. She was saying how one of her greatest concerns is that of polarization. She was speaking from the perspective of being a contributor to that division. As someone with a particularly strong viewpoint she may be unable to yield or see the other side, or if she demonized another viewpoint then she was actually participating in the process of polarization. She was adding another drop into the bucket of keeping things apart. As soon as she said that, a knot grabbed in my stomach as I thought to myself, "I too have participated...!". 

It is this realization that asks the question of what vibe are you sending out to the collective whole and is it the vibe that is coming from your highest state of consciousness?

It's in that moment of awakening our awareness to how we are participating that the intention begins to shift into one of a higher energy. We begin to move from being unconscious in the role we play, to becoming more conscious. In that instance of waking up, is the moment where we recognize that we can choose what we put out there.

Shamanism is focused on the intention, the energy that we are offering to the world. If I know of someone who is suffering, sick or injured and I offer pity and sadness and keep feeding that thought, then I am sending that vibration out of pity and sadness. Instead, I can choose the intention of offering an open space of light, healing, ease and positive affirmation. It doesn't mean we sugar coat the "bad" things that are happening, but we recognize the suffering with a compassionate response and begin to shift the energy around it through a purifying intention. In other words, we want to avoid feeding the angry and hungry wolf, making it more powerful rather than nurturing the wolf of healing and kindness.

The above picture is that of Tibetan prayer flags which have the symbolism of sending out prayers to the Universe as the wind passes through them. The intention written upon the flag is a universal offering of healing, compassion and positive vibes. So my question of the week to you is "What are you sending out there and how do you change it if you want to make a more positive impact?". As I've said many times before, this practice begins within. What we do for our own personal transformation and growth starts deep within ourselves and, over time, the strength of those practices build. They become part of who we are. We often need to turn inward to do this first phase of raising our own consciousness, removing distractions and obstacles to assist the deepening of the practice. 

In classes this week I've been asking people to notice where they feel it in their bodies when they are in the zone of connection. We all know it when we feel grounded and connected to the present moment. We know it when we are guided by love and release judgment. We know it when we hear our deeper inner voice guiding us. So when you're in that state, where is this living in your body? My suggestion is to get to know it well so that you can more easily manifest the radiant seeds that you have not only planted but are nourishing into existence.

At some point, and over time, the practices we undertake become so embodied that we more easily begin to turn them outward, sending them into the Universal grid and positively affecting all beings everywhere. If you want to up the quality of the vibe you're injecting into the world, turn inward, do your practice and then begin to share this heightened consciousness with others.