Stop and Notice

I love this time of year in the desert and although we are a couple of weeks shy of the Vernal Equinox, we are getting a taste of what often feels like spring. Small patches of wildflowers and cacti are in bloom, the wind is picking up a bit more than usual, and the days are definitely getting longer. And being peak season, it also feels as though the wheels are spinning rapidly and I could easily miss all the beauty that Mother Nature is displaying. It feels as though she's saying, "Hey you! Pay attention! I'm showing you my best stuff!"

What inspired this week's thought happened as I was playing pickleball last weekend. The person we were playing against just lost a point then turned around and looked up and said, "I just need to look at the clouds!" After a few seconds, she turned around and said, "OK...now I'm ready!" I loved this. She took a moment to disengage the agitation that can sneak in after losing a point. It was as though she knew all that was needed was a reset and chose to do it. Perhaps it was enhanced because we were gifted with an unusual and spectacular cloud formation that morning. Needless to say, it wasn't wasted on her...she stopped and noticed. 

Following this pickleball moment, I kept experimenting with this idea as I went out for my morning walks. The intention was to use this time as an opportunity to notice all that was in bloom, feel the wind, notice the types of birds crossing my path, watching cloud formations as well as the changing temperature. It's an easy practice to simply stop what you're doing and notice your current experience. It brings us into the present moment through our senses and, in doing so, we practice over and over again, becoming more conscious of both our internal and external environments.

In a deeper discussion about stopping and noticing, a conversation came up about being in situations that are challenging and/or unpleasant, such as a heated familial discussion or the ever-precarious political conversation. In those moments, taking time to pause our own engagement allows us to check-in and notice what's happening in both our body and our emotions. Have you noticed during a heated conversation or disagreement how your body physically reacts? Some common experiences are tight shoulders, clenched jaw, nausea, a rapid heart rate and a rise in blood pressure. So often we forget how intricately linked our thoughts are to our physical body, and that arguing, experiencing moments of rage (road rage perhaps?), negative quips, gossip, or throw-away comments can actually make us unwell, particularly if this is a long pattern of reaction and behavior.

In these situations, stopping and noticing gives us "breathing room" both literally and figuratively to see if our experience can be altered through a different choice. Without the pause, we float along in an unconscious daze acting in ways that are familiar and potentially harmful. Once we awaken to how we physically react, we can begin the often long awakening process of changing our situation or behavior. This is no easy task and requires that we are in touch with our "why". Why are we choosing this and is it important to me? Is it in alignment with my heart, soul, and body as well as how I wish to be living in the world?

The thought this week is to pay attention to the present moment, all of it...the stuff we like as well as the stuff we don't. When we fully sense what's happening, not only are we present but we become empowered.

Easy peasy...stop and notice. Enough said...time to practice!

Into the Unknown

The current Yoga Teacher Trainees are approaching the end of their 10-module course and will be graduating at the end of March. This time of transition from student into teacher can be quite emotional as it's akin to a fledgling chick about to launch out of the nest with excitement, freedom, trepidation, and uncertainty.  The thought of the week was inspired by the discussion of the "what's next" scenario, of stepping into the unknown space of going through a major undertaking and what to do upon its conclusion. The "now what?" moment has arrived for these budding teachers.

Some of you might identify with a strong trait that I possess which is that I like to "know" stuff. I'll ask who, what, where, when, why, how, how much, how long, what do I need to bring, to wear, how are we getting there, will somebody be meeting us, what do I need to pack...you get the idea. For me, the feeling of knowing is a feeling of being in control. So what's it like when we don't know? 

When we get all the knowing information gathered, it creates a boundary around us, leaving little room for uncertainty. At the same time, we are limited to what we know and might very well be missing out on the vast field of possibility and potential growth sitting outside our self-imposed boundary. 

This week in class, we've been doing a visualization of traveling into outer space. We began by getting grounded, driving imaginary roots into the earth to create a sense of connection to "home". Once settled upon the earth, we created a duplicate image of ourselves that rose above where we were and levitated like a drone above us, headed toward the earth's atmosphere. Upon busting through the earth's energetic boundary, we found ourselves floating out in space...silent and infinite. From this "God's eye view" of earth, we recognize our connection to the earth family below and realized that sitting out in the infinite open space was a message for us to bring back to our earth family. Out in this open field of pure potential and unknowing is the unmanifested opportunity of our life. Gathering this message, whether or not we knew what it was, we descended back through the earth's atmosphere and merged once again in the home base of our physical body.

By staying open and cultivating the interior landscape of our being, this outer space message has ripe soil in which to germinate. And when the conditions are right, the unmanifest in our lives, blossoms into manifestation.

By embracing the unknown and opening ourselves to all possibilities, we have the potential to evolve into a greater sense of connection and purpose. By stepping into the unknown, we grow. By not knowing what's next and nourishing our "inner soil" we prepare ourselves for anything to unfold.

One of my all-time favorite quotes by Patrick Overton feels appropriate:

"When I come to the edge of all the light I have and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, I believe that one of two things will happen. Either there will be something solid for me to stand on- or I will be taught how to fly."

Happy exploring!

Live Well

It's peak season here in the Coachella Valley and man, I can tell. It's not because of the crowded classes at the studio, increased traffic or difficulty in getting into restaurants. Over the past 20 years of working and teaching here in the desert, a common phenomenon happens to us in the health/fitness industry. Many of us fall out of peak shape as so much of our energy and time is spent teaching and sharing what we do rather than fully practicing what we do. I've seen this cycle in myself as the busier my schedule the less time I have for my own workouts and self-care. 

It's truly an effort to find a maintenance program that sustains constant good health and to shift the focus from having to be in "top" shape. Part of this has been the uncovering of what it means to me, personally, to live well and then keeping in place the minimum things that support that. I've written about this in previous blogs as it relates to the "non-negotiables" we have in our daily lives. For me, that includes my daily meditation practice and keeping my own self-appointed exercise commitments. Beyond that, it seems to be a luxury to fit in an extra hike, bike ride, or pickleball game.

I was taking a walk the other day, listening to one of the many recorded sessions for my shamanism course and the instructor asked the question "How did I live well today?" as part of a much larger discourse. For some reason, it stuck in my head and has been the theme of this week's teaching. 

As I thought about what it means to live well, I went beyond the idea of hedonistic and economic pursuits. To me, living well is a reflection of the wholeness of who we are in our physical body, our mental health, the emotions we experience, and the spiritual connections we have...all on a daily basis.

Now, if you've just found that statement a bit overwhelming with the idea that we're seeking the perfect self-help formula, now is the time to take a deep breath. Simplify with asking yourself at the end of the day, "How did I live well today?" The answer is a hopeful reflection of the positive choices you made in order to bring joy and simplicity to your life. BC Living describes it as,

"Living well gives you the energy to engage with life in a meaningful and fulfilling way."

If you find that undertaking your daily activities to be a draining experience, on any level, then you can recognize that something is off-kilter. We can uncover what may be lacking by asking some of the following questions:

On the physical level:

How am I looking after my physical health?

What am I doing to nourish and nurture my body?

Is what I bring into my physical body full of life force or toxic?

On the mental level:
How am I managing stress?
How do I deal with anxiety and depression that may show up in my life?
Do I examine my thoughts and recognize that I don't need to believe all that I think?

On the emotional level:
Am I allowing myself to feel my emotions or do I stuff them down and drown them out?
What are my emotions revealing to me at the moment?

And on the spiritual level:
What connects me to that force that's bigger than me?
Do I find time to reflect, contemplate, and/or meditate?
Do I spend time in nature, stillness, and silence?

The above are simply prompts that reveal what might be neglected in our lives and what might be in place and therefore celebrated.

As you're about to switch off the light tonight, ask yourself this:

How did I live well today? 

Pat yourself on the back for all that you do to look after yourself and invite in small things that enrich your daily life even further. In the end, as Robert Breault says:

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

Clean Slate

We first experienced the magic of Sanctuary Retreat in Bingil Bay, Queensland, Australia in 2009. We have visited all but one year since then largely because it's one of those places in the world that literally feeds my soul. Not to mention, I love running a yoga retreat situated in the pulsing heart of the rain forest with a nearly secluded beach at the base of the hill. I sense it to be a powerful healing vortex on the planet...a true slice of paradise.

It is also the inspiration behind this week's teaching theme. During the retreat, participants have the option of joining in for a morning sunrise meditation. We meet in silence at the top of the trailhead just before the sun rises and take a 10-minute walk downhill through the rain forest and onto Garner's Beach. Everyone goes their own way and when the bell rings, we come together and go back up the hill for our morning yoga practice. 

This past August, it struck me that although I've arrived onto this beach every morning during the retreats over the past 10-years, each morning it looks a bit different. It was as if the universe was shouting at us to pay attention to what’s new and fresh each and every morning by showing how each day the beach has been "reset" by the natural changing tides and weather conditions. The sand might look different, shells and rocks have either been washed up or washed away, the cloud formations present an ever-changing canvas of light for the rising sun. The waves may be foamy and loud or a quieter swoosh in and out. The wind might be a slightly blowing, pushing the palm fronds around or barely present. Each day is a clean slate.

It's an important message from Mother Nature, to remind us that each day we awaken to a new possibility. Each of us has the potential to tap into the best version of who we are if only we recognize that we too have a daily reset called sleep. It's during rest and sleep that our brain re-calibrates itself and "dumps" what no longer serves us. Think of how "crazed" we get with sleep deprivation, how everything seems a bit off-kilter and our connection to highest self fades into the background as we are simply trying to "make it through the day". So often we awaken and launch into a daily pattern without pausing to ask ourselves, "What do I want to paint on my blank canvas today?". 

Many things in our daily lives are out of our control (weather, traffic, other people's behavior, to name just a few), but they can influence how we feel and how we set the tone for the rest of the day. Yet, if we give ourselves some morning check-in time, we can set the barometer of our day which is in alignment with our highest and deepest intentions. It supports the connection to living a purposeful life, one with conscious choices as to how we wish to be in the world. And if this day doesn't quite unfold as we had hoped, it might be just like the stormy day at the beach...disruptive, messy, and not particularly peaceful.  Yet we can trust that this is an impermanent state and tomorrow will be a new day.

Yes...today is the opportunity to create and live the life you wish to create and live. And if stormy weather arises, this too shall pass and tomorrow will be a clean slate. What would you like to paint on your empty canvas today?

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

We're surrounded by it. It's everywhere we turn. Is there an escape or are we bound to suffer? The "it" are situations that make us feel really uncomfortable. You know, the one where your skin crawls or you just feel like turning around and fleeing as quickly as you can. As humans, we are programmed to turn away from things we don't like and turn toward things that bring us pleasure. Aversion and attraction, it's part of the dance. But what about the uncomfortable things in life that we can't avoid such as going to the dentist, a difficult family member or hearing political news that is on the "other side" of where we stand? How do we find a sense of ease when these are part of our everyday experiences?

As a kid, I would walk right up to the edges of high vistas and would climb up on signs, stumps and anything else that gave me a better view. I was drawn to standing at the precipice, pulled forward by curiosity. At the same time, I would feel my Mom's finger looping itself into my waistband. She was definitely uncomfortable and, to this day, never seems to have any level of comfort in my daring explorations. However, she did come to trust my own judgment of what I was capable of doing and eventually surrendered to something she had little control over. She found a way to be at ease with exploits that definitely made her uncomfortable.

Although my Mom isn't a yogi, a beautiful part of our yoga practice is learning how to stay calm amidst discomfort. We experience this as our quadriceps are on fire during a Warrior pose that seems to last longer than that dental appointment. "When will it end?" our inner voice is screaming! "I don't know if I can take it any longer". And then we are guided to our breath and it's as though we find a deeper will. We begin to learn to stay with something that challenges us.

We are beings programmed to move away from pain and toward pleasure. When something we don't like presents itself, we have a couple of options---turn away and avoid, or turn toward and face it. I was recently asked, "why is it important to learn to stay with discomfort?". Good question. My answer is so we may keep our own personal selves evolving. Imagine that every time something uncomfortable (like confrontation) arises, you shut down. You hold your words. You avoid speaking your truth. Imagine this happening repeatedly throughout your life. At what point are you able to stand up for yourself? At what point can you face what challenges you and bravely not hide, but stand in the deeper place of your inner self?

We begin with baby steps. We start with the obvious such as holding a yoga pose when all we want to do is stop. It has been said that our real yoga (union) begins the moment we want to bolt. We learn how to navigate the discomfort and, over time, the same thing is no longer as painful or bothersome as it previously was. We more easily stay present with what is. It allows us to fully inhabit each and every moment of our lives, no matter what is facing us. Pain, pleasure, neutrality. It no longer ignites the old triggers that make us want to run and hide. It opens our hearts more fully to life.

So the next time you're faced with something unpleasant, see if you can become the witness to the present moment by finding your breath. Practice finding just one breath, just this one, right here, right now. See if you can notice that buffer of space that separates you from the issue. Instead of reacting in a manner of a habit, notice that THIS is the opportunity for growth.

Coming Home To Yourself

I've recently embarked on a year-long mentorship program studying Shamanism and connecting more deeply to my own soul. I've been interested in deepening my knowledge of this for the past three or so years and, as a result, part of my opening to this path is to pay attention to the signs and symbols the Universe shares with me. The theme this week arose from three separate conversations I had with people with whom I am close.  Within all three conversations, I kept hearing the same message. All three in varying forms were experiencing hard challenges within their intimate and close relationships and, although they didn't use the same language, they were more or less saying the same thing. Somewhere in loving, serving, and supporting the beloveds around them, they had lost their way. And in all three conversations, I basically reflected back to them that perhaps the message is to look after themselves and fill up their empty and hurting hearts.

Another experience that led to this theme was over the weekend when we held a huge fundraising effort at my yoga studio to support the Australian wildfire relief efforts. It was a magical day with four different offerings including yoga, meditation, and Kirtan. Our community near and far showed up to participate, either as a student in class, a roadie, a foodie, a greeter, a donor or event manager. People contributed significant amounts of money, brought their energy and skills, and gave their time to make the day a huge success. 

The final session of the day was a beautiful yoga Nidra practice. I had a mat set up for myself to do the practice, but came in late, hesitantly, as I was in the foyer "looking after stuff and checking that all was okay". Thankfully, a wise and quiet voice inside said, "Go into the class and lay down"...so I did. As I settled onto my mat, I noticed my breath was uneven and I could feel my heart beating. It felt as though the day's adrenaline pumping through me was still trying to find something to do. It was at that moment, that I heard a deeper message to come back into filling up my own well.

Over the past month, Desert Yoga Therapy and its community have raised over $15,000 USD for three different charities. Part of our mission is to serve others...open-heartedly and regularly. Service is a keystone to what we do and at the end of our fundraising day, I said to myself, "OK...enough for now". I have been asking so much of our community in the way of giving and they've responded in the most humbling and hopeful ways. And I know from past experience, that in order to not experience "compassion fatigue", we all need to look after what we need individually in order to continue to serve unconditionally and compassionately.

Hence, the theme of the week is to come back to yourself and fill up your energetic heart. It's time to ask, "What is one thing I can do that will connect me into my inner sacred space?" It doesn't have to be a massive shift or undertaking. Maybe it's something as simple as leaving five minutes earlier than you normally would in order to travel in a less hurried and stressed-out state. Perhaps it's working on being more comfortable in your own company. What can you do for yourself, that nourishes you deeply but doesn't involve other people or distractions?

A story I've been sharing throughout the week is that sometimes when my husband is driving and I'm the passenger, the petrol gauge is hovering over the E (empty) symbol. I ask him, "How much further can we go?" and he'll reply something like, "Oh, we've got about 3 miles left in the tank, we can make it" at which time I begin to launch into a small anxiety attack, stressing about the potential of running out of gas. Eventually, we glide up to a pump, fill up and continue on our way.

The metaphor is that so often, we sit with our tank hovering on empty and silently say to ourselves, "I can do a bit more, I can make it." My thought of the week is that we don't have to wait or push ourselves in order to test our limits to see how far we can go. Giving ourselves time for self-care isn't selfish but instead self-loving. When our tank is full, we can more readily turn around to serve those we love and care about. And if you are empty, know that turning the focus back onto yourself and filling up your well of giving is one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves and others.

Practice begins within and consistency is the key. Now...I give you permission to take some time for yourself and I will endeavor to do the same.

Generosity

If you've been following this blog over the past three weeks, you'll know that all of the thoughts of the week have been an evolving thread. Thus far, I've spoken about Give-olutions, Collective Energy, and a Call to Action (click here if you need a recap). With all that I've been experiencing through these thoughts and then seeing how they've been manifesting has led me to think about generosity. It feels as though the willingness, particularly within my local community to give, has been not only humbling but simply astounding.

With respect to our upcoming yoga day of raising money for fire relief in Australia, we hit the fundraising target ($5,000) within three days. And as it's continued, we are likely to come close to doubling the initial goal. I've put out many threads through social media and other means of promotion, which has been shared and acted upon. The rapid and abundant response has me feeling deeply grateful and privileged. I'm sitting in an optimal position to be the catalyst for this particular call to action,  as both an Australian and American citizen, standing comfortably with one foot in each county and sharing my sadness and grief at such destruction that has motivated people to act.

In thinking about generosity, I've been asking the question all week of "How does generosity show up in your life?". Generosity is not only a financial offering but takes many forms. Being generous can look like being fully present when in conversation with somebody; offering up skills and giving time to something; or holding a non-judgmental space for people to express themselves. On Monday, it was Martin Luther King, Jr Day here in the States and I reflected on how Dr. King's generosity of spirit and faith took great courage which also eventually took his life. 

When the news of the Australian fires made its way to our local community, people came up to me asking how they could help, what could they do? People here and around the world have seen the vulnerability unfolding in Australia and on some level know that this could happen here or anywhere else. In fact, on a smaller scale, it has happened in California with massive wildfires wiping out towns in the past couple of years. In essence, this connection is moments of "Namaste'", seeing the light and spirit within others and connecting it to their own hearts. When we have this connection, we realize no separation exists between us. We are all part of the entire global family and see ourselves in those undergoing tragic times.

As HH The Dalai Lama says:

“Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.”

In other words, what we are cultivating within our own hearts is what is revealed to the world around us. So when I experience such a massive and rapid response, I am also seeing the compassion and caring that is within people. It shores up my belief in decency and humanity, particularly at times of such division and discontent.

As it relates to our yoga practice, each time we step onto the mat, practice loving-kindness, or sit in meditation...when we do our work, it becomes a natural response to growing our own compassion and it ripples out into the world. One of my most frequently spoken phrases is that "our practice begins within" and so it is. I've seen this outpouring of generosity-financially, energetically, skillfully, and with hearts-wide open. I can see the often unseen cultivation of our inner attitude moving outward.

Wow. And thank you for your generosity!