Sunday, November 28, 2010

The alchemy of yoga

I read this article written by Tim Miller, a well-respected and devoted Ashtanga teacher in Encinitas. 
In the article, he talks about the transformative power of the Ashtanga yoga in terms of asana practice and describes pretty clearly the eight-limbed path or philosophy of the Ashtanga system and how they are intertwined. 

Thoughts?

Monday, November 22, 2010

Winter Song

Estes Park, CO
I've lived in Southern California for about 13 years now and winter here is definitely not the winter I experienced in Washington State.  At the moment my mother reports a 'balmy' 22 degrees in my hometown (that's farenheit not celcius) and there is snow on the ground and the "north-easter's a blowin" and supposed to at 60 miles an hour until 4 am.  That, my friends, is what I call OLD MAN WINTER.  But, regardless, the seasons do change here and our winter here has an effect on us.   One of the things I notice is the increase in frequency of colds that coincides with the weather shift.  We move into a cooler season, whether or not we have snow, the weather shifts and with it, our bodies.  In Aruyvedic medicine this is known as the Vata season.  As winter and cooling comes, so does drying of the skin, stiffening of the joints and other issues that I didn't attribute to a change in the seasons.

My experience with this coincided with my participation in Yoga Journal Conference at Estes Park in September 2009.  I fly into Denver on Saturday and took the bus to Estes Park, CO on Sunday which is 8000 feet in the Rockies.  Monday it snowed.  It was beautiful, peaceful and everything that I needed.  Except for my body.   Things were not going right, let's just put it that way.  I felt awful, thought it was from the high altitude but it wasn't getting better and kept feeling worse, digestive and all parts in between.  Luckily, my feeling bad led to not wanting a vigorous yoga practice and I migrated my way to Scott Blossom's workshop on Aruyveda.   Taking a more in-depth look myself, I discovered a lot of things, what my true constitution was in Aruyveda medicine (Tri-doshic, mostly Vata/Pitta), more specifically what I was eating that was really irritating me.  Aren't raw vegetables better than cooked ones?  Why isn't salad good?  All of those things were answered very quickly and 2 meals later eating different choices, my body felt better.

Which leads me to the season of Winter.  The reasons for eating within the seasons are to help the body adjust to the changes.  I eat more warm things, soups, cooked greens, root vegetables, brown rice, tea, etc.   One of the One Love Yoga Teachers, Lina, suggested a Aruyvedic remedy such as abhyanga . This remedy is traditionally done by two massage therapists doing long strokes of the body with oil.  You can do this yourself, starting with the joints, paying attention and massaging with some almond oil or sesame oil and then working your way around, end with a little meditation and then bathe to get the oil off.    This year, I noticed I was feeling off and not so hot and had been eating a lot of salads.  Remembered to get back to my "roots" and warmth and my almost cold went away on it's own. 

Yoga Journal sends out a newsletter every couple of weeks and they talked specifically about all of this in their last newsletter.  Made my life a lot easier after reading a few articles. I've linked a few to the bottom of this post for further reading.  

Regardless, take some time out for yourself, be kind, stay warm and if you can't afford a massage, give one to yourself. 

Sending you warm thoughts and warm wishes,

Jennie





Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Someone else's shoes

"I used to have a sign pinned up on my wall that read: 'Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us."
Pema Chödrön (When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

I can get really caught up in my own stuff sometimes.  Little occurrences, missteps, changes in plans can sometimes become the focal point of my day.  Today someone was supposed to do the dishes and didn't which led to a chain of events that really didn't destroy the planet or end an endangered species.  But it interfered with my day and the events that were supposed to happen.  But then I run into someone who has something real happening.  Those "little earthquakes" that take you to your core.  Life stopped and then took a radically different direction.  Wasn't  a part of the plan that someone got sick or died, but they did and what is left is the rumbled remains of life as it once was but never will be again.  

I am reminded of the idea that you never know what kind of pain someone is walking around with.  That woman who was pushy in the grocery line, the guy who cut you off and yelled at you for it, the kid who trampled your rose bush, whatever it is.  The person who gives you a smile sometimes and their insides are dying but you'd never know it.  

I am reminded to treat others better.  Not about turn the other cheek or "let it go" but just treat others better.   No matter how it is or what I do, just better.  I am reminded to quit judging.  Someone may have an ocean full mind of a burden that I can't comprehend or begin to think of how to deal with it.    Is it important that I label it, dismiss their behavior or condone it?  Can I be less interested in the wrongs I'm dealt and more interested in the things I can do right? 

Last night in class I set the intention to cultivate and share more love.  That's an intention.  The action, is when I put it into action.  Maybe I can dedicate my practice to someone who might need that extra energy? Someone who needs some extra strength.  Maybe I can smile at someone and make their day?  Maybe I can just smile more. 

Someone lost their best friend.  Someone didn't wake up this morning.  Someone took the box to their car, the last one that was in that house that is no longer theirs.   Someone can't call their mother anymore.  Someone had to explain to a child that mom or dad isn't coming back.  Someone had to make that phone call.  If I can treat everyone like someone, maybe their burden may get a little lighter. 

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Spiritually fed

I had to share this.
Like a lot of people, money continues to be a struggle for me.  It was difficult for me to write the newsletter this month about finances.   As a yoga teacher, I try to incorporate the ideas, aka practice what I preach.  The art of allowing for space for abundance in my life.  The idea that the universe provides for me.

I'm teaching at another studio in Eastlake this morning and one of the students walks up to me and tells me that she's practicing spontaneous tithing, and hands me a check.  She feels spiritually blessed and wanted to pass it along.

My heart just fills.  It's not about the money.  It's about the practicing of faith.  Faith that my body will feel better after a practice.  Faith that in spite of the many difficulties that may arise, that life will continue, not always as it was but in a new form.   The universe responds in ways that I can't begin to fathom.  So I will continue to allow it to do it's job and not question in what form it comes. 

This month, I'm practicing gratitude.  Gratitude for what I have, not what I don't.  Gratitude for my life in this moment, not what I want it to be.  Gratitude grows, this I know.  Life brings me gifts all the time, if I open my eyes wide enough to see.

Again, I Thank you for spiritually (and literally) feeding me.