When I think small and limited it never serves me; it never feels right. I think it is important to remember who we are and where we come from, and it still resides in the essence of humility as well as balance. Have a beautiful weekend!
The Most Astounding Fact
25.5.12
When I think small and limited it never serves me; it never feels right. I think it is important to remember who we are and where we come from, and it still resides in the essence of humility as well as balance. Have a beautiful weekend!
How to Stop Screwing Yourself!
I love this talk. Yes, I know, I've been posting loads of videos lately. I'll be writing more, don't worry, haha. Anyway, this is a great vid. Too good to pass up. Let's move from FINE, to simply AMAZING. Have an awesome day!
Guruji, in Remembrance . . .
18.5.12
Today marks the anniversary of Guruji's passing, and the celebration of a life fully lived, and a love that continues to spread like wildfire. We thank you Guruji, for all that you gave, and for all that you did in service of this practice and for bringing the essence of yoga into our lives and into our hearts. We are blessed because of your tireless passion and the grace you bestowed, offering an example of a life fully expressed, open and unified!
Will Smith, Secrets of Success
I've always loved Will Smith's passion. There is so much truth in what he says.
Tara Brach, Acknowledging Suffering
CELEBRATE!
I listen to Tara Brach's podcasts from time to time. She always has such a beautiful way of communicating and illustrating core insights into living a more mindful life. For more info visit her website, tarabrach.com, and for podcasts click the menu option "audio talks."
Redefining The Present Moment
I've posted several videos of Michael Stone, and I came across this one as well. I was a bit surprised to see him without hair and a beard. At any rate, I wanted to pass along more information for those who maybe interested in his books, etc. Simply visit: www.centreofgravity.org.
Light On Life
14.5.12
I love the purity and power of Iyengar's writing. Simple and straight forward, which seems to be the natural way, when communicating to the masses, with as many years of experience as he has. With utmost clarity, you feel his decades of experience and wisdom cultivated through experiential practice. He has lived and tasted everything he writes. You can feel it.
Though, I have never met Iyengar, through his writing, something tells me he is as sharp as a tack, and as active as ever, at the ripe age of 93. I would love to see him in action. Even though I don't practice his method, I'm still very much intrigued by the measure of this man. Everything he speaks of translates to whatever yoga practice you may follow. Having the same teacher as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, I feel the Iyengar method is on the other side of the same coin as Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga.
Everything he writes correlates. The internal relationship to yoga ultimately is the same, with varying shades of color.
I'm loving every word.
Listening to Shame
Daring greatly! Let's do it!By treading the path of vulnerability and empathy. I really appreciate Brené Brown's work.
How Do I Enter My Life?
13.5.12
So much good stuff in this video. Take it in. I highly recommend it.
Let's Not Forget About Sangha
“Yoga is about giving Love and Light to everybody: Those who love you, those who harm you, those who you know, those who you don’t know. It makes no difference, you just give light and love.” - Yoga Master Indra Devi
Beyond my own practice one element that becomes important is the sangha (community) centered around practice. Sometimes I feel like this is the missing element in the community or maybe lack of community. What I've observed, often we confine our community only within the walls in which we practice. To me, it goes much further than that. If we cannot connect with each other openly while making this practice a part of our lives, I think we've missed something. If we cannot be open and generous within the yoga community, than what hope do we have to attain this in the outer world? It matters! It truly does.
When I moved to Stockholm I was shocked at the dividing lines drawn. I even got the brunt end of unspeakable negativity while being kept at arms length. Maybe because I was considered an outsider or maybe because I came in with a fair amount of experience. It's hard to tell. However, for me, the sad part is, I came into the scene a bit naive, because I honestly felt if there's any place I'll be accepted, no matter what country I found myself in, it would be in the yoga community, and well, reality gave me a different lesson. It hurt. However, time passes on, and the sting of rumors spread, that were clearly untrue, burned, as I kept quiet to it all. Even though it took time to heal and recover from the resentment, I am thankful to the naysayers, because it forced me to find strength I didn't realize I had. I'm still standing. Now I can say thank you, because the new found determination that came forth through the experience was born.
So what gives? Yoga is an internal quest, not a showcase for external prowess and/or the acquisition of territory. I came to yoga when my body and spirit were broken. A recognition. From then on, being on my mat has felt more like home than any home I've had or probably will have. At the center of it all, practice has been an inspiration of the heart. If it wasn't, I would have done something else. When we layer hierarchies, dividing lines, cliques, and smattering of gossip on top of it, aren't we missing the point?
For a long time I shrunk back and kept quiet in regards to the negative treatment. I'm not sure suffering in silence is always a good thing. And now, I've come to a point where I no longer feel like doing so. As the internal becomes strengthened, so does the intolerance for bullshit. I'm just saying. Through the sharing of honest experience, I can own all of it, and be better for it, because at the end of the day, transforming it into gratitude has healed me. Which begs the point, if we've lost the love, we've lost everything, even the meaning behind why we practice. It isn't a commodity to be acquired.
Truth is a wonderful thing. Transparency is grand.
This energy extends out beyond the limits we manufacture in day to day life. Illusions. Let's cut through them. However, it will only happen if we do it together. Each word we utter carries weight, whether you know it or not. Is what we engage in, through talk and interaction, bringing us together or dividing us apart? A good thing to inquire, and to inquire on a regular basis.
Why limit reality within the walls of the familiar? We must step outside our comfort zones. We must shake free of our labels. If we close the door on learning from others than something is amiss. The learning never stops, especially when there is an opportunity to learn from someone new or to even gain insight on another perspective.
What I've learned is it doesn't matter if someone carries a certain level of certification, or even if they have the means of owning a yoga studio. It doesn't always equal a form of enlightened existence. It took me time to realize this with startling clarity. With that being said, most of us move forward on the path with the best of intentions, but at the end of the day, we must ask ourselves who are we serving? why? And, what for?
The Only Difference
12.5.12
Great overall message here. I don't usually like to sing the praises of a certain dietary lifestyle, however I felt this video was well done.
Day 5, 6, 7, 8
Day 5, 6, 7, 8. Practice with Peter Sanson. Oooof. It was so hot in the room, and especially hot since I had a later start time. At one point when twisting I gazed over my shoulder and thought I was seeing an apparition. A white cloud of some sort. Is that my aura? Not likely, a closer look, I realized it was actually steam coming off my body. Literally, I was cooking, and I continued to cook for the subsequent days. Oooof. Sizzle. Continuing with my focus and not getting too carried away by the intense heat, like a mantra, I kept telling myself, samsara halahala. Yes, this is why I practice.
It was a great 8 days of practice; 8 days of self-reflection. This is the exciting part. I started the week with Intermediate, per usual, built up to Advanced A, and ended with Primary. I love this cycle established over the week. All postures are really the same. They all translate into one another. What can be learned in the most basic of postures carry hallmarks into the more complicated.
Take care in the smallest of movements, breathing as if it were your last breath. Give attention to everything as if you are tasting something for the first time. There's a boundless amount of depth there.
Day Four
6.5.12
Day Four, practice with Peter Sanson. Posting a day later. It's been great. If there is one thing I know he will drive home is, don't strain, relax, and breathe. Pretty darn simple, often the simplest things are the most challenging.
Another valuable insight I've learned is, the external will always throw a good curve curve ball, from time to time, it will forever change, while pulling us out from our center. Keep the practice a practice of going inward. It's that simple. Cultivate the energy through each movement, as the awareness radiates from the internal core and out through the limbs of the body like rays of the sun. You enter serenity. You enter yoga. Oneness. We don't need much more than this. We don't need much more at all. We enter love, unencumbered.
Day Three
“When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.”
- John Lennon
Day Three, practice with Peter Sanson.
Characteristic of the weather, it can turn at a moment's notice. A drawback if you're in one of those moods. Today, I was hit with cooler temps as I left home early this morning. Cloudy. Kinda matched my energy level. I felt more mellow. Blech! I'm picking up a Swedish characteristic of talking about the weather too much. This must stop, and stop today, hahaha.
Practice. Advanced A. I didn't have as much juice as yesterday, and well, yesterday was yesterday. The variance of energy levels can bring a whole new receptivity, as I touched on earlier. I welcome it. I love the analogy of how a pearl forms. It forms through irritation. A constant rub. The rubbing of tapas. A gem forms. Look at diamonds, it takes time and pressure. Most importantly, finding a sense of equanimity within the challenges. We sparkle. Never underestimating the miracles that come with sweat.
Day Two
3.5.12
Yes. Another AMAZING day in Stockholm! Go on, roll your eyes, but it's true. You just don't understand what it's like to live through a cold and dark winter and to have it turn into this! I relish it. Nothing has made me appreciate Spring more than living through a winter in Stockholm. Nothing. Even growing up in the American Midwest, with all four seasons, and definitely winter. In Sweden, the winter comes early and leaves late. There's something about going through the darkness with a fair amount of grace. At the other side of it, an outpouring of appreciation. It's an expansive feeling.
Today. Day two, practicing with Peter Sanson. Intermediate Series. Everyday is different. Everyday brings new lessons. Another journey, a new insight. Today I felt the synergistic nature of relaxation and fortitude at the same time. The marrying of softness and the energetic power of release. It's interesting playing with these forces, uniting with the energy that presents itself within the body. Even days I feel tired and stiff, I can join with whatever feels blocked, and learn to melt into, to wrap myself around, and give space to what presents itself. There's grace in it all. Nothing stays the same on the outside, and there is more being born than just the physical accomplishment of asana. These invisible attributes cultivate, give solace and a mental clarity and strength, that for me, always comes unexpected.
Say hello to Nina!
Today's Pics: Sweden Spectacular
2.5.12
I love, love, love this time of year. I count my blessing at how beautiful it is in Sweden. Yes, I have sung it's praises before and I don't care I will do it, again, and again. It just doesn't get much better than this. Also, the freshest air imaginable. Seriously. The beauty, the nature, the light!
Lighten Up
Stockholm, Södermalm
“When a man disciplines his diet and diversions, his physical actions, his sleeping and waking, discipline destroys his sorrow.” - The Bhagavad Gita
Today, day one, practicing with senior certified teacher, Peter Sanson. I'll be doing 8 days of Mysore practice with him. First day, Primary, which is customary, and necessary.
Beforehand, I was asked if it was boring to do Primary and I was like, heck no. Not in the least. Primary has soul. It's my grounding. It's where I began and it's probably where I will end when I come to a certain age. Who knows. It's the foundation. It's rich. Without a solid foundation, you can't fly!
