June 30, 2007

Let Your Instrument be an Expression of Your Gift

This past week I saw Paul Urbana Jones play guitar and sing the blues at Fat Eddie's in SOL square. As I watched his performance, I was blown away by his honest and tender lyrics, the raw passion of his voice, and the zeal of his guitar. His entire body participated in the creation of his music--the tap of a toe, his fingers racing on the strings, a wild shake of his head, even the small movements of his eyes...

There was no way to tell where the guitar ended and his body began. Everything was part of the same expression. I thought to myself, WOW... THIS guy should be teaching yoga!

Paul's full body, full being expression is exactly what we aspire to on our yoga mats. Anusara Yoga comes from a Tantric yoga philosophy that operates on the premise of intrinsic goodness. What this means is that we believe that this embodied life is a GOOD and a BEAUTIFUL thing. On the mat, we can remember that each breath and every posture is an opportunity to delightfully dance with a bigger Energy, participate more fully in life, and to express the beauty of our hearts.

While we may not be a musician, talented painter, or a skilled writer, each one of us DOES have an instrument at our fingertips. We can allow our instrument--our own unique physical body--to be an expression of our inner spirit. Our instrument can be an expression of beauty, an expression of the best we have to offer in each moment When we practice in this way, yoga becomes more than physical exercise. Yoga becomes the process of creating art!

June 13, 2007

Nourish the Body, Feed the Soul

With the arrival of colder temperatures, the major theme that keeps emerging on and off my yoga mat, has been nourishment. I am simply craving continual warmth, comfort, and nurturing. More sleep. Warmer, wholesome, homemade foods. Deeper, more inward-focused yoga practices. Even more alone time, just to reflect on all that's happened so far this year. It has been interesting to note that as these needs arise, there has also been this persistent reluctance on my part to really honour them.

Why is it difficult to give ourselves what we know that we need? Why does the thought of "slowing down" sometimes provoke anxiety or irritation?

In many parts of the world, winter is the season of "hibernation". Each year, the natural world--trees, plants, flowers, animals--move away from bountiful summer expressions and draw their energies inwards. More of our time is spent in darkness; more of our day is spent inside.

This hibernation, this darkness is not a bad thing. Seeds germinate under the darkness of the soil, babies grow and develop in the darkness of the mother's womb. It is in sleep that we rejuvenate, literally rebuilding our bodies every night. This "darkness" holds vast amounts of potentiality, of creative power, of revelation, hints of things to be soon realized.

So, my aim is to enjoy the darkness this year! To make friends with my lower energy levels and my need for more sleep. To really honour the desire for self-reflection and continual comfort and support.

I invite you this season to take the time to listen to your body and heart. Ask yourself, what do I need? What would truly support me during this darker time of year? Then, be open enough to hear the answers. Do something everyday that nourishes your body, do something that truly feeds your soul!

June 2, 2007

Why Practice Yoga?

Hatha Yoga is an ancient practice that brings body, mind, heart, and spirit into union. Yoga systematically stretches and strengthens all muscles throughout the body, increases circulation to organs and glands, quiets the nervous system, and improves concentration. This timeless system of self-care is an effective technique for developing a healthy body, a vibrant spirit, a sense of peace, and an appreciation for the wholeness of who you are.

By connecting outer body movement to an inner intention, the most basic yoga postures can be vehicles for deep physical and mental transformation!

Here is an *amended* list, from Yoga Alliance, of their "Top Ten" reasons for practicing yoga. We all come to yoga for different reasons at different times; there is no right or wrong reason!

1) Stress Relief- Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body by encouraging relaxation and lowering the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Additionally, yoga lowers blood pressure and heart rate, improves digestion, boosts the immune system, and eases symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma, and insomnia.

2) Flexibility- Yoga helps to increase general flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains.

3) Increased Strength- Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe! Yoga can also help release chronic muscular tension.

4) Better Breathing- Yoga teaches you how to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function and trigger the body's relaxation response.

5) Body Awareness & Balance-Yoga is about connecting to your body. You will learn how to become aware of what you are feeling and how you are feeling in any given moment. A keener awareness for optimal body alignment results in better posture and helps relieve back, neck, joint, and muscle pain.

6) Improved Circulation- Yoga helps to improve overall circulation and, moving through a wide variety of asanas, oxygenated blood moves more efficiently through the body.

7) Weight Management- Yoga (even Gentle styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing cortisol levels, as well as burning excess calories and reducing stress. Yoga also encourages healthy eating and a healthy outlook on life.

8) Cardiovascular Conditioning- Even gentle yoga practice provide benefits for your heart by lowering resting heart rate, increasing stamina and endurance, and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.

9) Focus on the Present- Yoga helps us focus on the fullness of our present experience, each moment, each breath. In our chaotic busy lives, we are often "living" ten steps ahead of where we really are. Through the practice of yoga, we come back to the richness and beauty of each moment as it happens. Yoga also helps improve concentration, coordination, reaction time, and memory.

10) Peace- The meditative aspects of yoga help you connect to your spirit and reach a deeper, more satisfying place in your life. Many of us start yoga to "touch our toes", build strength, or stand on our hands. However, we often find that it is the moments of connection and peace that we experience through the practice that keep us coming back to our mats.

June 1, 2007

Anusara Yoga in Vanity Fair Magazine

Vanity Fair Magazine recently featured John Friend (founder of Anusara Yoga) as one of the "world's greatest yoga masters"! John joins the company of other well-respected teachers including TVK Desikachar, B.K.S. Iyengar, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and others.

Check out his photo here http://www.anusara.com/anusara/Images/articles/JF-VanityFair-June07.jpg

John's yoga posture is clearly impressive! However it's not just the physical form of the pose that is so compelling but rather how he expresses through his pose a feeling of freedom, courage, and steadiness in the midst of a bigger Flow.

It doesn't matter whether we are beginners or advanced yogis. In any yoga posture, each one of us has the same opportunity to embody and express the deepest qualities of our hearts.

"In Anusara yoga, it is the heart quality, the feeling (bhava) that is the source of the energetic expression of the pose. Without pure expression from the heart, a "pose" loses its power for deep inner transformation." JF

On the yoga mat, we can choose make each pose an offering of the best of ourselves. How do we want to participate in this present moment? What is the quality of our offering? When we choose to move from the heart--when we connect to and express what touches our soul--our postures [and our day-to-day life!] sing with a beautiful inner music.