Beautiful Day Yogis! I'm way overdue for a blog. I had the honor of spending a refreshing weekend away with my husband this past weekend. I took the opportunity to reconnect with my breath, body, and spirit. It actually felt like 4 days of savasana. Now, I'm enjoying the lingering feelings and hoping they will last indefinitely. This morning I shared the Gayatri Mantra with my students as well as a meditation on the 2 inner hearts. I'd like to share them with you here, as well. Feel free to practice these anytime throughout the day. They will help you connect deeply with your own inner divinity. I'll include some music, as well, to meditate or practice asana by. Enjoy!

Gayatri Mantra
Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dhimahi
Dhiyo yonah prachodayat

Nischala Joy Devi provides a beautiful translation to the Gayatri Mantra in her book, The Secret Power of Yoga:
Embracing Earth, Heaven, and Beyond
the sacred source is revealed
Evoking the resplendent flame
The all-pervading light venerates us all.

To practice the mantra, it helps to hear it spoken. Sanskrit is a language of vibration, so its pronunciation is important so that the vibrations resonate within opening energy within your body and spirit. You can google it and find or listen to the songs I'll list below. There are other translations of the mantra. There is one referring to "Bhur Bhuvah Swaha" as the physical world, the mental world, and the spiritual world. I really like that you can relate the concept of a trinity to these references; three coming together in unity to form a complete whole.

The meditation that we did this morning is also found in Devi's book. In chapter 2, she discusses that we each have 2 hearts within us: a beating heart and a womb heart. you don't need to be female, or have borne a child to understand that there is a nurturing soul within each of us, in addition to our loving heart. Here is my interpretation of her meditation offering:

In a quiet room, sit or lie comfortably.

Place one hand over your beating heart (actual heart) and the other over your womb heart (low belly).

Breathing deeply, feel the energy lying beneath each hand. Notice if they are different in quality.

Keeping the breath even beneath each of the hands, encourage a sense of balance between these two hearts.

Take a few moments to focus your mind on the space of the beating heart. Allow the feeling of endless love for yourself wash over you.

Take a few moments to focus your mind of the space of the womb heart. Encourage a feeling of complete love for your child, partner, spouse, parent, or anyone with whom you are close.

Slowly expand those feelings of love to include other people, the floor supporting you, the air your breathing, embracing all around you.

Stay here as long as you like. Return to this practice at any time when you realize you are missing that feeling of ever present love. Allow this meditation and the above mantra to connect you to your own inner divinity and the divinity in all.


Some music to meditate by, practice asana by, or just enjoy:

Gayatri Mantra (RajRishi Alternate Mix) by Deva Premal
Surya Maska (Sun Salute) by Drala
(Reach Up For the) Sunrise by Duran Duran
Sunshine Day by Osibisa
Ganesh Gayatri / Rising Sun by David Newman
Suni-ai (Fast) by Snatam Kaur
In the Sun by Alanna Kaivalya
Gayatri Mantra by Wade Imre Morissette
Sun's Orb by Suzanne Sterling


Lastly, should you decide to add an asana practice to any of the above, I'd encourage you to focus on the shoulders (heart area) and the hips (womb heart area). Try Gomukasana pose (cow face pose) invoking a sense of nurturing. In india, the cow is considered one of the holiest animals. They are incredibly nurturing to their young; they are peaceful, and full of abundance. Practice poses that will encourage these qualities in yourself, allowing your own beating heart and womb heart to spill for their full capacity of love, which is of course, endless.

Peace and blessings to all,
Mary

Hello my dearest yoga friends. Valentine's Day is approaching. And, although I'm not one for the big dinner out or the chocolates. It has me thinking about the meaning of the day. It is a day to celebrate the love we have for another: out spouse, partner, parent, child. But, what about celebrating the love we have for ourselves? Not an egotistic type of love, but the knowing inside that we are inherently good, beautiful, and perfect as we are. This is what led me to develop my classes for yesterday, Thursday. I'd like to share with you my class plan, readings, and play list.

Yoga class plan: suitable for Level 1 student, but can be modified to be more challenging or more gentle.

Start out in seated meditation, palms facing the thighs. Spend a few moments connecting with the breath. Bring the mind to a place considering the love that you have for others and how that makes you feel. Allow the heart to lift with each inhale and the back body to soften with each exhale. Imagine the love that you have to be like a well that can never run dry. First giving that love to yourself, then to those that you hold dear. There is still plenty left to give more to yourself through compassion, forgiveness, and deep understanding. Turn the palms up and see how this feels to be receptive to these ideas of becoming intimate with yourself within your heart.

When you are ready, take the palms together at your heart and begin this mantra:
(inhale) I am ready for love.
(exhale) I am worthy of love.

After some time, make your way to a forward fold. Throughout the physical practice, notice when you might be pushing or pulling into a pose. Instead of forcing the asana, try opening and allowing the poses to evolve without force. Here we go:

Begin with a few side bends (Ardha Chandrasana A) standing in mountain. Then begin a cycle of Surya Namaskar C, adding gentle twists to the lunges and rotating the lifted arm several times in the twist. From here, move slowly through the following:
From standing forward fold:
Step the right foot back to low lunge, knee down
(inhale) arms rise
(exhale) arms lower, front leg straightens (ardha hanumanasana)
kickstand your back foot, turning to your right to gate pose (parighasana)
(inhale) lift your arms
(exhale) lean to the right, arm down to vasisthasana variation
(inhale/exhale) lift and lower the left foot off the ground.
(inhale) arms lift back up
(exhale) bend into left knee (Warrior 2 variation), place left elbow on knee and open right arm over head (side angle variation)
(inhale) back to warrior 2 variation
(exhale) arms down, swing legs around to face back of room in pigeon prep pose, stay lifted in legs and hips, floating arms off the floor
sitting on to right hip
take 1/4 turn to left into a wide legged janu sirsasana, swing left foot inside right knee for Ardha Matseyendrasana twist.
Open left leg out again for janu sirsasana, left hand inside of leg, opening right arm overhead for lateral stretch.
(inhale) arms lift back up, bring left leg into easy seat or half lotus. Spend a few breaths repeating (inhale) I am ready for love, (exhale) I am worthy of love.
Take right leg back behind you and turn 1/4 to left, facing front wall, pause in pigeon, then take left leg up and back for 1 legged down dog.
Bring left knee 1/2 way forward and turn right foot flat, lift right arm to side plank variation.
Bring left knee into chest, then sweep it out to the right.
Bring right hand down to twisted plank variation.
(inhale) stay here
(exhale) lower hips (arms stay straight) (repeat lift and lower 3 times)
sweep left knee in and back up to 1 legged down dog.
Left leg comes forward to low lunge, lift arms.
(exhale) arms down to step forward, folding in.
Bend knees (inhale) to chair.
Arms wide then eagle arms (left arm under) and eagle legs (left leg on top)
After eagle, pause in Warrior 3, then left leg back to low lunge to begin the entire sequence on the other side.
After Warrior 3 right leg lifted, let the right leg come down next to the left in the forward fold for several breaths.
Open legs to mat's distance apart, squatting into yogi squat (malasana), folding forward, then hand at heart

Prepare for savasana - possibly using a mat roll under the spine and a blanket roll under the knees. Spend several minutes in savasana (this is a really sweet one). Go back to the mantra or listen to the music.

Playlist:
Jai Radha Madhav by Deva Premal
Ready for Love, by Kelly Sweet
This Years Love, by David Gray
A Lifetime, by Ziggy Marley
The Best of My Love, by Eagles
Get Ready, by Rare Earth
Amba Parameshwari, by Shantala
Love Song, by Kelly Sweet
Beatitude, by Love Spirals
Purnamadah, by Shantala
Love, Peace and Freedom, by David Newman
I Love You, by Sarah McLachlan
Ready for Love, by India.Arie
Still Love Remains, by Seal
Crazy Love, by Van Morrison

Quotes:
"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval." Mark Twain
"Every man stamps his value on himself... man is made great or small by his own will." J.C.F. von Schiller
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt
"Love in its purest sense is not based upon what you get from the relationship, but on what the relationship allows you to give. The depth of your love is not reflected in what the other makes you feel, but in your willingness to give of yourself. Love's job is to lead you to intimacy with what is enduring in yourself and in others. Whether this connection last for seconds or for decades, love is not wasted. Through it , you have been transformed." Judith Lasater from Living Your Yoga.

Poetry:
Love Song

I thought I knew you,
but as I lose myself
inside your eyes,
I am content to know nothing.

I thought you knew me,
but now you look right
through my identity.

I thought we understood
each other, and we do,
but only in that place
where love flows in from
the mystery,
where form and emptiness
dance, and our hands
join without grasping.

We meet and part and meet
again, each time fresh,
the slate wiped so clean
there is no slate,
no hook to hang our hats on.

Each morning we say yes,
our gaze holding only wonder.

~by Danna Faulds

Thank you so much for allowing me to share this class with you. I am honored to be a part of you life and yoga practice. Thank you for letting me be a part of your divinity and love.
Namaste,
Mary

So, it has been a while since I last blogged. Actually, it has been since the Winter Solstice. Every day I sit and consider writing in this internet space and the same thoughts come back - silence. Truthfully, I've been feeling very silent lately. I'm not sure why. I think it is the quiet of winter. Instead of blogging, having a very vigorous yoga practice, and being my usual active self, I've been quite sedate. My asana practice has been more restorative and I've started reading a book on Buddhism. I've quit caffeine and I've started seeing an acupuncturist.

Where does all of this change come from? Why now? Why at all?

I'm a very analytical person. I typically feel the need to ponder things for a long time before committing to them. But these changes have seemingly happened without thought or question. The universe presented them and I said, "yes" (silently, of course). 

Although my days have been quiet, my nights have been full of noise - the noise in my head. I spend most of the night awake, just lying there, thinking, listening to my husband and dog sleep. At first it bothered me (quiet a lot, actually). I was tired during the day and a little bit irritable. But, something has shifted. I'm a little bit more at peace with this energetic reversal of day and night. I think my feeling of peace comes from one of the Buddhist four truths: All compounded things are impermanent. So, I know that this will change, too, and my sleeping habits will shift. This impermanence has also allowed me to take a lighter look at my interactions with my family. Since a lack of sleep usually leads to irritability, I'm trying to remember another one of the Buddhist truths: All emotions are pain. So, I'm making a decision to lessen the pain by not overreacting or lashing out when things don't fit into my little picture of how the world should revolve.

When this shift first began, I beat myself up over it. I felt guilty for not pushing myself in my physical yoga practice. I felt bad that I didn't get the usual 300 things done in a day. I felt like something must be terribly wrong that I can't sleep. This resistance did nothing but cause me pain. Now, it is just happening on it's own. I'm not allowing it, I'm not letting go. It's just happening. Surprisingly, the "to do" list hasn't grown or overtaken anything with me doing less. And when this pattern of life is done, another one will begin. Perhaps it will hold vigor and activity. Perhaps it will hold something else.

Until then, I'll watch the snowflakes and sit with my tea.

Peace, Blessings, and Love to all.
Namaste,
Mary

Wow! I just completed my own personal Sun Salutations to ring in the Winter. Lots of warmth in my body to keep me going in the cold days ahead. At least the sun is on it's return now (as of 11:47 a.m. CST).

I wanted to share my thoughts and music from the practices that I taught this morning. I learned a lot in researching the Winter Solstice and it is very interesting, fun stuff! This morning's Level 1/2 class honored this celebration by moving and breathing through 54 Sun Salutes - 18 A's, 18 B's, and 18 C's. What great energy and enthusiasm!

In Basic's class we honored the Yin bhava of the day by practicing restorative yoga. In particular we worked through blockages in the upper back and shoulders - the place we tend to hold our tension. The whole practice was at the wall for support. We began in supported Baddha Konasana (supporting the back and thighs with blankets). Next we came to Tadasana at the wall. Forming the pose from the ground up, then stretching the arms into an upward salute with the wall supporting our backs and arms. This helped us to find our center. Next we stepped from the wall to take opposite elbows behind the back. Moving back to the wall, we stretched the collar bones and front of the chest. After doing this on both sides, students had the option to move back to their more challenging side or try reverse Anjali Mudra, pressing elbows to the wall. Next we moved to Eagle arms, pressing elbows away from us. And, moving with the breath, we took our fingers right, then left, repeating on the second side of the arms. Using a strap, we then moved through Cow Face arms, taking the strap in one hand, raising it up to the sky, then down the back between the shoulder blades. The other arm reaches up the back to find the strap. Then, stepping back to the wall, to encourage the elbows towards the wall. We repeated on the other side, then again took the side that created more sensation. For our next pose we lay down and did a restorative variation of bridge, using the block to support our sacrums. Coming back to a comfortable seat, we then twisted to relieve any strain in the back and neck. Next, we practiced supported Child's Pose. Kneeling on a blanket, we took two folded blankets between our legs and lay forward onto the blankets. We spent about 10 breaths with the face turned to each cheek. Next we placed our feet against the wall and took Downward Facing Dog. We rested our heads on blocks for support and stretched our hips towards the wall. This stretches the spine and releases tension. Our last pose before Savasana was Legs Up the Wall. This simple variation reverses the flow of gravity on the legs and nourishes the pelvis with fresh blood. For our Savasana, we supported the back with a blanket and rolled a blanket under the knees. What a sweet practice.

During both of my morning classes, I told stories of several Winter Solstice traditions and rituals. I found most of the stories online and there are several websites with loads of fun information to seek out.

The number 108 carries spiritual significance in many cultures:
108 is the number of "Upanishads" comprising Indian philosophy's "Vedic texts".
108 is the number of names for Shiva (a really important Hindu god).
108 is the number of names for Buddha.
108 is the Chinese number representing "man".
108 is the number of beads on a Catholic rosary.
108 is the number of beads on a Tibetan "mala" (prayer beads, analogous to a rosary).
108 is twice the number "54", which is the number of sounds in Sanskrit (sacred Indian language). 108 is six times the number "18", which is a Jewish good luck number.
108 is twelve times the number 9, which is the number of vinyasas (movements linked to breath) in a Sun Salutation
1 stands for Higher Truth, 0 stands for Emptiness and 8 stands
for Infinity.

The romans called the Winter Solstice "Dies Natalis Invicti Solis", the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The Roman midwinter holiday, Saturnalia, was both a gigantic fair and a festival of the home. Riotous merry-making took place, and the halls of houses were decked with boughs of laurel and evergreen trees. Lamps were kept burning to ward off the spirits of darkness. Schools were closed, the army rested, and no criminals were executed. Friends visited one another, bringing good-luck gifts of fruit, cakes, candles, dolls, jewelery, and incense. Temples were decorated with evergreens symbolizing life's continuity, and processions of people with masked or blackened faces and fantastic hats danced through the streets. Roman masters feasted with slaves, who were given the freedom to do and say what they liked (the medieval custom of all the inhabitants of the manor, including servants and lords alike, sitting down together for a great Christmas feast, came from this tradition). A Mock King was appointed to take charge of the revels (the Lord of Misrule of medieval Christmas festivities had his origin here).

In pagan Scandinavia the winter festival was the yule (or juul). Great yule logs were burned, and people drank mead around the bonfires listening to minstrel-poets singing ancient legends. It was believed that the yule log had the magical effect of helping the sun to shine more brightly.

Mistletoe, which was sacred because it mysteriously grew on the most sacred tree, the oak, was ceremoniously cut and a spray given to each family, to be hung in the doorways as good luck. The celtic Druids also regarded mistletoe as sacred. Druid priests cut it from the tree on which it grew with a golden sickle and handed it to the people, calling it All-Heal. To hang it over a doorway or in a room was to offer goodwill to visitors. Kissing under the mistletoe was a pledge of friendship. Mistletoe is still forbidden in most Christian churches because of its Pagan associations, but it has continued to have a special place in home celebrations.

In the third century various dates, from December to April, were celebrated by Christians as Christmas. January 6 was the most favored day because it was thought to be Jesus' baptismal day (in the Greek Orthodox Church this continues to be the day to celebrate Christmas). Around 350, December 25 was adopted in Rome and gradually almost the entire Christian Church agreed to that date, which coincided with Winter Solstice, the Yule and the Saturnalia. The merry side of Saturnalia was adopted to the observance of Christmas. By 1100 Christmas was the peak celebration of the year for all of Europe. During the 16th century, under the influence of the Reformation, many of the old customs were suppressed and the Church forbade processions, colorful ceremonies, and plays.

Most of the customs, lore, symbols, and rituals associated with "Christmas" actually are linked to Winter Solstice celebrations of ancient Pagan cultures. While Christian mythology is interwoven with contemporary observances of this holiday time, its Pagan nature is still strong and apparent. Pagans today can readily re-Paganize Christmastime and the secular New Year by giving a Pagan spiritual focus to existing holiday customs and by creating new traditions that draw on ancient ways. Here are some ways to do this:
•  Celebrate Yule with a series of rituals, feasts, and other activities. In most ancient cultures, the celebration lasted more than a day. The ancient Roman Saturnalia festival sometimes went on for a week. Have Winter Solstice Eve and Day be the central focus for your household, and conceptualize other holiday festivities, including New Year's office parties and Christmas visits with Christian relatives, as part of your Solstice celebration. By adopting this perspective, Pagan parents can help their children develop an understanding of the multicultural and interfaith aspects of this holiday time and view "Christmas" as just another form of Solstice. Have gift exchanges and feasts over the course of several days and nights as was done of old. Party hearty on New Year's Eve not just to welcome in the new calendar year, but also to welcome the new solar year.
•  Adorn the home with sacred herbs and colors. Decorate your home in Druidic holiday colors red, green, and white. Place holly, ivy, evergreen boughs, and pine cones around your home, especially in areas where socializing takes place. Hang a sprig of mistletoe above a major threshold and leave it there until next Yule as a charm for good luck throughout the year. Have family/household members join together to make or purchase an evergreen wreath. Include holiday herbs in it and then place it on your front door to symbolize the continuity of life and the wheel of the year. If you choose to have a living or a harvested evergreen tree as part of your holiday decorations, call it a Solstice tree and decorate it with Pagan symbols.
•  Convey love to family, friends, and associates. At the heart of Saturnalia was the custom of family and friends feasting together and exchanging presents. Continue this custom by visiting, entertaining, giving gifts, and sending greetings by mail and/or phone. Consider those who are and/or have been important in your life and share appreciation.
•  Reclaim Santa Claus as a Pagan Godform. Today's Santa is a folk figure with multicultural roots. He embodies characteristics of Saturn (Roman agricultural god), Cronos (Greek god, also known as Father Time), the Holly King (Celtic god of the dying year), Father Ice/Grandfather Frost (Russian winter god), Thor (Norse sky god who rides the sky in a chariot drawn by goats), Odin/Wotan (Scandinavian/Teutonic All-Father who rides the sky on an eight-legged horse), Frey (Norse fertility god), and the Tomte (a Norse Land Spirit known for giving gifts to children at this time of year). Santa's reindeer can be viewed as forms of Herne, the Celtic Horned God. Decorate your home with Santa images that reflect His Pagan heritage.
•  Honor the Goddess as Great Mother. Place Pagan Mother Goddess images around your home. You may also want to include one with a Sun child, such as Isis with Horus. Pagan Goddess forms traditionally linked with this time of year include Tonantzin (Native Mexican corn mother), Holda (Teutonic earth goddess of good fortune), Bona Dea (Roman women's goddess of abundance and prophecy), Ops (Roman goddess of plenty), Au Set/Isis (Egyptian/multicultural All Goddess whose worship continued in Christian times under the name Mary), Lucina/St. Lucy (Roman/Swedish goddess/saint of light), and Befana (Italian Witch who gives gifts to children at this season).
•  Honor the new solar year with light. Do a Solstice Eve ritual in which you meditate in darkness and then welcome the birth of the sun by lighting candles and singing chants and Pagan carols. If you have a indoor fireplace or an outdoor fire circle, burn an oak log as a Yule log and save a bit to start next year's fire. Decorate the inside and/or outside of your home with electric colored lights. Because of the popularity of five pointed stars as holiday symbols, this is a good time to display a pentagram of blue or white lights.
•  Contribute to the manifestation of more wellness on Planet Earth. Donate food and clothing to poor in your area. Volunteer time at a social service agency. Put up bird feeders and keep them filled throughout the winter to supplement the diets of wild birds. Donate funds and items to non-profit groups, such as Pagan/Wiccan churches and environmental organizations. Meditate for world peace. Work magic for a healthier planet. Make a pledge to do some form of good works in the new solar year.

Credit in this blog is given to the following websites:
www.yogajournal.com/health/120
www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/SolsticeArticle.html
www.yogachicago.com/nov07/paulakout.shtml


If you are interested in enjoying any Winter Solstice music, here are a few ideas:
Peace Prayer by Jeff Beal & Nawang Khechog
Dark Night Of The Soul by Loreena McKennitt
Om Namah Shivaya by Deba Premal
Here Comes the Sun (American Idol Studio Version) by Brooke White
Peace Is All Around Me by Paul La Roache
Sunshine Day by Osibisa
Hard Sun (Main) by Eddie Vedder
Ganesh Gayatri / Rising Sun by David Newman
Surya Maskar (Sun Salute) by Drala
Midwinter Night by Jan Hammer
Sunshine On My Shoulders by Dan Gibson
Here Comes the Sun by Eric Bibb
Quiet Euphoria by Glendon Smith
Suni-ai (Fast by Snatam Kaur
Sun's Orb by Suzanne Sterling

May you experience the LIGHT inside. May it warm you when it is cold and comfort you when it is dark.
Peace and Blessings during this holiday season!
Namaste,
Mary

Namaste My Friends,

In this time of year, life gets really complicated. There is much to do to prepare for the holidays and the coming of the new year. Everything that didn't get done in the last eleven months, now has only one remaining month in which to be completed. It all seems to lead to a state of chaos. Then, the other day, my daughter brought home a notice from her forth grade teacher. They will be starting a new unit in science on force and motion. The class will be creating "simple" machines using ordinary household items. They will model their machines after a cartoonist's contraptions. Early in the 20th century a man named Rube Goldberg began drawing cartoons of crazy looking contraptions used to perform simple tasks. Just like that old kid's game, "Mousetrap," these contraptions went through several crazy looking steps to complete one simple task. According to a website dedicated to telling his history (http://mousetrapcontraptions.com/history-4.html), Goldberg's inspiration for his cartoons came from his life during the machine age, when new machines were being developed to simplify life. He believed that people took the difficult path to achieve simple goals. He once said machines were a, "symbol of man's capacity for exerting maximum effort to achieve minimal results." His name has even become a noun in the dictionary meaning "having a fantastically complicated, improvised appearance" (www.dictionary.com).

So, how does this relate to yoga? Well, during this time of year, when we let life get so complicated, we become Rube Goldbergs. We trek through store after store in search of happiness when it is inside us all of the time already. We surround ourselves with noise when we are in search of peace. Why, during this time of the year, do we forget our eight-fold path that Patanjali taught the yogis before Christmas even existed? Remember that path? The ethical principles that we follow  - be kind,  tell the truth, don't steal, remember the divinity of yourself and others, and letting go. The essential self-observances - keep yourself clean, be content, discipline yourself, study yourself and spirit, and surrender to a higher power. We practice those both on and off the mat. Do we remember to hold to them when we practice asana? As teachers of this practice, we often over teach and over correct. Even as teachers, we need to remember to let the student BE in the poses, maybe a little less effort and more ease is a good thing at this time of the year. And, how is the breath, or vital energy force or prana? If we rush about, do we remain connected with our inner vitality or do we become exhausted? And, really, when was the last time you made an opportunity just to tune out  - withdraw? We say "yes" to everything during the holidays. Try saying "no" just once this year (without guilt, by the way) and give yourself the time and gift of withdrawal away from the outside world.

As you move up and down that path Patanjali laid out for us, don't let this time of year get so busy that you can't concentrate on any given thing. Remember to stay present in the moment and foster concentration. Take the opportunity to meditate and give your mind focus on one singular thing. Staying on this path will bring you to a state of evenness, balance. This is called Samadhi. Directly translated, Samadhi means equal (sama) thinking (dhi). It isn't necessarily a state of giddy bliss. It is simply a state of peaceful, balanced awareness. All of this may seem quite complicated. There are eight limbs, five ethical principles, five self-observances. How is that simplifying??? It is simple - do those things and you will be at peace.

So, rather than creating the Rube Goldberg this holiday season, why not create Samadhi? Simplify, be kind, be at peace.

Namaste.

This past week I've been thinking a lot about the concept of Thanksgiving. It is approaching in just a few days. Retail stores and the media focus so much on Halloween and Christmas that Thanksgiving is almost forgotten. Once the Halloween decorations come down at Target, the Christmas ones go up - where is Thanksgiving?

Anyway, I read an article in the December issue of Yoga Journal titled Kind and Generous (pg. 19). In it, the author writes about the expectations of generosity during the holidays and how the idea of giving can become a burden. This really resonated with me. When my daughter started attending kid's birthday parties, it was really hard on me mentally on the financial end. She'd have several birthdays in a month and I freaked out. How could I keep buying these gifts and still have enough for other things. How could my friends, who have multiple kids, afford it? I'd have such grumpy feelings when it came to getting these gifts and I'd set a certain amount that I would refuse to go over. I felt terrible, guilty, and stingy. Then, about a year ago, I decided enough was enough. Was this stinginess really helping? Was I really saving any significant amount of money that would make a difference? The truth was, it wasn't helping anyone. So, I began making a more conscious effort to enjoy the gift-giving process. Now, when I take my daughter out to buy gifts, I think about what the child would really enjoy. I still stick to a price range, but not as stingy as before, and I really enjoy the process.

This idea holds true for all gift-giving, whether there is a financial aspect or not. We give gifts of love and time and peace on a daily basis. We need to remember that these are gifts. When we do, we realize their value so much more. We appreciate our own efforts and we become more connected to those around us. In that YJ article, the author writes about "asmita" - "I-am-ness."  This is the concept that leads us to feel separate from others and to identify with our possessions. When we feel selfish is when we really need to practice generosity. This practice will help to free us from feeling separate. One way I'm doing this is to let go of how I think Thanksgiving should go. It is at my home this year. I'm really excited about it, but some things will be different than the past. First of all - it is my first vegetarian Thanksgiving. I've decided not to cook a turkey. My mother-in-law is making it, so it will be on the table. But, I won't cook it or eat it. I feel really good about this. There will be so much other food to enjoy. Now, to the other food - my sister-in-law is making the sweet potatoes and cranberries. I'm sure these will be different than the recipes I'm used to because she is always trying new (delicious) stuff. But, I need to release the idea that my mom's sweet potato recipe and my sister's cranberry chutney won't be part of our meal. After all, I could make those dishes anytime, right?

Now, all that I've written about up until this point is the yoga practice that takes place off the mat. The way we treat ourselves and others. But, what about the practice on the mat? This past week, I've focused a lot on inner strength - abdominal and back. From there, it became opening the heart. We need to expand if we are to give. This practice of back bending is a scary one for me. It is not the natural curve that my spine wants to assume. But, when I do it regularly, I feel amazing! The energy and feelings of love and light are like nothing else in the world. So, open your heart. Along the way, practice giving and giving up. Give gifts of love and peace this year. Give up the way you expect things to be. Along the way, dance and sing - maybe to some of these songs...

Sacred Love by DJ Zen
Joy by Kristina Sumukhi Yogafly
There's Enough for All of Us by Michael Franti
Shine On by Wade Imre Morissette
Keep Your Mind Wide Open byt AnnaSophia Robb
Give a Little Bit by Goo Goo Dolls
If Everyone Cared by Nickelback
Seasons of Love from Rent
Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen (my new personal fav)
Send Your Love by Sting featuring Vicente Amigo
Hold On My Heart by Genesis
Love and Happiness by Al Green
Crazy Love by Van Morrison
Love Song by Elton John
Heart by Hennie Bekker

These next several months will be cold and dark. If we stay open during this time, our own inner light will shine.

In Gratitude,
Mary

P.S. Remember that part in Grease when Frenchy says "Look, the gang's all together again!" Keep your loved one's close and appreciate them!

Welcome to my blog!

Today is my first day "blogging." This is a new adventure for me. I recently finished my basement and put in a home yoga studio. Teaching yoga has been an amazing adventure for me. I love the aspect of yoga classes, but I have fallen in love with my own personal practice as well. I decided to create this yoga space in my home for two reasons. First of all, I can go there as a respite from the frantic pace of life and just chill out - practice, meditate, breathe - just be. Secondly, I truly enjoy the personal connection of teaching. Group classes are great, but personal private or semi-private classes offer something different. They offer personal connection - yoga, between a teacher and a student. A teacher can learn more about what the individual needs and that individual can get their personal needs met more accurately. So, this space was created.

So, today. Last night I was watching a Harry Potter movie. I've seen it several times before - the one where Voldemort comes back. Anyway, at the end Harry says he and his friends have something Voldemort doesn't have - they have something worth fighting for. So, it got me thinking - what is worth fighting for? It's easy to answer with the big answers - world peace, freedom, political ideals. But, what about the things we fight for everyday? Eat right and you are fighting for your health, speak kindly and you are fighting for love, recycle and you are fighting for the earth. It really is the little things that we do - the little battles that we take on. In the depths of your heart, you know which battles are worth fighting and which are not. Unfortunately, sometimes we fight the wrong battles and get hung up in their outcomes. Listen closer to your instincts and you might be able to let go of the less worthy battles and stick to the worthwhile ones. When you fight the worthwhile battles, you feel good - alive, vibrant, radiant.

Spend some time today focusing on breath, even it out. Practice ujjayi pranayama - victory breath. Practice asana focusing on your core and opening your heart. Go upside down and be brave!

Listen to your heart - your true center of wisdom, and learn what is worth fighting for.

Namaste,
Mary

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.