Being Flexible, Adaptable, and Optimistic

Flexibility, adaptability and optimism.  

Sounds so nice, doesn't it? What's the first thing you think of? Your friends? Colleagues? Your mind? Pet? 

Since this is a yoga blog, I'll first liken the phrase to a yoga class.  

You have to be flexible in a yoga class. No - I don't mean the physical kind.  In fact, it's much easier to teach people who are less flexible physically because they actually feel the correct alignment a little easier.  I'm talking about the being-able-to-change kind of flexible.  You have to come willing to be flexible in mind, and open in spirit. New sensations may arise in your body.  Be okay with this.  Someone's mat might be too close to yours because the class is too big. Be okay with this.  You might hear a lawn mower outside. Be okay with this. 

Adaptable.  You might not think your body is capable of becoming more physically flexible.  You may enter yoga class with the mental blockage: "I know I can't do this pose - I'm just going to stay in downward dog for a while," or "This teacher's style is not what I'm used to - I probably won't like it." 
If you know a pose will be too hard for you, adapt.  Grab a block or a prop of some sort and try it anyway.  Who cares if you don't go as deep as everyone else.  Adapt to your surroundings - surrender - and allow yourself to learn something new.  

Optimism. You know how you have those bad days once in a while and even though that smiley person on the subway annoys you sometimes because they talk too much, they always, at some point, make you laugh? Be that person that makes other people laugh.  I'm not talking about bouncing into the office and saying "Good Morning!" really loudly to everyone you see first thing in the morning - but take any inner turmoil that you may wake up with in the morning and meditate on this: Everyone you meet today is going through something worse than you.  Since you have the awareness that all it takes is a conscious decision to be happy, you need to be the one to turn their frown upside down.  

I heard these three words from a friend who was a fire fighter for many years, later became fire chief, and who himself heard these words from the chief of the London Fire Brigade.  When describing how the LFB tries to maintain an organization that is dedicated to effective public service the Commissioner said that "the organization tries to hire people who are flexible, adaptable and optimistic."

I looked up the London Fire Brigade website just to confirm that it was true.  On their application for employment the following was a qualification for hiring a Deputy Head:

Skills

Demonstrable influencing skills, able to be flexible and adaptable to different people and situations, using empathy and perception to instil confidence in others. 
- London Fire Brigade 

I got to thinking what it would be like if every place of employment hired employees in this way - instilled these principles in their teams and fostered these sentiments in team meetings.  If every school instilled them in their classrooms.  If every parent reminded their children....  

I decided to break each point down and really study each word - Influencing: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.  Flexible: Able to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances or condition.  Adaptable: Able to adjust to new conditions or to be modified for a new use or purpose. Different: Unlike in nature; novel and unusual. Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Perception: The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses. Instill: Gradually but firmly establish (an idea or attitude, esp. a desirable one) in a person's mind. Confidence: The state of feeling certain about the truth of something.
If you really took each of these definitions to heart and truly demonstrated what the LFB looks for in their employees...

Do you know what would happen?
Your confidence would flourish (something the universe desperately needs); your ego would disappear; your heart would open fully; you would serve others selflessly; collaboration would create beautiful things; you would understand that there are others - humans and non-humans on this planet - that are made up of the same stuff you are - that they essentially are you; that your positive influence can have a major impact on someone; that it's not so hard to modify slightly in order to create positive change; that you are unique; that the world needs you to share and speak your truth; that this can all be accomplished by Love. 

Gabrielle Bernstein does a great job of speaking the truth in this video. 

Now think of those words again: Flexibility, adaptability, optimism.  What do you think of now? Do you embody these at work? With your friends? With strangers? Your partner?

If not, it might be time to start opening your heart and speaking your truth.  

Be flexible - with yourself and others. Adapt.  Be optimistic.  It's hard not to be when truth is all you know. 

Namaste. 

10 Things a Yogi-in-Training Should Start Today

Being a dedicated yogi means creating healthy habits every day.  In fact just by practicing yoga every day, you will find that some of your old habits will change and new ones will easily replace them.  Here are a few habits that have allowed my practice to soar to new heights.

1. Get up before you normally do. 
This might mean going to bed early, too.  I know, I know...I'm a late-night type of gal myself but *expletive* is the early morning sweeeeet!  According to Ayurvedic Science, the time just before the sun is starting to rise is the Vata time of day and is when we dream, then wake, eliminate, meditate, and exercise.  If you're like me, and most of your life have been working or playing late until the wee hours- checking email, reading news, drawing, creating - you go to bed feeling energized and sometimes your mind can be too filled with thougths to really get a well-rested sleep. 
Try going to bed early.  Your body will naturally wake closer to the rise of the sun - and you will feel like a million bucks.

2. Meditate every day.
Five minutes at first. That's all you need to start cultivating this beautiful little life force called Prana.  When you meditate, you literally call upon all that wicked positive energy of the universe and you add to this gigantic pool of beauty.  Not sure how to meditate?  Sit in a quiet spot (if possible) with your butt not too high and not too low.  I like to sit on a rolled-up yoga mat with a blanket on top so my hips are higher than my knees, and my folded legs/knees are touching the earth.  You can also sit comfortably in a chair.  Your back should be straight, and your spine in line with your head for optimal pranic flow. At first do whatever you can to clear your mind: Take a few deep breaths; if your "to-do" list keeps popping up, write it down and be done with it for the next 5 - 10 minutes.  Try repeating silently any of these mantras:

• Om mani padme hum - a universal mantra known to contain the essence of buddha teaching
• Om Namah Shivaya - "I honor the Spirit within"
• Soham or Hamsa - "I am that"
• Om Tat Sat - a purification mantra
• Or you can create your own mantra such as "I am love," or "Breathing in, I smile to my breath, breathing out, I shine love all around me," or just as simple as, "In-breath, out-breath." (See Thich Nhat Hanh's site for more insight on breathing mantras)

Many thoughts will arrise. When I tried this for the first time as a teenager, I thought I would never be able to quiet my mind.  Finally, however, you begin to "train" your mind to be calm and you will start to feel the physical effects.
When you meditate, you tune into this crazy universal energy and your body naturally begins to choose positive lifestyle habits and foods that better support your life!

3. Practice poses you don't necessariliy like.
Parsva Tadasana with feet together, Utkatasana and Urdhva Dhanurasana were some of my most dreaded poses when I started! I avoided them at all costs.  Now they are all regular, simple poses in my practice.  I have now begun practicing variations on the full backbend, do inversions freely (which I also always hated, because of years of back trauma) and love bending myself into a pretzel!
When you just try poses you're not fond of, it's amazing what opens up in your heart, in your practice, and in your daily life.

You tell 'em, Des: http://vimeo.com/61243703

4. Remove processed food from your diet.

I'm not Catholic but for the first time in my life, I decided to give up something for Lent.  Processed Sugar.

I've never been one of those "junk-food junkies" and am not fond of any of that chewy candy anyway like gummy worms or starbursts or swedish fish.  But I do love that tasty hazelnut spread (sugar, artificial flavor) any kind of dark chocolate bar (sugar, sugar) and of course that "Chocolate bar that satisfies" (sugar, corn syrup, milkfat, more sugar) and although all of these things do satisfy in the moment, I find more and more that it takes my body extra time to feel "normal" again.

I put this little sugar tale to the test.  On day 13 of Lent, it was my mom's birthday and we had a little celebration.  A friend showed up with Ice Cream Cake - you know - with that extra gooey gel frosting stuff? (MMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm my weakness!) Well everyone around me was wolfing the stuff down and, usually one with impeccable self-control, I ask, "Should I have a little?" In unison, my very supportive family and friends exclaimed, "YES."

No further questions. I dove in. I'm not Catholic anyway - a little bit won't hurt me and I won't even have the guilt to follow!

Was I wrong.

Not to get too graphic and detailed, but I don't remember the last time my food followed me to say hello again the next day. If my memory serves me correctly, it was when I was about 8 years old, choking on a cheese stick.  That next morning, after ridding my body of sugar for the past 2 weeks, my big piece of ice cream cake came back to say hello. I felt awful.

After that, Lent is proving to be much easier and not only do I now avoid processed sugar quite easily, I have also had to be very creative in the kitchen, finding sweets that don't contain sugar, finding much healthier alternatives and eating much more fruit.

5. Start reading the dharma.
How do you feel after watching reality TV shows? After hours of celebrity gossip? After scanning social media sites all day?
When I tell people that in my spare time, I enjoy reading the "Indian Bible" I definitely tend to get a few eye rolls.  I'm not saying that everyone has to drop their "chillax" time in front of the tube and get down to studying spiritual philosophy.  But a few Rumi poems now and again won't hurt.  In fact, it is said that just by reading this type of enlightened work, pranic vibrations start to enter your energy field.
Other books that'll make you go Hmmmm:
Light on Yoga - B.K.S Iyengar
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice
The Poetry of Yoga

6. Smile. Every day. A lot.
To yourself in the morning, to whoever the first person or creature is that you set your eyes upon today, even during that yoga pose that makes your thighs burn.  Smiling is contagious.  Smiling makes others "get out of their head" and pull them into the present moment.  Smiling makes you realize that this difficult pose can actually be a lot of fun! 
You'll be more attractive to everyone around you, too.  You'll have that special glow and people will think, "I wonder what she/he is so happy about." 
And to know all they have to do is turn up the corners of their mouth.... :)

7. Set an Intention.
We do this before every yoga practice.  There's a reason you show up on your mat every day (or however often you do).  It could be to become stronger.  It could be to feel more energetic.  It could be to quiet your mind or to find 60 - 90 minutes of peace.  Ultimately, we come to our mats to feel good or to cultivate more awareness.  We might practice to cultivate love and to be able to make someone else feel good.  Lately, I've been dedicating each practice to a friend of mine who is going through a hard time and since I know he doesn't have a yoga practice of his own, I try to build up the strength and send it to him.
It could be something very specific too: "I am practicing these poses to cultivate kindness to my colleagues today," or "I dedicate this practice to eating healthy food all day."
Whatever your intention is, setting one will make your practice that much stronger and valuable.  You will also be more apt to carry that intention with you all throughout the day.

8. Do What it is you were put on this earth to do.
When I was 11 or 12 I remember my mom listening to me sing along to the radio. "How can you hit those high notes?"  "I dunno," as I shrugged my shoulders.  She saw a talent and a desire in me and signed me up for voice lessons almost immediately.  I remember being ecstatic after my first lesson.  Singing, and now writing, playing music and performing has given me that same happy adrenaline rush since elementary school and I try to practice a little every day to cultivate one of those things I was put on this earth to do. 
I played sports my whole life but when we started practices for field hockey in high school, we ran around the gigantic field for miles.  We would always stretch a little before we ran, but I really got into it.  Then after practice, I would sit on the field, stretching deeply into the pain and tightness in my legs while the sun was setting and everyone else trekked up the big hill to their cars.  The next day in school while everyone was limping and barely able to make it up the stairs, I would bounce along like gumby. For anyone who would listen, I loved explaining the benefits of stretching and showing them what I had learned.  
Later, I realized I could stretch right along with a passionate group of people who just loved to stretch all day!!!! And you could make a career out of it! 
Yoga became a huge part of my life and, again, I cultivate this practice on a daily basis, teaching others and learning more about it every day. 

9. Listen.
People love to talk.  About their kids, their dog, their accomplishments, their problems.  Sometimes they want to hear about your stuff to, but mostly, they just want you to listen.  So do that.  And in your silence, they will find a true friend, a true mentor, and they might learn that sometimes it's okay for them to be silent, too.

10. Be Grateful.
I've mentioned before: the Buddhists say, "If you wake up and you don't have a toothache - be happy!"
True dat.
It's true that "gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions." (Thanks, Zig) it actually feels good to be grateful! It makes you give back more, which also feels good and actually makes you smile more (see point #6). 

Now let's see - I rose out of bed while the sun was just peeking over the horizon, meditated with a new mantra, "Om Tat Sat," practiced some poses even with burning muscles from this weekend's workshop,  had some lemon water and oatmeal with bananas blueberries, read some beautiful articles which inspired this post, smiled (I always do during meditation), and set the intention to focus on my blog and websites today.  I have a plan to practice my music in a little bit for a gig coming up and I am so grateful that you made it to the end of my blog post!

Now if I see anyone on my day off or if you have any comments for me, I will be sure to take my own advice and listen with open ears.

Om Namah.

Making Good Face

In yoga it's important to be pure, or at least to lean towards living a pure life. This includes what we put in and on our bodies.  It's amazing how great your body feels, too, when you start living this way and how you start to curb cravings - whether it's food related or product-related. 

After lots of trial and error, lots of listening to my body, and meeting two curly-haired Europeans who are very important to me, I've come up with a routine that works for me. Everyone is different but hopefully this will act as a guide for those seeking.

We've all seen those face wash commercials where the beautiful girl is suds-ing up her face and feels all silky smooth after she pats her skin dry, then applies brand-name moisturizer, all of which is supposed to help prevent acne - help dry out or clear up those dreaded little bumps and wipe away all the oil.  But I learned a long time ago not to trust everything that comes on TV.

Sure, acne surfaces due to skin glands producing too much oil but why do they do this? The more you wash your face and strip your skin of it's natural oils, the more these glands will produce even more oil, clogging your pores.  It's important to allow your natural oils to rule - not brand-name products. 

First of all - if it's not organic or natural - meaning the ingredients in the product are free from added dyes, fragrances and synthetic materials - why on earth would you want to put that on your body?!?!!? You know your skin is porous and that anything you put on it will seep into your body, and therefore your muscles and every cell in your body, right? (remember all that "the hip bone's connected to the - thigh-bone" stuff?) Now I say this, but unfortunately the beauty industry is not regulated so what you think might be "natural" might not be at all.  Ingredient-reading is the best solution.  You probably also don't want to buy products that have been tested on animals - if it's NATURAL you shouldn't need to test it on innocent creatures! This link can provide some good resources for toxin-less information. http://www.ewg.org/

My two very special, intelligent, curly-haired European friends - who have never met, by the way - both exclaimed when they saw me washing my face with soap or soapy-type facial cleanser many moons ago, "Why do you wash your face with soap?! That's so bad for your skin!" Noticing their milky soft skin and being frightened to death by their reactions, I vowed to take all of their beauty tips from then on.  They obviously were equipped with a wisdom much greater than I.

I'll start with the night-time routine first.  You should wash the daily grime off your face by choosing a cleansing milk or cleansing lotion of some sort.  Sudsy-type products or any kind of soap typically dry our your skin and you have to put on twice the amount of moisturizer to make up for it.  The more you use dehydrating products, the more your skin searches to find oil to moisturize it (see intro paragraph). I use Aubrey's Vegecol with Aloe Facial Cleansing Lotion for sensitive skin. More about this on make-up removal, below.

You could finish it off with a toner to restore your pH level. There are two types of toners - one with astringent and one without.  Astringents (of which witch hazel is a natural one) has drying properties so in the winter, I tend not to subject my face to such harshness but astringent-based toners are better for those with oily skin.  When I do use them, my go-to is Ragged Robin Herbal Farm - either the Lavender Facial Toner with witchhazel for oily skin or just their Rosewater Toner for normal skin.

In the morning you should only splash warm water on your face.  It's also not a bad idea to end with a splash of cold to close off the pores - which is also a great way to shock yourself awake in the morning.  No soap.  This took a while for me to get used to at first, because I was addicted to that tight crispy clean feeling.  But now that I've been soap-free for over 10 years, I would NEVER go back, as I realize I was completely dehydrating my skin. 

Mascara.  I'm not going to spend much time in this post about makeup - I'm really no expert and since I don't wear it that often, I haven't tested out the ones that might be the healthiest on my skin but I do want to talk about the removal of eye-makeup.  Out of anything that I put on, I tend to use Mascara the most.  If I'm performing in a show, I want my eyes to pop a little more, so on goes the gooey black stuff.  I use Dr. Hauschka Black Volume masacara.  This retails for about $30.  Why do I pay so much for Mascara, you ask? Have you ever gone to bed without removing the stuff and woke up in the morning to find it literally coming out of your sinuses?  Back up to my previous point about not putting toxic products on or in your body.  When you close your eyes at night with makeup on your eyes, you are just inviting those toxins to go directly into your bloodstream.  Have fun hawking up a black phlegm ball in the morning.  Hauschka products are unique in that you can't find 2 stores that sell Hauschka products within like 20 miles of each other.  The store I buy it from also gives a $10 reward if you buy something during the month of your birth.  Since I wear mascara so seldom, I literally go once a year on my birthday, buy the stuff and I'm good to go!

Make-up remover. The above-mentioned face-cleansing lotion is the only stuff I've found, that when applying with a cotton ball to closed eyes, does not irritate or sting my eyes.  Every other product I've used, even if it says, "make-up remover" burns not only my eyes and makes me tear up, but my skin as well, leaving it raw and red.  Find the product that works best for your skin, doesn't make you cry and leaves you feeling soft.

Facial moisturizer. Even when I "wash" with only water in the morning, I still apply a nice moisturizer.  My winter go-to is Indian Meadow Herbals - Love your Face Cream - Made in Maine. This has lots of thick oils including coconut oil and I find that I really need it to keep hydrated in the cold months. 
In the summer, I might use Aubrey's Vegecol with Aloe Moisturizer for sensitive skin.  However, when going outside at all, whether it be for a run or even doing errands, you'll always want some kind of sun-protectant.  For that I use a product by Badger: Damascus Rose with Lavender and Chamomile - Antioxidant Face Sunscreen - Broad spectrum spf 16.

Mask. Once a week or so if you feel like you need a deep moisturizer or if you simply want a deep clean, a mask might be necessary.  Now I'm not talking those typical green or thick white masks you may have seen on commercials either - some of my "masks" literally fade right into your skin and you can't even tell anything is on your face! In fact, one "mask" I have you can actually wear all day, and cover it up with makeup and it just acts as a super-duper moisturizer, but you have to remove it before bed, or else it could clog your pores.  Go to your local Health Food store and ask about masks and talk about your specific skin type.

Body. Again, for the entire body, if you use a product with too many drying chemicals, you'll be scratching your @$$ all day.  My go-to is Nature's Gate Scent-free Moisturizing Lotion, or any Kiss My Face moisturizer will do.  If you want to go Ayurvedic on us, try oil.  Ayurvedic science recommends lightly scrubbing your skin with a loofah, massaging your entire body with some kind of natural oil (coconut or jojoba oils work fine - I always have almond oil on hand since the scent is so mild) and then taking a warm shower.  Massaging with oil before allows the hot steamy water to beat into your skin more and prevents the oil from getting on any clothes or furniture afterwards.

Body Soap. Dr. Brommers Almond or Peppermint Soap.  Sometimes you really do need soap to get rid of dirty bodies.  However, unless you've been rolling around in the mud or as an athlete, sweat constantly every day, you really only need to clean the bits! If my arms and legs aren't dirty, and especially if I just scrubbed with my loofah, there's no need to strip your entire body of its natural oils every time either.  Be careful where you put that Peppermint soap though...talk about a wake-up call!

Shampoo & Conditioner. I change up my shampoo and conditioner often so can't recommend anything that I've used consistently.  Again, I tend to go towards natural products with few ingredients.  The less ingredients in my products and food, the better.

There are just a few other tips I'd like to share for great-looking skin.  Meditate. Light will pour out of you and others will wonder why you're glowing all the time.  Cut out smoking - and drinking (too much).  I have observed smokers and drinkers 10 - 20 - 30 years older than me and it's amazing how much their skin has deteriorated compared to non-smokers and drinkers of the same age. Eat plant-based foods, cutting out fat and excessive amounts of sugar.  Why have your body work so hard to get rid of all the toxins in your body when it can just relax if you're eating healthy food?  Finally, for more great tips, you might just want to check out all the advice that Kris Carr wrote in her recent post on Thriving with Cancer. Congrats, Kris!

Healthy washing!
Namaste.

Give Love

Love. Think about it. When you're young, you're jealous if your best friend scores a "first kiss" because you want someone to like you that much.
In high school or college you're upset when your friend "finds someone" because now you have to be alone while they've abandoned you for a partner.
When the first in your "group" gets a ring or gets married or becomes pregnant, you're wondering if you'll soon find "the one."
You know that feeling when you finally get the one - when you finally get the kiss? when you finally get the ring?

You can have this feeling all the time. 

The thing is - you're made from love.  You were this ball of energy before you were conceived and this energy of love attached itself to a terrestrial body.  We humans struggle inside these bodies our entire lives! You may not even realize you struggle.  Many of us obsess about our external presentation - buying the best makeup, looking in the mirror all day, follow fashion blogs to make sure we're wearing the correct thing - and this can give us the feeling of stress, jealousy and grief.

We always want more money.  We think we'll be happy only if we can buy that shirt we saw on sale because it will make us different and unique!  We'll finally be happy when we get to buy that house. We do all this at the expense of turning inward and looking into ourselves; into our light; into our love.

I happened to quickly see, as I walked by a television the other day, a man with a physical disability.  I stopped and caught just the general feel of his message.  "The only disability in this life is a bad attitude".  As someone who was born with a physical disability he, instead of feeling sorry for himself by comparing himself to all the "normal" beings on the planet, rejoiced in his individuality and found himself happy on his own path.

We all hang on something - our looks; our car; our expensive designer clothes, our partners - why not hang onto love?

The yogis say it's important to celebrate every single moment.  Every moment is precious!  Do you have a toothache at the moment? No? Then celebrate!  Are you out on the street without a warm home? No?  Dance party!

Don't let your ego get in the way and convince you that material things are of any importance.

Because if you don't receive roses this Valentine's Day, or that raise or if you aren't able to go on that vacation or if you miss that sale, you'll always be disappointed.

What if - when your friend got that first kiss - you were happy for them? What if - when your friend receives that diamond - you congratulate them on their relationship and wish them well (and then either educate them that diamonds really have no intrinsic value or silently smile, knowing you won't go into debt over a silly little stone)?

The truth is, the more you give love, the more you become in tuned to that love that is essentially - YOU - and the less you will care about what our culture and media portray as being important. The more you give love (thanks MC!), the more you BECOME love...and the more all beings in your path will feel the love.

So this Valentine's day - don't wish you had someone in your life if you don't.  Don't be sad if you don't receive roses or cards.  And if you are in a relationship, just love your partner unconditionally, just as you (should) love yourself.  Don't wish any changes on him or her, either.  Just see the best in them. Because once you just love it's amazing how people start to feel that energy and change on their own.

<3 Give love - give your love away. <3

Love. Now don't think about it. Feel it. Give it.

[Thank you to all of my spirit leaders, authors, artists, enlightened beings of the yogic tradition who contributed to the inspiration of this blog post. :)]

Namaste

A Typical Day in the Life of a Yogi in Training (winter)

7:15am My eyes open. My eyes shut. Did I get enough sleep? Eyes open. Don't look at clock yet - it's so far away.  Eyes shut.  On my stomach, I turn my head and body onto my left side. I can reach my phone. 7:15. Eyes shut. I notice, from my slight movements, that my body is sore from yesterday's practice of backbends, handstands and attempt at King Arthur's pose.

Eyes open. I notice more pain in my back. I adjust to the pain.  My eyes adjust to the light. Now on my back, eyes shut.
7:33am Rise from slumber.  I get up, immediately make the bed so it doesn't entice me any more.  I stumble to the door to start the morning bathroom routine.  Warm water is splashed on my face - no soap - never any soap (unless you're washing your face at night with a type of milk-cleansing product or cleansing-lotion - otherwise it dries our your skin). A Rosewater spray (no astringent in the winter for me) is sprayed on to wake me up a little more, then a thick oil-based face cream is applied (thicker - for me - only in winter).  Ahhhh... teeth-brushing, etc. ensues...then I saunter downstairs to get a cup of warm water with lemon to rid my body of toxins and to clean the pathways for meditation.
8:00am Pranayama, Meditation and Yoga.  I go through my 12 minutes of pranayama which includes nadi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing, breath of fire, nauli or massaging of internal organs, and Surya Bhedan.  It actually took me 15 minutes today because I admit, I was daydreaming of teaching a yoga class outside in really warm weather.
I feel clean and ready to sit in silence!  I focus my attention on my third eye and begin my mantra of "Om mani padme hum" or "Om namah shivaya".  Today I have raised my butt up on a couple folded blankets because I've been having a problem with my feet falling asleep! Today seems to be going well, but then after about 8 minutes or so, the tingling begins.  I try to think about what I've learned through my readings and teachers, trying not to move my body and just keep focus but of course, the squirmish body does what it wants sometimes and I begin to move to get the blood circulating better.  I think I've nailed it and sit for about another 8 minutes. Looks like that's all I've got today folks.  On to the asanas. I'll blame it on the cold. :)
8:30am Start my asana practice.  I begin with some pilates moves, actually, that I have picked up along the way that really seem to release my low back.  I lie on my mat, rolling another mat under my sacrum and perform a bunch of stress-relieving exercises.  I also do a few therapeutic moves to open my chest and release my shoulders.
I then typically begin with cat/cow - more release for the back - and Child's pose while reaching over to the left and right.  
I reverted back to my Ashtanga background for this practice, but with more focused attention on the cues and subtleties of my most recent Alignment-based studies.  I was in the mood for a flow - but a more safe one than I've known in the past - which is what I hope to convey to my students one day.
9:10am Receive a call from my <3 and welcome the interruption.  Not because I wanted to be interrupted, but I had an instant awareness that if someone had called me in the middle of my practice a few years ago, I would have become irritable and angry that my flow was broken.  Today I'm in a better place, knowing that everything happens for a reason, and grateful that I was able to get in a solid hour + practice of mindfulness.
9:50am Today is a cold day. I sit in my armchair with feet up, covered by a mountain of blankets, bowl of hot oatmeal with blueberries, bananas and maple syrup in hands along with a glass of warm lemon water.
10:00am Begin reading Yoganada's version of the Bhagavad Gita.
11:30am Get distracted by a music business phone call - also a welcomed interruption - and then decide to "distract" myself further by going on to facebook to see if I can gather some inspiration from all of the blogs I follow.  I read my daily inspiration from my yoga, food, spirit and news blogs and then decide to write this very blog. :)
12:30pm I get up from my chair and have lunch and make tea.
1:20pm I sit back down and continue reading, sipping my tea and watch the snow fall.

To be honest, from here, the distractions for the rest of the day were pretty endless.  It just so happens that one business call led to another, which led to another, and another, etc., etc., which resulted in about 5 unique and well-paying gigs throughout the spring.  I told myself that this "Typical Day for a yogi" became instead a typical day for a yogi, a musician, an artist, a business-gal and an all-around-multi-passionate-entrepreneur...and I was okay with that. :) Maybe one day I'll write a blog that encompasses all of that.  I'm interested in what my "Typical Day in the Life of a Yogi in Training - spring" post might bring.

Be true to yourself. Welcome interruptions. Continue smiling on your path.
Namaste :)

Truth in Silence

"I always knew there was truth in silence - but what am I waiting for?" 

I don't know if it was growing up with a dad who I watched meditate when I came downstairs on a Saturday morning.  Or if it came from observing loud and boisterous people and how they affected those watching.  Or how, when someone said too much, they would get into trouble because of their choice of words - and I took notice.

I mean, granted, I could definitely be the outgoing one at the party.  In fact, I usually was. You don't get  chosen as "most congenial" because you're a wallflower.  I usually tried to talk to everyone in the room. I actually felt uncomfortable if I noticed there was someone I hadn't met yet.  

But then noise started to bother me.

Not all noises. I'm a musician. I can't hate noise. But noise that I thought was superfluous. Words that didn't have to be said. Words that came from thoughts that shouldn't have been thought.

Unless I heard words that offered a positive resonance, they started to hurt. 

You know when you tune to a radio station, and they're playing your favorite song, but you can barely make it out - over the static? Mmmhmm.  Like that.  It hurts you to listen but you REALLY want to. 

At social gatherings I would really try to listen and care when people complained about work. I really tried to be interested when acquaintances would talk about how their brothers' fiance's mother's step-nephew was was dating that girl from high school who we never used to like - can you believe that?
I even offered up my own thoughts from time to time. 

But then I realized that all this trying wasn't really me.  In high school it might have been.  I was trying to find myself. I was trying to make friends. I was really trying to get to know people. 

"Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." Proverbs 17:28

It's something children need to know now.  There needs to be a class in elementary school: Finding your own Path.  A class that allows kids to be creative, to be expressive, and that ends with 5 minutes of introspection.

I've really wanted to laugh with people I've called friends.  I've always loved connecting with people and finding that one thing that we can build on and use to create wonders in the world. I really really want to hear that song on the radio. But it just won't come through. There's too much static in between us.  There's negative feedback.

I used to be happy being in the middle of noise.  I craved it.  Now I find the light that shines through all the static - in silence.  And I think I always knew there was truth in silence.  That first quote is a lyric from one of the songs that will be on my debut album, coming out this spring.  I've asked myself that question a lot - when I'm in the middle of static, when I feel too much verbal clutter around me - "what are you waiting for?"

So I sit. I turn inward. I become silent.  Really silent. And I listen.  I listen to my breath.  I listen to thoughts but then I tell them to go away for now.  I let light come into me.  I do this until a big smile appears on my face. And then I sit some more.

You can't imagine how good silence feels, now and again.  Try it. I speak the truth.

Namaste.

Hope Ave

Next time you're on your way home, or to the grocery store, or picking up your kids, or on your way to work, notice for one moment that in your car, right now, is the only place you can be.  In your mind you might be somewhere else.  You might be thinking of dinner or what your husband or girlfriend might be doing.  You might have that account or client still on your mind. But the truth is you can't do anything about it in this moment.  So just be with yourself. 

I grew up near an avenue. Hope Avenue. It was the road we always took on our way to the highway.  Every time we went to the movies, we drove on Hope Avenue.  Every time we came home from my cousins' house, we took the Hope Ave exit.  I've never noticed the name before this week.  It has always been uttered as, "Hopav".  All the locals just know it as that: Ho-pav.

The other day I was feeling really anxious. I had just finalized my New Year's resolution (coming in a blog post near you soon) and was excited to start something new (again). Sometimes when I feel really anxious and want to express myself but feel stifled I develop what the Chinese call "Plum pit chi." I felt this stuck chi in my throat all the way home from work. Sometimes I even become aware of it, but the feeling is so strong I can't get rid of it. 

Then I came upon the "Hope Ave" sign.  I was almost home.  Something washed over me.  An awareness that my whole commute home was wasted on energy weaving in and out of cars, wanting to get home faster than everyone else, not being present.  I took the length of the street to do some r e a l l y  d e e p  b r e a t h i n g. I told myself that it's still okay to hope and to dream but throughout the journey I still need to be present every step of the way.

From now on, I would use Hope Avenue to remember to be present - on the way to work and at least at the end of my commute home. I know that if I am aware often enough, then I will become aware right when I get into my car and eventually at every moment throughout the day...and on every avenue.

What will you do to become more present every day?