Lovingkindness Mantra

Why I do Yoga: part 3

Do you know what a type-A personality looks like?  Always stressed, always hurried, always freaked out about one thing or another.  That’s me.  Or at least it used to be me.  And I still fall into that habit every now & then.  But it’s not how I live.

I come from a long line of worriers.  I could worry about anything.  I’m sure if there were awards for worrying, I would be a finalist.  If you’re a worrier, you know how hard it is to live that way.  Never peaceful.  Never content. 

The first time I tried Sivasana (the meditation at the end of each yoga class), it was just 10 minutes to worry, uninterrupted!  My monkey mind was all over the place.  How did these people lie still so long?  Aren’t they dying to get up & do something?

Slowly, very slowly, Yoga, Pranayama (breathing) and meditation have changed all that for me.  Most of the time, I can quiet my mind.  Now, I’m more likely to be thinking of just one thing, instead of many things at once.  I still worry, but not as often.  Now, with practice, I can breathe, calm my mind, and stop freaking out.  I can prioritize and accomplish my tasks in a calm and peaceful manner.

This has been another liberating aspect of yoga.  Slowing down, letting go.  Most of my friends and acquaintances now wouldn’t know what a type-A I used to be.  I like that.

Why I do Yoga: part 1

I've been reading a business book, entitled, "Start with Why".  It's been pretty powerful.  I've asked myself, "why DO I work this hard to keep up a yoga studio?"  So, the following is just the first story of why I love yoga.  Some of these will end up in our marketing materials, but it's been very therapeutic, just to write about it. 
I spent the majority of my life critical of myself and others.  There were many reasons for this, but it was mostly a lack of self-worth.  I was my harshest judge.  Anything short of perfection was unacceptable....so I was always unacceptable.
When I went to teacher training for the first time, I was so uncomfortable.  Look at these people:  she needs to brush her hair, his clothes don't match, what's with all those tattoos....Not to mention judging myself:  what will they think of me?  What should I say?  That was stupid of me.  How do I look to them?  I could not relax.
But one morning, in my hotel, getting ready to go, I looked at my messy, wild hair and for the first time, I thought "that's OK."  I suddenly realized that my yoga friends weren't judging me.  This was a major first in my life:  unconditional acceptance.  It blew my mind & opened the door for me to stop judging myself.
I have not mastered this skill.  I'm still my own worst critic.  But now that I've tasted the freedom of accepting myself, it's a part of my daily life.  And I find I can be kinder to others as well.
This is just one of the ways that yoga has helped me find my peace.  Let it help you find yours.

Practicing acceptance of the weather

"It is what it is."  If you think about it, this is a funny phrase.  Because of course, it is what it is.  What else could it be?  But, anyway, most of the time you hear this phrase, it's someone trying to accept the way things are.  To look at them without judgement.
I'm working on it.  Right now, I'm working on accepting this crazy weather.  Several things about the weather give me a tough time of accepting.
1-I do not like to be cold or wet, or cold & wet.
2-Driving in snow & ice scares me.
3-I really don't like having to shut down the studio, when there are people who want their yoga!
But it is what it is.  There's not a thing I can do about it.
And I am remembering to be grateful.  A couple of years ago, on one of our missions to Nicaragua, we helped to finish a home for a family.  I've spoken about this family, and this home before, in our newsletter.  But when it's muddy outside, my mind and heart always go to them.
This family was literally living in the mud.  They had no way to get out of it.  Their home had no floor, and really, no walls to speak of.  Just sticks, loosely tied together.  We were there during the rainy season, and it had been raining, like it is here, but for 3 weeks.  The father, in an effort to keep his family dry, dug a ditch in front of the little home, to help redirect the water.  But there was so much, that even inside the house looked like a puddle.  One mom, one dad, and four beautiful little girls shared a space smaller than my office.  They slept on pieces of cardboard, to try to get out of the mud.  As you can imagine, it didn't help much.
There's a happy ending to this story.  Our group was the last to work on their new home.  And while this home had no floor, and in America, someone would store their lawn mower there, at least it was dry inside.  And I will never forget the smiles.
So, tonight, when you go to your warm home, with a dry floor, a soft bed, running, hot water, and plenty of food to eat, please think of this family.  These beautiful children.  And be grateful for your blessings.

Niyama: Isvara Pranidhanam (surrender)

Surrender....
The word has so many connotations, both good & bad.  To surrender in a physical battle is frightening.  it puts you at the enemy's will.  So many times in history, warriors killed themselves to avoid torture at the hands of the enemy.
But what if you're surrendering to a friend?  What if you're surrendering to someone you trust?
You might begin by surrendering to someone who knows more than you do about a topic.  Can you surrender enough to learn something?  Or maybe just surrender a little in your yoga pose.  Just give up a little of the 'fight' for the pose, and see what you can soften.  But to truly practice Isvara Pranidhanam is to surrender to One who is greater.  To surrender to God.  Giving up my will, my way, my plans is probably the toughest battle I'll fight.  Every day, I try to surrender my ego to His plan.  Every day I fail.   Guess that's why we call it our PRACTICE.
The picture above is of a beautful new mama and baby in Nicaragua.  This little one is so precious, but so incredibly vulnerable.  But he trusts his mother, and those around him.  Full surrender...
How much can you surrender today?

Niyama: Santosha (contentment)

Our next Niyama is called Santosha. The basic idea here is to find contentment in your circumstances. I love this. It’s so very Biblical. The apostle Paul said, “I’ve learned, whatever state I’m in, to be content”. It’s also very relevant. Take a look at your life. Are you content?

I have to admit that I’m not always content. I’m much more so now than in the past. I look at my wonderful husband, my sweet animals, and my amazing job, and a great sense of peace takes over. But then life happens, and I’m thrown headlong into wanting something to change. I want a bigger house, more money, more free time, more time with my friends & family, more, more, more…

Thankfully, through prayer & practice, I’m usually able to come back to contentment.

Santosha reminds me that this is enough. That now is enough. That I am enough.

Today, look at the areas of your life which seem to nag at you. Look at the “if only”s with a critical eye, then look at the present moment and find whatever happiness is waiting for you there.

Yama: Asteya (non-stealing)

Our next Yama is Asteya, or non-stealing. We discussed in earlier posts Ahimsa & Satya.

I’m pretty sure that most of us don’t rob jewelry stores. (of course, if you do, please seek help!) And most of us wouldn’t even think about shoplifting. But what about other ways of stealing? What about the pens and paper you brought home from the office, even by accident? What about eating that last cookie, when you know your spouse would really enjoy it? What about at a trade show, when you already got whatever swag they’re handing out, but you go right back for more? Are there little ways in which you are truly stealing?

Let’s look a little deeper. Are you stealing from others in any other way? Have you used underhanded ways to get promoted? Do you spend company time to surf the internet, make personal phone calls, or just goof off?

What about stealing from yourself? In your yoga practice, don’t push beyond where you’ve earned. Build a foundation of correct alignment and daily practice before moving deeper in a pose. In your daily life, give yourself a few minutes of meditation, or at least peace & quiet. Don’t rob yourself of the things that are so very important.

In what ways are you stealing? How can you begin to change that this week?
(By the way, the picture above is one I took of the Roan Highlands-not far from Johnson City-it's a great place find a few minutes of peace & stillness)

Learning from animals-the "Guardians of Being"

Every year, about this time, I get a serious case of Spring Fever.  Who wants to be inside when it's warm & sunshine-y and things are blooming?  Even though I've spent today, knocking items off the to-do list, my heart just really wants to sit outside and breathe in the warm air.  I want to roll out my mat and practice yoga in the grass.
What's kind of fun is that our dog seems to have Spring Fever, too!  (Yep-that's her in the picture...with mud on her nose from burying a bone)  Saturday morning, when we were trying to sleep in, she was WIDE AWAKE.  She bounded into the bedroom, walked over to the bed and licked my nose!  That got me up, to let her out at 6:30 am.  But then she barked, so I let her back in.  But then she bothered me, so I put her back out.  Then she barked.  This went on for hours.  She was so excited, and it must've just been Spring in the air.
A few months ago, one of my sweet yoga students, Sharon, gave me a book by Eckhart Tolle and Patrick McDonald, entitled, Guardians of Being:  Spiritual teachings from our dogs and cats.  That book makes me smile each time I look at it, so I wanted to share an excerpt with you:
"It's wonderful to watch an animal, because an animal has no opinion of itself.  It is.  That's why the dog is so joyful and why the cat purrs.  When you pet a dog or listen to a cat purring, thinking may subside for a moment and a space of stillness arises within you, a doorway into Being.  The vital function that pets fulfill in this world hasn't been fully recognized.  They keep millions of people sane."
If you have an animal that's driving you crazy with Spring Fever, don't get angry.  Breathe.  And enjoy them.  You've been blessed with a true friend, who can show you how to live in the moment.

What does it mean to 'ground'?

Often, in class, you'll hear an instructor talk about taking a moment "to ground", or describing a pose as "grounding".  Grounding is an energetic term, referring to the feeling of being connected to the earth.  As humans, we connect energetically to the earth, with a downward pull, and to the heavens, with an upward pull.  If either of these is out of balance, we can have trouble concentrating, focusing, or even trouble being creative.  When we spend too much time thinking, worrying, or planning, we need to balance that energy with 'grounding'.

Here's a simple exercise to help you get your feet back on the ground:

Sit or stand with both bare feet on the floor or your mat.

Take a few deep breaths, bringing your attention away from outside interferences, and into your body.

Using the sensory nerves in your feet, notice how the floor feels beneath you.

Is it cool? warm? firm? soft? sticky?

Next, invite your attention to your feet themselves. 

Can you feel the skin on your feet?  What sensations arise?

Sit with these feelings for 10-15 breaths, or as long as you need to feel connected and grounded again.

Use this grounding technique anytime you need to come back down, out of your head!

Life without TV

About 6 months ago, Scott & I finally decided to remove the television from our home.  We had been tossing around the idea for quite some time, but kept coming up with excuses.  "But what about FOOTBALL?" was probably the most compelling one.  But July 4th, we declared our independence from "the tube".  We'd had enough.  We actually took the set to the studio, and rearranged furniture to cover the gaping hole it seemed to leave.
At first, it was SO QUIET all the time, and even seemed a little lonely.  But now, I see that silence as such a blessing.  My life is so calm and peaceful.
Some of the other amazing blessings from our tv-free life:
-We communicate so much better.  There are few distractions, so we talk more often.  We're also more present when we communicate.  We're actually THERE for the conversation, not wandering off to whatever's on.
-We spend more time with family.  This is a solution to the football question earlier.  All of our parents live in town, and they are happy to see us when football is on.  We also watch with friends.  Someone always has the game on.
-We read all the time.  Scott has read more books than I think I've ever seen him read.  And I seem to be devouring books.  I always have one fiction and one non-fiction book going.  I'm getting around to all those yoga teacher training books I wanted to read, but never seemed to have time.
-Only good things come to our home.  As someone once said, tv is inviting people into your home, who you would never invite if they were actually standing there.  We have no foul language, no obnoxiousness, and no commercialism.
I could go on and on about how wonderful my life is.  And getting rid of TV has only helped.  I'm not saying this is for everyone, but see what happens if you get rid of it for a week.  Open up your time and your life, and see what else is waiting for you.

New daily meditation practice

So, lately, I've really made an effort to focus & meditate more.  And all this work, while sometimes annoying has only led me to a deeper appreciation of yoga.  I'm here to tell you:  It really DOES work.  So, each day, I've done two solid practices:  1-I meditate for 10 minutes (I know, for some of you, this is child's play, but I'm a secret type-A personality and for me, this is a big deal!), 2-I chant mantra.  Yes.  108, with mala beads & everything.  It's been amazing!  The mantra is my favorite.  At the beginning, I look at all of those beads & think, "oh, boy, 108 is a lot!".  But by about halfway through, I don't want it to end.  Sure, I get some strange looks from my husband & animals, when I happen to be chanting around them.  But it's worth it.  And the meditation is getting easier.  I'm actually thinking of moving up to 15 minutes....big time!

So, what's your practice?  Do you meditate?  Use mala?  Do a walking meditation?  What brings you to calm?

Yoga for patience

I need patience.  Daily.  The weather here has been SO nice, and despite the fact that it's just February, I have spring fever.  And many people around me do, too.  I just want to plant my garden and take my dog to the lake.  Is that too much to ask?  Apparently, it is, because the temps are dropping again.
So, how does one go about getting more patience?
First, breathe.  Take long, slow, deep breaths, really feeling the air all the way in your lungs.  Notice the expansion of your lungs.  See if you can feel all those little sacks of air.
Second, be grateful.  Look around you and find reasons to be grateful for what is.  What can you enjoy this moment that might be fleeting?  (So, I'm enjoying the few minutes of sunshine & the fact that my life is not rushing by too quickly)
Third, do yoga, of course!  Yin Yoga is a great reminder for patience.  In Yin, we hold the pose as much as 5 minutes.  This is a great teacher of patience.  We breathe, we bring the monkey mind back to the present, and we wait.  With practice, it becomes less "waiting", and more "being".  Count your breaths, if the mind really wanders, but keep trying to be right here, in the moment.
If you would like to practice patience at home, simply try a supported child's pose, or breathe through a long pigeon pose.  At the studio, we incorporate Yin poses into all of our Restorative classes (check out http://www.mountainyogatn.com/ for the schedule).  For more online info, look up Paul Grilley.  He's the Yin guru.
So, take a breath.  Be patient.  All you need is already here.
Namaste

Fresh Starts

Let me begin today by saying "I LOVE A NEW YEAR!"
It's such a fresh start.  Yogis believe that we can be fresh & new each moment of each day.  That by being present in each moment, we wipe away the past & the future, and all we have is right now.  So, to me, the New Year is very yogic.
Take a breath, right now, and think about inhaling purity, then exhaling anything from 2010 (or before) that you no longer need.  What repetitive thoughts do you have that no longer serve you?  What habits do you have that are destructive to your health and the well-being of others?  What would you like to change about the way you interact with the world?  Anything is possible.  At this moment, you are not your past, or even your future.  All of these exist only in the mind.  Clear them out to make room for the 'you' that you want to be.  Inhale cleanliness, exhale your mental baggage. 
Begin to notice your 'self-talk'.  What kind of things do you say in your own mind when confronted with a challenge?  Are you plagued by "I'm not good enough", held back by "That will never happen", or weighed down by how you think others view you?  Exhale & see if you can let go of some of this chatter.  You don't need that in your life.  Start today with affirmations.  Remind yourself that you have an eternal Soul, or a Witness, that is more than this life.  And you're not only good enough, but you are to be cherished.   Make a resolution to start positive self-talk today.
And finally, release previous failures, to make room for future successes.  Yoga can make great changes in your life.  If you've tried before to get consistent with your yoga practice, but have fallen off the wagon, dust yourself off and try again.  The past is gone.  All you have is right now.  So, clear some room, light a candle, and get out your mat!
Happy New Year & Namaste
Jennifer


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New Year's Resolutions

If you're looking toward the New Year with an eye toward self-improvement, you're probably working on your resolutions.  But this year, consider making resolutions for the whole person.    There are 7 commonly-accepted Dimensions of Wellness.  The idea here is that if you develop in each direction, you'll be a well-rounded person.  As you make your plans for 2011, think about ways to get better in all these ways:

-Physical (this one's obvious, usually exercise, better eating, weight-loss, etc)
-Intellectual (take a class, read a book, just learn something!)
-Spiritual (read scripture, go to church, meditate)
-Social (make plans to get out there & make friends, or grow closer to current ones)
-Vocational (this one involves work, or volunteering-putting your stamp on the world)
-Emotional (remember how your words affect your relationships, work on controlling your temper, or even start taking fish oil, to help with your depression)
-Environmental (set a house-keeping schedule & stick to it, finish one of those projects that's been bothering you, or just re-decorate a room to be more soothing)

You've got a fresh start.  Why not grow in every way you can?

A center of calm in the chaos.

Happy Holidays!

In the next couple days, the traffic will be crazy, parking will be near-impossible, and the lines in the stores will be long.  Family members will be coming & going, children will be screaming, people who love each other will respond sharply, and the greatest frenzy of the year will only increase.  But in the middle of this, the yogi.
Take a minute each day to step back & find the silence within yourself.  Turn off the television, the phones, and even the beautiful Christmas music.  Listen to your breath.  Remember that you are not this chaos.  That the eternal portion of you (your soul) can be quiet, like the eye of the storm.  And when you're in line, or stuck in traffic, remember that the person across from you is also a Soul.  Take a deep breath, and offer up a blessing, because they are stuck in that chaos, too.  I like this one,
May you be filled with loving-kindness,
May you be well,
May you be peaceful & at ease,
May you happy.
See if it changes your attitude, and then, just maybe, your world.

Jennifer
http://www.mountainyogatn.com/

full-body relaxation technique

Welcome to our new blog!

Today, we'll cover a full-body relaxation technique that we experienced in class this morning.

-Begin by lying on your back. If the room is cool, cover with a blanket. If you have low-back stuff going on today, place a bolster or large pillow under your knees. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths and relax your mind.

-Bring all of your attention into your toes. Curl them and squeeze. With a giant exhale, relax your toes, feeling the stress melt from them.

-Next is your feet. Tighten all the muscles in your feet. Notice how uncomfortable this is. Your feet are true workhorses, often referred to as "dogs". Needless to say, we abuse our feet. We stuff them into shoes and walk on them all day. With a giant exhale, relax your feet and wiggle them around.

-Bring your focus to your calves. Point your toes and tighten your calf muscles. These are the most underappreciated muscles in the body. They carry us around all day, and receive very little care. Exhale & release tension from them.

-Next, your shins. Pull your toes up, toward your knees and notice the muscles on the front of your lower legs. Exhale and relax them so much that they seem to "melt" off your bones.

-Now your quadriceps, the large muscle group on the front of your upper thighs. Engage these muscles and pull your kneecaps slightly up. Your quadriceps get very tight when sitting too long. Exhale again, and allow any tension to release from the muscles.

-Move your thoughts to your hamstrings (the large muscle group on the backs of your thighs) and your buttocks. Tighten all these muscles. An imbalance of the back of the leg and hips, compared to the front of the leg and abdominals often causes severe back pain. Notice the strength of these muscles. With a giant exhale, release and melt into your mat.

-Now the low and mid-back. See if you can isolate these muscles as you tense them. Exhale, release, and feel your low back melt.

-Bring your attention into your belly. Tighten your abdominal muscles, and notice how tightness here affects your entire body. This area is closely associated with your emotions. As you carry tension through this area, it can change the way you digest food, the way you feel, and even the way you breathe. Relax through your belly and allow the breath to flow in and out in a comfortable fashion.

-Close your hands into fists. Tighten all the muscles through your arms and shoulders. See if you can feel each individual muscle. Notice, and determine if this is a familiar feeling. Do you carry stress in your hands & shoulders while driving? Exhale and allow all that tension to slide out the tips of your fingers.

-Finally, engage the muscles in your neck, your jaw, and your face. Make a face like you do when you're angry. Notice how this angry expression affects your entire body, and even has an impact on your emotions. Exhale and allow your expression to return to normal.

-Tighten all the muscles in your body at once. Really squeeze here and notice how uncomfortable you are. Exhale fully and release down into your mat.

-Lie still for another 10 minutes here, paying close attention to your breath. When it's time to get up, move slowly and intentionally. Notice the feeling of calm you have and try to carry some of that throughout your day.