Practicing Stillness

In my classes this week I encouraged my students to add Pratyahara which is the "conscious withdrawal of energy from the senses" into their practice. To me I define it as "going within" or momentarily leaving the material world and entering a place of stillness. It's important to do this often because it induces a quality of calm in this chaotic world.

I don't know that there is any trick to it, but when you are engaged in your yoga practice or any day to day activities, like maybe a long walk, see if you can tap into the tranquil internal world within. It takes practice, and definitely with your breath you can at least begin to see the benefits of shutting out the external chatter of the world around you. Slowly the practice will guide you from the physical work the body does in the asanas towards the mental practices of meditation towards complete bliss.

Peace,

Susan

Practicing in Pain

It's been almost three weeks since I fell jogging, twisting my ankle horribly. The swelling and pain are still present, but I still have to teach and continue with my own yogic regimen....which initiates the question, "how do you still practice yoga in the midst of an injury?" And the answer is...VERY CAREFULLY.

Of course it really depends on the type of injury you have. If broken bones or protruding discs are involved, then you would have to most likely curtail your practice for a while till your injury is healed. But, if you have something in between, like a sprained ankle or a frozen shoulder, you will have to modify your practice and be smart about it. Do your own research and talk to your teacher and create a plan so that you are not causing further damage.

Yoga teaches us patience and deep respect for our bodies when we're perfectly healthy and when we're not. Sure when you hurt yourself it's a drag, but perhaps the real lesson in the injury is telling you to slow down, pay attention and go deeper physically and mentally into your yoga practice, in ways you may not have imagined.

Blessings,
Susan

Where are all the men?

If you have ever gone to a yoga class or seen one on tv, you might have noticed that it's predominately women who are either teaching the classes or doing the practice. Kind of a reversal since yoga's first creation thousands of years ago, it was an all male-dominated field. A guru would take on one student and teach him for years until they were ready to go out into the world with the traditions and perhaps teach someone else. Women were really not privy to these traditions until years later.

Today it seems it's the exact opposite. Women are embracing the yoga lifestyle with gusto and not only building dedicated practices, but feeling so inspired, they become teachers themselves. Maybe it's because we are better at nurturing ourselves and quick to realize that we do need to slow down, take care of ourselves physically and shake off the daily stress of life. But I believe men need to and can do this for themselves. In fact, men are just as stressed out and need to take care of their bodies equally with women.

So what "scares" men off from starting yoga? Is it the misconception that women are more flexible thereby insinuating it's easier for women? Or is there this myth that yoga is too easy period and you're not going to get an effective "work out?" Our Western/American minds are trained to believe that if we don't sweat or beat our bodies into submission, it must not be a worthwhile form of fitness. Ah, but that's where you are wrong.

Sure you might be stiff at first and not be able to go as deep into the poses as some, but yoga wasn't built in a day and neither is a flexible body. It takes time, patience, dedication and discipline. Start out slow with a forward fold or a child's pose and go from there. Just start. And experience the bliss that your female counterparts have been experiencing for years.

And FYI, Yoga classes are starting to have more men and male teachers, so if you have a brother, father, husband, friend, etc that has been curious about yoga, encourage them to try a beginners class and stick with it. It takes courage and the willingness to be open to a whole new discipline, but it's worth it.

Namaste,
Susan

Asana Spotlight: Trikonasana

One of my all time favorite foundational yoga poses, is Trikonasna or "Triangle" pose. Alot of standing yoga poses are going to build strength in the legs and Trikonasana is no different. It works the thighs, opens the back body and depending on which variation you are doing, creates a full body stretch from the fingers all the way to the feet. And as you work deeper into the pose, you begin to get this nice "revolved" action in the spine as your heart center begins to shine towards the sky.

Not only does Trikonanasna offer the body physical benefits, it's a great way to relieve stress and anxiety and stimulates the abdominal organs, aiding in digestion. So, the next time you are in this pose, just don't rush into it. Really take the time to find the sukha or ease in this pose when you ground down through the fee and lenghten through the spine.

Namaste,

Susan

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/494

Guru Purnima

We've all tossed around the notion of someone being a guru, a person who is an expert in their field. A guru is also a spiritual teacher or advisor. For many, the image of a monk or holy sage in long flowing robes generally comes to mind. But yoga defines a guru as something different. "Gu" means darkness and "ru" means light. So essentially a guru is someone who turns ignorance into enlightenment... who brings you out of the darkness and into the light.

Usually around this time of year beginning in July, the Hindus celebrate their holy day, called Guru Purnima. This year, it's July 7. Now you may not have a guru you pray to, per se, but we all have teachers who have touched our lives in different ways. This is really what Guru Purnima is all about. It is a day set aside to specifically give thanks to the teachers in your lives, be they yoga or something else. And lets face it, we all have people who come into our lives as teachers, mentors, or advisors. This is a day set aside to specifically give thanks and honor your teachers for all the wisdom they have passed down.

"It is also a day in which Divine energy flows more freely than any other time of the year. The Guru principle is said to be 1000 times more active on this day than any other in the year." (Mike Cohen) To celebrate this upcoming holiday, a special kirtan will be performed at the Yogahome Symmes studio on June 28 at 7pm. It is a great opportunity to come together as a community and honor your teachers past and present.

http://www.yogahome.net/

I hope on the actual day of Guru Purnima, on July 7, you will take a yoga class and give thanks to your teachers and in doing so, you give thanks to your teacher's teachers and their teachers and on and on it keeps going through thousands of years. That's a lot to celebrate!!

Blessings,
Susan

Creating a Sacred Space

Building a consistant yoga practice can take months and sometimes years to establish. But even if you are not there yet, or have the intention of wanting to take your practice further, sometimes creating a special place in your home is all the motivation you need to keep you on track. This is where creating a sacred space comes in.

A sacred space is a designated space in your home where you can sit at an alter to meditate or pray. And it's hopefully also enough space where you can roll out your mat and do a yoga practice.

I know what you are thinking. Alter?! No, it's not the big ornate alters you see in churches with holy statues, etc. A personal alter can be as simple or as detailed as you make it. And it's personal, so you put on it those images or things that have special significance to you. If you want a picture of Jesus or a picture of your cat, go ahead and put it on there.

If you are not big into meditation or find this practice difficult, this alter can be a spot where you come to when you just need to sit and reflect and breathe. My alter is in my bedroom and consists of a cushion I can sit on and a few pieces that ground me: a Tibetan singing bowl, some mantras, Buddha candle (pictured), incense burner, flowers, and a pink-colored rock I picked up on the last nature walk of my teacher training.

It doesn't have to be much. But I hope you allow it to be a personal focal point in your life, a safe harbor, you can go to each day when the world gets a bit crazy and you need a time out. I'll admit my alter doesn't get utilized every day, but it is a daily reminder for me to breathe, sit and practice. What more motivation do you need?

Blessings,
Susan

The Good Earth

I long for a garden. I don't have one currently living in an apartment, but when I have a house, soon I will start one. But if you are lucky enough to have small patch of earth you call your own and can devote it to a garden, it's a great way to take your yoga practice outside. Yoga teaches us about being in the present moment, staying grounded and simplifying our chaotic lives.

A garden also can help us stay mindful of the bigger picture, especially if you grow fruits and vegetables. Where does our food come from? Where does it go after we've consumed it? Who has to labor for it? How much waste are we creating in the day to day living of our lives? One way to address this issue of waste and consumption is by composting.

Composting is utilizing your food scraps (i.e. coffee grinds) and organic matter such as yard clippings and flowers and allowing them to break down naturally in the earth through oxygen, bacteria and insects. This yields soil that is rich in oxygen and nitrogen. If you simply throw these things out in your trash, they end up in landfill and get layered and buried. Oxygen cannot get to it to break it down and the end result is a large production of methane being created, which, as you know, affects the quality of the air we breathe.

Going "green" as never been more important as it is now, especially as we begin to reverse the damage we've already done to our planet. It's never been more important as the economy fluctuates and we stretch our dollars anyway we can to sustain our lives. If simplifying your life as led you to grow your own food, why not take it to the next step and begin composting. Below are some helpful websites to get you started. Good luck.

http://gogreenonline.com/

http://www.compostguide.com/

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/index.html

http://www.vegweb.com/composting/