Living Yoga in the Moment by Susan Jay

My jyotish teacher once told me "If you know something is supposed to happen, all you have to do is just... live."  This was years ago when I was learning jyotish, meditation, and other vedic practices that he was opening me up to.  According to jyotish there are several intensities of karma, with fixed karma, called "dridha", being the strongest.   Dridha karma  pretty much can't be be changed without some divine intervention, and is the one which most people would probably call "fate", as it is well... fixed.  

Over the years a lot of things did happen that he had predicted, but the prediction pertinent in this case is what he told me the very first time I met him.  He said that I would be a teacher later in my life.  Now I had graduated with a Masters Degree in Piano Performance, and had taught for seven years.  I had enjoyed teaching piano and watching my students grow - I just did not want to teach or pursue any sort of career with my music.   So of course, teaching piano is what immediately came to my mind, and it was an idea that I very strongly resisted.  I thought, well I guess I could teach piano much later on - I mean who knows what we could be doing years from now, but I really didn't have any interest.

Well fast forward a number of years, and what do you think I'm doing?  Teaching.  But now I am teaching yoga. Yoga was not even in my consciousness back then, but once started, my yoga practice quickly became an integral part of my everyday life.  The title of one of Krishnamurti's books is, "The Future is Now".  My teacher explained to me, "The present is dependent on the past, and the future is the present modified, therefore the future is now."  So from the time I started to practice yoga - every time I stepped on my mat - every breath, every asana - this has propelled me to this moment when I can now say that I am yoga teacher. 


I knew I was starting to fulfill this karma when I eagerly signed up for the teacher training.  Little did I know that this was also at a pivotal time in my yoga practice. As I was an intermediate series ashtangi, I was practicing a lot of backbends and was experiencing one of those breakthrough periods as the anahata chakra opens.  But the heart is all about feelings, so it was an extremely emotional time, and without going into detail, the teacher training came when I needed it.  Then the teaching kind of just happened and crept up on me as I do have a full time job, and really all I wanted to do was sub.  But somehow, my subbing morphed into a weekly class as the regular teacher had a serious medical condition, and I have ended up with regular students who look forward to seeing me.  Then a studio minutes from my home had an opening. Events seemed to almost effortlessly evolve on their own.



It is so interesting to see how life unfolds and where it takes you.  It has also been so rewarding to share this knowledge with students and open them up to their own journey.   Being present in our practice is what yoga is about - do they realize that their choice to come to a yoga class can shape their future even in the subtlest ways when they are off the mat? Pattabi Jois always said, "Do your practice. All is coming".  He was right in so many ways.

Susan Jay

Yoga Teacher RYT200 | Sherman Oaks, CA

www.urbanlilyyoga.com/teachers/susan-j

Click here to learn more about Susan

Pain Is Inevitable. Suffering Is Optional - By Sharon Wells

For decades I struggled with pain and didn’t know the source of it or why.  I went to many doctors who dismissed me as soon as they took one look at me.  Telling me that it must be all in my head, because I had absolutely no reason to be in pain.  As a professional dancer you dance no matter how painful and you try to “forget” the pain but now in my 40’s it was getting harder and harder to do that.  I was becoming miserable to my friends and family because I didn’t tell them that I was in pain because who wants to complain every day - eventually they just think you want sympathy and that you are a whiner.  I was miserable, until I developed a Yoga Practice. 

 I fell into Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga by accident, but I feel it was by design.  The heat, the spiritually and the discipline fit my style exactly.  After my first class with my teacher Baron Baptiste in 2003, I felt absolutely pain free, probably the first time since 1980.  I didn’t know why, but I knew that I had to investigate it further.  I found an incredible doctor in my local area who is a wonderful diagnostician and he did a battery of tests on me.  The test results came back and I was told that I had Lupus.  Long story short, it turned out to be Fibromyalgia not Lupus.  My immune system was so depleted that it had thrown me into symptomatic lupus but the real cause for my pain was Fibromyalgia.  Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons—the soft fibrous tissues in the body. Most patients say that they ache all over. Their muscles may feel like they were pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch and other times they burn. More women than men are afflicted with fibromyalgia (75% versus 25%) and it shows up in people of all ages.

What causes fibromyalgia?  Although the cause is not known, there appear to be many triggering events that often precipitate its onset. Examples include: infections (bacterial or viral), physical trauma (such as an automobile accident), or the development of another disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or hypothyroidism. These triggering events probably do not cause fibromyalgia, but rather, they may awaken an underlying physiological abnormality that is already present.  My years of dancing and abusing my body (eating disorders, over exertion, divorce & STRESS) probably had a lot to do with it.  

Yoga (no matter what style) is excellent for (FMS) - it reduces stress, lubricates the joints, stretches the tendons, fascia & connective tissue so the muscles can relax when not in use.  Yoga & Meditation helps you to understand your body from the inside out and only you know how you feel or if something is wrong.  So be your own health advocate and listen to your intuition, recognize the power within to know what is right for you.  Be honest with your friends and family and let them know how you are feeling, only then can they help you.  Hugs really work for me!

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” ~ Unknown

For more information on Fibromyalgia Symptom (FMS) - www.fmaware.org

Namaste

Sharon Wells

Yoga On Chocolate Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher e-RYT 500, CBPYT | Hershey, PA

sharon@yogaonchocolate.com |  www.yogaonchocolate.com

Click here to learn more about Sharon.

Health & Healing Through Yoga for Children! - By Ruthann Zentner

Opening The Zen Zone yoga studio as a family friendly place came about five years ago.  I am a long-time yoga practitioner, fitness trainer, and mom.   As a yoga teacher I know the benefits of Yoga and as a mother of three beautiful girls and teaching yoga to my own children was a way to calm the storm of my middle daughters rages.  With my daughter, Hunter, she was prescribed medication for ADHD and for other behavior issues.  After countless visits to many great physiatrists and physiologist, coming up with no exercise’s to help her learn to step back and breathe.  I realized that Yoga could and would be my answer to help my 5 year old with her outbursts and rages.  She is now a super happy 11 year old that has friends, is in cheerleading & can still have her moments but overall.  Yoga has changed our family in too many ways to count.  We continue to grow as a family! 

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It is our special responsibility as parents to undertake the care and education of these intelligent kiddos coming into he world and dependent on our love and attention.  To see a child performing a yoga pose, with the poise, strength, self-discipline and confidence necessary can’t help but arouse love and joy in a parent’s heart.  To see a child’s imagination spin while their mind focuses on the satisfaction of telling a story is to know the magic of which we parents are capable.  By focusing their energy and allowing them control over their bodies we give children the power to create their own lives and live in peace and harmony with others.  

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Most of all, teaching and telling stories to kids is FUN!  To be a child again and use our personal creativity is magic.  By pulling your favorite children’s book off the shelve and acting it out, with yoga is truly not only bringing back our own childhood memories but we grow spiritually from the effort we put into it.

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For those of you who are already practitioners of the art of yoga, no more explanation about this wonderful discipline is necessary.  For those who are not, a few words of background.  Yoga is far more than a physical exercise.  It is rather a set of tools, which increase one’s awareness of the inter-connectedness of all living creation, while at the same time pointing the individual, body and soul, in the direction of radiant health.  Yoga is craft of awareness.  When we do yoga we grow compassionate.  We naturally turn toward that which is best in our natures.  We experience something similar to love. 

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As the physical body comes into balance, the mind follows.  Practicing yoga can help a child develop concentration, patience, gentleness, strength, creativity and stability. These are habits we’d all LOVE to cultivate.  They are the building blocks that create the foundation for a happy life!

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Creating an opportunity for kids to get excited about yoga and perhaps offering them a life-long tool for physical and emotional health is the reason for this article & teaching a class on “Teaching kids Yoga!”
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Albert Einstein said, “If you want your children to be smart, tell them stories.  If you want them to be really smart, tell them more stories.  If you want your children to be brilliant, tell them even more stories.”

Namaste"
Ruthann Zentner
The Zen Zone Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher 200RYT, Personal Trainer & Massage Therapist
Lee's Summit, MO
zenzoneyoga@gmail.com |  www.zenzoneyoga.com
Click here to learn more about Ruthann

Embracing Dharma! By April Martucci - October Jala Ambassador

When I first started to practice, I went into it mostly for the physical benefits. I knew that Eastern thought and philosophy intrigued me, but I didn’t know how yoga tied into all that. My intrigue was a superficial interest – I thought it was cool to like Buddhism yet knew nothing about it. After signing up for the Intro to Eastern Thought class at University, I got a tattoo of the ‘om’ symbol, and called myself Buddhist to my Catholic father one year while home for Christmas break (that caused a lot of waves to say the least). Still I really didn’t know the teachings from the heart but rather vaguely in the mind, on an intellectual level. 

When I first started taking yoga classes in 1996, I felt that it matched my physicality so well. Having been a dancer and gymnast, the movement of asana felt organic and familiar. But because I was such a restless soul, I hated that the teacher talked in the beginning and the chanting annoyed me. It took up so much time in the beginning of class, and fidgeting in my seat, I glared at the clock wondering when the sweaty part of the class would come. Then I figured out a trick: I started coming late because of my disdain for the dharma and kirtan. While everyone would be in Savasana at the end of class, I would sneak out early feeling that just lying there on your back was a waste of time, and plus I had things to do! I suffered from the disease that is so prevalent in our culture now: busy-ness. Why would I want to listen to someone talk and chant and then lie there when I could be filling up my time with some more important things? Busy-ness is our culture’s disease, and speed is our addiction.

Fast forward 14 years, and dharma and chanting AND Savasana are probably my favorite parts of class. If I am late to class now, I won’t go because of a respect I have for the teacher, the class, and the lineage of yoga. If I need to leave early, I will inform the teacher, or I will not go to the class that time. 

We live in a narcissistic culture wherein we feel we are owed something; we can just go and take what we need – for me back then, just the workout. This is very common. I see it all the time, and I despise it when someone does that to my class and me now. It is so true that traits we find repulsive in others are often characteristics that we possess ourselves. Seeing people have that ‘I will take what I need’ attitude makes me cringe because it’s poor etiquette and gross, but perhaps also because I was guilty of that at one point. As the saying goes, ‘every sinner has a future, but every saint has a past’. Unashamed of the past, I bow down to all the gurus who brought me to a more peaceful place in life. I thank the friend who wronged me, the boyfriend who betrayed me, and the co-worker who ratted me out – they are all gurus. If we can see our lives as our biggest teachers, or gurus, we discover that suffering lessens, and our perspective broadens. We think bigger in the sense that we are not calculating our revenge or doing harm to that person who has done us harm, but instead we can thank them for opening our eyes to certain truths. This doesn’t mean that you need to go back to that negative energy, but you can see those people along the way as being useful to you. They taught you a lesson, and they should be thanked for this, and you move on.

Not sure exactly when I started to embrace the dharma and the chanting, but it came eventually. Disappointment, trauma, heartbreak and loss most likely made me more inclined to sit and listen to the teacher or chime in with the rest of class while they chanted to Shiva. The yoga is a state, not something you do. Dharma, chanting, asana are all tools that help you get to that state called yoga. 

Yoga is the state in which you are present – not grasping, clinging or attaching. The second lesson in this would be that we cannot attach to that which we think we like or dislike today for tomorrow or in 14 years it may shift and become our most favorite thing. Staying detached from our likes and dislikes also decreases suffering. You remain open, receptive. And when it’s time for Savasana you are receiving all that you need, enjoying the benefits of the ancient practice, and just wishing that the teacher keeps you there longer..

April Martucci
Yoga Teacher | New York, NY

yogawithapril@gmail.com |  www.yogawithapril.com

Click here to learn more about April

Chase Your Dreams They Are All You've Got! - By Nicole Shanks

When I was a little girl my dad would tell me “all you have to do is put your mind to it”. I would just keep thinking to myself how much I wish he would stop saying that. Then there was my mom always reminding me “whatever you do, do it because you love it”. After many years of hearing that same speech I was sitting with my dad as an adult and he said “you’re only as big as your dreams, if you don’t dream what are you living for”.  I never forgot those words from that day. I have always been a dreamer, a bird on the wings of fate. You can promise I took the next thing that was sat in front of me that sounded awesome.

The problem was I was chasing the wrong dream. No matter what job or interest I pursued I was always searching for the next best thing. With each job I made more money and better benefits but most of the time I was just looking for ways to get more days off to be me. I would take off work and sneak away to yoga classes all over to find a happy place to be. Finally after many years of searching I found a teacher training that worked with my busy schedule. I signed up and began the process. I had never been so involved in something. It was like I saw yoga everywhere I went. The more I learned the more I wanted to share.
As my interest grew in the yoga world, so did my dreams. Only this time I wasn’t in some huge hurry to achieve it all at once. I wanted to experience each step and work toward the big picture. With each passing day I was focused and ready for each challenge as it came. One day the light bulb came on and I realized I had been “putting my mind to it” all this time. It was like what my dad had been saying made since. I just never had anything I wanted to focus on. I found that thing I Love to do!

Every person I would talk to about my dream would look at me in surprise and say you want to quit your job and do what!? Even the day I gave my two week notice my boss said “well in a couple months, if you can’t put food on the table. Give me a call.” I just said thanks and smiled when I shook her hand. I’m not going to say chasing your dreams is easy or that every moment is a fairy tale, but it sure beats running away from them.

Nicole Shanks 
Surya Luna Studio Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher 200RYT | Swansea, IL
info@suryalunastudio.com |  www.suryalunastudio.com 
Click here to learn more about Nicole

Out of the Darkness - By Stacey Latus

I've struggled with addictions most of my life....food, alcohol, love. It was only by way of yoga, a 12-step program and a relationship with a higher power that I was able to finally put down the drink, face my inner demons and create a better life for myself.  

I found yoga in 1997. There was a class offered at my university and a friend invited me to go. I had no idea what to expect, but it ended up being love at first asana. Finally, something active that I could do that didn't involve running and wasn't supposed to be competitive. The first time I experienced savasana, I cried. Until that point in my life, nothing had given me the same calm and peace I felt as when picking up a drink (that is, until I found a 12-step program years later). This was mind-blowing and yet, still being young and a freshman in college, I continued to drink on and off for the next 10 years. But as they say in the program I am in, and as in yoga, a seed had been planted and there was no turning back.  

Over the years, my practice had ebbed and flowed, as did my drinking, but yoga was always in my life, even if I wasn't practicing asana. At times, usually when I was sober, stepping onto the mat was a great place of serenity, a safe place for me to turn, a time to connect with the infinite. At other times, mostly when I was knee deep in my addiction, yoga became somewhat of an enemy. Practicing made me look at myself, emotionally and spiritually and sometimes I wasn't willing or ready to do that.

Today as a yoga teacher, I have the opportunity to share my experiences with other teachers as well as my students. It always amazes me how many people are affected by and struggle with addiction....and I love learning how yoga has helped them.

Yoga and sobriety have given me the opportunity to develop a deep connection with a higher power and a profound understanding of myself. My practice is constantly evolving and has brought contentment and growth that every day when I roll out my mat I can't wait to see where this journey will guide me.

OM shanti
OM peace

Stacey Latus 

Happy Earth Yoga Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher 200RYT | Gaithersburg, MD

info@happyearthyoga.com |  www.happyearthyoga.com

Click here to learn more about Stacey

 

Prana The Key To Spiritual Awakening - By Adriana Kyser

If you have been paying attention, you know how popular yoga has gotten within the last few years. It seems that new yoga studios are opening in almost every corner, celebrities are endorsing it, and even doctors are recommending yoga to their patients. We cannot deny that yoga has become mainstream sparking everyone’s curiosity and interest.

People that want to start a yoga practice find themselves asking questions like: How do I know if yoga is for me? Does it really work? Can it help me? There are a so many styles of yoga these days, than can confuse anyone try to find the right yoga class. Some of yoga classes concentrate on resting in simple supported postures in quiet rooms. Others are very dynamic, pushing students to the edge of their physical capacity. Some styles of yoga play music while others are done without. Some yoga styles concentrate on physical alignment, while others offer a more spiritual approach. There is so much variety impossible to describe them all.

As different the various styles of yoga may be, they all share one thing in common: No matter what path and style you choose, they all work.  You can feel the effects as soon right after class. People notice that they always feel better after practicing yoga that when they first walked in. Many wonder why and how does it work? To start, Yoga teaches you to breath with awareness, slow down, calm your mind, strengthen your body and lengthen the spine. Yoga helps your body and mind relax lowering your blood pressure and heart rate. In turn you can see benefits like better digestion, stronger immune system, and better sleep after few weeks of practice, things that tend to be affected by stress in our lives. 

I often hear people tell me, I get how yoga can benefit everyone but what makes all the different styles of yoga work if they are so different? That is a good point; the effects of a strong Ashtanga practice cannot be the same as a restorative one. People that usually come to those classes are definably different as well. Yoga teachers and practitioners all agree that Prana (life force) is the key. Almost all styles of hatha yoga increase the flow of prana, life force, in your body. Prana is the essential life force that sustains everything.

Yogis believed that the intelligent use of Prana is the key to spiritual awakening. The practice of yoga asanas helps us access this life force by holding a pose and breathing into it or breathing through it. The main reason people feel better after practicing yoga is because in one way or another they increased the flow of Prana in their bodies, making them fell more balanced, centered and relaxed. The more you learn and practice yoga, the more you get to know which poses will help you at any particular time. You may notice that a particular style of yoga works best for you or need the most at certain periods of your life. That means that your yoga practice will often change accordingly to your body’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

After all that is what yoga is all about, to helps us bring balance, health and overall wellness into our lives. It does no matter what type of yoga you choose to practice as long as you do it with dedication, devotion and awareness the flow of Prana will definably increase in your body providing you with all the benefits yoga has to offer. 

Certified Yoga Teacher 500RYT | Flower Mound, TX
adri@innerbeautyyoga.com |  www.innerbeautyyoga.com

Click here to learn more about Adriana

The Yoga of Sleep - By Kimberly Russell

When your mind feels swamped with, “Tomorrow I need to….Why haven’t I already…Oh! I forgot about that…” Try these 3 steps to quiet the mind and get better sleep.

1) Turn off the electronics
30 Minutes before bed, turn off the TV/computer/smart phone/etc. Believe it or not, it’s not relaxing and is actually stimulating your nervous system without asking you first. Scary movies and crime dramas make your heart beat faster, endless emails tempt you to take care of “one last thing” and today's new phones are an overload of texting, email, web browsing and games. The body needs time to decompress and transition into sleep, turning off these sources of stimulation can do wonders.

2) Have some “golden milk”
Now that the distractions are off, make yourself a simple and healthy Ayurvedic classic often called “Golden Milk” for its vibrant color. Each ingredient helps to calm the frantic mind and encourages a better quality of sleep: milk is soothing and brought just to a boil retains its nutrients and makes it easier for the body to digest; often lactose sensitive stomachs can tolerate boiled milk as the heating process removes lactose.  For a vegan variation, try coconut milk, coconuts are soothing and help to protect the lining of the stomach.  Turmeric offers a host of health benefits: it improves digestion, reduces inflammation and helps to balance blood sugar levels; and not to worry, it has a very subtle neutral taste that complements the other spices used. Cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon calm and soothe the emotions as they also assist digestion and improve the functions of the lungs, liver and large intestines.  An extra treat is a teaspoon of rosewater added to the finished drink on those days that are a little more stressful than average. You can find rosewater in health stores with the baking supplies or in any Indian or international market.

In a saucepan bring the following to a boil:
    •    ½ cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
    •    1 cup water
    •    1/8 tsp turmeric powder
    •    2 fresh cardamom pods cracked with a knife (or 1/4 tsp powder)
    •    1/8 tsp cinnamon
    •    1/8 tsp nutmeg

Once this boils, let it simmer 5 minutes on low, remove from flame and add your favorite sweetener to taste.

3) Mattress-yoga
Now that your gold milk has settled (usually about 15 minutes), it's a good habit to create a space between the end of your day and when you turn out the lights. Letting the body relax in bed with a book or writing in your journal helps to transition into a calmer state. If your mind is still reeling, try this supported bound angle pose that opens the hips, low back, chest and shoulders. You'll need 3-4 pillows and 3-5 minutes of quiet:

    •    Lay the first pillow lengthwise so it will line up with your spine. Lay back on the pillow with your head and low back supported by the ends of the pillow and your hips on the mattress. (Taller yogis may need 2 pillows here)
    •    Bring the soles of your feet together, making a diamond shape with your legs, let your knees flop out to the sides and place a pillow beneath each knee for support (find the right height of pillow support for your body, make sure you’re not using any muscle effort but you can still feel a gentle stretch in the groin area).
    •    If it's comfortable, you can take hold of opposite elbows over your head, letting the arms relax and roll open towards the mattress. This is a great chest/lungs/shoulder opener, but if it causes strain, just gently lift your sternum towards the ceiling, tucking your shoulder blades together and relax fully into the pillow with the arms extended out by your sides, palms facing up. Stay here 3-5 minutes and then gently transition to reading or listen to calming music or if you're ready, off to sleep and prepare for a wonderful tomorrow. 

Kimberly Russell 
Red Apple Yoga Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher | Brooklyn, NY
kim@redappleyoga.com
Click here to learn more about Kimberly
 

I Live My Life, As I Teach My Class - By Debbie Wolff

Growing up in an affluent area of Long Island, I led a very normal life. My parents kept me grounded and I had a very healthy lifestyle. I had 2 older brothers who were out of the house as far back as I could remember.

When I was a senior in high school, at 17 years of age, my father fell ill and ultimately passed away and left me at home with my mother at a critical time of my life…college choices. 

I decided to stay local for college thinking this was best for both my mother and myself. If hind-sight is 20-20 I should have realized this was not in either of our best interests.  

Growing unhappy with my decision I began to take to food for comfort.  Before I was 22 years old my weight had ballooned to 182 lbs. I was uncomfortable, unhappy and insecure.  I tried every diet, including pills and liquids with no success.  If I lost 10 lbs I later gained back 12 or more.

I finally made a move to NYC to try to get my life in order.  I went on a physicians diet and lost over 45 lbs. I found myself at home watching TV when a woman named Jacki Sorenson was on showing her “aerobic dancing”. This looked like so much fun and what great music she played! With a number flashing across the screen for local classes I immediately called the one nearest me and enrolled.  I couldn’t afford the price of the classes but robbed Peter to pay Paul…when one day they announced that they were looking for instructors.  I knew I could never do what these ladies were doing but I tried out anyway. There was a running “test” of 1.35 miles in 12 minutes based on my age that I certainly couldn’t pass (so I thought) but I went out and started running to try to improve my times.

When the day came for the running test I was amazed that I made it and thereby became an aerobic dance instructor.  That was 1981 and since then I have taught non-stop fitness.  Through fads and changes I now own a fitness studio and currently am certified to teach spinning, kickboxing, kettlebells, trx, pilates, yoga and more, and am a NSCA certified personal trainer.

I live my life as I teach my classes..full and hardy.  Nothing is too hard to try to complete..no endeavor too much to endure.  I currently employ over 20 fabulous instructors and am living a dream that I could not even imagine as a 22 year old “former fatty”.  

I know that inside everyone there is a fit person..they just have to want to make that happen.  All you need is to just do it!

Debbie Wolff 
Owner Fusion Fitness & Yoga | Yoga & Fitness Teacher | Parkland, FL 
MSFIT27@aol.com
Click here to learn more about Debbie 

Flow Together, Stay Connected - By Shani Elyse

We're coming out of the heart of winter here in South Central PA and I've been hearing from many people that they are struggling with staying motivated.  

I want to remind you you that nothing is impossible. Everything we are meant to experience will arrive in perfect order. Whatever we perceive to be "missing" is in its own state of flow.  DO your life - CREATE it!  No matter what your age or your past experience, continue to learn and be open, there is so much to be known.  It's exciting!  

I have come so far on strengthening my conviction in this principle, yet I have so far to go.  I explore new moments with an open heart - no matter how much it aches.  I refuse to allow anyone or anything to dismiss my principles or to manipulate my ability to steadily advance with love.

My heart does get struck by distress from time to time, and I find myself questioning my convictions.  For me, when my heart is challenged, I have learned to harness the energy of a tenacious goddess! It is very useful to use clear communication with a graceful calm and use strength as needed - in defense of personal commitments, not as defensiveness. When someone expresses an attack on our character, it is often a projection of their own lack of self-worth.  And in those arduous moments, when we may feel the impulse to be defensive ask, " What choice am I making with this decision?".  

Are your choices fulfilling the purpose you are driven to fulfill?

Everyday we are presented over and over again with choice. You are choosing what to put in and on your body, you are choosing what/who you share with and what you pass on.  All of these choices deeply influence living the life you are meant to live.  Your choices crave your pathway to success, and to abundance, and to all things beautiful in your life. Choices create expansion for everything you want. 

Also, living yoga emphasizes service, but we also must know how to take care of our own needs.  Whether on or off the mat, Stop fighting with yourself.  At times, you may need to go off on your own for a while. Honor your needs in all their forms - take a hike in the woods, sob your eyes out, enjoy a belly laugh, dive into acts of kindness, become very private, say NO.  You'll be drawn back to expressing your life with others because you have a responsibility to share yourself with the world. This is IT! This is the only opportunity for the world to experience YOU!  Don't deny others of the gifts, blessings, love and insights they were meant to know through being close to YOU.
Flow together ~ stay connected ~ authentically.

Shani Elyse
Flow Together Yoga Center Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher 500RYT | New Cumberland, PA

shanielyse@hotmail.com
Click here to learn more about Shani

Discovering The Unseen - By Tracy Barbuto

Six years ago if you asked me what I knew about yoga the answer would have been – “very little”.  My knowledge on the topic was limited to what I had seen on television and anyone who practices yoga knows that this is never a good example. It was only at the urging of a dear friend who was a yoga teacher that I decided to give it a try.  She had invited me to her class on more than one occasion but I was no less than mortified at the thought of a going to a group class.  So she offered to practice with me at her home.  She led me through the primary series of Ashtanga and wow!  I was hooked!  I had no idea up until that point that yoga could be a total body workout.  

 With my interest peaked I started taking her classes. Every week I sat in "watchasana” amazed at the things that the people in the class were doing!  They made it look so easy.  Standing on their heads balancing on their hands not to mention the acts of contortionism!  I kept going back with the hopes of one day floating up effortlessly into tripod from a wide legged forward bend, sitting in a perfect pigeon pose, and maybe one day balancing beautifully in scorpion.  I was really only interested in what it would do for me physically or what shape I could get my body into.  I had no idea at the time that this yoga would change my life.

Fast forward 6 years, a 200 hour Ashtanga teacher training and countless classes taught.  It is a beautiful and wonderful thing the way that a yoga practice grows and evolves over time.  It just kind of sneaks up on you when you are least expecting it.  You are going about your business of sun salutations, warrior poses and Ujjayi Pranayama and all of the sudden...something changes.

Like so many other yogis, over time my practice has become less about asana and striving for that perfect posture and more about the internal work.  Don't get me wrong...I'm still in awe of the grace and strength of the floaters and flyers and the flexibility of the contortionists.  But when I think about what my practice means to me and what it is that keeps me coming back to my mat not only to practice but to teach, it is always the things that you don't see.  It's the clearer mind and the gift of presence in every moment of my life.  It's being able to embrace my limitations and to accept where I am in my practice and in my life with gratitude.  It's the deep inner peace and calm and the quiet strength and confidence that has grown out of knowing I can do what I once thought was impossible...on and off of my mat.

Namaste

Tracy Barbuto
Yoga Teacher 500RYT | Smyrna, TN
tracybarbuto@gmail.com
Click here to learn more about Tracy

Is Normal Working For You? - By Mandy Sergent

With the holidays now quietly fading into the background, for most of us, our lives are returning to normal. I’m curious what normal means for you. And, is normal working for you?

With each New Year that falls upon us, it’s common to set a resolution or an intention for things to be different in the future than they were in the past. But, if we don’t take the time to get to the bottom of our desire for change and growth, if our intentions are not specific enough, or if our intentions are fueled by external pressures rather than internal longing, we might find that we are set up for failure. 

Each January, I see a surge in yoga class attendance, my phone rings off the hook, and my email in-box nearly explodes. Within a few weeks, things return to “normal”. Class attendance returns to the yogis who have practiced with me for years.  A lot of the new folks fade away (yes, some do stay).  And I have to wonder if this is due to the case of a generic New Year’s Resolution – one of those that we are all familiar with: eat healthier; exercise more often; take more time for myself…  There is nothing wrong with these resolutions, if they come from true desire and clarity. But, if you have chosen one of these because you think you “should”, you are not likely to follow through with it long-term.

The good news is that we can always start over again. Each time we come to our yoga mats, we start fresh with our yoga practice. We start with a few moments of being silent, reconnect with our breath, and check in with ourselves to see what we need in that moment. Some days, we have extra energy to burn and a vigorous practice calls to us. Other days, we’re tired and in need of rest, so a restorative practice is more appropriate. Some days, we balance so steadily that crossing a tightrope seems nearly possible and other days we are trees blowing in the wind. At times, we stand strong in Warrior pose and feel as if our energy meridians have all connected and we are being refueled.  Perhaps, other times we feel wobbly and misaligned and can’t wait for the posture to end. But that is what yoga is about, right – being in each moment? There is no right and wrong, not better or best, no one pose fits all.

Just as we get the opportunity to re-evaluate our practice each time we roll out our yoga mats, we can re-evaluate our lives each day. There is nothing more magical about January 1^st than any other day of the year. Whether you’ve set a resolution for 2011 or not, if you feel a subtle urging inside and want to make a change, try the following exercise to get really clear on how to move forward. It is important to take your time through this process.  Allow yourself at least 20 minutes of quiet, uninterrupted time.

• Find a comfortable way to sit. You should be able to relax, but stay alert. Take a few deep breaths to settle into that position. Let go of any expectations of what your intention or resolution should be and allow your mind to quiet down.
• Now, reflect back over your last year (or day, or event, or whatever you want to take a closer look at). Take a few minutes to remember as much as you can, big or small; what worked and what did not work; events that happened daily as well as those that happened only once; things that people said to you, what you said to others, and also those gentle nudgings from that voice inside. After a few minutes of reflecting, ask yourself, "What ONE thing stands out the most?" Get really clear about why this particular thing stands out. As best as you can, put yourself back in that moment. How did you feel? Who was with you? What were your surroundings? Does this feel like something you want more of in your life, or less of?
• Next, keeping in mind what stood out, and its particular qualities, let your view grow a little wider and consider the rest of your life – all aspects: work, play, free time, relationships, your thoughts, your feelings and emotions. How does what stood out relate to your day to day life on a regular basis? Is there some kind of pattern that you notice? This could be an area of your life that has similar qualities as what stood out.  Alternatively, it could be an area of your life where those qualities are missing.
• Now, take a moment to connect to the all-knowing place inside yourself that you go to for wisdom or guidance. If you feel unsure about what that means, imagine that you have a best friend - someone who always has your best intentions in mind - sitting with you. What advice does this place (person) have to offer you about what stood out over the last year and how it relates to your day to day life? You might ask yourself, “Given all that I’ve noticed, how can life be even better for me?” Keep in mind that information can come in a number of ways - words, a feeling, an image - so listen with all of your senses. If nothing comes to you right away, don't fret.  Remember that simply having a new awareness is enough to start the process of change and this step might become clearer as time passes.
• Finally, when you've heard, seen, or otherwise sensed some guidance from this place (person), come up with ONE action step for how to move forward.  This step should be geared towards helping you bring that guidance more fully into your day to day life. If your guidance was to make a change in your life, what one step can you take towards that change? If your guidance was a feeling, perhaps peacefulness, what can you do to bring more peace into your life? Resist the urge to come up with an entire plan for your year. Remember that you can always stop to regroup and re-evaluate.

So, fellow yogis, tell me: did you set an intention or resolution for 2011? Are you still sticking with it? If so, how? And if not, how can you regroup, and change your intention to be so specific, so spot on, that you cannot possibly fail?

Mandy Sergent
Yoga Instructor, Yoga Therapist | Boalsburg, PA 
mandysergent@hotmail.com |  www.mandysergent.com