Balasana Baby Maybe...

Balasana.
I go there every morning as I crawl onto my yoga mat at 6am.
I invite students to find comfort in balasana at the beginning of class,
often talking about ahimsa as they nestle down to their safe place.

So, last night at the end of beginners yoga, a new student asked me
about childs pose.  She told me she couldn't get comfortable in it at all.
Too quickly I responded, I thought so.  I told her it seemed from her heart
to her head it was too much.  She nodded and said, "yeh."
She told me she felt "claustrophobic, it's all a mental thing."
She tried all the options I gave, but she didn't like it.
She wanted to know what she could do to find it more relaxing.

I told her that I would think about it and in next weeks class we could
try something else, but at least she knows what to work towards.
Sarcastically she said, "claustrophobia" and smiled--but I felt like a
less than adequate teacher at that moment. 

And what made it worse (in my eyes) that she talked loudly about it in front of her friend, who was also new, that couldn't get comfortable in balasana either because of foot surgery she had  years ago.  She didn't talk to me about it in great detail, but when I saw her struggling to get her feet comfy and I quietly approached her, she explained she had scars that still hurt. 

So here I had two new yogi's who didn't like to be in a position I've rarely considered
--ever.  Blessings to them for bringing this into my mind, but goodness this is
something new.

I will step on my mat, huddle down and consider something other than
childs pose.
Om.

Bliss

This morning, I finished my asana practice.
Sitting in half meditation with my eyes closed,
thinking about writing and yoga.
When I closed my eyes and had a moment of samadhi.

I saw a warm yellow light hovering horizontially,
knowing this warmth was spirit, god, love, protecting us all.
And then I saw, felt a warm yellow ray vertically loving me,
in absolute peace, bliss, oneness I can't explain--but just know--
it was the spirit letting me know it's all good.

And then when I came to, I thought I had somehow tricked my eyes
into seeing --so I tried to do it again-- and it was impossible.
I felt the peace.
Knew what had happened.
And am thankful for the reminder.

Om.

You Can't Take the Ganesha Out...

A little over a year ago I began teaching yoga at a local studio that offers varying
healthy options to living: massage therapy, bellydance, reiki, life coaching, etc...all the
yummy stuff.  But coming into this space, I quickly realised I wasn't going to start class with a lot Sanskrit chanting or delve into the spiritual side immediately.  Part of this has been personal, selective growth and part of this is learning about the people who come to this studio.  Well--on the other side of immediately--is this year later when I comfortably begin and end with OM and share small stories of the practice.  I understand this to be more about my comfort at this point, not wanting to scare off students, afraid if I delve too deeply they're not going to come back to this space.  Even as I write that, I think it's smartly silly.


This past Thursday, at the end of class, a student came to me and said she had a question.
She continued by asking if I had any good books about Hindu gods or goddesses.  I
told her I didn't, but when I have questions about them, I either go to the library or online.  She then continued to tell me that when she is in savasana she gets images of "elephant people."  

I smiled.


Oh Ganesha.


I asked if she knew about Ganesha.  Had she heard the name?  The story?


No. And No.


I gave the small bits I knew and realised it's ok to share what I know, even if it's not complete.  People have the choice to go further in exploring their minds.  


And then she talked about seeing a "monkey face."


I smiled again.


Oh Hunaman.






She was full of this open space--recalling the past.  We spoke of reincarnation and spirituality.  It was a conversational gift.


That evening in the beginners class I shared the word Sri and the meaning.   This student was/is connected in with this divine sense, yummy sense of her spirituality.  So, even as I try to lightly cover the spiritual side of yoga, there are going to be those it resonates with and those it won't.  I don't need to necessarily water down my words, my stories...they sit where they need to...and Ganesha, removes the obstacles--placing success...where we open ourselves to.

Morning Practice

This morning my practice was slow and deliberate.
I had to wake up early for my oldest daughter and though I'm an early riser
most days, this extra early was a thankful hello.

I spent 15 each minutes in pranayama, meditation and chanting--then
beginning the asana portion.  I do this everyday, but not 15 minutes each.
Meditation always wins out anywhere 10-20 minutes most days though...anyhow--
what I found was my hour asana was much more deliberate in positioning and transitioning.
My mind focused quicker, yet my thoughts were slower.

I tend to lean towards a slower vinyasa practice most days, but try to throw in
some speed and curiousity too.  Today, I didn't worry about speed but tried to stay curious
in how I could find simplicity in the pause, the rest, in between.

Looking forward to the simplicity of my day.
Looking for the pauses,
the rest.

Om.

Moving meditation

Yesterday I went to a yoga workshop dealing with mantras in asana.

I am falling into this place of genuinely feeling the practice as a moving meditation.
I've said it over and over to students, having moments of feeling it--and as I continue to add it into
my own practice, it truly is there.

I sense the kundalini rising when sound is added into movement.
Prana.
Love.
Om

National Honesty Day

As I was roaming the online world this afternoon,
I came across that today is National Honesty Day.
If you look it up you'll discover that it was created in
1991 by a press secretary that wrote a book.  I am not
going into any political realm or link for this one.

Well...my brain went straight to yoga honesty.

What does it mean to be honest on the mat?
Off the mat?
Is truthfulness, satya, the same as honesty? 

What are we honest about to others, but what are we honest to ourselves about?
Or more, what aren't we honest about?

Am I honest about my fears, desire, hopes or do I trudge through trying to be honest and not allowing the time to listen?

What are my desires?  I know every morning I desire to wake up in a happy mood, but understand that I don't wake up chipper.  I wake up slowly to drink a cup of coffee I desire and then desire to sit on my living room mat.  Delving into breathing, managing to work into childs pose and slowly move through spine work to down dog.  Eventually my happiness begins to bubble and I do my best to choose happiness.  But desires are huge and random.  I desire a clean house.  I desire love.  I desire companionship.  I desire stability.  I desire the time to craft.  I desire time to live calmly with my girls.  I desire to teach more yoga and make yoga my "day" job. I desire clean sheets and happy dreams.

But I'm realistic that my desires are not always reality.  My house is rarely clean and I don't have the time I desire, but so many of my other desires are attainable.  And they are intuitive to my life.  That offers hope.  Creates less fear in my waking life.

I will continue to look into my desires this week, moving to hopes and fears...and be honest where I am today in those thoughts.

Om.

Partner Yoga

Just watched this great video on Partner Yoga with school age kids.  So much gratitude for sharing!

Partner Yoga

Namaste.