More on Meditation

I've really been putting more effort into my meditation and playing with a couple different Mantras to see how the feel and effect my work.  I did get the article off of Facebook that reaffirmed I'm doing something worthwhile rather than just sitting on my butt for 30 minutes.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/how-meditation-may-change-the-brain/

It's worth a read.  I'm hoping my work offers some results where the article is saying since I'm going into a period of more studying and being an on-line student more than ever before in my life.  I want to move from just reading words, to comprehend words, to apply thoughts, to offer and teach my own understandings.


Feburary is going to be a fun and challenging month!!!

The Mighty Oak

The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It's the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.

– Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)

  Great source of quotes  http://www.wisdomcommons.org/

More on Words

"Preach often, use words when necessary."  Saint Francis of Assisi

I've heard a few variations of this and don't know which one is most correct, if any, but you get the point.  Let your actions speak before your words do.

Peace

Something to think about on a Sunday morning

Uncertain knowledge giving rise to violence, whether done directly or indirectly, or condoned, is caused by greed, anger or delusion in mild, moderate or intense degree.  It results in endless pain and ignorance.  Through introspection comes the end of pain and ignorance.

From Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali II.34 by B.K.S. Iyengar

I had moved away from Patanjali's Sutras since most of the translations are interpreted in a classical yoga thought.  I started reading them again to learn more about the Eight Fold Path and in this month Ahimsa, found some good stuff.  Something to think about as you hear all the news going on around us.

Peace

When You're Ready, Things Come

I'm reading The Yoga of Discipline by Swami Gurumayi Chidvilasananda who is John Friend's teacher. Great book, on my list of better books about the entire practice of yoga I've read so far.

Last weekend in our workshop with Adam I was assisting/teaching two students an alignment principle. One of the students I've needed to slow down in the past because they are very bendy and want to push to their bendy limit not their aligned limit. So they are doing a partner pose as I watch, I have to repeat an instruction multiple times and ask the student to back part way out of the pose but they push on beyond where I thought they should have. I finally tell them to come out of the pose completely and give them a lesson on studentship, listening to the teacher, and following instructions. Reflecting back, it was meant to teach and ended up coming from a place of frustration. I wanted to give "Tuff Love" and ended up just being tough.

Open the The Yoga of Discipline that night and what is the next chapter, The Discipline of Speech. The basic thought is "engage brain before engaging mouth." I know this, but in a effort to get things done I get ahead of my brain and more important my heart. The book had a great quote from Saint Francis of Assisi:

I consider it no less a virtue to know how to keep silent well, than to know how to speak well. A man ought to have a long neck like a crane so that whenever he wishes to speak, his words would have to pass through many joints before they reach his mouth.

Another level of yoga for me to practice.

Peace

1st Video

Thursday worked out to be a day of video 1st. Started with hooking up a camera to my computer so I could tap into the power of Skype. Camera worked great, Skype is pretty cool, worked a project with BJ so I have something else to play with, like I needed that.

The big 1st was I recorded my 1st Anusara-Inspired yoga class last night. Twenty open hearts shared my theme about Kali and we move away from full moon of Shri Lakshmi out into the darkness. We empower muscular energy to hold steady in the dark until Saraswati begins to take form and move us to the next place of beauty. Today I'm going to sit down and watch the class and do my self review. I already know a few things I need to strengthen based on one of the lessons from Christina Sell's On-line mentoring course I'm taking. I taught a 90 minute class and my camera battery didn't. I peaked up as the class settled into Savasana and the little red light was out and my battery was gone. I'll work out a power source for next week.

In my own practice I did a Yogaglo class with Noah from Nov 09 that was lots of Pranayama. Between Adam Ballenger kicked our butts all weekend and me continuing that process Monday - Wednesday I was ready for an easy class. The Asana practice was very simple and supported the Pranayama Noah offered. Since I'm trying to learn more about Pranayama it was good for me to hear and practice what Noah had to teach. On a side note, there was 2, count them 1, 2 students in his class. I want to take a class from Noah with only two students and I'm one of them.

Touched based with my friend Sheldon who is busy as a one legged man in a butt kicking contest with his studio in Salt Lake City he and his lovely lady, Lyndsey, just took over and did some big upgrades to the facility. Sounds like things are going good for the tow of them. I would love to make a trip out there to practice and hang out, great folks, lots of fun and laughs. Donna and I are going to try and get to India next year with Douglas Brooks, Sheldon, Lyndsey, and I'm sure a bunch of of great folks.

On a down note, Ben our 11 year old Golden Retriever is having leg troubles. He didn't want to put weight on his back leg and had trouble standing up. He's been with us for over 9 years as a rescue dog that someone just gave up because he was to much trouble. I'm hoping he just turned an ankle on the ice yesterday or something simple. It is what it is and he's had a long full life for a Golden.

Today's Plan:

Watch my video

Play outside with the dogs

Couple hours on the mat

Class plan for Saturday

Start putting some things together for our new web page

Play with Skype

Read something good

Cardio and Therapy Training Video watching together

Should be a full day and I'm not scheduled to teach as of 8:08 AM but changes happen.

Peace

Right Place Right Time

Wednesday one of our teachers called and was still fighting off a winter cold so I popped in to sub for her. I was themeing on Gratitude and talking about how thankful we should be for the many diverse talents in our community and how we all offer something. It's a Gentle class so we stand up and start moving. A couple salutations into it we inhale to Ardha Uttanasana and as I look around to see shoulders lifted, spines long, a lady new to yoga in the second row manages to get about two steps forward, falling and does a face plant. I tried my best to catch her but from several steps away all I could do was get close for the crash. She ends up on her back and I'm first worried she is passed out. She grabs my hand and says she's OK and just needs to stay there. Her glasses cut her nose and a bit of blood is trickling toward her eye. In my mind I flash back 8 years to my Air Force Buddy Care First Aid training, elevate the head or the feet for shock? Where do you put a tourniquet for a nose cut? I had just been talking about our diverse talents and who is on the mat next to her but a Doctor!!! Not like me, a Doctor of fun, but a real medical professional. She takes over, assesses the situation, and handles it. We get her comfy in our entry room and as the two of them rest and recover our class restarts. We had some good energy going and now to try and get everyone else back in their own bodies and rekindle it, a bit challenging. The other cool thing is you could feel the outpouring of love and support for her as she walked out. Got to love when the right person is in the right place at the right time.

Peace