Ahimsa

Non-violence. Practice this. (I'm talking to myself.) This weekend I felt I was doing things that were rude or not fair or my nicest self. And I have no idea why! I catch myself after the fact not acting out of my true nature or my highest self. For what reason? I have no idea. To be a brat I guess. It's too bad. So I find myself today with the mantra "ahimsa" or non-violence in sanskrit. I am trying to forgive myself for having behaved this way. And it's extremely difficult. I'm basically sitting around feeling bad, and only time can improve this. Which I know.

Perhaps I could have avoided the constant mantram today. Yep, if I was constantly practicing this yama (discipline). Many times people think it's ahimsa against other people, animals, etc. My most difficult practice is with myself. Giving myself a break for being human. And not even letting that be an excuse! Yes we are human, but we are all of a higher consciousness that connects to every living thing. Including yourself and your heart. You are lucky enough to be a part of this higher world, and just as much a part as anybody else. Don't forget it. Practice it if it helps to remember.

Repeat the mantra 9 times, as many times a day as needed. Say it under your breath or repeat it silently as you put away the dishes or make a phone call, take the puppy out, etc. It works, I'm telling ya. :)

Satya

The truth. The truth for you every day as well as throughout your life. Your sva-dharma or limitations for any length of time. Your straight-up dharma is, to me, more of the life-long path. Work within your sva-darma or limitations for today or for this week. In a posture as "mainstream" as trikonasana (triangle pose), I always have to honor my truth and I don't really get too deep in this posture. I attempt in teaching to help practitioners to see that they may not have to go so deep to feel the stretch in the back of the front leg and the twist in the torso. People see trikonasana with hands at the ankle or on the floor and want to mimic the posture as opposed to working with the posture to stretch, lengthen and strengthen. It's all good, unless of course you want to continually build and improve upon your base knowledge of yoga, both body and mind.

Take it slow. Focus on alignment. Feel.

And have fun!!

Inversions!

Tons of em today. I am working with an Anusara book and trying new sequences, one "group" or session per week. Luckily this week's was only one page long and took about 1/2 hour...mainly because this "week" didn't start until today. And it's Wednesday.

Pincha Mayurasana, sirsasana, handstand, 50 variations of each, sarvangasana to halasana with 100 variations. I exaggerate. But whatever, it was cool. Only when you have to do you do that much inversions. This year has definitely been the one in which I've stood on my head or hands the most. What does that mean?

My heart needs to be above my head more than it was before. And that's for damn sure.

I practice to teach and teach for myself

Ever thought about what we can control and tangibly feel versus what we cannot control and that which is intangible to us? Of course. Well what then, do we make of this? What level of importance do we give to the subtle? There are few locations phsycially, spiritually, mentally where we can access this subtle body. For me, this has been when I am at peace, inside and out (since outward peace is reflective of inward). That occurs to me with regular meditation and asana practice. I get up in the mornings, take a green drink (thanks Tony Robbins) and head upstairs to my little personal altar. After taking my mala, the rudraksha beads that sit next to my skin, I sit. Then I chant. And I physically demonstrate my thankfulness (umm or gratitude) for my entire being. I am so darn lucky, which I can save for another post. After my Ganesha and Mercury mantras I delve into more customary Sivananda mantras and offer simply spiritual appreciation and connectedness, bhakti yoga. Then comes the asana. I play around for a while with whatever feels good and work though an Anusara book of postures to build new "sets" for my weekly hot vinyasa class. Private clients and students from the local high school benefit as well! I practice asana for them, all of them. And I teach for myself. I read that idea recently from a teacher in yoga journal and it speaks very true. My practice is to teach and my teaching is for myself.

So, where was I going. Oh yeah, I can only access this part of myself, this true nature, my dharma, path, my heart, via the avenues mentioned above. Believe me, I've tried searching without myself and it just takes a whole buncha time and money. And annoyance.

Darn my puppy is cute.

Peace out!!