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2016 Kiss My Asana #22:Working with an Awakening Heart February 24, 2016

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“This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who seeks the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,”

– Excerpt from “Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness” (Sn 1.8), translated from the Pali by The Amaravati Sangha. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 2 November 2013

 

“The Buddha said that we are never separated from enlightenment. Even at the times we feel most stuck, we are never alienated from the awakened state. This is a revolutionary assertion. Even ordinary people like us with hang-ups and confusion have this mind of enlightenment called bodhichitta. The openness and warmth of bodhichitta is in fact our true nature and condition. Even when our neurosis feels far more basic than our wisdom, even when we’re feeling most confused and hopeless, bodhichitta—like the open sky—is always here, undiminished by the clouds that temporarily cover it.”

– Excerpt from“Bodhichitta: The Excellence of Awakened Heart” from The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Time by Pema Chödrön*

 

Yoga, and its sister science Ayurveda, can be great healing tools – especially if you’ve identified what’s going on in the body and in the mind. Since I’m not a medical doctor, a psychotherapist, or an Ayurvedic practitioner, I avoid diagnosing people who come to my classes. However, if I were to offer a simple assessment of Yogi #22 (Mary C.), I would say she exhibits the characteristics outlined in the Karaniya, has a tendency to breath into the soft spot of her own heart, and “hear the cries of the world.”* On and off the mat, she practices ways to awaken the heart.

 Chitta means “mind” and also “heart” or “attitude.” Bodhi means “awake,” “enlightened,” or “completely open.” Sometimes the completely open heart and mind of bodhichitta is called the soft spot, a place as vulnerable and tender as an open wound. It is equated, in part, with our ability to love. Even the cruelest people have this soft spot. Even the most vicious animals love their offspring. As Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche put it, “Everybody loves something, even if it’s only tortillas.”

– “Bodhichitta: The Excellence of Awakened Heart” from The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Time by Pema Chödrön

When you’re talking to Mary C. there is no question that she is present, engaged, and listening. Her focus is deliberate; mindful; skillful – and results in a hum that sounds a lot like someone whispering the question, “Do you realize you are loved?” If one can hear such a hum, and not be unsettled by it, it becomes one of the most comforting experiences in the world.

But, everyone isn’t comfortable being loved. And, being the one who always loves is not always easy or comfortable. In fact, there could be a downside to being the person that instigates that hum. After all, everybody isn’t humming along. And, if you are aware of the hum – and aware of the harmony – you are also aware of the dissonance, the lack of harmony. Being aware is a beautiful blessing, but not getting swamped by the darkness in the world requires effort. Mary C. not only makes the effort, she works it!

 “An analogy for bodhichitta is the rawness of a broken heart. Sometimes this broken heart gives birth to anxiety and panic; sometimes to anger, resentment and blame. But under the hardness of that armor there is the tenderness of genuine sadness. This is our link with all those who have ever loved. This genuine heart of sadness can teach us great compassion. It can humble us when we’re arrogant and soften us when we are unkind. It awakens us when we prefer to sleep and pierces through our indifference. This continual ache of the heart is a blessing that when accepted fully can be shared with all.”

– “Bodhichitta: The Excellence of Awakened Heart” from The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Time by Pema Chödrön

 

I don’t mean to imply that Mary C. is a saint. Just like everybody else, she has her off days. However, while some of us check out on our off days, I’ve seen Mary C. own hers. In fact, I think her off days make her more curious. She is curious about the techniques and skills that will improve her life physically, mentally, and emotionally. And, underlying her personal curiosity is the awareness that if she improves her life, lives around her will improve.

If you are curious about ways to improve your life – physically, mentally, and emotionally – check out a yoga class at Mind Body Solutions (or at your local Y or neighborhood studio). If you’re not sure where to begin, check out a donation-based class anywhere or contact Mind Body Solutions to find out if they’ve trained a teacher near you. Even people across the pond are KISS(ing) MY ASANA! Have you?
Want to KISS MY ASANA while you practice? Contact Myra at a joyfulpractice.com to reserve a spot (or two) at a donation-based class on Saturday, February 27th (3:30 - 5:30 PM) or Saturday, March 5th (6:30 - 8:00 PM). Space is limited.Click here for more information about things to do in February and March.

 

~ LOKAH SAMASTHA SUKHINO BHAVANTU ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #21: The “Yes, and….” Sādhaka February 23, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.
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“Improv is an art. However, it is also a craft. A craft is something that is learned through practice, repetition, trial, error and hard work. Much like any other art, skill in improv is acquired over time. The more time spent improv-ing the greater the improvement (pun intended).”

– Excerpt from Rules of Improv Part I by David Alger (Pan Theater)

 

Yoga is as much an art as it is a science; as much theory as practical application (i.e., craft). Every once in a while, a yogi walks in and is clearly open to all these different aspects of the practice. Seemingly ready for anything…fearless, like a jazz virtuoso or an improv king, these people walk in with a “yes, and…” attitude. They create the moment, stay in the moment, and keep adding information that allows movement into the next moment. On the outside, this go-with-the-flow attitude can be deceptive, because it’s not that such a person can do everything right off the bat; it’s not that they are the Superman or Superwoman of yoga. It’s that yogis like Tyler (Yogi #21) are willing to give it a try. Scratch that…Yogis like Tyler are willing to skillfully give it a practice.

 

“Practice, practice, practice. All is coming.”

– Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

 

“Sādhanā is a discipline undertaken in the pursuit of a goal. Abhyāsa is repeated practice performed with observation and reflection. Kriyā, or action, also implies perfect execution with study and investigation. Therefore, sādhanā, abhyāsa, and kriyā all mean one and the same thing. A sādhaka, or practitioner, is one who skillfully applies…mind and intelligence in practice towards a spiritual goal.”

– Excerpt from Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B. K. S. Iyengar

 

Pattabhi Jois and B. K. S. Iyengar started practicing with T. Krishnamacharya in 1927 and 1934, respectively. Each would go on to expose the Western world to a physical yoga practice that can (in our modern experience) seem very different on the outside: one (Ashtanga) involving the ability to flow with the breath and the other (Iyengar) involving alignment principles which enable a practitioner to focus on the breath. Practicing one can enhance the experience of the other. In fact, some vinyasa teachers even encourage a regular Iyengar practice. But, ultimately, the thing to remember about different physical yoga practices is that the foundations supporting each practice are essentially the same.

Jois’s famous words above could just as easily be, “Abhyāsa, Sādhanā, Kriyā. Yoga (union) is coming.” Every non-translated Sanskrit word in the above Iyengar quote could just as easily be replaced with the English word “practice.” Do we lose something in the translation? Maybe. Or, perhaps such word-play reminds us that in outlining the philosophy of yoga Patanjali devoted a whole chapter to ways to practice – and two out of four chapters are devoted to what happens when you practice!

 “Are you practicing?”

– David Swenson, on the cover of his Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual

 

A few summers ago, when I was getting ready for my rooftop classes, I noticed the David Swenson quote above – and it got me thinking: Sometimes it’s not only “Are you practicing?” Sometimes we have to ask ourselves, “What are you practicing?”

If you know what you’re seeing, you can pick up on what type of yoga a person already practices. You can also notice, for instance, that they have a regular seated meditation, tai chi, martial arts, or gymnastics practice. It’s a fascinating exercise in physical tendencies. But, as a teacher, I’m also fascinated by how many people spend their time on the mat practicing their asana/seat (vs. their toe picking); their drishti/focus (vs. their clock-watching); their pranayama/awareness of breath (vs. their habit of holding the breath/not breathing when things get exciting/challenging), and their possibilities (vs. their limitations).

One thing I’ve noticed about Tyler in the short time he’s been practicing in the Twin Cities is that he seems to consistently practice acceptance, gratitude, and joy. Not surprisingly, given where he comes from, he reminds me of a story about the guy who started going to Yoga To The People and telling each teacher that he had had the best class ever!

 

So, it wasn’t something cute to say at the end of class. What I discovered, over the next couple of months, was…he would get up and authentically, genuinely, have loved the experience, that he created for himself…. When was the last time you created the greatest class – that wasn’t predicated by the teacher? That wasn’t predicated by the sequence? It wasn’t even predicated on what you could do and not do – But the essence that you create for yourself is this really great class. So, my invitation to you today, is to make this the greatest class you ever had.”

– Yoga To The People teacher telling “Brian’s” story at the beginning of Podcast 2

 

 “Each practice session is a journey. Endeavor to move with awareness and enjoy the practice. Allow it to unfold as a flower opens. There is no benefit in hurrying. Yoga grows with time. Some days are easy and the mind is calm and the physical body is light and responsive. Other days you may find that the mind is running wild and the body feels like wet cement. We must breathe deeply and remain detached. Asanas are not the goal. They are a vehicle to access a deeper internal awareness.”

– Excerpt from Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual by David Swenson

Like me, and several other yogis in our midst, Tyler is a transplant who wandered into the studio and promptly made himself at home. It’s exciting to move to a new place, to find a new part of your tribe, and to be full of hope and potential. But, making yourself at home on (and off) the mat involves making yourself at home in your own mind-body. In this world that moves fast and focuses on perfection, it is easy to get disconnected from our true selves. It is easy to forget we are connected to each other. It is all too easy to lose hope. Mind Body Solutions is on a mission to reconnect us to our hope and to our potential.

Every time I inhale, every time I exhale, I’m inviting you to be part of my KISS MY ASANA tribe! Every time I inhale, every time I exhale, I’m inviting you to dwell in possibilities, and remember we are all one!

Want to KISS MY ASANA while you practice? Contact Myra at a joyfulpractice.com to reserve a spot (or two) at a donation-based class on Saturday, February 27th (3:30 - 5:30 PM) or Saturday, March 5th (6:30 - 8:00 PM). Space is limited.

 

~ MAY OUR STUDY TOGETHER BE BRILLIANT & EFFECTIVE ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #20: This Is What a Yogi Looks Like February 21, 2016

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“If ever there is a tomorrow when we’re not together…there is something you must always remember: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think…”

– Christopher Robin to Winnie-the-Pooh

 

“She’s anything but typical…”

– “She’s Every Woman” by Garth Brooks

 

Certain people make me wonder why they come to class. They seem not to get that there’s a science behind the poses and sequences – that alignment matters – and they seem not to enjoy the experience. It’s almost like they’re sleepwalking through the practice. But, they keep coming back; so they must experience some benefit. On the flip side, there are people like Yogi #20 (Vickie), who is definitely awake – and awakening.

The first time I saw Vickie, she was outside of the studio looking at a bulletin board full of information about what the gym offers its members. I had just finished a class, looked out the window and saw what I thought was a typical “health seeker,” someone who wants a healthier life but doesn’t know where to start. We started talking about the yoga classes. When she ended the conversation by saying, “Maybe I’ll try it,” I thought I’d see her in class…once.

I had no idea I’d pegged Vickie all wrong or that, years later, she is still “trying” it.

 

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

– Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back

 

An asana is not a posture which you assume mechanically. It involves thought, at the end of which a balance is achieved between movement and resistance.”

– B. K. S. Iyengar

 

Vickie may come off as easy going and happy-go-lucky, which she is to a degree; but, she’s also incredibly conscientious. She’s a dot your I’s/cross your T’s kind of yogi. She works hard, on and off the mat; but, she doesn’t sweat the small stuff. She’s too busy enjoying the work, and soaking up all the little lessons that come from practicing with awareness.

She also enjoys the music. Turns out, the other thing I didn’t know about Vickie when we first met: we enjoy the same music. But, honestly, we could up on the rooftop with only the sound of the wind and distant traffic as a soundtrack and at some point in the practice I’m still going to look over at Vickie and realize that she is completely absorbed in every aspect of the practice. That’s yoga. And that’s Vickie.

 

“Listen not to the critics / Who put their own dreams on the shelf / If you want to get the truth to admit it / you gotta find out for yourself”

– “How You Ever Gonna Know” by Garth Brooks

 

I say it all the time: There’s a yoga practice for everybody. The problem is everybody isn’t as intrepid as Vickie; everybody doesn’t take the time to find their yoga practice. Sometimes the obstacle is perception, sometimes the obstacle is accessibility. Sometimes, however, people don’t take the time to find their practice because they aren’t aware that there’s more than one way to practice.

Thinking of Vickie makes me think of Matthew Sanford’s yoga journey. He, or his teacher, could have easily said no when a friend suggested he try yoga – and he would have missed out on doing it. He could have allowed distance or financial resources be an obstacle – and he would have never known all that he has to offer. He could have thought about possible naysayers, instead of loading up his lap with mats and heading over to the Courage Center – and the world would have missed out on a great teacher.

Mind Body Solutions is best known for its adaptive yoga program, but anyone can take a class there and benefit from what the practice has to teach. And, anyone can KISS MY ASANA! In fact, please do.

 

 

Want to KISS MY ASANA while you practice? Contact Myra at a joyfulpractice.com to reserve a spot (or two) at a donation-based class on Saturday, February 27th (3:30 - 5:30 PM) or Saturday, March 5th (6:30 - 8:00 PM). Space is limited.

2016 Kiss My Asana #19: And Now For Something Completely Different / Various Positions February 20, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Karma Yoga, Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
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“The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind & the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.”

– B. K. S. Iyengar

 

“Yoga is almost like music in a way; there’s no end to it.”

– Sting

 

The physical practice of yoga (Hatha Yoga) regardless of style or tradition has a lot in common with the song mentioned by Yogi #19 (Mary D.). In relation to each, people experience and express sorrow, joy, ecstasy, confusion, and/or spiritual transcendence. Maybe that’s why, as the songwriter puts it, so “many different (ones) exist.” Maybe that’s why so many different people try to put their spin on both. And maybe that’s why pretty much everyone who has ever heard the song, or practiced yoga, has a favorite version – and can be fairly fanatical about that favorite. Ironically, after the songwriter edited down at least 80 verses of the aforementioned song, his record label didn’t want to release the album containing the song because, he said, “They didn’t think it was good enough.”

“It was the first time I could really see and intuitively feel what it was I was doing, making or creating in that enterprise. After a long period of barrenness, it all just seemed to click. Suddenly, I knew these weren’t discrete songs I was writing…I could see – I could sense a unity. Various Positions had its own life, its own narrative. It was all laid out and all of a sudden it all made sense. It was almost painfully joyful, if that makes some sense. The pulling and the putting of the pieces together coherently, the being inside of that process and knowing, once I’d done that, it would be finished and I would have to leave it and go back to the world.”

– Leonard Cohen in a Globe and Mail 2000 interview

Underlying all the different types of yoga practice is a sense of unity. In fact, the Sanskrit word “yoga” means union. Of course, there are lots of different ways to experience yoga. Patanjali defines one way in the Yoga Sutras, when he highlights three (3) of the internal observations (niyamas) as a prescription for union through purification (Kriya Yoga). You could experience Tapas (heat/discipline/austerity), Svadyaya (self study), and Ishvara Pranidhana (surrendering efforts) in any number of practices. However, physical yoga practices like Ashtanga Yoga and Bikram (Hot Yoga) are deliberately built around the Kriya Yoga rubric. Each has a sequence of specific poses, practiced in a specific order and manner – Hot Yoga, in particular, has that “minor fall, and the major lift…” And, each guarantees 90 minutes of internal focus and heat, lots and lots of heat.

Keep in mind, tapas (heat) isn’t always about the temperature of the body. It can just as easily be defined as the focus on alignment found in Iyengar as the external (physical heat) found in Bikram Yoga or the internal (physical heat) found in Ashtanga Yoga. One thing is for certain, however, as a person experiences tapas on the mat, that person has the opportunity to study themselves as they encounter challenges and let go of anything that doesn’t serve them.

 

You put yourself into it, go through your hard work – or if you want to take it easy , you take it easy as much as you can, but you’re still moving. The body carries emotional baggage and you’re just getting rid of this baggage.”

 “One thing is this – people should see the result. If the result is effective and positive in their life, they should stick with it. I always say my Guru is my heart because I always listen to my heart – is it mentally, spiritually, and physically enhancing me, or not? If I see I am growing and it is helping me, then I’d rather stick with it.”

 “Bikram’s method is really consistent with people in building their personality; their perspective of life, their will power, and self esteem is helped by the 26 2.”

– Rajashree Bikram

 

Mary D. and I have only met once, in passing, several months ago. I had no idea at the time that she practiced any kind of yoga, let alone Bikram. When my housemate (who facilitated the video) asked her, Mary D. didn’t hesitate to participate in my Kiss My Asana challenge. My housemate said, “She likes yoga. She likes to help people.” Hmmm, based on the little bit I know about this Hot (Bikram) Yogi, I think what she really likes to do is to feed people – and it doesn’t matter if she’s feeding their bodies, their minds, or their souls. It’s all one.

When Mary D. “retired” a few years back, in order to start her own business, people at a certain university in St. Paul missed what she had to offer. But, pay attention and one starts to notice that while people obviously missed the food she prepared, those same people are just as likely to mention her personal engagement. She not only knew their favorite sandwiches (and how they liked them), she knew bits and pieces about their lives. Just as she knew it’s not a sandwich if it’s only bread on the outside, Mary D. knew no person is complete without their insides. After all, it’s the “guts” (physically and metaphysically speaking) that make us human. Mind Body Solutions offers people an opportunity to unleash what makes us human – regardless of what’s on the outside. KISS MY ASANA and you’re taking advantage of the opportunity to feed someone’s mind-body.

 

Want to KISS MY ASANA while you practice? Contact Myra at a joyfulpractice.com to reserve a spot (or two) at a donation-based class on Saturday, February 27th (3:30 - 5:30 PM) or Saturday, March 5th (6:30 - 8:00 PM). Space is limited.

 

 

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FROM THIS BROKEN HILL / ALL YOUR PRAISES THEY SHALL RING / IF IT BE YOUR WILL / TO LET ME SING (Leonard Cohen, again)

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2016 Kiss My Asana #18:This Is Why a Tree Bends Toward the Light February 19, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Tantra, Twin Cities, Uncategorized, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
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“There’s a tree that grows in Brooklyn. Some people call it the Tree of Heaven. No matter where its seed falls, it makes a tree which struggles to reach the sky. It grows in boarded-up lots and out of neglected rubbish heaps. It grows up out of cellar gratings. It is the only tree that grows out of cement. It grows lushly . . . survives without sun, water, and seemingly without earth. It would be considered beautiful except that there are too many of it.”

– preface to A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

 

Since a lot of people come to my classes, I could reiterate the passage above and claim they are too many to be considered beautiful. But it wouldn’t be true. Some people stand out. Some people are beautiful inside and out. It’s not a showy thing, and I don’t think it’s something they do on purpose. However, some people are just so naturally themselves that, no matter where they go or what they do, their energy shines through. Maybe it’s because people like Yogi #18 (Tracy) aren’t wasting a lot of energy trying to be someone other than themselves.

“Your very nature dictates that you perform the duties attuned to your disposition. Those duties are your dharma, your natural calling. It is far better to do your own dharma, even if you do it imperfectly, than to try to master the work of another. Those who perform the duties called for by their obligations, even if those duties seem of little merit, are able to do them with less effort – and this releases consciousness that can be directed Godward.”

– The Bhagavad Gita (18:47)

Tracy is a natural scientist, who spends a lot of time outdoors. I don’t imagine it was easy, getting where she is in her life and in her career, but she makes things look easy. From what I can tell, that ease comes from loving what she does, on and off the mat. Her appreciation for what’s she’s doing, in the moment, is one of the reason it’s a pleasure to work with her. She’s also got one of the best smiles. And, no matter how hard I work her, she always shares that smile and expresses gratitude for the work we’ve done together. Those are just a few of the reasons Tracy is one of my favorite co-workers.

At this point, someone who knows me and/or Tracy is thinking, “Wait, Tracy works with you?!?!?” Yep. She’s one of the people I see when I go to work each week, and we collaborate on special projects (i.e., ourselves).

Now, I realize that my perspective is a little different from everybody else in the studios – after all, most people see me when they’re on a break from their work. Still, I’m lucky to work with a really great group of people – and Tracy is one of the people I look forward to seeing when I go to work. Like that person you see once or twice a week for a status report, Tracy and I occasionally share little tidbits about our lives and celebrate random successes. She shared her “favorite musical yoga moment” with me when it happened a few years back; she got her (now) husband to practice a little yoga during the first Kiss My Asana yogathon; and over the years she’s mentioned times when she’s brought the practice off the mat. But what strikes me most when we’re in the middle of the practice is how Tracy works it, gloriously – like she’s so glad to be there.

 

“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.”

– A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

 

 

A seed settles into the soil and waits. Once it germinates, it moves stone and earth to tunnel the shoot that will become its roots. The seed projects a second shoot skyward, which will allow it to convert sunlight into the energy it will use to sustain itself for the rest of its life. Drawing upon every resource available, a seed is compelled to become the thing it was meant to be: a tree, grass, vine, bush, shrub, or flower. If unsuccessful, it will have died trying, but not before exhausting every last fiber of its being to fulfill its potential.

 A honeybee, drawing nectar from a blossom, bats its wings 11,400 times per minute. Salmon swim as much as a thousand miles upstream, or more, in order to spawn. An ant will carry twenty times its weight to serve a colony. This same drive, all but invisible, pervades everything in the natural world. The world we live in is little more than an endless and vibrant expression of energy.”

– Excerpted from The Four Desires by Rod Stryker

Tracy strikes me as the kind scientist who appreciates the energy of nature with every inhale and every exhale. But it’s easy to overlook the simple and profound things happening around us and within us. It’s easy to take nature for granted – and, in the process, to take ourselves for granted. A physical yoga practice is an opportunity to tap into our natural resources, on and off the mat. It’s an opportunity to reconnect to the reason we have bodies and minds.

Sometimes, however, there’s a whole lot of mental and physical busyness (or business) keeping a person off the mat. Sometimes that mental busyness is the idea that the body already has to be a certain way in order to practice yoga. Unfortunately, a lot of us teaching yoga here in the West are so focused on the outside we can’t feel the forest or the trees. If you take a class from Matthew Sanford, you will feel the energy of your mind-body. That’s what he does: practices from the inside out (instead of the outside in). JOIN my KISS MY ASANA when you donate and you not only support more teachers learning how to teach the essence of the practice, you’ll also have the opportunity to take some free yoga classes at area studios (through the end of February).

 

Want to KISS MY ASANA while you practice? Contact Myra at a joyfulpractice.com to reserve a spot (or two) at a donation-based class on Saturday, February 27th (3:30 - 5:30 PM) or Saturday, March 5th (6:30 - 8:00 PM). Space is limited.

~ OM, NAMAH SHIVAYA ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #17:Practicing in Scordatura, As Intended February 18, 2016

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“And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

– Romans 12:2

 

“It is the aim of my pilgrimage on earth to show my brethren by living demonstration how one may serve God with merriment and rejoicing. For he who is full of joy is full of love for me and for all fellow creatures.”

– Baal Shem Tov*

 

“‘Where are you going?’
She said, ‘To that world.’
‘And where have you come from?’
She answered, ‘From that world.’
‘And what are you doing in this world?’
And she said, ‘I am sorrowing.’
‘In what way?’ they asked her.
And Rabia replied,
‘I am eating the bread of this world,
And doing the work of that world.’”

– “Rabia Song” by Zuleikha*

 

Follow me for a moment, while I tell you a story: Once upon a time, a great composer created a piece of music that would inspire the world. The only problem was that none of the existing instruments in the world sounded quite right as the featured soloist. She tried everything. Finally, she decided to make a special instrument – that had to be played a special way. In her studio, the instrument sounded, mostly, divine. Honestly, it sounded OK if treated like any other instrument. And, it had the unfortunate knack of being really off-key if it wasn’t held properly or used appropriately. However, when proper care and attention were taken, there was nothing like it on Earth. It would sound heavenly and enhance the sound of all the other instruments in the orchestra. Knowing she wouldn’t be around to pass the instrument along in person, the great composer left the instrument, music, and instructions for a very competent musician.

 

Like all music, the figured bass should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the recreation of the soul; where this is not kept in mind there is no true music, but only an infernal clamour and ranting.” – Johann Sebastian Bach

 

I have it on good authority that Yogi #17 (Greg) is a very competent musician. Like Yogi #16 (my good authority), he is also a healer whose presence is as soothing as his favorite music. If the world really were an orchestra – full of divine instruments and competent musicians (like Greg), who knew how to play their holy instruments – all would be right with the world.

 

 

Unfortunately, the musical story above doesn’t always end well.

In some versions of the story most of the composer’s instructions were lost; the music was rearranged; the special instrument may (or may not) have gotten a little dented; and the conductor didn’t know who was supposed to lead.

So, there you have it: the state of the world as we know it. We have these bodies that can touch and be touched – yet, we often feel disconnected from our bodies, and all the bodies around us. We have these minds that can draw in, process, and evaluate information in the present moment – yet, we spend quite a bit of time making up stuff about past and future moments. We have something driving us to live, to love, to play and be known – let’s call it a spirit – yet, we continuously ignore that our bodies, minds, and spirits are connected. It’s enough disharmonious ranting to make Bach pull off his powdered wig!

 

“Two things are guaranteed to hook you up with the God of Love: sorrowing and rejoicing. You do not need to go searching for either; they are written into the architecture of human existence.”

– (*All with asterisks) Excerpted from God of Love by Mirabai Starr

 

Somehow there is harmony and beauty in the world. Maybe, as Mirabai Starr indicates, that harmony and beauty (like sorrowing and rejoicing) is part of our basic make-up. Maybe we just need a practice, the right music, a healer like Greg, or a teacher like Matthew Sanford to help us connect to the very fibers of our being.

All I know for sure, is that on any given Sunday (or Monday through Saturday), someone realizes that they are more than their body, more than their mind. On any given Sunday (or Monday through Saturday), someone awakens to the fact that they are connected to something Divine/Universal. And, maybe they see the Divine/Universal something as an anthropomorphic being, or maybe they feel it as a sensation of connectedness to the people around them. Either way, this awakening comes with a responsibility and a purpose to play the notes they’ve been given.

 

“To be tender, loving, and caring, human beings must be tenderly loved and cared for in their earliest years, from the moment they are born.”

– Ashley Montagu

 

“The simple act of touching is of extreme importance to the healthy functioning of the human organism. The skin can be considered the outer layer of the nervous system. The skin is the boundary of our bodies. Through touch, that boundary is gently broken down, permeated by another, and our whole internal system enhanced and stimulated.”

– Excerpt from Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System by Anodea Judith, Ph.D.

 

Greg, like Matthew Sanford, believes in the power of touch. It is important not only for the person who needs care, but also to the caregiver. It is critical to the person dying, as well as to those who go on living. During the KISS MY ASANA yogathon, it’s easy to reference the people who have obvious external signs that they’ve experienced trauma, loss, and disability. However, let’s not forget the caregivers and the space holders. While “best known for adapting yoga for persons living with disabilities,” Mind Body Solutions also offers workshops and trainings for caregivers, healthcare providers, and whole organizations. Remember: Everyone benefits when we integrate our mind-body, on and off the mat. So, if you want to honor a healer (or a musician), go to Sharon’s page (she’s matching donations) and KISS MY ASANA!

 

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“If there is light in the soul,
there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
there will be peace in the world.”
– Chinese Proverb

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2016 Kiss My Asana #12: The Fixer February 13, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Karma Yoga, Lamed-Vav Tzadikim, Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Tantra, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
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“…every person is obligated to say, ‘For my sake alone the world was created.’ That doesn’t mean the world is mine to consume everything indiscriminately (although God does want us to enjoy the pleasures of this world).

What it does mean is that we must take responsibility for any problem in the world. If you recognize a problem – whether it be a piece of litter on the street or a major social issue that needs adjusting – you shouldn’t just say ‘someone else will deal with it.’ There is nobody else. In God’s eyes, the rule is: You saw it, you fix it.”

– Aish Rabbi on Tikkun Olam

 

Underlying the mystical Jewish concept of tikkun olam is the idea that everything and everyone was once part of a divine whole, that everything and everyone is somehow disconnected, and that everything and everyone has a role in putting the pieces back together again. In modern times this concept is often translated as “repair the world.” However, some scholars also refer to tikkun olan as “establish the world” – which brings me to another of my favorite ideals (the story of the 36) and one of my favorite yogis (Meghan G, #12).

According to the Talmud, there are always at least 36 righteous people in the world. These Lamed-Vav Tzadikim (“36 righteous ones”) are also known as Nistram (“the concealed ones”); so called because they are unknown even to themselves. They live quiet, unassuming lives. They do the right thing as much as they are able – simply because it is the right thing, and they are able. They are so humble they could never imagine that they will “greet the Shekhinah” – Divinity in a feminine form – or that their very existence ensures humanity’s continued existence.

If we let go of dogma, add the idea of the Tikkun Olam to the concept of Lamed-Vav Tzadikim, and use the result as a model to guide our lives, we might just embody the “Prayer of St. Francis” – or a Pearl Jam song.

When something’s dark, let me shed a little light on it
When something’s cold, I wanna put a little fire on it
If something’s old, I wanna put a little shine on it
If something’s gone, I wanna fight to get it back again

– Pearl Jam’s “The Fixer” from Los Angeles 1 USA 9-30-2009 concert

 

I’m not going to say Meghan G is one of the 36 – but, I’m not going to say she’s not. What I will say is that she lives and practices, on and off the mat, with a powerfully humble and grace-filled awareness. Her awareness stays fixed on the idea that while we may feel disconnected, we are all connected to (and through) the Divine. She reminds me of the “sort of optimistic and playful melody and lyric” side of Eddie Vedder’s personality that Stone Gossard says we glimpse in “The Fixer.”

 

“I’ll say your prayers, I’ll take your side
I’ll find us a way to make light”

– Pearl Jam’s “The Fixer” from Los Angeles 1 USA 9-30-2009 concert

 

In 2009, when asked if the title of “The Fixer” referred to him, Vedder said, “My answer is, aren’t we all? Maybe I’m wrong to think that, but it seems like we are…. I’m thinking more on a worldview or a community view.” In a later interview, he would also say, “This is a reminder song to me, to stop fixing.”

If you attend a traditional class led by Matthew Sanford, he might greet you by asking what ails you. He has said that, when people come to his teacher training, he often asks them, “Who are you trying to fix?” Ultimately, both questions lead to the awareness that while we think we need to fix (or establish) ourselves – in order to fix (or establish) the world – what we are really “fixing” through our practice is our awareness. The connection is already there; our yoga practice is just a way to awaken it! Please KISS MY ASANA to help Mind Body Solutions transform the way people think about their mind-body.

~ LOKAH SAMASTHA SUKHINO BHAVANTU ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #11:Spiritual Activists, Feel the Vibration! February 12, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Loss, Love, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Texas, Twin Cities, Vipassana, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
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Bringing this to the entire nation
Black, white, red, brown
Feel the vibration

Come on come on
Feel it feel it
Feel the vibration

– “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, featuring Loleatta Holloway

In Light on Yoga, B. K. S. Iyengar spends approximately two (2) pages explaining the importance of studying AUM. Two pages may not seem like a lot, until you realize that many people just think of Light on Yoga as a practice manual for the physical practice. In fact, people often buy the book to “master the poses.” However, Iyengar begins the book by introducing the philosophy of yoga and stating, unequivocally, “one can master nothing” without single-pointed concentration. “Without concentration on Divinity” he writes, “one cannot unlock the divinity within oneself or become a universal man.”

Tom H (Yogi #11) has spent his life unlocking the divinity within himself. This becomes obvious if you spend any amount of time (at all) talking to him. He and I have talked in the studios; on the rooftop; in restaurants and bars; and in cars. We seem to talk about everything. Yet, it doesn’t matter where the conversation starts (or ends) there is always an underlying connection to the subject of the Divine, how the Divine is connected to us, and how we are connected to each other.

Turns out, it’s all one and the same.

“Master Patanjali describes AUM – that which is indescribable – by using the Sanskrit word pranavah. Like most words, pranavah has numerous meanings.”

– Excerpt from Sweeping the Dust by Jivamukti Yoga teacher Ruth Lauer-Manenti (“Lady Ruth”)

I am the innate nature of everything. In pure water I am the sweet taste. In the sun and moon I am the radiance. In the very center of human beings I live as virility and courage. I am (pranavah) the sacred word Om, which designates the Divine, and I am the sound of it heard throughout the universe” – Excerpt from The Bhagavad Gita (7:8)

Tom H is a spiritual activist because his practice doesn’t stay on the mat. When he’s unlocking the divinity within himself, he’s also figuring out how to help the rest of us unlock the divinity within ourselves. His commitment to individual and social change, as well as his efforts towards uplifting people of all ages and backgrounds, is the direct result of his eclectic spiritual life. He blends his physical practices, in different modalities, with his philosophical practices and beliefs. He continually questions, only to examine the questions and the answers he finds. He consistently takes his practice off the mat (and the cushion) – then brings it back again! When he practices yoga, you can practically see his heart-energy vibrating, shimmering, and shining. He literally vibrates.

And, that vibration has a ripple effect.

“Can you feel it baby? / I can too //1 2 3 now we come to the pay off” – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, featuring Loleatta Holloway

If you practice yoga for any significant period of time, you will find the physical practice affects more than your body. It affects your life. And, the more you practice, the more you vibrate, shimmer, and shine. Mind Body Solutions adaptive yoga program is an opportunity for more people to feel the vibration. Your donation may just be a drop in the 2016 KISS MY ASANA bucket, but it will ripple!

 

Join me for meditation at the Walker this Saturday the 13th (5 PM & 7 PM)and you might find yourself sitting next to a yogi!

 

 

~ AUM…, Tat Twam Asi (That Thou Art) ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #10: What Happens When You’re Full of Grace? February 10, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Depression, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Loss, Love, Minneapolis, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, TV, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
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“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as you love yourself….”

– Leviticus 19:34

 

“And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or saw you naked and gave you clothes? Truly I tell you, just s you did to one of the least of those who are members of the human family, you did it to me.”

– Matthew 25:38

 

 “…and do good to orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer that you meet, and those who have nothing.”

– Qur’an 4:36

 

At least 7 yogis walk into a bar…. I know, it sounds like the beginning of a really silly joke. But seriously, if it weren’t for Yogi #9, I wouldn’t know Yogi #10 (and a few other yogis down the line).

Friday, February 5th, Yogi #9 (Elizabeth) invited me and my housemate to a fundraiser for a tutoring program at a school in St Paul. It was cold on the first Friday of Kiss My Asana, I’d just finished teaching, and I had stuff to do. But, I could hear Elizabeth in my head saying, “Come on. It’s kids; it’s for a good cause. You don’t have to stay out all night. I mean, you could, but….” (Note: She didn’t actually say this, but I could hear what it would sound like if she did.)

I acquiesced, in my own mind, and we headed over to the Urban Growler. It was not my usual scene, but it was super cool – and packed! We made our way around the pub until we found Elizabeth with a table full of her family and friends. She proceeded to introduce us to (drum roll, please) Yogi #10 (Molly S).

“Yoga changed my life!” Molly S exclaimed when she heard I teach yoga. My housemate asked how, and Molly left no doubt that yes, indeed, a single introductory course in yoga not only changed her outlook on her mind-body, it changed the way she engaged her mind-body. As a prelude to asking her, a perfect stranger, if she’d answer my 7 questions, I mentioned what I’m doing for Kiss My Asana and how the yogathon benefits Mind Body Solutions –

Before I got anymore words out of my mouth, Molly S delivered the Universe’s punch line:

“Wait, Mind Body Solutions in Minnetonka? Matthew Sanford was my first teacher!”

Yep, turns out, it wasn’t just yoga that changed Molly’s life. It was Matthew Sanford.

When grace happens, generosity happens. Unsquashable, eye-popping bigheartedness happens. “

– Max Lucado

 “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” – Rumi

 

As if it wasn’t beautiful enough that she let me video tape her, on the fly (questions unseen), Molly left the fundraiser and proceeded to Kiss My Asana. (Thanks Molly!)

(NOTE: There’s still time for you to be like Molly!)

Don't forget, you can turn on and tune in with me this Saturday (5 PM & 7 PM) at the Walker! And February 27th is a Pucker Up and Kiss My Asana Saturday!

~ OM NARAYANA SHANTI OM ~

2016 Kiss My Asana #8: A Peaceful Warrior February 8, 2016

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 108 Sun Salutations, Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Karma, Karma Yoga, Kirtan, Life, Mala, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Surya Namaskar, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.
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“in the Bhagavad Gita you teach us Bhakti
your divine past times are so sublime / they open the heart and reassure the mind
providing us shelter when the monsoon lingers”

– “Krishna Love” by MC Yogi

 

a peaceful soldier who used his mind / to fight for the rights of human kind
but not just people, animals too / and his basic teaching “God is Truth”
he joined Muslims, Sikhs, & Hindus / Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Jews
all the many paths that lead into / the light that shines bright inside of me and you

(chorus)
Be the change that you wanna see / in the world, just like Gandhi

– “Be the Change” by MC Yogi

 

We live in a world where people think power has to be loud, obnoxious, and brash. That change has to come like a tornado or a monsoon, dramatically altering everything in its path. But, change is always happening – even when we don’t notice it happening. And, some of the most powerful people I know are doing powerful things in the world – quietly. Listen, really listen; look, really look – and you will find little seeds of change deliberately (and quietly) taking root, blossoming, and making the world a better place.

Like a seed taking root, Yogi #8, the aptly named Krishna, quietly strolled into class one day a couple of years ago and quietly blossomed. Truth be known, he had blossomed long ago – but he won’t tell you that unless you press him. In fact, most of what I know about the truly amazing things Krishna has done in industry, in our community, and in the world, I learned by paying attention: listening to other people toot Krishna’s horn; noticing when he had meetings with people planning community outreach; or realizing an amazing show of support during a personal crisis was all organized by Krishna. In appreciating some of the feedback he has given me over the years, I recognize that Krishna has more dharma wisdom and knowledge in his pinkie toes than I have in my mind and that he could easily teach my classes, but for some reason he’s listening, practicing, learning, and being present with me.

Some days you will see him front and center; some days he is anchoring a back corner or making up one part of a 108 surya namaskar circle. Sometimes he is contemplating the teachings with a group; sometimes silently letting his thoughts settle between laps in the pool; sometimes putting the dharma into action by wiping down another person’s mat; and sometimes he is laughing hysterically in amazement (at how I explain ancient wisdom for the modern mind to grasp). But he is definitely present. And, in being present, he is definitely contributing.

Engage in action, do your work, but with full control of your mind and senses. And be aware that the work you do should contribute in some way, directly or indirectly, to the higher good of humanity.”

– Krishna’s advice to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita 2:7

 

 

 

It’s no accident that Mathea’s and Kirshna’s posts feel like a call to service. This week, as MC Yogi says, is “Dedicated to all Spiritual Activists, Truth Seekers, and Peaceful Warriors Worldwide.” The people I’m highlighting are in our midst. Pay attention, listen, bring a friend or family member to class, and please consider making a donation to KISS MY ASANA! Every bit of action (karma) makes a difference.

 

~ OM ~