2016 Kiss My Asana #1: Being the Questions February 1, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Depression, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Food, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Loss, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Mysticism, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tantra, Texas, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: answers to tragedy, community, donation-based events, finding hope, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, music
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“Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”
– Excerpt from Rainer Maria Rilke’s 4th letter to Franz Kappus, dated July 16, 1903
I am a curious person by nature, and it is an attribute of my personality that was nourished when I was a child. So, it’s no surprise that my favorite letter to a young poet contains advice on questions and answers. What often surprises people, however, is when I explain that I didn’t take yoga teacher training so that I could teach – I took it so I could help answer questions.
When I started practicing yoga in Houston, I would constantly encounter family, friends, and even strangers whose main intersection with yoga was me. Naturally, these people had questions. These questions might start off simple: What do you like about yoga? How often do you do yoga?
But, before long the conversation veered outside my pay grade*: (1) Can I (or Should I) do yoga if I have high or low blood pressure? (2) I can’t do yoga because I have arthritis, right? (3) Is yoga bad for me or my unborn baby? (4) What do I do to get rid of this pain in my bottom or back side?
Keep in mind; I studied English in college, not holistic health – and I was practicing yoga, not studying it.
But, the questions kept coming up. And people didn’t seem satisfied when I invited them to take a class taught by one of my teachers or told them they should ask their doctor (who often didn’t know anything about yoga). They knew me, felt connected to me; so, they wanted my answers.
It was like the universe was echoing Rilke, “Live the questions…live your way into the answers.” So, I did.
These days, I don’t always have the answers, and I still refer people to their health care providers. But, now I know enough about the questions to recognize how to help someone live their questions or how to direct them to a resource, like Rilke directs Kappus to Nature.
The mind-body connection is part of Nature. Tapping into that connection allows us to live our way into answers. But, people often feel disconnected from their bodies or their minds in a way that creates suffering, discomfort, dis-ease, and questions. These questions can only be answered by tapping into our mind-body connection.
See the Catch-22? If you feel disconnected from yourself, your whole self, how can you tap into yourself? One word: Yoga. The only problem is that many people think they have to be a certain way or have a certain physique in order to “do yoga.” Many people don’t realize there is a yoga practice for everyone; you just have to find yours.
The adaptive yoga taught by Matthew Sanford, and the other teachers trained by Mind Body Solutions, is an approach to yoga which helps “those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability to find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body.” It is a way of practicing yoga which helps people tap into their whole selves in order to live their way into answers.
“When you leave this short time that we have together, you will spend the rest of your life fulfilling or answering a single question. The question is a simple one, it’s very straightforward. But I want you to think about it. The question is, “What’s next?”
– Excerpt from Rod Stryker’s 2013 The Four Desires lecture at Aspen Institute, 2013
After posting a pose a day for the first year, and a playlist and videos for the second year, I wasn’t sure what was next. I felt especially pressured because, even though it’s leap year and we have a long February, Kiss My Asana is shorter this year. We only have 29 days to pucker up and offer it up to raise awareness and resources for the adaptive yoga program at Mind Body Solutions.
Ultimately, I decided to offer an opportunity to explore the what, why, and who behind the practice. But, these questions (and answers) I’m posting as part of my 2016 Kiss My Asana offering are not only opportunities to explore the practice of yoga, they are also an opportunity to live it and share it. (The first “enhanced” video is here if you are reading this via email.)
Thank you, in advance, to everyone who donates and/or volunteers to answer these questions. If you’re interested in answering the questions (on camera), you can grab me after most classes Friday – Tuesday or email your video to myra at ajoyfulpractice.com. (Please note: If you are sending me a video, leave a 6-minute pause before each answer.)
Keep an eye out for the practices inspired by the answers and the donation-based classes coming soon!
~ NAMASTE ~
*NOTES:
(1) Yes, you can practice yoga if you have blood pressure issues; however, you may not be able to practice all poses or sequences if your blood pressure is unregulated. As with all physical exercise, get clearance from your health care provider before starting something new and then check in with your yoga teacher before class to make sure you receive modifications as needed.
(2) Wrong. While, again, some poses or sequences may be counter-indicated if you have arthritis, certain types of yoga are weight-bearing exercise, which means they are good for osteoarthritis. You may not experience the similar symptom-related benefits if you have rheumatoid arthritis, but yoga can still help you manage stress and promote overall wellness.
(3) Not if you’re mindful. Prenatal yoga and prenatal yoga modifications are great for moms-to-be, babies-to-be, and even dads-to-be. Check in with your health care provider and your yoga teacher to make sure you receive modifications as needed.
(4) It all depends on the type of pain, location of the pain, and why you may be experiencing the pain. Sometimes the answer isn’t a hatha yoga (physical yoga) pose or sequence, sometimes it’s a lifestyle or mattress change.
~ OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTIHI OM ~
Happy Wisdom Day: To Noble Kings January 16, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mathematics, Men, Movies, Music, Mysticism, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tantra, Tragedy, Women, Writing, Yoga.2 comments
Today we celebrate the birthday
of a man who believed in angels and dreams.
We know he believed in the latter,
because he told us straight up,
“I have a dream…”
He was a man of faith,
who believed he could hear God’s voice (when Mahalia Jackson sings).
But did you know that
Dr. Martin Luther King
believed in living a three dimensional life?
– the beginning of my 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday class
This week has been a week of wisdom and legacy – or, maybe, that’s the legacy of wisdom. Monday was the birthday of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (b.1/11/1907), one of the leading Jewish theologians and philosophers of the 20th century, who said, “Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.” And, after each of my Monday classes, at least one person mentioned how inspired they have been (throughout their lives) by the blessing of Rabbi Heschel’s life. The thing is, on the outside, these people couldn’t have been more different (from each other and from Heschel) if they tried – and that’s the living legacy of Heschel: on the inside, we are all amazed by evidence of the Divine; on the inside, we are all seeking a relationship with the Divine.
“I prayed with my feet.” – Rabbi Heschel when asked if he found time to pray when he was marching to Selma.
The idea that one can pray with your whole body is not a foreign concept to me – nor would it have been to Rabbi Heschel, who was a professor of the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). According to Marcus J. Freed (whose The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment combines weight training and yoga with Jewish mysticism), seven of the “10 Divine energies that emanate different attributes of God…are located in the body.” Malchut (Mastery/Nobility), Freed explains, is associated “with the hands, feet, and mouth. This makes perfect sense on reflection , as these are the organs that we can use to master ourselves and to complete the relationship with others, depending on the words we speak and the way we interact (e.g., Who we are giving to or walking towards and away from).” In Rabbi Heschel’s words and deeds we see this explanation of Malchut-Mastery/Nobility embodied.
Although Malchut-Mastery/Nobility is feminine in nature, it is often referred to as “Kingship.”And, today January 15th, we started the celebration of a King. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (b. 1929) was born in Atlanta, Georgia, four days and 22 years after Rabbi Heschel was born in Poland. Their beginnings seem as disparate as their appearances. But, go deeper and the similarities reveal themselves.
Both men descended from prominent religious leaders. Both men experienced ethnic persecution. Both men were called and ordained – and both men believed part of their calling was social action. By directly influencing Vatican II and by marching from Selma with Dr. King, Rabbi Heschel’s life became an instrument of the Divine used to combat racism, which he called “man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum hatred for a minimum of reason.” And, of course, Dr. King, himself, epitomizes a non-violent struggle for freedom, equality, peace, and brotherhood.
“Our concern is not how to worship in the catacombs but how to remain human in the skyscrapers” – Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Oh, there will be a day, the question won’t be, “How many awards did you get in life?” Not that day. It won’t be, “How popular were you in your social setting?” That won’t be the question that day. It will not ask how many degrees you’ve been able to get. The question that day will not be concerned with whether you are a “Ph.D.” or a “no D.” It will not be concerned with whether you went to Morehouse or whether you went to “No House.” The question that day will not be, “How beautiful is your house?” The question that day will not be, “How much money did you accumulate? How much did you have in stocks and bonds?” The question that day will not be, “What kind of automobile did you have?” On that day the question will be, “What did you do for others?” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (from “Three Dimensions of a Complete Life”)
In 1954, at the age of 25, Martin Luther King, Jr. became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Some sources state that his first sermon, his trial sermon at Dexter, was the earliest version of a sermon he would give throughout his life: “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life.”* Reading and listening to a 1967 version of Dr. King’s sermon, I am struck by the similarities between King’s description of a complete life (based on Judeo-Christian texts) and the concept of yoga (union) as described by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita (“The Song of the Lord”).
The Bhagavad Gita captures the moment when the young prince Arjuna pauses in the middle of a civil war. He literally steps into the middle of the battlefield and contemplates laying down his arms. He says, “I shall not fight,” (BG 2:9) even though he is on the righteous side of the conflict. His close friend and charioteer, Krishna, reveals himself as “the Divine Teacher” (i.e., an avatar of God). Krishna then proceeds to explain the nature of the soul as well as the various types of yoga (union paths) by which a person may live a life connected to the Divine.
Last year, during the 50th anniversary of those seminal Civil Rights marches in Alabama, I drew a parallel between Krishna and Arjuna’s relationship in the Bhagavad Gita and the relationship between (Representative) John Lewis and Reverend Hosea Williams. Then I saw the movie Selma, and realized the filmmakers created a similar conversation/relationship between (Representative) Lewis and Dr. King. (The movie version even took place in a chariot/car!) Now, in Dr. King’s first sermon, the conversation about dharma (law) or one’s duty in life; karma (action) or one’s responsibility to others; and bhakti (devotion) or one’s love for God is directed to us.
“When you know the true nature of the material world your grief is destroyed; when you understand the true nature of the Spirit, bliss is acquired…. Divinity is subtle and beyond comprehension. It appears to be many but is one undivided.” – Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 13:1, 16
And when you get all three of these together, you can walk and never get weary. You can look up and see the morning stars singing together, and the sons of God shouting for joy. When you get all of these working together in your very life, judgment will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream…. When you get all three of these together, you will recognize that out of one blood God made all men to dwell upon the face of the earth.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life”
(*NOTE: The three (3) links above for Dr. King’s sermon will take you to the same page, which contains the written text, as well as an audio recording of the text. You may also purchase recordings of Dr. King’s sermons and speeches on Amazon.)
~ LOKAH SAMASTHA SUKHINO BHAVANTU ~
MULTIPLYING YOUR POWER EXPONENTIALLY (TO THE POWER OF 108) January 3, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 108 Sun Salutations, Algebra, Bhakti, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Karma, Kundalini, Loss, Love, Mala, Mantra, Mathematics, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Mysticism, New Year, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Surya Namaskar, Tantra, Texas, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Uncategorized, Whirling Dervish, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: New Year
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“(1, raised to the first power) times (2, raised to the second power) times (3, raised to the third power)”
– One of John G’s responses to my question about other people’s favorite reasons 108 is significant
“That’s the way, I remember it, I remember it that way / From the day, I was living there, I remember it that way /
Some of our stories fade as we grow older / Some get sweeter every time they’re told / That’s the way, I’ll remember you that way”
– “That’s The Way I Remember It” by Chris Gaines (aka Garth Brooks)
Memory is a funny thing. It is more about perspective than reality – and, as such, the days and moments we remember change as we remember them. On the flip side, our perspective shapes our reality.
So, if we remember ourselves overcoming obstacles and meeting challenges, we will put on our big boy/girl panties, keep our chin up, and ride through the next storm. If, however, we forget we survived the challenge, forget that we found a way to make the obstacle the way (to paraphrase Marcus Aurelius), and only remember how hard it was to ride while soaking wet, we’ll stop riding – which is just another way to say we stop living.
Doing 108 Sun Salutations is a wet and wild ride! While doing it, people experience all kinds of things. There are moments when they aren’t sure they’ll make it one more breath – let alone 6. 12. Or 20. There are moments when they wonder how they got talked into doing it in the first place. There are moments when they feel like I’m a toddler saying, “Again!” There are moments when they can’t believe they aren’t done – or that they’re still standing. There are moments when they feel vibrant and alive. There are moments when they are amazed at everyone moving and breathing together. There are moments when everything outside of the present moment ceases, stops.
Then, there is the moment when they finish – and, as Patricia and Elizabeth said first, they feel a great sense of accomplishment. And that’s what most people remember. That’s the reason people keep coming back to do it again, and again, and again.
A feeling of accomplishment, especially when it comes from harnessing the power of awareness (mind), community (body), and breath (spirit), produces a combination of momentum and clarity. Momentum and clarity are one way to consider the two kinds of energy that make things happen: Shakti (Prakriti) and Shiva (Purusha).
Shakti (Prakriti) is nature in action and stillness. Like the seasons, it is the power of change and movement. It is symbolically female and thus gives birth to ideas so that they move from the brain or heart and into the world. Shiva (Purusha) is pure consciousness. It is arrogantly untainted by doubt, fear, or prejudice. It is symbolically male and thus provides seeds of awareness. Everything and everyone in the world is created when an idea – which is a single (or series) of electrical impulse(s) in the mind – meets the step-by-step plan that makes the way for things to happen.
“As my teacher Pandit Rajmani Tigunait explains: Tantric masters discovered long ago that the success in both the outer world and the spiritual realm is possible only if we awaken our latent power, because any meaningful accomplishment and especially the attainment of the ultimate spiritual goal requires great strength and stamina. The key to success is “shakti” – the power of the soul, the power of the divine force within. Everyone possesses an infinite (and indomitable) “shakti”, but for the most part it remains dormant. And those whose “shakti” is largely unawakened have neither the capacity to be successful in the world nor the capacity to enjoy worldly pleasures. Without access to our “shakti”, true spiritual illumination is not possible. Awakening and using “shakti” is the goal of tantra.”
– from The Four Desires by Rod Stryker
A few Sundays ago I ended a conversation (with Terre and Jill at the Blaisdell Y) by saying, “Everything is tantra.” Meaning: Everything is the weaving of “the richness of spiritual experience and the fabric of everyday life into a single vibrant tapestry.” (Rod Striker, The Four Desires). You feel this weaving in the 108 mala when you have to deal with your personal limitations (physical, mental, and emotional) in order to connect the movement with the breath, and your mind-body with the spirit of the group. You feel the weaving when you recognize your heart’s desire – and start making it a real thing in the world. In The Heart of Yoga, T. K. V. Desikachar says “to attain what was previously unattainable” (i.e., coming together with your goal) is one way to define yoga.
Yoga and Hindu philosophies, however, are not the only places where you find this idea of weaving the seen and the unseen, the profane and the sacred. It is a fundamental aspect of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim mysticism. It is why the Dervishes whirl; it is why anchorites and anchoresses (like Julian of Norwich) withdrew from the world; it is, on a certain level, why people say Mazel tov!
As I mentioned at the end of the 2016 New Year’s Day practices, I often find myself wanting to wish someone, including myself, “Mazel tov!” Just before New Year’s Eve 2015, I ended a journal page with the above blessing and then thought, “Good luck…that doesn’t sound quite right in this context.” But it felt right. So, I went deeper.
I knew that “tov” means good – and that in the Jewish tradition something is good because it is meaningful. But, to discern the meaning of “mazel,” I turned to Aron Moss, who writes on chabad.org:
“The word mazel literally means ‘a drip from above’ (in reference to the zodiac)….Thus mazel is the influence dripping down from the stars.”
“There is another meaning of the word mazel that is more relevant to the phrase Mazel Tov. Mazel is the term used in Jewish mysticism to describe the root of the soul. The mystics say that only a ray of our soul actually inhabits our body. The main part of the soul, our mazel, remains above shining down on us from a distance.”
On special occasions, Moss says, we feel the power of that drop splashing down into us. It is a moment when we are consciously aware of our unlimited possibilities. It is a moment when we feel we can accomplish anything. And a critical part of success is remembering that feeling!
Completing 108 Sun Salutations is as much a symbolic accomplishment as it is a physical/mental/emotional accomplishment. That symbolic feeling may last for a few hours, a few days, or – like a drop of mazel – you may feel it splashing into you throughout the year.
I hope the latter will be the case for everyone reading this.
If you were not one of the 51 people who started 2016 with me or with a sense of accomplishment, do something now (!!!) that is the symbolic equivalent. Try something new, something you didn’t realize you could do, and (maybe) do it with some friends. Most importantly, do it with awareness. Then, once you’ve harnessed your power, set an intention (not a resolution, but a promise to yourself) to remember this powerful feeling.
2015 Group Sankalpa (Intention): “I am an instrument of peace and love. I am healthy, happy, and whole.”
2016 Group Sankalpa (Intention): “I have what I need to fill the world with love and light. I am healthy, happy, and whole.”
I am humbled, honored, and continually amazed by the presence of the people who share their practice with me. Know that you will be a great source of inspiration to me - and others this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you - 108 times over!
If you haven’t already done so, please check out my 2013 New Year's follow-up, which includes a link to the (password protected) Recovery 101 sequence.
Aron Moss ends his mazel article with the following blessing, which I offer to you:
“May this drip of inspiration from your soul above not dissipate, but rather have a positive and lasting effect, that from this event onwards you should live your life with higher consciousness. You should be aware of the blessings in your life and be ready to receive more and more…. Good mazel!”
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Living A Life Of Joy December 29, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Basketball, Bhakti, Black Elk, Books, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Harlem Globetrotters, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Hula Hoop, Karma Yoga, Love, Meadowlark Lemon, Men, Movies, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Volunteer, Women, Writing.Tags: Meadowlark Lemon
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“Life’s most meaningless statistic is the half-time score.”
&
“My lasting legacy is if I pledge to always take it to the next level, on and off the court.”
– Meadowlark Lemon
If you’ve ever questioned how doing what you love (and loving what you do) can benefit the world, if you’ve ever questioned how your personal goals can impact people you’ve never met and will never meet, or if you’ve ever wondered what happens when you live a life fueled by joy…remember Meadowlark Lemon’s smile.
Lemon, who died yesterday at the age of 83, was known as the “Clown Prince” of Basketball…as well as an Ambassador of Good Will in Short Pants, the Missionary of Happy, the Smiling Zealot – oh yeah, and also as Reverend Lemon, an evangelical Christian minister who said in a 1999 pre-Christmas interview, “I believe God put me on this earth to bring joy.”
And bring joy he did – even when he was “beating” the pants off of his opponents.
Over the next few days, weeks, maybe even months, people will be talking about how Meadowlark Lemon inspired them. There will be friends and family members expressing gratitude for his presence in their lives. There will be basketball players who will talk about how the Harlem Globetrotters organization led to the integration of the NBA. There will be actors and other entertainers who will mention how he helped them through a challenging time. There will be people who talk about how the Globetrotters were the first African-Americans and/or the first Americans they admired or appreciated. There will be kids (former and current), armed service men and women (former and current), prisoners (former and current), as well as the sick and shut-in (former and current) who were touched by a man with a big heart, big skills, and an even bigger smile.
And, somewhere out there in the world, there is a former or current 11-year old who hears about how the 11-year old Meadow Lemon III’s dream came true – and decides to hoop it up:
Or hoop it up:
Or hoop it up:
Or…you get the idea.
“One significant difference between life and any other game or race is that in life we only compete against ourselves. Even though others may be involved, each person’s life is judged by no greater criteria than how they did when measured against their own individual potential. Decide right now that you are going to begin a new chapter in your life. Why wait until January 1 to make your resolution? Make your declaration today and finish this day strong, this week strong, this month strong, and this year strong. The common denominator for all mankind is that we all get 24 hours in a day, just like everyone else. What you do with that time is up to you. Choose well…” – Meadowlark Lemon
Click here for more information about Meadowlark Lemon Ministries.
~ OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTHI OM ~
New Year, New Intentions? December 8, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 108 Sun Salutations, Books, Changing Perspectives, Daoism, Depression, Faith, Fitness, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Loss, Mala, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, New Year, Pain, Peace, Suffering, Surya Namaskar, Taoism, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Uncategorized, Women, Yoga.2 comments
“Searching for an answer / Where the question is unseen / I don’t know where you come from / And I don’t know where you’ve gone…”
– Amen Omen by Ben Harper
We are closing in on the end of 2015. And many of us are wondering, “Where do we go from here?” or “How do I go on without him/her/them?” or “Now what?”
It’s those unseen (and unspoken) questions lingering between our readiness to be done with some parts of this year; our desires to move on; and our need to let go of the old – so some healing can begin – that can create fear-based behavior and make us move into deep hibernation. But, as much as I’m a fan of hibernating in order to heal, I’m more of a fan of putting things in perspective and moving on. So, let’s remember that this year hasn’t been all bad.
Remember, for instance, if you set an intention at the beginning of the year and now realize the “stars aligned” to help you reach your goal. Maybe you wanted a new experience, a new job, a new love – or maybe you wanted to heal as an old experience, job, or love passed out of your life. Either way, with all the craziness (and scariness) we’ve seen in the world this year, I think it’s important to remember our own personal highs-and-lows, ebbs-and-flows, risings-and-fallings.
Sun Salutations (surya namaskar) are a moving meditation which mimics the natural tendencies of our bodies and our lives. We rise, we fall, we ebb, we flow – and, if we do enough of them, we experience highs and lows. Practicing a 108 Sun Salutations is the yoga equivalent of a marathon. Like a distance runner, we repeat the same steps over and over again; finding our breath, finding our rhythm – until there is no difference between our breath, our rhythm, our minds, our bodies. We become the cycle, we become the circle or ring (mala). In essence, we are practicing effortless repetition (ajapa japa): where a whisper becomes a scream and then drifts away to silence. (See link above; it’s so worth it!)
I’ve started the past few new years with this 108 ajapa-japa mala practice because it is a great way to reflect on the past, wipe the slate clean, and prepare for the new year. Again and again, it is a way to take Rainer Maria Rilke’s suggestion to a young poet and “live the question (in order to)….live your way into the answer.”
If you’re available or interested, click on the links below for more information about 108 Sun Salutations events on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day:
- I’m leading or co-leading two (2) practices on Friday, January 1st.
- Aubrey Weger is leading a mala at Yoga Sanctuary on January 1st.
- Amber Huttner is leading a mala at Spirit of the Lake on January 1st.
- Drishti Yoga (in White Bear Lake) will host a mala on January 1st.
- (more to come….)
If you’ve started a new year with this practice, please share your experiences below!
~ May you be healthy and strong (and accept your limitations with grace) ~
The Hug Club Movement: Life Without Fear September 26, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Loss, Love, Men, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Uncategorized, Women, Writing.2 comments
Something as simple as touch, basic human contact, can make the difference between surviving and thriving – and not. Some of us are fortunate enough to be in places and spaces where hugging is encouraged. Others, not so much. Please check out this powerful post – and join the movement: The Hug Club Movement: Life Without Fear
~ Om Shanti Shanti Shanthi Om ~
Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken – On Retreat! August 22, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Kirtan, Love, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Sukkot, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Vipassana, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: cultivating gratitude, harvest, Sukkot, sutra, twine
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Be joyful at your festival – you and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maid-servant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow who live within your city.
For seven days you must celebrate the Festival to YHVH*, your God, in the place which YHVH* shall choose, because the Lord, your God, will bless you in all your produce, and in all the work of your hands, and you will only be happy.
(*NOTE: YHVH is commonly translated as “the Lord” in English.)
– Deuteronomy 16:14 – 15
Every cultural has rituals, meaningful traditions, marking liminal or threshold moments throughout the year. The Hebrew Bible / Old Testament outlines a series of ritual “holidays,” times when people are to gather for reflection, remembrance, and thanksgiving. Sukkot, the Festival of the Tabernacles, is the seventh and final holiday outlined in Deuteronomy, which some people view as a mandate for happiness. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as the Season of Happiness.
But, what is happiness? How is it defined by the sages of various cultures? And how do we make ourselves happy? For that matter, how can we “only be happy” for any given period of time?
The answers to all those questions (and more) are within you. You just have to go deeper.
At the end of Sukkot 2015, join Myra K. Rucker, Sandra Razieli, and Meghan Murray for a weekend of community, ritual, harvest focused meals, and yoga – all centered around the link between gratitude, mindfulness, and happiness.
WHEN: Friday, October 2nd – Sunday, October 4, 2015 (see full schedule below)
WHERE: Lake Stella Creamery Retreat and Gathering Getaway (21986 CSAH 9, Darwin, MN), approximately 90 minutes outside of downtown Minneapolis.
WHO: Everyone (sons, daughters, neighbors, strangers) are welcome.
WHAT: Beginning with Friday night’s festive dinner+, each day will include conversation and meditation practices to cultivate gratitude. Over the course of the weekend, Myra and Sandra will lead five (5) alignment and breath focused yoga practices focusing on gratitude and the ritual of Sukkot. Meghan will prepare yoga-friendly, vegetarian, gluten-free fall harvest meals that will tantalize the taste buds. Saturday the celebration culminates with KIRTAN! All in all, it is a weekend to nourish the mind-body-spirit.
HOW: Register to attend all events or pick and choose your experience. (You may also arrange to register offline with Myra.) A limited number of participants may stay at the Creamery. Plus, there’s plenty of free time if you want to check out Lake Stella, Lake Manuella, and/or Darwin’s legendary Ball of Twine!
FULL PACKAGE A (Includes all events and meals+, plus a bed in a communal space in the renovated creamery): $250 – $450 **only 7 beds remaining** SOLD OUT!
FULL PACKAGE B (Includes all events and meals+): $200
A la carte package: Pick and choose which events to attend: $15 – $300
10% discount for students / seniors purchasing full package A or B.
+ Meals are not certified Kosher. Refrigeration is available for any attendee.
We will provide a limited amount of mats and props. At least one (1) meal and one (1) meditation/yoga practice will be held outdoors. Events are intended to be communal; however, quiet spaces will be reserved for anyone wishing to retreat in silence – and conversation pits will be reserved for anyone wishing to continue dialogue during the silent portions of the weekend.
~ We are grateful for your presence ~
7:00 PM Festive Dinner & “Guided” Conversation
9:30 PM Deep Relaxation Yoga (On 2nd Floor) / Silent Time (1 room on 1st floor designated for conversation)
10:45 PM Lights Out! / Silent Time
Saturday, October 3rd:
7:00 AM Morning Pages and Walking Meditation / Silent Time (1 room designated for conversation)
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Heart Opening Yoga
8:45 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast
***
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM YOGA (vinyasa) – open practice
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM Snacks (1 room designated for silence / journal writing)
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM LUNCH
***
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM YOGA
6:15 PM – 7:15 PM DINNER & “Guided” Conversation (1 space designated for silence)
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM KIRTAN
9:30 PM Deep Relaxation Yoga / Silent Time (1 room on 1st floor designated for conversation)
10:45 PM Lights Out! / Silent Time
Sunday, October 4th:
7:00 AM Morning Pages and Walking Meditation / Silent Time (1 room designated for conversation)
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Yoga
8:45 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM Closing Ceremony
~ NAMASTE ~
On the road full of promise (and light) April 25, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 31-Day Challenge, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Loss, Love, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Surya Namaskar, Texas, Twin Cities, Uncategorized, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: Avett Brothers, Mind Body Solutions
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“Thanks to everyone who came out to support Mind Body Solutions on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The essence of Matthew Sanford’s teaching is transformation. It was deeply inspiring to see everyone open their minds and bodies to this exploration.” – Kari Anderson’s message to the yogis who donated $315 at our April 18th donation-based event.
Don’t despair if you missed our donation-based class last Saturday, because Kari and I are hosting another one on Saturday, May 2nd, 3:30 PM at Flourish!
“There’s a darkness upon me that’s flooded in light” – Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise by Avett Brothers
As we approach the end of the 2015 KISS MY ASANA yogathon, I find myself overwhelmed on so many occasions that I sometimes feel like I have lost my “big girl words.” Time and time again, I have been blown away by the generosity and kindness of people on the mat. I set my 2015 donation goal thinking I could raise a few more dollars than last year – and already some joyful yogis from at least two (2) states have more than doubled my initial goal! (Thank you all for that!)
Time and time again, I have been moved by an encounter with a Mind Body Solutions teacher, student, or volunteer. And, every time – every single time – I take a class from Matthew Sanford, I am blown away and my mind is completely boggled. In fact, I shudder to think how many times I said, “I was blown away…” or described something as “mind boggling” during last Saturday’s donation-based class. Maybe it’s cute at first, especially if you’re expecting further explanation down the road; however, some things can only be experienced to be fully understood. So, I invite people to catch a Monday class with Matt and, every once in awhile, I mention Mind Body Solutions in class and try to channel a little Matt the way I sometimes channel a little Yoda. During last Saturday’s donation-based class, I felt my words were so inadequate I relied on words written by Bruce Kramer and Cathy Wurzer in We Know How This Ends.
For those of you unfamiliar with his story, Bruce Kramer was a former dean at the University of St Thomas Twin Cities who chronicled his life with ALS on Cathy Wurzer’s Minnesota Public Radio show. We Know How This Ends describes their parallel journeys through this process of living and dying, while sharing the process of living and dying. The book is raw, and rich, and so real I had to set it aside for a moment after I first received it from a mutual friend and student of Bruce and mine. But, before Saturday’s KISS MY ASANA class, I read the chapter where Bruce and Cathy talk about “Dis Ease Yoga.” And I was so moved (read, “blown away”), I decided to share Cathy Wurzer’s words as part of our introduction and Bruce’s words as our conclusion.
“There’s a darkness upon me that’s flooded in light / And I’m frightened by those that don’t see it” – Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise by Avett Brothers
In We Know How This Ends, Bruce Kramer describes aspects of yoga that are very familiar to me – even though I’ve never been in a wheelchair or felt the extreme decline of my body. He describes benefits from and challenges in his yoga practice that may be familiar to anyone who spends a little time on a mat. And, like me, he was a big music fan. (Thank him for the Avett Brothers song referenced here! And like it on YouTube!) He and Cathy Wurzer also talk about a point before ALS, before “Dis Ease Yoga,” when they didn’t really get the significance of the practice.
“If you’re loved by someone, you’re never rejected / Decide what to be and go be it” – Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise by Avett Brothers
I was fortunate in that my introduction to yoga included an introduction to yoga as a philosophy and to the idea that yoga can be practiced by anyone – you just have to find your practice. It wasn’t until I started teaching that I discovered people who would stop practicing yoga, because of an injury or an unfortunate circumstance. And, it never fails to break my heart when someone gives up what can be a healing practice, because their body (and/or their doctor) says, “No more push-ups.” That’s when a yoga teacher can step in and say, “OK, you’re not doing that anymore, but you can do this!” Only, I remember hearing former paratrooper Arthur Boorman’s healing story and thinking, “How is it possible that Diamond Dallas was the only yoga teacher willing to help this guy?!?” Well, bottom line, too many Western yoga teachers are ill-equipped to teach the physical practice (let alone the meta-physical practice) to someone who isn’t already considered physically and/or mentally “able.” Thankfully, Matthew Sanford and the other teachers at Mind Body Solutions are changing that!
“There was a dream and one day I could see it / Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it / And there was a kid with a head full of doubt / So I’ll scream till I die and the last of those bad thoughts are finally out” – Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise by Avett Brothers
Mind Body Solutions is on “a mission to transform trauma, loss and disability into hope and potential by awakening the connection between mind and body.” It sounds all lofty and wonderful, right? But, it’s also very real and very raw. It’s a mission that, as the Avett Brothers sing, gets “the last of those bad thoughts” out so we can realize that as long as we’re breathing there is a mind-body-spirit connection. And it’s there, even when machines are helping us breathe.
Despite occasionally practicing with Matt; implementing some of what he teaches in my own practice and teaching; and having a few personal connections to people being served by the mission, I am slightly removed from the very real and very raw experiences found in adaptive yoga. If you’re not living the mission or deeply connected to someone being served by the mission, I think it is easy to fall into a space where this whole adaptive yoga thing just sounds like a good idea – you know, a worthy cause – but somehow separate from what the rest of us are doing. As I mentioned earlier, reading the “Dis Ease Yoga” chapter in We Know How This Ends helped remind me that we are all in bodies together and so, therefore, we are all in this yoga thing together. It’s not the style or the tradition that makes something yoga, it’s the coming together.
“ I feel part of the universe open up to meet me / My emotion so submerged, broken down to kneel in/ Once listening, the voices they came / Had to somehow greet myself, read myself /Heard vibrations within my cells, in my cells “ – Better Days by Eddie Vedder
There are plenty of times when I feel part of the universe – and I feel connected to every other part of the universe. There are times I relish that feeling. Superficial as it may seem, I sometimes relish that feeling when it comes from seeing someone with a yoga mat and thinking, “Hey, that person’s a yogi, like me!” Even without knowing anything about them, or their practice – even knowing sometimes the person could be going to Pilates or something else altogether – I still have that moment of affinity; that moment when I feel connected and want to go deeper, find out more about them. But, it’s very rare that I have that feeling about someone in a wheelchair, or someone on a ventilator, or someone missing a limb. Cognitive, I know we are connected – but I very rarely have that visceral, bone-deep, cellular feeling like I do with someone with whom I have a shared experience.
Last Sunday I had a one of those rare bone-deep, visceral yoga/union moments.
I wore my Yoga and Body Image Coalition “This is what a yogi looks like” t-shirt while teaching, but (y’all know how I layer) between classes I wore my long sleeved 2015 KISS MY ASANA shirt. Somehow, despite my hoodie and my winter coat, a woman in a wheelchair spotted my yogathon t-shirt. We were going in opposite directions, but as we passed one another she shouted, “I practice there too!” I said, “It’s awesome.” She sighed, “I know,” with a big smile on her face.
About twenty minutes later, Carrie and I ended up in the same coffee shop – and we got to talk about yoga. She encouraged me to try a practice at Courage Center and told me about her teachers, only two (2) of whom were familiar to me. For a moment I thought about how by supporting the yogathon, teachers and students like me create opportunities for more teachers and students like Carrie, and her teachers.
But, ultimately, when I remember my discussion with Carrie, I will remember her saying she loved how friendly everyone is when she practices. I will remember that big Cheshire grin on her face when she said her favorite part of class was the relaxation part – and how her grin looked exactly like the big Cheshire grin my regulars get when they ask if we can do a 60-minute Savasana. I will also remember how that feeling I had when she first noticed my shirt, was the same feeling I have when I notice someone carrying a yoga mat: I will remember that moment when we were one and the same.
### NAMASTE ###
Changing Loss Into…. March 11, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Karma, Loss, Mala, Mantra, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Yoga.Tags: devotion, finding hope, grief, Job loss, meditation, mourning, pranayama, recovery
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“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. ”
– Maya Angelou
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”
– Jim Rohn
Knowing that change is constant doesn’t always make it easier to accept. Change is especially hard when you don’t feel ready for it and/or it is thrust upon you unexpectedly. And sometimes the worst part about the latter kind of change is the scary feeling which comes from not knowing what comes next.
I’ve been there. I get it. On a certain level, we’ve all been there. But, even if you lose your job, lose a loved one, or lose both in close proximity, don’t lose hope.
Easier said than done (that not losing hope thing) – especially when we define hope as “feeling expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” But, what happens if we let go of our attachment to things being a certain way and looking a certain way? What happens if we have the old fashioned kind of hope?
Trust is implied in the modern definition of hope, and it is also an archaic definition of hope.
Again, I get it: It is hard to know what or who to trust when the rug has been pulled out from under you. So, start with what is inside of you. Trust that if you can take a deep breath in, you can take a deeper breath out. Have faith that if you take that deeper breath out, and follow it with a deeper breath in, you can look forward to that even deeper breath out. Keep going and feelings of hopelessness will (slowly, but surely) dissipate.
This is not a quick fix or a miracle cure. Neither is it a medical treatment. It’s a practice. Interested in taking the practice deeper? Close your eyes and imagine your breath as light – moving down your spine as you inhale, back up your spine as you exhale. Want to kick it up another notch? Focus on your breath while listening to one of the following mantras (see first links for translations) focused on removing obstacles and darkness:
“Gayatri Mantra“
- by Ravi Shankar and George Harrison (more mellow than BSG version)
- “Apocalypse” by BSG Orchestra (This is the live version I crank up when I’m down.)
“Baba Hanuman“
- by Krishna Das (Check out my March 10th Kiss My Asana musical preview selection for the video.)
Above and beyond everything else, reach out to others. You are not alone; so, there is no need to suffer alone: Ask for help.
~ Om Shanti Shanti Shanthi Om ~
Music, Music, Music (A 2015 KISS MY ASANA Prequel Sequel) March 2, 2015
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 31-Day Challenge, Books, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Hope, Karma Yoga, Mantra, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Texas, Twin Cities, Vipassana, Writing, Yoga.Tags: adaptive yoga, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, music
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So if you’re feelin’ down and out, got no place to go now
Just sing along to the music y’all, let it fill your soul now
Because everyone deserves music, sweet music
– “Everyone Deserves Music” by Michael Franti & Spearhead
My best friend in college always said life has a soundtrack. I know, everybody says that now – there’s even an app for that – but this was back in the 80’s/90’s and it wasn’t a thing, it just was. And what it was to me was true, in part, because I had been hearing a super eclectic soundtrack all my life.
I heard all the sounds of the country, mixed with all the sounds of the city. I heard vinyl and 8-track tapes before cassettes. I spent a good portion of my younger days thinking my Beatles-crazed friends were fans of Wes Montgomery. I was in a girl band that sang songs like “Lettuce Entertain You.” And I once got a speeding ticket for flying down an open highway to Mahalia Jackson (with my maternal great-grandmother and grandmother in the car).
My maternal great-grandfather owned a super club on the Chitlin’ Circuit; my dad played first chair trumpet in high school – even though he was tone deaf; my immediate family took road trips where most of the stations along the way played old school country; one of my maternal great-uncles had a basement full of classical; one of my first cassettes was dubbed “Hollering Oats” by my family; my mother took me to my first live rock concert; and at some point along the way my friend J. Ben taught me it was OK to play rhythm & blues, country, and heavy metal on the same mixed tape – you just had to have a theme…or not.
There are answers in the music
And there are answers in the words
– “Be Good” by Hothouse Flowers
Fast forward to now. After years of working in the performing arts, I started teaching yoga. I’m quick to tell people that I didn’t take the teacher training to teach – I took it so I could answer questions. What I had no way of knowing when I started this little adventure was that some of the questions I would end up answering would be about the music I play during class.
Rewind to my first yoga classes. There was no prerecorded soundtrack. In fact, I think I practiced for a couple of years before I took a class with music, and another couple of years before I practiced with a teacher who played non-classical/instrumental music.
Rie Congelio introduced me to musicians that (at the time) weren’t being played on the radio (in the U. S.) and taught me how much fun it could be to flow to your breath, while simultaneously dancing to the music. Down the road I would be spend a year practicing to Steve Ross’s eclectic soundtrack on Oxygen’s Inhale; look into the physiological, neurological, and emotional effects of music; and eventually practice in studios where people just basically played a bunch of random stuff because it had the “right” tempo and it was something they liked to hear.
What hasn’t ever left me; however, was what preceded my musical conversation with Rie. I was in Savasana trying to figure out why the very quiet song seemed so familiar to me, and why my body seemed to be so tuned into it. When I spoke to Rie after class, she said she picked the song because it was soothing and it was in Gaelic; and therefore, unlikely to be a distraction (seeing as we were in Southeast Texas). Little did she know I was studying Gaelic at the time or, that in that moment, I would start really thinking about how much music could enhance or undermine the practice of yoga as meditation.
And every cry is a song
And every song is a prayer
And our prayer must be heard
Fill the air
– “Isn’t It Amazing” by Hothouse Flowers
Music can serve as white noise (or maybe it’s brown noise). It can serve as an extra wall, filtering out distraction from outside the practice space. It can serve as a controlled distraction, a known quantity, to hone our focus/concentration. It can also, unfortunately, just be a distraction. And yet, I know people who never “hear” the music – even when I play Ozzy Osbourne – and I know people who will practice to a song for years before they listen to it. Other people will go so deep into the song, they get beyond it.
In Yoga Sutra 1.2 Patanjali writes “yogash citta vritti nirodhah” (“Yoga ceases the fluctuation of the mind.”) Inherent in this statement is that fact that the mind fluctuates. Left to its own devices, the mind will, at some point, start looking for a distraction. So I give the mind music for several reasons. First, in some meditation traditions people are told to think the word “thinking” when their mind starts wandering. It’s a reminder to get back to the meditation. When I pick a theme for my classes, I also start picking music that supports the theme by serving as a reminder when the mind wanders. Second, Patanjali (in YS 1.17) outlines four (4) levels of attention/concentration/meditation: (1) gross, (2) subtle, (3) bliss, (4) and absorption. In their commentary on YS 1.17, Geshe Michael Roach and Christy McNally compare the levels to (1) being aware that music is playing; (2) examining the words and melody (maybe humming or singing along); (3) enjoying the song, being overcome by its beauty; and (4) being so absorbed that nothing else matters, everything else disappears. Finally, research has shown that when people hear a song they haven’t heard in a long time, their blood pressure changes. Breathing and breath awareness can also change because of the tempo, volume, and musical key.
This is a song that nobody knows
I couldn’t begin to describe how it goes
But it makes me cry or laugh right out loud
It’s a song that I sing when there’s no one around
– “When There’s No One Around” by Garth Brooks
Last April, I posted 30 Poses in 30 Days for the KISS MY ASANA Yogathon. I am doing the yogathon again this April to raise money and awareness for the adaptive yoga programs at Mind Body Solutions. This year, however, we are gearing up early. So, in an effort to get people excited about practicing yoga (or practicing more yoga), I’m posting 30 Songs in 30 Days during March. I know, I know, some of you are already thinking, “Hold up, Myra, March has 31 days.” Yes, it’s true, and since this post has at least a baker’s dozen linked song references, plus two (2) unlinked song references, AND one song contains at least ten (10) musical Easter eggs, consider each one a little musical lagniappe (a little something extra, freely given with a purchase).
~ Thanks for spending a little time with me. NAMASTE ~
(Check out Freegal at the Hennepin Public Library.)
A Joyful Practice 