2016 Kiss My Asana #15: The Statesman February 16, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: community, donation-based events, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions
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“Whether young, old or too old, sick or lean, one who discards laziness gets success if he practices Yoga.”
– Hatha Yoga Pradipika I:66
According to Walter Lippman, “The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opposition than from his fervent supporters.” Ergo, this month of profiles would not be complete without Yogi #15 (Paul). For those of you who are keeping track, Paul is the third yogi I met in a bar and the third person in the line-up who doesn’t actually practice with me – which also makes him the third person to agree to this endeavor without a whole lot of information up front. He is also the fourth, but not the last, person posted in tandem with a significant other.
Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.”
– Book of Ruth 1:16
There is something super sweet and special about people who practice yoga together. Really, there’s something super sweet and special about people who share a life together and also share any interests. Paul, however, will be the first to tell you that he and Yogi #14 (Ruth) don’t practice yoga together regularly.
Paul works out at a local gym. He has a routine he likes and, every now and again, he’ll check out a yoga class. Paul, like Yogi #14, is a straight-shooter. So, he doesn’t waste a lot of time apologizing for what he does or doesn’t do. He does what he does. And, while it is very obvious that Paul appreciates what yoga can do for the mind and body, he joins at least one other person here (out of 29) who may not actually like yoga.
Your speech doesn’t need music, it needs logic.”
– Excerpt from Simply Speaking: How to Communicate Your Ideas with Style, Substance, and Clarity by Peggy Noonan
In principle, my experience is not so different from yours, it is only more extreme. … My mind-body relationship changed in an instant — the time it took for my back to break. But the changing relationship between mind and body is a feature of everyone’s life. We are all leaving our bodies — this is the inevitable arc of living. Death cannot be avoided; neither can the inward silence that comes with the aging process.”
– Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence by Matthew Sanford
When we first met, Paul and I spent quite a bit of time talking about Matthew Sanford and the adaptive yoga program at Mind Body Solutions. Like so many people, Paul had heard about Bruce Kramer’s experiences practicing yoga after his ALS diagnosis. And, like so many people whose interest is sparked by the work Mind Body Solutions is doing with people who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability, Paul’s interest is personal: He knows someone who could benefit from the work you support when you KISS MY ASANA!
~ OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTIH OM ~
2016 Kiss My Asana #13: This Contender Has Class! February 14, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Mantra, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Pain, Peace, Suffering, TV, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: community, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, music, personal crisis
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“You know, we just don’t recognize the most insignificant moments of our lives while they’re happening. Back then I thought, ‘Well, there’ll be other days.’ I didn’t realize that that was the only day.”
– Burt Lancaster as Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham (in Field of Dreams)
When I first started practicing yoga, I often heard my teachers say, “How you do yoga is how you do life.” Since then I have heard a teacher say, “How you do anything is how you do life” –and, while that second statement may also be true, the bottom line is that some things mimic the highs and lows of life better than others: boxing, poker, yoga ….
While not a sport, the physical practice of yoga can be like practicing a competitive sport in that its rules and guidelines create a safe space to play, experiment, test your limits, learn, and grow. If you show up to practice and learn the rules, you get to study yourself as you encounter challenges. Study yourself as you encounter challenges and you start overcoming the first set of challenges, and prepare yourself to meet new ones. Greet the new challenges and you begin to realize that the practice is just like life: you can do all of this while you enjoy the moment and have fun – or you can spend the whole practice stressing out. Either way, you have to get your mind straight. Either way, (to paraphrase Timothy Gallwey and Matthew McConaughey) the only person you have to best is yourself – and, in doing so you become your best self.
“Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t.”
– a poster behind Hillary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald (working the heavy bag in Million Dollar Baby)
Yogi #13 (Dennis L.) came to one of my classes because of his dear friend Meghan G (Yogi #12). He had heard about some of the benefits of yoga. He had heard why his friend loves yoga. And, ultimately, he decided it was only one hour. What could possibly happen in one hour?
“Even if you’re down there for one hour, you’re down there.”
– Kirk Acevedo as Tommy (in Invincible)
Like Dennis L., a lot of people come to practice with their friends. While it’s great to see that community building and strengthening on the mat, I always celebrate a little when someone who seems to come because of their community, starts coming even when their friends aren’t available. First time I saw Dennis L. practicing on his own, I knew he was hooked! I knew he was committed. And I was a little awed, because I realized he was a contender!
Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!
– Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa (in Rocky)
“If I was thinking straight I’d go back home, find a used trailer, buy a deep fryer and some Oreos. Problem is, this the only thing I ever felt good doing. If I’m too old for this then I got nothing. That enough truth to suit you?”
– Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald (in Million Dollar Baby)
There may be times when you’re injured, tired, filled with dis-ease, or feeling your age. There may be times you’re having a bad day (or what feels like a bad life). And, what you do in those moments is your practice.
Truth be told, there are times when we all feel like tapping out. And, when we have those times, there’s always going to be someone – sometimes, even someone in our corner – who’s going to support that decision to just throw in the towel. But, in such moments, it’s important to remember that life (like your yoga practice) isn’t actually a game. Giving up is not your only option.
On the mat, you can go into child’s pose; you can take a comfortable seated position and just breathe; you can take a modification; you can explore another style or tradition. Off the mat, you can go into child’s pose; you can take a comfortable seated position and just breathe; you can stop focusing on what your goal looks like on the outside and remember the intention that’s driving you; you can explore another way of doing things.
On or off the mat, remember: We’re not competitors; we’re on the same (joyful KISS MY ASANA) team!
~ 2:26 ~
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.Tags: community, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, Mindfulness, peace
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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 #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.Tags: community, Karma Yoga, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, music
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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 ~
2016 Kiss My Asana #6: Serenity Now! February 6, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Kirtan, Life, Love, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, TV, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: community, KISS MY ASANA, laughter, Mind Body Solutions, music
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F: “Serenity now! Serenity now!”
G: “What is that?”
F: “The doctor gave me a relaxation cassette. When my blood pressure gets too high, the man on the tape tells me to say ‘serenity now!'”
G: “Are you supposed to yell it?”
F: “The man on the tape wasn’t specific.”
– Frank and George Costanza, Seinfeld episode 159
If you’re a Seinfeld fan, then the title of this post might send you into fits of giggles and seriously hysterical flashbacks. You might even stop reading (or pause the video) so you can find all or part of episode 159 (aka, Episode 3 of Season 9) and laugh all over again. Or, maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about and you use the link above to get looped in. Either way, if you laugh hard enough you experience the same kind of lighter than air, super relaxed sense of euphoria that Frank Costanza and the other characters desperately seek in the episode – or that real people actually find when they come to one of Andrew L’s regular yoga classes.
For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, Yogi #6 isn’t the teacher at the front of the room – he is one of my very first yoga studio regulars. And, all these years later, he’s still keeping the joy in the practice.
While some people will say they come back to class because of me or how the yoga practice makes them feel, everyone who misses a class with Andrew L. will consistently comment on how much they miss him! Because, ultimately, part of the genius of comedies like Seinfeld, as highlighted by “The Serenity Now” episode, is a sense of community: for about 23 minutes viewers become part of a fun-loving, close-knit group of people, where everyone belongs. Classes with Andrew L. are like back-to-back episodes of Cheers – only without the beer!
Naaraayana Naaraayana Naaraayana / Om Namo Bhaagavaate Vaasudevaaya //
For your love… / I’d give the moon if it were mine to give / I’d give the stars and the sun for I live / To fill you with delight / I’d bring you diamonds bright / Don’t you think it would excite– Krishna Das singing “Naaraayana/For Your Love”
Andrew L. may not remember this, but our first encounter happened several months before our first yoga class together. He was, as it turns out, doing one of the things Andrew L. does best: Endeavor to make the things he enjoys more enjoyable for everyone. What I didn’t know at the time is that Andrew L. is also a loyal community-builder whose wit is not only obvious in his occasional one-liners, but also in the public art he creates to bring communities together. He’s a bit of a perfectionist (which means we sometimes butt heads); however, I think his family and friends will agree that our lives (and practice) are better for knowing him.
If you smile when you think of Andrew L., please consider making a donation to my 2016 KISS MY ASANA team!
~ Om Naaraayana Shanti Om! On Every Plane of Exstence, Peace To All Living Things ~
2016 Kiss My Asana #4: Couldn’t Be Much More From The Heart! February 4, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Peace, Philosophy, Tantra, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Women, Yoga.Tags: KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, music, peace
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“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
As some of you know, I love a great love story. What you may not realize is that sometimes what makes a love story great is the hero. The hero’s gotta be a real man – meaning, he must acknowledge his mistakes, and learn from them; he must be willing to try something new (even if it scares him); he has to be strong enough to show that he has a heart; and he has to have a really great laugh (or cry). But, most of all, he has to respect the people in his life – especially his significant other. According to this criteria, Yogi #4 ranks right up there with James Hetfield (circa Francesca), Johnny Cash (circa June), Carey Hart (circa P!nk), Elton John (circa David), and Bill Gates (circa Melinda).
I never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way”– Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”
If you know anything about the men listed above, you know their spouses are no slouches – which is another reason their stories are so great! If you read the post for Day #3, you know John G (Yogi #4) is part of a great love story. But, ultimately, what makes a man like John G a great hero is that he is, unapologetically, nothing if not himself.
Speaking of not being a slouch, Sandra Razieli is dedicating her Kiss My Asana teaching to not slouching! Be sure to check out her donation-based class on February 28th if you are in the Oakland area! Or, you can donate directly to her 2016 Kiss My Asana page.
2016 Kiss My Asana #3: Be Where You Are! February 3, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Daoism, Depression, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, James Baldwin, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mantra, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Mysticism, Peace, Philosophy, Sukkot, Taoism, Texas, Twin Cities, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: community, Eddie Vedder, James Baldwin, KISS MY ASANA, Lao Tzu, Mind Body Solutions, music, peace, Pearl Jam
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“There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now.”
– James Baldwin
“Yes, I understand that every life must end, uh-huh / As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, uh-huh / Oh I’m a lucky man, to count on both hands the ones I love/ Some folks just have one, yeah, others, they’ve got none / Stay with me… / Let’s just breathe…”
– “Just Breathe” by Pearl Jam
There are people who spend a lot of time worrying about what’s ahead of them or what’s behind them. Lao Tzu says, the first group is depressed and the second group is anxious. He also mentions a third group, a group of people who are present and at peace. Like that third group, Ann G (Yogini #2 or Yogi #3, depending on how you keep track) takes life as it comes.
That’s not to say that she doesn’t have her moments of worry or anxiety – Ann G is a mom, after all – but she somehow manages to ride the ebbs and flows of life; rising and falling, as if surfing through life is the most natural thing in the world. I have watched her literally, figuratively, and physically fall down and get back up. And, like a surfer catching the big waves, she always seems grateful for some aspect of the wild ride. In the end, isn’t that what the practice is all about? Isn’t that what life is all about?
The questions which one asks oneself begin, at least, to illuminate the world, and become one’s key to the experience of others.” – James Baldwin
Not running from something / I’m running towards the day / Wide awake // A whisper once quiet / Now rising to a scream / Right in me // I’m falling, free falling / Words calling me / Up off my knees // I’m soaring and, darling, / You’ll be the one that I can need / (and) Still be free // Our future’s paved with better days” – Eddie Vedder’s “Better Days”
Ann G is one-half (or maybe it’s more like one-fifth, when you start counting kids) of an incredible love story. Stay tuned for the other half…or fifth.
In the interest of full disclosure, Ann G’s favorite musical moment may have happened with another teacher. Which I think is totally groovy!
Speaking of other teachers, Sandra Razieli just joined a joyful team!We taught together at last year's Sukkot retreat and this is our third year asking you to Kiss (Our)Asanas!Check out her yogathon promo video!
~ SO HUM , HUM SA ~
2016 Kiss My Asana #2: What Kind of Warrior Are You? February 2, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Mysticism, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Twin Cities, Vipassana, Volunteer, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: community, Karma Yoga, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions, Movember, music
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“Without curiosity, none of this would have happened.
More than intelligence or persistence or connections, curiosity has allowed me to live the life I wanted.
Curiosity is what gives energy and insight to everything else I do.
For me, curiosity infuses everything with a sense of possibility.“
– Brian Grazer in his introduction to A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life
One might describe today’s yogi as a peaceful warrior, a mindful warrior, a handy warrior, or even a loving and kind warrior. There could even be some times in his life when he’s a fierce warrior. However, I most often think of Kevin as a curious and insightful warrior. And curiosity and insight go hand in hand.
While he did not directly inspire my Kiss My Asana questions, I knew I was on the right track when – soon after I made my decision to ask these questions – I heard Kevin telling a mutual friend about A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman. Grazer’s weekly “curiosity conversations” have inspired him to create and produce TV shows like 24 and Arrested Development, and movies like A Beautiful Mind and Splash. I haven’t read the book (yet), but I love the results.
The goal of A Curious Mind is simple: I want to show you how valuable curiosity can be and remind you how much fun it is. I want to show you how I use it, and how you can to use it.
Life isn’t about finding the answers, it’s about asking the questions.” – Brian Grazer
My conversation with Kevin continued long after the camera stopped rolling. (Wait; does that idiom even make sense when I’m using a smart phone?)
Part of our continued conversation included questions he had for me, but most of it centered around the Movember classes I do on Men’s Health. So, as a thank you to Kevin and a KISS MY ASANA extra, today’s video includes one of my Movember playlists. Can I get a “Woop woop!” on YouTube?
NOTE: If you donate and purchase a Kiss My Asana t-shirt, you can embody Warrior II, while wearing Warrior II. And, if you donate today through the page of one of my teammates, she’s matching donations!
~ NAMASTE; The Warrior in me honors the warrior that is also in you! ~
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 ~
Turn On, Tune In, & Pucker Up! January 22, 2016
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 31-Day Challenge, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mantra, Meditation, Men, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Movies, Music, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Texas, Twin Cities, Vipassana, Volunteer, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: Karma Yoga, KISS MY ASANA, Mind Body Solutions
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To paraphrase Timothy Leary, it’s time to Turn on, Tune in, and Pucker Up! February is going to be a busy month what with the usual holidays, everybody’s favorite yogathon (2016 KISS MY ASANA), and Walker Art Center’s “Winter of Love” event. Save the dates!
Tune In, Pucker Up & KISS MY ASANA!
When you think about it, February is the most obvious month to pucker up and KISS MY ASANA! Once again I am committing 4 weeks to raising awareness and resources for the adaptive yoga program at Mind Body Solutions. Matthew Sanford and the teachers at Mind Body Solutions “help those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body.” They provide classes, workshops, outreach programs, yoga teacher training and highly specialized training for health care professionals. Their mission reminds us that there’s a yoga practice for everyone. And KISS MY ASANA is an opportunity to do yoga and share yoga, while helping others. For my 2016 offering, I have a few questions….
Keep in mind, this is only a preview so that you can start thinking about your answers. Tune in for daily KISS MY ASANA posts in February!
Turn On, Tune In & Breath Love!
To celebrate the last few weeks of their Hippie Modernism exhibit, Walker Art Center is offering “Winter of Love” – 12 hours of free programming during Valentine’s weekend. Join me on Saturday, February 13th at 5 PM and/or at 7 PM in the Star Tribune Art Lab for a brief introduction to meditation and a guided meditation suitable for all ages and experience levels. A limited number of cushions, mats, and chairs will be provided. (Please note that the sessions may be different.) Check out the museum’s website for more details about the exhibit and event.
A Joyful Practice 