Happy, Holy, Holidays

I remember as a child getting really excited about how many cool things I was going to get for Christmas and how happy I was going to be when I got them. Then on after all the presents were opened, I felt disappointed because I didn’t get everything I wanted and what I did get failed to fill the void that I expected them to fill. There was something missing from the way that my family celebrated the Holidays, but it wasn’t until I was an adult myself that I figured out that it wasn’t better presents.

As adults the Holidays tend to be a frenzy of cooking, cleaning, buying, and wrapping all on top of our normal busy lives. We feel tired, stressed out, and confused and when it is all over we are left feeling empty and disappointed. Are we insane? Why do we keep doing this stuff if it makes us miserable? Isn’t this supposed to be fun?

The problem is that instead of making our Holidays special to us personally, most of us try to fit into a cookie cutter concept of what the Holidays are supposed to be. We allow advertising and media to tell us how to celebrate. And we keep doing the same things year after year whether we enjoy them or not.

Most of the holidays today seem to be focused on stuff. Getting it, giving it, wrapping it, buying it, and throwing it away. If I’m honest I’ll admit that as much as I like some of my stuff, it really doesn’t make my memories. And it seems to me that this focus on stuff is ruining my holidays.

I want to offer my daughter a more fulfilling experience of the holidays than I experienced as a child but I don’t want to exhaust myself doing it. This has led my family to do some serious considering and negotiating to create holidays that are meaningful to us on a personal level, yet fit the comfort level of all those involved.

The first step to making changes to your holiday routine is to sit down with yourself and try to figure out what kind of meaning you are trying to bring to your holidays. Get a pen and a piece of paper and do a short free-write on what the holidays mean to you. Set the timer for five or ten minutes and for the duration write whatever comes to mind. Don’t censor or think too much, just keep it moving. When you’re done go through and pick out the things you like about your holidays and want to keep and the things you dislike and want to change. Decide on some changes that you want to make and some new rituals that you want to start, using this article as a guide if you want or coming up with your own ideas.

Next, you may want to call a family meeting. This might include just your immediate family or it could include your extended network including your community of friends. Talk about past holidays and ask what people remember about them, both the positives and the negatives. Explain your feelings and ideas and ask for feedback and for ideas. Chances are, your family will have their own strong feelings about the holidays and how to make them more special. You may be surprised at what you find out.

As you plan your holidays, try to remain open to making mistakes and improvising. Don’t get tied down to one concept regardless of whether or not it works for you. Chances are you will want to keep refining things every year as your needs and priorities change. Some families might be more resistant to change than others so you may need to start slowly changing just one tradition per year.

Presents
Ah, the holiday shopping. For many people this is the most stressful aspect of the holidays. Of course you may be that rare person who LOVES figuring out what to get for each and every person on your list and if that’s the case, can I get on it? But if you hate it or feel like you are spending more than you can afford or giving lame things just because you have to, this might be an ideal place to start reforming your holiday habits.

• Set a budget or guidelines for gifts.
  This could range from a specific monetary number, to giving only used items, to making your gifts or providing each other with services. Don’t think of your guidelines as limitations, think of it as an exercise in creativity.
  
  
• Pare down your list.
  You don’t have to buy presents for everyone you know. Even among families, there are creative ways of minimizing the sheer volume of presents required. Everyone in the family can go in on one really nice gift for each person (so for example Mom, siblings, grand-ma and friends all pitch in to buy that cordless drill that Dad really wants, but nobody could afford on their own). Or have a Secret Santa where you draw a name out of a hat and that is the only person to whom you will give gifts.
  
  
• Simplify.
  Find one cool all-around present to give to everyone (gift cards, magazine subscriptions, homemade cookies, movie passes etc).
  

• Recycle.
  Recycle your wrapping paper and boxes. One crafty mother I know bought plain canvas bags to wrap presents in and decorated them with her kids. Now every year she has hassle-free wrapping, quick clean-up, and no waste!
  
  

Christmas Tree
For some people the Christmas tree is a time-honored tradition that cannot imagine the holidays without. Ideally though, do we really need to kill a tree to celebrate?

• Substitute.
  For several years, we used a potted palm tree as our Christmas tree. We hung decorations on the fronds and surrounded it with presents. You could hardly tell the difference.
  
  
• Borrow from other traditions.
  Just because you’re not Jewish doesn’t mean you can’t have a menorah. The Yule Log is another sustainable tradition that can be used instead of a tree. Find a nice looking log, decorate it with pine, ribbons, and candles and arrange your gifts artfully around it. Research what the tradition means to its original people and substitute your own meanings if necessary.
  
  
• Plant
  Some people buy a potted tree and plant it after Christmas. If you decide to go this route, make sure to buy a healthy tree from a nursery rather than one with burlap wrapped roots from a roadside stand since these don’t have much chance for survival. If you plan to plant a tree, you cannot keep it inside for very long and must acclimate it to the outside slowly. If all this sounds like too much work to you (it does to me!), then consider one of the other options.
  
  
• Go Organic.
  Conventionally grown Christmas trees use a lot of pesticides. If your tree tradition means that much to you, show it respect by purchasing an organic Christmas tree.
  
  

Company
Sometimes being with family is the most stressful part of the Holidays. Some families get along great, but for others the stress of the Holidays makes tempers flare. If you know that you will have at least one fight occur in every holiday situation, you may want to consider limiting company during the Holidays. Obviously all of these options must be carefully considered and tactfully explained to avoid hurting feelings, but sometimes you just have to take that risk in order to take care of yourself.

• Stay Home.
  If you usually travel during the Holidays and have come to dread it, stay home. Explain that you will come and visit at a time that is not so hectic when you can have more one-on-one time with your hosts.
  
  
• Set Limits
  Limit the number of Guests you invite into your home. If the celebration is always at your house, ask someone else to host.
  
  
• Go away.
  Escape the Holidays altogether by dropping the kids off with the grandparents and having a couple of days as a couple at a romantic Inn somewhere eschewing the family chaos for a year.
  
  

Food
For our family, food is probably the most important aspect of our Holiday celebrations. We really enjoy the preparation and serving of gourmet meals. But we also like to take it easy sometimes and just relax. Here are a few suggestions for simplifying Holiday meals.

• Potluck.
  Next time the celebration is at your place announce that it’s a potluck and you will provide drinks. Organize who brings what or leave it to chance—either way you’ll finally have time to get your house cleaned before company comes
  
  
• Keep it small.
  For Christmas Eve at my Mom’s house we all cook one appetizer and make a meal out of it. It’s fun and not too much work for any one person.
  
  
• Leftovers.
  Cook plenty of food the day before a Holiday and then just reheat and serve. More time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
  
  
• Simple Luxury.
  At our house, Christmas and New Year’s morning consist of bagels, lox, cream cheese, capers, coffee and oj. Hardly any work to set up or clean up, yet it feels luxurious and leaves plenty of room for a hearty dinner. Make sure to buy your bagels early on Christmas eve, bagel places tend to run out early and then close (as I learned the hard way!). Hmmm…we must not be the only family with this tradition.
  
  

Religion/Ritual
Some people have strong religious convictions that dictate exactly what they do on the holidays. Many of us however do what we grew up doing, whether or not we still believe in the philosophy behind the traditions. If this nourishes you, by all means keep going. But if your traditions leave you feeling empty or incomplete, you may want to examine your beliefs and tailor your rituals to follow.

• Ancient Traditions.
  Explore your roots and give traditional rituals a try. Call your grandparents and ask them what they did for holidays when they were young. Attend church or synagogue or any other religious gathering.
  
  
• Melting Pot.
  If you are unsure and searching for answers try asking people of different religions what they do to celebrate and cobble together your traditions by what interests you. Attend a different religious service each year. Ask each member of your family to come up with one simple ritual to try out.
  
  
• Strictly Secular.
  If the religious aspects of the holidays just don’t appeal to you, don’t force yourself to do them. Focus on the aspects of the holidays that you actually enjoy such as feasting and gift giving. A hike in the woods on Christmas day is a tradition that many would consider secular, but to my family it is not only spiritual, but also healthy and fun.
  
  
• Service.
  Teach your children the value of giving by spending your holidays in service to others. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Help your children go through their toys to pick out some to give away. Many people find giving much more rewarding than receiving at this time of year.

Above all, remember that any change you make to the way your family celebrates this season of the return of the light is supposed to make is less stressful. So listen to your intuition. If any of these sound good in theory, but thinking about them makes you feel slightly anxious, this may not be the year to try that particular idea.

I am interested in hearing about how you celebrate. What traditions nourish and fulfill you? How do you keep things simple? Let me know by posting a comment below.

Yoga on a Budget

Everyone I know seems to be affected in one way or another by the current recession. People are getting laid off, business is slow, and people are stressed. It is easy to become overwhelmed by fear and distracted from your path.

Remember that you get more of what you focus on, so instead of staying in the fear, get moving and come to yoga.

Don't make the mistake of cutting yoga out of your life because you are afraid you cannot afford it! Yoga has the reputation of being expensive and only accessible to the rich, but there are many low cost ways to learn.

During trying times, the practice of tapas (discipline) is more important than ever. Here are some low-cost ways to get you back on your mat, day after day.

Work-Trade

All the local yoga studios offer some sort of work trade. You help check people into class, clean the studio, or hang fliers around town and in exchange you get free yoga classes. This is a great option for those who are self-employed and are dealing with a slow down in business. Use your extra time constructively! Contact individual studios for openings and details.

Community classes/sliding scale

Many of the studios in town offer specially priced classes or sliding scale classes where you pay according to your ability.

Asheville Yoga Center offers $6 and $7 classes as an offering to the community, including two of my classes there: Gentle Yoga Basics at 9:45am on Tuesdays and Level 2 at 4:15pm on Sundays.

West Asheville Yoga and Namaste offer all of their classes on a sliding scale basis. WAY classes range from $6-11 for one hour classes and $9-14 for 1.5 hour classes. Namaste classes range from $7-12 for one hour classes and $10-15 for 1.5 hour classes. Pay what you can within that range, you decide where you fall on the scale.

If you aren't local, check to see if any of your local studios offer sliding scale or community priced classes.

Love offering classes

There are a few classes around town offered on a donation basis. There is one at Namaste on Saturday afternoons and one at Firestorm cafe on Sunday mornings. Contact those places for more details and ask around, I'm sure there are more that I don't know about.

YMCA

The YMCA offers financial aid to help pay for their memberships. You do not need to make less than a specific amount of money, just fill out an application and tell them what your circumstances are and why you think you need assistance. I know of several people who get unlimited yoga classes at the Y for less than the cost of two drop-in studio classes per month.

Community College

Anyone can take classes at AB Tech (the local community college here in Asheville), you do not have to be enrolled in a program. The yoga classes meet twice a week for four months and only cost $42 for the whole semester. That means you are paying only slightly more than $1 per class! This is possible because the classes are subsidized by the state. Thank you taxpayers of North Carolina! If you live elsewhere, check with your local community college to see if they offer yoga.

Home Practice

Use this seeming hardship and turn it into a blessing by finally starting that home practice like you've been meaning to for years. Start small and work your way up. Yes, it's ok to use dvds. Whatever gets you on your mat is perfect. Yogatoday.com offers a variety of different level classes to stream from your computer for free. They rotate daily and have three different instructors, so there is something for almost everyone.

Practice with friends

If you have a hard time practicing on your own, make a yoga date with a friend. You can get together and do a video, take turns leading, or just do your own thing together. Beware of the tendency to chat and forget about your practice. If you find yourself falling into this habit, try to make the first half hour be silent and then see what happens.

Do you have any ideas for practicing yoga on a budget that I missed? Comment on this post below.

Transformation

This this time of year when summer turns to fall, the whole world seems turned on its head by the beginning of school. This is especially true if you have children, but it seems that few people escape the winds of change at this time of year. I notice a marked decline in the attendance at my beginner classes, while my more advanced classes tend to remain steady. I think that this is because beginners are more easily thrown off course, while those who have been practicing for a longer time are more able weather the changes in their lives without letting it affect their practice.

While the universe changes around us, and we attempt to remain anchored in the part of ourselves that does not change, there is also the possibility for consciously changing the habits and patterns that unconsciously govern our lives. Whenever we behave in an unconscious manner, we are creating and deepening neural pathways in our brain, literally conditioning ourselves to continue this behavior.

In yoga philosophy, these pathways are called samskaras. Samskaras are described as grooves, or patterns on your soul and they are thought to travel with us from one life to the next. Often they are thought of as negative, because almost any habit can lead to imbalance. I believe however, that we can have positive samskaras as well, pathways that lead to our greatest joys and passions.

In order to alter negative samskaras, we must first become aware of them. What are the habits that drag you down? Smoking? Complaining? Criticizing? Self-doubt?

Once we are aware of our habits, we often keep doing them, berating ourselves all the while. In order to create the transformation we desire, we must forgive ourselves for the past. Then we need to ask ourselves how deeply we desire this transformation. Without a deep desire for change, we will continue down the same pathways over and over until a crisis propels us forward. Then it is time to ask for help. Most addicts who overcome their deep samskaras to numb their pain with drugs do not do it alone. They come together as a group to hold each other accountable, remind each other where they have been, and support each other through the fire of transformation.

While in the process of shedding our destructive habits, it is essential to consciously create positive habits to replace them. Otherwise, one destructive habit may be replaced by another destructive habit. A meditation practice is probably the most positive habit you can aquire since mediation is considered to be the most effective tool available for smoothing away samskaras.

The more deeply ingrained a samskara is, the longer it will take to create transformation. There may be times when you feel that despite your best effort, nothing is happening, or you may even feel like you are going backwayds. Relapses are an inevitable part of the process of change. At these times, it is doubly important to renew your commitment to change. Make a point of doing something that nourishes you, such as spending time in nature or playing with children. If you step back and look on your journey from a neutral perspective, you will see how far you have come. Do not rush this journey, take it one step at a time. There may be some samskaras that require a lifetime (or more!) of effort to erase.

Challenge: Set aside 5-10 minutes per day for meditation. Choose a time when you are most likely to follow through. For example, if you are not a morning person, do not commit to the morning. If you are not able to meditate at your designated time, do it at a different time -- you could even go into the bathroom for 5 minutes at work and meditate in the toilet stall if all else fails. Take a sacred vow to meditate every day for the month of September. Tell someone else about your promise and ask them to hold you accountable.

Begin by setting an intention. It helps to remind yourself each time you meditate why you are meditating. Begin with just one habit or samskara that you would like to change.

Asana and pranayama are both excellent preparations for meditation. Most of you reading this already practice asana, any many do pranayama as well. If you have time for some asana before meditation, it will serve you well.

Whether or not you do asana first, take 10 gentle ujaii breaths before you meditate (this should take about 2 minutes). Then set a timer for 3-8 (or more) minutes. When the timer goes off, you can choose to stop, or of course continue your meditation. The timer keeps you from wondering how long it has been and helps you keep your mind on your meditation.

If you are new to meditation, choose a meditation with a focus (saguna) rather than a formless meditation (nirguna). Your focus can be an image, sound, or word.

A variation of Natarajasana (the dancer)
symbolizing transformation

Pictures!

Here are some photos taken of Ciel and I for the Asheville Yoga Center Teacher of the Month feature.

You can read the write-up in this month's AYC newsletter.

Bendy Girl

Hanumanasana

Backbend Kisses

Flying

Handstands!

Holding Hands

Om

When it rains...

How fitting that the very week of my theme of abundance, it finally rained. And boy did it rain. For about 3 days straight. On the second day of rain, I walked my daughter to school under a sprinkling sky. The full blown rain held off until my daughter was safely inside the building, and then it opened up on me.

As I felt my clothes soak through, I realized that had it been a year ago, I probably would have been resentful for being rained on. But after so many months of watching the land around me shrivel up with lack of moisture, I felt nothing but gratitude.

Walking home in the rain, glasses fogging up, clothes wet, shoes squishing with every step, and feeling more alive than I can remember, I couldn't decide whether to laugh or to cry. So I did both.

Abundance indeed.

Abundance

The teachings of yoga tell us that at our core, we are good. Actually, we are better than good. At our core, our true nature is divine. So why do we so often feel like we are lacking some essential ingredient for happiness? One more raise, or home, or yoga pose, and then we'll be happy.

Let us begin by acknowledging that probably all who read this blog are blessed to have free time that is not spent simply on survival. Spiritual seeking is a privilege for those of us who take food, clothing, and shelter for granted. Certainly there are rare souls who find enlightenment amidst the direst of circumstances, but I am well aware that my audience is mostly one of privilege.

Even among the riches of our culture, where obesity is a greater danger to our lives than starvation, we still often feel like we are lacking. This fear of not having enough comes from looking to the outside world for our abundance, rather than the inside.

Don't get me wrong. I am not vilifying material comforts. I like my ipod, nice yoga clothes, and good food to name a few. It is the focus on these exterior things as a gateway to happiness that I believe is the root of much unhappiness and suffering.

It is my experience that most of the time that we spend a lot of time and energy wanting something, when we finally get it our satisfaction is fleeting, soon replaced by wanting something else. Exterior abundance is transitory in nature. None of it will last, all of it can be taken away in a moment.

The irony is that while our wanting of material things can never be satiated, our desire for internal connection needs only the recognition that we already have what we want. When we acknowledge our innate abundance, then things begin to fall into place. It is my experience that when we focus on all our gifts (rather than what we lack) more and more of these blessings fall into our laps. So to create more abundance in our lives, we need only to recognize all that we already have.

When we are able to make a connection to the beauty and light that resides inside each of us, it is our duty and our joy to share it with others. This richness that we have inside cannot be depleted. The more we share it with others, the more we are able to feel it within ourselves.

So next time you are feeling as if you do not have all that you need in order to be happy, give to someone else. Remember that yoga happens on the inside. Even the joys of asana are external and fleeting. Yoga is not about advanced poses (though they can be fun) It is about connecting with our true nature, and our true nature is divine. Offer a smile, or a helping hand, or a hug. Connect with another by giving of yourself. That is yoga.

Obstacles and Limitations

What do you do when, not only are the plants you planted in your garden not growing, but the weeds are growing fast and furious instead? What about those times when not only do you have to work for what you want, but it seems like life is throwing one obstacle after another in your path?

Some people deal with more obstacles and limitations in their lives than others. The amount of obstacles and limitations in one’s life does not necessarily correspond to happiness. We become happy not by having fewer obstacles, but by our attitude towards them. If we never had obstacles in our lives, chances are good that very little growth would happen at all. However, there are many people who have tons of obstacles and still grow very little. So how can we take the obstacles in our lives and use them as a springboard for growth rather than allowing them to weigh us down?

In order to use our obstacles for growth, we must shift our perspective about the obstacles. We do this by first stepping back, and viewing the obstacles from a neutral place rather than a place of drama. This space around the obstacle allows us to see it in perspective. To see that we are separate from our limitations and that they do not define us. Then we can begin looking for the other good in our lives. We notice that although there are many large weeds in our garden, there are also some flowers. Then we begin to notice the beauty in the weeds themselves.

It is much easier to see the benefits that obstacles in our past have given us. It is much more difficult to see the beauty and the gifts in our current obstacles. However, the practice of opening to the good in what we perceive as obstacles in one of the most powerful tools available for melting the obstacles away. When we let go of resentment towards our limitations, we make space for gratitude. This gratitude is fertile ground for our obstacles to inspire growth and positive transformation.

In our lives there are many choices. In yoga, we try to make the choices that are shri or life-enhancing. The choice to use obstacles as a springboard for growth rather than as an excuse to be miserable is one of those choices. Be sure to remind me of that next time I complain...

Try this meditation to dissolve obstacles:
Sit comfortably on a chair or on the ground. It is helpful to have a wall or chair back to support your spine as being uncomfortable doesn't actually assist your meditation at all. You may also lay on your back, perhaps with a bolster under your spine or under your knees.

Begin by choosing a perceived obstacle or limitation in your life to focus on. It can be something you have been struggling with for a while, or something that is current to the moment. As you think of this obstacle in your life, notice what feelings and thoughts come up around it without judging. Take a few deep slow breaths and allow yourself to feel these feelings without trying to change or judge them.

Now, take a step back from this situation in your mind. Try to view it from a distance, as an observer rather than a participant. Notice that you are separate from this situation, notice that it does not define who you are. Anytime that you feel yourself getting emotionally involved, take a breath and imagine yourself stepping farther away from the situation, removing yourself for the time being. Allow the feelings of resentment, want, deprivation, betrayal, etc to fall away.

When you are able to feel neutral towards the situation and observe it with interest rather than resentment, open yourself up to the idea of gratitude for the situation. If the moment you do that, the negative emotions rush back in, go back to the previous step and try again. At first you may be able to feel only the faintest twinge of gratitude. As you practice, you may be able to feel it more and more strongly. If you are having a hard time connecting to the feeling of gratitude, you may repeat silently to yourself something like "thank you [god, universe, higher power, whatever] for [insert situation]. Thank you for this challenge. Thank you for this opportunity to grow."

Continue with this practice of gratitude as long as you want to or have time for. You can do this every day or even several times a day during challenging times. When you are practicing frequently, you will be able to go through all these steps almost instantly anywhere anytime. Leave a comment and let me know what your experience is with this meditation.

More on water

I just found a quote that puts my last post in a concise and beautiful form. This is from Julie Rappaport in her book 365 yoga daily meditations:

Practicing yoga without clear attention to the breath is like trying to grow a plant without giving it water.

water your garden

The earth is bone dry. It's rained less than a handful of times all summer. I usually can count on the rain to cool off the worst of the mid-summer heat, but this year there is no relief. The second summer in a row of severe drought. I am almost used to it. But whenever I look at a photograph of how my property used to look, I am shocked at the difference. Although the drought does make yard maintenance easier, I miss extravagant growth of the vegetation around here.

The other day I happened to be on my back porch, and caught a glimpse of my garden. The front of my garden was much taller and healthier looking than the back. This is because I always begin my watering up front and then work my way back, and sometimes I run out of time.

There is a ring of healthy green grass around the front of my garden, a by-product of the more assiduous watering there. It is a little sad to see how pathetic the rest of my lawn is, but there is this bright green semi-circle glowing like a beacon of hope.

Sometimes our lives are full of rain. Things grow in abundance without much effort on our part. Other times, we need to be disciplined about watering in order to make anything happen. Our yoga practice is the same. Some days the practice is easy and abundant. Other times it feels dry and devoid of life. Handstand comes easily one day, and is unattainable the next.

The breath is to our yoga practice as water is to a garden. It is the essential ingredient we need to practice. If we do nothing else but sit and breathe deeply for an hour, we finish feeling vital, refreshed, and energized. The poses are wonderful, I love them, but really, they are just the icing on the cake. Without the breath there can be no other practice. No meditation, no asana, no philosophy.

Any day that I get on my yoga mat and feel a yoga less than inspired, I begin with pranayama. The focus on the breath usually spills over into my asana practice too. Often, these practices wind up being the most rewarding of all.

The best kind of breath to get my juices flowing is called Ujaii. It is one of the most commonly taught breath exercises in yoga. Some yoga styles recommend breathing in this way throughout the entirety of each and every yoga practice. I personally like to switch it up a bit more than that, but I do often use it through most of my practice.

Ujaii breathing consists of a slight constriction at the back of your throat so that each breath creates a hissing sound. This constriction slows the airflow and facilitates a longer, deeper breath. Because the breath takes more time, your body is able to utilize more of the oxygen it takes in. This increases your endurance and makes you feel energized. It's like a free oxygen hit! This makes a challenging practice feel easier, and a gentle practice feel positively nourishing. The sound of the breath is also a great tool to focus the mind, something we can use in any kind of practice, and in many situations throughout our day.

To practice ujaii breath:
Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale through your mouth make a long Haaaaah sound. Feel how the muscles in the back of the throat constrict to make this sound. Now try to make the same sound as you breathe in. Try breathing in and out several times through your mouth as you make this sound.

Close your mouth, and make the closest approximation you can to that sound while breathing through your nose. This is ujaii. Some say it sounds like Darth Vader breathing, or like the sound of the ocean. Notice how constricting the throat causes your exhalation to lengthen. Notice how the next inhalation lengthens in turn. Your breath should be smooth and even. Breathe this way for several minutes, then return to a normal, unforced breath. The normal breath will be deeper without effort.

There is never any need to force or strain the breath. Always keep it smooth and steady. You can intersperse normal breaths anytime you feel like you want or need one. Sometimes when students are first learning this breath, their throats become scratchy or slightly sore after a while. Do not be discouraged. There is no need to keep going past discomfort. Practice often and for short periods of time, and your throat will soon get used to breathing in this manner.

Once you are comfortable with the ujaii breath, you will find many situations where it comes in handy. For example, when I am excited and trying to sleep, the sound soothes me, calms my mind, and allows me to surrender enough to sleep. However, it has the opposite effect when I am tired and need to stay awake. Then the extra oxygen energizes me and keeps me alert. I also use the ujaii breath when I walk up many flights of stairs. There seems to be no limit to uses for this breath. How do you use your ujaii breath? Comment on this post and let me know.

Adho Mukha Vrksasana: Handstand

Handstand is one of the most frequently requested poses in my classes, and also one of the most hated. Many times when I announce handstand as the next pose, people groan and sigh. Sometimes people even leave. Handstand is hard. It requires you to take a risk. And quite often it takes you out of the flow of your practice. Most people either love it or hate it.

I believe that the benefits of handstand make it more than worthwhile, even if you are in the hater camp. Handstand strengthens the core and upper body. It develops self-esteem and inner strength. Best of all, it turns your world upside down so that you can see life from a fresh perspective.

Adho Mukha Vrksasana (downward facing tree, in case you are interested in the translation) is the first inversion taught in Anusara yoga. It is considered to be the safest non-restorative inversion because the neck is not involved. Headstand and shoulderstand are considered by many to be easier inversions than handstand. However, because of the risk of compromising the cervical spine (the neck), I recommend becoming comfortable with handstand first. By building awareness, comfort inverting, and strength in the upper body, handstands prepare us to safely perform other inversions.

Handstand brings up a lot of fear for some people. If this is the case for you, I recommend going slowly and working with a trusted partner.

The first version of handstand that I usually teach is called "L" handstand. This version actually requires more upper body strength than the full version, however since it is climbed into rather than kicked into, there is less "fear factor".



Come onto hands and knees with your feet at the wall and wrists directly under your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide apart and soften your chest between your arms. Curl your toes under and come into downward facing dog. This version of downward facing dog should feel quite a bit shorter than the downward dog you usually do. Have a friend place their hands right on your shoulderblades and press your shoulder blades firmly towards the wall.


Now, step one foot up to hip-height and then the other foot. In order to straighten your legs, you will need to press your hips towards your friend and your chest towards the wall. Ask your friend to confirm that your feet are as high as your hips and no higher. You will feel like you are too close to the wall, but that means you are just right. Lift your hips as high into the air as you can. Most people need to focus mostly on pressing their chest towards the wall with the help of their partner, however if you have extremely flexible shoulders and you find your chest going far behind your wrists, you may need to back off in order to make your torso vertical. In this case, focus on pressing into the hands to lift the hips. You can remain in L handstand as long as is comfortable for you. To come out, bend the knees and take one foot down and then the other. Rest in childs pose and enjoy the effects of the inversion.

Practice L often and build the amount of time you are able to stay in it. When you feel ready to move on, begin in downward facing dog with your hands about 6-8 inches from the wall. Lift one leg into down dog splits and practice kicking. Keep your hips square to the ground when kicking, rather than allowing the top leg to swing wildly to the side. This will increase the efficiency and control of your kick. Just the practice of kicking is beneficial, whether or not you are able to get all the way into the pose. If you are unable to kick up on your own ask a teacher or experienced practicioner to help you get up. Once you are up, squeeze your legs together and extend upwards from your hands to your feet.

Remember that you get most of the same benefits from practicing the handstand prep (L), so there is no need to rush to the final pose. Inverting is not recommended during pregnancy, menstruation, and with certain physical conditions, so please consult your physician as well as a qualified teacher if you have any questions about your ability to perform either variation of handstand. If you have fear about kicking up, consider whether or not it is a challenge that calls to you. If so, work with a teacher for the first few times so that you can gain confidence in your ability to perform this pose. Taking risks and facing your fears are beneficial practices, but they should not be undertaken lightly. Once you do however, you stand to gain strength, confidence, and a new perspective.

How it feels to have a stroke

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke.

The way Dr Taylor describes her stroke is as a profound spiritual experience. The interesting thing is that Ram Dass describes his stroke in similar terms. He called it "being stroked by God". You can get more on his perspective in the documentary Fierce Grace.

Free Rice

Increase your vocabulary and help feed hungry people. Check out this addictive vocabulary game: http://freerice.com/index.php

So far, I've gotten to level 47.

Do schools today kill creativity? (Ken Robinson, TEDTalks)

A brilliant and funny commentary on education and creativity. The main thesis is that we must each find our unique talents and follow them to fruition rather than follow a proscribed curriculum. In yogic terms, this is about Dharma. Our duty as creative, embodied, spiritual beings is to discover and develop our innate talents.

Free online yoga classes

“Yoga Today’s mission is to bring free yoga to the world,” said Kim Whitman, President and Executive Producer of Yoga Today. “It is really yoga for everyone, anywhere they are, providing the perfect balance of hands-on instruction with fresh, new courses in an inspiring setting directly to consumers via their laptops, PCs or televisions. Yoga-on-the-go is a convenience we are offering people with busy schedules, and with the I’M delivery platform, we’re able to make on-demand fitness available to our customers.”

According to a study commissioned by Yoga Journal, 16.5 million Americans stay fit through yoga – up 43 percent from 2002. With yoga courses averaging $15/session and yoga DVDs averaging $15 each*, Americans can save hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars by accessing the courses from Yoga Today. Yoga Today’s free content will be supported by four 30-second ads at the beginning of each episode.

This is a great way to energize your yoga practice on days that you are not motivated to practice on your own. But please remember that videos should not replace in-person instruction with qualified instructors.

http://www.yogatoday.com

Vayus: the wind through the instrument

What is prana? More than just a line of clothing! Prana is the energy that runs through our bodies, our very life force. Prana is sometimes translated as breath, though this is not quite accurate. We can access the energy in our body through our breath, but the breath itself is not prana. The practice of pranayama (extension of energy) consists of breathing exercises and this is where the confusion about the definition of prana came from. Though they are not one and the same, prana and breath are intimately related and both are necessary for human life.

To further the confusion between prana and breath, Prana can be subdivided into 5 categories called Vayus or winds. Each Vayu controls the movement of energy in a certain direction in a specific part of the body. The first two (Prana and Apana) are generally considered to be the most important and most accessible.

Prana Vayu - Upward moving and expansive, prana vayu governs the chest and head, nourishing the brain and the eyes.

Apana Vayu - Downward moving, controls digestions and elimination and aids in the feelings of equanimity and groundedness.

Vyana Vayu - Expands from the core to the periphery, sending life to the edges of the body.

Udana Vayu - Moves circularly around the head and neck.

Samana Vayu - Moves circularly around the waist, from the outside in.

To feel Prana and Apana Vayu with the breath:

Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. As you inhale, notice how your body expands upwards and your whole body is energized. This is Prana Vayu.

Notice the release and subtle downward motion as you exhale.

See if you can notice small variations in the intensity and duration of your inhales versus your exhales.

To feel Prana and Apana Vayu in Asana:

Take Warrior 1 position: from standing, step the right foot approximately 4 feet behind you and swivel the right heel down so that your toes are pointing at about 45 degrees. Bend the left knee as deeply as you can, making sure to keep it directly above the left ankle (it will want to bend inward towards the right).

The optimal environment for prana to flow in the body is a state of relaxed engagement, so pause here for a moment and try to feel the prana and apana vayus just like you did while seated. This will cultivate sensitivity and awareness and keep you from over-effortingin the pose. Now from the center of your pelvis, extend energy down your right leg and if possible bend deeper into your left knee. This extension downward is Apana Vayu. To feel Prana Vayu, extend the arms upward. From the same place in the pelvis that you are reaching down your leg, inhale and reach your arms straight up. If you can do both at once, you are circulating prana and apana energy evenly in your body. This creates a balanced yoga pose (and is a LOT of work!). Whew, you can come out now!To balance and strengthen your Vayus, try this simple pranayama practice:

Full Yogic Breath

In order to balance the Vayus and strengthen the flow of prana in your body, practice this simple pranayama exercise. Set yourself up for pranayama practice in a way that you will be comfortable yet alert the entire time. Reclining with your upper body on a bolster or several pillows is ideal, but if you are feeling sleepy, you might want to sit. Take several normal breaths, paying attention to the length and feeling of the inhalation versus the exhalation. Begin evening and smoothing out the breath, creating a seamless transition between inhalation and exhalation.

Keeping the breath smooth and effortless, focus the movement of your breath entirely in your abdomen. Take 10 deep but easy breaths, keeping your chest completely still. Now keep your belly still and take 10 breaths into your chest. Continue to breathe without effort or strain. Your last 10 breaths will include expanding both the abdomen and the chest. This is the full yogic breath. When you are finished with these 10 breaths, breath normally for about a minute and feel the energy moving through your body before moving or getting up.

Practicing the full yogic breath lowers cortisol (stress hormone) and increases DHEA, the hormone the fights fat and makes you feel more alert and energetic. It can also help to regulate blood pressure. Amazing what a little extension of your life force can do!

Extreme Yoga

A friend sent me this interesting article from the Wall Street Journal. Towards the end (5th paragraph from bottom) the writer mentions that people question whether or not it's really yoga. My opinion is that only the person doing the practice can determine whether or not they are doing yoga. What do you think? Is yoga a set of practices or a state of mind?

Into the Wild With Yoga
An extreme athlete with no fixed address is pioneering a new form of yoga. Inside the world of adventure addicts.
By ALEXANDRA ALTER
April 5, 2008; Page W1



Jason Magness pulled up to the park in an old sedan stuffed with clothes, climbing gear, books and his Irish punk cassette tapes. He was temporarily homeless after breaking up with his girlfriend but in good spirits. He uncoiled a springy nylon rope, lashed a taut line between two trees and hopped on barefoot. The rope bounced like a trampoline. Then he sat cross-legged in a dead-still lotus posture, suspended 3 feet above the ground.

People stopped to stare. From a distance, he looked like he was levitating.

Mr. Magness is a charismatic adventurer and yogi with wavy, sun-streaked brown hair, blue-gray eyes and a narrow, tanned face. His exploits have made him a legend in the small underground of adventure sports. He's also the innovator of slackline yoga and is one of its few masters. More difficult than tightrope walking, it involves holding yoga poses while balanced on a flat rope the width of a thumb. Since he and a friend invented the practice three years ago, Mr. Magness has given demonstrations at yoga conferences, released an instructional DVD and taught 2,000 people at workshops across the country. Although it is unlikely to become a mainstream sport -- just five people teach it -- it is catching on among the most agile of yoga devotees.

Full story

Identity

Who are you?

Most of us, when asked this question, can think of several labels we can identify with.

Mother, daughter, yoga teacher, and friend are a few of mine. These labels are helpful because they help us to determine appropriate action depending on the situation. For example, in my role as yoga teacher, it might be appropriate for me to share a challenge from my life as a way to illustrate a yogic concept, but it would not be appropriate for me to complain about that same situation. As a friend, I could probably complain as much as I needed to.

The danger comes when we start to take these roles on as our true identity. When we can no longer separate ourselves from the roles we play. When our ego becomes wrapped up in being a "good mother" or a "successful teacher".

The way to practice yoga with your identity is first to notice. When we detect an imbalance in our identity, then we can use our practice to move back into a balanced relationship with the roles we play.

One practice that I find helpful is to ask the question I posedat the beginning of this post. Anytime, anywhere, you can ask yourself: "who am I?" Then without answering with a thought, listen and feel the answer. When you drop the roles and the nameable identity, what is left is the truth of who you are. This truth cannot be described in words, but it can be felt. And it feels good.

Inner Listening

Everywhere I look, something is sprouting, blossoming, or shooting towards they sky. All of a sudden people are venturing out of their houses and into their gardens, parks, and streets. Invitations to events are piling up and energy is high. We are all so ready to come out of hibernation and greet the day.

I love the Spring. It is the season I was born into 30 years ago and the sheer hope and joy of it resonates within me deeply. I often feel like I am surviving through the winter, but now I wake up each morning excited to see what the world has to offer today. This profound occurs seemingly overnight. This year I felt it on the very day of the Equinox.

My challenge for the next few months is moderating my energy - saving some for next fall and winter. At this time of year, my tendency is to charge forward, full steam ahead, like the ram that I am. This week, my focus is on inner listening. Taking several moments each day to tune in and listen to the quietness within.

Inner listening is actually more than just listening. It involves listening, feeling, and being absolutely still. Inner listening means forgetting what we think we "know" and instead being open to what is. Learning to differentiate between the voice of our ego and the voice of intuition.

Just like all skills, inner listening takes practice. By practicing inner listening at times we feel good and when we have small decisions, we learn to differentiate and to trust. So take a moment, right now.

Stop. Pause your day. Take a moment to listen, watch, feel, and be. You'll be glad you did.

Yoga Styles

Iyengar. Ashtanga. Anusara. Flow. Kundalini. Hot. Yin. With all the different kinds of yoga out there and all the esoteric terms, it can be difficult to decide what kind of yoga classes to attend. In this post, I will decode the different styles of yoga, what makes them different from each other and why you might choose one over another. Of course, you may not be so lucky as to have a choice. The options in your town may be limited to general yoga at a gym. Or the one yoga studio in town is strictly Iyengar. Well, there is always travel yoga: visiting a yoga class when you travel to a larger city or going on special yoga retreats and vacations.

Lets start with the basics: Hatha Yoga is an umbrella term for the physical form of yoga that originated out of the Hindu spiritual tradition in India. There are a few other kinds of physical yoga that originated from other traditions, namely: Kundalini Yoga (Sikhism), Tibetan yoga (Tibetan Buddhism), and Daoist or yin yoga (Daoism).

From the Hindu tradition, Hatha is only one of several yogic paths. The other paths include Raja (Royal) Yoga, Jnana (Knowledge), Karma (service), Japa (mantra), and Bhakti (devotional).

Types of Hatha yoga commonly practiced in America today:

Iyengar
Iyengar yoga has probably been the most widely practiced form of Hatha yoga in America over the last 30 years, though vinyasa/power yoga is catching up quickly. Iyengar yoga was developed by B.K.S Iyengar. Iyengar was a student of T. Krishnamacharya who is known as the grandfather of modern yoga- three of the most popular styles of yoga practiced in the US were developed by his students.

Iyengar classes are known for their precision in alignment, use of props such as blocks and bolsters, and relatively little spiritual focus (at least in the beginning). Poses are held for a relatively long time with lots of demonstrations and adjustments. It is considered to be a great style of yoga for beginners, elders, and those with physical disabilities, though there are certainly also physically challenging Iyengar classes as well.

Anusara
Anusara is a relatively new form of yoga developed in 1997 by John Friend, a former Iyengar instructor. Anusara focuses on alignment as well as the emotional and spiritual aspects of yoga. Anusara certification is one of the most rigorous yoga certifications available and certified teachers are highly knowledgable in the therapeudic applications of yoga.

Each Anusara class is based around a theme to clarify the principles of alignment as well as relate in-class work to daily life. Classes will vary in vigor depending on the teacher, but they tend to be more challenging than similar level Iyengar classes because poses are linked together and there is less stopping and starting with demonstrations. A sense of community is emphasized with more talking laughing than is common in other yoga classes and partner work is often included. The philosophy of anusara is an uplifting, life-affirming philosophy. The teachers are trained to "look for the good" so they may compliment students on their progress or effort. Some people are put off by the flowery language used by Anusara instructors, but in the right hands these metaphors help students to understand the postures on a deeper level.

Ashtanga Vinyasa
Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga was developed by Pattabhi Jois, another student of T. Krishnamacharya. It is one of the most athletic forms of yoga. Students follow the same series of postures linked together with their breath every day they practice. There are known to be 7 series, but even the first is too difficult for most beginners to do without modifications. Traditional Ashtanga classes are known as Mysore style classes and are not led by the teacher. Instead, students practice the series at their own pace and the teacher comes around and helps students individually. Ashtanga yoga has inspired several different kinds of uniquely American yoga styles, most notably Power yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and Jivamukti yoga.

Ashtanga vinyasa, the form of hatha yoga, is easily confused with Patajali's ashtanga. Patanjali is the credited author of the Yoga Sutra, the oldest known yogic text. Most hatha yoga styles draw on Patanjali's ashtanga for their philosophy, except those that are descended from other spiritual traditions such as Kundalini yoga and Yin yoga. This eightfold path (ashtanga means 8 limbs in Sanskrit) is a comprehensive system that includes: yamas (moral code), niyamas (personal disciplines), asana (postures), pranayama (breath exercises), pratyahara (withdrawl of senses), Dharana (one-pointed concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (union).

Vinyasa/Power Yoga
Vinyasa or power yoga is an athletic form of yoga derived from Ashtanga. Rather than following a set series, Vinyasa/Power yoga is a more creative form that will vary greatly from teacher to teacher. The main component of this style is the emphasis on vinyasa, or intelligent movement from pose to pose. This movement from pose to pose creates heat, sweat, and an aerobic workout.

Vinyasa/Power yoga has been one of the most popular forms of yoga US over the last 10-15 years and is large part of the recent yoga "boom". Unfortunately, there are many poorly trained instructors teaching this style in health clubs and gyms. Because of the movement and effort involved, the potential for injury is higher than with gentle or alignment based forms of yoga. If you choose to practice this style, check your teacher's qualifications and try to take some alignment based classes as well (Iyengar and Anusara are the most popular alignment based forms of yoga).

Another variant of Power/Vinyasa is called flow yoga. Popularized mostly in California and now also available elsewhere in the US, flow yoga varies in intensity from gentle to very challenging. The emphasis is on moving with the breath from pose to pose. Meditation and/or pranayama is often included.

Jivamukti

Jivamukti yoga was developed by Sharon Gannon and David Life. They are students of Pattabhi Jois and their style is derived from Ashtanga. It is similar to Power/Vinyasa in that it is usually a challenging and creative workout, but Jivamukti yoga also includes readings from scriptures or inspiring quotes, chanting, and meditation. Non-traditional music is often used and refraining from the consumption or use of animal products (veganism) is strongly encouraged and even required during teacher training.

Viniyoga
Krishnamacharya's third famous disciple and son T.K.V Desikachar created viniyoga also known as yoga therapy. Viniyoga is usually taught one on one and focuses on practicing yoga according to one's individual needs. Viniyoga uses specific sequencing, repetition, and vinyasa (breath with movement). The most famous American Viniyoga teacher is Gary Kraftsow.

Bikram
Also known as hot yoga, Bikram yoga is controversial in the world of yoga. The founder, Bikram Choudhoury, has copyrighted his sequence and the term Bikram yoga. He requires that all Bikram instructors be certified by him and has brought several lawsuits against studio owners. Thus the term hot yoga is often used by practicioners of Bikram who have not been taught directly by him or have fallen out of grace for one reason or another. He is very specific about how Bikram yoga can be taught, so a teacher could lose the right to use the term Bikram by teaching out of sequence or saying things during class that are not proscribed by him. Like Ashtanga, Bikram is a specific sequence of poses, however this sequence was developed specifically for Americans and is done in a very hot (100-110 degree) room. The 26 poses combined with the heat make for a very vigorous practice that Bikram claims purifys the body and prevents disease.

Kripalu
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA is the largest and best known yoga retreat center in the US. It was founded in 1966 by Amrit Desai, who named his style of yoga after his guru Kripalvananda. In 1994, Desai resigned as spiritual director of Kripalu and the center moved away from the guru-disciple model to become an interdisciplinary yoga retreat center. The main style of yoga taught there is still Kripalu as originally taught by Desai. Kripalu yoga is a three part system. In the first level, students hold the poses for a short period of time and focus on alignment and coordinating breath and movement. In the second level the poses are held longer and meditiation is included in the practice. The goal of the third level is to acheive meditation in motion.

Integral
The goal of Integral yoga is to integrate all the different kinds of yoga together: Hatha, Bhakti, Karma, Raja, Jnana, and Mantra. An Integral class might be comprised of gentle physical postures, deep relaxation, breathing techniques, chanting and meditation.

Ananda
Based on the teachings of Parmahansa Yogananda (author of autobiography of a yogi), Ananda yoga is designed to prepare students for meditation. These gentle classes include affirmations associated with postures and consciously sending the body's energy to different organs and limbs.

Sivananda
One of largest schools of yoga in the world with over 15 ashrams worldwide, sivananda yoga includes asana, chanting, and meditation. Classes often include mini-savasanas in between poses. They tend to be very serious and devotional in nature without a lot of talking or alignment.

Kundalini
One of the forms of yoga that does not directly originate from the Hindu tradition, Kundalini yoga is based on the Sikh tradition. Kundalini was popularized in the West by Yogi Bajan who founded the 3HO (Healthy, Happy Holy) organization in 1969. Kundalini yoga is designed to awaken the kundalini (energy) in the body. Classes are usually taught as kriyas or sets of exercises designed to accomplish a specific purpose (for example cleanse the liver, balance head and heart, etc). They include chanting, breath control, meditation, and postures, often done in specific numbers of sets. While it is not required that one become a Sikh to take Kundalini classes, the teachers are usually practicing Sikhs.

Yin
Yin yoga is another style of yoga that does not come from the Hindu tradition. Yin yoga is derived from the far eastern martial arts tradition. It is designed to balance the Yang forms of martial exercise. Popularized in the US by Paul Grilley, yin yoga consists of postures that are similar to hatha yoga asanas, but they are held in a relaxed and passive manner for 1-5 minutes or longer. This is said to target the connective tissues in the body rather than the muscles, strengthening them and freeing up stagnant energy. Yin yoga is not designed as a standalone practice, it is to be done only as a balance for forms of exercise that target the muscles such as athletic hatha yoga forms like ashtanga, power/vinyasa, iyengar, or anusara. Yinyoga.com is a great resource detailing the history, theory, and practice of yin yoga.

Ok, I know this isn't an enhaustive list, but I think it pretty well covers most of the more popular styles. If you notice a glaring omission, let me know and I will probably include it. Also, if you practice one of the styles that I have very little experience with (you can probably tell which ones by how much I've written about them) feel free to clarify and expand on what I've said.

Balance

If yoga could be boiled down to a single concept, I think that concept would be balance.

Each week I choose a theme for my classes in order to clarify and focus the concepts that I want to teach. Most of the time, whatever theme I choose, what it really comes back to is a play between opposing forces. In other words, balance.

From wikipedia.com, a definition quite compatible with the yogic perspective:

"a desirable point between two or more opposite forces."

It is this point of balance that we are seeking with our practice of yoga. However, this point is not a fixed place. Balance is a never ending dance of awareness and sensitivity. The search for it is the substance of a fulfilling life.

From the Eastern perspective, the natural world can be divided into complimentary opposites called yin and yang. These complimentary opposites balance each other, thereby creating harmony. Neither yin nor yang can exist without the other. They define each other. They also contain each other: within yin, there is yang and within yang there is yin. Each one, when taken to the extreme, becomes the other. At the extreme of yang, there is yin and at the extreme of yin, there is yang.

I find this to be an extremely helpful and profound way of looking at the world. A reminder of both the complexity and elegant simplicity of nature.

Because each of us is blessed to be unique in both body and mind (perhaps soul too, though I can't speak to this authoritatively) the point of balance will also be unique for each of us and possibly different each moment as well.

This is an inherent limitation of group yoga classes. The teacher gives instructions that she has reason to believe will benefit (ie create balance in) the majority of the group. She learns to "read" the class to respond to the imbalances she sees and feels. But she cannot give instructions for each unique person without confusing the majority of the class and undermining the potential benefits of the practice. The way that I was taught to teach is to walk around the room and help as many people individually as possible. But in a class of 40 or 50, I am lucky to reach half the class.

It is essential for each student to take responsibility for their own practice. We must remain alert and curious, observing the effect of each instruction, rather than following blindly. We are responsible for learning about our bodies and our minds, so that we can take our yoga practice with us out into the world where it will do us the most good. There is nothing wrong with enjoying your workout, or stress relief, or gentle stretching once a week. But the real benefits of yoga come when we keep trying to find that balance point in the hubbub of life.

I find it interesting that the synonyms for balance are poise and composure. Those words describe perfectly what it looks like to live yoga. You do not let little things throw you off balance. This is not an outward composure, where you hide your inner turmoil, but an inner poise. As you practice more, you simply find that you are less easily bothered by things. And in the spirit of true balance, when it is time to lose your cool, you lose it. After all, we're only human.

The Yamas and Niyamas

I think it is common knowledge that yoga is more than just exercise. When asked how it is more, most people answer that it includes the mind as well as the body, or they mention the focus on breath. Only serious students of yoga asana are aware of just how deep and complex the system of yoga really is.

Yoga is not a religion, though it is compatible with religion and the belief in a higher power. Yoga consists of both practices and philosophy. As a philosophy, yoga shies away from dogmatism. Only a religion can perceive itself to be infallible, a philosophy is open to interpretation.

One of the components of this philosophy is a set of guidelines for dealing with others and a set for dealing with yourself. These are called the yamas and the niyamas. I have heard these called the "ten commandments of yoga" and I couldn't disagree more. The yamas and the niyamas of yoga not commandments, they are guidelines to study, contemplate, and practice.

It is as if we went to a venerable grandparent, whom we respected deeply, and asked for some tips on living. No matter how much we respect this person, there is no way that we would simply apply this wisdom to our lives wholesale. At best we would experiment and test and see what is true for ourselves. So we look at the yamas and the niyamas as advice from the wise. We do not come to this with skepticism, but rather an open mind--eager to apply the wisdom of the ages to our own lives. We do this with understanding that we must come to our own conclusions as to the nuances of these guidelines, that no one can simply tell us what to do.

The Yamas

Ahimsa - non-violence

This means violence in thought, action, and speech. When there is a choice to be made, we try to determine the least violent path. This applies to ourselves as well as others. We do not wallow in self-pity or self-hate. When there is a choice between two paths, we must determine the least destructive path.

Satya - truthfulness

Pay attention to your habits about telling the truth. Do you lie to others? To yourself? Are you impeccable with your word? Truth is different from "brutal honesty". Brutal honesty conflicts with non-violence. Can you balance telling the truth with non-violence?

Asteya - non-stealing

Beyond the obvious, asteya means not stealing people's energy or taking credit for someone else's work. The universe is based on a balance of giving and receiving. When in doubt, give. The universe will give back.

Bramacharya - moderation/restraint

Bramacharya is often defined as celibacy or sexual restraint. This is but one aspect of it and a great illustration of how these guidelines need to be put through our own filters. For some yogis in the past (and a smaller number today) refraining from sexual activity was a method of harnessing the inherent power of one's sexuality and using it for one's spiritual practice. Today, the concept of sexual restraint is still a valid part of our spiritual exploration. For example, we should restrain ourselves from sexual activity that will harm ourself or others.

A more modern definition of bramacharya is to seek balance between pleasure and restraint: ie moderation.

Most importantly, we should restrain ourselves from exploiting our power over others. Anytime there is a power differential, such as between a teacher and a student or an employer and employee, the responsibility for restraint lies with the person who has more power. This restraint is not limited to the times when actual harm is caused. We must seek to understand the motivation behind our actions and apply the concept of moderation when necessary and appropriate. It is by catching our small transgressions into abuse of power that we can avoid large ones.

This is true even in the case of parent and child. As a parent, it is your responsibility to try not to exploit the power you have over your child for your own convenience. The power of a parent over a child is there for a reason--to keep the child safe until they can do so for themselves. So it is helpful to examine periodically how you are using your power. Ask yourself, am I abusing my power by trying to make my child do things that simply benefit me in the short term and not my child in the long term? There is no judgment implied in this. I myself catch myself abusing my power over my child frequently. The practice is in becoming aware of our habits and patterns and moving towards a benevolent use of power. Sometimes we just need a break. That is ok too...Parenting is a spiritual practice like no other.

There have been many examples of leaders, even revered spiritual leaders and yoga gurus abusing their power. The more power that one has, the more challenging and relevant bramacharya becomes. The abuse of power does not negate the powerful teachings that these people have provided or the good they have done. Imperfection is not the problem. It is true that a teacher who practices their own teachings is more powerful than one who says one thing and does another. But a teacher who struggles with a concept or problem may have a lot to offer about that subject, perhaps more than one who does not struggle. The betrayal comes either from representing oneself as perfect or from the student's own expectation of perfection destroyed.

To avoid this kind of pain and betrayal, do not expect perfection from others. Accept that we are all both perfect and imperfect. That is not to say that the abuse of power is ok. It is not. But it exists for us to learn from it.

Aparigraha - simplicity

A more direct translation of aparigraha is non-grasping, but I think that the English word simplicity more elegantly expresses the concept. Practice detachment from possessions. People are more important than things. Evaluate needs and separate them from wants. This is not to say that you can never indulge yourself in a want. Just be aware of when it is a want vs a need and act accordingly. We each need to make our own distinction between wants and needs and decide for ourselves when it is appropriate to indulge. Think about getting rid of some "stuff" to make more room for yourself.

Asheville Asana

The lovely Clay Tison came and recorded my 12:30 class yesterday and put it on her blog Asheville Asana. It's an all levels class with the theme of Tapas. Tapas is one of the Niyamas, the yogic self-practices that help us along the path. Tapas means discipline or fire. Unfortunately, my introductory talk at the beginning of class was lost, but hopefully you will be able to get the gist of the theme anyway.

Keep in mind that although this was an all levels class, trying to follow it with audio only would be extremely difficult for a beginner. However, if you have a good knowledge of yoga or were at this specific class and are therefore able to follow, feel free to use it as a home practice during the week. I haven't listened to it yet so I'm feeling pretty brave putting it out there for public consumption. Feedback would be appreciated, though please keep in mind that this is not a professional recording and the class was designed as an in-person experience, rather than audio only.

Clay's intention for the recordings is for people to be able to get a taste of what a specific teacher is like, rather than have people necessarily practice along with the recording. So if you find it useful and can practice with it, we want to know!

If people like it, we will probably record more both for asheville asana and possibly for here.

Dark Times

I think of January and February as the dark times. It feels like it's been winter forever, yet spring is not yet around the corner. The days are still short and everybody seems to be getting grumpy. When I find myself spending my day just surviving and wasting time until Spring, I know it is time to take some steps to start living in the here and now again.

So how do we wake ourselves back up to living life fully? We begin by remembering that we have an inner light that we can access at any time. So when the darkness begins to overtake us, we pause, soften, and connect to that light.

Then we enjoy the special treats that are especially blissful when it's cold out. Be fully present and appreciate the moment as you cuddle with loved ones. Savor every sip as you drink hot tea. Feel all the sensations of your body in a warm bath.

We can also take advantage of the fact that this time of year is ripe for introspection. Our hectic lives have slowed for a moment, so seize that moment and get to know yourself a little better. Start a journal. Go to a meditation group. Try a gentle yoga class or practice to explore your own subtleties. Read those inpiring books you've been meaning to get to.

Since the cold tends to dampen our inner fire, or tapas, there are several things we can do to keep our practice strong. Take a workshop to re-ignite your passion and excitement about your yoga practice. Do yoga regularly at home or commit to a series of classes to practice discipline. Include warming pranayama into your practice such as kapalabhati (breath of fire) and kumbhaka (breath retentions).

Remember that it is your inner light and your decision to let it shine that inspires others to do the same. The more you connect back to your own goodness, the easier it will be to access it during difficult times. Throughout the day, take time to pause and connect whenever you have a moment (or even if you think you don't). All it takes is one breath. Enjoy.