Friday, January 28, 2011

What I'm Reading: Runner's World Newsletter

As I continue to run and feel more and more comfortable and strong I have begun reading Runner's World online. This particular posting struck a chord with me and I have been sharing it with friends:

The Magic of Running Mantras From Runner's World

I find myself using mantras, not only when running, but when I do other physical activities and also what I do things like... vacuuming (anything to get that carpet clean;) ), or even driving long stretches on the highway. At times also when I practice asana as it has a meditative quality.

Last summer, after the news of an old friend's cycling accident had gone from the initial accident and trauma to the long, long road of recovery, I started appreciating anew what I CAN do. I began offering up the energy of, not only my yoga practice, but also my paddling and cycling and running to her. as I approached the last leg of one particularly taxing SUP race, I kept saying:

For you Peg, because I CAN, I DO.

That was my mantra that day.

What mantras do you use, and when?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Breath of Fresh Air...

What a wonderful class today! Thank you to all who were there. This is why I love to teach... when I look around the room at my fellow yogis of all types that are doing what they need to do to get into a pose and find that balance between effort and ease. Allowing the breath to guide them into and out of poses and to help them find that sweet spot. Ahhhh, love it.

Well, it also helps that the sun is shining brightly!

But this class did help me firm up my resolve and intention to bring more pranayama practice into class. We did some breath awareness (as always) to understand the importance and different qualities of our inhales and exhales. How does our inhale make us feel? How does it change the body? And the same with the exhale. We then branched out to alternate nostril breathing and next week we will explore more breathing techniques. Learning to listen to our breath to understand ourselves a little better....

I am really looking forward to sharing!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Happy New Year 2011


Well, 2011 is here in FULL force. And I think it has taken me this long to let it all sink in. I often sense the need for time to allow things to settle in me before I know how I feel. This year will be full of changes and I am feeling a little unsettled so perhaps I was avoiding my blog (AKA my conscious thoughts) for a couple of weeks.

The New Year is a wonderful time to set and reset our Intentions. A time to recalibrate and renew. To come back our Centre. And the best way I know of to do that is with the Breath. Over the last weeks, I have sensed within me a yearning to connect to that Vital Essence. So I am (re)reading and practicing and will be (re)infusing my teaching with Pranayama practice over the next months. Connecting our breath with our movement.


The image with this post is from the artist Melanie Wiedner. Click on her name as I linked it to see more of her stuff. I found it when I googled breath, yoga, pranayama....

As I write this I am listening to Wade Imre Morissette's Maha Moha: The Great Delusion . The song that is playing right now is: Burn It In The Fire. The lyrics resonate with me as we start this New Year:

burn it in the fire
(© 2008 w.morissette)

Sarveshaam swastir bhavatu~ auspiciousness for all
Sarveshaam shantir bhavatu~peace for all

Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu~fullness for all
Sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu~prosperity for all

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah~happiness
Sarve santu niraamayaah~free from disabilities

Sarve bhadraani pashyantu~ looking to the good of others
Maakaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet~may none suffer from sorry

Burn it in the fire

****

I am, as always, learning to see the beauty in the ebb and flow, the dance of our lives. Our lives are not static, nor should they be. I have to say that I don't always feel that it is wonderful to see that change, but I do strive to embrace impermanence and change. You know the feeling: things are going along swimmingly and then all of a sudden they are not. On the other side, things are stuck or not going as they "should". We just want to rush through this moment and come out on the other, better (real or perceived), side. Learning to embrace the moment, learn from it and then leave it behind. Sometimes that is painful!

Especially when we have children... as infants, you are their whole world. They are these incredible, wide-eyed babies and then, seemingly the next minute, they are pushing you away! Wanting and needing to "do it mySELF"... to live their lives. We see this in tiny increments from the moment they are born. I have learned SO much from my children, from the moment they were conceived. I am truly blessed to be their mother and am as awed by that now, 21 years later, as I was when I had my first child.

As both my children (for they will always be that in my heart) embark on their own lives, I am recalibrating, renewing... enjoying the dance of my life and learning to embrace the impermanence of that life. And to know that it is all good.

So 2011 will be an awesome, life changing year full of love, hope, challenges and adventures.

Namaste... the light in me honours the light in you.