The November issue of the Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter is up. If you have not subscribed already, please do, and in the meanwhile, you can read the latest issue here.
Warm wishes and peace,
Teal
Showing posts with label Religion and Spirituality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion and Spirituality. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2009
Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter, November 2009, Vol. 1
Hello dear readers,
The November issue of the Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter is up. If you have not subscribed already, please do, and in the meanwhile, you can read the latest issue here.
Warm wishes and peace,
Teal
The November issue of the Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter is up. If you have not subscribed already, please do, and in the meanwhile, you can read the latest issue here.
Warm wishes and peace,
Teal
Friday, November 6, 2009
Kundalini: Spirit of the Present Moment
I am reading a great book right now called, The Inner Tradition of Yoga by Michael Stone. This morning I read a passage on Kundalini energy that I thought was brilliant; here it is:
"The central channel, or susumna, is associated with fire and the union of the ida and pingala. Pattabhi Jois calls the susumna nadi which runs from the center of the pelvic floor through the crown of the head, "the empty flute."
The term Kundalini, which has been fetishized and imbued with literalist interpretations (such as a purely physical feeling of tingling up the spine", reduces the essence of that process. "Kundalini" describes in metaphorical language the present moment that is curled up but inaccessible in every movement of experience in which there is even an ounce of self-image. We are not present because of karmic patterns, most notably greed, hatred and delusion." (Emphasis mine.)
I've never really heard Kundalini described or defined in this manner and I think it is brilliant. We tend to speak of the Kundalini energy as the energy of pure potential, "coiled and sleeping" at the base of the spine. Certainly, there is no greater pure potential energy than the possibility of been fully present in any moment without the veil of Avidya (ignorance) and Asmita (ego) preventing us from seeing and experiencing what truly is.
Burn a little Karma today. Do your practice, whatever that may consist of (asana, pranayama, Jnana Yoga, etc.) and then take it "of the mat" and into your life. Stay with the breath, stay in the present moment, and see how much of the pure potential in every moment you can fully realize.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Meditation Gives You A Bigger Brain!
More and more research now confirms what the ancient yogis knew thousands of years ago: Meditation works.
Many studies have been done revealing the very measurable results that a meditation practice can have on everything from concentration and stress reduction, to relief from depression and healing of many diseases. A new study done by The UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, highlights some of the actual physical changes that occur in the structures of the brain.
A group of researchers at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by subscription)...the researchers found significantly larger cerebral measurements in meditators compared with controls, including larger volumes of the right hippocampus and increased gray matter in the right orbito-frontal cortex, the right thalamus and the left inferior temporal lobe. There were no regions where controls had significantly larger volumes or more gray matter than meditators.
"We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior," said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. "The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities."
In the study, Luders and her colleagues examined 44 people — 22 control subjects and 22 who had practiced various forms of meditation, including Zazen, Samatha and Vipassana, among others. The amount of time they had practiced ranged from five to 46 years, with an average of 24 years.
More than half of all the meditators said that deep concentration was an essential part of their practice, and most meditated between 10 and 90 minutes every day.
Research has confirmed the beneficial aspects of meditation. In addition to having better focus and control over their emotions, many people who meditate regularly have reduced levels of stress and bolstered immune systems.
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE: http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3747
I am asked by students all the time if it is difficult to get started in a meditation practice, and I have many people tell me they could "never meditate" because they are too hyper, stressed-out, etc. The truth is anyone can meditate and all of us have experienced "meditative states" at one time or another without necessarily knowing to name them that. If you have ever become completely absorbed in an activity, felt an sense of peace and clarity and lost track of time, you have entered one of the levels of meditative absorption.
Part of the problem, I believe, is the language we use to describe meditation. We tend to say, "I am going to meditate now," as if it is an activity we can just "make happen." In reality, what we do is create the right conditions for meditation to occur naturally (after all, it is our natural state of wholeness.) In yoga, we do this through asana practice, chanting, mantra and by focusing on an internal or external object. When we do these things with our full attention a chain reaction occurs in which sensory withdrawl (pratyahara) begins, then one-pointed concentration (dharana) develops, then meditative absorption (dhyana) occurs and finally experience (someday, we hope!) Oneness with All (Samadhi).
You can begin a simple meditation practice today. Choose a time of day and place where you can sit undesturbed for at least 5 minutes. Sit in a chair, or with your legs crossed, so that your spine is straight. Begin to follow your breath as it moves in an out through your body. As you inhale, say silently or aloud, "Breathing in." As you exhale, say "Breathing out." As thoughts and sensations arise simply stay focused on the breath and the repetition of this simple mantra. The key to meditation is consistency. Try doing this meditation every day at the same time for 5-10 minutes for 7 days. Please come back and leave a comment and let me know your observations.
You can also try some of my Guided Meditations, available at yogadownload.com.
Give meditation a try. You'll feel happier, sleep better AND have a bigger brain!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Meeting Yourself on the Mat
Sometimes at the beginning of my yoga classes I tell my students:
As you settle into your mats meet yourself where you are...right here...right now...in the "sukha" the sweetness of this moment. No need to strive or try to be something other than you are. You are already radiant, perfect and whole and loved eternally by all.
It is an easy thing to come to the mat full of expectations that moments later turn into harsh criticism. Next time you move on to your mat leave those things behind and just abide in your own True Nature...already perfect and whole.
Doing this on the mat helps us to recognize how often we move through our day setting up expectations for everything we do and then creating a hostile assault we wouldn't wish on our worst enemies if we don't meet those ideals.
How easy could your yoga asana be, how sweet could each moment of your life be, if you just met yourself in each moment full of love and acceptance just as you are?
Zemanta">Friday, March 20, 2009
Live Simply-Remain More in Silence
Live simply and take life more easily. Happiness lies in giving yourself time to think and to introspect. Be alone once in a while, and remain more in silence.
- Yogananda
Take some time to just sit today.
Sit and be with yourself.
Just sit.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
EXTREME YOGA!!!
As I do my evening "flip flip" I FREQUENTLY see an infomercial for this fitness program called P90X. I'll be honest with you it doesn't look all that bad; it seems to combine a lot of different simple strength building exercises, plyometrics and cardio that should work very well if you do them consistently (that's always the key.) But, the part I LOVE...just LOVE...is that they have an yoga component that they call...wait for it...drum roll please...
EXTREME YOGA!
Wowzie! Really? Extreme yoga? I mean extreme running, extreme kayaking...I went ice climbing once, that was pretty extreme, but extreme yoga? It seems like a contradiction in terms to me. Yoga is all about "medhum," being moderate in all things; walking the Middle Path.
But, then I started to think about it and yoga really IS extreme.
It's:
EXTREME-ly relaxing
EXTREME-ly strengthening
EXTREME-ly balancing
EXTREME-ly stress-reducing
EXTREME-ly flexibility building
And most of all it is an EXTREME experiment and exercise in the development of our Inner Selves. It is perhaps one of the most radical, most extreme journeys, a human being can undertake. To make a commitment to the exploration and development of oneself takes the heart of a warrior and the patience of a saint; and man-oh-man is it worth every moment of effort on the journey.
May your journey be wild, wonderful, enlightening...and what the heck, even a little extreme:-)
Namaste.
P.S. Here are my Top Ten Reasons to Do Yoga.
Monday, March 9, 2009
And the winner of Great Necklace GIveaway is...
Kate S. from California!
(who writes a really awesome and very funny blog herself)
Thanks for participating Kate!
You won the awesome (if I do say so myself) handmade necklace (by me — see more of my stuff at www.tealdesigns.net) featuring amethyst (which symbolizes the Spirit), Indian crow beads, and Czech glass. The center pendant is a pewter Celtic cross.
Kate downloaded my Progressive Relaxation from yogadownload.com and I think she liked it because she left the following review...
Well, with a review like how can you resist heading on over to yogadownload.com to get your own copy.
"Teal Chimblo could read the phonebook to me, and I would relax. Having her gentle voice instruct me on the relaxation of each part of my body is a step beyond! I chose the version with the music, and I would recommend it. The music is lovely, soothing, and very much in the background. You almost don't realize it's there. I highly recommend this lovely meditation. I suffer from chronic anxiety, back pain, and TMJ. If I can relax with this, ANYONE can!"
For less than the cost of a cup of coffee ($2.95) you can give yourself a little bit of bliss today.
While your there check out my Sivasana Meditation as well. It's really yummy too!
AND...
This week TWO NEW offerings will be up on the site. One is a 20 minute yoga class where you learn 3 of the foundation breaths for yoga practice: 3-Part Complete Breath, Nadi Shodhana, and a Measured Breath.
The other is called Sleepy, Sleepy Moon and it is just the sweetest bedtime meditation and breathing exercise for children. It is guarrenteed to put your child and YOU to sleep.
So stay tuned....and Namaste.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Starting a LovingKindness Meditation Practice
Thomas Merton expressed the challenge, and heroic nature of our struggle to embrace with lovingkindness that which we like least in ourselves, and others, when he said, “True prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible and the heart has turned to stone.”
The idea behind the Buddhist approach to lovingkindness practice is that it is, a practice. Something we must do repeatedly and with discipline until it becomes an integral part of our deepest selves; an automatic reaction to people and events in our world. The process of turning a heart of stone into a heart that is softened with the deepest compassion and love is a step-by-step process that we have the opportunity to practice in every moment of our lives.
One of the most effective ways to begin a lovingkindness practice is through the use of Metta meditation. In this simple meditation we offer a wish for freedom, happiness, and the cessation of suffering for a particular person, group, or the entire world. A basic Metta meditation for all beings is:
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings be at peace.
An example of Metta directed towards a particular person is:
May _________ be happy.
May _________ be free from harm.
May _________ be filled with peace.
You can repeat one, or all three of the phrases over and over, aloud or in your head, for 2-5 minutes while visualizing the person or group you are focusing on, and imagining that you are sending this lovingkindness out to them. Because it can be challenging to focus on and offer this sort of energy to those who we have negative feelings towards, it is recommended that the practitioner proceed by first offering Metta to themselves, then to a benefactor, a friend, a neutral person (bank teller, someone you see on a walk), a difficult person, and finally, All Beings. It is important to start the focus of our practice by offering lovingkindness to ourselves, because only by having a truly deep and abiding love for ourselves can we have this same love for others.
As part of the self-love aspect of a lovingkindness practice we can reflect back to the yogic practice of Ahimsa (non-violence, non-harming.) We must remember as we strive to fill our hearts, minds and actions with lovingkindness that we are only human, and we will often fall short of our ideals. In those moments we must embrace Ahimsa and not react violently towards ourselves, but rather use the next moment as an opportunity to start once again in the mindset of lovingkindness by offering it with gentleness and compassion to our selves.
Because Metta meditation is formed from such simple phrases it is a wonderfully portable tool that we can bring into our daily application of lovingkindness. When we find ourselves in a long line at the supermarket, or being cut off in traffic, or treated unfairly in our workplace, instead of becoming angry, and slipping to what author Joseph Goldstein calls, “the seductive habit of finding fault,” we can pause for a moment and offer a pledge of lovingkindness to the person that is causing us distress. By slowing down and being less reactive, we can often see the good qualities of the person we are confronted with, or “put ourselves in their shoes” for a moment. From this calm, centered point-of-view we can better see the reality of the situation and act in a logical manner that will bring the most wholesome outcome for all those involved, rather then reacting from a place of fear, irritation and anger. In time, lovingkindness removes the illusion of separation from each other that we often feel.
As the Dalai Lama says, “Through the practice of lovingkindness and compassion I have found that all human beings are just like me.”
May you be happy. May you be free from all suffering. May you be filled with peace.
Lovingkindness Practice Resources
Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg
Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach
The Gift of Loving-Kindness: 100 Meditations on Compassion, Generosity, & Forgiveness by Mary Brantley and Tesilya Hanauer
DailyBuddhism.com (Website) from Brian Schell
© 2009 Teal Marie Chimblo and Blissful Body Yoga
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Whales serve as backdrop for aquarium yoga classes
This story was sent to me by my awesome college roomate Joya Lonsdale. Is this not the most beautiful idea??? I can't imagine a more peaceful environment for a class...unless we could really be under the sea with them:-)
Enjoy!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/02/06/yoga.whales/index.html
Friday, February 6, 2009
Sacred Geometry: Utthita Trikonasana, Triangle Pose
Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose) is a foundational yoga posture that engages, stretches and strengthens the entire body.
There is a sacred geometry inherent in all yoga asana. Placing the body mindfully and with proper alignment into yoga asanas activates the energy meridians in the body thereby increasing the flow of Prana (vital life force) throughout our bodies.
In Trikonasana, as in all standing poses, the foundation is in the connection the feet make with the earth and the energetic activations of the muscles in the legs. It is an excellent posture to build strength in the legs, core and back. The intense lateral side stretch and opening of the chest also aid in developing deep breathing.
Often when students new to yoga (and old, for that matter) move into Trikonasana they mistakenly focus their attention on getting the hand down to the floor. This is TOTALLY unnecessary. The hand may never reach the floor, and it if reaches it only by shortening the side waist on the extended side, collapsing the chest forward, or over straining the legs (sometimes all three!) then the sacred architecture and the great benefits of the posture are lost. What is more, serious injury may occur. Keep the hand as high up on the leg as necessary to keep the integrity of the pose (never press on the knee), or use a block as an excellent prop to assist in the pose.
Enjoy making yourself into a glorious extended triangle! Jai Bhagwan!
HOW TO DO IT:
This is very good clear instruction for Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose), given by John Schumacher, a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher and director of Unity Woods Yoga, in Washington, D.C.
AND FOR FUN:
This is just TOO cute and clever, and quite good instruction, except for the hyper-extended knee:-)
Darkness, Delusion and the Bhagavad Gita
One of my favorite morning reads is my battered old copy of the Bhagavad Gita (The Song of God.) I purchased it in high school at Peace of Mind Bookstore, and my copy was old and used when I got it. Now it looks to be almost as old as the 3,000 year old Vedic scripture contained within; but the message is ever shiny and new, and as deeply relevant now as it was when it was first told. Whenever I read it my heart fills up with love, peace and a deep sense of purpose for my life.
The Gita is nestled within a larger poem The Mahabharata, the longest epic poem ever written, which tells many wonderful stories of "Great India" (another fascinating and illuminating read.)
In the Bhagavad Gita, the great warrior Arjuna is on the battlefield, faced with the horrible dilemma of impending war. He is soul sick about how he should proceed and calls on Lord Krishna for help. The poem is a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and is a deep metaphor for the struggles facing all of humanity on the "battlefield" of Life.
There are many lines from this poem that come back to me again and again, but none more than these:
The Atman* is light:
The light is covered by darkness:
This darkness is delusion:
That is why we dream.
* One's true Self.
The lines above are taken from The Bhagavad Gita translated by Swami Prabhavananda, and Christopher Isherwood. The light is covered by darkness:
This darkness is delusion:
That is why we dream.
* One's true Self.
This is the primary meditation for my own journey with yoga. To constantly return to where I truly am; to lay down the cloak of darkness that swallows me in delusion and makes me think that I am something other than a being of light in union with all things. I repeat the mantra to my self: Sat Nam. I am That, I am.
As you move through your day with yoga, or head to the mat for your sadhana, I encourage you to write these words from the Gita on a peace of paper and make them a part of your contemplation and meditation into your own true nature.
As you move through your day with yoga, or head to the mat for your sadhana, I encourage you to write these words from the Gita on a peace of paper and make them a part of your contemplation and meditation into your own true nature.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
In The January Tote Bag Winner Is...
The winner of January's tote bag givaway is....::drum roll::
Carolyn G!
Carolyn was chosen randomly using this nifty little random number generator I found.
Thank you to Carolyn, and all the other lovely people who signed up for the Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter in January.
If you haven't signed up yet, today is a great day to do so! FIRST, because then you will be entered to win the February tote bag, and SECOND, because I am sending out a new newsletter tomorrow and it will be chock full of goodies, and details on yet another great giveaway (this one involves jewelry... people...I'm just saying!
(sign up is easy, just fill out the form in the right hand column, and hit submit.)
Have a great day, and ::b r e a t h e:: deeeeeply.
Namaste.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
I Few Yoga Quotes for Inspiration
Image by kristin pfannkuchen via FlickrJust a few quotes to inspire your practice of Yoga, on, and off, the mat this weekend...Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
~Author Unknown
Yoga is bodily gospel.
~Reaven Fields
Yoga, an ancient but perfect science, deals with the evolution of humanity. This evolution includes all aspects of one's being, from bodily health to self-realization. Yoga means union - the union of body with consciousness and consciousness with the soul. Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one's actions.
~B.K.S. Iyengar, Astadala Yogamala
Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God. ~Krishnamacharya
Yoga is 99% practice and 1% knowledge.
~Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois
Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.
~Swedish Proverb
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Guided Ritual Teleconference this Saturday from goddessdownload.com
::FULL MOON RITUAL::Contact fox@goddessdownload.com for information on upcoming conference call rituals!
Let’s weave our web and connect during the full and new moons for conference call ritual!
Whether you are new to ritual, don’t have anyone to practice with, or just want more magick in your life - the time is now!
Visit www.goddessdownload.com and sign up today for the first ever live teleconference full moon ritual this Saturday, January 10, 7:15 PM PST!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Celebrating the Winter Solstice this Sunday, December 21.
This Sunday is the Winter Solstice, and a great opportunity to go inside, evaluate what has passed this year, and set intentions for our lives in the year to come. Take some time this Sunday, December 21, to "find your seat" in meditation and reflect on your life.
Try using the mantra
Om Mani Padme Hum, the jewel is in the lotus
meaning all that we need, all that is sacred and sustaining, already lies within us.
Natalie Maisel, yoga teacher and ritual guide, of goddessdownload.com offers this information about this solstice and the time of Yule:
Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, after which the daylight hours begin to grow longer. This time is known as the birth of light. The Anglo-Saxon word for this time is “Yule”. Yule in ancient Celtic terms means “wheel”. This was celebrated as the day that the chief Druid cut the sacred mistletoe from the Oak. Huge bonfires were lit with Yule logs to welcome the return of the Sun. Yule is a time to leave old regrets behind as the light makes its way back to the Earth and back to you, as well. The old year has completed its cycle, just as some of our habits have completed their cycles. This is a time to shed what no longer is useful in our lives.
This ritual will include a guided meditation to a cozy winter cottage to reflect on the end of the year and what you would like to release and transform, as well as a candle-lighting ceremony to welcome the return of the sun and the igniting of your own inner fire and strength.
Natalie Maisel's guided ritual for Yule is available at goddessdownload.com, click here.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sword in the Stone: A Mindful Winter Yoga Retreat with Randal Williams
When I did my Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training I had the great, good fortune to meet Randal Williams. He is a senior instructor at the Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA and he is one of the most wonderful, compassionate and knowledgeable teachers I have ever encountered. If you are looking for a winter retreat that will revive you, and bring focus and peace to you life, please consider his upcoming offering below.
He also has a special offering of a free audio meditation (details below). I highly recommend this. Randal's voice and words are soothing beyond description. His CD, Gentle Yoga: Blade of Grass - A mindful yoga experience is one of my favorites.
At this time we are all in the process of a tremendous change. The world today is unlike anything we've ever experienced or been challenged by and if you pay attention you can even sense the collective contraction and breath holding that is finding it's way around the globe.
Now, however, is also an opportunity for personal transformation - as Viktor Frankl stated, 'When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.'
Across cultures throughout the world, the winter solstice is such a celebration that honors change. Set amidst the cosmic dance of change, the solstice also invites us to effectively clarify the depth and direction of our lives. Wherever you find yourself and however you celebrate this particular solstice season I wish you the kindest regards and blessings for you and your family.
Consider also that when you make time for personal retreat you can effectively reflect on, appreciate or simply be with the quality and content of your life, and support a conscious turning point in the direction of your life, personal narrative and path. If you are looking for a supportive experience for solstice retreat then look at the opportunity to come and enjoy some time for yourself through 'a mindfulness retreat' with me and like-minded others at the beautiful and supportive Kripalu Center this December 19-21 - for more information select Solstice Retreat.
In this retreat weekend of communal celebration and exploration, you will
- Access the intelligence of life force
- Learn to cut through obstacles and meet your needs, discover purpose
- Practice mindful walking, yin (restful) and yang (engaging) yoga postures, and meditation.
- Come away refreshed and inspired to step into the next chapter of your life
- I would also like to use this opportunity to share a link to FREE guided relaxation audio - 20 minutes in length - which you can enjoy - I recommend laying in bed with headphones on to listen to the track after a warm bath.
Peace & Blessings,
Randal
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Keeping It Positive
In business, as in the rest of life, it can be a challenge to keep things positive. Present global economic woes are making for some highly tense office environments, but they also present an opportunity to bring our yoga "off the mat", and into our daily lives.
Yoga can provide not only a personal refuge from these pressures, but an opportunity to calm down, refocus and re-enter the group with positive energy and patience. Imagine bringing a spirit of peace and healing to your environment, rather then adding to the discord and din.
Go to your office, or even a stall in the bathroom, or step outside, anywhere you can be alone for a few minutes and withdraw from the energy of your office. Take a few deep breaths and follow your inhale and exhale. On the inhale say, "I breath in peace", on the exhale say, "I breathe out all tension." Before you return to your office group say to yourself this simple Metta meditation of lovingkindness..."May all beings be happy, May all beings be free from all suffering."
It is amazing how much a simple break can help us calm down, and regain perspective.
Let me know how you bring your yoga off the mat, and into the world.
If you are looking for more ways to bring the positive back to your office or business check out the blog Emergence Business Coaching written by business coach and writer, Charrise. She has great advice and resources for building business for success, with heart and positive energy.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Give the Gift of Relaxation, with Natalie Maisel's Meditative Journey and goddessdownload.com
Just the thought of heading into the busy holiday season brings feelings of stress and anxiety to most of us. So much to do, so many people to see, so much to give. I encourage you to really slow down and make sure that you are also giving to yourself, making time for yoga, relaxation... and SLEEP!
To that end, I am recommending to you a amazing yoga and meditation teacher Natalie Maisel. If you haven't discovered her before, you are really in for a treat!
Her Website goddessdownload.com is a fantastic resource for yoga, meditation and rituals related to Wicca and the Seasonal Wheel.
She has many audio downloads available on her site, and on yogadownload.com, but my favorite has to be Meditative Journey. I have escaped into the beautiful imagery of these guided meditations, and used them as part of my yoga classes, for years. They are not only relaxing and inspirational, but personally transformative, as well. Natalie's words of wisdom and guidance help us tap into that deep source within us; she helps us get back to the core of our authentic selves.
The nice thing about her site is you can download an entire item, or one track at a time "itunes style". She as recently added some new meditations including that I love including, Sun-Moon Astrological Meditations, Goddess in the Chakras, and another of my favorites, Healing Water Ritual at Chalice Well, which is a wonderful meditation for healing.
Natalie has been a certified yoga teacher since 1996. She currently travels to various destination spas facilitating Yoga Weeks with a variety of levels and classes that suit every level of yoga practitioner. Natalie is featured extensively in Gary Kraftsow’s book Yoga for Wellness,
and teaches yoga in the San Diego, California area.
Check her out and pick up a gift of relaxation and renewal for yourself, or someone you love.
You can contact Natalie Maisel directly for more information about her yoga and meditation workshops around the world at fox@goddessdownload.com.
And, don't miss Natalie's blog, here.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Let It Be
Whether I am buying groceries at the store, picking up some dry cleaning, or settling into sadhana on my yoga mat I am always met with the same inquiries. It's always the big questions: who am I? what am I doing here? am I doing enough? is this all good enough? A lot of striving in all those questions, and that is the nature of Mind. To grasp, to avert. The quality we are looking for in yoga is neither; it is the simplisity of just being here, moment to moment, breath by breath. In a posture we look for the qualities of sukha (sweetness, or comfort) and sthira (steadiness), but we find neither while we are stuggling and searching, doubting and criticising.
In your practice today, whether it takes form on or off the mat, let your inquiry be to "Let it be." Whatever the occurence, moment by moment, breath by breath, simply note your reaction, and then say to yourself, "Let it be."
Let me know what you discovery in your inquiry.
For more food for thought on this topic, you must visit a beautiful blog, by a lovely lady that got me thinking about all this today. The Wellness Journey, and author Traci Trainer,
has a wealth of information on yoga, excercise, nutrition, and much more. Enjoy...
As for me, I am off to the mountains to get married! See you all next week...
May you all be free from suffering, may you all be surrounded by love.
Namaste
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Self-Observation Without Self-Criticism
"The highest form of spiritual practice is self-observation without self-criticism."
– Swami Kripalu
– Swami Kripalu
This quote from Swami Kripalu is one of my favorites. It encapsulates the essence of what the journey of yoga is all about. It is a journey into ourselves. It is a long, and sometimes arduous journey, full of great joy and many sorrows, but it is, I think, always a worthy adventure.
Can you pause now in your day?
Take a moment with me?...
Take a moment with me?...
Close your eyes and take a deep breath.
Observe the breath moving in and out of your body.
Make the offering of this mantra to your self:
In this moment I breathe, in this moment I am perfect. At all times, in every way possible, I have everything I need.
As you move into your evening keep these phrases in mind, and take some time to contemplate the words of Bapuji (Swami Kripalu). How can you move along this great adventure of life making it an inquiry of self-observation, without entering into the harshness of self-criticism?
I would love to hear the ways that you do this!
Leave a comment, or drop me a line.
Namaste
Leave a comment, or drop me a line.
Namaste
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