YOGA AND MEDITATION FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY

Hoo-Boy.  The holiday season has wrecked havoc with my studio yoga practice.   Watching my granddaughter three days/week already cuts into the possible times I can come to class, then add in to-do lists, holiday get-togethers, coffee with old friends, a new commitment to bit of volunteer work, a trip out of town, a birthday weekend extravaganza...

So here's what I've been doing -- Yoga on the Move.  I'm on the floor a lot with my 10 month old granddaughter, so I will frequently do Happy Baby Pose (a natural, given my company!), Plank, Downward Facing Dog, Boat, Bridge -- you get the idea.  And believe me, there are plenty of unplanned opportunities for Chair Pose, uncountable numbers of Forward Bends, Half Forward Bends, and a million muscle building lifts!

Standing in line at the post office, grocery store, department store -- I'm doing invisible ab crunches, Mula Bandha, and Pranayama (my advice: watch it with the Ujjaya Breath -- people will think you are reenacting all the Darth Vadar scenes in Star Wars.)  I stand in a conscious Mountain Pose and rise up onto the balls of my feet for a good stretch.

At home waiting for the pot to boil?  I do standing counter top supported push ups.  Doing the dishes, Tree Pose works nicely and I can always grab the faucet for support if needed.

I'm not usually a fan of the holiday season.  I love the lights, the poinsettias, the good cheer, but it all gets to be a bit stressful at times -- shopping, cooking, socializing, creating the "magic".  This year, though, I've had (so far -- and we are almost there!) a very mellow December.

I credit my mindfulness meditation practice.  I've been successfully in each moment, not fretting about what yet has to get done.  I've decided it's not up to me to be the Christmas Fairy waving my magic wand to ensure a jolly good time for all.  Each one of us, as we meet and greet, spend time together, sing a carol or give a gift, are co-creating the holiday experience.

I'll be back to the studio on my regular schedule soon.  But for now, I sneak in an asana when I can, send out a lovingkindness meditation to those I both love and loathe, and feel the gratitude for a blessed life filled with love and laughter.   I hope your holiday season is equally Merry and Bright!

Namaste,  donnajurene

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE: KIRTAN

Bhakti Yoga.  Ever heard of it?  I've said before in this blog that Yoga is not just exercise.  Yes, asana (the poses) are the form of yoga best known in the west, but yoga is a way of life with many aspects and practices.  Bhakti Yoga is the practice of honoring the divine by chanting the names of the Hindu gods and goddesses in a practice of chant called "Kirtan".

Don't be put off by the whole Hindu thing...you don't have to convert or "believe" a certain way or give up your own religious practices to enjoy a Kirtan.  The practice is also one of meditation -- the repeated chants of the names of the Hindu deities are just a place to rest your mind as you breathe, vocalize, and resonate with the music (especially in a group).  I liken it to singing "alleluia" over and over on Easter morning, as we did in the Methodist church I attended as a kid.  It was joyful, uplifting, and meditative.  The gods and goddesses, so many of them, I think of as representing the various aspects of our human experience.

My first exposure to Kirtan was listening to a CD compilation a friend brought to my house.  Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, Deva Primal -- world-renowned Kirtan artists all and I was immediately completely awed and filled with joy at the music and voices, even if I couldn't understand a word of the Sanskrit they were chanting/singing.  The next day I got on-line to see if there were any local Kirtans....yes.  In Seattle a woman named Gina Sala led Kirtan once a month at a Yoga Studio on Capitol Hill.  My friends and I went a week later.

Gina is a phenom, a true delight, and just being in her presence at a Kirtan makes people happy.  Then she starts to sing and you know you are in the presence of a true talent.  She has studied with vocal masters in India and continues to spend time with her teachers there, even after devoting her adult life to Kirtan.   Same is true of many Kirtan musicians.   I've grown to know Gina well, having regularly attended her Kirtans over the years, taken workshops with her, and even signed up for a 9 month-long Sound School with her.  I do not play an instrument and cannot for the life of me remember all the details of all the many Hindu dieties, but I did grow in confidence in my ability to sing -- I haven't developed a better voice, I've just decided to let go of judgment and let it fly!

I've attended a number of residential workshops with Jai Uttal, another amazingly talented and classically trained Kirtan artist who often travels with a tabla (drum) player named Daniel Paul.  The two of them together at a retreat are a hoot!  And so amazingly devoted to their craft and teaching others.

I've gone to concerts featuring Krishna Das and Deva Premal.  Both are probably the most widely known Kirtan artists, packing huge venues wherever they go.  It's always a deep and joyful experience.

So, what to expect?  There is generally a "lead singer" who plays an instrument -- often a harmonium which is sort of a keyboard/squeeze box thing with a beautiful sound.  The leader sings a line of Sanskrit "lyric".   Then one or more others in the group sings the same line and the audience sings along with them.  It's call and response, over and over.  The band can be small -- maybe only two people, or huge -- many musicians on various instruments and numerous vocalists.  Typically there will be drums, a guitar, a harmonium, a flute, maybe a cello, a keyboard...any combination depending on the group and the venue.  At the end of each "song" (which can go on for a long, long time) is a period of silence.  NO APPLAUSE.  It is a time to sit in silence in respect for the practice and to feel the lingering resonance of the sound within.

Kirtan can be slow and deeply meditative, or loud and rockin', enticing some to get up and dance.  There is clapping and arm waving or sitting quietly in deep contemplation.  However the music moves you, is the "right" way to experience Kirtan.  Some of the Sanskrit is very easy and other times it is foreign to our western tongue and seems very complicated.  Just do your best.  Generally a lyric sheet is passed out and most of it is pretty phonetic.  Try to sing...it enhances the experience for both the Kirtan artist and the participants.  But if you get totally lost, put the lyric sheet down and just silently groove to the music, letting it soothe your soul.©

Namaste,  donnajurene

JUST BREATHE

Usually at the beginning of each class the instructor asks students if there is anything they'd like to work on that day.  I'm usually silent; I can go with the flow.  But it does pay to speak up, because those who do sort of set the tone for the rest of the class as the instructor creates the experience based on what people want and need that day.  I'm amazed at how teachers can do that on the spot, but I guess that's why they are the teachers and I'm the student.

One recent Saturday the class started with just this request, "Anyone have anything they want to work on today?"  There were the usual "hips" and "shoulders" requests.  I was tucked in the back and thought to myself, "I just want to get through this class without falling apart or puking."  I'd had a rough, emotionally challenging morning and felt very sad, a little sick, and overall rather disoriented.  OK, I admit it...I might have a teeny, tiny anxiety disorder that rears up every now and again.   Then the guy off to the side of me said, "Breathing."  There were a few giggles.  Breathing?  You just breathe, don't you? What's to work on?

Oh, I saw Elizabeth's (the teacher) eyes light up!  I know this about her -- she LOVES pranayama (yogic breathing).  If you take her classes you know she ties every movement to the breath very intentionally.  So, yeah, breathing was going to be a focus.

We lay down on our mats and began to take slow, deep breaths.  As she guided us, Elizabeth began to explain how the breath not only reflects our physical and emotional state of being, but that it can also create a desired state of being by using the breath to regulate our autonomic nervous system.  I'd heard this before, but on that day I clung to her words like a lifeline.

She told us that breathing from the abdomen, using our diaphragm instead of shallow chest breathing, allows more air to flow more efficiently.  She told us that a longer inhale than exhale will create a condition of energy -- signaling us to "get going" if we are feeling lethargic.  On the other hand, a longer exhale than inhale will calm us down and allow anxiety to dissipate.  This is generally the state most of us seek, since our lives are already usually going fast enough and we walk around with "fight or flight" stress hormones coursing through our bodies.

As she guided us through these deep, slow breaths with long exhales, she began to add messages that were reassuring:  "You are in this moment, in this room, hearing only the normal sounds around you.  You are safe.  No one can hurt you here.  You can create a sense of calm and content with your breath.  You have the power to change how you feel...."

Oh what beautiful music to my ears!  I lay on that mat with tears steaming from my eyes and rolling back on my cheeks.  I had to reach up and wipe my face a few times.  I was so grateful for the reminder that coming to class is not about exercise.  It's about learning to move, to breathe, to live in a calm, centered, grounded state of mind even when the world around us seems to be spinning out of control.  Yoga reminds me of who I really am and touches my Divine Essence, with something as simple as a breath.

I know I write about crying in class quite a bit.  Maybe sometimes tears come easily because of the prayer I say before I step on the mat -- asking Ganesha to remove all obstacles to my practice; to take away competition, judgement, and Ego and to allow me to be open to the experience of the moment.  That Ganesha!  Job well done, I guess!  Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

ANGRY YOGA

In my last post I talked about feeling a bit overwhelmed with life -- world gone mad, personal life off-kilter.

Elizabeth always talks about Yoga's purpose is really to help calm the mind.  I think the teacher in this video needs a bit more practice -- the fake Public Service Announcement at the end notwithstanding.

Take a look; short and funny:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH0l4FlZT-A

And now you have a little glimpse into my sometimes irreverent sense of humor. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

GRADING A LIFE

Let me acknowledge right from the start that I realize this is the first post on the blog this month.   I guess I haven't felt I have much to say...writer's block maybe.   Or just life; feeling like I'm not very good at it this month.

I get overwhelmed by the world at times, don't you?  The Paris bombings focused our attention not only on France, but on the many terrorist activities around the globe.  It's painful to see people in such pain -- those perpetrators in the grip of evil and the innocent victimized by hate.  It's painful to see some turn away from the helpless and instead want to "hunker down" with a "keep 'em out" mentality because fear overrides compassion when we let it.  I've just been in a sad, confused, overwhelmed state of mind.

On a personal level, there has been a big upset in my life around recent events in my church community that took everyone by surprise over the past few months, resulting in a minister resigning, three board members resigning, me resigning from a leadership committee, others aiming pointed arrows at leaders they felt were in the wrong....Not at all the loving, compassionate, open-hearted community I thought it to be.  I've decided to step back from leadership involvement there for the foreseeable future and to basically take a break from all church activities.   I feel the loss.

And relief.  Talking with a friend over breakfast earlier this week, I told her that while I was sad over the church situation, I felt such a sense of spaciousness about my life with all the obligations and dramas surrounding that community now absent.   It's not just Sunday services -- it's all the mental and emotional energy that goes into organizing, leading, facilitating, planning, advertising, and supervising that can get overwhelming.  She had known me for 30 years and we traced my involvements in any number of organizations and causes and decided I've never had a break...it's been one thing after another and most often several things simultaneously.  I was able to trace back even further to being a young woman in her 20's and realized it's been more like 40 years of involvements of one type or another.  I've been pretty good at organizing and leading stuff.  But now I'm clearing the decks.  No more.

What does all this have to do with Yoga?  I came to class on Thursday and Karen asked me how I was doing.  I said "Oh...OK."

"Just OK?", she asked.  "Like a C, B-, B+?"

"Oh, I guess a B", I answered.  We both laughed.  B is really pretty good.

She jokingly said, "You must always want to have an A+ experience."  And then I knew....she was right.  I do.

I want to have, and create for others, an A+ experience.  No wonder I'm exhausted.  No wonder the world in general and my church thing in particular are such monumental events for me this month.  They are far, far from A+ experiences -- more like F.  And F stand for Failure.  Depending on how one looks at it.

Maybe we need the occasional F to wake us up to complacency.  Maybe the occasional F demands we find a creative way to move Forward, a way to find Fun and Fulfillment and a bright Future down roads not yet taken.  Maybe it demands Facing Facts and making a change.

Karen always advocates making a change when an asana causes us pain.  As in asana so in life.  There can be pain.  Make a change.  Find the edge where ease and challenge meet.  Work there for a bit, then back off and rest.   For too long, far too long, I've been working too often beyond challenge into pain...and staying there.

During savasana, Karen came by to push down on my shoulders, to create a more open-hearted posture as I rested, then she took just an extra moment to rub my shoulders and neck, placing hands on my scalp.  She didn't see the tears beneath the eye pillow -- tears of gratitude to be so nurtured with Yoga, with friendship, with gentle touch.

I'm taking a new road.  I'm going to back off and find ease.  I am going to allow myself to earn many, many C's -- Compassion, Contemplation, Courage, Creativity, Contentment.   I'm going to find my Center again. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

YOGA IN THE JUNGLE

I'm baaaaaack!  I've been traveling.  My husband and I went to the Big Island, Hawaii, to attend the World Elder Gathering of the Mankind Project, an organization he/we have been involved with for a couple of decades.  Most attendees were from the U.S., some from Europe and the U.K. and a bunch from Australia.  There were keynote speakers on a variety of topics focused on elder years and activism, health, personal growth.  Some sessions were for men only, some for women only.   The event was held at Kalani, a retreat center south of Hilo on the wet side of the island.  We lucked out.  The weather was clear, hot, and steamy (it's in the jungle!)  Dark nights gave us wondrous star displays with the Milky Way arcing across the sky.  I also appreciated the deep dark since I felt more comfortable using the "clothing optional" pool under the starry, rather than the sunny sky.

Kalani offers a variety of programming focused on health, separate from any conferences that might be going on, and yoga is one of their main offerings.  It's a "go to" destination for yoga retreats and they offer a variety of yoga classes every day.  The one offered to us free of charge was from 6:00 to 7:00 each morning.  I had such good intentions of going every morning, but found it so hard to crawl from my comfy bed in the Treehouse Lodge (a large mostly screened suite up a flight of stairs, so with an expansive view from about tree-top level -- very cool!).  So, as the days ticked by one night I realized I had only one more chance to attend.   I set my alarm and in the morning I flung myself into the early wet dawn, pulled on my yoga pants and Yoga Circle T-shirt and set off for the Rainbow Room where the classes were held.

I've reported here in the past on the less than stellar experiences I've had with Yoga while traveling. I'm happy to report this one was a good one, although at first I had my doubts.  I walked in to find a substitute instructor, a woman who was actually a conference participant rather than the young Kalani instructor I was expecting.  (Perhaps she was worn out from leading a group of women, including me, in a Yoni Steaming ritual the previous day.  Curious, aren't you?)  I grabbed my mat and blanket noting there were only three other people there.  I sat in the front so I could see better in the indoor gloom of the drippy, rainy early morning.  Soft music was playing from the leader's I-Phone and I settled into a few moments of meditation.  When I opened my eyes, I looked around to find we'd been joined by about ten more participants.  Not bad for 6 a.m. I thought.

I thought our instructor might be someone with an "interest" and some experience as a yoga practitioner.  For some reason it didn't occur to me that she was a certified and very experienced instructor who had been asked to fill in because she was the real deal, even if not on the payroll.  She agreed and led us through a lovely practice built around the elements of Fire (Honoring Goddess Pele), Earth/Land ('Aina), Water (the Pacific Ocean) and Air/Sky (Wakea).  Breath of Fire, Mountain Pose, Fish, Tree....she chose a variety of poses that had at least some connection with the elements.  It was a slow, intentional, sweet practice keeping us grounded in the beauty of the place and also allowing us to take into our hearts, minds, and spirits the movement of body and breath that reflected our experience of Hawaii and Kalani.  I liked it.

And today I returned to Yoga Circle, gratefully yielding to Karen's welcoming hug, happy to be home.  When we stood in wide-legged Mountain Pose, though, I thought of our trip to the top of Mauna Kea to watch the sunset; our trip to the crater of Kilauea and the glowing lava from which Pele rules.  We are of the elements.  Blessed and blessings. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

APPRECIATE THE PROP

Chairs?  I don't want no stinkin' chairs in my practice!  The fewer props the better - I am aiming for strong, balanced, independent.  But OK; I get it.  Sometimes an injury or chronic physical challenge requires the use of lots of props -- chairs included.  They are fine for those who need them.  Not me.

But a couple of weeks ago, in solidarity with a regular practitioner who is recovering from shoulder surgery, Karen suggested the entire class do "chair yoga".  I internally balked, but went along because I don't believe in anarchy. So I grabbed my folding chair from the stash behind the curtain -- a stash I never even knew existed.

Karen led us through seated postures, standing postures where we used the chair back and chair seat to support us, balance postures where a grab at a stationary object was quite appreciated, I admit, and even floor postures where we did forward folds into the chair seat.

Here's what I noticed.  First, obviously, was the awareness of my resistance; my "superiority complex" of not needing a chair -- nor even wanting one. I got over that pretty quickly because it was just so obviously an Ego thing.  "Shush, Judgy One!  Try something new!"

I noticed how some familiar poses were so much easier with a chair.  Others, however, were much harder.  Poses I could do easily without the chair became more difficult because of having to accommodate the prop.  I was puzzled because I didn't expect that to happen.  And I was frustrated.  I just wanted to kick the chair aside and get on with my regular practice.  I actually felt a bit angry about having to make the chair a part of my asana.

At one point, leaning into the seat of the chair in a forward fold, quietly listening to my breath,  letting thoughts settle, I awoke to the fact that this must be exactly how those who are injured or impaired in any way feel every single day.  They want to kick the chair (or cane, or walker, or wheelchair) aside and get back to their "normal" life.  But they can't.  They have to learn a new way of being and moving that includes a "prop".  Generally the prop is necessary and appreciated in that it allows mobility where mobility would be impossible otherwise.  But it also adds an alien feature to their identity.  I've watched several members of my family and friends, due to age or illness, navigate the inclusion of canes and walkers in their lives.  I've seen folks on crutches and in wheelchairs trying to propel themselves forward with some measure of competence.  None of them looked particularly happy about it, at least initially.

This awareness, this even fleeting connection with and understanding of what others experience was such a gift to me.  My superiority complex faded into humility and gratitude;  the recognition that I am merely "currently-abled".  I am one accident, one fall, one diagnosis away from having a "prop" be a permanent part of my practice and of my life.  And when that is the case for me, I will be grateful for the presence of every prop I can lay hands on to keep me involved in life.

As is so often the case, this yoga class had so little to do with asana and so much to do with a change in perspective, an awareness of the story of Ego, and the rise of compassion for others.  Yoga is not an exercise class.  Yoga is life. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/794181715509631804/

INTRODUCING EASY TO FIND YOGA CIRCLE BLOG TOPICS!

Oooo...I'm so excited to announce that Circling the Mat now has an Index of all the blog posts I've written for Yoga Circle Studio!  There has always been an "archive" to wade through -- but those were just organized by date and title; who knew what was actually in there?

This is a project I've wanted to do for some time, but it's tedious (for this relative novice) to figure out the formatting, create a link for every Blog Post, and then try to categorize them.  But after a couple of productive nights of insomnia -- Boom!  Done!

Actually this blog was relatively easy -- only 58 posts to organize.  My other personal essay blog (My View From Here) had 185!  I actually got repetitive stress achey-ness in my two laptop touchpad fingers!

Often I meet Beginners/First Timers in class and wonder if they would be interested in reading about my beginning experiences, which are likely universal.  Or whether anyone wonders about doing yoga with an injury or an illness, or farting in class.  I wonder if anyone else might struggle with using props or practicing meditation.  If so, and you are looking for a kindred spirit, you can now go to the Circling the Mat Subject Index by clicking the box in the upper left hand corner of the blog (any page) and it will take you to the Index!  Click on the link you want and read my post about that topic.

Not everything fit totally neatly into topics -- some posts cover more than one -- but click around and you will likely find something you are looking for.

Remember, these are written from MY perspective as a fellow (sister?) Yogi who has been at it for awhile, but by no means expert.  We all start from scratch and we all practice in a way that is just right for us.  No competition with self or others.  But I hope I write from an experience you can relate to.  And I hope you have a laugh or an "a-ha" along the way.

Thanks for reading...I love writing in service to our Studio and our practice together.

CLICK ON SUBJECT INDEX IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER OF ANY PAGE.

Namaste,
   donnajurene

SUPREME YOGA

I was in Washington D.C. a few weeks ago, doing all the touristy things.  One of them was a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court building.  (My other blog, My View From Here, has a few posts with more details about my trip, if you are interested http://www.myviewfromhere-donna.blogspot.com.)

I saw this Yoga for Lawyers book in the basement Gift Shop and snapped a photo.  It was along the side wall, prominently placed with all the Justice's biographies, historical texts, and pocket Constitutions.  It made me smile to see this.  Even in the hushed and hallowed halls of the Supreme Court, we find Yoga!

I don't really know what makes Yoga for Lawyers different from Yoga for anyone else, but in reading the Amazon reviews I understand that the combination of scientific "proof" that yoga works to calm the mind and body, along with detailed descriptions and illustrations of practices has some appeal to the super rational left brains of those who practice law.

I just think any book that encourages Justice Scalia to assume a Gyan Mudra is one to put on your "must have" list.©

Namaste,  donnajurene

DEEPER REALMS

So, let me say this.  Karma is a bitch.

I used to be in a meditation group where one or two members regularly fell asleep.  In my judgy way I thought this was a fairly lazy way to "meditate".

Oh, Ego!  You've gone and done it again!

But in my defense, when Karen came and gently rubbed my shoulder during a restorative pose today, I don't think I was totally asleep.  (Unless I had been snoring, which she was too kind to mention.)  I just felt like I was floating on a most relaxing sea of deep meditation -- a lucid dream of pure bliss.

Yes, it's true that all of the other students had rearranged themselves into a new posture, which I had not seemed to hear the instructions for doing, but that's because of my advanced ability to go deep!    I don't need to always be cognizant of the material world.  I travel.  I move into new and higher realms of consciousness.  I'm advanced, I tell ya!

Or I might have just been asleep.  Sorry.

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

FARRAGUT PARK YOGA

Yoga in Farragut Park, Washington DC.  We just got back from a week-long visit to the nation's capital where we did the "tourist thing".  On the day we walked past a class like this taking place in a park a block from our hotel I was on the homestretch of a long, hot day of seeing all the monuments and memorials along the Mall.  My Fitbit recorded 8.3 miles.  The temperature on the bank marquee read 93-degrees.  My feet had blisters, my sundress was sticking to me, my face ruddy -- flushed with heat and perspiration.  But to see this colorful group of people in the grass, stretching and bending into familiar Asanas, was like a gift from home.  A reminder.  An "ahhh...."

I had neglected my practice for the six days prior, during a pre-DC visit with family in Florida and Georgia.  Now in DC, I was focused on seeing all I could see in the next six days, and again, Yoga didn't factor into my schedule.   The class was more than half-over when I happened upon it and my sundress didn't seem like appropriate attire to for me to join in.  Plus, no mat.

But if there is such thing as "Yoga benefit my osmosis" I got a bit of it anyway.  It was calming to watch; to listen to the instructor as she wandered between the rows of practitioners, guiding them through a gentle flow sequence.  Some seemed expert, others novice.  Most were young, but body shapes and sizes were varied.  I loved the freedom they felt to move as was best for them in a small triangle-shaped park in the heart of the DC business district, observers sitting on park benches and hordes of commuters crowding the sidewalks only 10 feet away, wending their way from the nearby Metro stop.

I love taking Yoga out of the studio, putting it on display, hopefully encouraging others to join in as they can.  The clothing, the mats, were a riot of color against the backdrop of a marble and cement city, bringing a moment of peace, joy, and intentional movement to a scene which can under normal circumstances we one of mindless goal attainment....gotta get from here to there quickly and without pause.  

For me, hot, tired, sore, and eager for the cool confines of my hotel room, Yoga in the Park was a pause most welcome. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

PEACE BE UPON YOU

Ugh!  Conflict, controversy, name-calling, denigrating, fighting, killing, spying, mistrust, distrust, dis-ease, manipulation, misinformation, greed....It gets overwhelming and demoralizing to pick up a newspaper, flip on the Nightly News, scroll through the internet newsfeeds.

Every so often I call a moratorium on "news".  I find I am less afraid, less stressed, less worried about the state of our world and the future of our planet when not constantly bombarded by strife.  I find when I focus on my own little life, the people in it, the things that are of immediate importance to me I find more peace.  Then the guilt sets in and the realization that I'm not just an island unto myself.  I am part of the greater whole with an obligation to learn, grow, model, and practice finding a path out of the darkness that so often envelopes human nature.

It is a delicate balance to be a part of, and a part from, this world.  I need inspiration.

In class this past week, Karen ended, as we always do, with bowing to each other in Namaste.  This time she included my very favorite Namaste mantra:

Bringing hands to our head at the Third Eye:  "May there be peace in our thoughts."

Bringing hands to our lips:  "May there be peace in our words."

Bringing hands to our hearts:  "May there be peace in our hearts."

In the religion of Islam, Muslims practice salat -- ritual prayer -- pausing five times each day to kneel on a prayer mat and praise God.  The salat ends with, "Peace Be Upon You".

I've decided to take up this practice -- upon awakening, mid-day, late afternoon, evening, before bed -- repeating the following slightly altered Namaste -- taking personal ownership of the sentiment by using the word "my", with the added salat close:

May there be peace in my thoughts.
May there be peace in my words.
May there be peace in my heart.
May Peace Be Upon Us All.

I wonder how our behaviors might be different, our ability to find solutions enhanced, if we could live those words as a promise to ourselves and each other.  I'm gonna give it a try. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

BEING WITH WHAT IS

8.10.15    I'm sitting at our campsite at Colonial Creek Campground.  J. has left on a several mile hike.  I am alone here by choice.  I did a 4-mile hike yesterday and hated it, even though I’ve done it before and recalled it being easy. Well, it is a relatively easy hike, but I was tired, hot, dehydrated and mostly it had that familiar feeling I get when hiking…of a death march.  

I’m unsure why I came on this trip.  While at home, I recalled that last time we were here I enjoyed it  But then I got here and remembered that we stayed three nights, which I recall thinking at the time was one night too many, so I guess I didn’t love it so much after all.  This time we are here for only two, thankfully.  

I think I came because it is pretty here. The weather is perfect.  And I wanted to share this with J. He loves camping and hiking.  But as he points out, my “sharing” also includes periods of complaint, sarcasm, and moroseness.  He likely prefers to be alone.  I can’t blame him.  I don’t do this with enthusiasm.  

I am rarely bored.  I hate the word and feel those who rely on it are just not interesting/interested or creative enough to use their time in a way that is fulfilling.  But I have to admit….here, with nowhere to go, no internet, no contact with my friends and family.  Hmm….I will be challenged to find something that holds my attention as this long day unfolds.

I have my novel (loving the Outlander series!), but I’ve been reading almost non-stop since finally giving up trying to sleep at 6:00 a.m. after fitful awakenings all night long.  It's 11:00 now and my vision is blurry.  I have to rest my eyes, so maybe a walk to the lake or around the campground loop is in order.  The sun is peeking through.  Yoga on the tent pad is an option, as is a perch by the stream and a time of meditation.  Breathe.

And there you have a glimpse into a Journal entry I wrote last Monday.  Whine, whine, whine.  Nope, I'm not a fan of camping even though we have a very modern, warm, cozy truck camper (stove! microwave! refrigerator! Queen bed!)  My sweet husband has tried his darnedest to make me comfortable enough to want to go camping with him, but mostly I don't see the point.  We have taken road trips in the camper and I like that.  I feel like a turtle with my "home" on my back.  But to drive a few hours to sit in woods?  Not so much.  I find it to be more convenient, quiet, private, and as beautiful at home.  (I'm grateful for the view and a wooded ravine on our property that I get to enjoy every day.)

So, when we returned and I gratefully came into Yoga Circle on Thursday, getting a big sympathetic hug from Karen, I was happy.  Then she read a selection from Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" and it was perfect.  He talks about transforming suffering into peace:

"Your first chance is to surrender each moment to the reality of that moment.  Knowing that what is cannot be undone -- because it already is -- you say yes to what is, or accept what isn't.  The you do what you have to do, whatever the situation requires.  If you abide in this state of acceptance you create no more negativity, no more suffering, no more unhappiness.  You live then in a state of nonresistance, a state of grace and lightness, free of struggle."

Re-reading the Journal entry above, I see how I was lost in "suffering", trying to change the circumstances by dwelling on how much I didn't want to be doing what I was doing -- camping and hiking; didn't want to be where I was -- outside cell range and far too far away from Starbucks; didn't even want to be who I was -- a complaining ungrateful partner.

Then, slowly, I started to move into a place of acceptance.  I looked at a beautiful day stretching before me; a day of solitude and spaciousness.  I did take that walk around the campground loop which was quiet (not so very many campers on a Monday) and smelled of the forest.  I sat by the rushing stream, my back against the strong trunk of a cedar tree, closed my eyes and meditated for a good long while.  I walked down the short path to the edge of Diablo Lake, emerald green and shimmering in the afternoon sun.  I rolled out my Yoga travel mat on the vacant gravel tent pad and did a short standing asana practice.  Then I returned to my book, snacking on peanuts that drew the attention of two little chipmunks hoping for a handout.  Before I knew it, my husband was back and we had a lovely evening, chatting 'round the fit pit together.  I had given up suffering and accepted the "is" of the moment.

If I could do that more often, I'd be a happier woman.  The Power of Now, indeed.  ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

GURU PURNIMA....A DAY OF RECOGNITION FOR OUR TEACHERS

Today is Guru Purnima -- a day to give thanks to our teachers (gurus).  Many of my Hindu- and Buddhist-leaning friends used the occasion to post thanks on Facebook to those who have been instrumental in their ongoing explorations of life and practice.  What a lovely tradition!

I thought of my own life and of those who have been instrumental in setting me on my path:

My strong and courageous supervisor, Julie, in Chicago who introduced me to feminism 42 years ago and encouraged me to move beyond what I ever thought possible in my life, sharing her experiences and providing me with a role model for education, activism, and perseverance.

The founders of two personal growth groups for women, Char of "Woman Within" and ALisa, Jude, and Sarah of "Women in Power" who supported me, and scores of others, in delving into the wounded places in our souls and finding healing, grace, and power to move through the hurt to a place of strength and intention -- with a toolbox full of practical modalities for ongoing self-awareness and growth.

Two journalists/teachers, Mary Ann and Fred, in classes at the UW Non-Fiction Writers Program who told me I could write and encouraged me to keep at it.

Poet, Jack, who said everyone has a story to tell in the form of a 3-minute poetry performance and led me to my first Open Mic.

My meditation teacher, Bruce, who taught me mantra meditation and that the present moment is infinite.

Bhakti teachers Jai and Gina who inspired me on the path of devotional chant and whose wisdom, humor, compassion, and humility are ever an example for how to be in the world.

Karen, my Yoga guru and role model for joyful and abundant living at every age.

My women friends who show me every day the healing balm that comes with deep sharing, mutual support, and uproarious laughter.

Also....my husband and sons,  daughter-in-law, and grandchildren for teaching me the depth of my capacity for love, patience, and forgiveness.

I am blessed with so many gurus, so many who have in the past, and continue in the present, to challenge and support me to lean into greater physical and emotional health and wisdom.

Who are your gurus?  Now would be a good time to reflect and say... ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: <a href="https://clipartfest.com/">clipartfest.com</a>

YOGA IS FOR KIDS

I went to a Yoga class Sunday afternoon with dogs, bunnies, lions, giraffes, elephants, cats, cows, butterflies, snakes....

Nope.  Not at the zoo.  It was right in the familiar confines of Yoga Circle Studio.  Meg led a fun and silly and altogether wonderful class for children and their adult companions.  I took my nearly six-year-old granddaughter.  There was a mom there with her four-year-old daughter too.  Yep.  Just the four of us.  I think class attendance suffered from "sunny skies syndrome".  Hopefully others will flock to the next one, on August 9th, because it was really special and fun!

I had tried once before to take my little Yoga Buddy to a yoga class, the Mothers Day when I got my whole family to go with me to a special "Family Yoga" workshop.  My granddaughter was only 2-1/2 then and spent most of the time removing the bolsters from the shelves and building forts.

This time she was more familiar with yoga and Meg used the perfect imagery to engage the young girls -- all those animal poses with funny noises and asking us to imagine ourselves as each creature.  We had a snack break half-way through class (there was much discernment over which of the dried fruits in the bowl of trail mix were favorites) and another break to "get the wiggles out" that was meant to be a dance with a "freeze in your favorite yoga pose" moment when the music suddenly was turned off (a la musical chairs), but which ended up being permission for the girls to run a race from one end of the studio to the other, back and forth, several times -- no dancing, just running, but with the "freeze" pose tagged onto the race, thankfully!

I had to remind my companion a few times to "listen to the teacher"; "watch your teacher".  She wasn't distracted so much as just wanting to do things her way.  I guess she was merely "modifying" her poses, but with each one she seemed compelled to hold her pretty pink block (whether needed or not) and create her own version of the pose.  I smiled, but was a bit irritated at her independence in this regard.  I also felt her alignment could have been better; these poses are done a certain way for maximum benefit, after all!

Lest you think me a drill-sergeant grandma, I'm not!  I recognized my own rigidity and self-judgment immediately.  I recognized how I strive so hard to follow the example of my teachers at all times and not deviate much; to "get it right"; to concentrate on proper alignment.   I laughed at myself and made a conscious decision that unless my companion was being disruptive and inappropriate in her behavior, I would just let her be.  Let her have fun.  I would smile encouragingly and not scowl with disapproval.   Of course!

Which is good advice for myself as well.  I am rarely disruptive and inappropriate, but I am often obsessed with "getting it right" in Yoga and in Life.  I could take a lesson from my granddaughter:
Run with abandon. Ask questions when I'm unsure.  Watch, listen, learn -- then be creative.  Laugh a lot.  Share my snacks (savoring the dried pineapple chunks!)  And no scowling!

We ended the class with a legs up the wall savasana, where we were admonished to remain very still, as if Queen Elsa had walked into the room and we had all became frozen.  (Those little girls immediately stilled and remained so, being well-familiar with the story!)   My companion said that was her favorite part.

We took pictures after class.   My Yoga Buddy posed up on the raised teacher platform in a modified eagle pose and also doing side-stretches with Meg.  She asks to see them every time we have been together since.  She was proud of knowing the closing Sanskrit song: lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA3ZZOvd7yo having learned it in preschool, where a classmate's mom comes to teach yoga to the kids on occasion.

It feels sweet for this grandma to share my passion for yoga with my granddaughter.  It was also sweet to share a post-class Lemon Bar at the Snohomish 1st & Union Bakery.  We both seem to have a love of "special treats", as well as yoga.  Can't wait to do it all again soon....and for years to come. ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit:  monicaroa©123RF

FIFTY SHADES OF YOGA

Well, all-righty then.  Last week we had a small class on Thursday morning.  I got there a tad late and didn't hear who said something (a request?) that prompted Karen to muse that "going to the wall" would be a good idea, but I sort of wanted to thrash whoever it was.  Going to the wall filled me with dread.

Have you done the wall yet?  You know, that lovely stained wood wall with the silver metal hooks?  You've looked at it, no doubt, and wondered...."Hmmm...wonder what that's for?"  Maybe you even noticed the long fiber woven straps hanging at the end of the wall.

Well, "going to the wall" means using the wall for support -- a good thing for those tricky balancing poses -- Tree or Half Moon.

It also means grabbing a couple of those long straps, attaching them to the appropriate hook level and adjusting them to fit around your arm, waist, hips...whatever.  You are literally strapped to the wall and the idea is to surrender to gravity; to trust the strap to hold you in a pose that you would normally do without the aid of a strap.  The theory is that you can relax your body into a fuller posture, not worrying about falling over or losing balance.  Some muscles get to rest while others stretch.  In theory.

But what often happens is we come face to face with our fears of letting go.  I found myself wondering:  Did I adjust the strap tightly enough?  Did the person who installed the hooks drill deeply enough for them to hold?  Does our teacher really think these postures are safe and beneficial?  My arm seems to be doing a Gumby-like stretchy thing!  Whoa!  Is that normal???

I found I was tentative at first.  Holding back.  Being safe.  But gradually I allowed myself to relax more, and then a bit more, into each pose until I felt the relief of a good long stretch.  I felt the joy of a wide Warrior stance, a deepening Forward Bend, a Downward Dog with no stress on the wrists as the strap pulled at my hips holding me tight.  I was even almost relaxed enough to do a backbend beyond what I would normally attempt, but not quite.  Safe word:  "Nope!"

What I discovered about the wall -- and me -- is that it's about trust.  Trusting the wall, the hooks, the straps, and my own sense of "more" and "enough".   When Karen said to "love the wall" and "trust the strap" I realized that over time I really did.  To a point...that point being a full backbend for me.

As with everything in Yoga, we bring our whole selves to the practice and that wholeness expands as we allow our experience to expand us into a new way of being.  My new way of being is next time when I hear "let's go to the wall" I'll have less dread and more sense of adventure.  And I'll know, as always, that I'm in charge!©

Namaste, donnajurene

Photo Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476044623086631005/

LIGHTEN YOUR LIVER!

"Lift your kidneys!", our teacher directed in class today.  Hmmmm....that gave me pause.  To visualize where the kidneys were even located, I had to momentarily harken back to 1974, sitting at my med student husband's side, hunched over a Cadaver Lab human specimen, helping him study for an anatomy exam.  Then I realized she wasn't saying to lift them OUT of our bodies, of course, but rather to lift them UP -- as in straighten your spine, allowing more space for all those internal organs to move apart and not be scrunched into each other in there.  Got it!

This direction falls into the category of teaching prompts that seem unique to Yoga that I can never quite accomplish in the way my brain imagines I should.

"Brighten your heart!"  Dang!  Is my dark heart showing again?  I don't mean to be sad, gossipy, judgmental...   Oh wait!  She means shoulders back and down, chest forward!  Got it!

"Lift your arches!"  My arches are uncooperative; they don't seem to want to lift.  Not like the St. Louis arch, or even the Golden Arches.  They just sort of sit there in a sort of semi-collapsed state of archness, refusing to budge upwards.

"Apply the badhas!"  The what?  Head banda?  Rubber banda?  Rock n' roll banda?  Traditional Mexican banda?  Oh!  NOT band!  The bandhas -- those muscles to tighten at the base of the spine (mula-bandha -- Kegels in our lexicon), abdomen (uddiyana bandha -- suck in your gut, as in putting on tight jeans) and throat (jalandhara bandha -- sort of a semi-choke).  These are "energy locks" that keep the flow of internal energy from pouring out or moving the wrong direction, or something.  Yeah, I don't really get it either, but they are a really big part of practicing yoga and I try to apply them at least for a few minutes, when reminded; then they get all soft and squishy again and my energy flow likely falls with my arches.

What is interesting about various teachings using these and many more admonishments to think of our bodies (inside and out) as plastic, moveable, and malleable is that they are!  Yoga urges us to be self-aware of body, mind, and spirit.  We mostly live in a very static, immovable state.  We fall into habits of mind, body, and spirit which calcify into a belief system about what we can and cannot do.  Yoga teaches us that we can risk moving out of our usual comfort zone, away from our usual mode of limited thinking, and into an expansiveness of spirit that we may never have realized we could achieve.

For example, during Shavasana today I had the fairly trippy experience that I sometimes have in deep meditation, where I'm fully aware of where I am and of others around me, while simultaneously feeling like I'm floating into the great Universe Beyond bathed in joy and peace.  It's the Theta wave state of the brain in deep relaxation.  A groovy place to be.  I don't know how or why that happened to me today; it's rare for me to get there, especially lately when my meditation practice has been so sporadic.  But I do know I was fully present for my practice today, craving my time on the mat, feeling the energy of those around me in our full classroom, longing for a respite from what has been a very focused and busy number of weeks of commitment and responsibility.

Or maybe it was that my kidneys, heart, and arches were locked into a Bandha Love Connection with my brain.  Whatever works, right? ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: <a href="https://clipartfest.com/">clipartfest.com</a>

YOGA NEWBIES WELCOME!

Oh, this is so exciting!  Karen Guzak, Yoga Circle owner and teacher, is teaching FREE Intro to Yoga classes on selected Sundays this summer from 1:00-2:30 -- July 5th, August 2nd, August 15th. This is your chance!!!

Are you Yoga-curious?  Now's the time to give it a try.  My advice -- just do it!  Really.  You won't find a kinder, gentler studio.  No wall-to-wall sweaty bodies, no scary headstands, no teachers shouting out instruction over their headsets.  This is a place to come for a warm greeting, a slow move through basic asana (poses) and lots and lots of encouragement.

Of course I, too, was a little terrified my first time in the studio.  I've written in this blog about being a newbie.  (Look at some of the earliest posts in the archives.)  It can be intimidating when you don't know your Downward Dog from your Huckleberry Hound.  And what's with all those blocks and straps and blankets?  Well, they are "props" and you will get instruction in how to use them -- or not.  Everything is optional and there to help you in whatever way you need support.  It's OK to be clumsy; it's OK to be confused; it's OK to laugh; it's OK to fall out of a pose; it's even OK to fart (yes, there is a blog post about that too.)

Yoga Circle attracts women and men of all ages and all body sizes and types.  Some are lithe and limber, others stiff and sore or injured.  Some are slim and muscular and some are ample and curvy.  You WILL fit in!

The best piece of advice I would give is to leave your critical voice at home.  You know the one -- the mean girl or guy who whispers in your ear all the ways in which you screw up, or warns you of all the ways you will embarrass yourself.   That voice is not invited.  Lock it in the car in the parking lot.  You are on an adventure of discovery.  You want to strengthen your body and calm your mind.  And you don't want any gruff for efforts.

On this one I speak from recent experience.  Every day is a newbie day.  I've been practicing yoga for 6-7 years and at this morning's class I fell on my back while in an unsupported Boat Pose.  Boom!  And poses that generally are easy for me seemed hard and even impossible today.  I had to get firm with my critical whisperer and silence her!  Our bodies need different things at different times.  Our strength and flexibility wax and wane for many reasons.  If I listened to the "you can't do it" critic every time I made a mistake, I'd have quit long ago.  But I know that a regular practice reaps real and tangible benefits over the long haul.

Come with a smile, a willing attitude, a Beginner's Mind and just have fun!  You CAN do it!©

Namaste,
   donnajurene

INTENTION. ATTENTION. ATTITUDE.

Intention.  Attention.  Attitude.  How often do we hear Karen speak of this in class?  A lot.  Because it is so wise.

We set an Intention, we give that Intention our Attention, and we adjust our Attitude to ensure we are finding meaning and joy in the process.  How does this manifest for you?

Every January, instead of a New Year's Resolution (so short-lived!), I set an intention for the year.  This started many years ago in my women's group where we share our individual intentions and promise to hold each other accountable for keeping the intention in mind and manifesting as the year progresses.  One year my intention was to "public" my closeted creativity.  It was the year I first read my poetry publicly and organized and facilitated a monthly Ecstatic Dance event.  My Intention to reveal my desire to share those creative pursuits (in spite of fear and trepidation -- what if I failed???), was met with my Attention to how I'd do that (the poetry open mics and promoting the dance thing), held together by the glue of assuming an Attitude of "why not?...just do it!"  

I find it easy to set the Intention.  There are so many things I "intend"!  The list is endless.  But sometimes I get bogged down in the Attention phase.  There are also so many distractions as well and opportunities to procrastinate.  "Later."  "Next week."  "Next month."  And Attitude?  Well, in class recently when a sister yogi talked about a Society of Optimists, I asked if they allowed Pessimists in. I struggle with a glass half-empty default.  I think my life's work might be to adjust my attitude to one of optimism.  I'm often successful, but it's a system over-ride to get there.  So my Attitude about the Intention is often where I struggle.  Yet, every year I have been able to find an Intention to which to give my Attention and have developed the Attitude to find success -- or at least deep learning in the struggle.

This practice is also available to me when I come to class.  After I've gathered my props and arranged my mat, I stand at the back edge, bringing my hands together in Namaste, eyes closed, head slightly bowed.   I set an intention for the class.  I've done this almost from Day 1 of walking into a yoga studio.  My yoga practice is sacred to me and my intention is to treat it as such.  My Intention is to focus on my own practice, to give it my full Attention.  I remind myself to assume a humble Attitude; to not get competitive with myself or others, be open to and aware of emotions and judgments that may arise, and to appreciate the transformation that will occur within me.  Because the Hindu god Shiva dances away the old, creating chaos in the process, to make way for the new, I invoke his name: Om Namah Shivaya.  

This simple ritual of Intention, Attention, Attitude is transformative.  It works anywhere, for anything we are engaged in.   Give it a try! ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY

We did it!  United Nations International Yoga Day -- June 21, 2015.  The first ever.  Click on this link for some amazing photographs of the event taken all over the globe yesterday.
http://mashable.com/2015/06/21/photos-international-yoga-day/

Alas, the Associate Press forgot to come to Snohomish.  But there were plenty of cameras on hand and I took a few shots with my phone.  But most of those I've borrowed for this blog post are from the Unity Day Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/UNITYdia?fref=ts  I don't think they will mind -- the goal I heard expressed over and over is that we will spread the word and build this event for years to come.  A worthy goal, because it was a fabulous opportunity to practice and find inspiration from yoga masters, wellness practitioners, meditation teachers, and fellow yogis alike.  What a joyful gathering!

I showed up well before 10:00 a.m. to be sure to be there when our own Karen Guzak was introduced and gave welcoming remarks, initially reminding the crowd that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called us to action with these words:

"Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition.  It embodies unity of mind and boyd; thought and account; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being.  Yoga is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves, the world, and Nature.  By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, Yoga can help us deal with with climate change.  Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."
                                                                                                           
Karen, who of course is Yoga Circle Studio owner and lead teacher AND Mayor of Snohomish,  challenged us to bring yoga into the world, using the tools of yoga to make our relationships and our communities better.  She offered this inspiring quote:

"Politics and spirituality are two sides of the sam coin.  Politics is the driving force visible to the outside; spirituality is the internal force driving the consciousness to open up to the world and conjoin it.  Politics bared of spiritual awareness always leads to violence and the abuse of power.  Spirituality without political engagement resembles an escape from the world." -- Gundula Schatz

Grounding ourselves in our bodies, turning inward to achieve self-knowledge and healing, creating connections to others and the wider world were also the lessons of Aadil Palkhivala, founder of Purna Yoga and International Yoga Master teacher and lecturer.  Over the next hour, he led us in a round of nine sun salutations, interspersed with wise words of teaching about how yoga serves the individual and serves the world.  Yoga's aim is not to transcend ourselves and the world but to know ourselves deeply and to serve with compassion.  So inspiring!  And he was funny and engaging.

He started us out with a very slow progression through the Sun Salutation asana.  I had ended up in the front row in front of the stage --not at all where I'd have chosen to be, but wanted to be close enough to get a few photos and before I knew it we were into the asana practice and it seemed rude at that point to pack up and move to the back.  So I stayed.  All was well until about 2/3 of the way through when the asana instruction speeded up significantly and the flow from one posture to the next was faster than I normally move.  I could tell I was a beat (or two or three) behind the instruction at various points.  But I decided to send my ego packing and just go with it at my own pace (in the blazing hot sun, I might add!  SUN Salutation was accurate!)

I knew I could only stay until about noon, since a big Fathers Day gathering was happening at home.   I regretted the conflict.  I would have loved to partake in all that was being offered -- information on Auravedic, meditation instruction, more yoga asana (even a class just for kids!)...  What a wonderful opportunity to sample from the Yoga well of wisdom.  I did have time to buy a very cool new Yoga t-shirt from one of the venders and enjoy a yummy lavender-mint kombucha tea!  It was fun to greet old friends and chat with so many Indian people who shared their culture through dance, dress, food, and music. Did you know a new Hindu temple is being built in Bothell?  A very kind man explained it to me and invited me (all!) to come.  The opportunities to know our neighbors of another culture abound through Yoga.

I don't know what the estimated attendance was throughout the day (I'd guess 75 for the morning asana in which I participated).   I was happy to see that our Congressional Representative Rick Larsen came by to join in practice in the afternoon.   (Here he is at the front of the stage, in gray, and chatting with Karen.)

While numbers were sparse compared to the larger gatherings over the globe, Aadil coined our local effort a "seed" event -- one that will grow and grow and be unrecognizable in the future, when hundreds gather in Snohomish County to celebrate the healing powers of Yoga.   I agree...See you next year!

Namaste,  donnajurene

(India Photo Credit: Reuters Adam Abidi)

TREADING WATER WITH SHIVA

I feel like I am treading water.  No, not because I've taken up Paddleboard Yoga, even though that looks really cool!  Lots of photos of beautiful women doing Lord of the Dance Pose (Natarajasana) on a paddleboard floating on calm, glassy-watered lakes is inspiring for a summer yoga practice.  But my treading water feeling is the proverbial "trying to keep my head above water" analogy of having a life that is so full with tasks and responsibilities and challenges right now that I feel I've lost my equilibrium.

We live in a big old house that we love.  It's on a big piece of property with a great view.   A couple of years ago we took part of it to finally create large berms and garden beds and raised gardens for veggies.  A couple of city kids trying to go all nature-y.  I'd say it still has "potential" as it teaches me what will grow and what won't, where.  Also the deer are thanking for me all the fresh young greens of ornamental plants, shrubs and lettuce. And who knew?...weeds keep growing after one has already weeded the whole thing TWICE this spring and summer.  Plus, the old sprinkler system doesn't reach to all of the new beds, so auxiliary hoses and hand watering got added to the schedule.  Gardening is starting to feel like raising kids!

On top of that the old LP siding has finally leaked enough to cause alarm -- and a new siding project on one side of our house is underway.   We are "do it yourself-ers", so that along with replacing some windows and painting the whole house over the coming weeks is Job One right now.  We tell ourselves all this lifting, lugging, physical labor keeps our bodies in good shape and I do feel strong.  (See me beating my chest at this point.)  I also feel tired.

Let's add to that the Granny Nanny care I provide three days a week for our new granddaughter (along with my husband on days he isn't working at his part-time job or household projects) as well as being in leadership at my Unitarian Universalist church and serving on a bunch committees.  And, sadly, an extended family member has been battling a cancer that won't quit, so a bittersweet trip across the country for a visit is now also on the horizon, as I hold him in my heart with love until then.

I bet you can relate.  I'm not unique.  All of us have lives that are so full at times that it's hard to sort out where any "down time" can come or how to prioritize all the things we need to do, many on a deadline, and then try to add in all the things we want to do which can refresh and renew -- spending time with friends, watching a movie, gathering the family for a meal, staring out the window at a 4:00 a.m. sunrise, which is at least beautiful if you are suffering from a bit of stress-induced insomnia.  (Me, today.)

I know it's important, especially now, to carve out time for meditation, yoga, healthy eating, aerobic activity, and rest.  Yet, isn't it true that when we most need this intentional self-care, we neglect it as a "low priority"?  I do.  My meditation practice has disappeared -- at least the "sitting" meditation I like to do.  I tell myself I am doing "mindful" meditation as I go about my day, challenging myself to stay in the present moment, but too often my mind is racing ahead, planning the future.   I'm eating well and moving my body, thanks to my new FitBit exercise tracker which is motivating me to hit my "steps" goals and take the stairs whenever I can, which in my house is a lot.  As for Yoga...oh dear.

Two weeks ago I didn't make it into the studio at all.  Last week I was determined, so got there on Tuesday and Saturday.  This week, I don't know -- I have baby-care every day this week.  I may need to resort to a "home practice", which I can do, but not with the same enthusiasm.   Besides, just the act of walking into Yoga Circle calms me.  So beautiful, so familiar, so nurturing.  I feel myself melting into the present moment without struggle, focusing only on the movements of my body, and eventually the stillness of my mind.  I find gratitude.

Gratitude for my health, for the abundance of my life, for my beautiful home and yard, my family, my friends, my community.  All the things that seem like chores are really a blessing.  Transitions can be challenging and I feel like so many parts of my life are transitioning now, needing my attention.  On the other side of this "busy" season will come a peaceful respite, like the waves of the ocean, ebbing and flowing.  That's life.

Lord Shiva, in the Hindu tradition, is the God of Transition.  He "dances" the world into chaos and destruction which creates room for renewal.  He is the Lord of the Dance, Nataraja, and from him comes that Dancer Pose.

Maybe I'm not treading water after all.  Maybe I'm dancing toward renewal.  Jaya Shiva Skankara (Victory to the Auspicious One, Destroyer of Obstacles).

Namaste,  donnajurene

9 RULES EVERY YOGA STUDENT SHOULD FOLLOW

A short article was sent to me by a Yoga Circle teacher we know and love....and it so cracked me up!  Read it here to understand better what's to come in this blog post:
http://www.yoganonymous.com/9-rules-every-yoga-teacher-should-follow

What do you think?  Do any of the "rules" resonate with you?   What I'm wondering now is...what list of rules would our teachers offer to us, the students?!?  I bet some would be the same...

1.  Pay Attention to Me -- Our teachers have spent considerable time, effort, and money to get that teacher training accreditation.  Maybe they know something worth paying attention to?  Yep, probably.   So when my mind wanders or I don't understand, or like, a particular asana sequence it just could be that paying attention to the teacher will net a greater result than listening to my chattering thoughts:  "What is she doing?  That's a dumb pose.  This is too easy and a waste of my time....wait, what?  We're going to hang upside down by the straps on the wall???  I didn't sign up for this!"

2.  Introduce Yourself -- How often, first class at a new studio, do we want to sneak in quietly, pay the drop-in fee, and head directly to the back far corner, trying to be invisible and anonymous?  Maybe that's just me.  But I bet the teacher would love to know who is hiding back there, what injuries or issues s/he should be aware of, how s/he can make the class a positive experience for everyone -- even the newbie.  Be bold, students!  "Hi!  My name is Donna.  I'm new here.  I'd love some help with my lower back stiffness and by the way, my broken leg is a little inflexible."

3.  Ignore Anything You Shouldn't See --  Of course we expect our teachers to ignore the belly roll sticking out from between our sleek black yoga pants and cute (but maybe a tad too short) top, or the urgent need for a pedicure appointment, or maybe it's been a bit too long since we took razor to legs and pits.  It's part of their job to see gross stuff -- sort of like a doctor.  We love them for that.  But they might like the same consideration from us.  Teachers are people too!  They might fight weight gain, cellulite, bad hair days or, as happened at a Yoga class I took in Hawaii one time -- a "wardrobe malfunction" causing the teacher's bare left breast to break free from her cute halter top during a demo of Upward Dog.  Just ignore.

4.  Don't Acknowledge That I'm Completely Tone Deaf -- Well, we don't chant or "Om" at Yoga Circle and maybe that is because the teachers really ARE tone-deaf.  I don't know.  But if that's the reason, then we students shouldn't hold our teachers to a standard of pure pitch that we can't match.  C'mon!  Anyone can "om" -- it's the primordial sound of the universe...how could anyone get that wrong?

5.  Remember My Name and Me Forever -- Well, we have it easy on this one.  There are only a handful of teacher's names we have to remember and all we have to do is look on the schedule for a reminder (unless they confuse us with a last-minute sub).   I hand it to our teachers on this one -- they do a great job of remembering names.  And we ALL know who the standout is and she deserves a shout-out here:  Karen Guzak is truly, completely, utterly amazing, isn't she?  I have been coming to Yoga Circle for 6-7 years and I bet I can count on less than one hand the times she has forgotten or confused a name at the end of the class when she goes around the room, saying Namaste to each student by name.  THANK YOU, KAREN!  I take this as an gift of love and personal acknowledgement.  So as students, maybe we can return the favor as we thank our teachers as we are leaving..."Bye, Karen, thanks for a great class!"

6.  Keep the Lessons Simple -- The readings are a lovely addition to yoga class and I love the moments of meditation as I listen to a teacher sharing from a book of wise teachings.  But, c'mon class!  Let's encourage ourselves to higher learning!  Simple lessons are great -- there is wisdom in simplicity.  But it's OK for our teachers to bust out the Yoga Sutras now and again...or heck, lay the Vedic Upanishads on us!  We can take it!  And our teachers would get to move us toward greater enlightenment, which would make their day!  And ours!

7.  Speak English -- Oh sure.  Those Sanskrit words don't exactly trip off our English-speaking tongues, do they?  But again, our teachers went through hours upon hours of training memorizing all the Sanskirt names for all those poses.  Stop being a Happy Baby and let them teach us Anada Balasana.  It sounds so much cooler.  And ancient.  And Yogic.

8.  The Bra Strap is Not an OK Reference Point -- Hmmm...well, the guys might have a point on this one.  Most teachers do seem to be women and most students as well.  We just talk in shortcuts with references to things we know.  This is sexist, I agree.  So, students, let's encourage greater diversity of experience across gender lines!  Men, you could wear a bra.  HaHa!  Just kidding...well, unless you want to and then I'm totally cool with that.  But we could ALL be sure to attend classes and workshops taught by both men and women.   Don't lay this totally on the teacher, yo.

9.  Duh! Make Class Fun -- I agree with Rob on this one.   Recommending a certain Yoga Circle blogger would make each and every class so much more enjoyable...©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit:  Pixabay.com