THE BREATH

The breath of life.  This is what it comes down to.  In this most challenging, sad, and lonely year of the Covid-19 pandemic there are many lessons to learn:  lessons of love, gratitude, resilience, generosity, compassion.  We have all faced disappointments and felt times of disorientation and disconnection.  What has sustained you, at the very heart of it all?  The breath.

Today as I look out upon a clear and frosty morning on the Eve of Christmas Eve, I am in a contemplative mood.  I'm thinking of the pranayama class Karen posted on the Yoga Circle website in the Video Library.  It is a 20 minute invitation to just breathe.  When all else is lost, we have the breath.  The coming home to our bodies alive to the moment, whatever that moment may hold.  The breath can excite, calm, balance.  We need only be aware of its inhale and exhale and how to regulate it for maximum effect.   

The entire purpose of yoga is to calm the fluctuations of the mind.  You don't have to buy expensive yoga pants, a boxful of props, a dozen books, or do pretzel poses to be "doing" yoga.  Yoga is a practice of stilling the mind.  The books, poses, props, and comfortable clothing help our bodies stay strong and flexible so we are not distracted by pain or discomfort when we sit in the silence of the moment, focused only on our breath, only on the calm inner presence of the seat of the soul.  The breath will take you there.

This may be a disappointing Christmas, a lonely Christmas, or just the Christmas you want it to be.  Whatever your experience of this most unusual holiday season, my wish of you, for all of us,  is health, peace, breath.

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com

BE WITH WHAT IS

I love my yoga studio.  But, I have not been inside it since early March, shortly before the Covid-19 restrictions were announced by our governor that shut down all indoor activities where people gather, such as yoga. We went to an online model with live classes and a library of on demand classes. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. As time went on Karen, the Yoga Circle Studio owner, was able to open back up when restrictions were adjusted, to allow 6 students and the teacher to attend in person. But I never went. 

I am Covid-cautious. I found a couple of classes that were easy for me to access via Zoom, and stuck with doing those at home.  We also started to develop an online community, looking forward to seeing each other even if only in those little Zoom squares!  Over the weekend I set up a whole new yoga space for myself with a big TV that allows me to see the teacher much more easily than on my laptop. I was eager to try it out this week. Now that will be the way we all access our beloved yoga studio again. 

Covid-19 cases are skyrocketing all over the U.S. as people ignore the pleas to wear masks and refrain from indoor gatherings with family and friends. Many of us are desperately trying to gerry-rig some form of family gathering for the holidays. Some of us (my husband and I) have cancelled the traditional family Thanksgiving and will be home alone, finding a moment to Zoom with our adult sons and their families instead. I'm not even thinking ahead to Christmas yet. 

The new restrictions going into effect today will once again close our yoga studio to in-person classes. This morning I awoke to an email announcement from Karen about the closure. 

And this is the part I love: I know this is a difficult financial/business situation for Karen.  And yet, she emphasized her commitment to keeping us all safe, encouraged us to contact her if we'd like to buy or borrow props to use at home, reminded us of all the streaming and on demand classes, offered to extend class membership fees already paid, and ended with these words: 

 "We are deeply appreciative of the loyal yogis who support us...and with us, practice the virtues of patience and perseverance. Self care is at the core of yoga, and we validate that with this temporary closure of the studio. Take care of yourself! Of course, we will accommodate any extensions of class passes as needed, and continue to make a long term commitment to keep the studio going..... spreading the healing and wholesome message of yoga."

My yoga studio is an important part of my community.  This is such a hard time for so many reasons.  Many are balking at the new restrictions and ignoring them.  But yoga and those who practice are places of balm and calm.  We know all things change; nothing remains the same; we are more than this moment in time.  We can be here for each other in disappointment and sadness, yes, but also in acceptance and in peace.  ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

THE SKILLFUL PATH

I have been writing postcards and letters to voters through four different organizations in various states to urge them to be sure to vote in the November 3rd election.  My dining room table has been 'activism central' strewn with cards, pens, letters, envelopes, address lists, scripts, and stamps.  Now, less than two weeks out, that job is winding up.  I have completed over 200 cards and 100 letters. Still, in the last week I felt like I should have done more.  I felt a bit of a compulsion toward the end to download more and more addresses, buy more and more stamps!  

Next my intention was to begin as a "text bank" volunteer, continuing to reach out to voters via text.  But after taking the training twice, I realized I was nearing burn-out and realized also that I just didn't want to do it.  I would have to learn new software skills, be responsible for numerous shifts, interact with voters over time, fill out response surveys for the campaign -- basically it was more than I wanted to do.  So I decided to let it go.  I felt horrible -- like I'd let myself down and was out of integrity with my commitment to myself to do this outreach.

This morning a friend sent me an article from the Buddhist magazine, The Tricycle, (Winter 2013) which discussed making skillful effort: the tension between effort and ease in the way we approach life's tasks, be they chore-like or joyous.  Either way we can get off-kilter and find ourselves either behaving compulsively or slothfully and not finding the middle ground, the place of self-compassion, the sweet spot of doing enough but not too much.

That got me to thinking about how we approach our yoga practice.  Karen often advises that we find the tension between effort and ease in the pose.  This is the best advice ever and I channel her voice telling me that even when I'm not in her class.  I forget it, though, when I'm doing other things -- like political activism.  I feel like I can never do enough...it's all effort and no ease.  My brain tells me that to ease up is to be lazy and selfish and ultimately, to lose.  Maybe for some, it can be all ease and no effort --they trouble themselves with thinking they should do something, but never do. 

How often do we come to class, or to meditation, or to anything we do, with the determination to do it "best"?  To disallow any slacking off, to push and push and push.  Or do we find we always intend to come to class, but somehow it never happens, or we show up, but half-heartedly.  Do we beat ourselves up for being lazy?  Does this show self-compassion?  Hardly!  We would certainly counsel a friend in the grips of a quest for perfection, or lost in self-flagellation, to stop, to think it through, to find the inner knowing that informs our actions.  But do we do that for ourselves?

The article reminded me that Effort and Ease are our guides on Skillful Path; that making skillful effort, not too much, not too little, is the way of compassion, the way of the heart.

Next time you show up to the mat, determined to perfect your pose, stop.  Take a breath.  Be easy on yourself.  Grab a prop, or sit out that Pigeon Pose out if you want.  Next time you sit for meditation, determined to clear your mind of uninvited thoughts, stop.  Take a breath.  Notice what thoughts come and then let them go, over and over.  Just sit and breathe through it.  Next time you make an intention but fail to follow through and start with the negative self-talk, stop.  Take a moment to look inward to discern why you are holding yourself back.  Next time you take on a task that is growing into more than you bargained for and feels overwhelming, stop.  Decide how to proceed slowly, or not proceed at all.  

This is yoga too....knowing your own limits, listening to your own inner wisdom, finding your own path, honoring your own tender heart.

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com

 

YOGA AND THE ENNEAGRAM -- TYPES 8 AND 9

Here we are, at the last two types of the Enneagram.  Have you identified yourself yet?  Remember these summaries are brief and broad.  There are subtypes that help refine each major type.  Please refer to the sources I cited in the first post here for more information.  I've loved sharing these insights with you and hope you have found them helpful.

Another important thing to remember is that the personality our ego has constructed to help us in this human body life is not the be all, end all of what and who we are.  We can grow into greatest emotional health by exploring these types and aiming for our highest good.  AND above and beyond these types lies our True Self -- the constant, never changing, always watching and supporting Essence of our Soul.  In Elizabeth's Yoga Nidra class today, she reminded us of this place with her guided meditation.  We are so much more than the personality we have developed and we can use various tools to touch this place of "beyond".  The Enneagram and Yoga are two important tools to help us on our path.

*************************

TYPE EIGHT:  Known as the "Asserter" or the "Challenger", the TYPE EIGHT has a strong personality characterized by being direct, authoritative, protective, self-confident, and loyal. The Eight enjoys taking on challenges and also enjoy challenging others.  They are natural protectors who will go to great lengths to ensure the safety of those in their care.  They are persistent, showing great endurance when pursuing a goal or interest they find worthy.  They show great leadership, not caring to follow the crowd, and have a solid and commanding presence.  The TYPE EIGHT often runs into trouble when their intense personality is misinterpreted by others as too abrasive.  Eights like a good argument and often can push the limits and make people feel intimidated or overpowered by their passion.  They may persist too long and raise their voices.  But while others may interpret this as being "bullied", generally the Eight sees this as a normal interaction, just trying to make a good point.   

The TYPE EIGHT may have heard a message like "You are good or okay if you are strong and in control of your situation."  This leads to a fear of being harmed or controlled by others.  Their deepest desire is to protect themselves and determine their own course in life.  Consequently the Eight often has a hard time taking advice, compromising, or trusting very many people.  The Eight can feel threatened and find a "fight" where there is none.  At the very same time, under this challenging exterior, the Eight has a huge loving heart and a very tender vulnerability that they have a hard time revealing except to a very chosen few.  They can be amazingly generous and insightful, have concern for others' welfare, watching closely for unique ways to show their love and care.

The TYPE EIGHT in the Covid crisis might initially decide that silly virus cannot touch them!  I dare ya!  But they are also practical and face reality head on.  They would carve out a path of "normalcy" in going about their lives as usual, but would also try (maybe not consistently) to take necessary precautions. They would want to help and protect those close to them, offering solace, distraction, and encouragement.  They will be eager to help as a way of showing protection -- getting groceries so a more health-compromised person doesn't have to.  But they might also take risks, feeling they are impervious to the virus.

TYPE EIGHTS can move to a healthier place by learning to open their vulnerable hearts to others.  Eights show this often in their love of, and ease with, children or animals, when they feel freer to let down their guard.  They do not have to always be strong and in control to be safe, which is a valuable learning for an Eight, but a lesson they will need to practice to stay in touch with it.  The Eight can be as intensely loving as they are challenging, and finding this balance will help integrate the intensity of emotions the Eight feels.

YOGA FOR THE TYPE EIGHT:  The Eight does not need strong Warrior type poses.  You might want to include a gentle flow into their practice.  Heart opening poses such as Cobra or Bow will allow you to expand your chest and lead with their hearts.  Deep hip opening poses, like Frog, can often help access deep emotions.  Finding restorative, meditative poses will allow you to practice letting down your guard and resting in safety and comfort.

Type Eights are the enigma of the Enneagram.  Intensely assertive and intensively sensitive they can yell in anger (publicly) and cry in grief (privately) in equal measure. They are serious and funny, strong and soft, self-promoting and self-deprecating.  Eights, we depend on your strength and appreciate your protection, but we see the toll this can take on your ability to share your true self with others.  Be gentle with yourself; show us your heart.  There is great strength in your vulnerability.

************************

TYPE NINE:  "The Peacemaker", Nines are pleasant, patient, generous, empathic, and receptive. Nines seek to avoid conflict and want to always find peace and harmony internally and externally.  They do not like to get angry, or feel out of sync with others. They have a hard time forming an opinion or following through on their own ideas, especially if they are challenged or intimidated by someone they see as having more strength. The Nine is often thought of as an amalgam of all the other types, having some of the best aspects of each, but never feeling they are fully themselves.  This melding into the characteristics of others is the challenge for Nines -- to assert their own independence.

The Nine may have heard a message like, "You are good or okay as long as those around you are good or okay."  This co-dependent message becomes a life goal for the Nine -- making sure others are okay so they can feel okay too.  They fear being lost or separated from others and work hard to maintain stability and peace of mind.  Often this takes on the form of people-pleasing or of always looking for a silver lining.  This is not bad, but can be limiting.  The Nine often feels they are living half a life, shutting out all "darkness" and trouble, seeking only peace and calm, which is unrealistic.  They may end up in jobs they don't like, in relationships that are less than ideal, with friends that don't quite fit, but the fear of conflict or of hurting another's feelings is too big a risk for a Nine to take to find their own true happiness.  They tend to "go along to get along" and try to find a way to make everyone else happy, which keeps the peace externally, but can bring up dreaded (and repressed) anger internally.

The TYPE NINE in the Covid crisis would be concerned but perhaps slow to embrace the magnitude of the issue.  They would follow the lead of others around them in their response.  They will be generous and caring, looking out for others and doing all they could to ensure others are feeling healthy, safe, and cared for, even if they themselves might question the seriousness of the situation.  They will try to find the bright side, looking for optimistic outcomes.  They will generally follow the rules although "cheating" on them might also bring the Nine a bit of release from their constant self-restraint; they can often act out their anger passive-aggressively.

The Nine can move to a healthier place by fully engaging in their lives in the present moment.  They may have a habit of escaping into a fantasy "what if" life (or a deeply "blissed out" spiritual life) that ultimately is unsatisfying.  By living in this fantasy, they may have a hard time showing up in their own real lives, instead "checking out", and "going with the flow" to the point of being a passive observer to their own experience.  To find their true self, they need to learn to acknowledge and express anger and to face the fear of taking a risk on disrupting the peace.  Learning to be assertive will serve the Nine in growing toward a fully lived life.

YOGA FOR THE TYPE NINE:  Nines need to find inner strength.  A Sun Salutation practice will get you moving through a strong flow.  Core poses like Plank and Boat will allow you to focus on inner energy.  Deep hip openers often provide access to intense, hidden emotions.

Nines are selfless, gentle, kind, and generous -- all good qualities much needed in a harsh world.  We love the safety and peace we feel with Nines.  Yet, for you to be fully in your gentle power we need to see the whole, real you -- warts and all.  Asserting yourself confidently will not make us leave you; we will love you all the more.  ©

Namaste, donnajurene

Photo Credits: pixabay; wikipedia; yoga journal