What's Your Yoga?

Recently, I had the amazing opportunity of guest instructing at a local yoga teacher training program. Twice in one week, I traveled to a beautiful little Alaskan college campus tucked away in the woods next to a small lake with the mountains of the Chugach range hovering in the distance.  Impressive!

My topic? Introducing Patanjali along with the Yamas and the Niyamas.  Quite an undertaking in a total of six class hours.As we all sat together and discussed Patanjali's ideas, a question began to emerge that continues to stay with me even after our session ended.

What is yoga?

Of course, I could answer from Patanjali himself or with one of the descriptive definitions provided by his numerous commentators.

But...

What is my yoga?  What does it mean to me?

I would ask any reader of this blog.  What is your yoga?  How do you define the path you walk upon. This is worthy topic of contemplation.  So, I ask you dear yogis...

What is your yoga?

Add Gratitude to your Practice

Try writing a gratitude list before stepping onto the mat.  The simple act of listing the gifts of life with pen and paper can add so much to any yoga practice.  It's true! 

Long before any semblance of a consistent yoga practice, several people suggested starting my day with a gratitude list.  I sat at my desk the next morning halfheartedly attempted writing one, on one level hoping it worked and the other wanting to prove it a ridiculous suggestion.  It seemed simple but proved difficult while at the same time curiously engaging.   This process continued, and over time, the list grew from ten random listings to a whole page.  

Years later, an instructor in my teacher training program suggested that writing gratitude lists prepared the mind for yoga. This added a new awareness to the daily gratitude list. I soon found that it merged with my developing yoga practice and later with my path as an instructor.  The physical poses opened the body and brought along the mind.  The gratitude list opened the mind which then softened the body.  The combination of the two complimented one another.

Rather than take my word for it just try it.  See what happens.  If it doesn't work than put it aside.  If it does, then keep it.  Here are some simple suggestions how to start a gratitude list.

1. Start with you.  Begin by listing the obvious, you and the gift of being alive.  It could look like this-me, waking up, being alive, my body, being me, etc...

2. Recognize the obvious and simple things.  Hot showers, a bed, sleep, your home and its amenities, clothes, breakfast, a hot cup of coffee, electricity, the car out front.  The list will go on.  There are so many things to write down.

3. Nature provides us with so much.  Here is a great pool from which to acknowledge.  Light, sunshine, rain, snow, stars, trees, there are so many depending on one's preference.

4.  List family and friends.  It is always helpful to remind ourselves about the people who support us.  No guilt trips just jot down the people that you love and mean something special, wives, husbands, parents, siblings, children, best friends, and those people who we positively interact with on a regular basis.

5. Acknowledge what brings joy.  What is it that brings a smile into a life?  Yoga, travel, hobbies and so forth, it is important to write these down because they give so much to life.  Putting them on paper reminds one of these pleasures.

6. How about your career? Yes, our work is a huge part of our life.  We spend a huge part of our lives working.  One can list a vocation, work place, colleagues, and clients.  Maybe, this is a tough spot? Then, this practice might open up the eyes to actual good things in the arena of life.  

7. Remember the lessons of life. Every day teaches us so much if we open our eyes to these lessons.  It can be through the guidance of a teacher or through a challenge in life.  Regardless, we learn fresh perspectives and new ways in which to engage the world and in our daily affairs.  Thanks for those lessons.  

Start your gratitude list.  See what happens as you discover all the wonderful benefits in your life.  Share what you discover and pass on the joy.  Namaste

Yoga Trade Article:Thirty Days of Sun

All of you probably remember my road trip from Anchorage AK to Long Beach NY and back again, more importantly the Thirty Days of Sun Challenge that many of you participated in during the time of the summer solstice.  I wrote an article about this and Yoga Trade just posted it.  Check it out by following this link and let me know what you think.  

Setting the Foundations for a Home Practice

Before moving into something, it is helpful to investigate what creates a solid foundation for success.  Starting a home yoga practice is no different.   There is a lot out there about poses and sequence.  But, what about the preparation that leads to a consistent and sustainable practice?   Consider this the prologue or maybe even the prequel to the story that you want to see unfold.

#1 Set an intention and return to it everyday.  This helps manifest what we want in our lives.  Create a one line phrase, say to yourself, make it a mantra maybe write it down every day.  As you daily return to the desire for a home practice through your intention doors will start to open.  Soon enough, opportunities will present themselves to begin a sustainable practice. Try and see what happens.

#2 Find a studio that offers a regular wide range of classes and establish a regular routine of going to practice with others.  This introduces us to poses, practices and ideas as well as gives us ideas, community and a further resource.  Practicing alone needs inspiration from others and finding a yoga home will further the quest for a home practice.

#3 Start a gratitude list. Even though this doesn't seem to be part of  physical yoga practice think again.  Take a few moments in the morning or through out the day to list the things you are grateful for especially those connected to yoga.  The list will grow adding positive momentum to move forward.

#4 Create a space by finding a place in your home that will be the practice point.  This probably  involves cleaning up a bit and moving things around to have a place dedicated to your yoga.  Try purchasing some items to make  the space even more welcoming.  Treat yourself by getting a nice yoga mat and some props such as a block, strap and/or bolster then  create ambiance with some  tea candles an essential oils. Make it a special environment where you want to return to again and again.

Now, you are ready to begin. More questions on the how?  Don't worry more to come...

Salutation Lesson #3

Many lessons come from my experiment of doing thirty consistent days of sun salutations.  Previously, I listed two others and for this entree's purpose have one more to describe.  This last one is truly the most important because it continues to resonate far after the thirty days ended.   Here it is...

Anybody can have a home yoga practice.

The daily returning to the same routine over the course of a period of time creates a consistent personalized practice.  As with any action performed over a span of days, it starts to become an internalized habit that continues long after the initial need or mandate.  Once there, it becomes part of one's daily experience, and a home yoga practice has been established.  It may sound rather simplistic but after all as the maxim goes, "Life is complicated; yoga is simple."

Try it on your own.  Find a version of the sun salutations (the simpler the form the better), practice for thirty days and see what happens.

If you are curious about the practice of sun salutations and the larger question of a home practice you might like my upcoming workshop on 1pm this Sunday (8/3) at Anchorage Yoga.  I will go over how one might start to discover a personal yoga routine and move forward with it.  Follow this link to find out more about this opportunity.

Salutation Lesson #2

The second lesson from having a regular practice of sun salutations...

Yoga is more than calisthenics!

It is easy to approach sun salutations or any other yoga practice as a form of exercise.  For sure, there are physical benefits that come with doing yoga on a regular basis. I know many people who come to yoga with this in mind. 

But...as I continue the practice of sun  salutations something else emerges that is beyond the physical results. There is a change that comes over my being shifting the mindset from one of limitation to openness. This comes from the joining of movement with breath and combining this with the intentional sequencing of one pose to another.  This creates a flow of energy from the head to the toes through the practice which saturates the entire being (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually). After the last sequence I stand on my mat in mountain pose completely grounded in the here an now. 

For me, this is a different experience than exercise ever gave me but after all that is just my perspective. Maybe try doing sun salutations regularily for thirty days and see what happens for you. I would love to hear about it. 

Namaste 

Salutations Lesson #1

It is well past the  mid point of the Thirty Days of Sun, the commitment to practice the ancient rite of sun salutations everyday. This has been very rewarding to say the least. I created this FB event to encourage others to join with me over the period surrounding the solstice in an attempt to further personal home practices. For me, it has been an on the road experience since the day I started also marked the embarkation day for a six week road trip from Anchorage AK to Long Beach NY and back. Needless to say, I have practiced in all sorts of places. Yoga studios, hotel rooms, garages, random slabs of concrete and before majestic views along side of the road have been just a few of the places where I have bowed to the sky discovering the ever rewarding lessons of sun salutations.

The first lesson is one of will. I realize I can do such a daily routine with my own inner drive.  There is nobody to keep me from just forgetting about it or deciding that I don't feel like it this or that day. Actually there is a side that always wants to be lazy and forget the practice. Maybe this is why my teachers say that making it to class is hardest step of a regular yoga practice. But through the act of agreeing with the commitment and then following it onto the mat ignites the yoga flame. My inner drive accepts this and rises up, taking over and leading me through one salutation after another. As I keep up with the practice, the drive becomes more powerful and takes me further each time. This drive becomes the teacher and makes me realize that I can follow something through to the end on the mat such as in salutations and in the world through other acts. 

May you too discover this wonderful inner drive and may it reward you off the mat.