Practicing in Life

Reading the weekly blogs has been so much fun and has given me so much to think about.  There is much going on out there and I would like you all to consider starting to post some of your experiences as I believe everyone could benefit from each other’s stories.  One thing that has been coming up this week is the realization that our yoga practice can be so many things.  The immersion is about spending time everyday in some kind of formal yoga practice.  However, the truth is that our day to day lives provide the perfect stage for practicing all that we have learned through our formal practice.  What we do on a daily basis, how we spend our time, how we interact with the people around us, how we relate to ourselves, this is all our practice too.   Patanjali gives a definition of yoga in the Yoga Sutras.  He says “Yogash chita vritti nirodha” which means that yoga is the stilling of the thought waves in the mind.  When we practice, whatever our practice may be, this is what we’re working on – gaining some mastery over our minds.  But as we all know, this is so hard to do.   The mind likes to be all over the place, to obsess, to create drama.  It’s interesting to watch  what happens in the mind – what are our tendencies, habits, thought patterns, how do we handle difficulties and successes? At the same time, can we acknowledge what’s happening and then move on without tacking on our opinions or judgments to these thoughts.  Can we train the mind to listen to us, to come back to what is happening in this moment instead of being carried away, lost in thought, dwelling on what the mind presents to us, making that thought take over every space in the mind so there’s no room for anything else.  

Our lives are full of opportunities to work with the mind.  If you find you can’t get to your mat one day, don’t let that stop you from practicing. 

-kyra

Confessions

This post was written by one of our mysore students.  It is so honest, I just love it.   

If you would like to post something (anything... a subject or questions), please send it to alicia at info@ashtangayogarichmond.com and I will post it.  

When I last posted on this blog I talked about how great it was to make a commitment to do some practice everyday because it assured me that, even when life gets overwhelming, I would take at least 15 minutes for some meditation.

Well, last weekend ended up being emotionally exhausting. I spent Saturday hungover and Sunday in premenstrual tears. I did rally enough to go to superbowl party!

Throughout the weekend, I kept thinking – I need to do some practice, what I am I going to write in my log? I did some sun salutations, I started trying to meditate- maybe five minutes if I am going to be generous.

Here is the worst thing….I considered lying on the log. Well, I mean not really lying, just a little exaggerating. When I caught myself having those thoughts I realized this was the yoga lesson of the weekend.  What was worrying me? Was I ashamed? Did I feel like I had failed? That I would be judged? How I could I work at letting that go? At accepting what was, what is, and starting again?  Our yoga practices allow us to pay attention to thoughts and feelings in a way that though, hard and challenging, is deeply rewarding. One of the hardest things in the Ashtanga practice is accepting where one is at, not feeling like a failure when struggling to bind, or jump through, or drop back…I think harder than doing any of the postures is being able to see those emotions come and let them go.

So, you see. I did practice after all.

Inspiration from Reading

“The media drown us in such a low image of the human being that it is essen­tial to remind our­selves con­stantly of some­thing higher.”

“Books cho­sen from the annals of mys­ti­cism should be read slowly and well. We are not after infor­ma­tion, but under­stand­ing and inspi­ra­tion. Take in a lit­tle every day, reflect on it, and then try to prac­tice what you have learned.”   - Eknath Easwaran

We are two weeks into the immersion and we’ve had some time to get through a bit of reading.  A lot of these readings are pretty dense, packed with so much useful information about how to move further along on this yogic path.  It’s the kind of readings that take time and thoughtfulness but eventually we start to make a connection with our own lives and this journey that we have embarked upon. 

Easwaran is one of my favorite authors because he teaches what he knows, what he has experienced directly, and he shares this information in such a down to earth, storytelling style which is so easy to grasp.  He tells us how to cope with our feelings and cravings, how to interact more lovingly with our families and the world around us, how to discover our true selves, hidden away under so many layers of crud.   My favorite message that is repeated throughout all of Easwaran’s writings is that we are so much more than we can imagine – that we all have the divine within us, waiting to be uncovered.  Imagine that, with all my imperfections, insecurities, and attachments, that I have perfection just waiting inside me to be discovered.   It is uplifting messages such as these that inspire and excite me and keeps me plugging along on this path.

  

“We are not cabin dwellers, born to a life cramped and confined; we are meant to explore, to seek, to push the limits of our potential as human beings.”  - Eknath Easwaran

What have you been reading and have you found any passages that speak to you or have inspired you in some way?

-kyra

Calming the Mind

Today is day 7, the end of the first week.  Any thoughts or experiences you would like to share so far?

I have talked briefly with some of you this past week and meditation seems to be the biggest challenge.  From my own experience,  developing a regular meditation practice took several years of curiosity and dabbling with different techniques before I made the commitment to a daily practice.  This is a topic that Kyra and I have talked in great length about....how to support those of you who are just getting started without "teaching" meditation or a specific method.  There are many schools of thought and technique on meditation and just like asana, we would advise that you experience them for yourself and find out what speaks to you.  I believe that most of us come to the proverbial cushion with a desire to calm the mind and find more peace in our lives.  Our lives are filled with a constant stream of distractions, multi-tasking and overstimulation.  And then we expect that when we come to the cushion, all of those distractions should just fade away.  When that doesn't happen, we are somehow deflated by the experience and the mind tells us a convincing story about why meditation is not for us.

Meditation is a practice and if it were easy, everyone would already be doing it.  I hear a lot of students say they would like to meditate but they just can't sit still or their minds won't stop racing.  Isn't that the case for all of us!  When do we get the opportunity in our lives to practice 'sitting still' or for that matter, do we even want to sit still?  How boring?  The distractions are so appealing and entertaining, who wants to give them up?  This is the work.  And I have the same struggles as you.  I continually have days where I am carried away in thought during meditation or I just don't want to make the time for it.  But I am also aware of the subtle changes that I have noticed in my life through meditation.

So here is some advice if you are struggling with meditation....Begin your meditation practice by making the time, staying committed to it (all that comes up) and starting again if you fall off.   If meditation is new for you, instead of coming to your cushion "to meditate", come to your cushion to practice being still and observe what goes on.  There are many techniques for quieting the mind such as following the breath, counting breaths or repeating a mantra or passage.  Try one of these techniques and see how it goes.  Take time to set yourself up so that you are comfortable (your hips are higher than your knees) or if sitting on the floor causes you too much pain, sit in a chair.   Begin again!

"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet.
It's a way of entering into the quiet that's already there
Buried under the 50,000 thoughts
The average person thinks every day."
~ Deepak Chopra ~ 

Welcome to Day 3

In starting the immersion, we wanted to give the participants a chance to think about why they wanted to participate and what they hoped to get out of the experience.  Overwhelmingly, the responses were so similar.  We all seem to be looking for peace, a calm mind, a way to quiet our restlessness.  The hope seems to be that a daily yoga practice could be the start of this transformation.  So, is this a realistic expectation?  Can a consistent and sustained yoga practice bring more peace and clarity to our minds and our lives?

Absolutely!  Everything that we do, every interaction that we have, how we spend our days, inevitably determines our tomorrows.  If we learn to regularly spend time practicing asana - being fully present with our breath and learning to stay in the moment, then over time we learn to be present in our lives rather than allowing our minds to drag us here and there.  If we spend time regularly sitting quietly in meditation, we learn to slow down a bit and find some space and stillness in our minds.  If we spend time reading yogic texts, especially from mystics who have already travelled the path that we are interested in, we cannot help but get inspired and feel possibilities open. 

When I graduated from college my mom gave me the book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss.  The book promised an adventure: “Congratulations!  You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!”  I was stepping into unfamiliar territory (being on my own) which was scary but at the same time there was great excitement bubbling all around me.  The immersion has seemed to create a lot of the same excitement.    After all, we’re about to take off on a great adventure into the unknown.  The journey is so thrilling; the prospect of change creates some discipline which in turn creates a bit of momentum.  However, inevitably, something will happen.  We will take a wrong turn, or come to a place where we feel lost, alone and confused.  We may even say to ourselves that we’ve had enough adventure – that we’d rather just give up or go back to our old ways.   There are always difficulties in every great quest.  “But on you will go though the weather be foul.  On you will go though your enemies prowl.”   The only way to find our way home is to continue the journey. 

As Dr. Seuss says “you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting.  So… get on your way!”

-       kyra

Yoga Immersion Starts Tomorrow

Alaina Stengel, Amanda Strelzik, Angela Leuerer, Annie Thompson, Brittney DeRizzio, Chris Dunn, Dave Trickey, David, McCusty, Dawn Thiselton, Elena Kwon, Elizabeth Prom, Elizabeth Sobka, Erin Barrett, Floyd Carlton, Jenn Rockwell, Jennifer Schooler, Jenny Johnson, Jodi Kuhn, John Perona, Josie Davis, Julie Linker, Katie Austin, Katie Benson, Kelly Lindamood, Kendra Taylor, Kevin Brinkley, Laura Hughes, Linda Dunn, Liz Borecky, Mallory Clemmons, Miriam McCormick, Nancy White, Patrice Richardson, Peggy Walz, Rebecca Bowen, Rebecca Merrick, Renee Perron, Richard Borecky, Rob Caudle, Samin Ahmad, Sandi Grivat, Sarah Golding, Shannon Spangler, Sheila Burris, Sherry Hillis, Summer Donovan, Suzanne Mach, Tara Dacey, Tish Campbell, Tom Kelly, Trina Chakrabortty, Vineeta Shaw, Wendy Warren

What a great response we have had for participation in the immersion.  I have so enjoyed reading the registration forms and hearing why you are interested in participating.  The forms have generated several good topics for discussion that we will get into over the next month.  Since we are not all reading the same books, if there is a topic you would like discussed through the blog...please send it to me at info@ashtangayogarichmond.com

Overall there seems to be very little fear and a lot of excitement about the start of the immersion.  So now the work begins.  But what does that mean??  In my opinion, the work is in the commitment and the rest will unfold.  You commit to a practice (asana, reading or meditation) everyday and see what happens.  The easeful, the restless, the boredom and the list goes on and on.  Try not to create undo stress, take one day at a time and set up a realistic amount of practice time.  The intent for creating the immersion was to create a format for students to dig deeper and examine what yoga means to them.   This is your opportunity to learn more about yourself.  We are here to support you on that journey, but the work will come from within you.  If you have a "not so favorable" experience or day, make a note and start fresh the next day.  Don't let the "not so favorable" experiences take you down the road of "I can't do this", "this is stupid"and "I don't have time".  True transformation takes time and effort, so look at this time (30 days) as a chance to awaken or get a glimpse of something new.  And try to have some fun in the process.
Alicia 

30 DAY YOGA IMMERSION

The 30 day yoga immersion is about making a commitment to yourself to explore your yoga practice on all levels.  This is not a new year’s resolution or a physical challenge of any kind.  It is also not a step by step guide that will give you all of the answers.  It is an exploration of yourself and we hope that whatever you observe along the way will aid in your spiritual growth.


The yoga immersion starts on Wednesday, January 25 and goes through Friday, February 24.  There is no extra charge for the immersion, although all students participating must register at the studio and turn in a questionnaire before Jan 25th.  You will also be asked to turn in a weekly log of your practice time each week.  All participants are invited to attend a pot luck celebration on Friday, February 24 at 6pm to reflect upon their experiences and where to go from here.


Students participating in the immersion must commit to 30 days of practice.  A practice consists of one of the following AND DOES NOT HAVE TO BE DONE AT THE STUDIO: 

– 15 minutes meditation

– 30 minutes reading (suggested readings are available)
– 45 minutes asana
These are minimums and you are encouraged to incorporate all three practices into your immersion.  For those students that already have a consistent daily asana practice, it is suggested that you add meditation or reading to your asana practice.  It is easy to gravitate towards what comes natural and although there is nothing wrong with that, this is the time to challenge yourself and see what comes up?

We will be using the AYR blog to communicate as a group.  Our hope is that we can rely on each other for support and motivation and to share our personal experiences and reflections throughout the month.  If you have any personal comments or would like to ask a question to a specific teacher that you do not want to share with the group, you are welcome to write these on your weekly log.  The teacher will respond to your comment through email or in person if possible.

There is a suggested reading list available at the studio if you need help with choosing a book.  

We will also be offering the following group meditations if you are brand new to meditation or would like company when practicing meditation.  These classes are free to all.

Sundays (Jan 29, Feb 5, Feb 12, Feb 19) 11:15am-11:30am with Kyra

Tuesdays (Feb 7, Feb 21) 5:15pm – 5:30pm with Alicia 

Thursday (Feb 2, Feb 16) 6:00am-6:15am with Alicia