Asana, Pranayama, and Yoga Practice

Discussion of physical aspects of yoga (on and off the mat)

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    April Greetings–Delving into the Essential (Web Version of E-Newsletter)

    ByElizabeth

    Dear Friends,

    It has been a mind-boggling several weeks.  The magnitude of the upheavals and the impact on all of the world, including human beings, is beyond my ability to grasp.  Closer up than the unfolding devastation in Japan and the escalating war in Libya, which daily adds to the bankrupting of this country and planet by our wars, I found myself supporting committed organizations, signing petitions, and writing emails saying that I preferred to be locked out of my work place with no pay than to have taken away any existing protection of the environment or provision health care for low income women.  As my mind tries to expand enough to stay present and active, I am more grateful every day to have and share the practice of yoga.

    Practicing helps us minimize suffering by changing how we relate to pain and the full range of human emotion.  The goal, I think, is to fully and joyously engage in life with an intention to live as harmoniously as possible with all beings, including our individual selves, and simultaneously appreciate and be wonderstruck at the extraordinary and wild vastness of being that makes the time and space of the known universe seem finite relative to life (lives) on earth.  When we can find both perspectives simultaneously, then we can be engaged, but not attached (vairagya).

    How do we focus this intention to live fully and harmoniously in this way?    In the past six weeks, I have had the unbelievably fortuitous combination of circumstances to be able to study with John Friend for three days; to attend the Mahasivaratri celebration with Douglas Brooks, Krishna Das, John Friend, Amy Ippoliti, and Sianna Sherman; Ross Rayburn for a weekend workshop at Willow Street;; Desiree Rumbaugh at a special three-hour practice the following week at Willow Street; and Paul Muller-Ortega via telephone conference.

    Wow, that was a whole lot of input for my practice and contemplation, while living itself was getting more intense.  But, it turned out not to be too much because of the singularity of the teachings.  The message I heard from all of these teachers in their own unique and inspiring voices was that is is a good time to get down to get back to basics, or to put it another way, to explore more deeply the essential principles of practice (and of life).  By getting back to the basics in the practice, we can start knowing at a deeper level what is essential for us to relate as deeply and joyously and non-harmingly (yes, I know it isn’t a word, but I’d like it if it were) on and off the mat to ourselves and all in our web of relationship.

    In both my practice and my public class offerings, this Spring, I am especially focused on exploring what is essential to experience life at its most joyous while still be conscious and committed to the need for effort to change.  In addition to continuing my regular class offerings, I am pleased to be offering a short course in restorative yoga at Willow Street, “Cultivating Relaxation with Restorative Yoga.”

    Restorative yoga is perfect whether you are looking for a gentler way to get started with yoga, an opportunity to relax, or alternative practices for when you are feeling stiff or in pain, or a way for advanced practitioners to explore the alignment principles at the subtlest levels. We will explore a variety of types of supported postures and prop-assisted stretches to enable you to relax into optimal alignment, discover your own space of deep rest and peacefulness, and open your body. The course will also offer simple techniques to ease into sleep, find mini-relaxation moments when things are hectic, and sweeten your home practice–what could be of better service these days?  Everybody welcome. 6 Thursdays, 4/21-5/26.

    To get news in between the occasional email offerings or to see my latest short thoughts, please “like” my new “Rose Garden Yoga” page on Facebook.

    I look forward to seeing you in person soon.  As always, please feel comfortable being in touch by comment on the blog or by email.
    Peace and light,

    Elizabeth

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    Uncertainty

    ByElizabeth

    Like the financial markets, I historically do not respond well to uncertainty, even when nothing bad has yet happened. To have the government shutdown looming (and all the preparations to be forced off the work place next week) in the midst of the escalation of war, chaos following natural disasters, and looming threats to the environment and most of what I hold dear socio-politically is pushing my buttons.

    This morning, as I rose from my morning meditation, refreshed and ready for the day, I reminded myself of the absolute certainty that as long as I am conscious, I can meditate. And as long as I can meditate, I have a space of peace, beauty, vibrancy available to me. That is a wonderful certainty indeed in these uncertain times.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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    “I Don’t Care If It Rains or Freezes…” (and freedom from the pairs of opposites)

    ByElizabeth

    When I was walking into work in the cold rain this morning, the song “Plastic Jesus” arose in my head.  I thought that I didn’t know many of the lyrics, but when I got back and checked for recordings to see just how much I was missing, I realized it was because there aren’t many lyrics.  Here is Paul Newman singing it in Cool Hand Luke.  The Levellers have a great cover (with some variations on the lyrics–listen carefully), as do the Flaming Lips.  The original is harder to find.

    With it’s gentle tongue in cheek message, the song invites us to contemplate the real purpose of any spiritual practice (including the yoga — see, for example, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, at 2.46-2.48):  to be sufficiently full of love and devotion and recognition of spirit, that we are not ungrounded or driven to suffering when faced with discomfort or inconvenience.  And if we get really good, freedom from suffering in the face of true pain, loss, and outrage.  That is, of course, a key reason for practicing.

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    Making Beauty

    ByElizabeth

    My top word for the week is “dank,” which evokes so much in so little space.

    I was attending a conference for much of the early part of the week and simultaneously needed to meet a combination of expected and unexpected deadlines.

    I had the delight and nourishment, though, of my daily practice and teaching.

    Through making art — however we do it — we find the beauty that is there. Even in the circa 1974, tied for the second ugliest building on the National Mall, Frances Perkins Department of Labor Building before 8am on another dank morning.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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    Found Exhortation?

    ByElizabeth

    Could you find your innards gorgeous–the blood, sinovial fluid, organs of digestion and elimination? What about your inner thoughts and memories, the ones you do not want to share?

    That, of course, is not the point, here. What does it mean to be gorgeous inside? As a found exhortation it is to invite us to find (and seek) the wondrous and exquisite place where external (including your internal critic) judgment and values become irrelevant (even while recognizing that we are still working on things).

    To find that gorgeous and glorious inner space and rest in it is one of the reasons to meditate–especially those of us who have a tendency to hear at times all too loudly the inner and outer voices of criticism.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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    ByElizabeth

    I have had a more stressful than usual couple of weeks at the office. While I was walking into the office, I was thinking about how the more deadlines I needed to meet and the more difficult interchanges I had to bring to the most optimal resolution, the harder it was also to have energy to give to those who are in far greater need, though I seek ways to be of service.

    When I saw the oversized half moon dwarfed by the cherry blossoms, it helped put things in perspective. Nothing I do immediately impacts life or death. A hard week does not mean much in my life as a whole, my tribulations are only so much play in the midst of the outrageous ground of all human being, human being is only one small part of life on this planet in this galaxy in this universe, and who knows how vast is the realm of consciousness. I smiled at the moon and the blossoms and thought of their beauty throughout the day.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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    Yoga for the Unexpected Cold Spell This Saturday (Web Version of E-News)

    ByElizabeth

    Dear Yogis–

    Rain and unseasonable weather in the weekend forecast have you wondering where is Spring?  Instead of longing for the missing Spring, dig deep into the seeds of relaxation with a bolster, seven blankets (give or take a few), and other body and heart warmers, this Saturday at the final “Relaxing into Optimal Alignment”:

    Saturday, March 26th, 2:30-4:30p, Willow Street Yoga Center, Takoma Park, $30
    After a little gentle stretching and self-massage to bring awareness to the breath and body, we will enjoy the exquisite application of Anusara’s® Universal Principles of Alignment to restful and supported restorative postures to release old patterns and invite in the new to find greater ease of body and mind.

    Hope to see you Saturday for our own breath of Spring and do please invite your friends; experienced yogis and complete novices are all welcome.

    ps I know I offered to sign a few people up for the blog.  Alas, I cannot do that for you from my computer.  If you want to get emails with the latest blog entries, please go to http://www.rosegardenyoga.com/follow-my-blog, and follow the simple instructions there.  I’ve gotten great feedback on the email version as an easy way to be in touch, so please join us.

    Peace and light,

    Elizabeth

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    The Hip, the Truly Hip, and the Tragically Hip (and What Does That Have to Do with Meditation?)

    ByElizabeth

    I always find articles on the “spiritual” practices of the rich and famous fascinating.  Does reading this article make you more or less interested in your own practice or does it not make any difference to you at all?  Contemplation on which is your answer (might be a combination) is sure to give insight to your relationship both to society and to your practice.

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    Addicted to Meditating?

    ByElizabeth

    I am taking off most of the work day so that I can attend a special three-hour asana practice at Willow Street Yoga with Desiree Rumbaugh. In order to get done things that should not wait until Monday, I chose to start working at 6, so I could forget about work when I left for Silver Spring at 9 am for the workshop. I needed my usual practice time to get done what needed to be done in the time allotted.

    I noticed that I felt just a little edgier and less grounded this morning. Was it just feeling the pressure of needing to get things done or was it not having done my usual practice?

    As I contemplated this question, I invited into myself the feelings I get from practicing, which I could do precisely because it is the first morning in a couple hundred mornings I have not sat for meditation.

    What is important, though, is not to be addicted (with the side effects that come with any addiction when deprived), even as we are wholly committed to practice to have its benefits keep growing.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.