Thank You God For Egg Nog And Yoga

YES IT IS

The first candle was lit on the Advent wreath yesterday in mass. I love the purple and pink candles against the dark greens. Thinking about it makes me calm… Of which I need frequent gulps right now.  All of a sudden in a mere few weeks my world is stormy seas like I haven’t felt for years. Challenges abound  in all directions of completely different qualities and ingredients. Maybe its just plain old stereo-typical holiday frenzy turned uber-stress. Maybe it’s the buzz (valid or not so) about the end of the Mayan calendar. Maybe it’s a mid-life crisis. Yeah, I’m that old now.  Which is why I have some good tools for this season of challenge. 

To find stillness amidst the places and times of confusion, anxiety, and over-whelm is a gleaming  gift of a consistent yoga practice. Sometimes so much hard stuff happens at once, it is understandable why people break down—get sick, get depressed, give up on intentions, or give up in general. I  believe that now would be one of those times for me but for my yoga practice and the immediate clarity it provides. The efficiency of entering the yoga zone is my pillar right now. My practice is keeping my spirits high, and my awareness tuned to the knowing that there is always Light. And I do believe that with the tasty treat of egg nog in my afternoon coffee, things are already looking up. PEACE JOY & LET THE HOLiDAZE BEGIN. OM SHANTi

Kirtan Happens

Birdsong brings relief to my longing. RUMI

The first incarnation of the Yoga Birds Kirtan Choir just happened at the studio! A huge thanks to all who participated.  It was a sincere endeavor into the unification of breath, voice, tone, vibration, and mantra. We did breathing and simple movement exercises to warm up the body. We did humming and singing long tones supported by the harmonium for vocal warm ups. The highlight was singing a complete song, Ganesha Sharanam, in traditional call and response Kirtan with harmonium accompaniment. All judgements about our voices and  blockages to the harmonious radiant inner Self were dissolved by breathing well and singing the words and melodies. It was so good! For me in kirtan, the real magic happens in the potent silent spaces between songs. The high vibration created by the voices and music is a tangible slice of the transformative powers of bhakti yoga. 

We are vibration and we are all one.

We will be doing it again next Sunday.

Press 'play' on the video above to sing Ganesha Sharanam kirtan with Jai Uttal.

JAYA GANESHA!

Ashtanga Yoga Resources

Marichyasana D

We have been having a great time exploring the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga at the studio. I found some super valuable resources, or 'cheat sheets' in PDF form on the internet at AshtangaYoga.Info. The sheets have the opening and closing invocations, all of the poses of the Surya Namaskars, Primary Series poses, 2nd Series poses, and finishing poses. I copied them front/back and then laminated the sheet. It's the perfect companion to my practice.

Use This Link To Go To The Cheat Sheets

PEACE PRACTICE & ALL IS COMING

Sr. Immaculata Chimes In

Free Your Voice! Fill The World With Your Positive Energy

This has been a year of new and exciting exploration into other styles and practices of yoga. The consistent Ashtanga practice is still going strong, making me stronger. It’s real gifts are in the subtle domain. I feel more in control of maintaining focus off the mat. This is good because I am hyper distracted otherwise. What freedom!

As I contemplate the end of the calendar year and start thinking about 2013 I feel great transformation on the horizon. There is so much challenge and suffering in everyone’s life, yet beauty and goodness always seem to save the day. This life is so much more manageable ‘one day at a time’. And when each day includes a few moments of pause and inner connection life’s preciousness is even more readily evident.

After a weekend of singing in kirtan with my friends in Prema Hara, I am all the more pumped about bringing the harmonium and singing into my yoga classes. At Christ The King, Sr. Immaculata used to say to us “Singing is praying twice.” I could not agree with her more.

This Sunday I am psyched to explore vocalizing breath and practicing some singing and chanting exercises from other cultures in the Vocal Yoga class at Yoga Birds. It is a three part series but drop-ins are welcome to join.

Come out and sing in community. Lets make some magic in Fairhope.

Peace Y’all 

Sketchy Yoga : Beautiful Art

“Any action done with beauty and purity, and in complete harmony of body, mind, and soul is art. In this way art elevates the artist. As Yoga fulfills the essential need of art, it is an art.” B.K.S. Iyengar

Yoga Sketch Artist

At the beginning of August I embarked on a 'new' yoga project. I committed to daily practice of the Primary Series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Way back in the earliest days of discovering yoga, it was Ashtanga that I was drawn to. I stared in wonder at all of the beautiful people flowing and floating their beautiful bodies as if they were swimming above ground.

Frankly, no matter how hard I tried, it just NEVER worked for me. I felt like a body of cinder blocks flinging, crashing, sinking, straining, huffing and puffing to keep up with the class. I love to flow  with my breath. But the tempo of Ashtanga…one breath, one movement never made sense for me. It was hard and hard on my body. Yoga should not hurt or leave one feeling defeated. At least I knew that from early on.

I have spent almost 17 years in the yoga rooms where alignment is primary and the poses are treated  like sculptures that are chiseled and refined ad infinitum.  I know lots of poses pretty well now. I know them for their physical benefits, therapeutic purposes, and as well as for their ‘editorial’ qualities. I love alignment based yoga for a zillion reasons. I am familiar with it and fascinated by it. I will tinker with asana forever.

Last month I needed to clear some negative energy in my life and make some changes. As a yogi knows…I had to start with shifting inside.  Literally my head hurt from thinking too much and from my ‘monkey mind’ taking over.  In my yoga practice I REALLY needed to get out of my head and my tendency to hyper-focus on ‘details’ of alignment. So. Tired. Of. Details. Ugh. The alignment approach, for the first time ever made me feel stuck.

Knowing that some form of asana practice would guide me to a lighter place, I revisited my old acquaintance, Ashtanga.  The Ashtanga Primary Series is essentially a very simple practice that requires less ‘thinking’ and more flowing. It is  a set sequence of poses that trains the student to concentrate awareness on BREATH BANDHAS and DRISHTI.  That’s it. Period. It’s more about awakening and harnessing energy than creating pretty poses. With practice, the poses do become light and fluid. But the only way it happens authentically and internally is with practice. 

The biggest hurdle for me in this practice is letting go of the ‘asana as masterpiece’ mentality—which is purely an exercise of checking my asana-ego. There is no time for refining, and sculpting.  I have to let the pose be what it is and move on.  Luckily my body ‘knows’ the poses on a deeper level.  Most of the forms are familiar to my body/mind so, the consistent and relatively fast paced transitioning from pose to pose does not agitate my nervous system. As my friend and Ashtanga teacher Chuck Frenkel said "You really do need to know what you're doing if you're getting into Ashtanga".  The more I practice, the more I want to practice. Not because I want to get better at the poses, but because I want to become more fluid in my breath, more steady with my gaze, and lighter internally from activating bandha awareness. And not just on the mat...

After a month of consistent practice, the energy has shifted. The necessary changes in my life have happened without much fanfare. Ashtanga Yoga...I think I am starting to get it. In yoga I feel like a brand new beginner all over again. Everyday I can not wait to get to my mat. What an amazing gift! 

 The artistry in the Iyengar and Anusara methods treat poses as a work of art forever in progress.  In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga the poses are like a series of quick charcoal sketches threaded together to weave a story of vinyasa.  Sculpt, weave, paint, sing, or sketch your yoga. It all makes this world a more beautiful place.

OM is where the art is.

Free To Be

Vegan Iced Chai Latte. YUM OM

It has been an excellent Firecracker Day. We had a completely full house this morning for the July 4^th special flow class. The opening 34-voice OMx3 was super rich and resonant. Total chills just thinking about it. The studio is CHARGED with great energy! 

The chai tea party after class could not have been more pleasant. We hung out for almost an hour in the newly spruced up ‘bamboo’ picnic area behind the studio. The blooming hibiscus and shade of the giant live oak tree are a perfect ‘apres yoga’ gathering place.

So, you might notice on the online class schedule that the name of my classes has been updated to ‘Flow & Form’. Lately I have been teaching a lot more flow in my classes. We still definitely keep good form and alignment in sharp focus. But weaving vinyasa through it has become more fun and interesting than ever.  Hence the new name.

Since I have the honor of teaching four mornings this week (which is a lot of teaching), I am offering basically the same class sequence every day, with a different theme and music playlist. Yesterday was ‘The Mountain’. Today was ‘Free Your Breath’ and tomorrow is ‘Ocean of the Heart’.  Saturday morning will be …well I haven’t gotten that far yet ;). The class is based liberally on the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa which is designed essentially to be an everyday (with a few exceptions) practice. Now, when I say liberal, I mean it! I’m having great fun mining my 30 year old record collection for gems and also indulging in some birthday iTunes gift cards for new music to rock out the vinyasas to.  

I am totally loving everybody’s singing along with the support of the harmonium to open and close the classes.  The vibration is wonderful and it really 'marks' the class as something special.

Things are changing, shifting, taking new form and shape. It’s beautifully and appropriately Flowing with Form. ‘In yoga as in life’, as my friend Augusta Kantra says.

We Are Blessed To Be Free

I wore my FREE TIBET shirt today. Our class was dedicated to all who are not free. We are incredibly fortunate to live and breathe in Fairhope Alabama USA, aka Eden.

I am grateful to my yoga practice for helping me stay present to the blessing of every breath here and now. I am grateful for challenge, for I will never be without a teacher. 

Here’s a challenge for you….come to as many yoga classes as possible this Summer. And watch it shift and change your body, your breath, and your life towards vibrant awareness, skill in action, and deep contentment. Keep on rockin’ yoga in the Free World.

OM SHANTI

Well, Obviously A Blog Post…

Yoga Birds Meditation Workshop 'Group Photo'

The meditation workshop was a great success. We explored and practiced traditional basic seated meditation which is always a joy to share in a group setting. It’s so much more challenging than it seems, the group dynamic is very supportive. Second, we indulged in coloring mandalas in a 30-minute meditation.  Check out the ‘group photo'.  Colorful expressions of the hearts of seriously beautiful souls!  Third we explored the basics of the Zen practice of walking meditation. We started walking very slowly around the perimeter of the studio for a five-minute guided walking meditation that gave directions as to where and how to use our feet and our steps as the object of our attention. Thich Nhat Hanh’s classic book and most famous quote “Peace Is Every Step” is at the essence of this meditation. After the intro we took our peaceful strides out on the street where they REALLY matter. Everyone slowed down and connected with their surroundings, and most everyone reported that it was challenging. Yes, slowing down, becoming mindful, and staying connected to peace is a practice. We ended the day with a guided yoga nidra practice. I led a meditation through the body during a 20 minute savasana. Most everyone felt like the time went faster.  The general consensus is that the day literally flew by.  As happens when Birds have fun!

Cherished Possession. Thich Nhat Hanh Original Caligraphy. 'Peace is Every Step'

In a nutshell, meditation connects us to our essence of Being which is peaceful, and wise. Regular practices like asana (yoga poses), pranayama (breathing exercises), seated meditation, or any moving meditation where you come into a zone of single pointed focus helps to sustain that connection to our higher state of consciousness. Moving and living from this clear state, our actions (the mundane to the grandiose)  become more graceful, we rise up with dignity to meet challenge and unfair situations, our steps become more peaceful upon the fragile Earth, and best of all we are fully present when the ‘good stuff’ is happening.  Today was especially good at the studio.

My vision and intention for Yoga Birds has always been to raise the bar on hatha yoga offerings in this community.  Every class, workshop, and teacher training I have offered has been in service of the vision. Modeling this studio after others like Yoga Works in Los Angeles and Swan River in New Orleans (which were my ‘home’ studios when I lived there), teachers must maintain a practice (1x/week) at the studio and maintain continuing education (I do not require the continuing-ed to be a Yoga Birds training). As much as I teach, I am twice that in unwavering studentship—both at the studio and in trainings with other teachers. One of the many reasons I hold myself to high standards in the realm of teaching yoga, is so that I may ask the same of all of the teachers at Yoga Birds.  It’s REALLY hard being the owner of a small business. I will leave it at that. So that I may continue to revel in the last few minutes of this gloriously enlightening day.

Just got home from the picture show where we saw the most fantastic 3-D movie….’Brave’. The gist of it is that everybody has dharma, and we must be courageous enough to follow our Path. Oh it could not have been more perfect.  

 

Please check online for changes to the July Class Schedule and  read about the upcoming beginners series, and advanced studies series on The Bhagavad Gita I am teaching. I hope you will come and practice yoga and sing to the harmonium with us some this Summer.

Thank you all for supporting Yoga Birds. 

OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI

Experience Your Peace of Mind

"In order to have peace and joy, you must succeed in having peace within each of your steps.  Your steps are the most important thing.  They decide everything.  I am lighting a stick of incense and joining my palms together as a lotus bud to pray for your success." - Thich Nhat Hanh

This Saturday at Yoga Birds, I am teaching a workshop on Meditation, Pranayama, & Yoga Nidra. We will explore and practice  Thich Nhat Hanh's walking meditation, various methods of seated meditation, coloring mandalas, pranayama techniques, and experience a full, led yoga nidra practice. 


The workshop is Saturday, June 30th from 12 - 5:30pm at Yoga Birds in Fairhope. 
Register online at www.yogabirds.com. Or register day-of at the studio. Contact info and directions can be found at the website. Workshop investment is $65.

I hope you can make it! 

"Peace Is Every Step" - Thich Nhat Hanh

Nervous Wreck? Triathlete? Wanna Go Deeper In Asana?

Does This Scenario Look Familiar?

Often I hear ..."When I get more flexible, I will come to see you in yoga".  If you have ever had an inkling of this thought, please read on...

Last week's Advanced Studies lesson hinged on the idea that flexibility is a function of the nervous system. Meaning, that when you are stretching, and  your body tells you (sometimes loudly) that you have reached the edge of the stretch, you have not really come to the end of the muscle's ability to lengthen, you have come the point where your nervous system can no longer handle the work. You have come to the current end point of comfort-ability, familiarity, and sustainability. Think about a pose like pigeon pose, or a seated forward fold (or some pose where you experience resistance). When you come to the place in the pose where sensation  overpowers breath and all of your senses, you (hopefully) back off to where you can breathe with ease and mindfulness. This discernment and mindful breath work at the 'edge of our ability' is actually the part of practice that is addressing and soothing the nervous system while simultaneously applying intense stimulus to 'go further'. It is in this moment that the body, breath, and subtle-body are sitting in 'round-table negotiations', communicating beyond the realm of intellect and language. The consistent practice of symbiosis of body, mind, breath, Spirit, and intention often allow us to move (possibly microscopically and incrementally) a little deeper into the pose, thereby cultivating more flexibility and a deep sense of calm where we once thought we were at 'the end of the rope'.  This lesson is applicable not only in asana, but in situations where we may need to cultivate a little bit more flexibility, but are facing resistance (whether our own or some other force's). Breathe in the face of challenge. Same lessons over and over, right?  It always comes back to the breath, doesn't it?
Meditation, pranayama, restorative yoga, yoga nidra, yin yoga...these are all practices that activate the parasympathetic nervous system which supports and is supported by quiet, calm, introspection, and the harmonizing of our energies. Interestingly, skillful resting practices are the key element to getting 'deeper' into our active adventures. Whether we are working 9-5 (or more), pursuing a triathlon season, engaging in an active asana yoga practice, raising kids in the beautifully hectic world, or simply feel frazzled, over-heated  and 'had it  up to here (insert hand gesture at forehead level)'...it's time to address taking care of your nervous system. Take time for breath practice, meditation, and the inner work of yoga to enhance and enrich the outer work in which we must or choose to endeavor. 

Re-Train Your Nervous System. Find Your Inner Peace

Check out these upcoming events I am offering at Yoga Birds.

Pranayama Yoga & Meditation
Saturday, June 30 , 1-5:30pm

 Meditations on Bhagavad Gita
Wednesdays,  July 11, 18, 25, 6-10pm
(asana practice followed by meditations and discussions)

Yoga Series For Brand New Beginners 
(go to week of July 10 at online schedule to sign up)
Tuesdays 5-6pm,  July 10, 17, 24, 31
(due to the progressive learning nature of the series, drop-ins are not permitted)

You CAN retrain your nervous system and reach new depths of peace in whatever you are doing... on and off the mat.

In PEACE LOVE PRACTICE & YOGA,

Melanie 

Change Re-Form Re-Pattern...Yoga For Life

Yoga does different things for different people. It can turn lethargy into action. It can turn a frazzled overworked person into a tranquil, peaceful being. Yoga brings us into balance. Yoga helps us to re-pattern negative and unhealthy behaviors. Since we are bodies of organic materials and over 60% water, we are in a constant state of flux from birth 'til death. Hence, we are forever re-patterning the ways in which we approach life in all realms- physical, mental, and spiritual.

In my 20's I lost 80 lbs. It happened after I started yoga. In natural succession I began to eat more consciously and then I started jogging regularly (which was a dreadful, awful, painful feat in my pre-weight loss years). All of a sudden, running was exhilarating and a mighty calorie burner too. Jackpot! Right? The combination of new healthy behaviors (combined with long-term sticking with them) resulted in the significant weight loss and the 'keeping it off' factor that is even harder to maintain.

A few years went by and the jogging started to take a toll on my body...achy joints, sore back, tight muscles. As well, the aggressive yoga practices that made me sweat and groan and push and push beyond my limits, and then pass out in savasana, had depleted me and injured me. After a defiant few years of not accepting that I needed to shift my behaviors (again, really?? So not fair!!...I whined and protested).

I knew I had to alter my patterns to accommodate for my changing and now imbalanced state. Fatigued and constantly achey does not a nice tag teacher make. These were hard lessons. Part of my resistance to 'change' was purely fear based as I was absolutely not going back to being 'the fat girl'- THAT was painful enough. But I also didn't know any other way to keep my weight and compulsive over-eating tendencies at bay. 'Cardio and hard-core yoga everyday or else!' worked so well for me for so long. But waking up nearly crippled from it one sad night in 2007 I knew the gig was up. I had to make changes.

In this quandary, I am not alone. All of the time I see people who have made great life changes and had success in becoming more healthy and balanced physically, mentally, and spiritually. But if we do not continue to keep a close eye on the delicate state of balance within and outside of ourselves, and adjust our behaviors and practices accordingly we will become imbalanced again.

I have mellowed out. I still practice yoga everyday, but I listen deeply to my body and abide (most of the time) by the inner teacher. My home practice is mostly pelvic-abdominal strengtheners, inversions, backbends, and any 'special' poses I want to explore working on to teach in classes. I sit for meditation six days a week. I LOVE going to a few classes a week at Yoga Birds when it fits into my schedule. I do not consider teaching times as my practice. Practice is a receiving, teaching is a giving. I like to keep those in equal balance. 12 hours of teaching = 12 hours of practice. I owe that to my students. I still jog once in a blue moon. I take long walks with the dogs in Fairhope (that's my FAVE). I do cardio twice a week on an elliptical or bike at the gym. Some days I have to force myself to kick up my heartbeat. Some days I have to make myself do restorative poses to bring my energy down. It seems that what I am most resistant to on a certain day is the missing link that will bring me more into balance. Most days I sit at a desk for many hours. Movement is vital for me to have any energy to work with.

Because of my beloved longtime practice of yoga and turning inward, I take pauses regularly throughout the day for self-inquiry. I often ask myself 'Is this bringing me into balance?' and then I proceed with a little more clarity. These are the gifts yoga. Everyday is different. Everyday our bodies are different. Our behaviors and actions, must honor the constant changing state of nature, otherwise we hurt ourselves.

I look forward to inevitable change and opportunities to really put this practice to use. I am so happy and grateful to be on this path with all of you yogis and friends.

Enjoy this Time. Enjoy this Life. Enjoy this Breath. Enjoy Yoga. Enjoy yourSelf Everyday.

Peace Love and Yoga Y'all.

 

YOGA...Only If You Want To Know Your Self

BKS Iyengar is quoted as saying "the yoga pose begins when you want to come out." If it were always easy peasy, yoga would not be the enriching, enlightening, life saving experience that it is. Yoga is essentially a study of the Self. I recently heard a teacher say that yoga practice is a selfish endeavor. I don't know if I agree with that. I believe that yoga as a practice of heightened awareness of Self is vital for continual development and growth as humans in constantly evolving bodies in a perpetually changing world. If we don't practice continually connecting with the deeper parts of our psyche and consciousness, then life gets or stays hard and feels defeating, or we end up looking around one day asking ourselves, "how did I end up with this life?" or stating sadly, "this is not the life I envisioned for myself."

The asana we practice on the mats simulates challenges that we encounter in the 'real' world. The real yoga kicks in during the important moments, those crossroads moments that change the course of life and path for better or worse. Those situations that tap the deepest fears and test courage and usually make you want to turn and run as as fast as possible to somewhere...anywhere else and just bail. You know...the intense, but necessary conversations with your loved one where you MUST speak your heart's truth after holding back for far too long. Or when you MUST finally hold your grown child accountable for an irresponsible choice. Or when you MUST finally say no to a friend or relative.

In these moments the gifts of yoga practice (clarity, wisdom, balance, etc) enable proceeding gracefully. Human nature tends to lead to avoidance, or to 'come out' of the position, but when the yoga is at work, the fruits of our practice support the uncomfortable yet necessary actions vital to living from Truth and having the meaningful and good life that is the Divine right. This is not selfish. It is survival.

This week at YB, we begin a study series of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The text approaches the way of yoga not as a simple, linear path, rather, the Sutras lay out yoga as a method involving a radical change in the process of knowing ourSelves and experiencing the world. It gives techniques with which to analyze thought processes and to meet and lay bare our true human identity. Study of the Sutras is a map and a means of deepening self-understanding which makes us better citizens of humanity...better spouses, sisters, brothers, children, parents, friends.

In her translation of the Sutras, Nischala Joy Devi says "Seek not to learn the Sutras, instead seek to learn who is the one who studies the scripture".

I am truly excited to embark on this conversation on the Sutras and contemplation of my Self in the community context of Advanced Studies Series. Our greater Lower Alabama yoga community is growing -- not just in numbers, but in maturity and knowledge of the seminal, Classical texts of yoga. We becOMe more knowledgeable yogis...we becOMe our best Selves... This is the dream. We are, as a cOMmunity bringing the yoga hOMe. PEACE

Levitation Meditation...may the forces be with you

In an anatomy lesson with Leslie Kaminoff this week, he discussed gravity...the silent, all pervading force that is pulling every atom of matter strongly towards the center of the earth. Gravity is good. It provides stability.

The pull, which is constant, everywhere, and seemingly everlasting, can sometimes make us feel heavy and tired. Like we are made of cinder blocks, not light organic yogi handstand material. Whether we are feeling light or heavy at the moment, we all seem to be on a search for a relief from the enduring pull towards the dark center.

The obvious question is... If the force is so strong, why do we not in fact get sucked into the core mass of the planet? The answer lies in our perpetual quest to be 'relieved' of the gravitational pull, aka LEVITY, which (my fave 'take' on it) has been called "the pursuit of lightness of foot and heart" by Elder Lindhal.

In yoga and meditation, the simple seated asana (which, if you sit regularly, you know can be one of the most challenging of all yoga postures to maintain with integrity) we want to find a balance between these two natural forces. We want our pelvis and lower body to descend and our spine, torso, neck and the bowling ball that sits atop to ascend--effortlessly. Often, we have the opposite happening; we've got knees and groins ascending. Our chest, shoulders and spine are heavy and collapsing. And somehow we find ourselves TRYING SO HARD to just sit peacefully. WTF? These common tendencies cause inner discomfort, anxiety, torture, etc. Discomfort in meditation = inner turmoil and deafening 'bad' voices. Soooo not nice and defeating the purpose of meditation all together.

What is utterly fascinating about gravity and levity is that they are forces of nature...not of human doing. We simply have to surrender to the divine order of the Universe, turn in, refine or connection to the earth, become a willing participant and vessel or the life force energy to move through and within us and trust nature to do her thing. We have no authority over the forces, only the deep inner wisdom that, if we follow it, guides us to participate skillfully with them.

This principle of aligning and co-participating with the forces of nature does not just apply to the seat of meditation. The laws of nature live within us and apply to all of the actions that we take in our bodies whether on a yoga mat or out in the 'real world'. In yoga we call it 'root down to rise up', or 'create balanced action of muscle and organic energy', or 'press into the earth and feel the rebounding energy arise within you'. In life we call it equanimity. It's all gravity pulling us to the center and holding us steady as levity (also called support) counters it by pushing an ascending energy up through us with as much force. It is ultimately balanced, divinely designed, and absolutely F#*~ING BRILLIANT!

We're exploring gravity, levity, and 'lightness of foot and heart' all week in my asana classes. Expect more pranayama and meditation too! If I don't see you on a mat.....May the Forces be with you.

PEACE & LEVITATION,

Melanie

 

Where I Stand With Anusara Yoga

My Stand on The Anusara Drama

 

I preface this blog post with an apology to those of you who don't care or don't know about the recent scandal surrounding John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, the school in which I have trained, practiced, and have affiliated myself with since 2004.

 

As the only licensed Anusara teacher in Alabama, it would be irresponsible of me to disregard, ignore, or avoid addressing the situation and how it affects me, my teaching, and Yoga Birds.In short, the recent crumbling of the Anusara community (due to serious alleged and proven charges against John Friend's behaviors and abuses of power) does not affect me, the way I teach, or Yoga Birds in any way--other than it makes me sad to see my friends and colleagues suffer and it makes me angry that John Friend has tarnished the reputation of yoga in general.

 

I firmly stand by the method of implementing (in practice) and articulating (in teaching) the 5 Universal Principles of Alignment that were set forth as the foundation of asana practice in Anusara. I know from experience (good ones and not so good ones) and 16 years of unwavering studentship that the Anusara alignment principles make asana safe, therapeutic, and accessible for the masses (of course there are always exceptions and anomalies when dealing with a fluid human body). I will continue to hold the space to teach yoga using the elegant alignment principles because they work and more importantly they heal. Asana practice without attention to alignment will eventually (if not quickly) erode and injure the human body. The Anusara alignment principles empower folks to learn and practice taking skillful actions in asana that create the conditions for optimal energy flow in the body. The principles of alignment heal the body, strengthen the body, create appropriate flexibility in the body, and radically awaken the innate intelligence of the body that is within every person. Every person can have an intelligent body (free of suffering) if one chooses to wake up and find their unique optimal alignment. I will continue to teach in the same way I have always taught, (in my humble opinion) with clarity, creativity, sometimes challenge, and always with a light heart and a sense of humor. As always, my teaching will evolve as I continue a steady home practice, and diligent, dedicated studentship. I will continue to be an asana yoga student of my teachers Christina Sell and Noah Maze. They have both (along with over 100 other Certified and Inspired Anusara Yoga teachers) resigned their licenses with Anusara, Inc. I will embark on a 500 hour training with Christina Sell this year through the School of Yoga that she and Darren Rhodes have created (and Noah has joined them). I continue my anatomy studies with Leslie Kaminoff of the Breathing Project in New York. I am overjoyed to begin studies in Kirtan and Bhakti Yoga with Daniel Tucker founder of Kirtan Central in Berkeley, CA. And for my 40th birthday this year I will finally make a long awaited trip to the Chopra Center in California for an in-depth Ayurveda treatment (panchakarma) and study other Ayurveda practices.

Evolution is a wonderful ride. I am grateful for every moment on the path, for learning to 'go with the flow' (instead of constantly swimming upstream) is truly a daily practice and commitment to the Self. Truthfully, my last two experiences as a student with John Friend were unfulfilling and frankly baffling in some instances. I felt my time, money and energy in this arena of yoga (asana and teacher training) would be better spent studying more with Christina and Noah. And so it will be.

I am very proud of all of the hard work and training that it took to become Anusara-Inspired. My understanding and practice of asana has advanced more than I could have ever imagined. Through the healing and therapeutic Anusara practice, I experience more joy and less suffering in this body now than I did as a child, teen, or young adult. For that, I am forever grateful to Anusara yoga and to John Friend for his brilliant articulation of the method early on. I consider it a huge achievement and a great honor to have been in the company of so many great yoga teachers who are/were Certified and Inspired Anusara teachers. I do not feel the need to 'officially' resign as so many of my colleagues have done. I will not renew my license with Anusara (if there even will be such an entity) this year and I will cease to call myself an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher. I just got a zillion new business cards with the Anusara-Inspired tag, and I will probably continue to use them so as not to waste paper. I actually consider myself an 'Anusara, Iyengar, Astanga, Jivamukti, Bikram, Bahkti, Muktananda, Bhagavad Gita - Inspired' Yoga Teacher. That's a little too much of a mouthful and doesn't look very pretty on a business card. Why don't we just call it CERTIFIED GUMBO YOGA? I WILL make that business card! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Peace Love & Yoga Forever, Melanie

 

Loving & Leaving

Delhi Departure

I awoke this morning feeling like myself, just a bit weak and dehydrated. A normal morning of shower and breakfast happened which I am ever so grateful. After being so ill, I have renewed gratitude for the little things. Not wanting to waste a day in India, I hired a car to take me into the city for some last day shopping for friends and family at Kahn Market. Just driving around in this foreign city, I gape out the window with the woderment of a child at EVERYTHING. Indian customs and standards are so different from home. The standard of cleanliness is one that is hard to get over, but you do. The custom of wearing beautiful saris on a daily basis is intriguing and beautiful. There is a sense of constant chaos here...on the roads, in the train station, in the markets...yet everything moves forward. People get to work, children get to school, the sun sets and the moon rises just like everywhere else. There are domestic problems, poverty, crime, and devastating pollution. There has been an upsetting election, there is scandal in Bollywood. In some regards it is not so different here, yet it is utterly foreign. This is why I love to travel. The importance to meet and know people of other cultures and see how they live is vital not only to reinforce the fact that we are all brothers and sisters on this planet, but also to validate our our place and path. For if we have nothing to base or compare our life's existence on but the small worlds we create in the patterns of our everyday lives, we might miss out on a life full with meaning and happiness. We must know more of the world to know more of ourSelves. Today I love Mother India and her kind hearted people, her dust and all the craziness, her strange take on efficiency and her rich Spirit. And today I couldn't be more happy to be departing this city of 13 million, and country of 1.3 billion for my small hometown of 24,000ish, my mom's gumbo, green Vitamix smoothies, my sweet sweet yoga community, and my colorful many legged extended family on Echo Lane. All One. All Love.

 

hOMe Sick (Again)

I preface this blog post with a disclaimer that it may be a bit 'graphic' or gross for you. But I have to write it how I see it tonight.

Yesterday I was in beautiful Rishikesh, meditating on a rock by the Ganges River. The world and my place in it felt expansive, breezy, and bright. Within 14 hours, I am doubled over with painful stomach cramps and severe nausea in a decent, clean (Indian standards) airport hotel. I am in Delhi, sick again with awful throwing up. My travel group had to proceed on to Agra without me, as our 9am departure time found me paralyzed with painful stomach cramps, sure to vomit again soon. And so it happened. I kept throwing up in Delhi and they left on a 5 hour bus ride to the Taj Mahal. I am a little bit sad to not be able to go with the group, but really just dealing with my current state of health in this moment. There are lots of tools like yoga and meditation that whip us right into a state of awareness of NOW. Being desperately sick on the wet floor of an Indian bathroom (because most showers do not have curtains and the floor level is the same throughout the whole of the bathroom) snaps me into the present moment. All I can do is say, 'inhale, exhale, and oh God'. And I mean it. I know that the Lord is with me, holding me. And I know I will be OK. With each breath I am grateful to be alive and I feel blessed. Then I throw up again. Seems odd to feel blessed in such a moment. It was really a disgusting and pitiful scenario.

At The Yoga Fest, in one of the spiritual lectures, the subject of distinguishing between pain and suffering was discussed. Sadhvi Bagavati said (and I summarize) that 'in our lifetime of embodiment there will be blood, we will fall and break bones, we will get sick and experience pain. These things happen and we do not have a choice in the matter. But the prolonged suffering of these situations and events is a choice.' It might be like while I am violently sick I would exacerbate it by trying to blame someone or something for my sickness, or to be angry that my body is reacting a certain way. Blame and anger would only make the already painful and unavoidable situation worse. Why would anyone choose to make it worse? But that happens often. In retrospect I look back a few hours on my wretched morning and feel good about where I am in my relationship to God and Self. Maybe it is because I have been at an ashram for a week practicing yoga, singing mantras, and meditating so near to Mother Ganga. Who knows....

Back to earlier this morning....As soon as I start feeling a little better I arrange to move to a much nicer hotel down the street that is geared toward international business travellers. And as all things in India are done in a round about fashion, I have a travel agent book the room, who then faxes a voucher to my current hotel. The voucher is what I use to check into the next hotel. Current hotel books a pre-paid taxi. I miraculously pack my suitcase, dress myself, and even manage to apply a tiny crystal bindi to my forehead. Interestingly, I find that if I dress more in the way of Indian customs, folks are more eager to help me. As I leave the DeeMarks Hotel, which our travel group has used as a hub in Delhi, I admittedly am happy. I am looking forward to the gleaming marble floors and vast high ceilings and the spa and the Western restaurants at the Radisson. The driver informs me that we will drive the wrong way down the 3 lane service road (to the 10-lane highway) since the hotel is only a mile away. Otherwise we have to go very far in the wrong direction to turn around. So we drive for a mile with rickshaws, cars, trucks, bikes, and pedestrians coming at us head-on. It is total horn blowing, dust flying chaos, but doesn't phase me at all and actually makes me spontaneously giggle. It's 'just India' to me now. I feel slightly better as I enter the hotel. I thought I might faint at check-in but made it through and have a beautiful room with all the creature comforts of Western luxury. Spoke to my mom and my husband and ate some French fries and had a 7up. After speaking to mom, I am encouraged that I will return to India with her and see the Taj Mahal (have been twice now and haven't seen it). Haven't been sick again since I arrived which is a good thing. I am so grateful for this life and every experience that weaves the tapestry of my existence. And I am very happy to be on my way hOMe tomorrow.

 

Rock N Roll Yoga

It is day 4 of the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesk. Iyengar Yoga classes with Manouso Manos and Marla Apt have been excellent experiences of asana--super challenging in the physical and subtle realm. I love Iyengar Yoga! . It is really interesting how Anusara and Iyengar language differ but come together at the essence of the teachings. Yoga Nidra and Kriya Yoga (chanting) with Sadhvi Abha Saraswati (the Mother of the ashram) have restored and cleared me deeply. I feel like japa and chanting are practices that i am gravitating toward as my practice evolves. Singing with the harmonium is so much fun! The satsang lectures with world famous spiritual luminaries from Hindu and Hare Krishna lineages are interesting and enlightening. My favorite parts being where religious and spiritual practices overlap- mainly in the realm of 'Ishvara' or devotion to God. Harmonium lessons have been an awesome foundation to start having some fun playing around with it. The good news is I can open and close it now and play a few scales! This trip has exceeded my expectations and is like a dream for a yogini. As if it couldn't be any better....One of the coolest experiences of my life has been a visit to the 'Beatles Ashram' where they spent time in 1968 'yogi-ing' and writing The White Album. It is the old crumbling, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram just down the River Ganga from Parmarth Niketan Ashram where I am staying. It's deserted now. The structures, small houses, apartment style buildings, a concert hall, and several odd stone geodesic meditation pods still stand. John Lennon's house is full of wild graffiti. The concert hall buzzes with strange rock-n-roll karma. The history of this place encompasses the writing of The White Album and Abbey Road and more. This rocks the planet and electrifies me like nowhere I have ever been. It is so clear to me that music is my ultimate inspiration. We all dance to the beat of a different drum. We all have a different yoga. I have rock and roll heart. Music is in my blood. It courses through my veins. As does the yoga. All week at the Yoga Fest we have been hearing various discourses on the origins, history, and definitions of yoga. Yoga must be defined on an individual basis of what method each human uses to merge with Spirit or Nature or God or Guru in order to have the meaningful life experience that we are supposed to have. Yoga is prayer, asana, meditation, pranayama, satsang, studying scriptures, sports, painting, weaving, dancing, singing, entertaining, enjoying the company of friends. What makes it yoga is that you put your heart into it, do it everyday, give it importance by making it a ritual,
do it for the betterment of the planet or mankind, and do it for a long long time. Make it a path. The important thing is that we respect the paths of others and remember...I know you, you know me One thing I can tell you is you got to be free. Come together Right Now! Peace Love Yoga and Rock-n-Roll from India.

Our Luckiest Day in Buddha Country

We take the heart of the mountain into our own hearts as we leave Dharamsala today. On the way out of McLeod Ganj, there is a flurry at the entrance to Dalai Lama Temple. He is on his way 'home'. People line the street on both sides as we leave the village. A quarter way down, our cars pull over per police direction. Outside the cars we cross the street in just enough time to make way for the motorcade. In a flash the Dalai Lama passes in his car and waves to us. Giddy. Star Struck. Elated. Just plain Happy Buddha. We are SO lucky. I can't believe it! To see His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala is really a dream come true.
By 9pm we have arrived back in Delhi. We visit my friend Inni Singh at Delhi Music Store where the group buys 3 more harmoniums. We are a group of 8 carrying a total of 4 harmoniums. Beautiful Music!! We are totally a band. Currently we're on a bus to a one night hotel near the New Delhi Railway Station and head to Rishikesh for the yoga festival tomorrow.
I haven't mentioned that I have been sick with 'Delhi belly' since Norbulingka 5 days ago. The violent worst part only lasted for 12 hours but the last 4 days has been a strict diet of banana lassi, toast, and plain rice. My stomach can't handle anything else. The good part is that I feel 'cleansed' and ready for 5 days of yoga and singing. Love & Peace to All. Om mani padme hum.
P.S. The photo of H.H. Dalai Lama was taken by William Gilbert who is traveling with our group.

Heart of A Mountain

It is a bright sunny day in McLeod Ganj. This is the Himalayan mountain village in Dharamsala that is home to the Dalai Lama residence and temple, and the Tibetan History Museum. Since I visited here last year, I made friends with a guy at at a pashmina shop (a whole other story) as well as a monk, both of whom I have been able to reconnect. It feels like a small world to have friends to revisit in faraway places.

One of those friends, Tibetan Buddhist Monk, Lama Bagdro, author of A Hell on Earth, visited us and shared his incredible story of working for freedom within Tibet and then his escape from his homeland to India in the late 80's. He also performed Buddhist chanting for us. It is a rare talent for a man so young. Taking vows as a monk means dedicating your life to prayer and study. Because of his experiences and his apparent dharma working for the liberation of Tibet from Chinese rule and constantly touring to educate the world about the situation in Tibet, Bagdro does not have as much time as he would like to study. There is a part of him that would like for his life to be that easy, but he knows in his heart as well as from the encouragement of the Dalai Lama, that he must continue to do his work. His is a very hard road and he has survived so much unfathomable suffering. He works tirelessly and selflessly, he laughs as heartily and he has a most generous smile. Bagdro is a true luminary. Yesterday was Tibetan New Year, which he was not celebrating due to the recent deaths and escalating awful state of the human rights situation in Tibet. Instead, he joined us for dinner, and because we are such a small group this year, it was an intimate experience with him. Bagdro is three years older than I am. He is bright, funny, charming, and cool. I asked him if knows of the Beastie Boys, and MCA, and their career-long support of Tibet. Bagdro was kind, and sort of like ..."well yes I know them. Adam Youch is his true name and he is married to a Tibetan woman.The Free Tibet concert in '97 was a huge deal". Among other national and international speaking engagements and constant political meetings, Bagdro is currently collaborating with a German hip-hop group who are using samples of his chanting on a cd, and in turn he is making more contacts for speaking engagements throughout Europe to raise awareness to save his home country. If Bagdro weren't a sweet sweet holy man and fearless human rights activist, he might be hipster before hipster was hip.

This morning I taught yoga in the sitting room where he chanted for us last night. We dedicated our practice to Lama Bagdro. The theme of the asana sequence was to model Bagdro's kindness and courage in our hearts and balance it with his mountain-like fortitude in our bodies. This equipoise of energies is Yoga. Beautiful Lama Bagdro teaches us well.

If you are interested, please educate yourself on the situation in Tibet. PEACE PEACE PEACE

http://tibetanhistory-20thcentury.wikischolars.columbia.edu/A+Hell+on+Earth

http://www.commongroundsproject.org/

http://www.savetibet.org/

 

 

We're All Monkeys In The Music Soup

Days 4 & 5 in Varanasi

No Internet connection has been available for the last two days. So, the blog posts are maybe a day behind. Oh well. C'est la vie. No really..It is good to be completely unplugged for a bit. The computer compulsion is completely exposed. Oy vey!

These two days have been jammed with activity which reflects the frenetic buzz of this Sacred River City. The highlights are ... teaching yoga in a palace called Jukaso on the banks of the Ganges, visits to Hanuman Temple and Durga Temple, a classical Indian singing and harmonium lesson followed by a rocking concert at The Music Melody House featuring Sitar, tabla, and sarangi. At the 'concert' which is more like sitting in in a jam session, we have chai, and clap, and sit and listen. The room is super cozy and we are so close to the musicians and their exotic instruments that it feels like a big bowl of rich music soup. We all just swim in it. We walk home through the Burning Ghats where the funerals of men happen all day and night. I can not believe these experiences are not dreams, but the weight of carrying the harmonium through Varanasi keeps me connected to reality. Before bed last night, sitting for meditation on the steps at the River I internally chant my mantra MaranathaMaranathaMaranatha...'Come to me Lord'. Sleep comes easy...

In the morning, I skip the group activity to the Golden Temple (I went there last year) to have sunrise meditation on the roof of the palace and some quiet time at the hotel. There is a full fledged monkey invasion on the terrace outside my room. I watch in awe as they almost wreak total havoc on furniture, light fixtures, and plants. While on the phone alerting the front desk, one smart monkey checks every door knob to the rooms on the terrace to try and enter. Total mayhem! Monkey business here is serious.

After reconnecting with the group, we visit Sarnath which is a 5km field trip out of town which takes about an hour travel time. Sarnath is the 'birthplace of Buddhism', called such because it is where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Deep huge historical significance here. Today I learn that Hindus worship the Buddha, along with all of the other deities. Buddhists follow Buddha only. That is massively oversimplifying. But the most important lesson for me once again is that It's ALL connected and we are all ONE.

Finally, the end of the day takes us to the house of a highly revered Sanskrit grammarian, teacher, writer, artist, and musician named Vagish Sastri. The audience with him has opened up new worlds for me in thought, feeling, and awareness. It's a whole post's worth of reflection. More on that later. Peace and love and music from the Motherland.

 

Mardi Gras Shivaratri

Day 3
4am rise and shine. My inner clock is sill figuring out India time. Easy trip to Delhi airport and a ride on SpiceJet to Varanasi. Today is Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival and national holiday that celebrates the anniversary of the marriage of Shiva which is symbolic of the union of the Spirit and Relative worlds. This is YOGA!!
Varanasi is the holiest of all Hindu cities. On any 'normal' day, the energy here is electric. There are Indian pilgrims bathing in the river. The labyrinth of ancient alleyways are teeming with the hustle and bustle, twists and turns of the living. The Ghats - stepped terraces that line the banks of the river - are both seats of ancient ritual honoring the earth elements and cremation grounds to begin the transition to Spirit world. Mystics and religious call Varanasi a tirtha, or crossroads, where man has a portal into the realm of the gods, and where the gods descend to be among man. Here, the 'veil of time' is thin all the time! It is as if the Ghats are a seam between the chaotic maze of material living in the streets and the natural ease of letting the river take it to the next realm. In Varanasi, humans literally walk that line between life and death. Not in daredevil or sad ways, but as witnesses, even spectators to the ultimate reality. Some of the images are very intense and disturbing to Western Brain. But here in Varanasi the sick, dying, and dead are as much a part of the scene as the living. It's a stark reminder that we really are all in this thing together. Varanasi is INTENSELY WONDERFUL. Not for everybody. But, as it is my second visit here, I know in my blood it is not the last.
That today is a celebration of Shiva, it is extra wild here. This is Shiva's city! It is Mardi Gras at home. That we are all on the cusp of celebrating Spirit manifest in Culture... There are no coincidences only auspicious unions!
So many crazy incredible unplanned events happened today. A boat ride on the river bc 'it's the only way to get there'....a newly renovated boutique hotel in an ancient palace with th most breathtaking yoga room overlooking the river...a sweet sweet small group of fast friends. And the tangible buzz of 'the shakti of the Universe' which my friend Michele Baker calls the Ganges. This has been a long beautiful day and now it must end. MAHA SHIVARATRI! HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!