Thursday, March 31, 2011
April 2, 2011 Bhandara
We are going to see Ishwar in Rice Lake for our twice-annual meditation group retreat. This year, is very special! It is the year that there is a major shift in consciousness, earth changes, energy. It will be very hard for many, not hard for some, I don't really know what will happen. I simply know that we are where we are supposed to be and the practice of yoga, grounding, being strong, eating healthy. Be happy. Be loving. It is all good and will create the safest and best way to do this. More next week...
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Practice every day
Many of the great teachers - the ones we can trace our lineage back to, have all said the same thing. Practice. The past week, I have appreciated my practice more than ever. My practice is a daily habit. Every morning. Meditate. If I cannot focus, take care of something for someone (service with love & devotion). Then practice my asanas. Observing my breath, my body, how I use my body, how I feel, my mind. Observing it all, at the same time keeping my body strong, alive & healthy.
The practice - when it is a habit - it supports you. How? Well, do you remember how you feel so much better afterward practicing yoga?
You know that when you are not in the habit of practicing...when you feel sad, sick, low energy, upset, busy - any number of human excuses - the last thing you want to do is go sit on a yoga mat or meditate.
If it is a habit - like brushing your teeth - you have to do it. You cannot not do it. No matter how I felt before my practice. I feel alot better after.
How to get into the habit? Read about the 40-day yoga challenge or 108 Sun Salutations in my blog...
Live with Beauty, Connection & Love. . .
Karen
The practice - when it is a habit - it supports you. How? Well, do you remember how you feel so much better afterward practicing yoga?
You know that when you are not in the habit of practicing...when you feel sad, sick, low energy, upset, busy - any number of human excuses - the last thing you want to do is go sit on a yoga mat or meditate.
If it is a habit - like brushing your teeth - you have to do it. You cannot not do it. No matter how I felt before my practice. I feel alot better after.
How to get into the habit? Read about the 40-day yoga challenge or 108 Sun Salutations in my blog...
Live with Beauty, Connection & Love. . .
Karen
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
108 Sun Salutations Spring Equinox
Sunday we did our quarterly 108 Sun Salutations event for the Spring Equinox. Now it seems like spring, but the forecast is more wintery stuff coming. (When is that Basketball Tournament?) In Minnesota, spring is like the biggest party ever and it is known that the state basketball tournament is the unofficial mark of the end of winter storms.
Back to the 108...4 of us attended and we donated proceeds to Salvation Army's efforts in feeding people in Japan who have been devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
As I was going through the 108, it is like a moving meditation, I focused on my body. Usually it takes about 30 Sun Salutations for me to feel really warmed up, but this time it took more. The counting is a challenge too, to keep track of which one I am on, so I probably do a couple more in case. However, it is not about how many I do. I realized during the last 30 or so, that the reason I can do them has nothing to do with my strength or endurance...I've done them with a head and neck injury, during times when my energy is really low, . . .like yesterday. I have been recovering from the Minnesota ick that many yoga teachers have mysteriously come down with (and other people I know who almost never get sick). I have had the lingering cough now going on the 3rd week...
No, it is not endurance or strength that gets me through this. It is that I never give up. That's it. I don't stop. I rest a little after each 27 (1/4), but then I continue until I've done 108. It is not rocket science really. It also helps to have an intention. When I thought about how long it was taking, my mind went to the survivors of Japan's earthquake, tsunami and now dealing with rebuilding and possible radiation poisoning. It is not an option for them to give up. To stop. So I won't either.
My heart goes out to everyone there. And as many of my students have heard from me. . . the best thing we can do for them is to be a light in our own part of the world.
Back to the 108...4 of us attended and we donated proceeds to Salvation Army's efforts in feeding people in Japan who have been devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
As I was going through the 108, it is like a moving meditation, I focused on my body. Usually it takes about 30 Sun Salutations for me to feel really warmed up, but this time it took more. The counting is a challenge too, to keep track of which one I am on, so I probably do a couple more in case. However, it is not about how many I do. I realized during the last 30 or so, that the reason I can do them has nothing to do with my strength or endurance...I've done them with a head and neck injury, during times when my energy is really low, . . .like yesterday. I have been recovering from the Minnesota ick that many yoga teachers have mysteriously come down with (and other people I know who almost never get sick). I have had the lingering cough now going on the 3rd week...
No, it is not endurance or strength that gets me through this. It is that I never give up. That's it. I don't stop. I rest a little after each 27 (1/4), but then I continue until I've done 108. It is not rocket science really. It also helps to have an intention. When I thought about how long it was taking, my mind went to the survivors of Japan's earthquake, tsunami and now dealing with rebuilding and possible radiation poisoning. It is not an option for them to give up. To stop. So I won't either.
My heart goes out to everyone there. And as many of my students have heard from me. . . the best thing we can do for them is to be a light in our own part of the world.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Living the Dream
I found out yesterday that Larry Schultz passed away over two weeks ago. I didn't know until I went to a friends Facebook page, then read an article on Yoga Journals website, then kept going and reading and watched a little You Tube video he had made recently.
Larry Schultz was one of the most important yoga teachers in my life. I took his workshop in 2004 thinking it was an Ashtanga yoga teacher's workshop, and found out it was a Rocket yoga workshop! Rocket is Ashtanga yoga, but taking it to another level....a fun one. The Rocket changed my attitude about alot of things. Larry changed my yoga practice, my teaching and after his death....taught me something else. He taught me to keep it alive...the dream.
In his You Tube video he was talking about his "ashram". His home estate yoga center where students could come and just focus on their own yoga. There's a community kitchen, sleeping areas, beautiful outdoor practice area... It is not his dream that struck me, but that he achieved it. Then he left.
Well, it's not that he left either really, just, well, what happens when you do achieve your dream. Carpenter's say that when they finish their house, then they die. I don't think that is necessarily "the truth". The message here is that you have a future. You have a day you die. I don't know if you have a say in "the day", but you certainly have a say in your future. To live it like Larry did...now THAT is juicy. He was so ALIVE. He taught people all over the world how to access that. These people that Larry taught. These are teachers to learn from. Not just any of them. If you are looking for a teacher. Look them in the eye. Do their eyes twinkle? You do know what I mean don't you? If you can't find it in yourself. You better look harder and keep looking until you find it.
Larry Schultz was one of the most important yoga teachers in my life. I took his workshop in 2004 thinking it was an Ashtanga yoga teacher's workshop, and found out it was a Rocket yoga workshop! Rocket is Ashtanga yoga, but taking it to another level....a fun one. The Rocket changed my attitude about alot of things. Larry changed my yoga practice, my teaching and after his death....taught me something else. He taught me to keep it alive...the dream.
In his You Tube video he was talking about his "ashram". His home estate yoga center where students could come and just focus on their own yoga. There's a community kitchen, sleeping areas, beautiful outdoor practice area... It is not his dream that struck me, but that he achieved it. Then he left.
Well, it's not that he left either really, just, well, what happens when you do achieve your dream. Carpenter's say that when they finish their house, then they die. I don't think that is necessarily "the truth". The message here is that you have a future. You have a day you die. I don't know if you have a say in "the day", but you certainly have a say in your future. To live it like Larry did...now THAT is juicy. He was so ALIVE. He taught people all over the world how to access that. These people that Larry taught. These are teachers to learn from. Not just any of them. If you are looking for a teacher. Look them in the eye. Do their eyes twinkle? You do know what I mean don't you? If you can't find it in yourself. You better look harder and keep looking until you find it.
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