ChakraBodyYoga

It's Systematic, It's Hydramatic...

2011-12-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

No, it's not grease lightning. It's yoga! The practice of yoga is a systematic approach to finding more joy and freedom in all that we do. Instead of just going to class and shouting, "I want to be free and happy", we break down this lofty intention into steps with a specific method, thus making it more accessible. I was thinking about this in relation to New Year's resolutions. For me, I can't just say I want to do something and then try to do it. A systematic (and usually very specific and detailed) plan helps me to break down the resolution into smaller components and makes it seem like I can actually do it. For instance, one of my resolutions is to post on my "Mat as Microcosm" blog 6 days per week. Instead of just saying this and then hoping I do it, I have to make an appointment with myself each of those 6 days (preferably at the same time each day), choose a location that is suitable for writing, generate (and jot down) ideas throughout the week that may provide good blog material, choose one of those ideas and write!

One of the reasons I love Anusara yoga is because of the systematic approach. "An elegant, concise set of alignment principles called the 'Universal Principles' of Alignment™' is applied to each asana (pose)" (John Friend). The five main principles briefly described are 1) Open to Grace-pause and take a breath and remind yourself of the big picture, your highest purpose; 2) Muscular Energy-conscious engagement of the muscles and drawing energy from the periphery to the core of the body; 3) Inner Spiral-an expanding spiral action that helps to open and free the hips and low back; 4) Outer Spiral-a contracting spiral that helps to tone and stabilize the lower body; 5) Organic Energy-extending energy from the core to the periphery of the body. The alignment principles are really just a subset of the Anusara methodology. The whole practice is a beautiful system to help you feel more alive, awake and connected. Anusara teachers don't just say "do it"; they explain HOW to do it step by step and you can really feel it working.

In my teaching this month, I will be going through the alignment principles (focusing on one each week) and emphasizing how each principle builds on the previous one to enhance your experience. Please join me and delight in the benefits of the SYSTEM. And who knows, you may find that a systematic approach to all of your New Year's resolutions enhances their possibility and accessibility.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Inner Strength

2011-11-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

How many times have you heard, "It's not what's on the outside that matters; it's what's inside that counts"? One of the things I love about Anusara yoga is that it's not so much about what's going on the outside (the external look of your yoga pose). What's most important is the internal feeling of the pose and the underlying support system that gives it strength and meaning. The outside does matter but it only matters because it's a manifestation of the inside. Your pose is sparkly and beautiful not because of your muscles but because of your heart. In describing Anusara yoga practitioners, John Friend (founder of Ansuara) says that, "when they are embodying the Anusara yoga teachings, (they) naturally become nicer and more considerate. They develop a greater sensitivity and a heightened compassion toward everyone and everything around them. Further signs of progress on the path include a deepening of inner strength and steadfastness." Notice how he doesn't mention anything physical when speaking about the amazing benefits of the practice. Even though the physical benefits are wonderful, the focus is inside.

So this month I've decided to tap inside into a deeper place when teaching and practicing. The cool thing is that it is through working with the body (the outside) that we learn to find our greatest support (from inside). Through a physical yoga practice, we can develop tremendous physical and non-physical (mental/emotional/spiritual) strength.

So here's how I approach this inner strength thing. It's pretty easy to strengthen the surface muscles or the "movers". They are responsible for large, gross movements and are typically the muscles focused on in a workout routine. It is typically easier to strengthen the larger surface muscles/the movers (e.g., the "six pack muscles in your abdomen") than it is to strengthen the smaller stabilizers (e.g., the transverse abdominus-a deeper layer of abdominal muscles). The stabilizer muscles are a deeper layer of muscles and are activated and strengthened by subtle smaller movements. It requires a bit more mindfulness and patience to tap into these babies (so it can be a challenge for students and teachers alike). For instance, if I was to say "engage your pelvic floor muscles", what would you do? It takes practice and sensitivity to go deep within and find the strength of the stabilizers. Stabilizers protect the spine and keep you safe in your daily activities (sitting, bending, lifting, etc.). Most importantly, they help us feel really strong and supported from inside.

One of the techniques we use in yoga to work with the stabilizers involves engaging the "bandhas". These internal body locks are a sustained contraction of muscles that help us feel supported from within. I find that they also help me to feel light and buoyant both within a pose and in the transitions between poses. All of these physical internal supports help to remind us of our more subtle supports that are always with us (e.g., the breath, the flow of grace). When we know that we are supported by something greater, something that is always with us, that gives us a tremendous confidence and power that comes from inside. The mind is strong, the will is strong, the desire is strong. This is the mark of progress on the path-that deep, abiding inner strength.

Peace,
Erin

P.S. The image you see above is the Triquetra Knot of Inner Strength by Mark Cooper. You can learn more here

Non-aggression (and how it can help your back)

2011-10-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

It seems obvious that if we are trying to heal ourselves, we need to be nice to ourselves. Yet I see countless examples of folks (including myself) seeking to improve themselves through methods that involve aggression. Aggression is so widespread these days (even low-grade forms such as sarcasm) that it has crept its way into the healing realm. Hey! How did you get here aggression? Go back to assertiveness, where you came from. It might help to pause here and define aggression. My friend Wikipedia states that aggression is "behavior intended to cause humiliation, pain or harm... and intended to increase the dominance of one thing over another... Aggression can be physical, mental or verbal." We usually think of aggression as social, but it can most definitely happen within the self-the mind trying to dominate the body, the body trying to win over the mind, etc. In my own practice, I've found that the exact opposite of this (non-aggression) is a wonderful approach in bringing more ease and harmony to the body-mind.

To me, non-aggression means that no one is trying to win. There is no force involved. No one is seeking to be right or to prove someone else wrong. It is not the same as passivity or doing nothing, though sometimes non-action is required in the non-aggressive approach. Since this is all sounding kind of theoretical, let me make it more real with an example-low back pain. Low back pain affects at least 80% of us at some point in our lives and is the 5th most common reason for all physician visits in the U.S. (Archives of Internal Medicine). I see LOTS of folks with low back pain in my yoga classes. The first thing I usually say to them is "do what you can; don't force yourself". Not forcing can be extremely challenging for many people, especially if they are achievement oriented, but it is essential in the healing process. Forcing is aggression because your mind wins (I did it!) and your body loses (ouch!). The mind is dominant over the body. So what is the non-aggressive approach? Well, it starts with awareness. Being aware of and listening to the painful area. Breathing is the best way to cultivate awareness because your mind follows your breath as your body feels your breath. The mind and body are working together. Then, as you start to move with awareness, you can hear/feel the feedback your body is offering to you at all times.

Here's a really simple exercise for low back pain with a non-aggressive approach. As you know, I am not a doctor, so this is not meant to be prescriptive, just something you can experiment with in your own body. Lay on the floor and become aware of your breath. Feel it move through your body. Hug your right knee in toward your chest. Notice your low back. Did it flatten onto the floor? Most likely. The low back has a natural curve; to help return that natural curve to the lower spine and make your low back happy, try this. Spread your toes (to wake up your feet and legs and muscles) and allow your left thigh to settle. This may involve loosening the grip on your right knee and letting it move slightly away from you. Relax your shoulders, face and neck and take several breaths. Notice how awareness of breath, softening of the muscles that don't need to be firing and moving with awareness bring a totally different quality to the pose (no forcing, nothing is dominating). Notice what happens when you bring this non-aggressive approach into other parts of your life. For me, this is hard. I like to be right. I like to win. I force myself sometimes. But when I allow myself to practice non-aggression, it's such a sweet relief and my body and mind respond in a wonderful way.

Peace to you and your body-mind.

Peace Through Victory: The story of a contradictory bumper sticker

2011-09-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

On a recent driving adventure, I came upon a perplexing and amusing bumper sticker. It read, "Peace through Victory". I saw the sticker and thought, "What the hell does that mean? Isn't that a complete contradiction?" I appreciate the goal of peace but I'm not sure victory has anything to do with it. Maybe I'm missing something. Please enlighten me if you know more about this expression. It did get me thinking though and here's what I came up with...

In her book "When Things Fall Apart," Pema Chodron poses an excellent question. "Every day we could think about the aggression in the world, in the United States, the Middle East, Africa, everywhere. All over the world, everybody always strikes out at the enemy, and the pain escalates forever. Every day we could reflect on this and ask ourselves, 'Am I going to add to the aggression in the world?' Every day, at the moment when things get edgy, we can ask ourselves 'Am I going to practice peace, or am I going to war?'" I would like to think that I choose peace, but I know that's not always what happens. When I choose to strike out, my goal is to win, my goal is "victory". Needing to win feels like the opposite of peace. Winning an argument is not an ease-ful situation and the outcome is not likely to be contentment on both sides. A fellow yoga teacher said something hilarious the other day that perfectly addresses this conundrum (peace or victory). She was talking about fighting with her husband and how he always tries to make her laugh while they're fighting to ease the situation. She said that instead of appreciating this, she thinks (and she's laughing while saying this because she knows it's crazy) "I'd rather be RIGHT than laugh and love you." I have that same feeling sometimes. I just want to be right. But that doesn't really get me anywhere, anywhere peaceful that is. It's more about serving my ego. And when a whole country wants to be right, it's a gigantic ego that is being served. An ego is afraid of being annihilated, but it is the death of the ego (the idea or image of who we are, the cloak or layer that conceals our hearts) that ultimately frees us and allows us to practice peace.

So back to the bumper sticker, instead of "Peace through Victory", I think it's more like "Peace OR Victory". Every moment that I am faced with a choice of winning/being right or responding compassionately in a way that will cultivate peace, I will try to choose the peace thing. It's not gonna be easy; it will require a lot of awareness and patience, but ultimately, the world will be a better place for it.

Peace,
Erin

Space: Why we're always trying to fill it

2011-08-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have been experimenting with allowing open spaces to remain open. I had a big space in my living room that could have easily accommodated a lovely piece of furniture or a creative bit of art and yet I kept it open. It has become a practice and play area for yoga and meditation. When folks come over, this is the first place they want to be in-the open space. I had some spaces open up in my schedule that I could have used to teach another class or "get more work done", yet I kept them open. I have been using these spaces to enjoy a walk or "me-time" or some other non-scheduled activity (or non-activity). It can be challenging not to fill an open space. As soon as there is a gap, we pounce on it. AHHHH! OPEN SPACE! Quick, fill it before it eats us. Num, num, num (that's the sound of the space monster eating you). But space CAN actually be scary.

When I think back to a meditation training I participated in at the Shambhala Center in Chicago, I remember why space can be scary. Everyone there had the same question: "Why can't I stop thinking?" The meditation instructor answered the question by sharing with us the words of Chogyam Trungpa, founder of Shambhala. He said, "thinking is what we do when we're afraid of space". This made a lot of sense to me. Instead of opening ourselves up or letting go, it's much easier to try to fill the gaps. And when we're sitting there with nothing else to do, we fill the gaps with thoughts. Thinking is normal and we're not trying to stomp it out, but it can be quieted. The spaces that open when the mind quiets for a moment can be sweet and beautiful and sometimes scary. I remember one particular time in meditation when my thinking completely dropped away for a few minutes and this tremendous vastness opened up (this is something that's really hard to explain and I understand if it makes absolutely no sense unless you have experienced something similar yourself). At first, it was so sweet and new and amazing. And then, I panicked. I freaked out and felt like I didn't exist anymore and immediately returned to the safety of my mind and my thoughts. I thought, "What the hell was that?" From then on, I understood why space was scary and why we're always trying to fill it. Space gives you an opportunity to experience your real nature, your basic goodness, your truest heart. That sounds good, right? However, going into this space requires letting go of many other things, the scariest of which is letting go of your own ego (your identity that you've created for yourself and maybe even hide behind). When there is a space in time, I have to remind myself to turn to the sky rather than to my cell phone or computer. When I have 4 hours free on a Sunday afternoon, I have to remind myself not to schedule anything and see what opens up for me in that precious time. When my yoga teacher is silent for a moment, I have to remind myself to enjoy my breath and enjoy my pose so that I can connect to my heart (instead of filling those precious open moments with mental chatter).

Instead of panic, let space bring beauty to your day, your mind and even your home. According to Vastu Shastra, a traditional Hindu system of design based on directional alignments, the center of any building or home should be kept clear, a revered open space. The center is the interface between the seen and the unseen, the manifest and the unmanifest. By keeping spaces open, we connect to all there is. The next time you come across space, see what it's like NOT to fill it and enjoy!

Be Totally Cool with Yourself

2011-07-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

Do you ever notice the girl in class who is not necessarily the most attractive or talented, but she is TOTALLY comfortable with herself? It doesn't matter to her that she can't do a handstand; she just enjoys trying. Looking at her makes you smile. Her own ease with herself puts you at ease. When I come across a wonderful gem who is "totally cool with herself", I tend to be envious. I think, "I wish I was totally cool with myself. That would feel so great. What a relief!" And then I realize that this isn't something I have to wait for or achieve. This can happen instantly with a conscious choice to embrace myself-my strengths and imperfections, my own humanness. I realize that what I am drawn to in these people is their appreciation for their own intrinsic goodness (and they probably appreciate everyone else's goodness as well). Being totally cool with yourself is the absence of judgment-judgment of yourself AND judgment of others. It doesn't mean that I have to stay exactly how I am and never change or grow or learn or improve; it just means that I'm already good and I can relax into that. I can breathe a gigantic sigh of relief into that.

I came across an article in Yoga Journal the other day written by Kaitlin Quistgaard (the editor in chief) in which she discusses fearlessness. She described it as "a deep abiding trust that your human experience is exactly the experience you are meant to have; that you needn't feel shame or guilt for your imperfections...that you may not have the answer; that someone else's gifts may surpass your own". This reminded me of the feelings associated with being totally cool with yourself. It's the same as fearlessness! The willingness to see yourself clearly, to look directly into your own soul and not cringe or run away is fearlessness! Whoa. Can you imagine what you can do with this coolness/fearlessness? Yes, because people are already doing it. They are moving past their own egos and insecurities and sharing their gifts with the world. They are creators. And even though they are not perfect, they make a GIGANTIC difference.

So here's what I'm gonna do. Take a breath, relax into my own goodness and use my talents to bring ease, beauty and joy to the people and the world around me.

Kick Your Own Butt

2011-06-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

It's nice when someone else lights a fire under your ass and gets you going. Perhaps you remember a fire-starter from your past-a teacher, a parent, a colleague-who really challenged you to try your hardest. Perhaps you internalized that butt-kicking attitude and now it serves as intrinsic motivation. Personally, I do not have an internalized sense of butt-kicking and it is a challenge for me to go the extra mile. Even though I am grateful for my yoga teachers and yoga friends who challenge me and provide a sort of external disciplinary force, I wish the force came more from within. I think it's starting to, but I've got some work to do!

Hence, I have declared the month of July "Kick Your Own Butt" month and my yoga classes will be unofficially referred to as "Booty Camp" (in the most fun and jocular manner of course). Being your own fire-starter has its advantages. My friend Wikipedia says that intrinsic motivation is "motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure". In other words, you start your own fire because you're really into what you're doing no matter what anyone around you is doing or saying. And how do you get to be really into what you're doing? Well, it has to serve some purpose for you. John Friend, founder of Anusara yoga, tells teachers to consistently remind their students (or have them remind themselves) why they're practicing yoga. Why on earth would you want to put your body in the shape of a triangle or stand on one leg and pretend you're a tree? And sure, everyone has a purpose. But what is the highest purpose? What will really get you to do it and also allow you to enjoy it? In Anusara yoga, the highest intention in practicing yoga is to awaken to our own light, the supreme consciousness vibrating with freedom within you. "On our yoga mat we artistically offer our individual light and our unique music with the heartfelt prayer of adding more beauty, love, and goodness to the world" (John Friend). That'll light your fire. I'm kicking my own ass for freedom! And to make my life and the world way more awesome-er! When I approach my practice with this beautiful intention, I am, as my meditation teacher Paul Moller-Ortega says, "naturally and spontaneously motivated to move towards more". The fire burns naturally under your own butt when it is stoked by your own highest intention.

So this month, when I'm starting to feel tired or lazy or like someone has dumped a bucket of cold water on the fire that was once burning, I will ask myself, "Why are you doing this yoga thing anyway?" and then proceed to hold a 5-minute downward facing dog, a 2-minute handstand or do 25 drop-backs. In my classes, I intend to be a fire-starter for my students so that they may awaken to their own highest purpose and start their own fires.

Kick ass y'all! Love, Erin

Shoulder Love

2011-05-25T16:37:00.000-07:00

What are your shoulders doing right now? Are they rounded forward as you read the screen in a position my teacher likes to call "Slump-asana"? Are your shoulders getting the love they deserve? It's not always easy to maintain a high level of awareness and care of this area of the body, yet we demand a lot from our shoulders every time we push, pull, reach or weight bear with the upper body. That's why this area is so susceptible to injury (especially in yoga). The attention we give to aligning our external bodies in a safe way that offers us the most freedom is reflective of an internal desire to align with a stronger force of energy within and around us. By offering your shoulders a little more love and attention, you make a conscious decision to embrace what supports you. I find that when I show reverence for a part of my body and all that it allows me to do, I naturally want to treat it nicely and use it in a sustainable way. The other day, one of my teachers said something that really shifted my perspective on working with my body. She said, "Practice in a way in which you are not trying to rule your body but trying to best serve the needs of your body."

So here are some ways I have learned to love my shoulders:
***I am not a physical therapist or a doctor. None of this is meant to be prescriptive or diagnostic, simply informational.
1) Inner Body Bright: This is an expression used in Anusara Yoga to refer to the natural expansion of the inner and outer body when you take a deep breath in. The sides of the body naturally lengthen, the chest lifts, the armpits lift and your insides just feel "brighter". Anatomically, this helps lift the head of the armbone into a more optimal place in the shoulder socket. Try it for yourself by sitting or standing and taking a deep breath in. Do your shoulders natural float up a little (not in a shrugging kind of way where your neck tenses but in a supported-from-within-and-underneath kind of way)? I find that this is really important for me to do when my shoulders are dropped way down or forward (which really pulls on my neck in a not fun way).

2) Head of the armbones back: This is another expression used in Anusara yoga to refer to settling the "golf ball" part at the top of your humerus back into a more neutral place in the shoulder socket. This is NOT squeezing your shoulder blades together using the rhomboids. Head of the armbones forward (aka "Slump-asana" or rounding forward at the computer) can pull on your neck and that is one of the main reasons why I see a ton of people in my classes who complain of neck pain. There are of course many reasons for neck pain, but simply noticing the position of your shoulders and adjusting them, may help to address neck issues. Rounding the shoulders forward becomes a real problem when you try to weight bear on the hands or forearms. This can actually be really dangerous if done repetitively and your shoulders and rotator cuff muscles will not love you. Maybe try plank pose near a mirror and notice if your shoulders are rounding forward (your upper back will be in a dome shape instead of flat). One thing I love to do to practice taking the head of the armbones back is to stand with my back against a wall and take a big breath in to lift my shoulders from underneath and lengthen the sides of my body (inner body bright) and then draw the head of the armbones back so that they touch the wall. And then I just rest there for a minute or two with the back of my head and the back of my hands resting on the wall. My neck feels relaxed and I feel supported and open. When I'm lined up, energy just flows better in my body and I feel better.

3) Serratus support: The serratus anterior is a muscle connected to the upper ribs and shoulder blades. It often gets ignored (we don't engage it enough), especially when bearing weight on the upper body. I have found so much more freedom and ease in plank pose and dolphin pose simply by learning to engage the serratus. One thing I do to bring my awareness to this muscle is stand facing the wall with my hands like I'm doing chaturanga upright (next to chest, elbows bent) and I push into the wall and push up. In plank pose, pushing down and forward helps me find them. It just gives me so much more support. Awareness and engagement of this muscle is a conscious decision to embrace what supports me.

So see if you can be aware of your shoulders in your practice (especially in poses like plank, chaturanga and cobra) and offer them some love by bringing them into optimal alignment. By loving our bodies and serving their needs, we will receive the greatest benefit, freedom and enjoyment from them. The body is our vehicle to awakening!

Sustainability

2011-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

What magical qualities does something have to have in order to sustain someone's attention for more than 30 seconds? How about infinite transformational possibility? To me, yoga is one of the most sustainable practices one can take up in one's lifetime because of its unending possibility. The sustainability of yoga can be looked at from two different angles: 1) How do you sustain your practice? 2) How does your practice sustain you? Let's look at both.

How do you sustain your practice?
Setting your intention is the first step in sustaining a practice. Without a sufficient motivating force (i.e., a good enough reason) to practice, you wont do it. Also, the motivating force has to be intrinsic (it has to come from you). Things that are imposed upon us by some external disciplinary force don't tend to jive with us for that long. So what are some sustainable, intrinsically motivated intentions? Think of the core reason for doing something. For me, I practice yoga to feel happy and balanced and totally cool with myself. The next step is logistics (i.e., when, where, etc.) If you think of yoga as something you are going to incorporate into your life and schedule permanently, you will be reasonable about how often and for how long you are going to practice. If you just dive in and start a really intense regimen, you will probably get exhausted and maybe even give up. The 30 day challenges you often see at yoga studios are a great way to get people involved, but they are not meant to be sustainable. People get really exhausted and do not always maintain that level of practice after the challenge. If yoga is going to be part of your life, then literally schedule it into your life. Practicing "when you have time" means it probably wont happen regularly. Lastly, find a place/teacher you like (closer to you is more sustainable, but you have to feel comfortable there; it has to fit). There will be times when you just don't want to practice and that is when you remember back to before you started yoga and realize all the amazing benefits it has brought to your life. That will usually get you to your mat. If that doesn't work, call a friend and make them go to class with you!

How does your practice sustain you?
When we think of sustenance, we often think of food. For instance, right now I am being sustained by heart-shaped lemon cookies. I do not recommend this for a long term plan. True sustenance nourishes your body as well as your mind and your spirit. Yoga is an excellent way to keep your body strong, aligned, flexible and just working properly and smoothly. But it also keeps your mind strong, aligned, flexible and just working properly and smoothly. The crappy stuff in your mind and body melt away every time you practice. Instead of junk building up, yoga sustains you by acting as a consistent cleansing force. You may also find that you get rid of the crappy stuff in your life when you practice yoga regularly. Your energy balances out and you just feel better. Some of the ways yoga sustains us are counter-intuitive. For instance, who knew that keeping your mind active while you relax is actually way more nourishing than flopping on the couch and turning your brain off? "Active relaxation" clears tension at a deeper level, whereas passive relaxation only serves to distract us for a while. Past tensions and traumas live in our bodies and minds and become deeply rooted if we do not regularly clear them. They can lock down and impede our fullest expression and potential. Your yoga practice sustains you by revealing you. You shed the layers of junk and begin to live from your heart.

Sustainable Practice Techniques
There are ways to practice yoga that are more sustainable than others. For instance, if you stretch yourself in a pose without engaging your muscles first, you will not only be very sore, but there will be no long term change to your muscles. Using strength and flexibility together changes your body more rapidly and it sticks. Also, practicing with constant breath awareness keeps your mind engaged in the process. Without this awareness, there is no link between the mind and the body and you are more susceptable to injury. Acceptance of where you are leads to a sustainable practice. Without acceptance, you may force yourself into a shape you are not ready to be in and you may hear a very unpleasant sound followed by a very unpleasant feeling. Lastly, learning to line yourself up properly will give you the most freedom in your body; proper alignment sustains you and your practice. And since you can always make refinements with your practice and your alignment, the transformational possibility is endless. The creative possibility is endless, which keeps us interested. There is always more to discover and experience. Yoga is the ultimate sustainable practice!

Deepening: Get to know yourself through yoga

2011-03-25T11:05:00.001-07:00

The other day, the yoga director at one of the studios where I teach approached me and said that the students were looking to "go deeper" in their classes and asked if I could prepare my classes with this in mind. I was excited to offer a deepening experience to the willing and open students. However, when I was planning my next class, I noticed that I was asking myself, "What does going deeper really mean in a yoga practice?" Does it mean more challenging physically, does it mean holding poses longer, does it mean learning new difficult poses that you’ve never done before? These are all great and they definitely contribute to a deeper experience, but they're all just external physical things. To me, deepening is about refinement; it’s about refining your relationship with yourself by really getting to know your body and your mind so that you can experience the greatest awakening through your practice. Think of it as getting to know someone else. At first, you know them on the surface and the more and more time you spend with them, you think oh, I’m really getting to see the real them. But there is always more to learn, always more that can be revealed to you as you create a more intimate relationship with this person. Through a yoga practice, you’re creating a more intimate relationship with yourself. When you know yourself, you relate to yourself in a more sensitive way. Also, when you know yourself, you automatically develop a deeper understanding of all people and you relate to the world in a more sensitive way.

So how do you develop this deeper relationship with yourself? Well, I have a couple of ideas. The first one is super simple. Breathe. Just by following your breath, you create a more intimate relationship with yourself; your mind can follow your breath as your body feels it, you're really paying attention to yourself. When you become more sensitive to your own breath, you realize how it affects you. A single breath can transform tension into ease. A single breath can lasso your attention into the present moment. No matter what pose you are practicing, by paying attention to your breath, you are allowing yourself to have a deeper experience. You are cutting right through all the mind stuff (doubt, irritation, fear) and allowing yourself to really be there. AND, you might find that you can hold the pose longer and challenge yourself more physically (some of those physical things we talked about earlier) when you stay connected to breath. Another way to deepen your practice is to refine your relationship with your body through specific alignment principles. These help you to develop a "sense" of your body being in the optimal position. Even the tiniest shift of the toe can have an effect on your whole pose and your whole experience of the pose. By learning how to line yourself up safely, you not only understand yourself anatomically, but you tap into your deepest strength and find your greatest sense of freedom. AND, when you are lined up, you may find that you can more easily maneuver yourself into some of those new, difficult poses that you've been meaning to try (again, with the physical stuff).

So I invite you to deepen your practice this Spring by getting to know yourself a little better. The process of refinement is a life-long process and every step of the journey can be both challenging and deeply satisfying. Breathe, go into the deep well of yourself and enjoy!

The Equalizer

2011-03-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

It's March. The Equinox is coming up. So, naturally, I am going to talk about television. Huh? I used to watch this '80's TV show about a vigilante secret agent called "The Equalizer". The star of the show tries to atone for past sins by offering his services as a troubleshooter, a protector, and an investigator free of charge. He visits justice upon hoodlums, kidnappers, drug dealers, etc. and therefore can be thought of as bringing some balance to the world. Yoga acts as a much less violent, but just as cool, Equalizer. By practicing yoga, we create balance within ourselves. We balance the energies swirling around in our bodies. Each vortex of swirling energy in our bodies is called a chakra. There are 7 main chakras located along the central axis of the body. The energy in each area is related to physical body parts, physiological processes and psychological characteristics. Oftentimes, the energy gets blocked or flows out of control. The practice of yoga helps to balance it out for health and well-being. The time of the Spring Equinox (around March 20th this year) is an auspicious time to work with balance in our lives because it marks the time of perfect balance between light and dark; day and night are equally long on all parts of the earth on the Spring Equinox. Simply bringing your body into proper physical alignment can help to cultivate energetic balance. Yoga teaches us how to line up and when we align properly, it's like stepping into the flow of an even greater energy that supports and enlivens us. We are renewed, rejuvenated, reborn. It's like Springtime. Jump onto your yoga mat this month for some balancing action and join nature in this time of renewal.

Feelin' the Love

2011-01-31T15:56:00.000-08:00

Yoga gives us the opportunity to feel. To REALLY feel. How often do you go through a day without pausing to feel your breath moving through you or to feel your heartbeat or to notice any sensations in your body? It's so easy to be cut off from feeling and to live in our heads, moving through our schedules and thinking our way through the day. This month, I have decided to challenge myself to FEEL my way through the day, to actually listen to what my body is telling me and to actually allow myself to feel whatever comes up. Amazingly, the simple act of being sensitive to your own feelings can help you navigate through interactions with others and help you make decisions about how to act (or refrain from action if such is the case). This is particularly true on the yoga mat. The body responds best when we pay attention to how we are feeling. To pay attention, it is necessary to turn down the volume on the mind. One way to do this is to follow your breath. The breath creates a link between the body and the mind because you can follow the breath with your mind while feeling it in your body. It allows you to pay attention to feelings from the most obvious to the most subtle. When we allow ourselves to experience sensation and emotion, we form a more meaningful connection to ourselves and to others. The month of February, with Valentine's Day at its center, is a wonderful time to form these connections. It is a wonderful time to feel the love in our hearts-the love that is always there. Even though we may think we get love from others, others simply remind us of the love that always lies within us. No one can remove it even if they remove themselves from your life. The love is intrinsic. According to Shiva-Shakti Tantra, the philosophy of Anusara Yoga, everything and everyone is intrinsically good. Our bodies and minds are gifts to help us remember and to celebrate our intrinsic goodness, our loving essence. By practicing yoga, you have the opportunity to remember and to physically express this loving essence. Take a breath, dust off your heart and let a wave of love for yourself wash through you. Take your shoulders back and tilt your heart to the sky and the loving essence begins to radiate. Yoga, in its simple magnificence, increases our capacity for love.

I hope you're feelin' it this February and always.

Erin

Back to Basics: Breathing

2010-12-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the year, I like to return to the most basic element of my yoga practice-the breath. The breath is the most powerful tool that we have to keep us present, focused and calm. The breath also happens to be absolutely essential to our being. We can live for some time without water or food, but we can live only moments without breath. Oxygen regulates all functions of the body (e.g., cellular metabolism, brain functioning, digestion & elimination, circulation, immunity, etc.). Oxygen deficiency can lead to weakness, depression, irritability, fatigue, poor digestion and poor immunity. Chronic deficiency may contribute to degenerative diseases such as cancer, arthritis, etc. Sadly, most of us do not get enough oxygen. We take shallow breaths and use only a fraction of our lung capacity. So it is imperative to go back to basics and give attention to your breath. Giving attention to the breath is giving attention to your overall health. The breath is your life force. In yoga, this is sometimes referred to as "prana". It is like the electricity for our bodies; it keeps us going. If you prefer to think of things in scientific terms, you can compare prana to ionized oxygen (oxygen with an extra electron). Our bodies take in that extra electron with the breath and it literally gives us a charge. Prana is actually more than just ionized oxygen but the idea here is to start to recognize the importance of breath.

The breath also helps us to cultivate awareness. When we give attention to the breath, we are directing our awareness. We are learning to focus our attention, which can often be scattered. Breath awareness brings body awareness; when we are aware of our bodies, we listen to the feedback we are receiving, telling us to ease off, dive deeper or take a rest. We move safely and effectively through the practice. We form the union of mind and body.

What I love most about going back to basics is the simplicity. The breath is so simple. In and out. That's it. I am breathing in, I am breathing out. Just follow that simple, natural pattern and you're on your way! Here are a few more tips for bringing breath back into your practice. At the beginning of your practice, take a couple of minutes to just sit still and follow your breath. You don't have to do anything special, just follow your breath with your attention. Automatically, your are brought into the present moment and into connection with your body. (You can use your breath as a tool to practice presence at any time; it doesn't have to be at the beginning of your practice). As you start to move on to the postures, maintain breath awareness at all times. The breath will keep you focused in your poses; it will carry you deeper into the stretch and help you to maintain awareness of your body. Any time you notice your mind wandering off, lasso your attention right back to your breath. For a simple breathing practice, try Three Part Breath. Sit up straight and place your right hand over your belly and your left hand over your heart (just like in the picture at left). As you inhale, feel you belly expand into your right hand, feel your ribcage expand three dimensionally and feel your upper chest rise into your left hand. Exhale slowly and smoothly. Repeat several time maintaining awareness of all three parts. Always try to breathe through your nose. This can be done at the beginning of your yoga practice or any time you want to get some oxygen while relaxing for a moment. Three Part Breath is sometimes called Full Yogic Breathing or Dirga Pranayama. You may watch a video of it here. For a deeper understanding of what is going on inside of your body while you breathe, watch this short and simple video about breathing and the diaphragm. "For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth" (Sanskrit Proverb).

Feed your body, feed your mind and feed your spirit with breath. Happy New Year!

Erin

Celebrate Yourself!

2010-11-30T18:50:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Season is upon us! Time for celebration. In addition to your usual holiday festivities, take some time to celebrate yourself this season. How does one celebrate oneself? Yoga, of course! According to Anusara Yoga founder John Friend, yoga is a "celebration of the heart" that looks for the good in all people and all things. Before studying Anusara yoga, I never would have thought of yoga as a celebration. Yet, it makes total sense. Each posture is an outward expression of an internal state, a physical manifestation of the goodness/the light/the beauty of our own hearts. This philosophy of basic goodness simply reminds us of our natural state, the loveliness that is always there no matter how often we forget or how much we try to mask it with identity. And when we are reminded, we get a glimpse of the pure joy within us; this is what is revealed and celebrated with the physical body.

I will be celebrating myself and guiding others in their own self-celebrations this month by teaching Urdhva Dhanurasa (full backbend). Backbends are a powerful way to tap into the goodness of our own hearts. By opening the chest and shoulders and decongesting the space around the heart, the light inside has a chance to shine out. These invigorating postures also help to fight the winter blues (backbends are commonly recommended as a counter for fatigue, depression and seasonal affective disorder). You may notice that light is a big part of all the upcoming holidays (e.g., Christmas lights on houses and trees, Hannukah candles and New Year's Eve fireworks). We celebrate with light. And whether it is a holiday season or any season, we can celebrate our own light through the practice of yoga.

I invite you to join me this month for some big and beautiful backbends or try some simple backbending poses on your own. Either way, let your light shine and celebrate you!

Happy Holidays,
Erin

Gratitude

2010-10-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

November is bracketed by two lovely holidays that give us the opportunity to offer gratitude. Day of the Dead (November 1st and 2nd) is a Mexican holiday that focuses on remembering and honoring friends and family members who have died. It is a wonderful time to give thanks for where we come from and to honor our ancestors for teaching us, guiding us and providing the foundation for what we have today. In addition to honoring friends and family, I also like to honor teachers (especially yoga teachers) who have died and whose life's work has greatly influenced my life as a yoga teacher. At the tail end of the month, we have Thanksgiving. Though it is marred by the remembrance of "not-so-nice" treatment of Native Americans, it is still a precious time for appreciating everything that we have and offering gratitude for the abundance in our lives.

Whenever I find myself getting caught up in poverty consciousness (i.e., focusing on what I don't have and the lack of various conditions or materials), I take a moment to remember the richness of my life. I have SO much and I certainly don't always appreciate it. I have such a loving family, an amazing partner, an incredibly rewarding career teaching yoga and all the radiant students that come with that career and on and on. Who cares if I don't have those cute yellow rain boots? Who cares if I can't buy a condo right now? Enjoy what you have, Erin! Such amazing gifts, and they continue to abound every day. It is so easy for me to shift into a place of lack, but it feels much better to remember the fullness and to feel grateful for that. I feel grateful for every opportunity to step onto my mat and learn about myself and remember my joyful essence. We all have so much in our lives and it's so wonderful to take a moment to offer gratitude.

In trying to come up with a "pose of the month" that would embody gratitude, I remembered a bunch of images I found on istock (a website for royalty free images). When I typed in "gratitude" to find an image for my newsletter, I found 2 categories of images that kept appearing: 1) Someone praying or bowing 2) Someone with outstretched arms opening to the vastness of the sky. Hmm, what pose does both of these things? I thought of One-Legged King Pigeon pose. The prep pose with one leg extended back (which most of us think of as "pigeon pose") gives us the opportunity to bow in gratitude towards ourselves, our mats, our earth (like the first set of images I mentioned). The full version of the pose is a beautiful backbend, an opening to and appreciation for the abundance of life (like the second set of images). So if you join me in class this month, you will get to embody gratitude in 2 beautiful forms. If not, I hope you will take the time to give thanks this month in whatever way suits you.

Happy Dia de los Muertos, Happy Thanksgiving and Namaste,

Erin

Equanimity

2010-09-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

If you didn't know about the seasons, you might think that Fall was the beginning of the end. Leaves are falling, everything green appears to be dying, birds are skipping town, darkness is creeping its way into the light. Ahhh! But thankfully, most of us know that it is just a necessary part of the cycle of seasons. Change is a constant in nature. And the same is true in our own lives. Even as things continuously change around us, we have the ability to maintain equanimity-the calm, evenness of mind that comes with a balanced internal state. Yoga helps us to cultivate equanimity and experience our lives from an internal reference point rather than living at the mercy of external circumstances. Unfortunately, it can be pretty easy to allow yourself to respond to life's fluctuations with reactivity and emotion instead of balance and clarity. For this reason, a constant reminder (e.g., a daily yoga or meditation practice) is key in maintaining equanimity.

Why all the equanimity talk? Well, over the last few weeks, I have come across the same parable in 3 different sources: Yoga Journal, Deepak Chopra's "Perfect Health" and Baron Baptiste's "Journey Into Power". I thought, "something is really trying to pound this message into my head." Here's how it goes...
One day, the stallion of a Chinese Farmer runs off. All the neighbors gathered around saying "Very bad luck!". "Bad luck, good luck," said the Chinese Farmer. "Who knows?" A few days later the stallion returned with a whole herd of wild horses. "Very good luck!" said the neighbors. "Bad luck, good luck," said the farmer. "Who knows?" A week later the farmer's son was trying to break in one of the wild horses. He got thrown off the horse and broke his leg. "Very bad luck!" said the neighbors. "Bad luck, good luck, who knows?" came the reply. Several weeks later the Chinese army came marching through the village looking for able-bodied youth to join the army and fight. When they came to the farmer's house and saw that his son had a broken leg, they left him alone and moved on. "Very good luck!" said the neighbors.
It goes on like this, basically showing us that we can maintain inner peace no matter what may be happening. The neighbors reactive responses declared the experiences good or bad, but if we are non-reactive and stay calm, we just ride through the experiences.

I think this message came to me because there are a lot of shifts happening in my yoga teaching life lately. And instead of reacting with "this is good or bad," I'm just seeing where it takes me. Yoga has taught me to remain balanced internally as my external world shifts and changes. There may be waves, but instead of letting them rock me about, I simply ride them on my super yogi surfboard of perfect balance.

By building awareness, focusing and quieting your mind, following your breath and forming a connection with your body, you begin to develop an internal reference point. Regardless of external circumstances, you maintain your natural, harmonious inner essence. Even if certain things crumble and disintegrate in your life, your equanimity knows that the destruction is simply making space for something new. For example, if your 16 year old hadn't burned down your kitchen, you never would have had it remodeled (and now it looks so lovely). Yes, this actually happened. I am the 16 year old.

So as life rocks and rolls you this Fall, keep calm and turn to your breath. Turn inward to your natural state of harmony and ride all of your experiences with joy and ease!

Why Practice Yoga?

2010-08-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Whenever you discover something that brings you joy, it seems like a natural tendency to want to tell others. I LOVE Yoga, and I want to tell everyone about it. But I have to be careful because some people are skeptical about yoga and some people just don't know enough to understand why it may be a wonderful thing. So here are some bits of information and yoga tips that you can share with your non-yoga practicing friends and family members in the hopes that they will become yoga practicing friends and family members. And the timing is perfect because September is National Yoga Month, an awareness campaign designed to educate about the many benefits of yoga and inspire everyone to live healthier, happier lives. Also, people tend to start new "regimens" in September since it is the end of Summer and a common transition period. To find out more about National Yoga Month and to find participating studios that are offering free classes and events in September (Erin is offering both), visit YogaMonth.org

Why Should I Practice Yoga?
Many people who know nothing about yoga will more easily connect with the physical benefits. Yoga increases strength and flexibility as well as improving respiration, circulation, elimination, detoxification and any other system you can think of in your body. Yoga can heal and prevent back pain and generally prepares your body to perform everyday movements with greater ease, thus preventing injury. Yoga balances your energy and helps you sleep better. Aside from the myriad physical benefits, yoga also greatly affects the mind; it helps to reduce stress and calm the mind, it increases focus and concentration and it increases awareness, empowering you to understand and heal yourself. Practice yoga to feel good. Practice yoga to create freedom in your body. Practice yoga to cultivate a union between mind and body so that they are working together in harmony rather than butting up against each other (The word "yoga" translates as "union"). Practice yoga to create a positive connection to the people and the world around you. And the best part is that you don't have to take any of this on faith. Try it for yourself and experience the benefits!

What Are Some Tips for a Yoga Beginner?
Welcome to Yoga, Newbie! Here's a few tips to get the most out of your practice. And might I add that you have chosen a fabulous new hobby (you may even find that it is a new lifestyle).
1. BREATHE-the breath is the foundation of your yoga practice. It will help keep you calm, focused and present. It will also help you stretch deeper and relax into your poses instead of fighting them.
2. START WHERE YOU ARE-everyone comes to yoga with their own unique talents and limitations. The best thing you can do is to honor where you are and grow from there. Avoid forcing your body into shapes it is not ready to be in, even if the person next to you easily folds into that shape.
3. ENJOY THE GOODNESS-one of the best things about yoga is how good it makes you feel. Notice how you feel coming into class and how amazing you feel after class. Yoga is a celebration of our own basic goodness.
4. EXPERIENCE THE FREEDOM-when you're in a tough situation in class, remember that yoga helps to create freedom in your body and in your mind. Think of all the daily activities you will be able to do with ease and grace. Think of the freeing power of presence-you don't have to worry all the time about the future or get stuck in emotions and events of the past.
5. YOUR MAT IS A MICROCOSM-every yoga class is a chance to learn about yourself. Your mat is a little version of your whole life experience. Any thoughts, behaviors or tendencies that tend to come up for you off the mat, are re-enacted on the mat. If you tend to be stubborn, withdrawn, hard on yourself, overly rigid or overly flexible (whatever the tendency), it will show up in your practice. Pay attention and notice these patterns; you may notice that you can replace them with more helpful patterns. If you can make changes on the mat, you can make changes off the mat (in your "real" life).

Have fun!
P.S. And be patient finding a class/teacher that you like.

Fullness: Experience your potential through yoga

2010-08-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever done something and thought, "Wow! I've never done that before. I didn't know that was in me. I wonder what else is in there that I'm not using."? In other words, you had a glimpse of your potential-the untapped wellspring of wondrousness that lies within. We have the opportunity to create, experience and offer so much, if only we allow ourselves to tap into our fullness.

In sanskrit, the word for fullness is purna. Purna is our full potential; it is wholeness, completeness, perfection. It is reality; we are already whole. The path to fullness is self-realization. We already have it, we just have to realize it and use it. Yoga is an excellent way to realize and use our fullness. When we realize the vast power within us, we can share our joy and creativity with the world.

In Hindu mythology, there is a character that teaches us about fullness. It is Hanuman, the mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces. Hanuman's tale in the epic Ramayana -- where he is assigned the responsibility to locate Rama's wife Sita abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka -- is known for its astounding ability to inspire and equip a reader with all the ingredients needed to face ordeals and conquer obstructions in the way of the world. At one point in his pursuit to rescue Sita, he actually leaps across an entire ocean. This is where we get the name for the pose Hanumanasana in Yoga (it looks like the side splits, or a grand leap if the same posture was in the air).

The character of Hanuman teaches us of the unlimited power that lies unused within each one of us. Hanuman directed all his energies towards Lord Rama, and his undying devotion made him such that he became free from all physical fatigue. He is an example of using one's full potential. Now, you do not have to devote yourself to some Lord to be full. You can simply choose to devote yourself to yourself, to recognizing your own fullness and using that to enjoy a happy life. You will automatically affect others in a positive way when you are living in fullness.

How does yoga fit in? Yoga challenges us to do things we never thought we could. We try things that are difficult and we do them. We are full in our practice, no matter where we are. And as we grow, the edge of our limitation grows with us, our potential grows and we rise to meet it. We get stronger (physically and mentally) in every moment. Each pose, each breath of awareness, is a chance to realize and meet our fullness.

May you realize, live and enjoy fullness. Namaste.

Radiance: How yoga makes you brighter

2010-06-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Light is a vibration. So is sound. So are you. The human body is a vibrating field of energy. Your vibrations are affected by everything you do, think and feel. Your vibrations are also affected by the vibrations of the people and things around you. In today's society, most of us are overwhelmed by external stimuli; these stimuli contain vibrations that are affecting us. Yoga helps to balance your vibrating energy field for health and well-being. Practices like yoga, meditation and chanting help to change the vibration of your body in a positive way.

The human body contains 7 main energy centers, or wheels of light. You may have heard these referred to as chakras. The energy centers are located along the length of your spine. Yoga poses that target a specific area of the body also target the corresponding energy center. Physical and emotional issues can block your energy, causing you to "lose your luster". Yoga is a way to clear blockages and to purify and polish your energy, making it brighter and making you more radiant. I'm sure you have noticed people walking around with their "yoga glow". This isn't just an expression. It's literally what's happening. You literally become brighter. You vibrate at a different frequency, you emit a different kind of light (light that is beyond the visible spectrum for most, but still exists within the electromagnetic spectrum). Light emanates from within you and fills the space around you.

Meditation also en"light"ens you. By sitting quietly in meditation and following your breath, you automatically heighten your awareness, your consciousness. This state of awareness changes your vibration, cleans your energy and allows your inner radiance to shine out.

It is difficult to write this without sounding "unscientific", but all of this radiance stuff can be supported by science (if that is the type of information you prefer to consume). There are countless articles on the affects of sounds vibrations (chanting), meditation and yoga on your brain and your body. And even if the evidence isn't in some article, try it on yourself. See how you feel. See how yoga affects your body and your life. See how bright and radiant you can be. Yoga is not a faith based practice. You don't have to believe anything I say. Try it for yourself and revel in your shiny-ness!

Union of Opposites

2010-06-02T12:58:00.001-07:00

What is this whole Hatha Yoga thing anyway? What does it mean? Why is it helpful? Why do we do it? The simplest answer is in the definition of the sanskrit words Hatha and Yoga. Yoga, as you may know, means union. Hatha is actually two words in one. Ha meaning sun and tha meaning moon. So one might say that Hatha Yoga is the union of opposites (of sun and moon). We all have "sun energy" within us. This is a masculine, active, fire-y energy. We also have within us "moon energy". This is a feminine, passive, cooling energy. The practice of Hatha Yoga joins together these two opposite energies, creating a balanced individual. The combination of the words Ha and Tha in sanskrit means forceful. Thus, the practice creates a more balanced and more powerful you. The practice itself is also quite powerful; it's not a walk in the park. It takes will, strength, focus, consistency, adaptability and simultaneously builds all of those things. It's pretty awesome.

It is up to each of us to discover which energy is dominant in us. Are you more fire-y and active? Are you more chill and laid back? When you are aware of your tendency, you know which energy you need to cultivate in your being to create balance. Unfortunately, our tendencies usually draw us to the energy that we already have. That's why so many fire-y folks show up in hot yoga classes and passive folks show up in restorative yoga classes. For fire-y folks, a calming, yin yoga practice may be more balancing. Or, it may be helpful to really focus on the soothing, calming breath throughout an intense, hot class. For those who are more passive (this is my tendency), an active, heat-building practice with lots of Warrior poses and arm balances and core work can be very helpful. A Hatha Yoga class is designed to have both elements (active and passive). However, you can always seek out a more calming or more intense class or even bring your own intensity or calmness to a balanced class.

Uniting opposites to find balance has been a focus of mine for quite a while. I'm still working on it. As I mentioned earlier, I have a tendency towards passivity. There's more to the story (as there usually is with people). It's easy for me to fall to one extreme or the other. I can get really fired up and eventually burn out. I can also get really passive and sleeplike and unproductive. The practice of Hatha Yoga is essential in creating a balanced life for me, especially for balancing my energy. When I do have those moments of balance, I feel great! I feel productive (without doing too much) and relaxed (without doing nothing). I feel full and powerful and fabulous and most importantly, I feel like me.

Wishing you all a balanced practice and a balanced life.

Outdoor Yoga: Connecting with the 5 elements

2010-04-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season to practice yoga outside. Yoga in the outdoors is an entirely different experience. No longer bound by rooms and walls, you are free to experience the boundless nature of your own being. You raise your arms and your gaze to the sky rather than to the ceiling, you stand upon the earth rather than a mat or a floor, you feel actual wind rather than air conditioning and you see and feel the sun rather than lighting your practice with a bulb. You are free to connect with nature as intended. Because you are nature. We experience the 5 elements of nature (earth, air, fire, water and ether) not only outside but in our own bodies. Being outside simply reminds us that we embody these elements, these forces of nature. Being in nature allows us to connect to ourselves.

Let's move from the ground up.
EARTH: The force of gravity binds us to the earth while our feet and legs are responsible for carrying us upon it. When we work with standing poses in yoga, rooting our feet into the earth and strengthening our legs, we are connecting to this element. When we root into the earth, we create a sense of strength, stability, and safety. We are aware of our physical bodies and the surrounding physical or manifest world. Creating this sense of groundedness is essential in a balanced practice and a balanced life. Practicing yoga outdoors, we are able to root our bare feet into actual grass/dirt/earth, thus reminding us of the importance and strength of the earth element.
WATER: Water is fluidity and flexibility. It is passive and unhurrying. It goes with the flow because it is the flow. In our bodies, the hips are connected to the water element. Our hips allow us to sway, to flow and to be fluid and flexible. When the body is flexible, the mind is flexible, open and accommodating. In yoga, we work with hip openers to enliven this element in our being. Practicing yoga outdoors near water or even in the rain or dewy grass, we are reminded of our own sense of flow.
FIRE: Ever heard the expression "She has a fire in her belly"? Well, it's true. The fire element is associated with our belly. When we practice abdominal exercises, we feel the burning in our core, the transformational fire that burns away the old to make space for the new. Fire in nature not only creates heat, but it destroys. Destruction is necessary for new growth. The ball of fire in the sky that we see every day (the sun) gives us light and heat and sets us into action. It literally lights a fire under us and gets us going every morning; it is the creative force. Core strengtheners, twists and uddiyana bandha help us to tap into this element in our bodies. Practicing yoga in the sun reminds us of our own fire, the sun inside.
AIR: Air is expansion. It reaches out and touches everything. The air of our bodies is our breath. The energy of the universe flows into us through our breath. As we exhale, we expand and reach out and connect to others. We share our hearts with others. In yoga, practicing heart opening poses allows us to create a deeper sense of connection and love for ourselves and for others. Practicing stillness in savasana or meditation allows us to fine-tune our senses. We start to pay attention to all feelings, from the most obvious to the most subtle. We start to listen to the inner teacher and turn inward for our source of information. We hold the knowledge of the cosmos within us. This is the quality of air. Practicing yoga outdoors allows us to feel the wind around us and within us as we breathe.
ETHER: Ether is the spaces in between, the electromagnetic ocean, everything that is not a "thing". It is a field of energy in a constant state of vibration. Vibrations affect our bodies and our cells even if we cannot see or feel them. Surrounding ourselves with positive sounds, people and energy creates a healthy internal environment. Chanting OM or other mantras helps to create a positive vibrational space. Practicing yoga outdoors gives us an opportunity to hear our own voice dissolve into the vast field of electromagnetic energy. It reminds us of the vibrations all around us. The sounds of nature, the sounds of our internal environment, they are the same.

I hope that you are able to take the opportunity to practice yoga outdoors this season and connect with the 5 elements within and around you.
Practice Yoga Outdoors with Erin

Spring Cleaning

2010-04-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

Spring cleaning is not only for garages and closets. It's for us! We need to keep ourselves clean-inside and out. If you're like me, you may feel an intense desire to wash away the winter blues and cold weather sluggishness as Spring rolls around. This is the perfect time to turn to our mats.

Daily exposure to toxins affects our bodies, our minds and our energy. The build up of toxins in our bodies contributes to many illnesses and diseases (e.g., cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome). Detoxification is the process of removing toxins that have built up in us from the environment, diet, lifestyle, stress and emotional baggage. Yoga is a powerful way to detoxify not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well. Yoga utilizes specific poses, such as compressions and twists, to massage and wring out the internal organs, to bring fresh blood flow to these areas, to increase the flow of lymph (which carries out toxins), to stimulate digestion and elimination and to just get things moving inside of us. If things inside of us remain stagnant, toxins build up. If things are moving, the toxins are being flushed out. Yoga also helps to keep our energy centers (sometimes called Chakras) open and clear. Negative emotions and vibrations (whether from ourselves or others) can "gunk up" our energy and make us feel weighed down. Yoga cleans our energy. Purifying pranayama (breath practices) further help this cleansing process. The lungs are an organ of detoxification; breathing helps to eliminate toxins. Kabalabati (skull shining) breath cleanses the nasal passages and the lungs and builds heat in the body. Nauli Kriya, a powerful breath practice, moves beyond the lungs. This practice stimulates the digestive fire, thereby removing toxins, indigestion, and constipation. It also massages internal organs. Detoxification is the difference between your insides feeling like black sticky sludge and clear flowing water. Hmm, which sounds better?

When I come to my mat for a detoxifying yoga practice, I not only leave with fresh insides, I leave with a fresh perspective. I begin to apply the detoxifying practices to my life. What is cluttering up my life? What will make things flow more smoothly? I make a decision to direct my energy and attention towards things that are life-enhancing, things that assist me in achieving my goals and that leave me feeling healthy and joyful. I choose to direct my energy and attention away from things that are no longer helping me, things that drain me and leave me feeling lethargic and unhappy. When I am in the "Spring Cleaning" state of mind, physical clutter and mental clutter are addressed more easily and removed more efficiently. My mat acts as a starting point for change in my life. It is a place to recognize what needs to shift and a place to start making those shifts. Change on the mat is change in life.

Hug Yourself

2010-02-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

Spring is coming! Nature will embrace us with beautiful blossoms, balmy breezes and boundless love. As I anticipate this embrace, I am reminded of the importance of embracing oneself. Yes, you can actually wrap your arms around yourself and give a good old-fashioned squeeze. However, there is another, more subtle, more profound way to hug yourself. It is the second principle of Anusara Yoga: Muscular Energy. According to John Friend (founder of Anusara Yoga), "Muscular Energy refers to a conscious flow of energy, originating in the inner energy body, that creates stability, strength and physical integration in a pose. It draws all the parts of the outer body closer together so that they have a greater sense of knowledge of each other." It is firming your muscles and "hugging" them onto the bones. It is hugging your outer body into the core of your body. This creates a feeling of security and love. Muscular Energy is also drawing the energy of the earth up from your foundation into your core, thus enlivening your being. We hug into ourselves and then we can expand out.

Let me offer an example. Say you are practicing Tadasana. You start by establishing your foundation and drawing energy from the earth through your feet and legs into your core. You then consciously firm your muscles, hugging from skin to muscle and muscle to bone (from the outside of your body to the inside). This is not an intense squeeze or contraction but a loving, firming hug. You then draw your limbs toward the midline of your body. Your arms and legs don't actually have to come together and touch the midline, they just hug in that direction. Finally, you draw from your extremities into the center of your pose (in this case, the pelvis). Once you have this Muscular Energy, you can then work with the extension or expansiveness of your energy and your pose.

Every time I work with muscular energy, I remember how necessary it is to nourish myself first so that I am better able to reach out and help others. I have to hug/love myself first, then I can extend myself and lend a hand. In flight attendant terms, you have to put your oxygen mask on first and then help others with their masks. I forget this sometimes. It is easy to get caught up in giving and helping without giving yourself any attention and TLC. As you may know, constantly giving out without taking in can lead to exhaustion, illness, resentment and other not-so-fun things. Hug yourself and give yourself the strength, stability and integrity to shine out.

Wishing you all fabulous Self-hugs and Spring-hugs. Namaste.

Open Heart

2010-01-31T17:27:00.000-08:00

The Heart. The center of our spiritual being. When this center is opened and enlivened, we experience a greater capacity for love (for ourselves as well as for others), greater physical health, and a greater sense of peace and centeredness. Heart-opening poses in the practice of yoga help to open this center and bring myriad benefits. An open heart is also a state of mind- a knowingness that you are innately good, that you are loved, that you are free. It is a willingness to receive the love of family, friends, strangers, nature, even the whole world and to send it back out. When your heart is open, you leave room for health, happiness and balance.

In the land of yoga asana (posture), heart opening poses usually include backbends, from the simplest and smallest lift of the sternum to the grand and beautiful wheel pose (full backbend). These poses not only open up space around the physical heart, they also stimulate the thymus. The thymus is an organ just behind the sternum that provides an area for many of our immune cells to mature; it is of vital importance in our immune system. Practicing heart opening poses is an excellent way to boost and maintain a healthy immune system. It is also a great way to counteract "computer posture", the hunched, rounded-shoulder posture we assume as we tap away on our keyboards. Backbends act as a counter to computer posture by drawing the shoulders back and bringing the heart forward. Practicing backbends regularly helps you to stand and sit up straighter and to relieve those pesky kinks we get in our necks and shoulders from hunching forward.

Practicing physical poses is not the only way to open the heart. Openness comes from an attitude- a choice to reveal yourself, to express yourself, to celebrate yourself and to allow your heart to be touched by others. This fits in nicely with the first principle of Anusara Yoga: "Open to Grace". Anusara Yoga is a school of hatha yoga founded by John Friend. The word Anusara means "following your heart". The philosophy of this school of yoga is epitomized by a "celebration of the heart" that looks for the good in all people and all things. Opening to Grace is like softening; it is surrendering to the vastness of the world around you. It allows you to relax so your heart can softly expand and brighten your inner being. This softness and openness then infuses any physical pose that follows. In fact, just this attitude of softness and openness automatically starts to lift your chest and refresh your posture.

As you continue (or begin) your Yoga practice, I invite you to open your heart, physically and spiritually. Start to notice all the fabulousness that comes along with this opening. Peace, health, love and more. And maybe you'll even start to live from your heart. After all, it is much smarter than your head.

May you enjoy much love this February, Valentine's Day and always!

Namaste,
Erin

Intention

2010-01-04T13:27:00.001-08:00

It is a New Year. Time to refresh our Yoga practice. And what better way to refresh your practice than to return to the beginning. The Intention. Setting an intention is the first step in the practice of Yoga. Without intention, it is simply just an exercise. You may have a physically perfect Yoga practice, but without intention it loses its transformational power. Someone practicing with intention will have a very different experience from someone practicing without intention. It gives the practice a deeper purpose.

So what exactly is intention? Many times I will hear a yoga teacher say "Please take a moment to set your intention". But what does this mean? There is often no explanation. If you are new to yoga, it may be confusing when you are asked to set an intention. According to Phillip Moffet, founder and president of the Life Balance Institute, intention is a practice focused on how you are "being" in the present moment. "You set your intentions based on understanding what matters most to you and make a commitment to align your worldly actions with your inner values." Your intentions stay with you in each moment, in every action, in every day. It is a way to guide your actions, thoughts and emotions.

Intentions are often confused with goals. Since it is the beginning of the New Year, many of us are setting goals for ourselves. Setting goals can be valuable; they help you to organize your time and energy and provide direction. However, goals are oriented toward a future outcome. Intention is rooted in the present. You can be your intention, whereas you cannot be your goal. Here is an example. Say that your intention is to live compassionately, showing compassion to yourself and to others. Compassion can be lived in every moment, it can exist in every thought. It is present independent of the current situation or future outcome. It is there whether or not you achieve your goals. If you set this intention at the beginning of your yoga practice, you are constantly reminding yourself to have compassion for yourself and for those around you. You pay attention to when you need to rest, you allow judgment of those around you to fall away and you live your intention. You are making a decision to live each moment with compassion. It is like an attitude or a state of mind rather than something you are hoping to get in the future.

When you come to your mat in 2010, make intention setting your first step. Notice how aligning your worldly actions and your inner values affects your practice and your life. I think you will enjoy it!

Namaste,
Erin

Give Yoga

2009-12-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

The word "Yoga", translated from Sanskrit, means "union". To Give Yoga, means to bring unity into the world. Unity in both a personal sense (uniting your mind, body and spirit) and in a universal sense (uniting your individual self with all the other individual selves in the world and to the universe as a whole).

Giving the practice of Yoga to yourself or to others helps facilitate this unity. When you give to yourself, others benefit. When you give to others, you benefit. You cannot have one without the other. We are connected in a giving circle.

I invite you to give the gift of unity this Holiday season. Whether that means taking a Yoga class or workshop for yourself, giving your friend a Yoga Gift Certificate, giving to charity or simply being mindful of your own physical/mental/spiritual connections.

Thank you all for affording me the opportunity to Give Yoga as a teacher. From this, I have received so much.

Namaste,
Erin

"For it is in giving that we receive." -St. Francis of Assisi

The Beauty of Simplicity

2009-11-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhhhh! The Fall air. I am amazed at how refreshing it is to just walk outside and take a breath. It is so simple. Yet this simple thing is powerfully rejuvenating. I feel it in my whole body. It is freedom. It is direct experience. It is newness.

What a relief it is to bring simplicity to my Yoga practice-to break it down into its simplest components. Do this and breathe. Do this and be still. Do this and feel yourself opening. That's really it. It reminds me that I often think too much. I tend to complicate things. I tend to fuss over details. I tend to complicate my life. But life is inherently not complicated. When we place ourselves alongside of Nature, life can be broken down into its simplest components and lived from there. Think of when you go camping (and since we're in the Pacific Northwest, I'm assuming most of you have done some form of camping). This is a great example of breaking down life into its simplest components. What do you bring with you? One set of clothes, something to keep you warm and dry, and a few things to make sure you can feed and hydrate yourself. Think of the freedom this creates. You don't have to worry about so many options. You just spend your time simply being. The simplicity allows freedom, it allows time, it allows authenticity.

Simplicity is the lack of pretense. The complete and total shedding of ego. The freedom of being oneself and being comfortable with that. Simplicity is directness of expression. There is no beating around the bush or sugar coating. When you eliminate the clutter (the physical clutter, the mental clutter, the spiritual clutter) you have much more space and time for yourself.

Go outside and take a breath. Breathe freshness into your life. Breathe freshness into your practice. Breathe in the simplicity and experience the freedom and the realness. I guarantee things are not as complicated as you make them out to be.

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." ~Hans Hofmann

Love,
Erin

Yoga "Endurance"

2009-10-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that I don't think Yoga is something to be endured. Nor do I think life is something to be endured. Rather, I find them both things to be enjoyed. When I talk about Yoga "Endurance", I am really talking about one's ability to maintain calm and presence in any situation. I use the word endurance because it is widely understood and because it is simpler than what I just stated. Consulting my online dictionary, I find "endurance" to be defined as "the ability to withstand hardship or adversity, especially the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity". Consulting the Yoga Sutras (a foundational text of Yoga), I find "Yoga" to be defined as "citta vritti nirodha" (citta vritti=turning of thought in the mind, nirodha=cessation). So "Yoga" is defined in this text as "the cessation of the turnings of the mind".

So how do "Endurance" and "Yoga" fit together? Very well, I think. When we practice yoga, we are consistently working towards calming the mind (stopping the mental turnings, the constant thoughts, the "what happeneds" and the "what are going to happens"). We are trying to be calm and present in any situation that arises in our practice. But calming the mind can be really hard. So how do we endure this hardship? How do we maintain calm and presence when our mind is constantly turning? My answer is this: breathe and soften.

Say you are sitting in meditation and thoughts keep coming at you from every direction: What am I having for dinner? What do I have to do at work tomorrow? My back hurts. I suck at meditating. Does it smell weird in here? The easiest and most effective thing you can do is allow the thought to drop away (WHATEVER it is, you don't have to attend to it) and immediately return to your breath. As you breathe, allow yourself to soften and relax and be free of the thought. Rest into the simplicity of your breath. Nothing else has to happen. Just breathe.

Let me give a more physical example. Say you are holding chair pose for a really long time. You're in chair pose and you're thinking "Chair pose is hard. My legs are tired. Is it time to stop? It seems like it should be time to stop. Is it really good for me to be holding the pose this long? When the hell is this pose going to end?" This is not presence. This is anticipation of when the pose will end rather than being in the pose and maintaining calm and presence no matter how long the pose is held. Your body will hold the pose a lot longer than you think. In fact, your body will hold the pose as long as you don't think. When you stop the turnings of your mind, you soften into the pose and it's almost as if you can hold it forever. Just breathing in chair pose. No worries about the end or about whether you can hold it. You can.

Yoga is more about your mind in the pose than your body in the pose. Yoga "Endurance" is allowing yourself to be calm and present in any posture, any breath practice, any meditation seat, no matter how short or long or easy or hard. It is your state of mind. It is the absence of clenching, grunting, resenting, anticipating and thinking. This can easily translate into general life experience. No matter what situation or circumstance comes along in your life, the ability to remain calm and present no matter what is key. It is this ability that enables one to enjoy life rather than endure life.

So the next time your life or your yoga instructor throws something tough your way, think Yoga "Endurance" and enjoy it! It ain't no thang.

Love,
Erin

The Importance of Stillness

2009-08-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

September has arrived. A time of transition. A time to start new things. Fall type things. If you are like me, you may have a tendency to really want to get things rolling, to start all those things you were thinking about, planning, or putting off during the Summer. Time to DO, DO, DO! Let's get things moving y'all! However, since I am a wise yoga teacher (sarcasm), I know that this is exactly the time to emphasize the practice of Stillness. In the stillness lies the field of all possibilities. Action is limited, Stillness is unlimited. It is necessary to go beyond the turbulence of your own mind to connect with the universal mind, the mind of nature. This happens in stillness. It is here that the ball gets rolling. It is here that the seed of your intention is planted and the seemingly chaotic universe starts to plan for the manifestation of your intention. It is not by DOING, but rather by NOT doing that things get done. What? You might say to me, "you are doing something right now, you are writing this blog post. Is the universe writing this blog post?" And to that I reply, "you're right, I am writing this blog post, but my intention of sharing the teachings of yoga through writing was released in the place of stillness. So instead of staring at my computer thinkin' up ways to talk about Stillness, I sit at my computer and words flow with effortless ease." Think of it this way. If your mind is a still pond, the smallest stone tossed into it would create a ripple. If your mind is a turbulent ocean, you could throw the Empire State Building in there and not recognize it. Stillness calms your mind enough to allow you to notice the ripples, to pay attention to the ideas, opportunities and teachings that life is throwing into your pond. I like this metaphor. I got it from my friend Deepak Chopra (he doesn't know we're friends).

I agree that it is necessary to DO things, but it is also necessary to make a commitment to sit still and INTEND things, ALLOW things, RECEIVE things. There exists, always and everywhere, a beautiful balance of movement and stillness. My friend Dr. Chopra states that the "exquisite combination of silent, unbounded, infinite mind along with dynamic, bounded, individual mind is the perfect balance of stillness and movement simultaneously that can create whatever you want." This perfect balance of movement and stillness is abundantly clear in the practice of Yoga. There is plenty of action in yoga, plenty of doing. All those sun salutations, poses, special breathing exercises, etc. are all DOING type things. But there are essential moments of stillness-sitting still with your breath, meditating, practicing savasana (the relaxation pose at the end of practice where you actually receive all the benefits of your practice), the spaces in between poses, even the time DURING poses when you are completely still and present. It would not be yoga without stillness. I think stillness is easily overlooked. We seem to have adopted the slogan "The more you do, the better". I always try to emphasize moments of stillness in my classes. I try to emphasize moments of stillness in my life as well.

So as you embark on this September 2009 and notice yourself getting wrapped up in the do-ness of it all, I invite you to make a commitment to stillness. Stillness in your yoga practice and stillness in your life. Who knows? Maybe things will start to flow more easily and the DOING parts of your life will seem less like doing and more like joy and ease.

"Wherever you go in the midst of movement and activity, carry your stillness with you."
-Deepak Chopra

Namaste,
Erin

The Heart of the Warrior

2009-06-27T16:01:00.001-07:00

It happened!!! I cried on my yoga mat. Tears of sadness and joy. Tears of an open heart. Tears of compassion. Beautiful, fearless tears. I have been eagerly awaiting this moment and it came today at Equalityoga. Hundreds of lovely beings shared an outdoor practice dedicated to social action-specifically for Gay Rights. We created a collective intention of cultivating equality-equality as love, honor and respect for all beings for who they are. During this practice, I found myself cultivating these same feelings for myself-love, honor and respect for who I am. I forget to do this sometimes. I forget to recognize my own basic goodness. This is what connects me to everyone else. If I forget this about myself, how can I connect to others? How can I have compassion for myself and for others? Only when we recognize our own basic goodness can we shed our fear-based egos and allow our hearts to crack open, spilling love out into the world. Only when we have looked at our own soul can we realize the beauty of another's soul. When this happens, we experience the Heart of the Warrior.

In the tradition of Shambhala (a path of meditation I was introduced to some years ago that views all beings as fundamentally good), the Heart of the Warrior is one of fearlessness and gentleness. The warrior is not afraid of who she is. She can look directly into her heart and mind without the veils of fear, doubt and ego. She can allow her heart to open completely and share her love with the world. Fearlessness is her source of strength and her strength enables her to open to the world with a raw and tender heart, a heart of complete gentleness. The Warrior is so vulnerable that she is invulnerable; there is no ego to be wounded. The Warrior has great strength and great softness. The Warrior has both masculine and feminine. The Warrior has no arrogance, no aggression and no attachment to past or future. The Warrior extends herself fully with kindness to create and maintain an enlightened society.

So how do we develop our warrior? Where do we start? How do we become fearless and gentle? Here is how.

1. MEDITATION: The late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a lineage holder in the Shambhala tradition, explains that through the practice of sitting still and following your breath as it goes out and dissolves, you are connecting with your heart. By allowing all thoughts to melt away, you start to "break through the ancient crust of ego and awaken to the joy of fully living in this world". You let your guard down, you take off your masks, you recognize your basic goodness. By simply letting yourself be, as you are, you develop genuine sympathy towards yourself. Out of this, grows a tenderness and a sympathy for others. "Real fearlessness is the product of tenderness. It comes from letting the world tickle your heart, your raw and beautiful heart. You are willing to open up, without resistance or shyness, and face the world. You are willing to share your heart with others" (Chogyam Trungpa). The warrior dares to experience the sharp edge of reality and move forward with gentleness, awareness, and inquisitiveness.

2. YOGA: Basic goodness is a fundamental principle of Anusara Yoga, which happens to be the style of yoga I have chosen to study most closely (you can tell I dig this whole "basic goodness" thing). Through a physical yoga practice, we can connect with our hearts and celebrate our intrinsic goodness. By honoring the beauty and goodness in all practitioners, teachers of Anusara Yoga create a space in which it is safe to unveil and look directly into your heart. It is common for yogis, through the beauty and physical expression of the practice, to feel or release intense emotion on the mat (even tears, like today for me!). This is the Heart of the Warrior. This is the fearlessness of looking at ourselves, honoring ourselves, and honoring others.

3. PRESENCE: The Heart of the Warrior can pop up at any time. All that is required is presence. When you are present, you are not thinking about the past so you have no identity (no ego), you are not thinking about the future (or the false happiness that awaits you there), you are 100% in the now. When you are in the now, you are automatically connected to your heart, to your basic goodness. And since you are so open in your presence, anything that comes along touches your raw heart and brings forth compassion. The simplest thing can bring about tears of joy. The harshest circumstances can be addressed with great gentleness. In the midst of great difficulty (grief, hardships, loss, break-ups, etc) your heart is waiting to be cracked open. All you have to do is ALLOW yourself to be present. It is the fastest way to heal. No fear, no aggression, no hiding, no defensiveness. Just awareness and love.

As I have found with many things of this nature, the Heart of the Warrior cannot really be explained. It cannot be intellectualized. It MUST be experienced. And it must be experienced by YOU. So take a friggin' sledgehammer to your ego and expose your beautiful heart. Be raw, open and tender. Find your warrior and extend yourself fully to the world with gentleness, fearlessness and non-aggression. JAI HO!

Love,
Erin

The Mat as Macrocosm

2009-06-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

When you are practicing yoga, do you ever feel part of something bigger? When I am on my mat, I find that I feel a sense of connectedness, a vastness, a unity, a oneness with the entire universe. This is not happening in a church or a temple or on top of a mountain somewhere, just on my mat. Where is this coming from? Then I remember the meaning of the word Yoga. In Sanskrit, yoga means union. It is not only a union of mind and body (the union we typically think of when we think of yoga) but it is also a union of the individual self and the supreme self, the individual consciousness and the universal consciousness. The yoga mat serves as a connection of our tiny selves with the enormity of the entire universe, the entire cosmos, the macrocosm.

Macrocosm can be defined simply as the great world or universe; the universe considered as a whole. It can be defined less simply as a representation of a smaller unit or entity by a larger one, presumably of a similar structure. This definition fits nicely with the fundamental thesis of Kriya Yoga-that we are a miniature version of the whole cosmos. We are a finite version of the infinite. We are the universe/God/the Divine/the Supreme Consciousness in the boundary of a body. I find that this concept is most concisely and eloquently explained in the words of Kabir: "All know that the drop merges into the Ocean, but few know that the Ocean merges into the drop." We are the entire ocean contained in one drop. Everything we are looking for on the outside is already within us, including salvation, peace, love and contentment.

Yoga is the means of making that connection between microcosm and macrocosm - realizing the truth behind the union of individual and universal. Our yoga mat takes us on an inward journey, to the depths of our soul. What we may not realize at first is that the journey to ourselves is the same as the journey to that which is greater than ourselves. The journey to self is the journey to the Divine. When we connect to ourselves on our mats, we connect to everything that happens to not be on our mats. So when we are doing all of those hard poses, focusing on our breath, calming our minds, challenging ourselves to move beyond our limitations, allowing ourselves to release, to surrender, to expand, we are on that journey. We are making those connections. We are realizing our true nature. It's like tapping into the Source and realizing that we are the Source.

The next time you are on your mat, let it be a rectangular reminder that the entire universe lies within you, as you.

Namaste,
Erin

The Mat as Microcosm

2009-04-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

I am on my mat and things are starting to get really intense. I'm actually starting to freak out a little bit. "This is too hard! I want to give up. My hip is going to snap. I don't feel like being in this stupid pose any longer! I wish the teacher would shut up about breathing!" I notice my thoughts related to this moment. I notice my behavioral tendency-wanting to give up when things get hard. Then, I breathe. I acknowledge my tendencies and let them pass. What a wonderful microcosm this mat is- a little world, a safe place to recognize and hash out all of my maladaptive behaviors and to hopefully (eventually) move beyond them and replace them with more positive ways of being.

Irvin Yalom, an accomplished existential psychotherapist and author, often writes about the concept of a microcosm as it relates to group therapy. He explains that the therapy group functions as a social microcosm. Given enough time, "one behaves in the therapy group very similarly to the way one behaves in one's outside social environment." Any maladaptive behaviors present in one's outside world are re-enacted in the group. The same is true in our yoga practice. The mat functions as a microcosm-a little version of our whole life experience. Any thoughts, behaviors or tendencies that tend to come up for us off the mat, are re-enacted on the mat. If we tend to be too hard on ourselves, it will show up on the mat. If we tend to be withdrawn or inattentive, it will show up on the mat. If we tend to compare ourselves to those around us, feeling either envious or superior, it will show up. If we tend to resent people telling us what to do or how to feel, it will show up. If we tend to have very fluid or very rigid boundaries, it will show up. If we tend to either give up or overextend ourselves, it will show up. However, because it is a little world, it is easier to recognize the tendencies. And because it is a safe world, in which no one is judging us or expecting anything from us, we can actually observe the tendencies instead of just reacting or defending ourselves. We don't even have to do anything about it, just notice. "Hmm, I notice that I'm doing this or feeling this right now. Do I always do this? Do I always think this about myself?" In time, you may choose to do something. You may choose another course of action, you may choose to let the negative thoughts pass, you may choose to be more compassionate with yourself, you may choose more life-affirming ways of being/thinking/feeling.

So the next time you are on your mat, I invite you to notice your tendencies. Just notice. Maybe you will choose to take a small step towards balance by letting your negative thoughts pass during meditation, by letting go of your obsessive thoughts about all the work you have to do after class while you're in savasana, by telling yourself it's ok if you don't touch your foot to your head today, or by choosing to turn your attention inward, to be the best that you can be in that moment, instead of comparing yourself to the insanely flexible woman next to you who is probably a gymnast anyway. Those small changes on the mat will automatically translate into changes off the mat. Without even thinking about it, you will find yourself exhibiting those same positive ways of being in your life off the mat. After all, you do not turn into someone else when you enter the yoga studio. You are still you. On and off the mat. And any changes you make in yoga, you make in your life. It is your personal space for bringing awareness, self-discovery, growth and change. Who knew your mat was so powerful?

Namaste