Thursday, June 27, 2013

Humble Beginnings


We all have humble beginnings; as infants, our mothers would change our diapers, wipe our drool, burp us until we well... we were just adorable. A mother's love is unconditional. She didn't wait until you were full grown to love you;
so why wait until the practice looks a certain way to love it?

Embarking on a new journey often means everything seems like an obstacle. The truth is, our perception is what makes the journey either worthwhile, or total hell! For example, I was blessed with really tight hips. It took me years to sit in lotus, even with a daily practice. It was the releasing and opening that taught me more about myself than being handed the posture would have. I slowly watched how I deal with discomfort, when I want to give up, why I'm giving up, etc.

The way we do one thing is the way we do everything; running from a stretch is the same mentality we hold when we run from our fears and responsibilities (though you very well may be a rockstar who deals with things head on, in which case, yeah GET IT!).


You don't need to have every pose; create the ones that make you happy!


Pictures are fun, so here are all the beautiful people who I did Yoga Teacher Training with! This is our family :)

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Why do you push yourself? & in what direction is that push leading you?

Practicing at home vs in a studio can facilitate very different experiences. At the studio it's easier to stay motivated because of the energy that's working to our benefit all around us. The thing that many people will say is that they see others in a beautiful posture and they want to get there, so they don't give up.

Eventually, hopefully, we turn so far inward that it doesn't matter if we're in a studio or at home; it's the same yoga.

Studio practice can be a wonderful tool that allows us to connect to each other while home and self practice allows for a unique intuition to guide the soul. In a studio, when someone around me is breathing really well, it encourages me to stay linked to my breath, no excuses. If they can do it, there's no reason I should be cutting myself off from life and oxygen. If I feel myself running on empty and giving up, I know I'm only encouraging others to give up. We have to keep going! It's only a moment, and it could change someone else's. When we push ourselves, we inspire others. Life's about inspiring others.

Personal side-note: for a long time my practice was about achieving and striving for perfection. I wanted something to show for my blood sweat and tears. Type-A and all that jazz. It sounds shallow because it is. The yoga helped me realize that this was how I was leading my life, not just my practice. Yoga allowed me to break free of the habits I was making myself a victim of. Lately I've been playing around with taking extended breaks from my practice, and I found this:

If we're growing because we seek perfection, it's not growth for the right reasons. Perfection doesn't exist, and if we're chasing it, what is the destination other than a lonely island of one?


Connect, breathe, ommm <3