“When we are in pain, we become self-centered and myopic. When we heal, we become more empathetic, self-less, and sympathetic to the pain and welfare of others. It is our gift to others to heal ourselves.” — Max Strom
Love this reminder of importance of the practice of yoga or any healing practice.
“A great phase in man’s advancement is that in which he passes from subconscious to conscious control of his own mind and body.” F.M. Alexander
Yes! We are all on the spectrum…and experience reminds me the spectrum is HUUUGE!
Found this great one on the On The Mat Yoga Studio website, where I’ll be teaching Deep Stretch on Feb 21st. Thanks for sharing Ramsay – Love it!
“Remember it doesn’t matter how deep into a posture you go — what does matter is who you are when you get there.” Max Strom
Great reminder of our aim in asana (seat/posture), which is not to max out, but rather find more balanced effort. Patanjali’s Sutra 2.46 guides us to balance stability/steadiness with ease in asana. Never forcing and maintaining some calm for the nerves via breath, focus, alignment, etc.
“sthira sukham asanam” Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.46
Following neck strain from the stress of life changes (divorce, move, etc), the physical therapist recommended yoga as way to continue the healing after my “20 sessions ” were up. I reluctantly started practicing, and haven’t stopped.
Reluctance seems to be a thread here. I didn’t think I could be a teacher, as I felt I had 4 strikes against me: not skinny like the teachers I knew, not flexible, still hadn’t ‘mastered’ any inversions, and most powerfully, had a deep fear of public speaking. However, I am grateful for the strong-arming of a friend who’s insistence led me down this path. I had a deep desire to serve, and am thrilled to share the benefits of practice, all while challenging my fear of public speaking.
Ardha Chandrasana/half moon. I probably include it in most every class I teach. Strong, challenging and a freeing pose at best … and scarily unstable at worst. It is usually both the best of times and worst of times, each time.
Laurel and Randy, of course ! JK … Helping to awaken a student’s awareness, and connect to their true selves.
Breath and meditation, and just doing something.
All of it … but maybe more specifically what Pema Chodron said.
Vito teaches Power Flow on Saturdays at 8:15am, Vinyasa on Saturdays at 9:45am & Mondays at 8:15am and Basics on Mondays at 9:30am.
I wanted to share this RUMI poem that was shared with me for the new year. I’m grateful for Toni and Susana for sharing this with me.
THE GUEST HOUSE
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.RUMI circa 1250
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” — B.K.S. Iyengar
“…and the wisdom to know the difference.”
I was reminded of this quote with B.K.S. Iyengar’s birthday this past Monday the 14th. This reminds me of the Serenity Prayer. A benefit of practice that is forever useful.
Here’s a post from August 2013 expanding on the Serenity Prayer in practice:
Continuing on the theme of True Happiness by way of acceptance and presence, I wanted to share the serenity prayer, which sums up a lot of what the practice has afforded me.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.” — Reinhold Niebuhr
This is such a great practice of surrender, acceptance and presence that takes me closer to a sense of Yoga — Patanjali’s second sutra 1.2 and definition of yoga:
citta vritti nirodha – Yoga is the resolution of the agitations of the mind (translation by Judith Hanson Lasater).
I’ve been sharing first part of the prayer in classes and attributed it to an American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, however, there is some question as to its origins. While searching for a source, I was reminded of the fuller version and of its affiliation to AA and many 12-step programs.
Below is a complete version of the prayer. While very Christian, this has applicability with any God, deity, Divinity or higher consciousness. I find this also supports the observance or Niyama (the second limb of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra) isvara pranidana (surrender oneself, one’s actions, one’s practice to God).
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.
Thanks to Alex for reminding me of this favorite:
“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.” – George Santayana
“Humility and gratitude go hand in hand. The feeling of gratitude is an interaction between the mind and the body. Both will benefit from it. Awareness increases so that we become grateful for everything we are given. We have to learn, literally learn, to be grateful for what we receive day by day, simply to balance the criticism that, day by day, we voice because of powerful emotions.” Swami Sivananda Radha
From Georg Feuerstein’s great inspirational collection Yoga Gems.
Much appreciation, peace and love!
“We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we have now has been the result of past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in the future can be produced by our present actions: so we have to know how to act.” – Swami Vivekananda
Great reminder of the power of the present – freeing ourselves from past regrets, etc. – to support skillful action.
Last Friday, Seth Godin posted an inspiring post entitled The initiator which resonates so well for me as well. I can let feelings of inadequacy, not-good-enough etc. serve as both conscious and sub-conscious blocks from action. Waiting for perfection before taking action leads only to further inaction.
“Buddha taught…just to observe nature as it is by observing the reality inside. Out of ignorance, we keep reacting in ways which harm ourselves and others. But when wisdom arises – the wisdom of observing reality as it is – this habit of reacting falls away. When we cease to react blindly, then we are capable of real action – action proceeding from a balanced mind, a mind which sees and understands the truth. Such action can only be positive, creative, helpful to ourselves and to others.” – S.N. Goenka, “The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation”
Paraphrased from The Buddha is Still Teaching by Jack Kornfield
