Thursday, October 19, 2006

How is your yoga practice?

Has is been a fruitful week so far, or has the time bandit made away with precious moments absconding towards the distant horizon with a blink of the eye? A thought comes to mind of the “Sisyphean task” where the mythological King Sisyphus rolls a rock up a hill only for it to fall down just short of its destination. The vision personifies vain labor. There is Sisyphus struggling under the weight of the boulder, veins protruding in his neck, sweat rolling off his brow, muscles bulging and twitching with intent. It sounds like a yoga class gone wrong. According to Greek mythology Sisyphus was a bad man in life, stealing, cheating, tricking, and generally creating bedlam and mayhem in his path. The location of the hill is Hades and according to the story, he still is pushing and sweating today. It makes a person think twice before considering any type of deviant behavior.
To labor in vain is deviant behavior. Not honoring our bodies and respecting ourselves enough to move through life thoughtfully and aware is tragic. So much can be gained from conscious living. Alternatively the opportunity cost of ignoring the moment is priceless. Those of us not familiar with the term opportunity cost, it is another way of expressing the idea of placing a value on an opportunity foregone. For example, if I choose to sleep in rather that take a yoga class, my opportunity cost would be the value I place on the session missed. Value is perceived by each individual differently. Sometimes its worth is not appreciated until much later. Making a sound practice a priority will pay back exponentially through greater awareness, focus, and acceptance. The physical strengthening comes as another benefit as well.
A suggestion for today is if you cannot make it to a studio, try practicing at home. Here is a list of some of my favorite instructors who have made quality videos, which, like everything else, is to be taken objectively. They are options, nothing more, nothing less.

Baron Baptist
Beryl Bender Birch
Brett & Ravi Singh
Bryan Kest
Doug Swenson
Eion Finn
Max Strom
Paul Grilley
Seane Corn
Shiva Rae

Today make it a quality day. Feel your body as it guides you along and live every moment with conscience intent. If that seems exhausting initially, give yourself 5 minutes and call it meditation. Eventually every moment will become mediation in movement. Wonderful.

Make a difference and live to your potential. Have a swell day.

Friday, October 13, 2006

What do you see?

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you have read down a few posts it's fairly easy to note that I love to sit back and muse about the why's and how's of life. Who, what, where, and when is just as fascinating and mind blowing. To sit and ponder over situations and struggle with understanding the "bigger picture" is a source of frustration and then pleasure when the spark finally happens. It is a joy being exposed to the wisdom of my peers. Peers can be the very young, i.e., my daughters, to the not so young, i.e., my mom and dad. My daughters share their insights which are clear and free of judgment. I pray they hang onto their convictions and council them to "work on your insides and the beauty will shine through". My elders have much wisdom to share, through personal experience or through insight softened by living life. Just like the potter's clay, great hands reach down and smooth out our intentions, create depth to our soul, and finely seal out the gaps and bumps of failures. What is left is a piece of art unique, glorious, and complete. As Michelangelo once responded to the question of how he created such lifelike sculptures, his response was that he just cut away what didn't belong on the already completed block of stone.

What can we as a human being do to help the process along? Take time out for ourselves. My yoga practice is anywhere from 15 minutes in the morning to 2 hours of sweating in the afternoon. The common denominator here is that my practice is consistent. I try. And wake up the next day and try again, for as long as I can allow.

Imagine for a moment you are focusing on a large blank piece of white paper draped in front of your vision. What do you see? Right.
Now, image that same piece of white paper with a small black dot in the middle. What do you see? Black dot! Black dot! Black dot! Or, as Austin Powers said in Goldmember, Moley Moley Moley! I wonder what my daughters would say. Or my parents? Does life teach you to focus on the black dot? How about lifestyle? Personality? Is it the angle that you are staring at the paper? What about poor eyesight? Is the solution as something as simple as taking a step back, or as complicated as changing a personality that is wired as a pessimistic detail oriented perfectionist? OH I could marinade on this for hours.

What is the point (dot), right? I'll take a stab. The point (dot) is (this better be good) nothing. That's right, nothing. It is mental acrobatics to broaden the awareness and to allow for this moment a pause of expectations or labels. Seeing through all eyes. How fun. And that is yoga. Just be. Namaste.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Transcend Yoga & the Karma Krew

Scott Feinberg has taken on a noble idea of encouraging and giving back to this great place we call home. Not only do these positive actions and deeds inspire other deeds, but they also allow the soul to breath in some goodness. Once a month anyone who would like to join can gather and perform a variety of programs from planting trees in the northern most part of the Everglades, to painting homes for people who cannot. These selfless acts of giving are opportunities that allow us to take our yoga practice off the mat and into our existence. www.transcendyoga.net
Namaste.

About Me

  • I'm Heather
  • From Florida, United States
  • Graduated from Florida Atlantic University BS in Business. Certified Public Accountant. Mother of 2 daughters.
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