I took this picture last Friday evening from the backyard...gorgeous.

Looking Out My Back Door by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Just got home from Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy!
Got to sit down, take a rest on the porch.
Imagination sets in, pretty soon I'm singing,

CHORUS:
Doo, doo, doo, Looking out my back door.
There's a giant doing cartwheels,
A statue wearing high heels.
Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn.
A dinosaur Victrola listening to Buck Owens.

CHORUS

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band.
Won't you take a ride on the flying spoon?
Doo, doo doo.
Wond'rous apparition provided by magician.

CHORUS

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band.
Won't you take a ride on the flying spoon?
Doo, doo doo.
Bother me tomorrow, today, I'll buy no sorrows.

CHORUS

Forward troubles Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy!
Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn.
Bother me tomorrow, today, I'll buy no sorrows.

CHORUS

Man, I love that song...I used to listen to it all the time in high school. One of my favorite teachers ever, Mr. Ponikvar, who was my Honors English teacher when I was a junior in high school was amazing. We would walk into class and he would be singing some CCR song or some other classic tune. Or, in the middle of class he would start singing. Or, when you would be walking down the hallway, he would be whistling. He was/is definitely a yogi. I really credit him with inspiring in me a passion for writing. He had such a passion for literature...but exploring it in a trascendental, spiritual way...which spoke to me even when I was 16. I've been into the spiritual reality of existence for as long as I can remember. I was always asking the deeper questions, even when I was a child...

So, let's see...what's going on... Well, we are postponing the Brazil trip for a later date. We didn't really give ourselves enough time to promote it and share it with everyone...so we will figure out a better time and let you know those dates once we have decided.

Perhpas the most inspiring and transformational experience I have had, recently, (other than attending the Yoga workshop in Austin with Shiva Rea a couple of weeks ago) was when I went to see Byron Katie this past Sunday night in Dallas. I have known about Katie for the past several years. Over the past couple of years, I have been hearing more and more about her. As they say in Yoga...when the student is ready, the teacher appears. So, I was ready for Byron Katie and she appeared in Dallas this past Sunday. What an amazing experience. Here is a little information on her work which is called The Work.

"The Work of Byron Katie is a way to identify and question the thoughts that cause all of the suffering in the world. It is a way to find peace with yourself and with the world. The old, the young, the sick, the well, the educated, the uneducated-anyone with an open mind can do this Work.

Byron Kathleen Reid became severely depressed while in her thirties. Over a ten-year period her depression deepened, and Katie (as she is called) spent almost two years rarely able to leave her bed, obsessing over suicide. Then one morning, from the depths of despair, she experienced a life-changing realization.

Katie saw that when she believed that something should be different than it is ("My husband should love me more," My children should appreciate me more,") she suffered, adn that when she didn't believe these thoughts, she felt peace. She realized that what had been causing her depression was not the world around her, but what she believed about the world around her. In a flash of insight, Katie saw that our attempt to find happiness was backward-instead of hopelessly trying to change the world to match our thoughts about how it "should" be, we can question these thoughts and, by meeting reality as it is, experience unimaginable freedom and joy. Katie developed a simple yet powerful method of inquiry, called The Work, that made this transformation practical. As a result, a bed-ridden, suicidal woman became filled with love for everything life begins.

Katie's insight into the the mind is consistent with leading-edge research in cognitive psychology, and The Work has been compared to the Socratic dialogue, Buddhist teachings, and 12-step programs. But Katie developed her method without any knowledge of religion or psychology. The Work is based on one woman's direct experience of how suffering is created and ended. It is astonishingly simple, accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds, and requires nothing more than a pen and paper and an open mind.

Since 1986, Katie has introduced The Work to millions of people around the world.

The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues with what is. When the mind is perfectly clear, what is is what we want. If you want reality to be different than it is, you might as well try to teach a cat to bark. You can try and try, and in the end the cat will look up at you and say, "Meow." Wanting reality to be different than it is is hopeless.

An yet, if you pay attention, you'll notice that you think thoughts like this dozens of times a day. "People should be kinder." "Children should be well-behaved." "My husband (or wife) should agree with me." "I should be thinner (or prettier or more successful)." These thoughts are ways of wanting reality to be different than it is. If you think this sounds depressing, you're right. All the stress that we feel is caused by arguing with what is.

People new to The Work often say to me, "But it would be disempowering to stop my argument with reality. If I simply accept reality, I'll become passive. I may even lose the desire to act." I answer them with a question: "Can you really know that that's true?" Which is more empowering-"I wish I hadn't lost my job" or "I lost my job; what can I do now?"

The Work reveals that what you think shouldn't have happened should have happened. It should have happend because it did, and no thinking in the world can change it. This doesn't mean that you condone it or approve of it. It just means that you can see things without resistance and without the confusion of your inner struggle. No one wants their children to get sick, no one wants to be in a car accident; but when these things happen, how can it be helpful to mentally argue with them? We know better than to do that, yet we do it, because we don't know how to stop.

I am a lover of what is, not because I'm a spiritual person, but because it hurts when I argue with reality. We can know that reality is good just as it is, because when we aregue with it, we experience tension and frustration. We don't feel natureal or balanced. When we stop opposing reality, action becomes simple, fluid, kind and fearless.

Wow...the more I read her writing and learn about her...the more I resonant with her work and teachings. It's so inspiring to me that her whole process developed from her own self-inquiry...not from some kind of formal teaching/training or study. But, simply from her own willingness to turn inward. Shiva Rea often talks about one of her gurus who was completely self-initiated into Yoga and became self-realized on her own. She didn't have any formal guru. Everything in Yoga teaches us the teacher is within...and yet...how often we look outside ourselves for the answers. Anyhow, I highly recommend reading this information on Katie's website. This will give you a good insight into the process she has developed...the four questions to ask oneself when any thought arises in our mind that we feel some kind of struggle about.

I hope you have an awesome weekend. I'm looking forward to the Partners Thai Yoga workshop at exhale spa Dallas on February 13th from 3-5 pm, as well as, the new Yoga class I will be teaching on Saturdays from 10-1115 am, beginning, Saturday, February 20th. This Yoga class will be at an incredible location in Dallas which will offer us the opportunity to practice Yoga outisde in a beauitful setting...weather permitting. When weather does not permit, there is a wonderful space we can be practice in indoors, as well.

Jai Guru-Victory to the Teacher, the eternal goodness within each of our own hearts.

Om Namah Shivaya~


Read more

Hello...

Wow...it's been a long time since I was sick. I started to come down with something Friday night and it has taken me all the way until now to feel better. But, I'm grateful I didn't have to go to the doctor. As soon as I got sick, I knew there was going to be some emotional healing I needed to experience. I realized there were some things I would need to communicate, express or say with different people in my life. Whenever I have been sick, more recently, I've realized there is, usually, some kind of emotional healing related to it. Something we need to process or deal with that we have been avoiding feeling...

So, I'm glad being sick made me slow down and feel. I've been really busy lately, and of course, last weekend I was at Shiva Rea in Austin where we went through more than 15 hours of Yoga practice in two days. It was awesome, but not entirely restful. I haven't taken time to rest like this in a long time. It's been good...even though I haven't felt the best. I guess sometimes it takes not feeling well to slow ourselves down so we will rest. Master Yogi, Sri Dharma Mittra says it's in our restfulness that our impurities are removed. Through rest, we are able to dissolve tension on all levels...not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. It's powerful to simply lie and allow the waves of consciousness (chitta) to draw to the surface every unfelt feeling, thought and emotion. As the fluctuation rises to the surface, we can allow the Supreme Consciousness to dissolve it and return us back into the stillness again.

Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of consciousness. - Patanjali Sutra 1.2

Or, when the mind ceases to be disturbed by thoughts, feelings and emotions. Everything in Yoga, the poses, the breath, meditation is intended to settle one into this stillness, or Universal Consciousness...the supreme state, the supreme knower, the witness (purusha), the one who observes all things and is not idetified wiht the ego, or the world of change (prakriti). So much of our Self is superficially identified with the material world, even other people...and yet we are the Self...what really is there to identify with? That's why the Yogis realized the more we settle into that stillness, the more we realize the Truth of who we really are...unbounded Consciousness itself.

Psalm 46:10 (King James Version)

10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

One of my favorite invocations is:

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
I offer myself to the Light/goodness within the heart, the eternal teacher

Satchidananda Murtaye
Whose nature is Supreme Consciousness and pulsates with the greatest joy imaginable.

Nishprapanchaya Shantaya
Who is always present and full of peace.

Niralambaya Tejase
Whose essence is completely free from limitation and sparkles with divine luminosity.

I just found this other translation, and I love it. It expresses it even more beautifully:

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
I see the goodness in everything
and everybody, including myself.

Satchidananda Murtaye
I am a being residing in a state of
consciousness and grace.

Nishprapancaya Shantaya
I know that peacefulness is
always present.
I don't have to worry, because
I know that Supreme Consciousness
is in control, not me.

Niralambaya Tejase
I am radiant and joyful, regardless
of external circumstance, because
of this knowing.

"I’s a petition from the bottom of one’s heart to open to the teacher within. The mantra is meant to bring us into the right frame of mind to access our infinite being.”

So, what does all this mean? It means it's time to PARTY! Just kidding. Well, it's at least time to dance, even if it's just by yourself.

This is similar to what Shiva said...if someone is swearing at you...if someone looks at you in a mean way...you celebrate because it means you are standing in the Light. Don't take offense...simply turn it back over to the Light. I used to reject people's negative feelings, thoughts and emotions that I felt they were projecting toward me. Now, I breathe it in...I inahle it deeply and fully...because it's all Light...and some people would say...it's all Love...breathe in the energy of life...breathe in the Flow...and exhale out from your heart...exhale out love, compassion and turn it all back over to the Light, the Source from which which all things, all of us flow.

So, there's a lot of great things coming up, which I've posted on the Workshops page of the True Yoga website. The first is the Partners Thai Yoga Workshop on Valentine's Day weekend at exhale spa. This is one of my favorite workshops all year. People feel so amazing from this class. You can come with a romantic partner, a friend, or just by yourself and we will pair you with someone. In this class you learn amazing ways to stretch your friend or loved one and to make each other feel good. It really does awaken the bliss body. If I could, I would have someone give me these stretches as much as possible. I'm looking forward to having that special person in my life, again, when the time is right. Until then, I'm grateful anytime my friends will share some Partner Yoga love with me, and, I've been enjoying incorporating more of these partner assisted Yoga stretches in class, as well.

Speaking of Partner Yoga. Ricky Tran and I will be leading an Art of Adjusting Workshop on March 13th from 1:30 - 4:30 pm at Karmany Yoga. This class will be for students and teachers and we will explore some amazing partner assists, stretches and adjustments in the Yoga poses, both active poses and passive/restorative poses. I'm really looking forward to this clsas and will share more details with you soon...

And, of course...Brazil...Wahe!!! If you are looking for the experience of a lifetime, then join Global Soul Adventures founder, Kate LaCroix and myself as we journey to the most beautiful beaches of Brazil with a wonderful group of inspiring Yogis this March 17-28th, 2010. We will enjoy eco-adventure and Yoga as we explore the coast of Brazil, spending a few days at a time in each of these exotic locations. The islands we will be traveling to are islands most foreigners never get to experience. Because Kate has lived in Brazil, she knows the culture and land of Brazil very well and is able to guide us to some incredible places. We will also get to experience some amazing Yoga in Mother Nature in these inspiring, uplifting and beautiful locations. I'm looking forward to experiencing this amazing journey with you. For more info or to register, click here. You can also read more on the Workshops page, as well.

And, of course my heart goes out to the people of Haiti. Over $250 million that the U.S. has donated...that is inspiring. May God's grace alleviate the pain and suffering in the hearts and minds of all of those who have lost loved ones or whose loved ones were harmed in such a devestating loss. Our prayers go out to the people of Haiti.

Read more

OK, it's hard to believe I haven't written a post since December 16th. I felt like I had written a New Year's Message on the True Yoga Blog, but obviously, I haven't. Well, I did send out the True Yoga newsletter last week...so if you don't receive it and would like to, please submit your e-mail address here.

Wow...HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What's been going on over the past month? A lot...but all good changes. Well, I suppose every change is good if we are willing to see the blessing in it. The practice of Anusara Yoga focuses on seeing the goodness in all things. I suppose all spiritual practices or teachings have this focus inherent in them. Life's obstacles and difficulties are our greatest teachers...

Just this past weekend I attended a two-day Yoga workshop in Austin, TX with my beloved teacher, Shiva Rea. She calls herself a river guide, although, if she is not enlightened...she certainly emobdies one of the most powerful connections, I've seen, to the Divine Light/Love...the energetic flow or current of life itself. We all embody this, although some of us are awake in that connection and some of us are not. When Buddha was asked if he was a God or a man, he replied...'I am awake.'

It had been almost two years since I had last studied and practiced Yoga with her. As many of you know, I am in her 200 hour Yoga teacher training program. I have over 250 hours of study with her, all that remains to complete my certification is to finish my book reports and videotape one of my Yoga classes when I am teaching. I hope to complete these last few requirements soon. At that point, I will be able to travel with her and assist her at teacher trainings, workshops and retreats. This has been a dream of mine. When someone asked me if the workshop I attended this past weekend was magical, I responded:

'Very magical. She's amazing. A goddess, for sure. One with the flow/light of love. Amazing to be in her presence. No other place I want to be when I'm with her. It's like heaven on earth. So much love.'

Over the last two years I have wished many times to be able to see her and study with her again. But, it wasn't able to happen because of all that was going on with me, such as the passing of my father. Shiva's mother passed away when Shiva was in her early 30s...so she certainly understand my loss and pain and it is so comforting to feel this connection to her. I feel so blessed to have been guided to be connected to such an amazing teacher as her. She truly lives and is the emobdiment of Yoga. Which, to me, the essence of Yoga is to love God, or Source, with all our body, heart and mind and to love our neighbor as we love ourself. The stretching stuff is nice, but the poses are really meant to connect us to our breath so we can open to the flow of Grace in our life and share that Grace/Love with others. As I've gone through many of these changes I've been healing from recently, the loss of my father, the ending of a relationship, I've struggled many time to find my breath. The hurt and the pain, from both, has often had me live in a resistance to life, rather than an opening. Shiva was talking about how many of us at the workshop were pushing our breath around. She said to not resist the flow of life moving through us. More recently, I had been resisting the flow of energy, or love, from certain people in my life because I had felt hurt by them in some way. Now I'm practicing letting their love flow into me and my love flow out to them, even just energetically. It's amazing what a difference it makes when we are not resistant to the people or experiences in our life. We realize everything is love expressed in infinite forms. The great sufi poet, Hafiz, wrote a poem about this. (and once I get my Hafiz book back, The Gift, I will post that poem here...I accidentally left it at Equinox where I teach.)

Yogarupa Rod Stryker also says to be grateful for all the moments of your life, everything that has happened and everything that is in this very moment. What an amazing way to live life. When we live with this awareness we can realize the blessing in everything, even through life's challenges and struggles. Sometimes we can't see the blessings or trust they are there right away, but the blessings always come and flow if we are faithful and patient.

I had been praying for a while to be able to study with Shiva again and my prayers were answered. It was interesting because a couple of months ago I was talking with a friend saying I hoped and believed Shiva would come to Texas. My friend replied that Shiva wouldn't come to Texas. Two days later, I found out Shiva was going to be in Austin for the workshop I just attended. And, the workshop was such a success...she is planning on returning to Austin next year, as well. WAHE! What a blessing to feel her presence in this state and in our communities. Her healing presence is helping to unify our hearts and minds into the one love, the one breath moving within each of us, interconnecting us all. I have so much more I can write about from my experience and I will share it with you over time.

One thing I wanted to touch on is something she said which was very powerful and expresses what I am writing about here. As many of you know, Ganesha (the expression of the Divine which is the remover of obstalces in our life) is connected to the First Chakra. The first chakra is at the pelvis floor, connected to the organs of elimination, and is our connection to our basic needs for security in the world. So, it involves our relationship to everything, including food, shelter, clothing, etc., and also our relationships with people, friendships, partnerships, etc. The spiritual teachings teach us we are taken care of and provided for and we get to be seated in faith about this reality. The teachings teach us to not worry about the clothes we will wear, or the food we will eat, but to know we will have what we need. Ganesha is the remover of obstalces, that force of the Divine which removes the obstacles from our path. But, one of the things Shiva said, which was so powerful, is Ganesha also puts obstacles in our life to help us to grow. So, once again, we realize there is a blessing in all of the trials we face in life, if we simply surrender to what is, and allow the grace to flow through. When we stop trying to control life, and allow ourselves to live in the deliciously ambiguous unfolding, the miraculous energetic reality of life reveals itself to us, moment-to-moment, breath-by-breath. And, we become awake to our own energetic existence and the energetic reality of existence which is being birthed from us and all around us with every breath we breathe.

I will leave us with this for now. Sankalpa means resolution. In Yoga, we cultivate an intention or Sankalpa in each Yoga practice. As Yogis, we know our positively aligned Sankalpas are already fulfilled for the greater good of ourselves and others. All of the great spiritual masters, teachers and saints teach us to give thanks in advance for our prayers. This doesn't mean we don't need to put forth effort on the path, of course we do. But, as Pattabhi Jois said, we 'practice, and know all is coming.' We allow our hearts and minds to be guided by Divine Light, wisdom and intuitive inspiration and we align our hearts and minds with that Divine guidance or Will. Whatever resolutions we are seeking become reality when our will is yoked with Universal will, and so it is. Iyengar says Yoga is when our individual will is yoked with Universal will. May we rest in the faith of our already realized resolutions as we resolve to evolve in 2010 and beyond.

Om shanti, friends.

Infinite blessings to each and everyone of us.

Oh, also, you gotta download the song, Let Your Heart Be Known by Steve Gold.
Read more