Finding Meaning

The search for meaning in today's sometimes meaningless world is a long, hard battle. With more information about everything readily available through a quick google search, it is almost as though the very meaning we seek has been breached by the endless amount of words written on the wildly proliferating internet sites, Twitter feeds, and Facebook updates. Victor Frankl wrote a book called Man's Search for Meaning after suffering the Twenty-Century's greatest atrocity where he described the search for meaning as humanity's last freedom. He was a holocaust survivor who found that the people who made it through were the ones who were able to find meaning in their suffering. It was the search for meaning more than luck, physical prowess, intelligence or any other thing that was the deciding factor of survival in Fankl's view. The meaning that he held onto every day of that tortuous cycle of his life was that he wanted to live to tell the story of what happened and help people find meaning in their lives. We are all searching for meaning in the desperation of our lives, however, in all likelihood we are embarking on our search in dramatically less dire circumstances than Frankl. It does not make our own personal story any less valiant. In the search for purpose we may find the thread that pulls us out of years of depression, hopelessness, helplessness and a general sense of nihilism and fatalism. At the best we may find true God-inspiration for life.

The search for meaning in life is the essence of the spiritual path of yoga. You do not need to invent your own narrative, you can receive it from the timeless words of our fabulous Creator through the Holy Spirit within yourself. You can uncover the hidden message of your life and find the reason you are here with authenticity, integrity and inspiration. As you see through layers of illusion through the practice of yoga, you reveal the true essence of your own inner power and break through the endless cycle of meaningless fatigue. Every experience will be rich with the meaning of spiritual liberation, every moment ripe with the fruit of liberation! With this powerful torch burning within, the answers to the search for meaning will be evident in every breath of your life!!

Have faith! Do yoga.....Have a very Merry Christmas!!

Trish 

Finding Yourself in the midst of Challenge

Why is that in our minds holidays are tagged as being heart warming, when in reality they are often filled with the rare experience of 'intense fellowship' or simply put, confrontation?  There is often loss, heart ache, financial stress, loneliness, and dispair.  There is love, forgiveness, grace, and hope.  All of these things are swirlled together within us and  often swell into an overwhelming wave. We then try to navigate this while entertaining others or being guests to others.

Confrontation is a grey zone on the spiritual path. Should you fight your way out of a defeatist victim-mentality? Or should you take a few breathes to ventilate your hostility before taking your inner rage out on your fellow freeway drivers? When is it appropriate to stick up for yourself & when is it time to quietly wait out the storm?

Anger, whether my own or someone else's, has always been challenging for me. I remember the shock of experiencing the seething kind of backlash that years of unexpressed boundaries can bring about, and then, realizing that my anger was just that: mine. No matter how awful the situation, how many friends agree, how righteous you are, how indignant or cynical you become, no matter how grand and tragic the loss, whatever emotions you feel are always your responsibility. You always have a choice about how you respond to life.

The basic teaching of spiritual practice is to find yourself in the midst of your greatest challenge and stay. In moments where you find anger arising, try closing your eyes, reconnecting with your breathe & staying with the experience of you. See how it goes. What does this do? It at least breaks the cycle of adding fuel to the fire in the midst of a full-blown blaze. It at least gives you a little pause in an otherwise very sticky situation. It at least gives you an extra moment to find the strength to choose an enlightened action over the pattern of aggressively acting out, escaping into pleasure, or numbing-out in denial.

There is magic in staying with "the places that scare you". For in those truly empowering moments you bear witness to the law of impermanence. Whatever aries in your experience, no matter how solid and sticky, will change. All emotions flow if we don't hold onto them. Sooner or later, the seemingly solid righteousness of anger yields and gives way to the soft, forgiveness of peace and understanding. The greatest storm will pass and the sun will rise again another day.

Albert Einstein says that you cannot solve a problem from the same level of thinking that created it. And so it is. Anger cannot create peace. Itching the scab that started the whole conflagration won't end it. A middle way exists for this tempting emotion as well. The powerful choice to stay gives you the opportunity to create the space of transformation in your life today.

Namaste
Trish

Fall Harvest

This is such a special time of year, with the final harvests coming in, plants slowing down for the arrival of winter, and, of course, the evenings getting dark an hour earlier.

Harvesting squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, and ground cherries at my friend's farm, reminded me that that this has long been a time of the year when people all around the world begin to celebrate nature's need to turn in for rest and preparation for winter. I let some old tomatoes spill into the dirt, in hopes that maybe next year a few plants will pop up on their own time schedule. It's just amazing that a tiny seed can hang out in the dirt all winter, waiting for the right time and the right conditions, to begin to grow.

I think that Autumn is a beautiful time for practicing yoga because it possesses a shared momentum of transition, bounty, and beginning to turn inward. When the nature all around us is changing, it invites us to also be open to change. When the farmers market has the last few tomatos of the year, it reminds us to be grateful for the bounty that we have. And when the plants begin slowing down and the evenings get darker, we are given an opportunity to slow ourselves down too.  It is our chance to reconnect to our Creator and discover or re-discover or uncover who we were authentically made to be.  Are you ready for the slowing down? Let us all look inside to see what we find......see you on your mat!

 "Two people have been living in you all your life. One is the ego, garrulous, demanding, hysterical, calculating; the other is the hidden spiritual being, whose still voice of wisdom you have only rarely heard or attended to." - Soghal Rinpoche

Namaste,

Trish

A Prayer To Truth

I wanted to share a prayer that was sent to me a while back.  It got me thinking. I mean really thinking....

It is my opinion that some of the richest people in life do not have money.  What makes someone rich? Their bank account? Their savings? The bottom line?  What if the bottom line was a tally of friendships made, of families gathered, of sunsets watched, of laughs shared or of communities helped? What if everyone tried to maximize that kind of bottom line? One thing is for sure.  The world would be richer for it.


A Prayer to Truth

In my heart, I accept my perfect Being. I accept that the joy that I have intended is already in my life.   I accept that love I have prayed for is already within me.  I accept that the peace I have asked for is already my reality.   I accept that the abundance I have sought already fills my life. 

In my truth, I accept my perfect Being.  I take responsibility for my own creations, and all things that are within my life.   I acknowledge the power of God's Holy Spirit that is within me, and know that all things are as they should be. 

In my wisdom, I accept my perfect Being. My lessons have been carefully chosen by my Self, and now I walk through them in full experience.   My path takes me on a sacred journey with divine purpose.  My experiences become part of All That Is.

In my knowingness, I accept my perfect Being. In this moment, I sit in my golden chair and know that I Am an angel of light.   I look upon the golden tray - the gift of Spirit - And know that all of my desires already have been fulfilled.

In love for my Self, I accept my perfect Being. I cast no judgment or burdens upon my Self. I accept that everything in my past was given in love. I accept that everything in this moment comes from love.  I accept that everything in my future will result in greater love.

In my Being, I accept my perfection.  And so it is.

 Leslie Callis

After reading this I ask, what defines you?  What is it that makes you rich?  What is your definition?  Are you willing to harvest your soul, nurture your spirit, and dare to experience?

Fall is a great time for harvest and casting out what will not grow.  It is a time to reflect and become filled with gratitude for what we are given.  It is a time to do some deep-rooted, internal, excavational journey work.  Are you ready?

Let's go chase our dreams and leave kindness, compassion, love, gratitude and zest behind us on our paths!

With Deepest Gratitude and Thanksgiving.
Trish

Metamorphasis

Metamorphasis

Without change, nothing would ever grow or blossom

Fall is such a splendid time of year, full of rich scents and sights. Autumn is a time of year where we can look at what has taken root over the past year and what has not. It is a time that we can look deep inside and become new. The entire world before us gets ready to sleep in preparation to morph into something new and rich in spring. This little word morph has a long history. It actually comes from a Greek word, morphoo which means 'the inward and real formation of the essential nature of a person'. Through Metamorphoo, from which comes the English word metamorphosis, a caterpillar is transformed into a soaring butterfly. As children of God, we are to undergo a change that makes who we are today or who we were without God, barely noticeable. We need to take that inward journey, dig deep, and root into our faith, our belief and what it is we were authentically created to be and do. 

If you have the choice in whether to believe in what you want or to believe in the popular logic, yoga asks you to believe in yourself. You have to care more about what you think of yourself than what others think of you. The knowledge gained from reaching a place within yourself where no limits apply, makes yoga the transformational practice that it is. In a way, we need to approach the impossible to give us strength and determination to learn how to believe in it. Through practice you slowly shift the notion of impossible to possible through concentrated effort and steady practice. The posture is not the end result, but you do get to learn the movement along the way. The end result is a strong, steady and peaceful mind that when aligned and set at a goal can achieve anything.

We all have conceptions of what yoga is that limit our experience. For example just believing that it is a timeless tradition rich in history has its benefits and disadvantages. Krishnamacharya, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar all discarded the tradition of only teaching yoga, Sanskrit chanting and other esoteric techniques of spiritual realization to men. In the end, the result is that women have become the majority of yoga practitioners worldwide. The strict adherence to this tradition would have impeded yoga's growth and ability to reach and heal more people in the world. There are aspects of each of our paradigms that unnecessarily restrict the innovation of new ideas and growth. The key to riding the edge of impossibility involves finding all areas where stubborn attachment to the past inhibits the free flow of energy and ideas.

There is a delicate balance between irreverent disregard of tradition in favor of the new and shedding attachment to the past that is necessary for renovation and growth. Sometimes new ideas are controversial when viewed from the perspective of tradition. Yet, if you have a dream you must believe in it, even if no one else does. You will need to be strong enough to remain steadfast amidst criticism that your idea is flawed or wrong. If you alter your course to please the peanut gallery of voices, you may lose your focus. If you have a dream, you must face your own doubt squarely and believe in the goodness of your own idea. Against all odds, you must be willing to take a stand for it, working hard for the result and even sacrificing things to stand for what you believe in. Eventually the truth wins out and if you are carrying out God's will, doing good, and adding value to the world, then it will be validated. But you have to accept from the beginning that not everyone will like what you do if your ideas are on the outer limits of what is popularly accepted. You can either try to please others or you can tune in and follow your own inner truth (the voice of the Holy Spirit).

The practice of yoga gives you access to both the highlights and the lowlights of your being and in doing so carves the path toward connecting with God and as a result of that, ultimate freedom. There is no successful trajectory towards final liberation that does not involve the hard work of shining the light of your own awareness on all the sleeping places within your consciousness to ultimately carrying out your dream, making your passion a reality, even if it does not resonate with the status quo.

The practice of yoga is about finding that inner connection with God and giving yourself the inner resolve to do whatever it takes to get the job done, even when no one else shares your faith, enthusiasm or belief. So how is your inward journey? As the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers say "It's morphing time." Are you ready to morph?

The longest journey is the journey inward. Dig deep!!

Namaste

Trish

Try Softer!

Try Softer!  I challenge each of us to do just that: Try Softer!  We all have areas in our lives that we compete in; athletics, body image, success in career, the neighborhood we live in, etc. This list could go on forever!!  This fall, let us all make an effort to become softer in effort with our yoga practice and be aware of when we fall into our ego and participate in competitive yoga. Who and what are we practicing for anyway? Cultivate peace within and have that pour out!  Try softer! Below is one man's experience with yoga that hits home on so many levels and provides a FANTASTIC laugh. Please enjoy the musings and the lesson he gives!

 

'Not long ago I went with my wife to a yoga class for the first time in my life. Immediately it became clear to me why yoga will never catch on: They don't keep score. You can't tell who's winning.

Mostly we just stretched, and I am not good at stretching.  On a good day I can touch my knees.  What made it worse is that most of the other people in the class were clearly double-jointed.  There was a middle-aged woman who didn't look particularly fit---I thought I would definitely beat her at whatever you compete at in yoga--but she was a dancer.  At one point she did the splits with her legs, bent forward with her torso completely flat on the ground, then tied both her legs around the back of her head.  If they had been keeping score, I would have lost at that point on the mercy rule.  Afterward, I did ask the instructor if the woman could be tested for performance-enhancing drugs.

As you might imagine, the class was a lot of work and good for my body.  But I was struck afterward by a phrase I never heard: Try Harder. The instructor never said, " Try harder to stretch.  Try harder to be flexible.  Try harder to contort your body like a 14-year old female Russian gymnast."

When you stretch, you don't make it happen simply by trying harder.  You must let go and let gravity do its work.  You give permission, opening yourself to another, greater force.

This is not just true when it comes to stretching.  AS a general rule, the harder you work to control things, the more you lose control.  The harder you try to hit a fast serve in tennis, the more your muscles tense up.  The harder you try to impress someone on a date or while making a sale, the more you force the conversation and come across as pushy.  The harder you cling to people, the more apt they are to push you away.

Sometimes trying harder helps.  It can help me clean my room, push through phone calls I need to make, or run another lap.  But for deeper change, I need a greater power than simply 'trying harder' can provide.  Imagine someone advising you "Try harder to relax.  Try harder to go to sleep.  Try harder to be graceful. Try harder not to worry. Try harder to be joyful."

There are limits on what trying harder can accomplish.....The problem with trying harder is that I get fixed on my own heroic efforts.  I grow judgemental.  I can't let this endure forever.  So instead of making vows about how my spiritual life will be perfectly well organized until I die, I seek to surrender my will for just this day.  I look for small graces. I try to engage in little acts of service.  I pray briefly to accommodate my limited attention span.  I look for ways of being with God that I already enjoy.  I try to go for half an hour without complaining.  I try to say something encouraging to 3 people in a row.  I put $20 in my pocket that I will give away sometime during the day.  I take a 5-minute break to read a page of great thoughts.

If trying harder is producing growth in your spiritual life, keep it up.  But if is not, here is an alternative:

Try softer.

Try better.

Try different.'

by John Ortberg

Can You Hear Me Now?

chapter 6 pages 70-71

 

The longest journey is the journey inward. Dig deep!!

Namaste

Trish

Sacred Fire

The inner light of yoga is like a scared fire. It is the true heart and spirit of the practice. While potent and powerful, the magic of the practice is also vulnerable and tenuous. The sacredness of the practice can die so easily if we do not tend to it every day. Amidst the cynic's voice and the inevitable burn-out that comes with steady devotion the true yoga practitioner must find the courage to re-kindle the spiritual fire every day.

The sacred fire that illuminates the path of yoga is the fire of purification, the karmic fire and spiritual bliss. In essence the light that shines forth from the practice is nothing less than the revelation of soul. Yoga assumes that there is divinity in each and every sentient being and it's sometimes lonely practices aim to to give you a pathway to taste the nectar of that divinity within.

In some ways belief comes from an innocent place within where we are willing to suspend the solidity of doubt and take a chance on the unknown. The innocence of belief is what inspires many yoga practitioners to accept, however, begrudgingly, the many stories of miraculous healing within the yoga community. True teachers understand that belief is a gift that leads to unwavering faith when cared for over time. It is crucial to the survival of yoga as a spiritual practice that we understand just how valuable the gift we receive really is. Without the careful cultivation of spiritual practice through years of faithful service there is no foundation to share yoga from. Each time you practice you open your heart to receive the gift of yoga's sacred inner fire. What you do with it after you feel the flame ignite within your heart is your choice. It is up to each yoga practitioner today to determine whether the magical heart of the practice will survive to reach future generations.

Yoga is more than an exercise to help alleviate lower back pain. It is a comprehensive tool for spiritual evolution that seeks to give every practitioner a direct experience of the divinity within themselves.

Faith in a greater spiritual force is a necessary component along the spiritual path. There is a magical essence to the practice that defies the bounds of logical thought. Yoga sometimes demands that you doubt reason and side with intuition. The power and presence of a master teacher, or perhaps even a Guru, sometimes instills the kind of non-logical experience that can shift whole paradigms.

Rather than naiveté or blind adoration, the heart opening experience that breaks through the boundaries of logical thought is a door that leads to the experience of your own true self. The magical journey through hidden doorways within your own body lead you to a inner realm. An open mind, a courageous heart and a healed body are all steps along the path of self-discovery. Without these tools the movements of physical yoga practice loose their sacred fire. With these tools the movements of physical yoga burn through negative behavioral patterns, release hidden pathways of energy and illuminate the lives of everyone around you.

  

Have faith, do yoga, ignite yourself, and ignite others!

  

Namaste

Trish

Changing Course

Sometimes things in life happen that make us wonder, doubt, and question why things happen. When life does not go your way or when something unexpected happens to change your course, how do you respond? Have you learned enough about yourself, your habits of reactivity, and your inner dialogue to come to a place where you accept things with a gracious and loving heart? 

  

This past weekend, I had an accident that changed my course. My marathon training came to an abrupt halt, my teaching is very limited, I had to cancel my private sessions, and my energy level plummeted.  My bike crash made me pause and take inventory of what is truly important.  Pain can be our teacher--physical and emotional pain. It shows us where we are vulnerable and where we can and will get stronger.  It allows the unique opportunity to check in with the attitude we look out into life with. We have the choice of allowing the  physical pain to determine our emotional climate and we can also choose to have the emotional state determine our physical state.  Can you differentiate between the two on our mat as well as in life?  I have to admit, it has been a very long time since I have been physically injured that bad. My emotional state did get tangled with my physical state and I allowed my physical state to reign.  The first 72 hours were very frustrating and I took it out on those closest to me--namely my husband.  I had to apologize for my irritated tone and very short fuse. I had to keep reminding myself that I was emotionally okay--I have the love of God and my family and my friends.  All is good there!  I had to remember that physically I was OKAY--painful yes, but all would heal just fine.  I was thankful for the 'no broken bones' and the fact that we encountered some loving and kind individuals that helped us that day. What I am feeling shall pass.  It was a great reminder to me to remain mindful in each moment and to differentiate my physical and emotional atmospheres.  It became all too apparent how each influences the other and just how powerful our thoughts are.  Since I switched the channels of my internal chat room, I physically feel better; still hurting, but my pain has moved to the rear view mirror rather than staying resident out in front of me.

  

Yoga is not something you do just on your mat. It is our job to continually check in and make those adjustments so that we remain positive and loving.  I love my crash partner dearly and am thankful she is healing up  as well. I love my crash observer and her tender heart that came to the ER with us. I am thankful for the two gentlemen that helped us roadside and the exquisite staff at the ER.  I love how my children helped to nurse me.  I am grateful my husband became my verbal punch bag for a few days and understood it was my inner demons and not him. He is patient and accepted my apologies for being so crazy.  I think it is important to remember to apologize when we realize we are not acting in love and to find the blessings when things go wrong. 

  

Let July be a teaching month--cultivate new things on your mat so you can create a better world around you and experience freedom!

  

namaste

Trish

Finding the Sweet Spot

Sometimes I think I have it all down and then something happens to awaken and transform my way of thinking.  My yoga journey is a lot like that; I practice under a teacher and think,'WOW! Now this is grand!'  Some time later, under another teacher, 'WOW! What was grand before has now been debunked and I have new measure for grand!'  And the process continues.  In May, Andrea Russell came and gave many of us a 'WOW' moment with our shoulders; a place she calls the 'sweet spot'.  It was so inspiring to have my shoulders relaxed and soft while I awakened my heart and all while cultivating my yamas on my mat. 

  

As I left my mat I began to ponder the 'sweet spot' and how I have arrived there in my faith, in my life, in my teaching, and within my practice. Within this sweet spot of life I am also continually delving into self-excavational works so that the sweet spot finds itslef not only in my daily schedule, but becomes interwoven with the fabric of my soul.   I know that the time I spend here is sacred, that something will happen to try to pull me our of it, but it does not make my stay here, in this moment, any less sweet. So often we want to arrive at the sweet spot almost by invitation or gift, rather than understanding that it is a process to arrive, a discipline to embrace, and a transformation to look forward to rather than fight against.  How many times have you said to yourself: 'If  only this, then I would do that'....well, now is the time! 

  

I reflect on the road I have traveled to arrive here, a 40+ year road and I have to say there is not one thing I would change about it.  All the darkness offered me light.  All my valley gave me tenacity and perserverance. 

  

Sometimes in order to say 'YES' to opportunity, we need to say 'NO' to commitment.  What are the commitments that create tension, angst, and no longer serve you?  Just like the patterns we hold in our bodies during our yoga practice, the opportunity begins when we realize they exists.  Then the option for growth unfolds itself as we gently let go of the patterns that no longer serve us in order to taste the sweet spot.  Once we fully let go and enjoy the spot filled without tension, our lives emerge peaceful.  We move through our daily lives with ease, warmth, love and grace.

  

This summer is about transformation.  Become aware of your tensions and let them go!  Recommit to your yoga practice and the community that upholds your desire to arrive at the 'sweet spot'.  Your mat and fellow yogis await you.....are you living in the sweeteness?

Yoga Opens the Heart

The glowing heart of the sun rises and sets each day and belongs to no one, but God. The Earth is cut up into segments of private property and national boundaries, but no one owns the deed to the whole planet, except the Creator. Nations carve out no-fly zones, but the air we breathe is free. The feeling of accomplishment that comes from attaining your dreams after years of hard work and dedication does not come merely from the good fortune of inheriting a million dollars. If we lost the internet tomorrow and the world's financial systems collapse, humanity's most essential nature would survive in our ability to love one another.

We practice yoga because of the feeling of elation and freedom that comes when you feel totally and completely at peace with yourself. The physical postures lead you to the discovery of a truly eternal happiness within and a fantastic connection with God. It is this sacred space of the inner world that yoga seeks to build a bridge to with every practice. No amount of money can buy you passage down the road of spirituality. Instead the only currency worth anything is the power of your own willingness to change, heal, and love. Not even all the world's money can make you rich in a spiritual sense. The kind of abundance that comes from knowing yourself at the deepest level (how God sees you) is a truth that outlasts the test of time and inevitable vicissitudes of life.

Sometimes stress can cause you to lose an honest connection to God and drowned out your quiet inner world. Yet when you begin yoga, you open a door to the quiet space of listening where healing takes place. At its most basic potential, yoga seeks to reunite your body, mind and soul. Yoga helps you regain the lost world of yourself that you are created to be: loving, peaceful, happy, free, and beautiful. Everyone wants to be happy and everyone wants to love. No matter where they come from, what language they speak or how different they may seem, every human being wants to know real peace and lasting freedom. Yoga allows you to reconnect with the grand unity that all life on Earth really is a shared gift from God. 

Yoga opens your heart and asks you to believe in yourself beyond all measure of doubt. In this awakening of compassion, yoga asks you to find a way to live a more peaceful life and be a force of healing in the world. When you find relief in the awareness of yourself as an eternal being capable of limitless love, then the need to control circumstances eases into an ability to love life and have fun. The liberation of your soul promised by our Creator is not something that can be bought, faked or cheated. Instead it is a simple decision and continued diligence gained by any willing aspirant whose heart and mind can grow large enough to love the entire world, painful and pleasurable alike.

The best moments in yoga cannot be owned by any lineage, style, or teacher and as such they do not need any protection. Yoga's greatest gift is the vulnerability that fills your tender heart after a deep practice session and the spiritual strength that gives you the benefit of steadfast faith and devotion. Even if you study with the best teachers, it does not guarantee your progression along this inner path. You must also be open to receive the teaching and willing to put in the work that will assure your ultimate success. Yoga begs you to ask yourself who you are without the normal repertoire of thoughts. It challenges you to define your personality and demands that you have the courage to be totally honest and present with yourself. If you begin the search through the complexity of your existence and ask yourself who you really are without your thoughts and your known reality, you will find that at the center of your being is the search for love and ulltimately the search for God. 

You cannot buy a perfect sunrise or a perfect day at the beach, but you can be lucky enough to experience it. All the money in the world will not buy you friendship and love, but yoga will show you how to allow deep connections into your life. Even with a billion dollars you simply cannot manufacture the best moments in life, but with yoga you can learn how to live your best possible and be grateful for every breath you are blessed with.

Namaste,

Trish

Flexible Spirit

As I look outside and see snow flying, I chuckle at the prospect of Spring!  It is such a great time of year to experience: the buds popping, the daffodils creeping, the green returning to our lawns.  The other aspect I love is the fact that we get to see the seeds we have planted: changes that emerge in life and the ultimate plan of God unfolding His will to us.

It is funny that I tend to have these grandiose plans that of course have the check list (Yep, I'm a checker-offer) and a time line (Yep, total strategic planner).  I used to get all crazy, and I mean spider-monkey crazy, when life happened and took me off THE PLAN.  These days, however, it is comforting to see how I have grown in  that I find comfort in being taken off course.  I can now chuckle, sigh, and then create my new check list, leaving my time line up to God.  Following our dreams is a wonderful process; a blooming of our will, our tenacity and our flexibility. 

Yoga has taught me to be flexible in the body for sure, but it has also quieted  (somewhat) my restless spirit.  It has taught me to be flexible in my day and in my life.  Move within the moment rather than trying to push up against it.  Doors close while others open and this is life.   

I am welcoming in spring by connecting deeper to the 2011 Creating Yoga Heaven theme: I am stepping through a new door; a door that chose me long ago. This door allows me to focus on my passions and nurture areas in my life that have been neglected.  Another door leads me to where I believe God wants me so that I can use the talents He gifted to me.  A  third door offers me opportunities to pursue venues that will enrich my career.  Through these doors I will find more family time, a deeper connection with God, my husband, and who I was authentically made to be.  Time is of the essence and it will surely feel fantastic to be able to exhale and enjoy each moment that I am gifted.

I have said final good-byes to 5 people within this last year: 2 friends, 1 grandmother, 1 uncle, and a dear friend's father.  Today (the day I am writing this to you) is number 6 and I say farewell to my uncle in Texas.  Life sure is short.  Be sure to be awake, present, and allow each moment to take your breath away!

Take this spring and reconnect to the things that are most important to you and then adjust your priorities, your lifestyle, and let go of anything that takes you in the wrong direction.

Namaste,

Trish

Root in Rich Soil

Spring is such a great time of year! Our days get longer and the smells get sweeter.  The birds' songs return in full harmony with the budding greenery. It is great time to become thankful for the cycle of life. 

Over this winter I reviewed the seeds that I planted last year and examined the harvest.  Spring is when I take inventory of what is growing and what is returning to seed. I examine what is dead, dying or no longer needed in my own life.  I realize what never took root and will decide if I want to try again this year, under new conditions. 

I continually examine the seeds of inspiration within and around me.  I am filled with such sweet anticipation of my selected seeds. I will plant them thoughtfully and prayerfully so that they might be drawn out by our springtime rain and our summer sun. 

You all have given me the soil in which to plant my dreams as well as the sun and water for them to grow.  I thank you for your yoga journey and look forward to seeing you on your mat!

"The roots of all or lives go very, very deep, and we can't really understand a person unless we have the chance of knowing who that person has been, and what that person has done and liked and suffered and believed." 

Mister Rogers

Sometimes the storms of life can literally bring us to our knees.  Spring for me is spiritual surrender to realize that of myself I can do nothing, but there is a power in me that can!  so many of us spend our entire lives resisting the idea of surrender. We, as a society/culture/individual see it as a weakness.....giving up.  I know I did. 

Our darkest, life's thunderstorms (please read Vitamins for the Mind) make us hit a point where we realize that the moment of surrender or letting go is not when life is over.....it is when life really begins.

Live thoughtfully.  Live prayerfully.  Surrender. Practice metta (loving kindness). Root yourself down in good, rich, fulfilling, joyful soil and bloom brilliantly!

 

Namaste,

 Trish

Keeping the Course

Did you like millions of people make resolutions or a vow for the New Year? Have you kept them thus far?!

I believe in out with the old and in with the new and it feels 'right'  at the end/beginning of the year.  I would not consider myself a 'resolutionist', but I do believe in goal setting and reflecting on the past the year.  I look at areas in my life that need cleansing and those areas that need more cultivation.  It is a time to honor past losses and lessons learned. A time to celebrate and hold all of life's experiences, with quiet awareness and compassion. A time for renewal. I look at my dreams and put together my intentions toward them on paper.  I even pick a few songs that reflect my vision and cultivate love in my heart.  I include these songs in my playlists so that I hear them throughout my day.

I am in the process of letting go of the 'need to know' that what I am doing is the 'right' program. I am really truly beginning to settle into the realm of Silence (I try to go their twice daily). A friend said to me recently , "Running the race of life means that I need to deal with the stuff that slows me down, deal with sins that strangle me, and deal with anything that trips me up. It's a challenge not  to relax or give up before I meet the tape of my goals.  I am best sustained in the race if I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of my faith, but often distractions come easily."

I am finding with this new approach of Silence, I am expanding my relationship with my faith.  I am listening more closely to the voice of God that exists within each and every one of us.  I am finding I am rooted deeper....more securely...in a loving and peaceful place.  I bend freely with the winds and storms of life with grace and compassion. I am experiencing so much inner joy and peace. This is leading me into another dimension of self-exploration.  I am able to stay present and to see beyond the seeing, feel beyond the feelings and sensations and hear beyond the hearing. My heart is radiating warmth and acceptance of 'what is' - I know I am on the right path.  God is faithful.  Lean into Him.

If you happen to be starting a  'new program' or transitioning in your life and want guidance, there is so much power in the process of trusting your inner knowing. It only speaks truth and only guides us 'right'.  The voice of God and your gift of life are to be treasured and embraced. Trust that no matter what you do - it is right for this moment or for this next phase....how ever long.....until you are ready to transition to yet the next phase.  We are perfect in our own unique mess and that is what makes this life so fantastic!

Each of us has the power to create something magnificent and to be inspirational to others.  Together we will continue to create a sacred space of peace, joy, and community that can be carried forward into our lives in the months...and the years to come.

In Love, Acceptance, Inner Knowing and Inner Peace ~

Namaste

Trish

Letting Go!

So maybe you are thinking, 'What is with the Chinese Lanterns?" Well, I love the idea behind the Chinese New Year: It is a time where everyone can leave their sorrows behind and start anew with a new look upon life. It is a time where families and friends get together and set aside petty differences. The lanterns remind me of my inner drive to see things anew. Isn't that what we crave;  To let go of our burdens and to experience peace and true joy?  It is for me.

Life is hard enough to understand for ourselves, let alone to understand for others. The inner workings of our own mind are baffling enough when we really dig deep inside. The genius of our ego, our past, and our defenses can daunt even the most sincere attempt to find clarity. So much of the work along the spiritual path of yoga is devoted entirely to finding out who we really are underneath all the layers of our personality, past and culture. When we do find out what is right for us, there can be no denying the unshakable faith needed to follow our dreams to completion.

Along the way it is totally normal for the full spectrum of emotions and distracting thoughts to surface when you start out on your journey. You might get caught up in the gossip of what other people think, you might even gossip yourself. Envy and jealousy might get the better of you. Paralyzing fear might stop you dead in your tracks. Depression and self-defeating attitudes might threaten to drown you in your own personal pity party. The key to finding the freedom to follow your dreams does not lie in the permanent silencing of these little whiny voices. We would be kidding ourselves if we said we never felt these emotions. Yoga asks you to watch whatever arises in the passion play of your mind without getting attached to it.

Whenever distracting thoughts or challenging emotions arise, yoga teaches you to redirect your mind into the task at hand. At first, you practice letting the emotions 'be'  while redirecting the mind to the posture, your breathe, and your gaze in physical asanas. But then, once you master the ability to maintain a steady,  calm focus, you can choose to replicate this  same technique in life. For example, if your goal is to open a small business, you will encounter: elation, excitement, pride, doubt, fear, anxiety, envy, jealousy and much more. If you are a yoga practitioner you will observe these emotions for what they are, the surfacing of your mind, and then calmly, quietly redirect your mind to the task at hand-- opening and running your business. When you hear negative comments about yourself or feel envious of others who you perceive as having more success, the yoga practice gives you the strength to observe what the mind produces and then choose your path according not to circumstance, but to your will. Then you can be in the world and not of it, "play" with creation but not be bound by it and in essence be free to enjoy the ride.  We are God's children after all!

Learning how to enjoy the ride is all about learning how to make peace with yourself and your experience. Yoga is not an escape from life, but a way to take you deeper into its ultimate meaning. Even if you take off amidst a crazy thunderstorm, when you get high enough there is always the blue sky and sunshine waiting to greet you above the cloud cover. No matter how grey it gets, if you can rise above the rain, the light is always ready to welcome you in illumination.

Namaste,

Trish