Yoga is technically a science, specific formulas as how to become closer to God. It comes from a culture heavily steeped in the Hindu Religion, and so there is some overlap. However, because it is a science, I feel that Yoga can enhance any religion or belief because it is about trusting in God, surrendering to God, loving God with all your being, and seeing God in all beings. I understand how some might think Yoga a religion because of the Sanskrit chanting, or mysterious ceremony with incense, alters, bowing, and Om. However, in my experience of teaching for 20 years, I have met many Christians, Jews, Catholics, and Buddhists, who seem to find peace by enhancing their religion with yoga. They often remark how much deeper they can experience their faith because of Yoga. I think it is all the opening that happens in Yoga. Not just the body opening, but many energy meridians, stubborn thoughts, and stuck emotions open up as well, making more space, in all the layers of who we are. Once there is space, there is the recognition of God, the remembering of God, for within us all is the Divine (peace, love, harmony, forgiveness).

Yoga teaches us we are all truly one together on this planet, and loving God is the best thing we all have in common!

I hope that the next person for whom your eyes fall, is the exact image of God that you have manifested for your own spiritual growth,

love all ways,
Stephanie

A good friend of mine (and revered yoga master) recently suggested that we adjust our students like they were our mothers, (not friends, siblings, or lovers). This was to encourage a neutrality and gentleness to the hands-on adjustment, so it is never done without awareness.

It reminded me of Thich Nhat Hanh’s “Mother Meditation”, in which you begin meditating on your mother, cultivating deep gratitude and respect for the fact she grew us in her womb, sacrificed her body, time, energy, to serve us, night and day, for roughly 18 years. This is huge, despite any short-comings she might have had. It is recommended to look past any grievances, and keep drawing back to gratitude and respect. When this starts to feel natural, then you take on these two feelings towards all beings. So that eventually, we treat everyone as if they were our own mothers, whom we have immense gratitude and respect. It is such a beautiful concept. It is perhaps another way to access kindness and compassion towards someone whom those feelings don’t come easy. This practice is recommended not as a one time, experimental meditation, but a daily meditation for an entire year. I guarantee it will change you, which is ultimately the purpose of any spiritual teaching. As a result, more kindness, compassion, patience, respect for all beings. All because this one woman made a sacrifice, conscious or unconscious, to bring us not just into the world, but to help us be safe, warm, needs met.

I think we are all each others’ teachers, and in a sense, all each others’ mothers. Shouldn’t we be taking care of each other? Helping to keep each other safe, warm, needs met? As a step beyond mother’s day, I encourage you to offer up something of yourself in the way of SEVA, self-less service. This could be some volunteer time at the local food bank/homeless shelter, some free yoga classes to the elderly, or maybe a monetary donation towards a good cause. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I think it takes a village to keep raising that child, through adulthood, through trials and tribulations, through success and abundance. Let’s help raise the village!

-Stephanie

Like our current political choices in leadership. Or our current political occupation in foreign lands. Actually I feel fairly content about our Democratic choices, either way, Hillary or Obama will be phenomenal, performing wholeheartedly the global janitorial chores necessary for cleaning up the current mess. But this contentment waivers occasionally… I went to see Bill Clinton while he passed through lil ole Asheville, and was reminded that despite their best intentions, it is politics, and despite the fact we think the Presidency is an independent political seat, it is not; there are many many people/offices/policies/corporations that will need to step up to meet Hillary or Obama’s ideals.

And what if it is McCain? Can I be content to know that any change will be better than now. That any change will help insure my children’s/grandchildren’s futures – clean air, safe world, healthy planet? Can I be a conscious citizen of this planet and still find contentment? Contentment doesn’t mean (to me) just sitting around going “OK, this moment is perfect, I trust in God, I don’t need to do anything because everything is unfolding to God’s plan…” To me, true contentment is an ideal to practice, (just like downward facing dog), but while practicing, I surely am not just sitting there (nor are we passive in down dog)! I am modeling kindness and fairness to my children, I am participating in political rallies and fundraisers to show my support for a big change, I am encouraging yoga students to lighten their grips on conditioning and beliefs and to be brave and try on other belief systems that might embrace all beings with kindness, fairness and love.

And yet, here I am, a citizen of a country that is quickly losing it’s balance. So again I turn to yoga for help and find the guidelines of cause and effect: Karma is the Sanskrit translation – and it is twofold, actions whose results are occurring, and actions whose fruit is yet to come. I am trusting in the second part. I think of myself as a gardner, planting seeds of possibility – goodness, generosity, humbleness, contentment, forgiveness. I plant them in myself as I check out my thought processes all the time, and I plant them with every thing I do or say. It is my hope, well more than hope, I truly believe that these seeds will blossom, into thousands of beautiful interactions between all people of the planet, helping to turn around any negative chain of events that might seem to be taking place.

So, goodness, contentment, happiness, I think about them a lot, at the forefront of thoughts, actions and words, and know that that is my purpose/path/dharma. It’s not always easy, but such is the path of the peaceful warrior. I invite all of you to practice contentment, in everyday things and global things. And remember God is everywhere, let’s just be like Jesus and Buddha and make it a little more obvious… The path of the peaceful warrior/gardner takes courage and bravery, first we need to plant healthy seeds in our own minds, then into all our thoughts, speech and actions. Let the ripple effect begin!

Here are several more opportunities to practice your belief about contentment. These are films – some different/inspiring/amusing world view points:
getintheirface.blogspot.com/2006/06/robert-newman-video-history-of-oil.html (45 minutes)
zeitgeistmovie.com (2 hrs)
thestoryofstuff.com (20 min)
livingyogamovie.org (5 min)
blog.ted.com/2008/03/jill_bolte_tayl.php#more (19 min)
ashevilleasana.com (1 + hr) these are free downloadable yoga classes from asheville yoga center as well as others.

And one last link to some thought provoking art around our consumption http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php

How? you might ask. Practice, practice, practice. Stay regular with your practice, yoga, meditation, alone or in groups. Regularity is key. Books and workshops are invaluable as well, to help re-kindle the flame, that from time to time (due to our societal conditioning) starts to fade because we are getting caught back up in the “to-do” lists. I am not saying to-do lists are not invaluable. Really it’s about balance. And if each of us individually is the microcosmic mirror of this entire planet, then how can we expect to bring harmony and balance into our planet if we cannot find it within ourselves? So begin now, be “selfish” (as some would call it, not me), I call it self-nurturing, self-loving, self-improvement. Isn’t the whole point of becoming “enlightened” (whatever that really means) to share that energy/wisdom with others? We’ve all heard it before, so here it is again, peace begins with me, joy begins right now. Why not? Fill yourself up so you can fill up others.

love, steph

You don’t need to know a bunch of strange belly churning or nostril plugging techniques either. How about right this very second, you sit up a bit taller, and straighter. Then take a really big, semi-relaxed inhalation, hold it for one second, then try to let it out slowly, also semi-relaxed. In other words, no straining allowed. Now do it again 10 times. Notice by breath ten, how all effort is released, and there is a light sense of calm energy running through your entire body.

Deep breathing, ahhh, almost as good as true love!
(more breathing exercises can be found in the Yoga Handbook or in a live yoga class)

Love, Steph

Thankfully, yoga opens us up enough to remind us we are all connected, every single action has a ripple effect upon the world, including our purchases, actions and words. So making efforts to be kinder, more patient and less greedy are HUGE efforts for Americans to practice, as our culture seems to be propagating the opposite. However, again thankfully, yoga reminds us that our True Nature is patience; kindness; compassion; non-possessiveness. And I think that adding a daily prayer/affirmation/chant of thankfulness is incredibly important as well. Not only is it humbling to remember this gift of life, health, abundance, but it also spreads out a ripple of gratefulness that I can only hope helps others to remember.

A friend of mine has cancer. It is pretty bad. Of course she and I are hoping for the best, yet also preparing for the worst. Her family is resistant to her non-Western experimental modalities, which makes her situation even more trying (like super fast growing, throat strangling cancer isn’t bad enough!). So, not just once a day, but many many times a day, I think of her and her situation, and then I think of me and my healthy self and healthy family and out comes the gushing thankfulness in forms of prayers/tears/thoughts/actions.

It is truly a miracle to be alive, I think. We sure can forget this thought when we get out of yoga-mode and into judgment (like about our politics) or fear (like about our wars), but ultimately, we are spirit, embodied in this lifetime to remember God, and how blessed are we that our bodies are so magnificent, so miraculous, so beautiful!!!

Blessed are we,
love, stephanie

BREATHE – Take a BREATH BREAK at the very first sign of tension rising. Pause, inhaled deeply, and let the out breath just fall out – even with a loud “Haaaaaaaaaa” if it’s not too embarrassing. And there is always good ole Lions Face to really help release tension. (Stick tongue all the way out to bottom of chin, exhale loudly wiggling your uvula, and roll your eyes up to the crown of the head all on the big exhale).

SAY NO – You can’t hope to do all of the things and attend all of the events that most of us find coming up in our lives during the holidays. Prepare your polite refusal speech ahead of time and just say “no thanks.”

TAKE TIME FOR YOU –Even if its just a daily 10 minute walk, a soak in hot bath, a short yoga routine, or even a 10 minute meditation sitting in your favorite chair. You’ll find it amazing how much more you can handle and how quickly you will recover from any stress if you take this time for yourself. Make this a daily habit, a daily priority!

LET IT BE – Play the Beatles song of the same name if you have it and then practice it, particularly around potential conflict areas, relatives are good practice for this. When conflict arises, take a deep breath and ask yourself if you can just ‘let it be” and not engage.

HAVE FUN – Do whatever you need to do to make your holiday time fun for yourself. Ask yourself “What do I need to include in my holiday plans to make sure I have fun?” After all, holidays were meant to be fun times, and more importantly sacred times, (Thanksgiving being a time of gratefulness of this abundance; Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukah about the holy spirit within us all), not just times of chores and drudgery. If you find yourself not having any fun take a time out and figure out what needs to change to make it fun.

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM – Remember, we vote with our dollars. Adbusters.org recommends that you rethink the season with a Buy Nothing Christmas; the Seva Foundation allows you to dedicate gifts of service; and Carbonfund.org helps you help the environment by offsetting the carbon footprint of your loved ones. Homemade gifts, (soaps, candles, candies, meals), homemade coupons (hugs, massages, babysitting) and yoga gifts are also wonderful ways to help support your health, your planet’s health.

Love,
Steph

If you would like to do something to support the Burmese people, these are some simple actions you can take:

1. Call for a 2008 Olympic Boycott.

As best as I can tell, many political analysts say that China holds the most weight over the Myanmar/Burma government because they are Myanmar’s most influential trading partner. The Myanmar government does not care about world opinion, or pressure from countries that already do little trade with them, but would be negatively impacted if China put economic sanctions in place.

To that end:
The Chinese government has no incentive to stop trade with Myanmar. They have blocked various United Nations motions on Myanmar with their veto on the UN Security Council. But they do care very much about the 2008 Olympics going well, and the positive press that will bring them. I recommend sending a fax to the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge. Here is a short sample letter you can copy and paste.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Sir,

I am deeply concerned by the reports of military brutality in Myanmar against non-violent civilians, monks, and nuns. I am also concerned by reports that hundreds of monks and other peaceful protesters have been detained.

I ask you to, as tactfully as possible, ask the Chinese government to respond to the situation in Myanmar with economic sanctions, in the interests of having a successful 2008 Olympics in Beijing. I could not, in good conscience, attend, watch on TV, or buy any products associated with the 2008 Beijing Olympics otherwise. I am very interested in China’s rich cultural heritage and would otherwise look forward to seeing such a major world event in the exciting, cosmopolitan city of Beijing. I feel strongly enough about the issue to also encourage other people to boycott the 2008 Olympics if China remains a complicit economic supporter of Myanmar’s current situation.

I believe many other potential Olympic attendees around the world feel the same way. Thank you for your time.

Best regards, ______________

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Fax it to the attention of Jacque Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, at: (41.21) 621 62 16. Or sent it via postal mail (but faxing is better because it is faster):
Jacques Rogge, President
International Olympic Committee
Château de Vidy
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland

2. Email the Olympic Ticket Sales with a Request for China’s Divestment in Myanmar.

Consider this a form of “electronic disobedience”. You can copy and paste the letter below. Send your email to: ticketsupport@beijing2008.cn

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am deeply concerned by the reports of military brutality in Myanmar against non-violent civilians, monks, and nuns. I am also concerned by reports that hundreds of monks and other peaceful protesters have been detained. It is my understanding that China’s government is a major trading partner of Myanmar.

I cannot, in good conscience, attend, watch on TV, or buy any products associated with the 2008 Beijing Olympics as long as the host country is an economic supporter of the current state of affairs in Myanmar. I am very interested in China’s rich cultural heritage and would otherwise look forward to seeing such a major world event in the exciting, cosmopolitan city of Beijing. I ask that China use it’s influence towards non-violence in Myanmar.

Thank you for your time.
Best regards, ______________

3. Sign a petition
You can sign Avaaz’s petition, at their link (once more): http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/u.php
The petition will be delivered to Chinese President Hu Jintao and the UN Security Council. They have over 600,000 signers already and are aiming for 1 million. Many useful Burmese links are at the bottom of Avaaz’s page. (You won’t be able to sign without giving an email, so give a junk email if you don’t want to be on their list. You don’t have to give your phone number at all.) You can also sign Amnesty International’s petition to the Myanmar government:
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/mmr-270907-action-eng Or the U.S. Campaign for Burma’s petition to the Chinese government:
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/usca…Y=730&t=HomePage.dwt

4. Financially Support Burmese Journalists

Supporting Burmese news organizations, who fight a constant uphill battle to report the facts of what is happening in Burma to the larger world, is no small thing to do. Irawaddy is one organization. They have in fact had to deal with their site being hacked in the past few days (I wonder why…..). But they are up and running again. http://www.irrawaddy.org/ Donate at the bottom of their subscription link (or subcribe to support their magazine): http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/shop/

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
As a parting note, China is not the only country doing business with Myanmar. India and Thailand, among others, do as well, though not to the same extent. I know India’s Buddhist community is already protesting India’s trade with Myanmar. Thailand is a devout Buddhist country and very much in support of the Burmese monks, but I don’t believe that has taken the shape of calling for economic sanctions. Food for thought if any of you wish to do further research in this direction.

Thanks for reading this,
Stephanie

Warm your heart with the softness of a loving thought for billions of years of peace, prosperity and bliss for our children’s children. Praise and bless them as peaceful, loving and evolved beings who live in an enlightened and sustainable society. This loving thought will make it so!

We live in a culture that vibrates at a higher frequency than our ancestors did: emails, cell phones, fast cars, fast food, electrical wires, etc. This vibration causes stress to our beings. Our ancestors stress was usually immediate, and would subside once the threat was gone. Not today. We live in chronic stress. And then on top of that, we have other stressors: job, relationship, family, things to accomplish (even preparing for yoga teacher training!) Our bodies perceive all this incoming stress as life threatening. The body’s reaction to stress is to secrete hormones from the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, (adrenaline and noradrenaline), engaging the autonomic nervous system into the flight or fight response by the body. As a result, the heart rate, blood pressure, mental alertness, and muscle tension are increased. Systems that are not necessary, including digestion, elimination, growth, reproduction and repair, are shut down. Thus the body’s capacity to heal itself is compromised and new ailments occur including high blood pressure, ulcers, back pain, immune dysfunction, reproductive problems, emotional disturbances (anxiety/depression/insomnia).

I believe in Yoga as a sustainable practice, meaning, we can age MUCH more gracefully, with less dis-ease, than our culture is doing currently. I personally would like to feel good practicing yoga well into my 80’s, 90’s, beyond? That is sustainability to me. Other traditional aging cultures, (heck our own culture 100 years ago!), are not wearing diapers, are not on 5 different medications, are not living out of touch with nature and family, are doing some sort of physical activity on a daily basis (not TV!!)

So, my short and sweet recommendations to us all are to take many pausing minutes out of the day (in front of the computer, while on hold, at the stop light, etc) and be present. It is a simple request, not so simple to do, especially when we have learned to stack functions so well. But that just keeps us plugged into the caffeinated vibe of the present fast-moving culture. We can unplug, many times a day, with just these sweet pauses of being present and finding your breath. Taking a deep breath will bring you immediately into your body, which might inform you of a necessary posture shift. Taking a deep breath will bring you present, drawing your full awareness into the now. Taking a deep breath will communicate to your nervous/circulatory/endocrine systems to slow down, and restore. If you can take a 10-20 minute break each day, I do not recommend always doing some physical yoga, instead, mix it up with a supported restorative pose with deep breathing or shavasana, the traditional corpse deep relaxation pose.

As yogis, we know we are all interconnected. If individually we can start to slow our own pulse, then hopefully collectively we can start to slow down the pulse of our planet.