My Husband, the Yogi

"If your mind is empty, it is ready for anything, In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind, there are few". 

Shunryu Suzuki

For as long as I can remember my husband has always been a big supporter of my various endeavours (bless his heart). And yoga has been no exception. He's encouraged me all along to deepen my practice, both as a student and a teacher.


To show his support, he has even come to some of my yoga classes, which has not been easy for the 'tin man'.

An avid, accomplished long distance runner, his legs boast great muscular strength, but like many runners will admit-  flexibility is not his forte. So time on the mat, although valuable- is not his favourite way to spend an hour.

So, it was a big surprise to me when he announced he was taking the 30 day yoga challenge- to spend 10 minutes on the mat each and every day. Yup- everyday. We are more than halfway into the challenge, and I must say I am very impressed with his commitment. Each evening, no matter how busy or tired he is, I watch him head downstairs to his mat.

This week he shared how he's been using that time. I had given some suggestions earlier in the month, but in his own unique way, he's made this time his own. Very simply, he takes one pose, and spends 'quality time with it'.

What an awesome idea. To bring a beginner's mind to any pose- even one that has practised for years, is such an important teaching in yoga. Imagine coming to the mat with fresh eyes and fresh attitude each time. There is so much that can be gained. One could focus on tweaking alignment, carefully placing the body into as well as out of the pose, perhaps experimenting with finding one's edge in the pose. Or bringing the attention to just the breath, inviting it into the pose, from beginning to end. Another intention could be to take the awareness inside the body and to notice all the feeling sensations that come up in a pose.

There are a multitude of ways to spend this 10 minutes on the mat. Even if you aren't doing the 30 day yoga challenge, it's still a great idea to take one pose and explore it with an open, curious mind. 

You just might be surprised what you find out.

Thank you dear husband for being my inspiration.  You really are a yogi at heart.

Namaste. _/l\_

Your Good Heart

I had an interesting conversation with a middle aged woman working in a clothing store the other day. She was telling me she was getting back to the gym after a three year hiatus. When I mentioned if she had considered yoga, she said yes but she was scared to death of it.

I think it's sad that yoga has been heavily branded to be for the young and beautiful who look great in spandex and can wrap their legs around their necks like a Cirque du Soleil performer.  But what about the rest of us? 

It's no surprise that stepping into a yoga class for the first time can be very intimidating. I too must admit that when I take teacher courses and workshops I'm well aware of my limitations compared to others. But I've also learned to love what I can do and to just stay open to growing in my own time.

It's a humbling thing to bring our imperfect selves to the mat especially in a culture that values perfection. But that is precisely what yoga is about. It's about compassion, not competition- about loving our bodies, not loathing them. And it's about setting down the weight to be better, so we can lift our hearts to just be.

Yes, yoga is about stretching, and strengthening, balancing and breathing. But it's also about coming home to ourselves, and embracing the 'joyful mess' of our humanness with kindness and acceptance.

So if you're scared to death to step into your first yoga class, remember-  just bring your good heart- that's all you really need.  Spandex- totally optional. :)

Namaste. _/l\_

An Inside Job

I've been thinking of this quote lately. It's cute and light hearted but there's also a lot of wisdom behind it.

When I was younger, I seemed to spend much of my energy waiting for happiness to come when all the outer stuff was in order. The job, the family, the home, the health- there was always something that needed tweaking before happiness could be complete.

It took many years before I fully surrendered to the fact that happiness does not have to hang on life being in order. And as I get older, it is more and more apparent that something will always be out of order to some degree. Yet amidst that disorder or what my daughter coins "the joyful mess" the invitation to be happy still remains.

There isn't a magic bullet for this, nor should there be. Each one of us has to discover it in our own way. But here are a few ideas that have been helpful for me when happiness seems just out of reach.

First of all, it's very important to acknowledge how you you do feel. So often we try to avoid uncomfortable feelings because we don't like feeling this way. But if we can allow ourselves to identify and touch whatever sensation we're experiencing- with curiosity and non judgement- it can often soften the heart enough to open to new possibilities.

Even in the midst of a challenging time, I often ask " Can I still make space to see the blessings in my life?" Like catching the brilliance of a coral sky as the day begins, or spotting the fluffed up cardinal perched on a snow covered branch. There are so many miracles that happen each day that are just waiting for us to embrace. Reminding myself to notice and give thanks is a huge anecdote for happiness.

I have also found that stepping out of myself and becoming helpful to someone else can be transformative, time and time again.  Whether it's a kind word, a small gesture, a thoughtful act- these can help to lift one's heart and open up one's perspective about where happiness truly lies in life.

Daily yoga and meditation practice for me have also been integral in remembering that happiness is available amidst the messiness of life. Quieting the mind, following the breath, allowing my imperfect self inside my imperfect life to come to my cushion and my mat, is a refuge for me. And if done regularly has often helped me stay steadier during those times when happiness gets derailed.

We can't always be happy of course. But is it possible to find the tiniest of sparks of happiness even in the darkest times? I'd like to believe so.

Wishing you happiness. From the inside out.

Namaste. _/l\_

The Challenge Has Begun!!

Drum roll please..... the challenge has begun!

Tomorrow begins a new year of yoga, teaching my beloved students and learning along with them. To commemorate this new beginning, I am offering a 30 day challenge that everyone can do. Yup.. everyone.

For my students, the beginning of the challenge starts at the first class of the year, but for anyone else, just pick a day, and simply begin.

So what is the challenge?
Ten minutes on the mat. Not 100 Sun Salutations or an hour of vigorous yoga.  Just- ten-short-minutes.

You may wonder- how could this be a challenge? In my view, it's getting on the mat that is the challenge, rather than staying there. I know this from experience. How many times have I thought- "I'll do it after I write this email, or wash these dishes, or have a shower?" It's funny how tricky our mind can be when it comes to things like this. Why is so hard to put aside our everyday tasks and have a few minutes with ourselves? It just is.
However, we can all find ten minutes a day to fit this in. It's not intimidating nor does it cut into anything we might feel we need to do. And I can guarantee that once you're on the mat- once you've begun- you'll want to stay just a little bit longer..

So to begin, here are a few guidelines..

1. Find a place that has no or minimal distractions. A quiet room where you have enough space to lay down a mat, and close the door. Or a little corner that is away from the centre of activity, conversations etc. Not in front of the tv- (you get the picture.)

2. Make a date with your mat. This may take some experimentation as to the best time of day or evening for you, but once you find something that works, try to do it the same time everyday. You will become accustomed to setting that time aside, and it begins to feel more natural. And the habit begins to form.

3. Play some quiet relaxing music, or practice in silence. The object is to come home to yourself, to become aware, and sensitive to how you're feeling, both in mind and body. To 'let go of your day' and simply be with your breath and the movement of your body.

4. Don't worry that you might not know 'how to do it right'. I will include below a couple vinyassas (flow movements) to help you get started, but just begin to move your body slowly. Ten minutes is meant to be a warm up, gentle practice so it is unlikely you will hurt yourself. Listen to your body for guidance, stretching muscles and lubricating joints- never going into pain. Every movement has value so use this time to appreciate yourself for taking the time to come to your mat.

5. Move with your breath. Let your breath guide the movement. Keep your mental focus on the inhale and exhale. This is what separates a yoga practice from a work out. Breath is exceedingly important, as it relaxes both the mind and the body. Certain movements are typically done on an inhale, and others on an exhale, but I wouldn't be overly concerned about that if you aren't sure. Awareness of breath is more important. And if your mind is busy and you catch yourself 'thinking' (and you will) just gently bring your awareness back to your breath, time and time again. In this way, the practice can also become a meditation with far reaching benefits.

6. When you're finished, take a minute or two in savasana (relaxation pose) allowing the practice to be integrated. Notice any effects from your time on the mat.

7. And if you miss a day, read my previous post.. :)

8. If you're a student of mine, there will be a little reward at the end of the 30 days (we all like incentives, don't we? :)). But if not, reward yourself with something meaningful if that is something that appeals to you.

And that's it! I hope you can find your tens minutes on the mat. I guarantee it will be time well spent..

Namaste. _/l\_

Samples of vinyassas..

1. Start in Table. Inhale into Table- Exhale into Cat- Inhale into Cow (Dog)- Exhale into Downward Dog- Inhale into Table- Exhale into Child- Inhale into Table.

2. Six Directions of the Spine: Start in Table- Inhale into Cow- Exhale into Cat- Thread the Needle (Inhale- Lift one arm up, parallel to mat - Exhale- float it down to mat, slide it across to the other side, under the other arm, resting shoulder onto the mat- switch sides)- Inhale into Table- Come to Kneeling in preparation for Kneeling Crescent Moon (Inhale- Lift one arm straight up alongside ear, other hand at hip- Exhale sideways in the opposite direction of the raised arm- switch sides)- Kneeling Backbend (Interlace fingers behind back- Inhale root down through the legs- Exhale- move slowly into gentle backbend)- Inhale back to Table.

Good Intentions

This new year brings a wry smile to my face.

How many times have I sat down in a determined 'I can do it this year- you bet' kind of attitude, writing out my new year's resolutions? Probably forty, give or take a few years when I didn't care or just didn't get around to it until the shininess of the new year had worn off.

Like so many others I always have this initial burst of enthusiasm and optimisim thinking I can create a new and improved me in some way or other. A fresh start, a fresh me. Until that is, the day I do or don't do what I wrote on that piece of paper and then it all goes up in smoke until the next year.

So much in the past has hinged on all or nothing for me.  I'm sure it has a lot to do with my perfectionistic personality, but what a shame, what a waste! So many unfulfilled opportunities missed because of my silly, unreachable standards.

So this year before sitting down pen to paper I paused and gave the whole intention thing another look.

What if I just took one step each day in the direction that could help me live more fully? And if I get derailed- what if I just got back on that track and tried again?

And no matter how long or short I can keep an intention, isn't the time that I actually succeed worth celebrating rather than writing off? Every journey starts with one step- and each step counts. So whatever the outcome, those good intentions took thought and reflection to create, and initiative and courage to execute. There is value in beginning, even if the outcome is not what I hoped it could be.

And maybe by accepting with humility that I will make mistakes, that I won't always keep up and that I am susceptible to human frailty I'll be able to find more self compassion when I fall short of my expectations. By realigning myself and trying again, maybe there will be a renewed sense of optimism and enthusiasm found simply in the act of trying. Just maybe.

So this year, rather than carving my failure or success in stone, I throw caution to the wind and set my sail on good intentions without a destination, opening to wherever that wind shall lead me. It's bound to be an interesting journey..

Happy New Year everyone. May all your good intentions lead you to a life fully lived.

Namaste. _/l\_