The Journey

Life is a journey, time passing by us woven into the bridges that connect one portion of our life to the next. Sometimes we look moments we loved so dearly and lift them up so high we create a fear of letting go, convincing ourselves if we do, all the joy and love in our lives will slip away or bad moments are destined to repeat themselves.

These fears can cripple us, stopping us from moving forward, discovering the people we are destined to be.

When we hold onto those moments, a wall is created, separating us from the rest of the life we were intended to have. An island is formed and we sit in that memory as if it were the present while the rest of the world spills forward onto the next destinations. We can no longer search for anything, because to hold something new, we must let go of the old, making room in our heart and soul for change.

We must evolve into the next version of ourselves, one that is stronger and more diverse than the last.

Appreciating an idea, or a moment, adds layers to our lives, guiding us forward along the path of our life. Each step brings us into the present allowing us to be the person we were born to be. A person that loves themselves and others, regardless. A person that can see beyond the boundaries of their limitations. Someone that knows what the answer to “are we there yet” really is.

Are we there yet? It is true, the journey is more important than the destination. Just as it is important to be moving on that path and not trapped in an opinion, memory or fear that moving forward will bring sorrow and death, because the answer is no. If you’re reading this, then no, you are not there yet and that means you still have time.

Let go of the things that are holding you back: the past, resentment, anger, fear. Look at them from a different angle to get perspective, accept the situation for what it was and keep moving. Life will take you to the end regardless of what you did or didn’t do on your journey, you may as well enjoy yourself along the way.

The moment you finally let go, is the moment you are truly free.

Let Go

Living in a fast pace world builds stress, compounds problems and teaches us how to move past issues before they have ever really been dealt with. We are inundated with facts, images, sounds, smells - our senses so over loaded we can't even decipher between two objects, let alone emotions and what is worse is we have grown accustom to looking at life like this and accepting it as how life is meant to be.

But it's not.

The more items we put into a bucket, the heavier it becomes. Items on top begin to crush the items on the bottom - some times crushing those items, rendering them useless. Broken shards of yesterday crunching and pulverizing into a fine powder that coats every other item around it.

This is what our lives become when we don't take the time to stop and deal with the life we have. The clutter becomes a distraction and the dust of a past life holds us in place - we can not be the person we were meant to be.

Memories and traditions of yesterday, muddled with odds and loose ends leave pot holes in our lives that trip things up, create doubt and bind us to something that should be long gone.

But when we stop, when we relax, and I mean truly relax - face the issues, accept what we need to and find the closure to move forward our bucket becomes light again. Empty space is  left to be filled with new experiences, memories, ideas and life.

Letting go doesn't mean failure, forgiving yourself doesn't make you weak and living for today really is the easiest way to open your heart.

Love - love yourself enough to lighten the load of your life. Love yourself enough to understand it's okay - being human is very much okay.

Slow down or even stop. Turn off your phone, computer, television, satellite radio and listen to the ambient sounds around you, or better yet - listen to the ambient noises inside of you.

Know that sometimes physically doing nothing is the right thing to do and simply let go.

Breathe-in "Let"

Breathe-out "Go"

~Namaste

Santosha, contentment and your path

Book Two - verse 32.

"Sauca Samtosa Tapah svadhya Yesvarapanidhanani Niyamah"

Saucha - Purity

Samtosha (or santosha) - contentment

Tapah - Accepting pain and not causing pain

Svadhyaya - study of spiritual books

Isvarapranidhanana - self-surrender, "Let God and Let Go"

& Niyamah - observances 

In yoga we are taught the Yamas (abstinence) & the Ni-yamas (observances). Ten essential elements that help us travel down our path, allowing us to be the yogis we strive to be. Some of the yamas and ni-yamas we see more of than others. Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing - isvarapranidhana... but every one of these observances and abstinence are important.

The other day I had a brief conversation about "Santosha" or Samtosha - the ni-yama that is contentment.  To know satisfaction in life, is to be at peace. When we deny ourselves the right to be here - the first right of our chakras and then deny our right to feel, the second chakra, we set ourselves on a wobbly path filled with fear, confusion, resentment and regret.

What is your path? What is your purpose? WHY are you here? WHAT is your santosha.

We live in questionable times. Our economy is reflective of one 78 years ago, people are losing their jobs and not finding new ones. Abuse is on the rise, as is divorce, drug use and anger on every level. We find ourselves locked into certain relationships - with jobs, with spouses, friends, ideas - that were are afraid to break out of because of this chaos. We allow it to project an image on our personal lives and then close our eyes to that voice deep down inside of us that is singing a whole different song.

We begin to think we don't belong here, we don't deserve to be happy, to be successful in life and love, and we commit to the idea that this is the best it can get. But that's not true. If you're alive you belong here. If you are on this planet, you have purpose - and that voice you're ignoring because it's just "easier" to stay put - that's your path.

Being honest, caring, loving - self-sacrificing. Holding the door for someone you don't know, regardless of their age or class. Buying a coworker a cup of coffee, just because. These are all nobel things - but what's your path? Why are you here? Are you living your santosha?

To love yourself purely and greatly is a beautiful thing. To find your passion and your love is what life is about.

My conversation was brief, probably less than five minutes, but it made me think. Is this what I want? Is this life the one I deserve - and I can honestly answer that its getting there. It's scary, but change can be like that.

Tonight take five minutes to yourself and meditate on your santosha. Journey inside yourself and most of all be honest. It's okay to be scare. It's okay. And when you find your path know that soon you will find your voice and then all that's left to do is sing.

~Namaste Shanti Om

Miracles

In the great story of Peter Pan it is explained that the way to kill a fairy is to not believe in them, but if you do believe in fairies...  if you believe in them deep down to the center of your whole true self- your faith can save their lives.

Maybe we don't live in Neverland, but the reality is we all have a version of Captain Hook chasing after us, most days he looks like insecurities, fear and low self-esteem. And Tinkerbell looks like  our dreams; some days they're the  smallest hint of light off in the distance and others they're waking you up early for no reason other than to play.

Believing in ourselves and in our dreams can be the hardest job we have, but faith is the one thing we need to always hold on to and if you believe in miracles it opens you to them actually happening.

When Tinkerbell realized that Captain Hook is going to poison her beloved Peter Pan, she drinks the medicin and falls to the ground.

How many times have we thought our dreams died because our planning didn't work out EXACTLY as we planned it? How many times did we think, "Maybe I should give up."

But then Peter and Wendy chanted "I do believe in Fairies. I do. I do." With tears and sweat and pain they brought her back to life.

Failure is giving up on your dreams. Knowing the road may be bumpy but accepting the fact it'll be worth it in the end because one thing is for sure, we're all going to die - so we may as well live when we have the chance.

There are no certainties in this life, but there is faith, there is love, there is hope and there is hard work. Yes, Captain Hook may have you ready to walk the plank, but do you believe in miracles? I do. I do. Do you have faith in you? I do. I do.

You have control over your life than you know, so accept you for what you are. Recognize that our demons can be conquered, have faith and believe. Believe in your dream, believe in fairies, believe in miracles and most of all believe in yourself.

Be honest, be free, be love, believe in miracles and most of all believe in yourself, because everything you need will come to you in time as long as you are patient, you work hard and remember to smile.

The light in me honors and respects the light in you.

~Namaste

Face your fears...

I teach yoga, but when it comes to my own asana practice, I find that there are definite walls that I have put up when it comes to certain poses. My teacher always says, "You have to be willing to fall on your face." This mantra is one that I often repeat to my students now. It always gets a laugh and usually helps people forget their fears, somewhat, and give it a try. As much as I've said this and heard this, I feel like I am not willing. I have tried to face those fears.

In practicing forearm stand, I have collapsed into my shoulder more than once because of my elbow starting to wing out, causing me to have some shoulder issues on and off. For this reason, I definitely tend to stay away from this pose in more recent days.

Well, that is, until a couple weeks ago.

Some students in class one morning wanted some help working on forearm stand and handstand. I showed them step by step instructions on how to practice getting into these poses and encouraged them to try. While they were resettling on their mats, excited and invigorated from being upside down, one of my students asked if we could work on those types of things more in the new year.

That was when it hit me. My own fears had led me to skip over teaching these types of poses that make ME feel uncomfortable, even though my students may be eager to try them out!

That's no good. So, this week, I wrapped a strap around my arms just above the elbows to help keep my elbows and shoulders in line (which I should have been doing the whole time), and worked on forearm stand.

It felt good.

I tried getting up several times and when my shoulder started to ache, I stopped. But, I tried. That belt really helped.

I tried!!

That wall of fear is still there, but it's starting to crumble and it feels good.

I would like to thank all of my students who always inspire me and teach me every single time they come to class.

Planting Change

At times in our lives it's easy to forget to be grateful, humble, forgiving and compassionate. We may use these words in our every day life, but still at the end of the day find it's easier to hide away from the world that seems to be crumbling around our ears.

It's overwhelming. Disaster after disaster - from natural to manmade, since 2005 it almost feels like we're living in Old Testament Biblical times as Fire and Brimstone rises around us. What can we do? How can we help?

You've heard it before, it only takes one person to change the world - and while this world seems almost unbearable and smothering - the statement is very much true. Nothing is born out of ease and cessation - change is created through hard work, sacrifice and commitment - but the moment you choose to change, you've already won.

In yoga we speak of intentions. Planting a seed inside ourselves and using our practice to help nourish and encourage it to grow into a full-blown idea and taking us with it. Transforming us into the person we've always wanted to be.

Anyone can change. Anyone can help. Anyone can save the world of another human being, all you have to do is being willing to try. We convince ourselves we aren't smart enough, or rich enough, or clever enough to accomplish superhuman feats - but every human being has that capability inside them. We just need to find the courage to allow it to manifest and grow.

It's easy to play the "what about me" card, it's hard to realize that it's not about you at all. It's bigger than that.

Compassion, forgiveness, being humble and grateful for what blessing we have are easy ways to remember and to embrace yourself without seeking self-pity. They are ways to look past the selfishness that is in our human nature and realize we are more than that - we are compassionate animals that have the resources and ability to help change the world.

Giving back is the only way to move forward. Please take a moment to look over one of these many resources seeking your help to change the world. And have a blessed, blessed day.

Namaste

-Aryn

• http://www.disastercenter.com/agency.htm
• http://www.haitirelieffund.org/
• http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/
• New Zealand Red Cross - Christchurch Relief
• American Red Cross
• Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund
• Hands n Paws
• Farm Sanctuary

Find Happiness Within...

Well, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed yesterday.

Whenever I feel this crabby, I actually feel a little bit guilty about it~so non-yogic of me! I tried to tell myself all of the things that I say to my students about finding happiness within.

Wasn't working. In my own stubbornness, I convinced myself that I was being more "real" by being crabby and owning it.

Then a friend of mine shared famous yoga teacher/writer, Max Strom's Facebook status on her page. It read, "No matter how many chaturangas we do, no matter how much wheat grass juice we drink, no matter how many kirtans we attend, we will not have a happy life if we are carrying inside us resentment and hate. 'It's not what you eat, but what's eating you.' Our yoga will take us quite far down the road, healing past wounds, purging us of ghosts, but at some point down the road we have to do some work on ourselves which is also part of spiritual tradition; self-enquiry, and in that work, one of our greatest tools is the power of forgiveness."

Thanks Max. Okay, I will try. I will look inside and find out what is eating at me. I will, at the very least, try to forgive myself this mood even if I can't find the cause to forgive.

I continued my funk, putzing around the house, ending up in the kitchen. It is here that I found a fortune cookie fortune sitting underneath some items in a bowl.

"Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change."

Okay universe! I get it. I'm trying.

I went and sat down and started thinking about it. I came to one of my favorite yoga sutras that I love to teach in class.

Duhkhanusavi Dvesah: Aversion is that which follows identification with painful experiences.

Sri Swami Satchidananda goes on to explain that "We attach ourselves to pleasure because we expect happiness from it, forgetting that happiness is always in us as the true Self."

After stewing over that and getting a good night's sleep~I know that all of these statements I ran into are true. My mood, who knows, sometimes we just have good ones, sometimes bad ones. No need to attach to it in the end. No need to long for happiness or a better mood if that is the case that day, just know that if you let go from attaching yourself to your anger or resentments and do forgive whoever or whatever it is that is bothering you, you will find that happiness, that peace & that joy within. I know that I am trying...every single day.

Om Shanti~Marcia