Change

Life.

If there is one thing we can count on it's change.

The color of our hair. The car that we drive. The place that we live. The people we call "friends".

Change displaces the things we swear we know and some we didn't even realize was there. It is the current of our stream. It is the jucieness that weaves in and out of everything and just like change to life, juicy to change is a constant too.

But while juicy change can some times be fun - it can also bleed you dry.

Pulling the essence of ourselves from the bones of our lives until we don't know who we are. Doubt creeps in and then its nothing but long wakeful nights trying to figure out what you did to deserve fate that was brought upon you.

How you are wrong.

You are being punished for your mistakes.

And then... there it is... you are bad.

But that's not true. You're not bad, you're not wrong, you didn't do anything - you're human and humans mess things up. They say the wrong thing and forget to listen and get flustered and scared when things begin to change.

When we let doubt creep into our lives, into our heads and into our hearts we quickly forget the one thing we should always remember - who we are.

Who are you?

I bet you're amazing and even more, I know that you are. Don't let those juicy moments of change become some burden of doubt. Don't let it take you from you - because you're here for a reason. We all are. And yes, maybe at times seeing that reason clearly is harder than finding the proverbial 'needle in a hay stack' - but underneath all of that baggage is you.

Beautiful, smart, fun-loving, perfectly perfect you.

Spend this week celebrating you. Loving you. Being you. And know while change is a constant, your essence is too.

~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.

Fear = Transition

I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong - Benjamin Franklin

The biggest fear that ruins life is that our dreams will end in failure. We move away from scary situations, clinging onto comfort and the illusion of stability instead of reaching for our dreams assuming that bravery is lined with ease, but not understanding that failure is just a lesson brought on to teach us what we are truly capable of.

The only true way to fail is to give up completely - if you have a dream or a goal and you keep working towards it, one day you will reach that goal. It may take hours, it may take years - but nothing worth having has ever been easy to obtain.

Bravery is pushing past your fears, it is to keep moving even when you're afraid. Strength is knowing that our imagination holds the trailers to our future and this moment is the future we were worried about yesterday.

AUM VAKRATUNDAYA HUM - Ganesha Purana

It is said if you repeat this mantra 1008 times it will bring you strength and healing. It will help when things aren't working either on a personal or universal level. Locally or internationally, this mantra - and Ganesha - is here for you when our minds drift off to bad places; become negative; depressed; or we feel simply discouraged by every day life. Turning towards Ganesha will help you move back to the brighter path in your life.

Abhaya "Fearless" & Varada "Giving or Welcome" Mudras

Abhaya "Fearless" symbolized protection, peace and dispelling fear. The Right hand is held at shoulder height with your palm facing outward. "I come in peace" it is a gesture that shows the hand is empty of weapons and a sign of friendship and peace.

According to Buddhist History, the Buddha made this gesture right after receiving enlightenment.

Varada "Giving" or "Welcome" mudra symbolises charity and compassion. It is the mudra of accomplishment of the wish to devote oneself to Human Salvation. Almost always made with the left hand, it can be made with the arm hanging neutral or your palm sitting up and open on your knee.

The five fingers symbolize: Generosity, Morality, Patience, Effort and Meditative Concentration. This mudra is rarely used alone.

Crow - "Bakasana"

Crow, or Bakasana, helps to strengthen wrist, forearms, and abdomen. It improves your balance - yet crow can be a rather scary pose. Balancing all of your weight onto your two hands, with your face inches away from the floor can feel daunting and like a recipe for disaster - but crow teaches us how to let go, to be free and to fly. When you are properly aligned there is nothing to fear.

Place your hands on your mat, this is your foundation. Fingers wide and creases of your writs facing forward, walk your knees onto your upper arms - but before you begin to lift your legs be sure that your arms are aligned above your writs and that you are engaging your core. Then try to lift one foot at a time, taking your gaze forward and then organically moving into the pose.

Fear is the moment we realize that what we want is worth being brave for, and it is the moment we understand that what we were is not the only thing we were meant to be. All great things come out of conflict, transition and they push past fear.

Now go find your crow and fly.

~Namaste