Gratitude

You know the expression 'well you never really miss anything except when it's gone.' Today, after my third wave of some type of sickness, I am experiencing the 'fog' of my perception lifted, a little bounce in my step (i.e., don't feel heavy), and a sense of vigor to work on my tasks and projects at work.

So, I'm grateful for being in this body and living in these times and grateful for all my connections in this world from family to yogis and yoginis far and wide to brief acquaintances (i.e., the woman who joined my conversation about my Klean Kanteen yesterday with a stranger at Whole Foods). I take a moment to say a prayer for all beings to be liberated even for one moment from what ever ails them so they experience this freedom.

For what are you grateful today?

Take a moment to be still and allow yourself to hold that vision to linger like steam slowly wafting upwards from a warm drink.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

Balance Is Not a Static State - Spring Equinox

MARCH 20 - Today is Spring Equinox which carries with it many symbolic meanings besides being a day where the amount of daylight and night time are equal.

The theme of balance is one I often use in my practice of teaching. My experience of balance has been deepened in my studies with Shiva Rea, my teacher, who weaves in primarily ayurvedic concepts.

As western creatures with many expectations and endless desires, I contend that we have been conditioned to find the magic bullet or the instant solution. Yoga, however, teaches us that balance is not a static state and varies depending on our current state when we got onto our mat or meditation cushion.

So on this Spring Equinox, allow your inner teacher to speak and tailor your practice to find inner and outer balance.

There Is So Much Magnificence

The title comes from a song on Shiva Rea's most recent compilation Yoga Sol.

I was in Tulum, Mexico last week co-leading a retreat from Sunday, February 22 to Saturday, February 28 with my friend Deborah Spielman.

Retreats are a great way to drop into a state of relaxation as you get separated from your daily life (wherever that is) and usually stay in comfortable accomodations with food prepared for you.

We mostly had picture perfect days with warm temperatures in the 80 degrees Fahrenheit though it did get windy in the afternoons.

Teaching and practicing yoga in a retreat environment is ideal because it takes less effort to let go of stress and truly enter a meditative state whether it is sitting in meditation or is practicting asana.

I contend that it is in this state that we get to experience expansive qualities that is a contrast to the sometimes contractive qualities of daily living with its challenges.

My current explorations in Kashmir Saivism remind me of Shiva's dual, non-dual quality of expansion and contraction, and revealment and concealment. I consider myself still a student of Kashmir Saivism, thus my wisdom is not at a state to articulately express this idea further, but I return to the title "There Is So Much Magnificence."

I do know that to be true and it's just a matter of continuing to practice (whether it's meditation or asana or both), then you truly believe from the inside-out.

It's been three weeks since I've been back from the Philippines - the Motherland, but the experience of the trip still percolates in many ways.

Last September, I had a dream that woke me from my sleep. In my dream, my aunt (Tita Dodie) died. Tita Dodie had been battling cancer all last year even travelling to China for treatment based on a raw food diet. So, I knew that my mother was travelling to the Philippines in January and I let her know that I wanted to join her. Little did I know that my dream was prescient because Tita Dodie passed away in November.

I had not been to the Philippines in almost 10 years when my cousin Clar got married, so I was due for a trip to be in the presence of my elders. My mothers siblings, Tita Mely (84), Tita Laly (70+), Tita Nina (70+), and Tito Teddy (70+), were still alive and kicking, so it was pleasant to share meals with them and be honored with a going-away dinner with over 20 relatives some of whom I had not seen since I left when I was 8 years old.

The above picture comes from Batad, a rice terrace nestled in a valley in Banaue, a mountain region about 9 hours drive north of Manila. The picture does not do it justice as the rice terraces were about 180 degrees of viewing. These terraces are over 1,000 years old and were developed by an indegeous tribe called the Ifugao.

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

I have been travelling to my parents' home for over 20 years now and there was one moment when driving to Virginia from Boston in my 20s when I realized that this ritual would always be in my life. I could remember sitting in the driver's seat at the Maryland House rest stop and experiencing a stamp on my adulthood creating a somatic reality of living on my own. It was a snapshot in time that one never forgets.

So, I left my tiny one-bedroom apartment this morning with my bags packed for half a day of work, followed by a trip to the airport, then I was reminded by the mess that I was leaving that I wished to create more of a physical home in my apartment. The mental list spoke out: altar needs refreshing, bathroom needs painting, and kitchen needs using.

The longing in my heart is only a reminder that home is where your heart is. Yoga has taught me many lessons and this is one of them. It's easy to get caught up in building the physical home but the past year has taught me that taking good care of oneself, truly loving your Life for what it is, accepting your body as it is, and being grateful for your gifts are part of being home where your heart is.

Warmest wishes to all for a joyous holiday season and continually expansive new year!

Winter in the City

Mother Nature greeted Boston this weekend with a foot of snow which changed getting around the city. Tonight on my way home from work a subway train on the Redline at the Charles MGH T-stop was disabled which necessitated me looking for and sharing a cab with another stranded commuter. It was an opportunity for people in the city who normally are speechless. My new acquaintance, Karen, works at the hospital and was on her way home too. The cabbie was playing a Lionel Richie CD which brought memories of dancing to "All Night Long" at the end of a week of yoga "training" - Summer Pranification - in Los Angeles in July.

My return home did not complete at the end of the cab ride as I was on my way to a 5:45pm yoga class. Unfortunately, I was too late, so I went Christmas gift shopping and dining at Anna's Taqueria. I thought that I could easily catch the #83 bus back to Inman Square but nothing is easy when it snows.

I've never had good luck with the bus and tonight was like other experiences waiting for the bus. I grew cold and tired at Porter Square bus stop and took the subway to Harvard hoping for better luck with the #69 bus which was an even colder wait. My feet losing sensation prompted me to find a cab.

Only a hot shower brought back feeling in my hands and feet and I'm grateful for the comfort of my warm apartment.

More adventures tomorrows as the snow will be here for a while.