Starting …well, today, I start school, again(!). Some of you will not be surprised by this, I know. I love school. Because I will also continue working full-time and maintain my person practice – and a small serving of a social life, I will not be teaching any yoga classes in the foreseeable future with the exception of an occasional sub opportunity that may come along. (This may change, but for now…)

I will still continue writing here about my yoga studies; I will send out news and information; and, I will definitely schedule time for private instruction upon request. You may find privates a useful option if you’re interested in private restorative sessions, you are new to yoga and would like to learn more about yoga practice without the distraction of other students, or perhaps have a small group that might enjoy practices at a shared rate. Contact me for more information about private sessions.I can also make excellent recommendations for other teachers in the area.

I hope you all had a great Fourth – I did a little monkeying around in Seward Park! :)

Welcome to Summer in Seattle!

Inspired by the writing style of Berkeley classics professor and philosopher Norman O. Brown, I share with you a quick meditation on the seven Chakras through the voices of social reformers, writers, artists, dancers, philosophers and even …a politician.

Chakras form the nadi, or energy channel, that runs from base of the spine up through the crown of the head. They are the main “portals” of subtle energy located at major branchings of the nervous system, each associated with a specific area of the physical body and a sense. Negative or unused energy can build up in the seven chakras, often leading to dis-ease. Freeing that energetic congestion and healing with wellness practices like yoga flow, good nutrition and even a change in negative habits keeps the nadi energy flowing freely allowing a more centered sense of self.

Seven. Crown Chakra, Sahasrara. (Sense of empathy)
Karma, union, pure bliss

Learning sleeps and snores in libraries, but wisdom is everywhere, wide awake, on tiptoe.

- Josh Billings, humorist

Six. Third-eye Chakra, Sahasrara. (ESP)
Intuition, wisdom, guidance, imagination, ability to think and make decisions

Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain but simply points the way.

- Florence Scovel Shinn, artist

Five. Throat Chakra, Vishuddha. (Hearing)
Communication, speaking and living the truth, creativity, self-expression

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.

- Henry Ward Beecher, abolitionist/social reformer

Four. Heart Chakra, Anahata. (Touch)
Love (especially unconditional), joy, inner peace, compassion, equilibrium

Who, being loved, is poor?

- Oscar Wilde, writer

Three. Solar Plexus Chakra, Manipura. (Sight)
Confidence, self-esteem, self-worth, fear, and anxiety

If you doubt yourself, then indeed you stand on shaky ground.

- Henrik Ibsen, writer

Two. Sacral Chakra, Swadhisthana. (Taste)
Relationships, abundance, well-being, sexuality, and pleasure

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.

- Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister

One. The Root Chakra, Muladhara. (Smell)
Foundation, sense of grounding, security, survival, and basic human potentiality

The body never lies.

- the ever-fluid Martha Graham, choreographer

When you are at

peace

with yourself

and love yourself,

it is

virtually impossible

to be self-destructive. – Dyer

In a recent issue of Whole Living, I read a great list by Terri Trespicio: “10 Thoughts on Whole Living”. I like the list so much, I wanted to share it with a couple of my own additions.

1. Rather than try to fix your body, focus on how you want it to feel. Honor that and use your energy appropriately.

2. The mark of true confidence is the ability to look someone in the eye.

3. Let the seasons guide your diet. The earth grows what you need, when you need it. Eat locally.

4. Respect your feet. They’ve mastered the art of staying grounded while moving forward. (This one is perfect just as it is.)

5. Take care of your own reflection. Stop letting the mirror win. Love your body for what it is.

6. Enlightenment doesn’t always make a grand entrance. It slowly transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.

7. Change happens somewhere between the acceptance of now and the anticipation of what’s to come.

8. Don’t obsess over weight loss. Wellness is about making your life bigger, not smaller.

9. Surprise yourself: Push past your physical limit.

10. Nothing connects you to who you are quite like the people who knew you when.

I am going to add one more…

11. Look deeply at every soul in your life for a reminder of how well you are loved.

What would you add to this list?

A few years ago, amidst trying to find a peaceful, happy-medium in my relationship, a counselor suggested that I read If the Buddha Dated, by Charlotte Kasl. At first, I was all, Whoa, what? Nu-uh! But when I saw the book on the shelf, it was relatively small, looked fairly friendly and, after shuffling through the pages, didn’t look all that painful to read for a “self-help” text. I bought it. And I’ve read it, over and over again in the few years it’s since made a home on one of my book shelves. The way I read it is interesting though. I usually pick it up when I’m struggling with something in a relationship, and just kind of open it somewhere in the middle. I find useful information in whatever section I’m in, and I read a bit and eventually put the book down for the next time.

Last night, I happened to turn to the chapter called “Practice Loving Kindness to Yourself and Others.” It happened to be a relevant and useful reminder for the evening.

Practicing loving kindness (metta sutta), apparently also known at the ninth Perfection of the Heart, is something I try to do daily. I make a solid effort to not judge others (knowing how that feels–it’s horrible, yet not always easy to master); I’m usually quick to admit if I’ve been wrong or apologize if I’ve hurt (intentionally or unintentionally); and, I treat others the way I would want them to treat me. Of course, I’m not always successful; in fact, many times I just straight up fail. The chapter had some insight to me that was very relevant and a fitting reminder for the contention that’s cast a shadow into my life lately. Here are some snippets:

A new relationship (and old ones, I say!) often tests our ability to be kind. It’s easy to react with judgment or self-righteousness. When we become critical, “it’s time to back off for a moment and reflect so we don’t have two people separated from their hearts.”

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” said Jesus. I’m certainly not a religious person, but I can definitely find value and relevance in this idea. “Instead of pointing the finger,” writes Kasl, “we can look inside. We’ll find that everyone is inside us, because the whole range of human emotion lives in us.”

“Other people are constantly holding a mirror up for us to see ourselves…. If we are constantly afraid of someone being angry with us, we need to look at our own buried anger.” (I think this goes for fear of people not liking us, fear of someone not loving us, fear of people not valuing us–any emotion is interchangeable here.)

When we fully love and accept our self, we rely less on acceptance, approval or weight of judgment from others.

I love this one: “When someone is upset, we can remain a compassionate witness instead of feeling compelled to calm them down; shut them up; fix, analyze, or judge them; or push them away.” For some reason, this line reminds me of a memory. Many years ago, early into our relationship, my then-boyfriend (RB) and I had picked up his son, who was around age two at the time, for the weekend, overnight. I remember getting back home late morning and his son was crying and crying, and RB just didn’t know why. I remember watching him sit on the floor against the bed, holding his son in his arms as calm as can be, asking the toddler if he could tell Papa why he was sad. The toddler replied with a no and tears continued to flow. Papa sat there and just held his son in his arms, saying, “It’s okay to cry.” This memory comes up for me in a variety of moments where I need to be reminded of a precedent for compassion; it was such a beautiful (and sad) moment; it revealed to me at that time not only RB’s ability to love someone deeply but to be committed to practicing what is essentially loving kindness, patience and exemplary compassion for another human being. That moment is an example of the kind of person I strive to be.

A couple more:

“Another aspect of loving kindness is to remember that it’s not being free of imperfections that’s crucial to relationships, it’s being honest about our faults and mistakes. When we accept our humanness we become able to apologize (not grovel) for having been rude, insensitive, or dishonest. Our apology to another is a form of compassion to ourselves because it signifies acceptance. If we are struggling with various fears and foibles, instead of hiding them, we can reveal them, hopefully with compassion and amusement. By revealing ourself we find out if our new friend can join us on the journey.”

Finally: “When you say good-bye to someone or decide to not see them again, remember you are a moment in their story. Make it a story that doesn’t leave a scar.”

Read the May Newsletter >>

In a prana-focused flow class one evening last week, I was excited and wide-eyed listening to our teacher talk about community. It’s a topic on my mind as of late.  I started to draw my attention toward community after returning from Breitenbush Hot Springs on yoga retreat in April. Once I started to focus my mind on the idea of community – How does it affect me? What is its purpose?, etc. - “community” started popping up everywhere I went.

In class, we were reminded to acknowledge that in our practice space, we were in community. We feed off of each others energy and breath; we flow together. We arrive wherever we are to support each other in practice, play, work, ________ (fill in the blank); others are affected merely by our presence not to mention what we may extend to offer, however intentionally or unintentionally. Howard Thurman said, “Community cannot for long feed on itself; it can only flourish with the coming of others from beyond, their unknown and undiscovered brothers.” Or, sisters, as the case may be…

In the last year, my yoga practices, and intensive training especially, have allowed a huge growth in my personal community. I now call many gorgeous, talented, warm yoginis my friends, my yogic family. I consider them confidants and peers, examples and mentors. I consider them sisters who offer a chance for growth in my own life–through their shared ideas, processes, discussions, examples, and more.  And, that is an exchange: We offer things to each other.  If any of us had decided to take yoga teacher training at another time or with different teachers, our whole experience and influence upon one another would have had a completely different dynamic.

We would not be the same yoginis nor teachers we are right now.

In the May issue of my newsletter, I offer a new Restorative Yoga series in June and thoughts on building an independent home yoga practice with a focus on the delicious treat, restorative yoga!  I am starting to ramp up my private instruction practice while considering the benefits of teaching privates (individualistic) versus teaching classes (community). Each has their benefit. Traditionally, yoga was taught not as a class full of students to one teacher but one-on-one  -  teacher to student. How has the evolution of yoga instruction changed our practice and discipline as it has become more of a community-based practice? I wanted to know the ways others defined and considered community in their own lives.  In my research I found this, and  I particularly enjoyed what Barbara Kingsolver had to say:

There’s no shame in depending on each other. There’s heroism in ordinariness and connectedness and using relationship skills to get through difficult times, as opposed to the isolated heroism of the cowboy. Look at the things in your living room or refrigerator and realize they were made by thousands of people on different continents. The lemons we buy at the grocery connect us with a food chain, with people coming up from Mexico, being sprayed by pesticides. It’s easier to see just a lemon, but only when we see the whole line can we feel connectedness and responsibility.

Where do you currently find community? As we prepare to shed the cool, transitional spring season and head into summer, how can you cultivate supportive community? How could it impact your life?

Photo credit: Bronwyn Doyle

Over the weekend, I returned from an eight-day retreat at Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat Center in Oregon’s Willamette National Forest. We were there with 8 Limbs Yoga Centers to complete our yoga instructor certification. During that time, we were without technology (phones, Internet), caffeine, a concrete sense of time, fear or worry or anxiety, and, really, very little but hot springs, nature, fresh air, and all the seasons (sun, rain and even snow!).  We studied hard, practiced yoga to the beautiful music of renowned didgeridoo musician Ondrej Smeykal (who just happened to be at the Hot Springs with his students), and ate delicious vegetarian homecooked meals. We played music, listened to storytellers and experienced the Inipi Ceremony.

It’s difficult to put the entire experience into words; the truth is that every day I process a little more than I did the day before.  What I can say is that the changes, introspection and insights I gained were so subtle–much different from the “ah ha!” moments I expected them to be.  I am a better person and, I hope, a more insightful yoga instructor as a result of my training with 8 Limbs, my teachers, my peers, my students and this retreat.

Upon my return this passed weekend, I picked up some Rumi and got back to reading and preparing yoga classes. One of the first poems I opened to really struck me as a gorgeous culmination of my Breitenbush/8 Limbs training experience last week.  I thought rather than artificially peel away and share layers of the retreat that have yet to open naturally, I’d share this delightful poem with you; perhaps it can tell you of my experience in ways I’m not yet able.

There is a community of the spirit.
Join it, and feel the delight
of walking in the noisy street,
and being the noise.

Drink all your passion,
and be a disgrace.

Close both eyes
to see with the other eye.

Open your hands,
if you want to be held.

Sit down in this circle.

Quit acting like a wolf, and feel
the shepherd’s love filling you.

At night, your beloved wanders.
Don’t accept consolations.

Close your mouth against food.
Taste the lover’s mouth in yours.

You moan, “She left me.” “He left me.”
Twenty more will come.

Be empty of worrying.
Think of who created thought!

Why do you stay in prison
when the door is so wide open?

Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.
Live in silence.

Flow down and down in always
widening rings of being.

– Rumi

I had been considering growing my hair out a little bit, back the my normal A-line bob. There is a pattern with me: I grow long, I cut; I grow long, I cut – rinse, repeat. My hair grows faster than anything I’ve ever seen. For reasons I’m not yet completely understanding (but do embrace), I have been all about simplicity and creating lightness and maintaining serious saucha (Sanskrit for purity, or cleanliness) in my life. And so on Saturday morning, I made my way to Habitude and had my hair clean cut-off. Think Mia Farrow, mid-60s (a little shorter than Mia’s picture to the left). I love sporting a short cut; it’s easy, stays out of my face, off my neck and shoulders, and it frees me from what feels like a sheltered hiding place; I can say, This is me.

I’m teaching a gentle/restorative yoga class tonight (see the website for details). While messing around on my mat on Thursday evening, I came up with a pretty gentle sequence that I was pretty happy with. I’m trying to stick with each class theme – tonight, it’s focusing on self-compassion – trying to maintain some consistency and follow through in the asana (physical practice), meditation and pranyama components. Less than six hours until class and I feel like I want to take it in a whole new direction. In the spirit of “following my bliss” right now (thanks, Paul), I really want to continue with the theme of saucha, cleaning out the negative spiritual and vital energy in the body. I’m not even sure that it makes sense to do this with restorative poses. To be honest, I don’t have to plan a thing. I’m free to get to class, share a meditation from my heart (which usually does work better than using material), and flow from pose to pose as I feel moved. But, we all know that I am a planner personality, and I need to be organized and prepared before I ever get close to walking through the studio door to teach.

Regardless of the direction I take tonight’s class, I do have one constant focus that comes through (I hope) in all of my classes: connecting the breath with movement. This is probably the biggest challenge in my personal yoga practice. I either forget to breathe, or I don’t move with my breath, or some varying combination of the two. I’m getting better as I have become more focused in centering my awareness around this unifying rhythm. I’m sure it’s easier, even natural, for some people, and also a challenge for others in the same way it is for me. But the whole point of yoga, the path to samadhi, is to merge with the object of contemplation, which is almost always manifested as prana (breath) and movement moving together in union. In this merging is where you will experience the profound peace that comes with the physical yoga practice.

Oneness is the secret of everything… – Swami Vivekananda

(And, Happy St. Patrick’s Day to each one of you!)

Warmly,
Sarah

Greetings, and welcome to March!

I can’t speak for anyone but myself when I say that the winter season in Seattle creates fertile ground for hibernation, eating heavy foods and hunkering indoors.  For me, that also means hiding away from strenuous activity and “protecting” my body from the vulnerability of the cold, harsher elements.  Luckily, spring is a mere three weeks away, and I could not think of a better time than NOW to start my spring cleaning.  Over the weekend, I donated bags and bags of unused clothing, accessories, furnishings and more; I’ve put my large corner workstation up for sale and replaced it with an open, leaning desk and matching bookshelf units, which fit nicely against the wall.  As I was cleaning out and filling bags and dusting and moving energy around in my home, my yoga teacher Melina Meza posted this fantastic quote – so fitting for NOW.

Be like Michaelangelo and remove the unnecessary ‘marble’ to expose the statue within. Take away distractions and impediments to find the ‘current of your life.’ Marc Lesser

Toward the end of the wintry season, my mode becomes more primal with creating space; opening up space in my home, in my head, in my heart.  This is not only to create more energy, but to create a more efficient flow of energy.  I want to open these spaces for more positive, joyful breath in my body; to reconnect with my personal values and intentions; to allow for freedom in making like Gumby and bending my body! Most especially this year, I want to reconnect my breath with the movements I make in my yoga practice, which is something for me that takes clarity of mind and an open heart.

Where will you create space this spring?  How will you create it?  What are your intentions?

Read the rest of my March Newsletter.

Warmly,
Sarah

Super Awesome News!

Kakasana (Crow Pose) arm balance, on Blackcomb - Whistler, BC - CA

Greetings from Whistler, Canada!  Gustavo and I have been here for most of the week, and it has been a real treat. I love the international community, the pleasure on everyone’s face as they trek back through the village wet and cold in the early afternoons from zipping down the slopes–thoroughly pleased with the day.  I can now bear witness to the majesty of Blackcomb and Whistler mountains.  Unfortunately, my right leg is a bit stiff after Friday’s adventure snowshoeing across Alta Lake (we got lost!), so Saturday was a bit more relaxing: sitting in a steaming outdoor hot tub while silver dollar-sized snowflakes dropped on our heads.  True beauty.  We still have two more days–do I need to say I don’t yet want to go back home to Seattle?

If you haven’t already heard, I am pleased to share news that I just passed my final exam for yoga teacher training with 8 Limbs Yoga Centers in Seattle.  This is a training that I’ve been planning to take for almost two years now, an intensive learning experience encompassing lessons in ancient yoga philosophy and history, Sanskrit language, anatomy, asanas (poses), meditation and of course teaching.  As Patanjali describes it, “Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.”  I am very excited to have reached the end of the basic training. And I say basic training because there are so many more trainings ahead that will enable my growth as a teacher and student of yoga.  This is the stepping stone to many wonderful ways I look forward to leading students in their practice of yoga and meditation, to help them find their prana–life energy and breath, their path and their own true wisdom within.

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built. – Rumi

View Current Class Offerings!

Om,
Sarah