Stress

Are you stressed out? From my studies, I've learned that stress is our response -- the difference between what is actually happening and what we believe should be happening. It is 100% dependent upon our conditioning. Stress can also be defined as a perception that our resources are being tapped or depleted. What's fascinating to me is that the ways in which we struggle in our asana practice is often related to what's going on in our life. One of the things I continue to work on is learning to stay & pay attention - having a willingness to be where I am and put down notions of what's supposed to happen. Paying attention changes the experience.

Just Be

One of the most important things I've learned in my trainings & work is to just be - just be with my students. So many of us long for someone to recognize us - whether it's a smile or a glance. With children, it's easy to see this desire to be noticed. Children will reach out & touch us first. Sometimes, it's a hug or they'll hold our hand. They will also poke, make jokes, initiate antics -- all to be noticed. As we mature & move into the adult world, we bury this need for attention. The need is still there, though - to be seen - to be recognized - to be accepted. In my therapeutic work with students, I have found that being present is tremendous. It's a great gift to give & receive.

Aryuveda

In 2010, Pamela Cefaratti joins us for our advanced studies work. She will share her Aryuvedic knowledge. She studied for 4 years with well respected Dr. Vasant Lad in New Mexico at The Aryuvedic Institute becoming one of his top students.

Just today, I was thinking about the 6 tastes & how they are understood in Aryuveda. I still have a lot to learn!

Sweet -

emotions: love & attachment

location in body: mouth

increases Kapha

Sour -

emotions: envy & resentment

location in body: stomach

increases Kapha & Pitta

Salty -

emotions: greed

location in body: first stage of small intestine

increases Kapha & Pitta

Bitter -

emotions: grief, sorrow

location in body: 2nd stage small intestine

increases Vatta

decreases Kapha & Pitta

Pungent -

emotions: hatred

location in body: 3rd stage of small intestine

increases Pitta & Vatta

decreases Kapha

Astringent -

emotions: fear & anxiety

location in body: -- we will have to ask Pamela!!!

increases Vatta & Kapha

Visit www.RYT500.com and find out when Pamela's teaching! Looking forward to seeing you in 2010!

Fascia

Remember 10 years ago, when "the core" was the buzz word? Well, let me tell you the next "hot" word . You're going to be hearing it every where over the next decade or two. Fascia. (Fa - shuh). I am continuing to learn about this amazing web of connection in our bodies. It holds everything together. Not only is it a stocking that encases our body & organs -- it is all the stuff that holds the cells together to form & organize our muscles & organs - and really all of us. Studying with Jenny Otto, I had the opportunity to partake in a 3-day training with lead teachers for Tom Myer's Kinesis (Anatomy Trains - Structural Integration). Since then, Jenny has shared her revelations from fresh tissue dissections & videos on the fascial web in living tissue. Fascia is continuous in our bodies. There are no seams. View your insides in a new way - one continuous folding origami. Here are a few nuggets from studying fascia with Jenny & the collection of World Class Teachers she assembles...

- moving into yoga poses too fast can cause fascial tears;

- what you don't work on will be an anchor for change;

- where it hurts is often not where the issue is - it's just the weakest link in the chain;

- fascial system responds slowly;

- nervous & muscle system respond more quickly.

Join us in 2010, you will see the body in a whole new way - and discover a deeper connection! www.RYT500.com

Mandukya Upanishad

During my 500 hour training with Jenny, Dr. Manoj Chalam presented a lecture on the Mandukya Upanishad. Boy, did his lecture rock my world! I was just reviewing my notes from that lecture that seems like a lifetime ago. Here's some excerpts from my notes (know that there may be errors... these are my handwritten notes from years ago - based on my perception & what I thought I heard Manoj say!). The Upanishads is based on & all about OM -- really explaining OM. The Mandukya Upanishad is only 12 mantras. And while it is short, it has the juice of everything contained with in it... the essence. As he shared each of the 12 simple, short mantras - the philosophy was deep. And, I had a lot of questions. To this day, I still think about the Mandukya Upanishad and those 12 lines. There's a lot in there! OM is so much more than what popular culture displays as a symbol on jewelry, t-shirts, and wall art. And, while it is a Bija (or seed) sound that many enjoy vocalizing, it means way more to me. Thanks to Manoj, to me now, OM is a philosophical conversation starter. So, if I see you wearing an OM symbol, I'll be asking you questions to get your point of view on the full philosophy. I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Welcome to the big conversation! And, Manoj will be here in Jacksonville in 2010. Hope he rocks your world & shakes up your thoughts like he did to me. Check out www.RYT500.com to learn more.

Finding Your Center

One of the great things I've learned from Jenny Otto, E-RYT500 & Anusara Certified - is multiple ways to get in touch with my center. Initially, we think of our center as a place in our physical body where we tap into our "core strength." And, yes, this is very important in our physical practice. In Anusara, one of the ways we introduce the center to people is through a series of loops in the body. John Friend, Anusara's founder, has an amazing mind!! With Jenny, I have explored my center three dimensionally. And last spring, I was in an amazing training with her & Adam Gainsburg. We explored our center - our ability to move or shift our center - while using sound in asana. It was one of those "goose bump" moments in my life. I hope to share some goose bumps with you in 2010. Join us in Jacksonville! See our website for details www.RYT500.com.