Commit to your PRACTICE

I don't know about you, but for me November brings with it the stress and busyness of the the Holidays. I used to think when I got busy that my practice could become optional in order for me to "save time". What I found was that its especially when I don't think I have time for my practice, that is precisely when I need to MAKE time for my practice. We all have the same amount of time in the day and we get to CHOOSE what  we prioritize. I now know I must prioritize my practice, especially during the holidays so I can stay more sane, more calm, and more giving through this part of the year.

This doesn't mean I need to do the same two hour advanced practice every day, but for me I have found choosing a practice and doing it everyday helps me feel steady and calm.  

A yoga practice gives us the opportunity to PRACTICE being CONSISTENT and COMMITTED. If you need a little nudge to get more consistent in your practice, here it is: **nudge nudge wink wink**.

If you want to take it one step further, join me for a 40 day sadhna (personal practice).
I will be doing a 40 day practice starting November 11th (11/11 which an auspicious date with all those 1's and gives this day extra potential to shift our awareness) and ending on winter solstice (12/21).

To join me for this sadhna, all you have to do is pick a daily practice (list of suggestions below) and make a commitment to show up for your practice every day for 40 days. If you miss a day, that is OKAY. Use it as an opportunity to see how you feel when you do the practice and when you do not. A big suggestion is to pick something realistic, especially if this is your first 40 day practice. By completing a 40 day sadhna you build your practice muscles and you get a big self esteem boost. Pick something you can commit to doing everyday and then do it even when you do not want to (find out why below).

Here are some ideas:
5 sun salutation, 3 minutes of meditation
1 minute of meditation 2 x a day
11 rounds of a mantra (suggestions below)
108 rounds of a mantra (use mala beads to count)
Meditation 3 or 11 minutes
or your own thing

Suggestions:
Inhale: I love you, Exhale: Thank You
Inhale: Sat, Exhale: Nam
Exhale Breath Meditation: same count for inhale. retention, exhale for example: 5 count in, 5 count hold, 5 count out. Closed eyes gaze toward 3rd eye.

Mantra Suggestions:
The mantra: Om Shanti Shanti ShantiTranslation: Om Peace Peace Peace
May there be well-being for all,
May there be peace for all.
May there be wholeness for all,
May there be happiness for all.

The mantra: Sat Nam
*Sat is extended longer than Nam, radiate the mantra from the base of your spine to the center of your head
Translation:Truth is my identity

The mantra: (Siri Gaitri Mantra) Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung
Why chant it: It Sends healing energy to ourselves and others.

The mantra: Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Translation: I bow down to all the teachers and teachings that lead me from the dark to the light

The mantra: (Lakshmi mantra) Om Shrim Maha Lakshmiyei Swaha
Why chant it: purifies and cleanses your heart, opening doors of opportunities that will transform your life. This mantra cultivates abundance and the connection to the abundance that is every present with in.

The mantra: (Gyrati mantra) Om Gam Gaņapateye Namaha
Translation: Om and Salutations to the remover and installer of obstacles.
Why chant it: helps you move through obstacles.
 

If you do this please let me know which one you are doing, I would love to know!. Feel free to message me for support or if you have any questions. There is something so powerful about being consistent for 40 days,  because at some point you are not going to want to show up for yourself. When you choose to show up, even though you don't feel like it over and over again...... That feels AWESOME!

Face Everything And Rise

October is the month of we intentionally scare ourself and physically put on masks. I thought this would be a perfect time to focus on being fearless, taking off the masks, seeing yourself and letting yourself be seen.

Here are two acronyms of the word F.E.A.R:
F*ck
Everything
And
Run

Or

Face
Everything
And
Rise!

Which do you choose?

Usually when we get afraid, our nervous system kicks in and we fight, flee, or freeze. We put on our armor trying to protect ourselves from whatever we think is going to hurt us in fear of losing what we have or getting something we do not want. 

However, our attempts to protect ourselves do not lessen the fear. Rather than becoming free from fear, we harden ourself and become more set in our ways.

If fear hardens us. Fearlessness is about softening ourself. The best way I have found to do this is to develop a compassionate friendship with myself.

To develop a deep friendship with yourself you must do the scary work of STAYING with yourself instead of shutting down, or running away or putting on the armor (all the natural tendencies of fear). It means keeping your heart open when your feelings seem to overwhelming, unpleasant, or painful.

When we put our armor on to protect ourself we develop an “iron heart.” When we cultivate a friendship with ourself, the iron heart softens. It becomes a vulnerable heart, a tender heart. It becomes a genuine heart that is willing to stay present for all the experiences of life without shutting down.

Non-dual Tantric teachings that inform Anusara Yoga remind us that everything is one energy. Every experience internal or external, joy-filled or grief-filled can be an opportunity to learn, grow and connect on a deeper level IF you engage the experience SKILLFULLY. If you learn how to STAY.

The biggest lesson I have learned from practicing this is, if I can open up to staying with myself and not putting on my armor or distracting myself or numbing myself... I can allow myself to feel into these feelings, open and move through them enough to see that although fear is present (or anger, boredom, insecurities, sadness...) that COMFORT is also always within me too.

Another huge teaching in Tantra is that this one energy is at the core of our being, deeply peaceful and always present. Being able to connect to that part of myself while staying with the less pleasant feelings allows my fear to soften tremendously.

Learning to be with fear and not shutting down. Choosing to soften instead of harden. That is FEARLESSNESS. It is not the lack of fear. Instead it is not allowing my habitual reaction of fear to take over.

This isn’t a practice we do one time and then our heart becomes fearlessly open and genuine. It becomes a practice of returning to softness when we feel ourself harden. We go through it again and again. In this way, fear can become our teacher and a reminder to turn back to our practice.