Illuminated Heart

This  is  the essay I wrote trying to win a scholarship for BJ's second immersion at The Yoga Center. The essay question is to write in 500-750 words about the potential to reveal  the Illuminated Heart.

YOU ARE THAT WHICH YOU SEEK

Yoga, most definitely, has the potential to awaken the illuminated heart. In this easy I will touch on the definition of the word illuminated and point out how appropriate the illuminated heart is for explaining the outcome of a committed yoga practice. I will also reference yogic practices and philosophies that help with this process.  

The word “illuminated” means, to brighten with light, to make lucid or clear, to decorate with lights (as in celebration), and to enlighten (as with knowledge). This is the invitation of yoga so we may expand and shine out our intrinsically divine essence, to see our self beautifully and clearly, to celebrate this embodied gift by expressing beauty, to know we are connected and to experience vibrancy and ease. We practice yoga to unveil the illuminated heart so we may know more (chit) and be happy (ananda). I don’t think every yoga student would identify this being their reason for practicing yoga, when I first started practicing it was to rehab from an injury and possibly lose some weight. However the practice of yoga helped me connect to my heart.

Yoga unveils the truth. The truth is that we are connected, we are loved, we are whole, and as John friend puts it a part of this “big ball of pulsating bliss” (describing Shiva-Shakti tantric). The truth is we already have an illuminated heart. This awakening in my experience has not been like turning on a light switch, but more of a steady practice of showing up with an intention to see the heart clearly. To make clear is an aspect of an illuminated heart.   Through the practice we begin to see and feel that all our stories, all the bull shit is just various coverings (daksha, cloaks, kleshas and maya) that make it hard to see that ultimately we are an embodiment of spirit. As we remember this we start to see and experience the world and our self as being made up of absolute goodness, consciousness, bliss, pulsation, self-awareness, ultimate freedom and perfect fullness. These are the attributes of the divine and we experience these qualities in our self and in the world around us because we are all part of the divine.  

Yoga’s potential for unveiling an illuminated heart, I think really comes in the face of obstacles. Even the physical postures we put our self into on the yoga matt is a challenge. We are taught to stay in the challenge, feel the intense sensation, connect with the breath, feel a sense of ease and feel supported. My practice for a while was learning to face challenges and feeling supported by grace. Now I have been working on learning the distinction between what is satisfying and what is gratifying, again this can be learned on the mat! My point being, the potential of unveiling the illuminated heart through yoga is so high because yoga offers so many different teachings that can be applied to your body and can shift your life. Yoga’s potential for unveiling an illuminated heart comes in its dynamic ability to meet people where they are and help them with their struggles.

The illuminated heart is like a muscle, because we don’t always think we are bright, beautiful, and intelligent. This doubting makes the muscle weak. But when we overcome these challenges by cultivating heart qualities we strengthen our illuminated heart muscle. So, even when we are off our yoga mat and shit hits the fan we still feel this inner illumination, it is not based on external situations.

In conclusion, we already have an illuminated heart. Yoga is one of the great ways to unveil that illumination.  Throughout life we are filled with bliss, yet there are many ups and downs that come along with it as well. Just know that at your core you shine with the divine. I want to bring these ancient practices into my life, deeper into my heart, and to refine my asana and move beyond the asana, to awaken more fully into my own illuminated heart. You are that which you seek!

Connect to Illuminated Heart + Twist Out Negativity

This past week I spent a lot of time thinking about and writing an easy for The Yoga Center for a chance to win a 100% scholarship for BJ’s upcoming Immersion 2. The easy question was write (in 500-750 words) the potential for yoga to unveil the illuminated heart. Illuminated means: to brighten with light, to make lucid or clear, to decorate with lights (as in celebration), and to enlighten (as with knowledge). My main focus on the essay was that we all already have an illuminated heart however we doubt our self and this makes us forget, yoga is the invitation to awaken to the heart and start removing the varies cloaks.

Tonight I am teaching at The Yoga Center 5:45-7.In We will focus on muscle energy drawing into this place of luminosity that is always present and we will also work with twisting our the self negativity, doubt, and fear.  

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Succasana greet yourself here as a radiant blissful being, notice any negativity your have toward yourself, doubting, fear of failing, and allow your breath to get that unstuck.

Wall work plug into heart

Shoulder stretch hands on wall frwd fold

One hand on wall humorous parallel to floor plug in and twist fill in back body

Interlace hands side stretch switch fingers repeat 4x

Tadasana

Sun A

L

Mod Parvakonasana -> rev w

Parsvak -> rev w

W2-> rev w -> rev trik

Wall work

L at wall -> frwd fold against wall

L at wall -> frwd fold against wall

Wallonasana (hanumanasana up wall)
matsendrasana twist

DD twist

L.L twist one hand on ground

L twist

Parvritta ½ moon

Rev trik

Pigeon elbow down twist reach, reach back for foot

Bow pose roll to one side, roll to other side, middle

Wide leg forward fold

Root thigh bones 
Shavasana hands on belly

The Universal Principles of Alignment and Secoondary Principles

Was doing some online browsing and research and stumbled upon a Yoga Journal article: Go with the Flow: Alignment in Anusara, by John Friend wrote,  in the article John highlights the universal principles of Anusara yoga as well as secondary principles. I love it when I find these principles explained by others the slight difference in explanation always helps it sink that much deeper into my awareness. I though Friends explanation was great so here it is.

 

The Universal Principles of Alignment

• OPENING TO GRACE 

• Having the intention to place oneself—body, mind, and heart—in alignment with the flow of supreme consciousness. This involves approaching asana practice with an attitude of softhearted devotion.
• MUSCULAR ENERGY A drawing of energy from the periphery of the body into the Focal Point (see below), which increases stability, strength, and physical integration in the pose.
• INNER SPIRAL An ever-expanding energy spiral that moves outward from the core; it runs from the feet up through the pelvis into the waistline area. Inner Spiral rotates the legs inward, moves the thighs backward, and widens the thighs and pelvis.
• OUTER SPIRAL An ever-narrowing spiral that moves inward toward the core; it runs from the waistline area down through the tailbone and out through the legs and feet. Outer Spiral rotates the legs outward, moves the tailbone and thighs forward, and draws the pelvis and thighs closer together.
• ORGANIC ENERGY An outward extension of energy from the Focal Point through the core lines of the body to the body's periphery, which increases expansion, flexibility, and freedom in the pose.

The Secondary Principles

•  FOCAL POINT Alocalized power spot within the body. Muscular Energy draws into it, and Organic Energy extends out from it. There are three possible locations for the Focal Point: the core of the pelvis, the bottom of the heart, and the upper palate. In any given pose, only one Focal Point is active. The active Focal Point is the one nearest the most weight-bearing part of the pose. When the three possible Focal Points are equally weight-bearing, the pelvic Focal Point becomes the active one by default.
• SIDE BODY LONG Lengthening the sides of the ribs so the tops of the shoulders come in line with the base of the neck.
• SHOULDER LOOP One of the seven energy loops within the body. This loop originates in the upper palate and flows backward to the base of the skull and down the back of the body to the bottom of the shoulder blades. When you engage Shoulder Loop, the head moves back slightly and the shoulder blades move down the back. At the bottom of the shoulder blades, the loop begins arcing forward and upward as it draws the bottom tips of the shoulder blades in and upward, toward the heart. The loop continues forward and up to the palate again as it lifts the chest and opens the throat.
• INNER BODY BRIGHT A soulful expansion of feeling and vital energy from within the body that gives the outer form of the body a buoyant fullness. This attitude is created in the first principle, Opening to Grace, in which the fullness of the inner Self is embraced so the inner luster of Spirit naturally shines forth.

To view the complete article visit: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1330?page=2

Avenues Yoga

Spent most of my day being a part of the lovely Anusara Yoga community.

First I taught the free intro yoga community yoga class. The turn out was small only two students, I really enjoy teaching smaller classes I can refine the practice specifically to what the students need/want and in my experience when the class is smaller the students will ask more questions then if it was a bigger class. We focused on having a commitment to look for the good in all situations and in our self. Lots of muscular energy work especially in hands, arms and shoulders. After class I walked with one of the students, R, down the street toward the street fair and she shared with me some of her personal challenges and how yoga and shadow work has helped. I love hearing peoples stories about past pain and how they are learning and growing from that opportunity.

After wandering down and being in awe at all the beauty in the booths and the peoples faces walking around the street fair I found the Avenues Yoga booth and worked there for a few hours. It was really great we got to spread the word about this wonderful yoga studio by handing out free yoga passes. I also got a chance to chat more with the other yoga teachers and we even busted out some partner yoga in the middle of the street fair. Thank you Erin, Paul, Shannon, Sarah for playing with me :-) Before leaving the booth Shannon gave me a phenomenal Thai body massage, it was wonderful to receive and wonderful to watch, she moved with such fluidity and easy.

Now I am going to walk my dogie, review some yoga notes, and then head to a teacher training with Adam.

Teaching as Service

I was reviewing the Ansuara Teacher Training Manual I came across a section that I wanted to share. John did such a great job explaining the role of a teacher, the importance or self practice, and important qualities to embrace. My childhood dream has always been to be an adventure guide, so I also very much liked his compassion to being an adventure guide.
Ansuara Teacher Training Manual 11th edition by John Friend, Teaching as Service (15-16):

Being a yoga teacher is like being an adventure guide leading a courageous group on a challenging journey to a beautiful, secluded place of transformation. The adventure guide has the responsibility to lead each trekker safely to this magical place. The long trek through wild unknown terrain demands faith, perseverance, and an ability to flow with rapidly changing circumstances. The group must trust the guide, since he is the only one among them who has the experience of traveling successfully to this place. He knows the quickest and safest routes, and the best way to deal with obstacles-- both anticipated and unexpected-- they meet on the way. The journey is often intense and frightening, and the trekkers may experience fear, discouragement, physical discomfort, and the desire to quit and turn back. Everyone is challenged--physically, emotionally, and psychologically. The guide must use all his interpersonal skills, experience, and technical knowledge to lead the group successfully and happily to the destination. His success depends on his ability to connect energetically with the body, the mind, and the heart of each trekker.

However, each of the trekkers is unique-- physically, mentally, and emotionally. This presents a perplexing challenge for the guide, since he realizes that the techniques and abilities he used in the past to make the journey alone, don't always work for everyone. Furthermore, instructions and directions that work for one person might not work for another. The guide must summon all his inner qualities, skills, and experience to constantly create new ways to motivate, inspire, and educate each individual at her own level to make the journey successfully. There is a direct relationship between the depth of the guides experience-- the number of times he has made the journey successfully and the number of people he has guided-- and his cultivation of confidence, maturity, authority. The group intuitively senses his level of experience, and their trust in him is directly proportional. His experience provides the guide with strong empathy for the trekkers. Since he has made the journey in the past, he knows what they are going through, and this helps him lead much more effectively. An experience, effective leader deliberately cultivates his ability to connect energetically with a wide variety of trekkers.

Aside from drawing on experience, the guide must also use technical knowledge to be repeatedly successful in his journeys. Technical knowledge helps make the journey easier, quicker, and safer. It is gained through formal training and, to a lesser degree, through self-discovery. If the guide has insufficient technical knowledge, he could put the group in danger. However, by itself, technical knowledge is insufficient for a successful, enjoyable journey. Many trekkers would certainly quit if the guide used only dry technical instruction to guide them. The guide must blend his technical knowledge with interpersonal qualities and social skills to make the journey fun and uplifting.

In a similar manner, a great yoga teacher must combine sensitivity, creativity, and inspiration with technical knowledge and experience, to help facilitate an inner unfolding in the student. It is the fusion of these qualities and skills that give the teacher the capability to connect energetically with the body, mind, and heart of the student. And it is through this connection that a great teacher is able to lead the students to the magical place where every one's heart opens naturally and where everyone feels empowered and fulled with self-love. Truly, the service of teaching yoga is a divine privilege. Each student is a gift!


at the bottom of the page I wrote "Wonderful, this is why I teach yoga 12/2009"

getting ready for Anusara teacher training with Adam

I have been reviewing and re reading The Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual & the Master Immersion pamphlet by Anusara found John Friend as I prepare for Adam Ballengers Anusara Teacher Training Program.

 Every time I look through these two great sources of wisdom I am reminded of why I love yoga so much. These teaching, the philosophy, the attitude all speak so deeply to my heart. I am first and for most a student, but being a student and having this practice transform every aspect of my life makes me want to share what I have learned with others. Being in pain, doubting your self and your worth, and feeling like the world is against you is not fun... I have been there and I still travel back to these feeling, but what I am reminded of when I come back to my mat or back to my breath is that I am not alone, I am worthy, I am full, and that I am in fact connected to this one, as John says, "pulsating ball of bliss".

I took Immersion 1,2, and 3 from Adam last year as well as teacher training 1. During teacher training 1 it was clear to me that I still needed to integrate and learn more fully the material we went over during the immersion before I would be ready to learn how to teach this wonderful life affirming philosophy and alignment techniques to others. Now it has been over a year since I completed the immersions. I have continued to study and practice regularly with Anusara teachers and I do feel like the information has been digested and felt on different levels in my own practice. I now feel ready and very excited to take this next step in my own personal and teaching practice.

Skull Loop

I am looking at my yoga photo shoot pictures (**thank you alyography | photography). It is always awesome when you get a chance to look at your own asana practice via pictures or videos so you can see the beauty and to see where the alignment could be shifted to unveil more beauty. Looking through the pictures I see I need to work on skull loop. Skull loop is the 7th of seven of the loops used in Anusara Yoga which starts at the pallet of the mouth travels up the back of the skull, down the front of the face and back to the pallet of the mouth (which is also where the top of shoulder loop connects). In my pictures I see my head moving up my face, chip up and down the back of my head. This is the opposite of skull loop, which also effects my shoulder loop. Looking at the picture below I need to work at taking my ears and teeth back and lengthen the sides of my neck.

The practice of yoga and life....there are always refinements to unveil even more beauty.