Yoga By George

12 Things Happy People Do Differently

Wishing everyone, especially my loyal students from whom I am contiually learning, a joyful, healthy and prosperous new year. I am eternally grateful to all of you who move into your practices with intention and grace and allow me the opportunity to share my love for yoga. Let’s keep it going.

Namaste,
geo

Watch this video – “The Fuzz Speech”.

After hundreds of years, it appears that modern, western medicine is beginning to acknowledge the intimate connection between the mind and body, a concept that has never been lost in thousands of years of yogic science. According to yogic teachings, when there is stress in the mind, it is manifested as stress in the body and vice versa.

The body and mind are vast storehouses of our experiences of life. The mind remembers events from the past with varying levels of accuracy and distortion, it can imagine things that never occurred, it records sights, smells, sounds and feelings all of which are anchored in our bodies by the emotions attached to each of the events, the stronger the emotion, the greater the anchoring.

Over time, the body begins to shape itself in response to these stored life experiences. For example, someone who has come to believe that s/he is not valuable may present with rounded shoulders and drooping head. The extra load placed on the upper spine by this misalignment may translate into lower back pain. This pain may cause the individual to impose restrictions on his/her movement that results in tightening of the hips, which results in uneven walking gait and pain in the feet. As the old song tells us, the head bone truly is connected to the foot bone.

Yoga practitioners have long recognized the benefits realized by the mind as the body begins to become more supple and open. Likewise, releasing mental/emotional patterns allows for greater movement in the body. Through our yoga practices, the body is moved in ways that are not habitual allowing for the release of long-held energy, associated with unexpressed emotion, through the body. With changes in physical patterns of movement come shifts in patterns of thinking and feeling.

What comes to mind when most people hear the word “yoga” are the impossible-looking, bending, twisting poses depicted in magazine articles. People have told me, “I can’t do yoga. I’m not flexible enough.” That’s like saying, “I can’t lift weights because I’m too weak.” To achieve the benefits of yoga does not require that the practitioner to be able to touch his/her toes. S/he merely needs to desire to touch the toes. With the physical movement, in proper alignment, that comes from reaching for the toes comes release of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual patterns that contributed to the original loss of ability to touch the toes.

Everyone can benefit from yoga. Fortunately, yoga is available in most areas through yoga studios, gyms and community centers. If the idea of attending a class is intimidating, seek out the instruction of a Registered Yoga Teacher for a few private lessons, to help you get started. Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT) can be located through the Yoga Alliance web site. Visit the Yoga Alliance web site for a list of teachers in your area. If this is not possible for you, there are many videos, geared toward the beginner, that are available online or through your local library.

Move forward with patience. The physical, emotional, mental and spiritual patterns that have formed in your mind and body have done so over years. Expect that it will take time and practice to shift these patterns.

Namaste,
geo

A good time was had by all who attended Yoga On The Roof of Whole Foods Trolley Square on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011. The event was sponsored by Whole Foods and Prana Yoga Trolley Sq.

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Yoga On The Roof 10/01/2011

The book that I referred to in class on Saturday: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. Four simple rules to live by. There’s also a follow up by Don Miguel and his son, Don Jose Ruiz, The Fifth Agreement.

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Great class in Murray today (Saturday). Thanks to all who participated for helping to build the heat.  I very much appreciate the dedication of my “regulars” and love to see new faces, as well.

Voting continues for the Yoga Journal contest. Thanks for your votes and keep voting, daily, through Apr 15.

Click here, click on star #5 and hit “Rate.”

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As I hurried last minute out the door on my way to your class tonight, a nagging inner voice that seemed to be coming from my body said, ” You are not feeling well, and need to rest”. But because your yoga class is the only yoga class I enjoy, and actually get relief from, I ignored the voice and told myself that I must “force” myself to make it, albeit late because the traffic has become so horrendous in SL over the years. I am angry, and tired, and sick, and stuck in traffic. I keep looking at the clock on my dash as I hit each red light.
“I am going to be late”, I murmer.

And indeed I was. As I drove all around outside the gym to find any parking I could, I remembered how I barely found a space to lay my yoga mat last time. How I could hardly breathe because of how many people were there, and from the hot humidity of sweat in the air from the class before.

I could not find a parking space tonight. That was a first. I knew I wouldn’t be able to find space in your class. I drove home, it wasn’t meant to be.
Just as I have heard you say,”you cannot force yoga”, I thought, “then why am I forcing myself to go when I feel so crummy?”

I finally made it back home, bummed that I missed out on the peace that your class brings me. The emotional stress release I was so craving and needed.
I remembered something that you said that stuck in my mind and I apply it to all aspects of my life now, “Honor where you are”.

I am sick and my body needs rest. And so I am honoring that and heading to bed, hoping that next week I will feel better, I will be rested and prepared, arriving early, a place to park, a space to lay my mat. I went to your class last week for the first time in a very long time and finally had the courage to thank you for the peace that I feel there, and that I remember your healing words.
Thank you,
B.L.

As a Cognitive/Behavioral Therapist, I have opportunity to observe the mind, both my own and others. It appears clear to me that what we think has a direct impact on the quality of life that we allow ourselves to experience. We choose what we think and we can choose to change the pattern of thinking that we nurture and cultivate. Therein lies our freedom.

Some people may watch this video and move into fear. I hope you choose to move into a more expansive state. I enjoyed and was moved by watching this and wanted to share it.

Take 17 minutes to watch this:  2012 – The Revolution Has Begun

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