After a busy day of leading yoga practices yesterday I found myself a bit tired today; I wanted to take it "easy". The weather is beautiful in SoCal (in the low 70s and nothing but sunshine) so I decided to take a walk. I've lived in SoCal for 16 years and before today had never visited my local wetlands...I thought to myself minutes after beginning my walk, "I can't believe this is in my backyard and I've never taken the time to appreciate it before!" There were so many birds, ducks, sandpipers, swallows, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, White Faced Iibis' (these are fairly uncommon to see, so I was lucky today), American Coots, killdeer and many more that I'm not sure of what they were.
The highlight of my birdwatching today though was being fortunate enough to watch what I believe was a Peregrine Falcon* hunting and have it fly by, so close that I was able to look into it's eyes! What an amazing creature, circling above, diving down to the water and gliding right above the wetlands with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop - it was truly amazing to see.
Such simple things: a walk in my backyard, birdwatching, enjoying the sunshine, watching a bird of prey do what it does naturally, hunt - so simple, so beautiful and so amazing. A flock of seagulls is often seen as a burden, they are scavengers, pests to be shewed away, yet today I watched them circle, hovering on the wind in a large flock, acting almost as one large bird, all together, moving in unison; it was magnificent.
How fortunate I am to have experienced this today; the simple pleasure of watching birds fly, feeling the sun on my face and the wind in my hair, it left me smiling, filled with joy and truly grateful to be alive.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Lose your mind...
One of my yoga teachers recently said something in a practice that sticks with me. She said, "Lose your mind and come to your senses!" It's such a simple statement with a simple message that's not so simple to put into practice.
We are constantly bombarded with mental stimuli; we are constantly asked, by others and ourselves, to make judgements and solve problems, the wheels of our minds are always turning, sometimes with so much force that they are all we notice; we get caught up in our world of logic, and though it's useful, it sometimes needs to be put on the back burner so we can get back in touch with our senses, our wonderful senses.
When was the last time you stopped to appreciate the pure joy of sunshine on your face, the warmth it provides, the happiness it bestows, the life that it gives us?
When was the last time you actually did stop and smell the roses, or the sea air, or that wonderful earthy smell in the forest after it rains?
When was the last time you took a bite a food and noticed the wonderful layers of the flavor instead of just "scarfing it down" while you watched the news or hurried on your way to some other appointment?
When was the last time you appreciated something, anything, simply for it's beauty and not for what it was useful for?
When was the last time you stopped to enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing, or the birds chirping, or your favorite song, or maybe even the silence?
Many of us don't take the time to appreciate all the joys that our senses can bring us on a daily basis; we miss out because we are stuck in our minds.
I encourage you to take the time to notice the small things around you, all of the things that your senses can take in, let them guide you for a day. Enjoy your friends' laughter, the taste of the wine on your tongue, the breeze on your face, the beautiful building your drive by on your way to work or the wonderful aroma coming out of your neighbor's (or maybe even your) kitchen. Let these little things bring you joy; give thanks for the wonderful body you inhabit and the beautiful world we live in that lets you notice all of these things.
There is a time for thinking and a time for simply being - allow yourself the freedom to do both.
We are constantly bombarded with mental stimuli; we are constantly asked, by others and ourselves, to make judgements and solve problems, the wheels of our minds are always turning, sometimes with so much force that they are all we notice; we get caught up in our world of logic, and though it's useful, it sometimes needs to be put on the back burner so we can get back in touch with our senses, our wonderful senses.
When was the last time you stopped to appreciate the pure joy of sunshine on your face, the warmth it provides, the happiness it bestows, the life that it gives us?
When was the last time you actually did stop and smell the roses, or the sea air, or that wonderful earthy smell in the forest after it rains?
When was the last time you took a bite a food and noticed the wonderful layers of the flavor instead of just "scarfing it down" while you watched the news or hurried on your way to some other appointment?
When was the last time you appreciated something, anything, simply for it's beauty and not for what it was useful for?
When was the last time you stopped to enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing, or the birds chirping, or your favorite song, or maybe even the silence?
Many of us don't take the time to appreciate all the joys that our senses can bring us on a daily basis; we miss out because we are stuck in our minds.
I encourage you to take the time to notice the small things around you, all of the things that your senses can take in, let them guide you for a day. Enjoy your friends' laughter, the taste of the wine on your tongue, the breeze on your face, the beautiful building your drive by on your way to work or the wonderful aroma coming out of your neighbor's (or maybe even your) kitchen. Let these little things bring you joy; give thanks for the wonderful body you inhabit and the beautiful world we live in that lets you notice all of these things.
There is a time for thinking and a time for simply being - allow yourself the freedom to do both.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Setting the mood...
I like to use aromatherapy, lighting and sound to help set the mood, espeically during more meditative practices, to assist students in letting go of their outerworlds and turning that attention inside - allowing them to get the most out of each practice.
Tonight I used a patchouli and lavendar oil blend for inhalation during our centering practice; essential oils and jojoba oil blended together and simply rubbed on my hands, placed a few inches in front of each students nose during pranayama (breathing exercises) - this is to help calm and ground us, to prepare for the moving meditation that follows (I like a peppermint and sweet orange blend for a more invigorating, often morning, practice - those scents go great with Sun Salutations.) I burned a little sandalwood incense just before, and during savasana, to really calm and center the mind.
Full lighting at the beginning of the practice so we are awake, aware and engaged; dimming as the class draws near end, helping to turn the awareness more fully inward.
Smooth, rhythmic, simple music to assist in inducing a relaxed state, to keep you purely in the moment with your body while allowing your mind/spirit to soar, culminating with singing bowls during savasana.
All of these things subtle; to aid you in tuning in. You are, afterall, the focus of your yoga practice.
Take a deep breath, and exhale...
_______________________________________________
A great place to "tune in' is a donation yoga class. There is a great donation yoga community in Long Beach and I'm happy to be a small part of it - I lead a donation practice each Monday at 7:15PM at WE Move - come by and introduce yourself if that suits your schedule.
Tonight I used a patchouli and lavendar oil blend for inhalation during our centering practice; essential oils and jojoba oil blended together and simply rubbed on my hands, placed a few inches in front of each students nose during pranayama (breathing exercises) - this is to help calm and ground us, to prepare for the moving meditation that follows (I like a peppermint and sweet orange blend for a more invigorating, often morning, practice - those scents go great with Sun Salutations.) I burned a little sandalwood incense just before, and during savasana, to really calm and center the mind.
Full lighting at the beginning of the practice so we are awake, aware and engaged; dimming as the class draws near end, helping to turn the awareness more fully inward.
Smooth, rhythmic, simple music to assist in inducing a relaxed state, to keep you purely in the moment with your body while allowing your mind/spirit to soar, culminating with singing bowls during savasana.
All of these things subtle; to aid you in tuning in. You are, afterall, the focus of your yoga practice.
Take a deep breath, and exhale...
_______________________________________________
A great place to "tune in' is a donation yoga class. There is a great donation yoga community in Long Beach and I'm happy to be a small part of it - I lead a donation practice each Monday at 7:15PM at WE Move - come by and introduce yourself if that suits your schedule.
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