Always a good time for a reunion

Namaste Kula!

Impromptu kula reunion opportunity this weekend! Sunday night Laura-ji is leading the world-weary through a delightful blend of conscious breathing, restorative poses and seated meditation. Particularly beneficial for those of you that missed class all this week (or month;)

Plug back in to the Source...ahhhhhhh

Restorative Yoga with Laura
Sunday, July 30 - 6:30-8:00pm - $15

Today I leave on a ridiculously long vacation, culminating eventually with a week in the Colorado mountains (poor me!) I am excited but I realize how attached I am to my little routines and, especially, to having a certain amount of control over my day ( an illusion I know, but an illusion that I cherish.) On this vacation I will not be driving and I am not in charge!!!! My intention is to let go and go with the flow ( not my habitual approach to life.) It will be interesting to see how I manage to integrate my daily meditation and weekly asana practice into this adventure. I see how even being too attached to those healthy routines can prevent real freedom. I will miss you and our beautiful yoga studio and our beautiful yoga teacher. Along with my love I will try to send you a cool pine-scented breeze for your practice.

Many Thanks, Dear Gina

Thank you so much for giving your time, Gina, to give us the pranayama and meditation sadhana today. What a joy! Yes, this IS what "church" is supposed to be like. At least it is what I've always wanted it to look like.

For years I've read everything I could get my hands on about yoga, meditation, eastern philosophies and religions. I've been blessed to be taught by wonderful yoga teachers but never had a teacher for the meditation, pranayama, etc. How fortunate we are, in Eastern Jackson County (not quite as far east as India, but it will do!) to have our dear Gina in our midst! Thank you for taking this chance . . . for dipping your toes to test the water. Now we can all jump in!

Thank you also to all the kula who attended today! It was so good to see you and know we are traveling together on this beautiful path.

Many, many blessings to you all!

Clara

Being present --- maybe later

This morning in meditation ( actually at the moment I was really just thinking about meditation) I realized that for me there is an element in my yoga practice and meditation practice of wanting all this to make me feel better and be a better person in the future. So the very practices that are meant to teach me to fully show up now, just as things are, I am able to use to escape the present moment. Tricky tricky mind!

Pranayama & Meditation Sadhana

Namaste Fellow Yogis!

Just wanted to remind you all that this Sunday is our Pranayama & Meditation Sadhana from 9:30-10:30am. Pranayama is the yoga of breath and we'll practice various techiniques that serve to center us, open us and transform us. We'll follow with a nice, deep meditation. On the path of yoga, pranayama and meditation are the next steps beyond asana, the physical work we do on our yoga mat. Take this opportunity to deepen your current practice as well as bask in the love of your yoga community.

This sadhana will be by donation, any offering is warmly appreciated.
SUNDAY, JULY 23 - 9:30-10:30am

See you there!
Gina

Intention In Tension

Yesterday morning Big I Gina ("Big" for short) began with a short discourse on the ways in which shifting our thoughts and intentions can shift the energy in a moment, a space, a life. As she spoke, I kept thinking of this passage from the Buddha upon which I regularly meditate --

"The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character;
So watch the thought and its ways with care;
And let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings;
As the shadow follows the body, as we think, so we become..."

All day, I let the seeds of Big's words mingle with those of the Buddha, and I became somewhat sorrowful because I realized how much of my life has been wasted in fear/anger, and inability to forgive. For most of my spiritual journey, I have focused on the way my habits of being affect the other people in my life...but not how they affect me. What I've begun to realize, ala Big and the Buddha and other spiritual teachers, is that these habits of mind tie me to the little I, wind around my heart like a thousand cords anchoring me to my suffering...close down my chest and constrict my breath perpetually marking those emotions on my body's geography.

The Budha said, "habit hardens into character..." And I don't want my character to reflect the smallest part of who I am. Just like I don't want my body to be forever recalling, repeating because of its posture and what's imprinted on its nervous system, the worst moments of my life.

So my sorrowful recollections became an opportunity for the person I am right now to shower the person I used to be with compassion -- she did the best she could given the circumstances...And a time to rededicate myself to continuing the work of untying the knots that have bound my heart.

I find hope

"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe."~~~~~ The Dalai Lama-- This really speaks to me about what we talked about in class yesterday a.m. I was stuck in a negative mind loop yesterday when I came to class, but of all the things I read or do to try to keep on track the very most effective, pleasurable energy-shifter of all is to take a yoga class with Gina and my spiritual community. I don't know if it's the sweat or the company or what but I am so grateful to be part of this place with all of you. I am so looking forward to the brunch on Sunday! What a treat to be able to socialize, feast, and meditate with a group of people that love yoga.

Amma

Namaste Cleanse Kula...

Jeff and I just got back from seeing Amma on her US tour in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. It was deeply moving and truly remarkable to be in the Presence of someone who has attained YOGA, union with the Higher Self. Reading about the Buddha and other spiritual luminaries is inspiring but being in the presence of one who has actually done the work and continues to do the work to get there is truly indescribable, beyond the limits of words and into the realm of pure feeling.

I wrote a little bit about it on the main blogsite in case you're interested. I look forward to seeing you all on our path this week.

Much love,
Gina

Weekend Cleanse

I decided to take Gina up on her challenge to all of us to do a mini-cleanse and also a little karma yoga.
"Mini" and "little" seemed doable. My mind was set to begin Friday morning eating only fruits and vegetables and drinking only apple juice and water for two days. I started out with cantalope and apple juice at home. Then drove up to my mom's in St. Joseph where I was immediately offered warm chocolate-zucchini cake, fresh out of the oven. How could I refuse my "aging mother" who said she baked the cake just for me. It went downhill from there. Late lunch out with mom included chips and salsa and cheese dip and tacos. Then back to her house for more cake. Then home for beer and chips before dinner and finally more cake with ice cream this time, right before bed. Feeling bad, but not defeated, I started out again on my cleanse voyage the next morning (Sat). Talk about vrittis (is that the word for the shakies when doing balance asanas?), my weak mind was battling with my strong mind all morning, trying to convince me that I couldn't make it through the day....but I did. No headaches this time, since I had given up coffee with the last cleanse. But tired and hungry, yes. Sunday morning I was resolved and so far (it's almost 8pm) I think I'm going to make it. At least my mind feels it's so. I also did some yoga and mediation at home so I could say I did it all. I even drank some of the dandelion tincture and took one glass of the herbal cleanser (uuggghhh, how quickly I remember how bad that shit tasted) One thing I found out is I think I could do another cleanse come fall and maybe not suffer quite as much. I actually think I've moved a tiny step forward. But I have to admit I'm looking forward to milk and cereal in the morning and a piece of toast with butter and homemade strawberry jam.
As far as karma yoga. I decided to do two things, one for Mother Earth and one for humankind.
I bought a clothes line and strung it across two trees in our backyard and have thus far done three loads of wash and hung them out on the line with my vow being to not use the electric dryer unless absolutely necessary. (down with coal-fired power plants, power to the breeze!) I found out that I forgot how much I love to hang clothes out on the line. Talk about a moving meditation. Now I just have to watch out for bird poop.
The second thing I decided to do was to get involved with a group in Columbia, Mo. who make wheelchairs for people all around the world who don't have access to them. We've donated money, but Rich and I are hoping to get our hands dirty by helping to make some of the parts for the wheelchairs. An opportunity for another moving mediation maybe?
I'm sharing all this with you, dear kula, to keep me honest in the days, weeks and months ahead.
Happy Be-lated Birthday Dear Dali and Namaste to all of you.
love, deb

We can only get in touch
with our own source of intuition and wisdom
when we no longer depend upon others' opinions
for our sense of identity or worth;
the question is,
will we worship the god of opinion,
or the god of our heart?

I found I had less and less to say, until finally, I became silent, and began to listen. I discovered in the silence, the voice of God. by Soren Kierkegaard from "The Life You Were Born To Live"

Perfect Reflection

We have company spending the night for the celebration of my parent's 50th anniversary, so the room where I normally meditate is full. So this morning I borrowed my daughter's room to meditate. And she came with me. She promised not to talk, which is like water promising not to flow downstream. It was a very interesting practice,trying to have compassion for both of us. She sat right in front of me and was a perfect manifestation of what my mind does when I meditate. She made it a whole five minutes before she started talking(which is better than I do sometimes) but the whole time she was twitching and tickling me and loudly sucking snot up through her nose,and asking how soon we would be done.

The Battle Within

"There never was a winner, who wasn't a beginner." -- Denis Waitley

"The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch." -- Jim Rohn

"The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words:
I did not have enough time."

"We can always come up with a good excuse for not doing something. But when the smoke clears and the task" (life purpose)" remains undone, what good are our excuses?"
Quote from No Ordinary Moments by Dan Millman, if you want to turn it up a notch read one of his books.

Namaste, Mike

I wish it were Greece, but . . .

My husband and I are off to Ft. Worth for a few days. Ahhh . . . leaving 79 degrees here today and going to hot Texas. Actually, there is a horse we are going to take a look at in Oklahoma and then off to Ft. Worth. OK, it's not Greece, no beautiful blue water, probably no amazing sunset. Maybe I'll find some steps to climb . . . if so, I'll be thinking of you Gina!

While I haven't always responded to our blogs, I have been reading and thinking of all of you! May you each have a beautiful summer.

Mailing List

Hi friends!

A couple of you, Becky P. and Michelle in particular, have mentioned that you've sent something to the kula mailing list but haven't heard back from anyone yet. I think this is because the messages didn't get to us in the first place. I can only guess at the reasons but it's possible that maybe you sent a message from an email address other than the one you're subscribed with OR that the mail server was down when you tried to send the message. Some of you know that with the installation of a new air conditioner for the first floor I've been experiencing some major power-related challenges and one of the effects of the power going out to the first floor is that our email server crashes and I have no Internet connectivity at home - yippee! I'm hoping to have this permanently resolved double-quick.

I wanted to encourage you to please try sending your messages again and if that fails, forward it to my email address and I will send it for you. We'll get to the bottom of why those messages maybe didn't reach the kula. Please use our mailing list to stay in touch, particularly when travels and activities keep us apart in person. On the last day of our cleanse I know every single one of you wanted to stay in touch, stay connected and keep up your yoga practice and healthy eating. And I know that hasn't really happened for many of you. Please don't surrender to the weight of your old habits, just reach out and reconnect!!! There has been some talk of a kula reunion on Sunday the 16th - any takers?

Love and blessings to you all,
G

Adventurous Yoginis Unite

To Race For a Cure our team is up and running on www.kckomen.org. I sent an invite to the cleanse email address however I have not personally received the email yet so hopefully all will receive. If you would like to go ahead and register please use the link above and choose team registration our team name is Adventurous Yoginis! The password for our team is welovegina (you know we all do).

Any questions please post here, or send an email to the kula. I'm sure I will have more details closer to race day, please feel free to invite friends and family members to join our team as well to make this a fun day for all!!

I am personally so excited

See you all soon!
MO

Allison, just wanted you to know

I am thinking about you and the unfortunate time you are going through. I also want you to know that you are a smart, strong, caring woman and I am so glad to have met you along the path of yoga.

I hope you don't think this is to forward of me but I really wanted you to know that I am thinking of you and I will continue to send you good vibes my friend.

Much Love and Peace to you
MO

"Be kind whenever possible...........It is always possible" The Dalai Lama It is summer and for me that means I am never alone, except maybe for 15 min. in the a.m. when I meditate. The above quote is as inspired as I get in the summer, but that alone gets a million chances to be practiced and sadly, the hardest place to put it into practice is at home. But I have noticed that the work of holding a pose on the mat for just that few breaths more than I think I can is actually making me more patient in normal life. Shockingly, no one around me has noticed that I am almost saintly in my tolerance for all the stupid things they constantly do, but I see that my ability to be calm and neutral is actually growing. Thank you, yoga!!!!!