Nothing is itself.... John borrowing Becky's account

Hi all,

I thought that I would share a few experiences last week that really brought yoga's observation that nothing is itself. Last Tuesday morning, I had to drive to Topeka early in the morning. I needed to be there for an early morning meeting with a physician. The roads, as most of us remember, were not in optimal shape. I had more than one white knuckle moment on the way there. I alternated my intense concentration on the road with furtive glances at the clock. To keep me calm, I kept repeating, "Breathe, soften your belly." That worked, but was interrupted with "I'm going to be late!". As a result, I didn't pay much attention to the surrounding countryside. Thankfully, I made it there safely. On the way back, the roads were in much better shape, my meeting went well, and I was going home. I had the opportunity to look around and notice how beautiful it was. Very much like I picture a Robert Frost poem.
I stopped by Walgreens to pick up a prescription. Some computer snafu was causing difficulty for the pharmacist. He was trying to get it processed, but kept getting error messages. At last, in exasperation, he told me that I would have to pay a different rate to get it. He also said that he would work on solving it in the morning and furnish me with a refund when he got the problem resolved. I would have liked to say I believed him completely, but I was skeptical. In fact, when playing my messages the next day, I was prepared for the "Sorry, couldn't get it to work. Nothing I can do." Well, I was wrong. The message I received said he fixed everything. My opinion of him changed immediately.
In both cases, what changed about the drive or the person? My perception, that's it.
I was thinking about this on my way downtown Friday to KSY-W. However, those thoughts were dominated by the aversion of being late. I'll save that Blog for another time.
My apologies for such a long blog, but Gina was, and is so right when she says that life allows you to test observations put forth by yogic scholars of the past every day!

How luck we are!

John

PS Thank you Gina for a most enjoyable class on Friday!

Me and My Shadow

Last night I went to Gina's 5:30 p.m. class at KSY West. What a joy to end the day with a deep, fiery set of asanas! As I was moving from a lunging posture into plank, I became really aware of my leg, foot and toes. There was no pain. It was not even particularly challenging -- it just came into my mind in a flash that this movement was smooth and effortless, that I am up on my toes in plank and chaturanga more fully than when I began practicing asana years ago...an exhale, an inhale into cobra, and as I exhaled up from the mat into adho mukha svanasana, it came to me again that the connection of my toes activated my legs and made lifting off like a plank (not a worm as my friend Sarah reminds me) possible. And then I really understood that this is the true joy of asana -- not the "accomplishment" of plank or chaturanga or eka pada sirsasana, but the awareness brought to whatever form of the posture I express. The being present, wholly present, to the feeling in my leg and toes, not ignoring that feeling because I am just moving through that to get to something else -- the final posture. Wow. Aha! So much different from my effortful former self who just wanted to prove I could DO yoga. Of course, the problem (and the gift) is that the experience of practice is what allowed me to have this moment of awareness...teachers told me over and over that the mind could be in every cell and tissue of the body, that the awareness was the thing, not the form. I heard them, but it didn't change me. Practice is slowly revealing these great treasures to me...

Of course, the shadow side of me reappeared shortly when a little visitor began peeking his face through the mail slot of the studio. At first, I determined that I would use his staring eyes (I could see little more of him than that) as a tool for my practice -- not allowing him to distract me from the flow of my breath and body. But, as he continued to peep in at us, occasionally moving away and then reappearing, I had to fight an urge to hop off my mat, go out into the hall and give him my scariest adult lady look. I did not give in to the urge, and even managed to continue to breathe and work deeply, but I did not forget that even in the midst of the peace we'd created together in our practice last night I was tempted to behave most unyogini-like...

Wake Up And Party Tonight

Hi friends!

It's sad but it seems our Cleanse kula has fallen into a bit of a slumber. I don't see a lot of you very much anymore and hardly anybody came in to pick up the letters they wrote to themselves during the last cleanse in response to the email I sent! What can I do to help you feel inspired again? Ultimately, this inspiration must come from yourSelf but I feel like my job is support staff to your Self so if there are ways I can help, I'm listening!

Here's one...let's reunite tonight at the Grand Opening of Kansas Siddhi Yoga West. Before you start saying, "the weather...", "things are hectic", "we've just been SO busy...", "the kids...", please recall these things will always be a possible hindrance to you living life to your fullest potential. ALWAYS. We have to make things happen all the time, not wait for things to clear up first. They never do but we keep repeating our reasons for years and years until we begin to regret. I, for one, don't want you to wait that long! Let's come together and afterwards enjoy something new and different, check out the art studios and galleries in the neighborhood as a way to wake up again to life.

Yoga is about awakening to the Self, to abandoning the habitual patterns we get stuck in like hamsters on a wheel. Here's your chance!

Love to you,
Gina