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Dear Beautiful Friends,

Today is my birthday!  And just this week my friend Steve and I were reminiscing about the lovely birthday party my friend Diana offered me last year.  The point of the conversation was looking back at the past year at how much things had changed.
This is a powerful yogic lesson.  Change is an inherent part of life.  The less we fight this truth and align with it, the easier it is to "Be the Change We Want to See in the World" (Ghandi)

Our birthday's really serve as our personal New Year's.  They remind us to look back at how far we've come appreciate it and endeavor to be clear about our intentions for where we are going.  Join me today in taking 5 minutes to reflect on all you've accomplished since this day a year ago and write down 3 things you want to experience in a year from now.  Then every year on my birthday I will remember to think of not only my own reflections and intentions but yours as well.  This will remind us all to keep tapping into our most unlimited potentiality for the best life ever!  Love yourself, love your day, love your LIFE!  With immense gratitude and love, Silvia

Dear Beautiful Friends,

Today is my birthday!  And just this week my friend Steve and I were reminiscing about the lovely birthday party my friend Diana offered me last year.  The point of the conversation was looking back at the past year at how much things had changed.
This is a powerful yogic lesson.  Change is an inherent part of life.  The less we fight this truth and align with it, the easier it is to "Be the Change We Want to See in the World" (Ghandi)

Our birthday's really serve as our personal New Year's.  They remind us to look back at how far we've come appreciate it and endeavor to be clear about our intentions for where we are going.  Join me today in taking 5 minutes to reflect on all you've accomplished since this day a year ago and write down 3 things you want to experience in a year from now.  Then every year on my birthday I will remember to think of not only my own reflections and intentions but yours as well.  This will remind us all to keep tapping into our most unlimited potentiality for the best life ever!  Love yourself, love your day, love your LIFE!  With immense gratitude and love, Silvia

FEBRUARY 15, 2010:  Today's class is dedicated to three of my friends and longtime TBY students Ashley, Jennifer and John all celebrating birthday's today and yesterday!  Our birthday's serve as a positive reminder that we didn't just arrive to today out of the blue.  We had to take many steps in our personal journey's to be where we find ourselves in this moment.   

Other people's birthday's remind us too to take stock of where we have come from, take responsibility for it (gosh that part is hard), stop trying to rewrite the past but simply acknowledge what steps have been walked and then make a conscious choice of the direction we want this next year to go.   

The very first Yoga Sutra Chapter 1, Verse 1 states "Now begins the study of yoga" or put in real person yoga terms..."Once upon a time."  The story begins where we are but for any and all of us the book of our lives has fallen open to the book of our life already in process.  Now it could be chapter 10 or 29 or 39 but wherever it is the story has much more to be written.  That's where the yoga really comes into play.  And I mean play.  If you believe that our true nature (which yoga suggests wholeheartedly) is to be happy the the world is our playground.  Where do you want to see yourself playing your life story out next?  

This philosophy of starting where you are and building from there STEP BY STEP is one definition of Vinyasa Krama as a life philosophy and a sequencing technique.  Take downward dog for instance.  This one pose is an important step in preparing us for a million or more than a million other yoga poses.  For instance, handstand! But don't freak out...this doesn't mean that the same day we learn downward dog we race to learn handstand within 30 minutes.  This is a step by step process and it takes time.  Yoga is not a quick fix.   

So this week please join me Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday where during each of my classes we will take the foundational steps through the embracing and practicing of downward facing dog to prepare us for taking the step of Handstand maybe in this lifetime or in the next one.  This allows us to work at our own pace and my teaching methods and techniques will be customized to class level, time of day, and what everyone's energy feels like too.  So don't stop taking steps because you read handstand and get scared.   

Don't panic.  

Whatever challenge, hurt, difficulty you are facing in your life please use this practice on the mat to come with you to help you take one step at a time in moving your life forward in the most positive way!  Love to you all, Silvia       

(And I want to say a special thank you to my brother Fred for his continued grounding and my best friend for their undying support and love. What I learned from you both even just today I offer with an open heart to all my students)  

JULY 15TH, 2008:   Today is my birthday! So I've been even more self-reflective than usual and lately through my yoga practice I've had some really deep break thrus resulting in sweet insights.  I have been thinking about what I wish for.  When I was a little girl I don't remember really wishing for stuff.  I just knew I brought my family great happiness and I think I thought that was plenty.  Now in college, during some especially boy crazy years, my wishes all had to do with being liked by a particular boy & living happily ever after. But as an adult my wishes have evolved into a daily practice, not just saved for one time a year.  Now when I wake up each morning I say to myself "I choose peace" and I use this as a gateway to aligning with my heart's innermost intentions (a fancy way of saying wishes). 

So I look back not year to year as much as I do now day to day asking myself "Am I living my best life? And as a result are my thoughts and actions helping bring peace into the world?" I totally see how I contribute to making my wishes come true.  Gandhi says it like this, "Be the change you wish to see"

So really what do I WISH for?  My wish for my birthday (and every day) is I wish for PEACE for all people everywhere and I wish for truth.  The best present I can ever hope to receive is your personal donation to helping my wish for peace come true.  It costs no money to selflessly serve humanity...this is known as Seva. Please join me towards collective healing & peace for ALL! Peace in all ways - all days, Silvia