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February 10, 2011.  Day 1 of blogging about love for 21 days in 2011.  Thank goodness I think to myself I didn't agree to blog for 201 days!  I am overwhelmed about where to start. The topic of love is just so enormous, infinite, profound...well even without the adjective overload you know what I mean.  Last year was the Year of the Tiger a period of change, turbulence, confrontation of our fears, friction and constant tapping into the courage well of the heart.  This now is the Year of the Rabbit. A more gentle earthy year in which to cultivate peaceful contentment.  This is a year of calm and quiet to focus on home and family.  

And so I find myself engaged fully with the year of the Rabbit because I need it and also at the same time at odds with it because it doesn't come naturally. I loved the year of the Tiger! I was tuned into the warrior energy of creating and promoting and building. I have that energetic vata/pitta thing of the Fire element going on without trying.  I sometimes even love with fierceness.  But Rabbit? This is going to be a real test of my love skills.

You see I am a doer and survivor! In many ways I loved the year of the Tiger. Even now I sometimes want to scream out BRING BACK THE TIGER!  But wait, last year was one of the most difficult of my life, felt like I was in a constant battle...yeah, on second thought i need the rabbit. And that makes more sense to the fact my sign is the Earth Monkey with traits like calm, considerate and honest.

When I feel the most grounded I feel in sync with love both from myself and from others.  Even my yoga poses get more stable, sthira and centered.  And from the yoga of promoting earth energy I feel more grounded, balanced, and centered with so much more to offer those I love.  I have never been more ready to welcome a peaceful love and will do all I can to manifest a drama-free year of my best possibilities! I hope you do the same because you deserve it.  Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia

PS: The video here has nothing to do with anything or maybe everything to do with everything either way I liked it's gentle loving vibe. The Weepies: Be My Honeypie. Dedicate to my honeypie JMY!   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeZMTOSeHVw&feature=player_embedded

December 24, 2010.  Doing yoga together in community is one of my favorite forms of yoga: we are all giving and receiving and I promise to be as generous as I can in sharing my lifetime if experience with you. And thank you for sharing in this experience of practicing yoga with me today.

To begin please take 5 centering breaths and just listen to the most generous teacher of all, your HEART.  

Then ask yourself "Where in my breath can I be more generous, where am I giving and where do I need to receive more?"

"Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can."  - John Wesley

Generosity in yoga is really an interesting learning.  It means the opposite of taking (asteya) whereby we give and share.  And yogically to be generous asks that we be open but with a really focused effort.  In our Western world we get caught up with the idea of doing MORE for the sake of more, this more is better idea (even if quality perishes) often leads to exhaustion.  In the corporate world I used to rage against the machine when it came to an ever increasing aspiration towards mediocrity instead of excellence like when I first entered the workforce 15 years ago.  Energetically this can make us feel totally run down not only because of how much we’re doing but more with the fact in our hearts we’d rather be doing something else.  

"True giving radiant giving comes from the same inner place as deep happiness.  It's having the self-esteem to feel that what we have to offer is valuable - our advice, wisdom, expertise, skills, physical labor.  The manner in which we give these gifts is a reflection of who we are."   

Philosopher Maimonides pictured giving on 8 spiritual levels. The first two get to the heart of yoga right away.  

1.  "The motivation for real giving finds its source in the internal self, not in the expectations of others."  

2.  "Anonymous giving - happy people don't expect a return. They give because it comes from the heart and they believe that joy and happiness are abundant. They aren't going to run out."   

To emphasize generosity here is one of my favorite stories to enjoy! And in the spirit of sharing here is my class plan from Christmas Eve 2010.  Love your day, love yourself, love your life, Silvia

 A Story of Generosity:  Stone Soup (From Daily Om)

There are many variations on the story of stone soup, but they all involve a traveler coming into a town beset by famine. The inhabitants try to discourage the traveler from staying, fearing he wants them to give him food. They tell him in no uncertain terms that there’s no food anywhere to be found. The traveler explains that he doesn’t need any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share with all of them. The villagers watch suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water. With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from a bag, dropping the stone into the pot of water. He sniffs the brew extravagantly and exclaims how delicious stone soup is. As the villagers begin to show interest, he mentions how good the soup would be with just a little cabbage in it. A villager brings out a cabbage to share. This episode repeats itself until the soup has cabbage, carrots, onions, and beets—indeed, a substantial soup that feeds everyone in the village. This metaphor plays out beyond the realm of food. We can share generously of our ideas, love, and energy. The traveler was able to see that the villagers had so much to offer each other and he had the genius to draw them out and inspire them to SHARE, thus creating a spread that none of them could have created alone. Are you like one of the villagers, holding back? If you come forward and share your gifts, you will inspire others to do the same!I 

 

CLASS PLAN

WAVE 1

Seated side bend, twist right, combo, eagle arms, neck stretch each side, circle up, hands namaste, side 2

Childs pose, twist it

Puppy to Dog

 

WAVE 2

Childs pose K1- vajrasana side bend, twist, circle up, hands namaste, puppy, dog

Childs pose K2 - camel side bend, twist, circle up, hands namaste, puppy, child's pose, side 2

Minne Vinne K3  - camel repeat above cobra, child's pose repeat repeat

Dog

1 leg dog core plank 3 times knee down, half spinal balance, dip down, open to half side plank

Plank, core plank, begin side 2

Walk forward

 

WAVE 3

Mountain Side bend, Twist high chair, Forward Fold

Sun Salute C

Half Lunge side bend, twist high

2 rounds

 

WAVE 4

Half Lunge transition to Half warrior 2, circle arm around 3 x's

Gate to Side plank facing back of room, plank, core plank, dog

Step left forward, side 2

Facing front again

 

WAVE 5

Mandala Namaskar: 1 leg dog, half lunge, warrior 2, side angle, side warrior, warrior 2, star, pose of shiva, other side warrior 2, side warrior, basic vinyasa

Repeat right leg

Left, left

 

WAVE 6

Begin Mandala but with pigeon hold

Warrior 2, add eagle arms, neck stretch

Prasarita

Warrior 2 other side, side warrior basic vinyasa

Side 2 left pigeon

exit Warrior 2 right leg, side warrior basic vinyasa

 

WAVE 7

Pigeon right as transition

to Cobbler

Supine Cobbler

Supine sequence

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010.  Why do we do the things we do?  Why do you think the things you do?  Why do you feel the way you feel?  All of these most essential human questions.  Yet to be honest, before stepping fully into spiritual practice I had either not thought about these questions or I certainly didn't spend much time thinking about them on a day to day basis.  Through the cognitive behavioural therapy that is Yoga that all changed.  Even if you don't want to at some point while breathing on purpose and practicing the poses these questions get so loud that you have to address them heart first.  

Senior Yoga Teacher and a personal hero of mine Donna Farhi  has said  “In truth, it matters less what we do in practice than how we do it and why we do it. The same posture, the same sequence, the same meditation with a different intention takes on an entirely new meaning and will have entirely different outcomes.”

Whatever habits of the mind, that lead to actions, that establish our feeling state bubble to the surface of our consciousness during yogic practice and only then can we start to be honest with ourselves about why we are doing the things we are doing.  This is what is behind then the idea of INTENTION.  

So right now ask yourself, WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF YOUR INTENT?

It doesn't matter if you are eating, drinking, reading, kissing, working, breathing what is the quality of your intention behind doing what you are doing?

Thurgood Marshall said, "Certain people have a way os saying things that shake us at the core.  Even when the words do not seem harsh or offensive, the impact is shattering.  What we could be experiencing is the INTENT behind the words.  When we intend to do good, we do.  When we intend to do harm, it happens.  What each of us must come to realize is that our intent always comes through.  We cannot sugarcoat the feelings in our heart of hearts.  The emotion is the energy that motivates.  We cannot ignore what we really want to create.  We should be honest and do it the way we feel it.  What we owe to ourselves and everyone around is to examine the reasons of our true intent.  My intent will be evident in the results."  Renew your commitment this Fall to pay attention of the quality of your intent (is it honest, is it authentic, how does it feel) and stay mindful of your intent in all you do!  Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia

JANUARY 21, 2010:  This is the year and decade we stop analyzing everyone else around us trying to figure out who WE are by what other people do or don't do.  The first chapter, first verse of the Yoga Sutras: “With humility and an open heart and mind we begin the study of Yoga. This study is using the Self to study ourselves first.” 

"The proper study of mankind is man." (Alexander Pope) from my new book News of the Universe (Poems of Twofold Consciousness chosen and introduced by Robert Bly). That's what we do in yoga.  We are when we come to the practice essentially making a commitment to get a PhD in our own Humanness.  Nischala Joy Devi says "As students of life we often need to look at where we have come freom to see where we are going. Our present position has been determined by the past - all those crossroads where we made decisions, each path we've taken that brought us to our life as it is."

Blaming other people for the choices we've made or how we came to be what we are won't help us evolve towards greater happiness. We have to accept accountability and just look inside.  Rumi writes:

"If you're lugging a heavy bag,

don't fail to look inside it

to see whether what is inside is

bitter or sweet.

If it's really worth bringing along,

bring it;

otherwise, empty your sack

and redeem yourself from

fruitless effort.

Only put into your sack

that which is worth bringing."

When you think about it what do you keep lugging around that is weighing your life down?  Unless you start looking inward and stop blaming others for the quality of your life, it won’t change for the better. Maybe in the past you thought “I'm not something enough” to do this important work of self-exploration and self-discovery. BUT NO MORE. Be honest with yourself: you are young enough, old enough, smart enough, rich enough and you have enough time.  If it is really important to you to set positive intentions for yourself you have to slow down enough to look inside.  Take to heart the words of Rumi:  "There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life. There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that mine. O traveler, if you are in search of That don't look outside, look inside yourself and seek That.”  Yes, SEEK THAT.  In the new year, a time of setting intentions just remember this – it is near impossible to set an intention for your life until you study yourself and where you’ve come from first.  Otherwise it’s like trying to get a PhD when you haven’t finished First Grade yet.  And in this PhD program, there are no grades, it is simply pass/fail.  And this subject (YOU) is not one you want to fail at.  Life is too short to fail at being you.  So starting today get real, look at your life, study yourself as you really are and ignite the beauty of who you are yet meant to be! Love in all ways, Silvia

 

Are you feeling economically "stretched" thin? We learn on the mat that flexibility is good but too much requires some muscular action as well to balance things out. Let total body yoga help you.

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JULY 22ND, 2009: 

Let go of it all. Just remain in the center

Watching, and then forget you are there.” 

-Baba Hari Dass

 

I’ve been meditating on what it means to be “centered” and as much as I often think about this in terms of finding one’s center for me its become more a matter of keeping to my center.  When I first started yoga I didn’t quite know what it meant to be centered quite frankly I hadn’t ever even thought about it. I just got on the treadmill of life and just kept pushing myself to achieve and move on from stage one to stage two, excellence in High School, transferred into excellence in College and then trying to keep this going in the corporate world as well.  I was just going going going, almost like I was running around center but never pausing long enough to really be there.  Asleep or working a million hours per week (or playing hard) were the only two speeds I knew. 

 

Then through yoga and quiet time of self observation (svadhaya) on the mat I started “To Know Thyself” as Socrates put it.

 

It started as all spiritual practice does, not looking for answers but simply trying to ask better questions.  So I ask you take 3 minutes write down what does CENTERED mean to you?  To me it means balance, peace, happiness, a oneness with others instead of a tug of war, compassion, patience and most of all BEING PRESENT.

 

It is that “isness” of now that Echkart Tolle writes of in A New Earth.  Or in the Yoga Sutras the hope for all beings to find and hold happiness knowing this is only possible in the moment.  So meditate on the words of Jack Kerouac:

 

Not with thoughts of your mind, but in the believing

sweetness of your heart, you snap the link and open the

golden door and disappear into the bright room, the

Everlasting ecstasy, eternal Now.” 

 

Take time on the mat to be here now, to find and hold onto your center that place of sweetness where we feel the sacredness of living in oneness, one family, one heart, one love, one soul all in the light of center.  Hold fast my friends and keep making those sensitive adjustments to keep returning to center moment by moment.  Love you all! Silvia

 

JULY 21ST, 2009:  This class tonight is dedicated to our friend John Palmer whose participation in sailing team Intangible contributed greatly to their first place finish this weekend!

 

So we focus on Namaste, Nama, Namaha and all its variations to honor John’s accomplishment and use of yogic breathing and meditation as handy tools when needed most.  To me Namaha is a remembrance and appreciation first and foremost.  Voltaire said, “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”  So John’s success is our success.  Instead of seeking separation Namaste brings us into Yoga or union as one world, one people. We honor the sacredness of all. 

 

Namaste is a blessing.  It strikes the perfect chord.  Having grown up in a musical family and having played piano and clarinet for 13 years I have always felt music was a blessing.  Yoga like being in a chorus or a band or any sort of tribe helps us to work together as a beautiful symphony.  We feel this symphony of the body when we practice poses (asanas).  And just like playing a musical instrument the more yoga you practice the more efficient you get.  Over time you feel the harmonies.  No single player more important but everyone equally important. This is a nondualistic view of life.  Where we acknowledge that everyone is valuable in their own way, that we all contribute to make wonderful music.  This is why I always say in class you are like family to me.  I see us as co-creating something amazing each time we come together.  Just like in scriptures, “The diversity of the family should be a cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”

 

Namaste is a remembrance.  Wolfgang Von Goethe writes, “Remembrance of what is good keeps us high in spirit. Remembrance of what is beautiful is the salvation of the mortal man. Remembrance of what is dear will be happiness, if it remains alive.”  So we unite our hands or think to ourselves Namaste and remember how amazing life is.  It is a respect for our breath, for life itself.  When we share this with another we are saying that WE ARE ONE. That we are all love and truth, freedom and strength, light and peace.  So to each of you from my heart, Namaste!  Love and serve all ways, all days, Silvia

 

 

Namaste - The ancient Sanskrit blessing defined

We can perceive the unique thread that connects us all with the Universe, and all its Beings along with the source of that interconnection. Accepting Oneness, we are accordingly receptive to knowledge that comes to us in the form of examples, advice, and direct teaching. One may awake to the wisdom that opens our eyes to new worlds of possibilities.

 

When we assume everyone we meet is special and unique in its essence we should always show to all people the same generous level of kindness, care, compassion, and understanding without any thoughts of self-interest or ulterior motives above paying respects wholeheartedly, the way we live our daily lives has an enormous impact on those around us.

 

Instead of clinging to what separates us, Practicing Namaste enables us to feel less alone in the world. We begin to understand that we must treat all people for what they are, family. We are one with the cosmos whether we realize it or not. Practicing ONENESS we gain consciousness of the more subtle aspects of our being, with the ultimate outcome being a complete identification with the light body.

 

May all beings find and hold happiness. May they all be free from suffering and sickness. May we all look in the mirror see all others reflecting back. May we be all with one, living in oneness, one family, one heart, a glowing heart of the brightest light of compassion. NAMASTE

 

From Wikipedia, freely adapted and edited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste

           

JULY 17, 2009:  Einstein says that “is there not a certain satisfaction in the fact that natural limits are set to the life of the individual, so that at the conclusion it may appear as a work of art?”  Spiritual practice reminds us that life is very brief.  No matter how many years we have in this body we know that it is impermanent.  Pema Chodran speaks to how impermanence heightens that feeling of preciousness and gratitude.  A fundamental Buddhist teaching says that once you are born, you immediately start dying.

 

Now if that doesn’t put things in perspective I don’t know what will.

 

Mortality is not scary dudes.  The way I look at impermanence is that it reminds us we are all ONE.  There is this yoga uniting all spirits, all nature. Our visit here is vitally important and so why not aspire towards harmony and use this trip we’re on to unite and celebrate one another?  Do we really need to spend any of our time fighting, destroying, rehearsing, dividing?  Is it worthwhile to battle even the difficult people or situations in our life knowing what we know, that life is fleeting?  I’ve spent time fighting against life by working too hard, climbing the corporate ladder too hard, accumulating stuff with almost militant gusto, then my Dad passed when he was only 59 years old.  That changed me forever.  There is no need to push at life. 

 

As I have always said, nature is my best teacher.  And I find great healing in the lessons that trees share with us by their existence.  We live because they live and vice versa.  Trees seem to me the symbol of this synergy of oneness and harmony.   We live in all things, and all things live in us.

 

“I believe in the absolute oneness of God and therefore also of humanity. What though we have many bodies? We have but ONE soul. – Ghandi

 

“We live by the sun

We feel by the moon

We move by the stars

 

We live in all things

All things live in us

 

We eat from the earth

We drink from the rain

We breath of the air

 

We live in all things

All things live in us

 

We call to each other

We listen to each other

Our hearts deepen with love and compassion

 

We live in all things

All things live in us    (By Stephanie Kaza, Earth Prayers)

 

During the course of the practice we get to try different poses. Some we can see as favorites and others as lessons.  The spiritual practice is to embrace all of them as they symbolize difficult and easy people in our lives.  So in the words of Indian philosopher Krishnamurti, “love the whole tree”.  Love your whole life, be grateful for everyone, celebrate each moment for it never comes again.  This is not a rehearsal, the state of harmony we allow ourselves determines the quality of our one life, right now. 

 

 

Love not the shapely branch,

Nor place its image alone in your heart.

It dies away.

 

Love the whole tree;

Then you will love the shapely branch,

The tender and withered leaf,

They shy bud and the full blown flower,

The falling petal and the dancing night,

The splendid shadow of full love.

 

Ah, love life it its fullness.

It knows no decay.    (Jiddu Krishnamurti, India)

 

JUNE 16, 2009:  One of the key observations I had while in Tuscany was how much everyone touched each other.  Whether it was the double kiss or real hugging or walking hand in hand or arm in arm down the street.  The best of humanity was ever present for all the world to see!  I loved it. I come from a family of huggers and kissers (both the Italian side and my Latino side too).  I had forgotten how homesick I was for this visible appreciation of connection, human to human.  Really we are all brothers and sisters, partners and lovers in this world.  There is an interdependence that exists between all things. We need each other to survive.  But not only to survive, to thrive!

We as Americans spend so much time in our “heads” that we could benefit greatly from more touch, more massage, more time being in the body.  That’s why yoga is so healing.  It does that for us.  We walk in fragmented, disconnected, awkward and by the end of class our humpty dumpty self is put back together again. Then whether we want to or not we glide out of the practice room inspired to connect more with other people as we now ourselves feel more connected to our own spirits. 

 

When I sit on the mat I feel that embrace of the universal love that exists when we breath the universal breath.  To me truly there is nothing more beautiful than people coming together in a compassionate, gentle way.  So thank you to classes last night for opening your hearts and practicing kissing each other with the double kiss, and breathing as partners and accepting massage when I offer it to you. This I can promise you, my teaching experience will only include more and more massage and therapeutic healing touch.  Grow with me and let’s build a community that thrives on more hugging more love!  Jai! Silvia

WITH JOY AND GRATITUDE, MAY I SEE THE BEAUTY OF MYSELF AND OF OTHERS, AS WE REFLECT AND ARE REFLECTED, IN THE RADIANCE OF EACH OTHER - ONE WORLD TOGETHER.

 

April 11th, 2009:  Everywhere around us we are seeing Spring return to us again.  And yet although we've seen it before, we understand the seasonal change to take place it is still unique and different each and every year.  The older I get the more I appreciate this and just now, half way through my life I am just starting to have some understanding of this as well.  We don't get to see this Spring emerge ever again.  You can have all the money in the world and you won't be able to choose to REDO or REPLAY this Spring 2009.  Each moment happens just once.  This is not a rehearsal for your life. It is your life right now. 

 

Once the reality of this really sinks in your life is transformed forever.  Today you have choices to say kind things, to breath bigger, to love more, to learn something new, to make an adventure, to book a trip to another part of the world, to enjoy each moment more fully.  Will you accept this responsibility as yours?  Yoga offers us that time on the mat to study ourselves to go inside and observe what our desires are and to tune into each precious second we have as we're living it. 

 

How do we do this better? In class I offered 5 key things to help us enjoy each moment.  I emailed this out to all those I saw on Saturday.  If you want a copy just email me at silvia@totalbodyyoga.com happy to share these suggestions with you. And as always ask me anything. I will always honestly share the challenges of my own life and how I've learned to experience each moment just once with improved awareness.  Love your day!  Silvia

 

A life-time is not what's between

The moments of birth and death.
A life-time is one moment,
Between my two little breaths.

The present, the here, the now,
That's all the life I get,

I live each moment in full,
In kindness, in peace, without regret.   ~Chade Meng, One Moment

 

 

AUGUST 25TH, 2008:  Namaste!  I am on vacation starting August 27th through August 31st.  As a result I have been meditating on how meaningful the relationship I have with each of you is and as well as the connectedness we have all of us together.  To be honest I am already missing you and hope that we can see each other today and tomorrow before I leave.  The best way I can explain how much you mean to me is through the greater meaning of the word Namaste itself which I share with you below.  Please know you are family to me and I wish you all love and peace!  Silvia

Namaste - The ancient Sanskrit blessing defined for you
• The life in me sees and honours the life in you
• Namaste” is the beautiful spark in one person recognizing the beautiful spark in another
• This is an especially deep expression of respect
• Namaste recognizes the duality that has ever existed in this world and suggests an effort on our part to bring these two forces together
• Ultimately leading to a higher unity and non-dual state of Oneness
• In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honour to the sacredness of all.
• The whole action of Namaste unfolds itself at three levels; mental, physical, and verbal.
• I honour the place in you where Spirit lives. The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you.
• I greet that place where you and I, WE ARE ONE.
• I honour the place in you which is of LOVE; I receive the free spirit in you.
• I salute the place in you which is Truth, may the life within you be strong.
• I receive the place in you which is of Light
• I recognize the place in you which is of Peace, within each of us is a place where peace dwells
• I recognize that we are all equal. I acknowledge that everyone is valuable in their own way and capable of expanding my horizons.
• When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, then we are ONE.
• We are able to recognize the goodness of others

 

Instead of clinging to what separates us, Practicing Namaste enables us to feel less alone in the world. We begin to understand that we must treat all people for what they are, family.

 

May all beings find and hold happiness.

May they all be free from suffering and sickness.

May we all look in the mirror see all others reflecting back.

May we be all with one, living in oneness, one family, one heart, a glowing heart of the brightest light of compassion. NAMASTE

 

From Wikipedia, freely adapted and edited