CLASS THEMES THIS WEEK OF JUNE 7
June 8, 2010: Discipline
June 9, 2010: Persistence and Perseverance, TBY B-day!
June 9, 2010: Mind Body Integration
June 10, 2010: Compassion (Slowing Down)
TRUE GIVING
FEBRUARY 22, 2010 "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 top two are these here that Yoga really gets to the heart of 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."
In yogic philosophy the opposite of taking or stealing is giving and sharing (Asteya). And we are either living from a viewpoint of abundance or one of mental scarcity where you are hoarding or rationing for fear you are going to run out. You see these concepts are mutually exclusive. You either are practicing living life from one or the other. This idea that giving comes from a place of deep self-love and happiness has been one of the greatest lessons I take into my everday from this practice. The yoga has strengthened my confidence and instead of contracting when times are challenging I am able to maintain a self-generating self-esteem that reminds me to give with all my heart be it wisdom, love, affection or friendship. Everyday I practice yoga makes me want to open my heart up bigger to do more good in the world, to be a better friend, a more generous partner, a kinder sister, a more loving daughter.
My sincere wish is that you stay with this practice long enough to experience this for yourself. Love yourself, love your day, love your life! XXOO Silvia
SUMMARY OF YOGA SUTRAS (PHILOSOPHY) THIS WEEK
Week of August 17th-August 21st: Well we took the Yoga Sutras and started with chapter one, verse 1. "Once upon a time" and then continued from there this week to Chaper 1, verse 4. This is the foundation for the study of yoga. I hope presented sequentially it helped each of you get rooted in your life practice. Love and light, Silvia
Monday: 1.1 We begin the study of yoga. Making ourselves the subject of our study, of our observation. Are we telling ourselves the Truth (Satya) about our feelings, thoughts and actions? Chapter 2.36
Tuesday: 1.15 Remembering the Self (Waking up from being half unborn), Variagya and 1.2 Yoga is the uniting of consciousness in the heart.
Wednesday: 1.2 Yoga is the uniting of consciousness in the heart. Discomfort as way to come alive rather than escaping life
Thursday: 1.3 United in the heart, consciousness is steadied, then we abide in our true nature, joy. The expansion of this joy is infinite LOVE, which encompasses and then transforms everything it touches. Everywhere we look, we see the reflection of our Divine and joyful nature.
Friday: 1.3 and 1.4 Sometimes we identify with the rays of consciousness which fluctuates and encourages our perceived suffering
THIS WEEK THEMES, LESSONS, INSPIRATIONS
Dear Friends, This is the week of my birthday! I am speaking ever more clearly from my heart. I hope you can celebrate part of my birthday by joining me in class. It would mean a lot. The themes for classes include:
Spiritual Adventure: Facing our fears
Gratitude Habit for Healing
How to Relax
The Safe Zone: When we're Stuck in a Groove
Love is Inconvenient, Keep at it anyway
The Door to Joy is Open
This Life is Fleeting - Live Passionately Now!
SEE THE BEAUTY IN LIFE
MARCH 29, 2009: Namaste and happy Sunday to you! Let me ask you guys what was your first reaction when you saw the snow today? Were you filled with childlike delight of oohs and aahs or did you say to yourself holy CRAP I can’t believe this is being done to me? Did you pick a fight with the snow? Or did you see that nature itself is magnificent? Did you see the beauty outside? Because the thing is the Yoga Sutras say there are really 2 ways to see life.
One would be a darker view...that at any moment something could go wrong and the world is making war with you. The other would be a brighter view...what amazing miracle might take place today?! This ability to choose to see the beauty is the practice of peace. We come to the mat to recognize the splendour of life itself.
*The seer dwells in his own true splendour. (Yoga Sutra 1.3)
*At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuating consciousness (the negative). (Yoga Sutra 1.4)
In today’s turbulent times it is important to keep practicing to stay positive and peaceful, to see beauty. From a peaceful center we can respond instead of react. With a peaceful heart whatever happens can be met with wisdom. It's a choice, we can view ourselves at war with life ("fluctuating consciousness.") Or we can practice the art of peaceful perception, the ability to see beauty and weave the feeling through the conflicts we face. Kahlil Gibran says it like this, "When you reach the heart of life you shall find beauty in all things, even in the eyes that are blind to beauty.”
For me then the question is not about the choice in front of us, I get that. But it becomes then why don’t we always see beauty first? Well we get bogged down by stress, negativity and worry (fluctuating consciousness) and this puts a layer of grime over how we view things. The yoga on the mat helps us to clean off the mucky muck so we can reveal the beauty within us for how we see the world is not about what’s “out there” its always about our perspective and how beautiful we see things inside us.
If this morning at 9:15am you were enjoying the snow then join me at 4:30pm today for a really beautiful, rich practice (yes its Level 1-2 but don’t be afraid and get caught up in the darkness, its only a number). Think of yoga as philosophy in motion and today’s focus is beauty. Be the beauty you wish to see in the world! Love, Silvia
PLAYLIST FOR TODAY MARCH 29TH, 2009:
| Operator | Toby Lightman |
| Talk to You | Tracy Chapman |
| I Don't Care About My Baby | Jackie Greene |
| Promised Land | Grateful Dead |
| Sita Ram | Girish |
| Down on the Corner | Creedance Clearwater Revival |
| Feeling Alright | Joe Cocker |
| Domino | Van Morrison |
| Stand By Me | Various Artists |
| Let's Stay Together | Al Green |
| Crazy Love, Vol. II | Paul Simon |
| If you Want to Sing Out, Sing Out | Cat Stevens |
| Like A Star | Corinne Bailey Rae |
| Youve really got a hold on me | Smokey Robinson |
| Misunderstood | |
| Blind Willie McTell | Bob Dylan |
| You Are So Beautiful | Joe Cocker |
HOW TO REDUCE NEGATIVITY AND WORRY
FEBRUARY 28TH: In the Yoga Sutra’s Pantanjali gives us a four part process to help us clear our hearts of any negative energies as a means for quieting our minds and reconnecting to the deepest reservoirs of unconditional love. The sutras advise we:
1. cultivate maitri (friendliness) toward pleasure and friends;
2. karma (compassion) for those who are in pain or suffering, yourself included;
3. mudita joy for those that you are happy and whom we admire;
4. and upeksanam equanimity toward those who have hurt us.
So simple. Try it this week as we learned it in class today and see for yourself if this doesn’t indeed change your life! May you feel the power of transformation grow. Peace to you, Silvia