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March 16, 2011.  Yoga is a journey into our own uniqueness.  It is a story of rediscovery for most of us.  What with all the noise, busyness and stress of daily life we often lose track of what is most special about us.  Fundamentally, when we practice I try to share that there is a difference between fitting the pose to the person or the person to the pose.  I want you to feel like your best self, not trying to look like anyone else in the asana.  For this reason I teach in a way that always emphasizes the person in the pose, whereby we Feel rather than worry about what we look like.  Yes our bodies are our instrument to help us navigate more internally. However that journey into our essence (rasa) will look differently person by person on the outside.

We may share the same intentions related to turning on to the beauty and power within our hearts but how we get there is unique.

In fact everything about you is unique, not just your finger prints.  The way you breath is part of your specialness, your nuances, your quirks and your individual expression create an alchemy that make you an Individual.  You are different so why not celebrate that?  Like the song goes, God made us funky.  Be that. Be you. Be your best.

In this way yoga is non competitive (yeah we hear that yoga cliche a lot) but more importantly yoga is noncomparitive.

No one has your unique features, your exact background, your personality.  Your essence is your most valuable gift. And my greatest teaching intention is that you rediscover or discover this sweetness of you and bring it forth into the other 23 hours off the mat day in and day out.  It is in giving ourselves our own permission to be who we are that we by example give permission to everyone else to be themselves.  Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia

DECEMBER 8TH, 2009: When we get on the mat it is that special time to rediscover ourselves. Or for many of us, myself included, when we first start practicing it is a FIRST time discovery of who we really are. What a great surprise to find that no matter what age you are currently you can still give birth to your spirit. Through yoga you learn to tell what your soul needs.

All of this is accomplished through mindfulness and conscious breathing. When you use your breath on purpose and breath as you, you gain control of your emotions, your harness the power of your mind and direct your 60,000 daily thoughts towards what you need from the inside to live happier and more peacefully. Each pose then is an opportunity to listen to our body. We can ask ourselves in any pose “How can I use this pose to be more accepting of myself, How can I use this pose to practice being less reactive in difficult situations, How can I use this pose to celebrate my life, How can I use this pose to love myself more?”

When we live life trying to be what everyone else wants us to be we lose who we really are. Then the grumbling mind tends to get bogged down in its own weariness of trying to keep up. But if we discover ourselves our personal story shines out and through our acceptance and expansion of ourselves we give permission to everyone around us to be themselves. May this practice bring the inner yoga alive in you! As Rumi writes, “I was dead, then alive, weeping then laughing. The power of love came into me!” May you love yourself more, love your day more, love your life more! Silvia