LOVE IS NOT LEISURE
Yoga teaches us that we can only share love to the degree we feel it for ourselves. So the question to ask ourselves first is “do we think we deserve to be loved?” It is a simple question and requires the utmost heroism to respond honestly. And if you say yes then we begin by practicing self-love. This is the most advanced practice of yoga. And I’ll tell you, it’s not easy at first. But the good news is the more you practice the less you’ll even remember the old ways. It will be like breathing. Oh yeah, we learn in yoga breathing takes work. (Thank goodness the body keeps us breathing even when we don’t pay attention) But the best quality of life means we are loving our breath, we appreciate it we PAY IT ATTENTION.
So on the mat we practice loving ourselves so we can love our live’s better. It takes effort, effort means taking some action. So we are reminded that love is not leisure. Managing our breath is one activity of self-love and another is being in charge of our own thoughts. As science tells us we know we have 60,000 thoughts per day and whenever we think a thought the brain sends chemicals through our body that produces a feeling based on that thought. If we think the same critical thoughts over and over, these repetitive thoughts and their repetitive chemical reactions will create a negative view of life. They will drain the life from our life. So ask yourself WHY DO YOU THINK THE THINGS YOU DO?
The thoughts you have today will go through a gestation period (short or long) and will eventually give birth to the quality of your life.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE BORN FROM YOUR LIFE?
Even making love to another requires some effort, some action (you don’t just lie there inactive, unresponsive) this is the same for what we want to be born in our lives for growth only takes place through love and kindness. And by actively generating love we organically open the doorway for the entry of people and experiences that are like the love we feel for ourselves. So engage your life more, actively love yourself in thoughts, words, and actions each day and let your heart shine out! Love in all ways, Silvia
Light, my light, the world-filling light, the eye-kissing light, heart-sweetening light!
Ah, the light dances, my darling, at the center of my life;
the light strikes, my darling, the chords of my love;
the sky opens, the wind runs wild, laughter passes over the earth. -Tagore
SACRED FUN!
MARCH 6TH, 2009: Interesting enough, children laugh 300 times or more per day while adults laugh an average of 17 times per day. We clearly have lots of catching up to do according to Heather King. When it comes to yoga it is as my idol Judith Lasater who says, "yoga practice is important but not serious. Practice is too important to be serious." RIGHT ON! Life can appear pretty serious so as a result it can be easy to take it and ourselves way too seriously.
That’s how yoga can help. It works to maintain our balance by really finding the FUN on the mat through playful practice. This idea of Lila Tandava, “the playful dance of life” helps us to find the humor in even the most ridiculous and most challenging poses on the mat and off. We discover there is always play even within the most serious moments – this is how we thrive not just survive difficult situations. Even if you walk into class and don’t feel very playful it still works to help us soften our edges and be a little less rigid. Yoga helps make us feel lighter!
Of all the ways that yoga has saved my life. Without a doubt it is the Sacred Fun of the practice that has helped me live life more fully and with greater enjoyment. I implore you then today to waste not a moment longer stand up, wiggle, sway your arms, dance, move, breath. Reconnect to the kid inside your adult body! And feel how this helps you in the words of Tagore “attend the birthing of the radiant light within you.”