First Class Free

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

Friday:  1.3 and 1.4 Sometimes we identify with the rays of consciousness which fluctuates and encourages our perceived suffering

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!

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:

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