Where is my Guru?

Feeling a bit lighter!

2009-08-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today has been the most encouraging day of our detox yet. Carl and I met fellow yogi, Julia at The Market Common this morning for a 7am class beneath the blue sky and on the dewey grass. While detoxing you are connecting with your own body more and being outside feels more alive than normal. My work keeps me at my desk, behind a computer most of the time and if anyone knows of a cleanse that will help a stiff neck... I am all about it!

My breakfast and lunch have been repeats of previous days.

Dinner:

We enjoyed rice and black beans, which we have taken a liking to.

I was craving greens so we sauteed some spinach with red onion, garlic, olive oil, himalayan sea salt and pepper.

Fresh steamed sweet corn

Tomato, avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper salad as a cold side.

I have some bananas and blueberries in the freezer.. not sure what I am going to do with them yet, but I am sure we will think of something.

Day Five!! I am so proud of us!!

Detox = Mood Swings = Perspective!

2009-08-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

Crabbiness, irritability, fatigue and frusteration. That is how I can sum up most of this day. It was not until I went to Kelly Parr's blog, Fresh Encounter and read her post about Detoxing - One Meal at a Time, that I was able to at least have some perspective. All these feelings and physical aches and pains are totally normal. Even that really crazy sound coming from Carl's stomach today, is just our bodies responding to "not getting what is wants..." Maybe our bodies are having a temper tantrum?

Tomorrow I am going to revisit my meditation practice for the rest of the detox. I am looking forward to reaping the spiritual benefits of this process.

Now, for todays menu... (I promise to spice things up soon....)

Breakfast:

I juiced 6 carrots, 1/2 lemon, banana and ginger root for Carl and I.

1 Cup Detox Tea

1 tblsp Fish Oil/Omega 3's

LOTS OF WATER. I pee'd about 25 times today. TMI!

Lunch:

Toasted Almond Butter and Rasberry Jam sandwich on Ezekial Sprouted Bread

Snack: Wasabi Peas

Dinner (this was a new creation for sure)

I bought gluten and wheat free pasta. I am Italian and my favorite comfort food in the world is my nana's sauce, wheat free brown rice pasta was a little hard to swallow. Aside from me cooking them a little too long, it was really good!

Sauce:

I sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil, then added about 4 Roma Tomatos, sliced.

I let the tomatos simmer for 15 minutes, then added mushrooms and fresh basil.

3 minutes before the pasta was ready I added 3 cups of Spinach.

Pour Sauce on Pasta and serve!

Dessert:

Fresh Rasberries and Blueberries!!

Day 3 - A little R & R

2009-08-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Ahh, yes. The Martix Trilogy was calling us to the couch for a day of rest, rasberries and Neo. If any of you know Carl and I, we tend to move at sort of a "human light speed" all the time. We enjoy it. Our energy level support it, usually. But often times, we forget that taking an afternoon OFF to laze around drifting in and out of consciousness does a body good!
So, instead of heading south to the art show and dinner we opted to clean out our closets and take to the couch to enjoy the afternoon storms and some good flicks. Here is how we treated our bellies...

Breakfast:
2 slices of Ezekial Sprouted Bread with Almond butter
1 banana
1 shot apple cider vinegar
1 tblsp fish oil
1 cup detox tea

water-water-water-water

Lunch (soooo yummy)
Carl and I split:
Avocado, tomato & red onion salad with lime juice and Himalayan Sea Salt
1 Cup Rasberries
1 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Watermelon
1 Large Pita Toasted
Hummus
1 cup detox tea

water-water-water-water

Snack: Spirulina & Carob Squares

Dinner:
Thai Coconut Rice-
1 Cup Jasmine Rice
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1 tblsp sliced ginger

Stir Fried Veggies
1 Cup Detox Tea

AND,
1 nap
3 movies
2 Epsiodes of Fawlty Towers (a hilarious English sitcom)
2 dozen white roses (Happy 3 year anniversary Carl!!!)

Great day.

Day 2- Carl has a headache

2009-08-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of our 21 day cleanse was a long day. Carl's head began bothering him around the time that we went to our friends house for a bbq. Thank goodness Carl made some blackbeans and rice before we left because there was nothing, absolutely nothing to eat at the bbq. It was interesting to see what kind of impact it makes on other people when you are not drinking or eating like everyone else. I found that by the end of the night, I was exhausted and ready to come home and crash. Here is my menu:

Breakfast:
Detox Tea
Granola
Banana
Soymilk

water-water-water-water

Lunch:
Indian! Yum!
Jasmine Rice
Chick Peas
Spinach
(the owner of the restaurant came out with a piece of "unbuttered" naan for me, so I just HAD to eat it!)

detox tea-water-water-water-water

Dinner
Black Beans & Rice

Water-bedtime tea

End of Day 1

2009-08-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Today's meals:

Breakfast: granola and banana with soy milk. One cup of detox tea and one cup of St. Johns Wort Tea.

water, water, water, water

Lunch at New Life Cafe: Meatless Chicken Sandwich with tomato, red onion, sprouts and vegan mayonnaise, 1/2 Salad with Green Goddess Dressing and a Passion Fruit Kombacha.

water, water, water, water... detox tea, water, water, water

Snack: Carob Spirulina treats from New Life (yummy!) and one piece dried mango

Dinner: Cucumber, avocado and tomato salad with oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt.
Pan Sauteed portabella mushroom (with about a tsp of olive oil, salt & pepper) and sauteed veggies (sprouts, onion, carrot and zucchini).

First meal, together

2009-08-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Even though we are officially calling "Day 1" tomorrow... Hiren, Carl and I met up this evening at New Life Natural Foods to do our shopping and got together to enjoy our first meal together. Carl threw together a simple stir fry of fresh veggies, sesame oil, garlic, cooking soy sauce and rice noodles. Happy Cleansing Boys!

Getting Ready

2009-08-18T17:40:00.001-07:00

Carl and I are sharing a bottle of champagne this evening to celebrate life in general, but also to honor ourselves as we venture into the next 21 days of experimentation with food and self discovery. (umm, or maybe that is a really lame excuse for the fact that we wanted to catch a buzz before our cleanse begins tomorrow.... ) Either way, let's have a "toast to life in general" shall we? 'clink'
So, the players for this cleanse are myself, Carl Kerridge and our good friend Hiren. We are meeting tomorrow evening at New Life Natural Foods in Myrtle Beach, SC to plan out the next 21 days. Replacing staples, exchanging recipies and creating a support system for one another.
The Players:

Carl
Giving up: alcohol, caffeine, red meat, dairy

Jess
Giving up: Alcohol, caffeine, all meat, fish, dairy and some other things I will let you know once I figure out what book I am going to buy...

Hiren
Giving up: Alcohol, caffeine, smoking, all meat, fish and dairy

Websites and blogs of reference:
Fresh Encounter - http://kellyparr.org/
The Feel Good Guru - http://www.feelgoodguru.com/

These two blogs have been created by two women who are obviously passionate about health. I am excited to benefit from their committment to sharing their outlook and perspectives on cleansing and overall health with the world! Thank you Kelly and Moira!

I also think it is important to note that all three of us are choosing to customize our cleanses to our own needs. We are still creating defined individual guidelines and supporting one another, but what works for one, may not work for another.
Alright, wish us luck! Grocery shopping tomorrow!!

21-Day Cleanse

2009-08-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Starting tomorrow I am jumping headfirst into a 21 Day Cleanse... stay tuned for references, websites, inspirations, menu plans and more!

Seeking

2009-06-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

I am seeking for peace of mind, peace of heart, peace of soul. I have lost it. Anyone out there know where I left it?

My Opinion: Social Media... and Yoga

2009-06-17T18:02:00.001-07:00

I am in love with social media. I can honestly say that since my first encounter with yoga, the world of service and my boyfriend, Carl... nothing has interested me more. It gives me the opportunity to connect with all sorts of people and to connect them with what I want them to know, what they want them to know or what I think they want to know or what I want them to think they want to know (get that?) whether that is another person, place, thing, product or service, article, video... you name it.
I have been reading a lot about why certain people are successful with social media and others are not. My opinion? You have to find the yoga of this new age marketing tool. You have this opportunity, an opportunity that is not available through other types of marketing such as print, radio or tv to create a one on one experience for your customers. Not every customer, but a very high percentage that someone else will probably figure out in the next 6 months. In other words, you create relationships. You genuinely connect. You care about the people you are sharing with and hope they can have all the peace in the world. That what you are providing to them is something that will help their lives be better. You are not selling. You are sharing.
Namaste.

Soooo, we are moving...

2009-06-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, Carl and I have decided to make the big move to Costa Rica this fall. While I am extremely excited to pick up on a long lost dream to live in a different culture, learn a new language and take what I have learned along the way and apply it somewhere new... I am scared. Of what exactly is it that I am scared of? Well, I am scared of not having enough money, I am scared that Carl will fall out of love with me somewhere along the way and then what? I am scared that I will not be able to make it all work out.
This blog will now serve as a way for me to share my fears and my excitement as we work towards creating a new extension of our journey.. both individually and together. I hope to be as honest as I can as someone who is ready to take a giant step into the loving hands of the universe... the question remains: will I trust it?

A Single Step

2009-05-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

A single step step in the flow of life sounds almost like a contradiction. If you are truely rooted in the alignment of energy... hey! Wait a minute.. even that can become a polar opposite in the yin and yang of things. It feels more like walking against the current.
That balance, that place where the moon hangs on the horizon like single pearl laid out against olive skin can be the very energy that distinguishes light and dark. It can mean sinking or floating and it can also represent giving and receiving.
What you fear can become what you embrace in a single step.
Om Shanti

So long...

2009-05-03T18:01:00.001-07:00

it has been since I touched my soul with self expression through writing. They say if you want to get better at something, then just practice. Still haven't firgured it out.

If you are going to do it, do it with JOY

2009-02-28T07:06:00.000-08:00

Selfless Service is not translated as "doing exactly what you want to do so you are happy about it." Selfless Service is "being happy no matter what you are doing." In sanskrit this is translated at Seva. My loss for what to say next comes from my own reality in that I have had to make some shifts and changes in my life to re-focus my own priorities. In other words, I have to do some things I don't necessarily want to do in order to meet some immediate needs. The funny thing about all of this is that the work I do day to day I consider Seva, and now I am shifting to take care of myself financially and I am sad. My practice is to find the joy in all work, in all things and see all my work as bringing more light into the world. No matter what I am doing. It is all relevant and I have the choice to put JOY into whatever my job title may be.
Om Shanti

Eye of the Storm

2009-02-26T06:39:00.001-08:00

Life. Take a step back from it for one second and a whole lot goes by. Is it worth worrying about? Well, that is a relative question.
Check out this link Did You Know? on You Tube. If you feel like gaining some perspective on what is going on in this world as it relates to population and technology... this will make you feel like a bug squashed on a windshield. Go ahead, try it. It is kind of fun. :) Then come back and read on.
So, feeling a bit squashed? A bit overwhelmed? What DOES ALL THIS MEAN? Since this is a yoga blog, I am asking myself.. how does this relate to yoga? The title of this post, to me is the ultimate answer but day to day, how do you manage this rapid energy swirling around us?
More to come.
Namaste.

Sense of Urgency

2009-02-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

My old boss at the Marriott used to get upset if all of his department heads were NOT running around the hotel with a "sense of urgency." I coined this term and use it to this day when tackling an important task. It seems to translate to me into being passionate about the job at hand. It is very difficult to conjure up this sense of passion (or urgency) if you are not interested or not focused on what you are doing. This idea moves deeper in the the "willingness" to actually do the work. In yoga, we call this Tapas. The desire for discipline if you will. Tapas is the desire to know more about your own self, to move from the negative conditioning and programing that is bombarding you constantly into the stream of authenticity and self control.

An example of this relating to our day to day may come in the form of an idea, dream or goal that you want to attain. At first, this goal seems so in your grasp... you can almost taste, touch and feel how good it is. But, then.... as you move into the work of planning the steps to reach that place the energy seems to fizzle out and you lose the "steam" you had at the beginning, all the while you are still attracted to the end result.

Some ideas are just not meant to be. You simply have to accept that fact. But, other times it is the lack of discipline to follow through which is the reason for the estinguishment. I challenge myself and anyone reading to do a personal assessment of discipline in their lives and measure it against the dreams and desire for goals and how successful you have been at achieving them. Simple solutions may be finding something consistant in your daily life, finding the joy in the accomplishment of each small step instead of waiting for the BIG BANG. Finding the joy in the tapas of your "sense of passion" (urgency!) to do the work.

Namaste

The Lotus

2009-02-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

I have read recently that tapas is the willingness to break free from the river of karma that seems to carry so many of us throughout our lives. We resign to the idea of fate, destiny and stop trying at some point or another to rise above challenge, to rise above resistance and find a higher truth that that which seems to the outcome of a situation.
The world is changing everyday. Sometimes it does feel like we are trapped in a current, that our habits, patterns and beliefs will tell the story of our life.....so predictably boring this is to me!

The story of the lotus flower is one that defies the current, but remains rooted all at the same time. The lotus comes up from the murk and muddy bottom of the river, stretching its face always towards the sun.
My beliefs as a yogi are rapidly changing and being shaped by those around me. I have come to understand a disturbing fact, that in ANY facet in life, even those that were designed to create union.... coming together and achieving true understanding, one that means both sides are open to change, is very, very difficult. I can respect the understanding of this fact but I will not lose hope that when both sides are willing, understanding can be achieved.

I am a yogi that lives in the world. I do this because it is God's will that the world needs people who are looking for ways to bring individuals together. This is not an ego driven statement, but one that I have known for a long time and have not said. I am grateful for this will that God has put in my life and I will continue to be an advocate for greater understanding.
Namaste

Love Hurts

2009-02-20T06:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever loved someone or something sooooo much that it just hurts? It hurts in your chest, it brings tears to your eyes... it burns in your soul?
Have you ever known that someone loved you so much that it just hurts? It hurts in your chest, it brings tears to your eyes.. it burns in your soul?

Light and love,
Jessica

Tapas - The Heart of an Explorer

2009-02-18T05:44:00.000-08:00

The willingness to do the work comes through Tapas. To have the desire to explore the innerworkings of one self and bring with it the joy of child like discovery. There are new things to learn about one self all the time, in every moment. Each situation brings with it the ability to choose a course of action. Once you put your self into action, the opportunity to learn immediately presents itself.

The Foundation for Greatness

2009-02-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

Greatness

Is always built upon this foundation:

The ability

To Appear, speak, and act

As the most

Common

Man.

~Hafiz

I tend to keep The Gift (a book of poerty written by Sufi poet, Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky) close at hand at all times and no matter where I am in my life, I can turn to any page and find sweet tendrils of wisdom that gently nuzzle my intelect, stretch my heart and strenghten my spirit.

I strive for progression. I fight to evolve. I test my will intentionally and I refuse to give up. Sometimes the reasons why leave me during the hard moments until I read something like this. The humbling words of this poem remind me live in my integrity and to practice that which has been given to me through the amazing gift of Yoga. To seek union in all things no matter what and to see truth where others don't see anything at all.

Namaste

its a new dawn... a new day... a new year!!

2009-01-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

I started out my new year with 108 Sun Salutations. 108 is considered an auspicious number in many cultures and religions:

* 108 is the number of "Upanishads" comprising Indian philosophy's "Vedic texts".
* 108 is the number of names for Shiva (a really important Hindu god).
* 108 is the number of names for Buddha.
* 108 is the Chinese number representing "man".
* 108 is the number of beads on a Catholic rosary.
* 108 is the number of beads on a Tibetan "mala" (prayer beads, analagous to a rosary).
* 108 is twice the number "54", which is the number of sounds in Sanskrit (sacred Indian langauge).
* 108 is six times the number "18", which is a Jewish good luck number.
* 108 is twelve times the number 9, which is the number of vinyasas (movements linked to breath) in a Sun Salutation.

What a way to start the new year!
Namaste
Jessica

On the road again......

2008-12-09T06:53:00.001-08:00

New session and I am so excited to be back with my students. Smaller class this time, but as the year progresses and students move deeper into their individual majors, I hope that their practice will stay with them and they are ALL always welcome to come back to class anytime!!

This next session will focus more on self care, self perception, self confidence, self time... basiclly a lot to do with exploring the SELF. Which is our own being. The SELF as our true and authentic character, unchanging and ever remaining.

Week 10

2008-10-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

Week 9: Off the Mat and into the WORLD!!!!

Why do you think yoga should be continued at AAST???

What does it mean to be a Global Citizen?

What does the word SERVICE mean to you?

CREATE

TRAVEL

PARTICIPATE

GROWTH

EVOLVE

COMMUNICATE

ACTION

How does this relate to our yoga practice???

My Practice

2008-10-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

I will admit here, that my life has been so tremendously crazed as of late. I find myself constantly running. If it were not for my practice with you all, I am afraid that I may have lost my sanity in the last few weeks. I am in a great transistion in my life. I have been brought to yet another mirror in my soul which reveals only truth. My practice must be renewed. I must re-create my space along side my students. Teacher becomes student and student becomes teacher.

Namaste

Week 9

2008-10-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Personal Practice
OK guys.... I have been easy on you up until now. Time to take this... THIS, what we are all learning in class and put it into practice. Allow for yourself the time to experiement with all of this yoga "stuffs" outside of class in the big, bad world.
Create your space. Create your practice.
Tell me about it.

Namaste

Week 8

2008-10-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

“What is the key to untie the knot of your mind’s suffering?
Act great. My dear, always act great.” ~ Hafiz

The Yamas
• Ahimsa: nonviolence
• Satya: truthfulness
• Asteya: nonstealing
• Brahmacharya: moderation
• Aparigraha: nonhoarding
o One should not take things one does not need
o One should not take things without working for it

Class Discussion: Ponder this: The yogi makes his life as simple as possible and trains his mind not to feel the loss or lack of anything. Then everything he really needs will come to him by itself at the proper time. The yogi has developed the capacity to remain satisfied with whatever happens to him.

“It’s about our actions, not our good intentions. If we want self-esteem, we must do estimable things. The emphasis is on the doing.” ~ Meditations from the Mat

“Just do it” ~ Nike

“We can count on the new and unfamiliar to be uncomfortable and awkward. But that awkwardness of that first step is no reason for us to deny ourselves the opportunity to have balance in a given area of our lives. We will have the degree of grace in our lives that we permit ourselves to have.” ~Meditations from the Mat

“What is the most I can get?
What is the least I need?”
~Todd Geiser

Journaling: Write about one situation in your life right now that you can let go of. And, let go of it.

Blogging: Revisit your journal entry. Have you let go? How does it feel?

Om Shanti

2008-10-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

Pictures courtesy of Academy Senior Art Major, Andrea Tuton
Yoga Teacher, Jessica Durivage
Zen Master Sage, Carl Kerridge

Namaste!

Week 7

2008-10-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Guest Teacher -
All beginner yogi's should have the chance to experience different teachers, different styles and different philosophies to see what works best for them.
Finding a yoga teacher for someone who is serious about improving their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health should be a task taken seriously and with joy.
You want to work with someone whose energy calms you, challenges you and allows YOU to find your own place of union inside yourself all the while being a gentle, supporting guide.
In this class I will invite an outside teacher to bring their gift of yoga to the class. It is my hope that you will meet this with an open heart.
Namaste

Week 6

2008-10-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

10/6-10/10

Brahmacharya: The Practice of Moderation

Class Discussion: What are the different things we give our energies to? AND, do we live in a culture that promotes moderation and “the middle road?”

“Karma is the eternal assertion of human freedom…. Our thoughts, our words, and deeds are the threads of the net we throw around ourselves.” ~ Swami Vivekananda

“I listen to the wind, to the wind of my soul.” ~ Cat Stevens

“Listen to your heart, the right choices last a lifetime.” ~ The Christopher Joseph Carroll Listen to your Heart Foundation.

Do you live your life with- VALOR, VIGOR, KNOWLEDGE and ENERGY
Or
Is your life a concern for- CONCERN, ANXIETY, CONFUSION, and STRESS?

SEVA PROJECT: Around the room discussion about your individual projects

Practice:
Mantra: Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Ommmm…… (Shanti~ Peace)
Pranayama: Kumbhakas
Asana: Core Strength

Journaling (in class):
What are you giving your personal energies to? Are they in balance or out of balance?

Blogging
Blog on bloggers.

Before you leave class today:
Please have your binders with yoga journals ready to check off

More Pictures!!!

2008-10-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

Pictures courtesy of Zen Master Sage, Carl Kerridge

Non-stealing

2008-10-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

I always choose to journal after I meet with both classes... I think I like to take some time to reflect on all that was shared and talked about. But then again, am I forming my opinion through your responses? Am I not thinking for myself? Am I stealing your ideas to make them my own? (Am I going a little crazy? :)

The end part there was just for dramatic flair.

Thinking about Asteya (non-stealing) as a performer... someone who engages in building and creating a character or needs to be graceful or booty shakin' is some food for thought as well. As an artist, I know that it is even more important for me to find my own unique voice.. because deep down that is what I have a desire to express. But also, on the flip side my "chameleon" type characteristics have always allowed me to explore different feelings, people, ideas with a sense of ease. At times this gets off balance and it moves off the "stage" into my relationships and my interactions. Yoga helps me to keep it in "check." It helps me to get back to my center. It helps me to even let go of the "performer" or "yoga teacher" and live in the truth that is I AM.

What do I want to let go of.... well, I would like to let go of a old belief I have that thinks we all have to think and act and do the same thing sometimes. With those closest to me, I find that "being different from one another" makes me feel isolated, not good enough and like I do not belong... when in reality the combination of different "ingredients" (ideas, thoughts) is what makes it so sweet. I am not sure where this comes from... probably from high school! (just kidding). But, this is me.... i am working on it, ok?

namaste.

Yoga Pics

2008-10-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

Week Five

2008-09-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

Asteya: Non-stealing – Includes not only taking what belongs to another without permission, but also using something for a different purpose to that intended, or beyond the time permitted by its owner.

Asteya is our first encounter with the power of non-attachment.

“When we look honestly at the ways in which we have been stealing, we come to understand that in each instance, there is an attachment to a specific result that overrides our deeper values. Beneath the attachment, we find fear: fear that we will not get what we need; fear that if we leave things up to the universe, we will not be taken care of.” ~ Meditations from the Mat

Class Discussion: Stealing and coveting. What does this mean on a non-physical level?
Are you willing to give up all you have for the “one true thing?”

“Craving muddies the stream of tranquility” ~ Light on Yoga

Letting go of Poverty Consciousness: Committing those tiny, seemingly insignificant thefts without a second thought, we cannot significantly change our behavior. We no longer have to believe that if you win, I lose.

Practice:
Pranayama: Ujjayi Breath
Asana: Inversion (headstand)
Meditation: Mirror Soul Meditation

Journaling (in class):
Write about one thing you are stealing and how you want to let it go.

Blogging
We are actually halfway through this class, believe it or not! What, if any, changes have you experienced since beginning your yoga practice? Are you keeping the benefits of the practice on your mat? OR, Do you notice the changes in other areas of your life?

Next week:
• Please have your binders with yoga journals ready to check off at the beginning of class.
• Please log onto the blog and read about the Seva assignment again and come prepared to share with the class how you plan to do your 5 hour Seva practice.
• Blogging (starting this week) will become an assigned task. Each week, there will be an assigned blog question, along with the journaling in class.

Seva:
• Seva: To be fully human, we must translate our compassion and concern into useful service.
o First, we must ask this: “What inspires you to be of service to the world?”
o Off the Mat and Into the World
o Seva Project as a class: I would like everyone to work on a five hour Seva Project to be completed by the end of the semester. You can work together.

Yoga in the news....

2008-09-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Check out ABC News Report about a recent study about yoga and it's effects on the human brain. Click here.

Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bavantu

2008-09-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

This past Friday I had the intention of doing a guided meditation with the students, but on my way to school that morning my mind was so consumed by some of the recent local and national activity in our country and I could not help but wonder what kind of effect this was having on our class as a whole.
With Hard Rock Theme Park declaring Chapter 11 after only six months of being open to the public to the gas shortage to the $700B our government is getting ready to give to bail out financial institutions, I felt this was a crucial time to get centered, get silent and begin to put all of this into perspective. My own personal philosophy leads me to process and put into perspective right away, so things don't build and overwhelm. The chant I offered to the class, to myself and to the world around us is but a tool to remind ourselves that we are not alone in our suffering, that we all long to be free and happy and deep down we are striving towards this goal together. How often we forget this simple truth and how humbling it it to remember.

Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bavantu
May all beings be happy and free and may my actions contribute to this.

Namaste,
Jessica

Satya

2008-09-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Truth be told.. it is a bit difficult to be truthful. I think that the more awareness you bring to the level of truth in your life, the more you realize how "not" true you are actually being.
I was moved by your responses and encourage you to continuue to explore the concept of Satya in your everyday lives and to observe it in others. You may be startled by what you find.

As for me... well, my personal mantra guides me to "stand in my integrity." I did once attach myself to several habits in which "being untruthful" was central to many issues and problems I had. I was ashamed, which led me to stray from truth even more... and like the quote in your handout, "You cannot move toward wholeness while caught up in a web of lies", finally took it's toll and I had to face myself. The work to get back on my path has been supported by my yoga practice and while at times living my truth is challenged, I know that in the end, being truthful means moving forward.

Week Four

2008-09-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

Week 4 (9/22-9/26)

Satya: Truth. The highest rule of conduct and morality.

Class Discussion: Are you truthful in thought, word and deed?

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words;
Watch your words, for they become actions;
Watch your actions, for they become habits;
Watch your habits, for they become character;
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
~Upanishads

Three Levels of Truth:
1. Basic Communication that we seek in daily lives
2. Integrity: Internal honesty.
3. Actively becoming the truth of the Universe.

“There is no way to move toward wholeness, while caught up in a web of lies”
~Living Your Yoga

“When the practitioner is firmly established in the practice of the truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization.”
~Yoga Sutra

Practice:
Pranayama: Nadi Sodhana
Asana: Vinyasa Flow
Guided Meditation: Mirror in the Soul

Journaling:
How easy or difficult is it for you to be truthful with yourself?

Internal Dialogue

2008-09-18T07:19:00.001-07:00

The group discussion in class this week was awesome. We talked about internal dialogue.. do you have a negative or a positive "internal dialogue."

Hearing the responses from the students made me reflect on the kind of talk that echoed through the halls of my own brain when I was in highschool. Aside from the fact that I kept busy in theatre and that really was a big part of my world, I had a pretty low self esteem for many, many years. I berated myself, felt I was not good enough and found myself in some unattractive situations which were a direct result of this, I believe when I look back now. When I found yoga it made me feel like I could be myself, if only on the mat.. at least I had that. Over time... the courage to step off the mat, carrying the principles and lessons I had come back to, welled up enough in me to face the world. For the most part, yoga has not taught me anything "new." It reminds me of something ancient and sacred.. hidden deep in my bones. Does that make sense? Maybe not the "yama, yama, yama..." but the idea that I can live a joyful and beautiful life if I am willing to do the work.

I was really happy this week when all you guys came in, willing to share and excited for the class. This is just about the best part of my week.

Namaste,
Jessica

Week Three

2008-09-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

Class discussion: Observing our thoughts toward ourselves. Are they loving and kind or judgemental and harsh?

“The first step in this process of mindful awareness is radical self acceptance.”~ Stephen Batchelor

We do not have to succumb to the tyranny of our own self judgment. We can observe our reactions with awareness, and let them go. A spiritual practice is not about locking up all the unruly aspects of yourself, in the hope that they will never get free. Spiritual practice is about turning on the light – and the light is love.

Sthira-sukham asanam
The posture should be steady and comfortable
~Yoga Sutra 2:46

Our thoughts about the poses reflect our thoughts about ourselves.

Eight Limb Path of Yoga
1. Yama : Universal morality
2. Niyama : Personal observances
3. Asanas : Body postures
4. Pranayama : Breathing exercises, and control of prana
5. Pratyahara : Control of the senses
6. Dharana : Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness
7. Dhyana : Devotion, Meditation on the Divine
8. Samadhi : Union with the Divine
Yamas (Universal Morality) Yamas and niyamas are the suggestions given on how we should deal with people around us and our attitude toward ourselves. The attitude we have toward things and people outside ourselves is yama, how we relate to ourselves inwardly is niyama. Both are mostly concerned with how we use our energy in relationship to others and to ourselves
1. Ahimsa – Compassion for all living things
The word ahimsa literally mean not to injure or show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. Ahimsa is, however, more than just lack of violence as adapted in yoga. It means kindness, friendliness, and thoughtful consideration of other people and things. It also has to do with our duties and responsibilities too. Ahimsa implies that in every situation we should adopt a considerate attitude and do no harm.
Asana: back bending
Pranayam: Nadi Sodhana
Journaling: Observe your internal dialogue. Are you negative and judgmental toward yourself or positive, loving and believing in yourself?

The Essence of Me...

2008-09-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

I asked you all to journal about "your essence".... I want you to play the role of the sculptor in your own life and think about what you see when you look in the mirror everyday. Do you see a piece of stone? Or do you see the beautiful creation "inside" the stone? Your yoga practice is a tool you can use to help unveil the beauty underneath.

My essence.... I get the most joy out of helping someone else put one foot in front of the other on their own path. I love listening and supporting. I am super silly, love to sing and dance and giggle. I have very serious views about how people treat one another. I am saddend the most though, about how we actually treat ourselves.
I am a free spirit. I am interested in the evolution of my own soul. I am a participator in my own life. I am creating a unique and beautiful space in my little corner of the world.

Namaste.
jessica

Week Two

2008-09-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

Seeing 60 hands raising with an inhale together is such a beautiful thing. I wish you all could see it from my point of view. But then again, that just goes to show how each of us is designed to get something uniquely different out of this class.

I spent extra time selecting music for my two long blocks this week (even though one of my favorite cd's did skip, yet again). The smell if incense enhanced awareness and attention (although this was nixed, sorry guys!). The elements that go into creating a relaxing and safe space are essential.

Asana physical postures) practice was flowing this week, and it was not until I mentioned to my Wednesday morning class that "downward dog was actually a resting pose" did I even hear the first grumbles. I think I may have found an already spiritually enlightened group! :-)

I asked you to blog this week about "your personal yoga" and the "essence of you."
Please feel free to share here anything that may have come up for you while you were journaling, or in general how this second round of class made you feel.
For my morning class especially, I am curious to know how the afternoon classes feel?

I copied and pasted the outlines for the first two weeks of class into blog entries below.

Namaste,
Jessica

Week Two

2008-09-10T15:38:00.000-07:00

Week 2 (9/8-9/12)
Stress (biological)-Stress is an emotional and physical response to threats from the outside world. Common stress reactions include muscular tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, and a variety of physical symptoms, such as headaches and an accelerated heart rate.
Class discussion: What is stressing you out? How do you handle it?
What is your yoga? “When carving stone, the sculptor removes everything that is not the statue. She does not add anything to create it, except the willingness to do the work. The art of revealing beauty lies in removing what conceals it. Our work is to chisel at everything that is not the essence, not Self.” ~Living Your Yoga
“A spiritual practice is one thing that brings us full circle- not to a new self but, rather, back to the essence of our true selves. At the end of a hero’s journey, he finds that he did not need to go anywhere, that all he sought was inside him all along.”
~ Meditations from the Mat
Seva: To be fully human, we must translate our compassion and concern into useful service. Selfless Service.
• First, we must ask this: “What inspires you to be of service to the world?”
• Off the Mat and Into the World
• Seva Project as a class: I would like everyone to work on a five hour Seva Project to be completed by the end of the semester. You can work together.
 Homework for next week: Come prepared with a suggestion for a Seva project
Practive:
• Pranayama: ujjayi breath
• Asana: Sun Salutations, Standing and Seated Poses
• Meditation: Flame in center of heart meditation

Journaling
• What is your yoga? What do you believe makes up the essence of you?

Week One

2008-09-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Discussion: What is Yoga?

Light on Yoga: The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning to bind, join, attach and yoke. To direct and concentrate one’s attention on, to use and apply. It is true union of our will with the will of the Divine.

The Heart of Yoga: “To come together,” “To tie the strands of the mind together,” “To attain what was previously unattainable,” “When we feel in harmony with that higher power,” “Yoga is an attempt to create a state in which we are always present-really present- in every action, in every moment,”

It is not necessary to subscribe to any particular ideas of God in order to follow the yoga path. The practice of yoga only requires us to act and to be attentive to our actions.

Meditations from the Mat: Yoga is the study of balance and balance is the aim of all living creatures.

A spiritual practice is one thing that brings us full circle- not to a new self but, rather, back to the essence of our true selves. At the end of a hero’s journey, he finds that he did not need to go anywhere, that all he sought was inside him all along.
“Yoga is 99 percent practice, one percent theory." ~Pattabhi Jois
“A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves.” ~T. Guillemets
“Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.” ~Patanjali, translated from Sanskrit
• Seva: To be fully human, we must translate our compassion and concern into useful service.
o First, we must ask this: “What inspires you to be of service to the world?”
o Off the Mat and Into the World
o Seva Project as a class: I would like everyone to work on a five hour Seva Project to be completed by the end of the semester. You can work together.
 Homework for next week: Come prepared with a suggestion for a Seva project
• Practive:
o Intention
o Ujjayi Breathing (pranayama)
o Bandhas
o Drishti
o Sun Salutations
o Meditation on the breath
• Journaling
o How do you feel after this first class?
o What do you think you will get out of this class?
o What do you want to get out of this class?

Week One

2008-09-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

“When we acknowledge that all of life is sacred and that each act is an act of choice and therefore sacred, then life is a sacred dance lived consciously each moment. When we live at this level, we participate in the creation of a better world.”
~Scout Cloud

48 Students, 10 weeks, 4 classes per week. This is first time, as far as I know, that a semester long yoga class has been taught in a high school setting in all of Horry and Georgetown counties. That is pretty cool. Congratulations on being a part of such a "ground breaking experiment!"
We began our journey with the basic formalities... introductions and taking a first look at the question: What is Yoga? The class moved through Surya Namaskara A & B (Sun Salutation A & B), which are the first steps to this amazing dance with our selves, we are about to learn.

Do you have any thoughts or comments on the class? How did you feel after? Were you sore the next day? Were you suprised by anything you experienced or was it what you expected?

What did I learn? I learned that I need to check and make sure my cd does not skip the next time :-), I remembered how much I loved my experience at the Academy and how even though I was there 10 years ago (ok, 12 years), the school still has the same essence and integrity traveling though the halls and that makes me proud to be an alumni, I realized the committment I have made to all of you by teaching this class and I am totally in for this ride.

This is an open forum to post questions or thoughts. I will be using this blog to document the classes, post pics and share with the people who helped to make this a possibility. The only thing that I ask out of each of you who have made a committment to be a part of this is to participate in some way in each class. You are free to take with you the parts that fit, and to leave the parts that don't.

With that said, I hope that you all survived the hurricane and I will see you next week!

Namaste,
Jessica

2008-08-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

What is freedom? It comes from inside. You have got to get free inside or you will find yourself in too many beautiful cages.

Addiction and habit and pattern.... oh my!

2008-08-19T05:51:00.001-07:00

Why is it that the SAME "stuff" keeps catching me. I sand and sand and sand, but that pesky rough spot is still there and sometimes I really believe it is not getting any smoother. Sitting here, after the fact it is always so much easier to say "I should have done this, or that or definitely NOT THAT" but I have been here before.
The issue at hand is my reaction towards certain things, people, situations. My habit is letting my fear get the better of me and in doing that I tend to make unwise choices about my actions. Am I making sense without bearing all my dirty laundry out on this blog? I mean, this is the personal of the personal. This is at the core of what is blocking my path to enlightenment. (ok, now I am getting a bit dramatic.... but it is kind of true).
What can I do. How can I shift. I am reading a wonderful book called Meditations from the Mat by Rolf Gates. It has a message everyday, for an entire year taking the student on the not-so-linear eight limbed path of yoga. My message today included words to the effect that sometimes we can get so caught up in our own lives that we become shortsighted. We simply cannot always know what is best for us. My own thoughts immediately jump to my best friend trying to help me work through several recent events. As they unfolded and I became more and more unraveled, he became like a rock and tried to help me do the same. He reached out to me, even though I sat there, my mind drowning in a sea of doubt, fear, even anger. He offered his hand and I refused. At that moment, I preferred my own cess pool of self pity. Naturally, he moved on.... away from me. He was dealing with the same situation, but refused to take the path I had chosen.
Frusteration for me often stems from the fact that I have asked for my piece of humble pie one too many times. I am caught in an ugly cycle of beating my self of over the situation and then beating my self up over how I reacted to it.
World, what do you think?

2008-08-13T06:42:00.001-07:00

I have heard the term "hot and cold Christian," and I definitely fit that bill back in the day of missionary trips, living in sin, teaching church school classes and other "cold" items not to be named in this blog... perhaps in a memoir or something one day. This affliction, I am afraid for my own sake comes with almost anything "organized." Get a group of people together all preaching the same thing and I am just about ready to jump ship. Organized, Schmorginized is what I have to say. It simply becomes a social gathering after a while complete with individuals trying to duck out of their "real lives" to pretend they are something their not.
My dilemma is when I begin to witness this sort of thing, no matter how much I may be enjoying the current activity (for the last 5 years it has been yoga) I make my swift exit and do not return until I have convinced myself that I can handle the "social pressures" of it all.
Namaste.

2008-08-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

Have you ever picked up an old journal and received clarity or closureon a situation or a relationship just by reading the words you had written however many years ago?
I was actually looking for a journal to write in this morning because my current self made book has seen better days. I picked up an old journal, cerca 2005 hoping to find some blank pages at the end to scribble some thoughts. As I glanced through my written words I was amazed to read how unhappy I was... and the worst of it was that I was actually writing and documenting it every day and did not even notice. The relationship I was in at the time continued for almost another year after the entries I skimmed through. I felt myself being pulled back into the who-what-when-where-why and how's of the relationship, but instead I just saw the words for what they were on the page and acknowledged that I was pretty unhappy. I saw through my efforts at putting myself down while lifting my "other" up to find happiness somehow. Why would I do that? I ask myself as I reflect on the last two years of my life.
Fear of lots of things I guess. But, here and now is not the time to ponder or dwell. The words on those pages serve as a marker in my past to show a place I don't care to revisit. With that spirit in mind, I closed the wise book and placed it back on the shelf. My "now" is too amazing to be shoved in the back of a pretty depressing (and too be honest, pretty pathetic) time in my life. My "now" deserves a fresh page and maybe a new pen, too.