this is bliss
I have this memory of being in church with my mom. It was a Sunday morning mass – I was about 4 years old. I remember looking up at her and whispering, “Am I being good?” There was something so important to me at the young age about being good – doing my best –and being recognized for it. For better or for worse, that quality of wanting to be perfect and being seen that way still lingers within me. While that quality has given me the drive to accomplish all the things I have in my life and to create the life I’m living, it’s also the force that challenges me day in and day out - that secretly encourages me to take on more than I can possibly get done; that keeps me up late trying to get everything done; that demands too much from me, and from time to time from those around me.
Sthira Sukham Asanam is the 46th sutra of book two of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It reminds us that our asana (physical poses) should be both steady and comfortable. It also reminds us that the practice is not about perfecting the poses, or pushing ourselves in them, but rather about finding our “edge” – that place where we feel fully engaged in the poses without pushing ourselves too far into them or backing out so much that we can just hang out in them.
It’s funny how on my yoga mat I can bring this teaching into my practice and respect it. I can feel so clearly when I’m attached to attaining a pose and start to push beyond my current ability. And I can take that teaching to heart and apply it and remember to meet myself where I am and go slightly deeper only when appropriate, little by little. The teaching helps me to let go of perfection on my mat and allows me to more fully enjoy what I’m experiencing in the poses. But for some reason, off my mat the teaching dissipates. Suddenly I find myself taking on way too many obligations, creating an endless list of things on my to-do list, pushing myself to barrel through in order to cross everything off - all while I’m feeling like there is not enough time. It feels like I’m pushing myself to be everything for everyone, to get everything done – to be superwoman – turning down help from my husband for fear of being seen as incompetent – unable to handle all that is on my plate. And then, of course, judging myself when I can’t realistically get it all done.
I’m not sure where or why the disconnect happens, but I’m trying to recognize those moments of pushing and perfecting in my time off the mat in the same way I can find them on my mat. My hope is that with refined awareness and lots of practice and pausing, I will become more sensitive to the times I want to say yes to everything and no to any help offered, and learn to say no to a few things and yes to a little help. And I truly hope to learn to enjoy more fully the experience that each moment of life has to offer.
QUOTE
Ease is action without effort.
Living your yoga: Ease does not mean doing nothing. Rather, it means that what you do flows from your core and does not require effort. What takes effort in your life? How can you find the ease in that activity today? From A Year of Living Your Yoga, by Judith Lasater.
BEST PRACTICES
Just like we can dissect a challenging pose into smaller components that we can work on to lead us toward a fuller expression of the pose, we can also do it with all the stuff that we expect ourselves to do off the mat. Rather than tackle our “to-do lists” all at once we can look at what we need to do and break it into smaller components, which may even help us prioritize what we need to do first, see what we can lose from that endless to do list, or ask someone else to help us.
Can you imagine saying no to one thing that is asked of you - even if it’s just a no for the time being?
Can you do 10% less in your yoga practice? Can you do 10% less in your life practice?
When you find yourself pushing or trying to be perfect, ask yourself, is this the person I want to be right now – is this (in the spirit of or in line with) who I truly am?
WORDS OF WISDOM
What Patanjali teaches about “comfortable” has relevance to the practice of yoga poses, which are not different from the practice of life itself. Learning to live in a way that is comfortable, or agreeable, to others and to the Earth is crucial. It begins when you can bring a sense of the comfortable to your inner life, to your thoughts, and to how you frame your reality by how you speak to yourself….When you resort to self-judgment, you are no longer present, you are no longer practicing. Learning to be present with yourself and to abide in that which is “steady and comfortable” does not allow space for self-judgment. When you live this way, you are practicing yoga: you are living fully. From Living Your Yoga by Judith Lasater.
MEDITATION IDEAS
I love using mantras in my meditation. Just the thought of a positive word or phrase feels so refreshing – like opening a window on a cool spring morning. It manages to shift my whole mental perspective, which in turn affects my physical being.
- Sit up comfortably on the edge of a blanket, block or meditation cushion. Sit up high enough to allow your legs to cross in front of you, like a pretzel, allowing the thigh bones to release toward the floor and the tops of the shins to rest on the floor effortlessly. You should feel the weight slightly forward on your sitting bones and maintain the natural curves of your spine.
- Soften your gaze toward to floor, while maintaining the length through the back of your neck.
- Tune in to the rhythm of your breath. Let your thoughts float by like clouds drifting across the sky.
- Once you feel connected to your breath, start to incorporate the mantra, “Ease”. With each inhale mentally say to yourself “ease”; with each exhale say to yourself “ease”. If you lose track of the mantra that is fine. When you notice that happening just come back to it. Again, we are not looking to perfect our meditation technique, we are simply looking for a way to slow down, re-center, and create an environment for ourselves where we can approach life in a focused and yet easeful way.
- Sit like this for 5 to 20 minutes lightly saying to yourself “ease”, letting the word, the feeling it creates wash over you.
If the word ease doesn’t resonate with you, pick another word, like patience, softness, peace.
To access more meditation ideas, check out www.yogajournal.com
SAY WHAT? YOUR SANSKRIT WORD OF THE SEASON
Sukha – ease, comfort, happiness
STUDENT OF THE SEASON
this is…Victor Cruz!
When did you first start practicing yoga?
I became interested in yoga fifteen years ago when I was going to graduate school. I have tried different teachers and styles ever since, but I was never able to stick to one until I decided to take up yoga again over a year ago, and I am very happy with the results.
What drew you to the practice initially/what prompted you to start?
I enrolled in yoga classes back then because of my studies. I was under a lot of stress and I thought yoga was going to help me manage my stress and tension. And it did.
What keeps you coming back to the yoga practice?
What I have learned through all these years is that our bodies and minds are like a whole universe that needs to be explored in order to have a better sense of who we are.
How often do you practice yoga each week?
I try to practice yoga three times a week. Besides Yoga Bliss, I have a copy of The Iyengar Way which I use for my home practice and there are some yoga programs on TV that are also helpful.
Do you practice any other forms of exercise (like pilates, running, aerobics, swimming...) - or something else that you find is a great compliment to your yoga practice (like meditation, tai chi etc.)?
I run three days every week and I do a form of prayer called Centering Prayer whose origins can be traced back to the contemplation practices by early Christians. It is not meditation but is more about sitting in silence for at least 20 minutes and acknowledging God’s presence. I try to do that twice a day.
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling us the kind of work you do and if/how the practice has impacted your work life? It could be an awareness that you've obtained through your practice that you bring to your work, or how the practice has impacted your working relationships with colleagues.
I work as a Spanish Interpreter at The Legal Aid Society of New York, mostly for the Criminal Defense Practice and obviously, we deal with difficult cases under very stressful circumstances. There are certain types of jobs that are so intense that often people unwittingly behave as if they are always in the office. Yoga gently forces you to stop, look at yourself and remind you that your work is only a part of your life.
How has having a yoga practice helped you on a physical level? How about on a "mental/emotional/spiritual" level?
Someone in my office told me that I have good posture and I really hope this is one of the results of yoga. Yoga has also helped me ease some strain in my lower back caused by running and although I cannot do certain poses (most notably inversions) due to glaucoma and high blood pressure I can assure that I have a sense of enjoying a general feeling of physical wellbeing by just doing what I am allowed to do.
Besides the benefits that I previously mentioned, yoga has helped me deal with the everyday life in a city like New York. When I think that my blood is about to boil because the train is delayed, I just say: What the heck? And I cool down. I hope I can bring that to every aspect of my life.
Has your yoga practice on the mat impacted your life off the mat - if so, how?
I have become more open to explore different paths to enrich my spiritual life.
Do you have a favorite part of the practice? If so, what and why?
Ardha Chandrasana, of course! (Laughs). Just kidding! Come to think about it, I do not have a favorite practice. What I know is that I did not like most of the sitting poses because my pelvis is a little too tight, but somehow I have learned not to be proud and accept the fact that there are poses that will be more difficult than others and there is nothing wrong with that.
Is there anything about the practice that challenges you? And if so, how do you "work" through or with that?
Balance poses are challenging to me. One thing that used to frustrate me was that just when I thought I was doing a balancing pose well (that can also be extended to every pose), then the other side did not respond well. And, because balance poses are so challenging to me, I just think that I have to be patient with my own body and that in yoga there is no such thing as permanence because one day, you’re in a particular spot and then, the following week you might go backwards and so forth.
What does it mean to you to "deepen" your practice?
It means that I become more aware of my body, of the importance of every cell, every nerve, muscle and bone and how interconnected they are. As a result, you want to take good care and your body and your mind.
Is there any one thing that you have learned about yourself through the practice that you didn't really know about yourself?
That I was going to be committed to something for so long. Because even though there have been long stretches of time where I did not do any yoga for a number of reasons, my interest in yoga remained with me.
What do you look forward to in terms of the practice, where you've been going with it, where you hope it might lead you...?
I want to continue to deepen my practice and I hope that if I reach an old age, that I’ll be able to do yoga and that my practice will give me the ability to always surprise myself. In general, we have this idea that character growth and development stops at a certain age and then afterwards you live in a certain mindset. Yoga is so great that it helps you become more flexible and more open to positive changes at any stage of your life.
POSE OF THE SEASON
Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
Revolved Triangle pose is one of those poses that tests my ability to find steadiness and ease. It has the elements of a twist, which I love, and a forward bend, which I find so challenging. In my desire to twist deeply, I risk sacrificing mindful forward bending. So maintaining balance is key. Try this pose gradually, using props where you need to, so that you give yourself the opportunity to experience a deep twist for the spine and organs, and a stretch for the hamstrings, outer thighs and hips.
(if you have knee, low back, hamstring, sacroiliac joint, or shoulder issues, please be mindful. If you are pregnant, this is not a pose for you at this time. As with any physical/ exercise program you should always consult your doctor before trying a new practice)
Come to stand in Tadasana (Standing Mountain Pose).
Inhale your hands to your hips.
Exhale, soften your knees and tilt your pelvis forward over your thighs, folding into a soft-kneed standing forward bend.
Inhale and step your Left leg back a moderate distance (maybe 3 feet) into a lunge.
Exhale and spin your Left heel onto the ground. Let the toes angle slightly out.
Inhale your Left hand onto a block on the inside of the foot (less challenging) or the outside of the foot (more challenging).
Exhale your Right thumb into your right hip crease and draw it back.
Inhale and lengthen your spine forward as if you were making a backbend in your middle/upper back. Let your pelvis tilt forward onto your thighs.
Exhale and twist to the Right. Allow the twist to start from the pelvis and travel up through the neck.
Inhale and slowly begin to straighten your Right leg, until you feel a moderate stretch.
Continue to Inhale, finding length through the spine, and to Exhale, deepening the twist.
Your Right hand can stay on your hip, encouraging it to draw back, or you can raise it up into the sky.
Go Deeper
Foundation
On your front, Right foot, ground down through the big toe mound and outer heel. On your back, Left foot, ground down through your inner heel and your pinky toe mound. If the back heel has trouble grounding, you can put a blanket or yoga wedge under your heel.
As both feet ground down, find little lifts through the inner arches of the feet to draw energy up the inner legs to keep them engaged and vibrant, rather than dull and collapsing. Root your Left hand into the block. From that rooting, rebound the energy up into the chest, and lengthen and lift the chest away from the ground.
Pelvis/Spine/Legs
With each Inhale re-engage the length of the spine as if creating a backbend in the middle/upper back. Continue to tilt the pelvis forward over the legs to create the action of the forward bend. It will feel like the sitting bones are trying to spin upwards.
With each Exhale draw the belly toward the spine to engage the abdominal muscles and twist from your pelvis through your neck, so the whole length of your spine is involved in the twist. It is absolutely ok if the Left hip comes forward into the twist (meaning the hips do not stay level) – this will maintain safety and stability in your sacroiliac joints (where the spine and pelvis meet). As you twist, let the Left hip come forward and let the Right hip draw back. Keep rolling your Right outer thigh out, while you root the big toe mound down.
Arms/Shoulder/Neck
Press down through the length of your Left arm. Roll your Right shoulder back, to draw the shoulder blade into the back body and down toward your hip. Your Right hand can stay on your hip, drawing it back, or it can raise up into the sky. Either way, keep your heart open, rising up to the sky. Explore gently hugging the shoulder blades toward each other to cradle your heart even more open and up.
Invite your neck into the twist, and try to keep the Left side of your neck long, almost parallel to the earth. Draw your chin slightly toward your throat so the back of your neck remains long.
Can you invite your eyes and jaw to remain soft and receptive? Can you remember to use your breath while in the shape? Let the Inhale help you create a sense of space in the body; use the exhale to help you draw the belly toward the spine, compress the organs, and move more deeply into the twist. Can you think of the whole spine twisting, rather than just a portion of it?
TEACHING SCHEDULE
Yoga Bliss,www.yogablissnyc.com
Our Summer 2010 series is underway!!!!!
Group Evening Courses are held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7-8:30pm.
*Gentle Bliss Flow – a wonderful way to relieve tension and stress and open up the body and mind.
Monday nights, June 7 – July 26 (no class 6/21)
*Basic Vinyasa Flow – begin to uncover more strength and flexibility in your body as you explore more deeply the alignment of the shapes and how they link with your breath.
Tuesday nights, June 8 – July 27 (no class 6/22)
*Intermediate Vinyasa Flow – feel your internal power soar as you get your breath and body flowing together in this dynamic moving meditation!
Thursday nights, June 10 – July 29 (no class 6/24)
*FREE Yoga Bliss yoga classes in Marcus Garvey Park
Bring your summer to a beautiful close with FREE Yoga Bliss yoga classes in Marcus Garvey Park. Join us every Thursday evening in August (8/5,12,19,26, 7-8:30pm), where we will find our bliss beneath the billowing trees and the golden sunsets. Align your body, free your mind, and reconnect with nature and your true self.
Advance sign-up for all Yoga Bliss evening courses and workshops is required – call or email me to reserve your spot.
Daytime Group Drop in Classes are held Thursdays, 12:30-1:30pm.
*Mixed Level Vinyasa drop in classes atHarlem Healing Arts, 18 E 116 St. (no pre-registration required for the drop-in classes)
Private Restorative and Vinyasa sessions with Beth are available.
Corporate classes are available
YOGA BLISS GIFT CERTIFICATES are available for Yoga Bliss classes and private sessions. Perfect gift ideas for the holiday season!!
You can also find me teaching at:
- Wednesdays – 12:30-1:30 Mixer/Open Level Vinyasa
Thank you so much for reading the Summer issue of this is bliss. Please feel free to share any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, or comments. And certainly feel free to pass this along to anyone else you think might enjoy reading it. If you would like to be removed from the mailing list, please email and let me know.
Peace, Love, and BLISS!
Beth
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Yoga Bliss
beth@yogablissnyc.com
212-712-8715
