Finding Your Edge

One of my very first yoga teachers, Beryl Bender Birch said something in her DVD 'Power Yoga' that I have always remembered- "don't strain, don't sleep." Sometimes when I am practicing and mind wanders I hear her voice in my head reminding me of this, put some energy in the pose, explore, but know your limits. The longer we practice and as our bodies open up is it easy to go into autopilot, when this happens our practice can get a little stagnant and maybe even (dare I say it?) boring. BUT that doesn't have to be the case. When we work with our 'edge'- that place where we feel the work without injuring ourselves, there is always something new to learn and the boredom lifts instantly. When we involve our entire selves in the practice, make ourselves present in the practice we can learn and gain so much.

This also brings to mind one of my favorite sanskrit words which is 'svadhyaya' meaning self study. Practicing your poses is a form of svadhyaya- how is your body feeling today? are your hamstrings tight from taking that run? and on a deeper level- is my breathing deep or shallow, fast or slow? and on an even deeper level- where is my mind today? is it on my practice or somewhere else? can I bring it back to my practice when it wanders? and if you want you could take it EVEN DEEPER- how connected am I to the world around me? to the people around me? am I following my path? is the right path? and the list goes on and on and becomes more and more personal and therefore different for everyone.

In this way we not only practice our yoga but we begin to live our yoga, on and off our mats and at all times.

The fear of falling

Yesterday in class, I fell. It was while I was doing headstand, I just sort of toppled over and did a somersault. I looked up and the assistant said "it's not really that scary, is it?"- rather than feeling embarrassed and shy about it- I felt exhilarated. No, it wasn't that scary, it was actually kind of fun.

It got me thinking- how do we move forward if we alway stay where we are comfortable? Taking risks is how me move forward, not just in our asana practice but in life. If we only did what we were comfortable doing how would we ever learn how to do anything? A new pose, a new instrument, a new language, anything, requires us to 'get it wrong' at least a few times before we 'get it right' so why is falling or failing or getting something 'wrong' such a scary thought? Maybe we don't want to be singled out or admit that we are, in fact, human. Whatever the reason (and I think it must be different for everyone) it is worth examining in our own lives.

So, in the next few days- try something that you've never done before- maybe it is scary or moves you out of your comfort zone but just like you do on your mat- see if you can stay with your breath and move through it. You might surprise yourself.

New Studio Opening Soon!

I am very excited to share with you all that this studio and wellness center will be opening soon. Great teachers, massage, food and all sorts of other great stuff. I am scheduled to be teaching Wednesday and Friday mornings. Please come and support the community!

Click here for a link to the newly launched website.

Recipe Review: Butternut Squash Soup with Fennel, Ginger and Garlic

Yesterday seemed like a soup day so I FINALLY got around to making a soup I found on the 'Joyful Belly' website, an ayurvedic website with lots of recipes and useful info.

Here is a link to the soup.

Overall the recipe was good, but needed a little more something- maybe more garlic and ginger, the fennel seeds were a touch overwhelming. The only change I made was I but some bouillon in the water when I added it for a little flavor. I think with a little work this soup could be really good and it was easy and fast to make. It didn't say in the directions but I used my hand blender and pureed the whole thing. Chunks of squash in soup just don't work for me. Let me know if you give it a try- this soup has serious potential.

Rain

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." - Langston Hughes
I went to sleep last night listening to the rain drops on my window. Here in LA that doesn't happen very often so when it does I really listen. I love the meditative, calming quality of the drops hitting the windows and the roof.

Every time I step onto my yoga mat I take a moment to turn my attention inward, to let the rest of my day, my week, my life drift away so I can be present with my breath. Somehow when it is raining I have a much easier time doing this, I feel grounded, present and calm without even trying.

Autumn and Winter are natural times of turning inward. You can see this in nature, the leaves fall and the days get shorter, animals begin to store food and move toward hibernation. Even my cat seems to sleep even more (if that is possible) during the day.

Your practice can shift reflect this and nurture you this time of year, take some extra time in Savasana, hold your standing poses a little longer, get grounded by really feeling your feet or whatever part of you is connected to the floor. Listen to the shifts in your body as we move out of Summer and into the colder months.

It's also a time for eating warm foods and drinking hot apple cider and tea, keep yourself warm. Make some soup, enjoy a cup of coffee with friends or a good book.

This is by far and away my favorite time of year. Maybe its because I grew up in Seattle and the Autumns up there are so beautiful, maybe its because I get to bake everyday if I want to, but whatever the reason I just feel good this time of year.

What is your favorite thing about Autumn? I am sure we would all love to hear it :)

Peace and Light,
KM