Charleston Yogi

SNORES

HA! Just the words snores and farts bring a chuckle to the body and smile to the face. The normal bodily functions somehow bring out laughter and embarrassing moments.  I recently taught a class when a student started to snore heavily during final relaxation (corpse pose/ savasana). The room was already silent, there was a peaceful presence in the room, the lights were dimmed, and the music played softly and then we hear a big fat grandpa-like snore, the one from the back of throat. I chose not to say anything  when I noticed two of my friends cracking up uncontrollably, bodies shaking, hands over mouth. I went over to her and rubbed her neck and she stopped, but as soon as I walked away, the snoring began, even louder this time.

The room was filled with thirty people, and all I could think of was; this is really disturbing to others. So, I walked back over, lifted her legs and gave her a gentle tap on the feet. And then what do you know? Yep… she started snoring with a great big roar again. At this point the whole front row was busting out in laughter and I couldn’t even talk without my voice cracking, holding back my laughter…oh that calm soft voice we teachers get at the end of class to awaken the mind back to the body. “Bring awareness to your breath”…blah blah blah….hehehehe.  And we all let it go…it just turned into a laughing yoga session and a beautiful teaching opportunity of what it means to enter final savasana. Two important lessons were learned that day for me as a teacher and for my students.

1. Honor thy body, if you fall asleep, that is yoking to what your body needs that day.
2. There will be times that savasna will transcend us into higher states of consciousness. A time in which the physical body enjoys being absorbed with the soul, to connect with a deeper part of ourselves or hopefully communing with The Divine essence of LIFE. That the time is so sweet and peaceful that we don’t want to fall to asleep because we will miss that depth and nourishment, which fills our spirits.

FARTS

So what about farts? They are normal too! It makes complete sense that gas is expelled by the detoxifying postures such as twisting poses that aid in digestion and allow the body to release.  I remember taking both my boys to infant massage classes at 8 weeks old to bond and to help alleviate gas. They were so constipated, the poor little guys. And the exercises suggested were knees to chest (apanasana), and even rubbing the belly in a clock wise motion, the same flow as the large intestines to help push it all along.  There are ways to prevent and aid your personal digestion, and this is what happens to you in yoga class. Try to eliminate before class and keep a food diary to see if there are any foods that trigger flatulence, like acidic foods; beans, dairy, yeast. And perhaps add spices such as cumin, coriander, or caraway that help counteract the gas.  It is better to let it out then keep it in! LETTING IT ALL GO!  Remind yourself we all fart! Laugh it off!

LAUGHTER

I will never forget attending a New Year’s Day class at Holy Cow Yoga with Amy Quesenbery and being guided into a laughing meditation. At first I was like, “What? This is silly!” And that’s exactly what it was; silly, fun, contagious, and therapeutic.  The challenge was to stop laughing when the instructor said, “stop laughing.” Infusing the discipline of the mind that yoga offers. Laughter is so good for you and is way more contagious then any cold or a yawn. I was laughing so hard at others laughing that I totally let go of my desire to be in control. It was a true mark of a change in my practice (thank you Amy!) that I now teach a laughing meditation regularly.  Laughing relieves stress, boosts the immune system and strengthens relationships. I felt like I did about 1,000 crunches! No need for an ab workout with a laughing meditation.  Laughing relaxes the whole body and eases tension in the muscles up to 45 minutes after. Laughter also releases endorphins, the happy chemicals that are released in the body.  The Proverb “A happy heart is good medicine,” is utmost merit for laughing increases blood flow and may help in preventing heart disease.  Laughter creates lightness and joy in heart, mind, and soul.  Just say, “hee, hee, ha, ha, ho, ho! “Are you laughing?

TEARS

My mat has become my sacred place to let it all go, a place to bow to the Lord in worship, adoration, and reverence. A place to come to my knees in repentance; stretched out palms in receiving His grace, and a place to stand on Holy ground. A prayerful expression of love and gratitude to the God of the Universe and Savior of the World, Yeshu Nam.  Not only am I moved in laughter but also to tears. If you ever experienced a tear flow during the flow of a class you are not alone.  Tears, like laughter, relieve stress and cleanse the body from emotional grief, but also a release of joy too.  Tears have enzymes that act like antibacterial agent called lysozyme and without it, eye infections could lead to possible blindness. Emotional tears are scientific phenomena, for human beings are the only creatures that shed tears beyond just lubricating the eyes and preventing dehydration. Tears have similar healing benefits like laughing, to releasing endorphins, cleansing the body by eliminating toxins and feeling lighter in heart. Biochemist William Frey spent 15 years of research studying the miracles of tears and found that  “suppressing tears increases stress levels, and contributes to diseases aggravated by stress, such as high blood pressure, heart problems and peptic ulcers.”  When we step on our mat, we step into the world of our inner self and discover the things that are pent up inside.   So like the sweat that falls from our brow in head stand, the tears that flow from our eyes will fall at His feet to cleanse the deepest parts of ourselves.

LET GO…LET GOD

For me, yoga is a practice.  It is not a performance, not an on-again-off-again thing, nor is it perfect. In this practice I have found a lifestyle–a way of moving and flowing and being that keeps me and my ego in checkity-check mode! 

We all have them–egos that is.  But what do we do with them?  To me, humility is huge.  Humility is being brought to my knees after falling down a time or twenty in handstand and getting back up.  It is coming right back to my mat with a smile and tear after my mother’s death, expressing that loss in the form of movement and receiving energy from the practice.  It’s moving deeper into my faith after many sleepless nights, on hands and knees in deep prayer and meditation after a longtime relationship fell apart, then picking up the pieces (or lessons) from it all, understanding and taking what I need from that moment, inhaling a deep breath, then moving on.  Most can relate…right? 

I believe yoga should be accessible to all types of hearts, souls, bodies, and minds.  Many of us start our yoga journey on the mat…we then take the choice of conscious movement and intention and apply it to other areas of life–eating, socializing, sharing, speaking, loving, and connecting.  On the mat, we deepen our understanding of compassion for ourselves and then dedicate that same expression of compassion to the rest of the world as a whole.  Personally, if I come to class and take care of myself, then once I roll my mat up and go back out onto the street and see someone who needs a hand, a dollar, a ride, or a meal, I feel more open to give.  And in turn, when I am down, I feel deserving of receiving that same love. 

Power Yoga also pushes me to my edge, takes me right out of my comfort zone and challenges me. This too is a HUGE help in my life off the mat.  When I am in a situation that is uncomfortable or challenging, I no longer run away or get pissed off, but rather breath and see the lesson in it all.

The practice of yoga is so humbling and beautiful and whole.  Yoga can touch all areas of our lives, leading to a greater understanding of liberation from attachment, faith, connectedness, love, and so much more.  I believe a strong dedication to the physical practice–every day on the mat, moving energy and cleaning out the body–is a huge tool in creating a sense of balance and well being.  I really could go on and on, however, I have a class to get too so with that being said… I hope to see you on the mat soon or on the street for a chat and hug! 

Namaste People!

Sarah Finn

Charleston Power Yoga

See us in action!

The infamous question this week….yes, you got it! “SO what is your New Year’s resolution?” My response this year is I don’t have one. My hope is that I continue to be more aware, conscious and mostly present in whatever I am doing, from being with my family and friends to eating a meal.

The Apostle Paul shares with us in the letter of Philippians encouragement to set our goals. He expresses, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching towards what is ahead.  And I press on toward the goal.”  Some of us continue pressing the rewind button on the video cameras of our minds, like a horrible scene that doesn’t go away! Some of us fix our eyes of what is to come, “when I have this much in the bank, then I will be happy.” How many of us just press on toward the goal?  Or even know what the goal is? First let’s define a goal…“The end toward which effort is directed.”  Synonyms for the word goal are, “target; purpose, object, and intention.” Ah HA, now those are familiar words we hear in yoga.  Set your intention for this practice. Or is it a practice? Shiva Rea stated in an interview on her DVD of Fluid Power, “I don’t practice yoga any more, practicing yoga is like practicing the violin as if you have to achieve perfection. So, I don’t practice yoga, I live yoga, I am yoga.” So in essence within yoga we yoke or join with the Spirit of Life on and off our mats. The goal is simply to BE present with the I AM.  Present within a posture, as we position our bodies to receive the fullness of life. The goal that Paul is talking about is living a life of purpose, BEING in relationship with God. It is not about being perfect; if we were to be perfect then we wouldn’t need Divine intimacy or saving Grace. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit or Prana within our bodies wouldn’t need to be obtained if there was not a goal.  So this year perhaps we just continue onward to forget the past, reach toward the future, and press on toward the goal.   The goal of yoga is to create harmony with mind, body, and soul. Let’s connect with prayers and poses.

For how to get in and out of the poses go to www.yogajournal.com and there will be links with descriptions and photos of the poses below.

Breathe in and out:  “I forget the past”

Our hearts hold on to past wounds, back bends are postures that can release stale and stagnant energy. Postures/Asanas that open the heart and draw the shoulder blades on backside of heart release the past;  the heart bolsters forward and is open to the future. Maybe something comes to mind in this pose, acknowledge it and then release it.

Some Back bends to exlpore-Bridge, Wheel, Cobra, Upward facing Dog, Bow

Breathe in and out: “I reach towards what is ahead”

Standing Mountain Pose with arms reaching towards heaven

Child pose reaching arms long with hope

Warrior II reaching arms equally to the back and front symbolizing the balance between faith and action

Breathe in and out: “I press towards the goal”

In Downward Facing Dog press the heel of the hands and feet into the earth, experience the balance and connection with the Creator of the Universe who holds you up. As your head releases below your heart feel your brain being bathed with new vitality; a fresh start. Fix your eyes on the goal, an internal/external positioning of your whole body with purpose and BEING.

May we grow deeper in love with who The Spirit made us to be in this new year.

Peace and Health-Rachel Glowacki, RYT/HYT

“Tis the season to go crazy…. fa la la la la la la la la!”  Thanksgiving is over and the lights are on and out everywhere, the rush has started and in the craze of worrying about gifts, cards, family and how to afford the gifts can easily put us in a bad mood. BUT “tis the season to be jolly,” right? YES…despite the anxiety driven commercialism of Christmas, we can slow down and embrace the reason for this season.  The reason for the season is to extend abundant love for another and celebrate the birth of Christ who is The Light, Truth and Way.

We just started the Advent tradition in my family and we are on day six and it has truly set our days in motion with purpose. Traditionally Advent is celebrated in the evening, but we gather in the morning to center our day, to symbolize the light of Christ overcoming darkness. The wreath is a visual reminder that God’s love is eternal and never ending. There are three purple candles that represent royalty or the coming of the King. For the first three weeks we light the purple candles, the first week we light one purple candle, the second week we light two purple candles and, the third week we light all three purple candles. On the fourth week we light a pink candle that reminds us of God’s love. On Christmas day a white candle is placed in the center of the wreath to signify God’s purity.  Every morning we sit around our table and follow this simple reading by St. Andrew’s Church that centers our day. One of us lights the candle and repeats, “May the Light of Jesus Christ come into this house.” We add our minds, hearts, thoughts, and bodies. Then we all say together, “O God whose word all things are made holy, put your blessings on this wreath, and may it remind us to slow down our hectic pace and make our hearts ready for the coming of Christ your son and our Lord.”  We take thirty seconds because my kids are four and two, to sit in silence and focus our gaze/drishti on the light. Then together we say the Lord’s the prayer.

It has been such an enriching experience for us as a family and myself personally that, I  have incorporated the candle meditation into my classes, as each student lights each other’s candle and looks at each other in the eyes and says, “The Light in me, sees the Light in You.”   This is the English translation of “Namaste,” a greeting in Sanskrit that literally translates, “I bow to you.”  It is a way to not only greet your fellow neighbor but also honor the person’s spirit within. I often end classes with, “I bow to the Divine Truth that has created each and every one of you.”  We all are created in the image of God, designed and hand crafted with gifts and talents to offer the world. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).  During this season of gift giving, may you find the time to slow down and perhaps reflect on the special gift that you are, designed in the image of God. Jesus came to earth in the body to teach us what love looks like and He invites us to go to Him in our bodies with praise and thanksgiving, as we offer our bodies in prayer with poses.

Son Salutation to the Lord’s Prayer

Created By JeanneAnne Copleston, HYT

Peace and Health,

Rachel Glowacki, RYT

www.sunraeyoga.com

In the matter of two weeks my washing machine, car alternator, computer and camera broke. Thank God for Holy Yoga! These are the times we take our practice off our mat and breathe. As a stay-at-home momma of two boys under four, wife of very busy husband who owns Five Loaves Café and Sesame, and part time yoga teacher, I couldn’t help but have a pity party and thought, “If one more thing breaks, I think I am going to break too!”

True test of character is revealed in the midst of stress. An unknown author wrote, “Peace doesn’t mean to be free from noise, hard work, or trouble, but it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” Despite the inconvenience and frustration, the light bulb goes off inside that I can’t change my circumstances, but I CAN change my mind about them. These external sources which we need of course to make our lives run efficiently when removed teach us something about our reliance on our internal source and humility in asking others for help. If none of those things had broken, I would have missed out on the humbling opportunities of bringing my clothes to a friend’s to wash, or receive rides home with my kids, and experience the willingness of those around me to lend a helping hand.

So what does life look like when the things we rely on daily are removed? It can become a living experience off the mat of withdrawal (pratyahara), the fifth limb of the yoga which is part of the Eight Limb path to wellness. I refer to it as the “AA”approach to yoga. I personally realized how much unnecessary time I spent on the computer and how living unplugged allowed me more precious present time with my loved ones. A check here and check there of emails, Facebook, etc., add up and this time has been truly enlightening in the fact that it is much easier to live without something then it is to live with something and create boundaries. The first limb of yoga Yama means “restraint.” MMMMMMM….The challenge is now: can we live unplugged and be plugged in at all times? “We can through Christ who strengthens us.” So refreshing to know that in our weakness, He is The Source of Strength. It is through the noise, hard work and trouble that we experience deeper spaces of gratitude and thanksgiving for all that is.

Peace and Health,

Rachel Glowacki, RYT

www.sunraeyoga.com

5 Daily Invitations to live unplugged

1. Avoid cell phone use while driving… (I know. So hard!) Commit to at least one route a day and observe your commitment.

2. Depending on your profession, consider what works best for you and discipline self to a daily AM and PM time of checking e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, and surfing the net.

3. When we look at the clock, may it remind us that The Creator Himself is the author of all time.

4. When our phone batteries run out, call on the Lord.

5. Find a silent yoga class or create one at home that moves to the rhythm of the breath instead of music.