Your Own Sweet Abode

This week in my classes I've been focusing on Svadhisthana Chakra, the second chakra. The word "Svadhisthana" means 'one's own sweet abode,' your home, where you live. Located between the navel and the pubic bone, this chakra is said to be associated with the color orange, the element water, and the sensory perception taste. According to my teacher, Anodea Judith, this is our biological program for emotions, desire/pleasure and sexuality, all of which can be difficult to understand, confront and/or express. In the context of the path of yoga, these aspects of being human are often suppressed or ignored. This only seems to strengthen the power of these energies, and they find unconscious and often egregious means of expressing themselves. Pretending they don't exist doesn't make them go away.

Water needs to flow. When it gets dammed up, the power becomes unpredictable; when it doesn't move, it becomes stagnant. This is such a lovely metaphor for our emotions: they need to flow. We often welcome 'good' emotions, but deny 'bad' ones. This means that we 'let ourselves feel' generous, happy, kind, but not so much things like jealous, greedy or angry. Since emotions can have a watery feel to them, I've definitely felt like I could drown in that sea and so have pushed down and denied emotions that have felt too dangerous. Thanks to Irene Bojczuk, I've learned a method called "The Sedona Method" which very simply teaches the skill of acknowledging and inviting emotions as they arise. You don't need to express every emotion, and certainly there are times and situations where doing so would be totally inappropriate. But you allow yourself to feel what you feel, which is incredibly liberating. Emotions give meaning and color to life, and often they make you feel alive.

As for pleasure and desire, these terms in our culture often take on a very sexual nature. Pleasure is registered through the senses, but it doesn't have to always be lustful. Taking a walk along the river, preparing and enjoying a good meal, and, for me, watching my new doggie play with other dogs at the dog park, are incredibly pleasurable experiences. Consider if you allow yourself to actually enjoy your food, or if you mostly stuff something in your mouth while driving or sitting at your computer; if you allow yourself to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been experiencing, or if you move robotically through your day, accomplishing your tasks with the efficiency and joy of a machine. The senses are said to awaken consciousness in the body. We live in a vivid, magical, sensational world. Not fully appreciating that is surely a crime.

Desire points you in a direction. Once you know what you want, you then can create a plan of action to manifest that. Wanting to feel happy and healthy, to practice yoga, to fully awaken in this lifetime: these are desires. Can you get clear about what it is you want, allow yourself to want what you want, and then move toward realizing that, without feeling guilty? Guilt, again according to Anodea Judith, is what she calls the 'demon' of the 2nd chakra. We have built into our language the notion of 'guilty pleasures.' I admitted in class this week that months ago, on a weekday afternoon, I went to the Ritz movie theatre in the middle of the day to watch a French movie by myself. When admitting this to my husband, I felt guilty, as though I should have been at work earning or somehow contributing to our life together. Perhaps it's no surprise to you to consider that 'workaholic-ism' is a symptom of a 2nd chakra imbalance.

Of course it's true we can't 'indulge our desires' all the time; what we're looking for here is balance.

As for sexuality, between you and yourself, get clear about how you relate to your own sexuality. Do you regard this as sacred or profane? Do you have any traumas to address? Anyone you need to forgive, including, perhaps, yourself? There is clearly so much sexual abuse in our culture ... maybe all cultures. Clearly seeing what you have to deal with will liberate all the energy you've invested in containing or suppressing it so you can heal. To heal means to make whole. Here you work to remove all of the internal barriers you have erected that create the feeling of separation so you can discover the wholeness that always already is.

Characteristics of a balanced second chakra include the ability to nurture self and others, emotional intelligence, appropriate boundaries and the ability to experience joy. This is certainly worth working toward!

Holy "MA" Phase!

In the continuous, colliding cycle of OM, beginnings, middles and ends are always occurring. As my teacher, Cyndi Lee expressed, life is a series of 'things' arising, abiding and dissolving. There are big beginnings, like weddings, birth, the start of a new school year or the opening of a new business venture. Beginnings often feel exciting and hopeful, ripe with possibility. The 'middle' or 'abiding' part is often where the real energy and effort is invested; it's where we realize success and confront disappointment, and where our mettle is tested and many lessons are learned. The 'middle' can feel tedious or boring, but it's also where we can savor the satisfaction of applying ourselves and making a meaningful contribution to the community and/or the world at large. And, of course, we realize that any 'thing' that has a beginning will eventually have an end. Endings are often sad, and are sometimes quite painful. There might be bitterness, resentment, and even a tendency to look for someone to blame. It has occurred to me, however, that the manner with which we navigate the "MA" phase of the OM cycle, the dissolving/end part, gives us the raw material with which we create the next new beginning. When we attend to the ending with tenderness, compassion and clarity we create the conditions for an inspired, energized and creative new beginning.

Of course, I've been sitting with these thoughts lately following the decision to close Wake Up Yoga West. Many factors have contributed to this ending, and, truthfully, it feels less like a decision and more like the only choice. Even so, those of us who have loved that space and the cOMmUNITY that has been nurtured and growing there for nearly 6 years, feel quite sad that this is the case.

In our efforts to attend to the ending with grace and compassion, we intend to offer classes through the 6 pm class on Tuesday, April 17th. We recognize that many students have invested in class cards specifically because the West studio fit naturally with their daily flow, and that the other Wake Up Yoga studios may be less convenient. If students keep coming, we will keep teaching. If, however, class size drops off dramatically, we may have to close our doors sooner. We hope to go out on a high note, and recognize that any sadness and disappointment that result from this decision only exist because the space has been so special for so many people. Our March schedule is slightly modified, and a few classes toward the end of the month will have to be canceled. I am so grateful to and inspired by the teachers who are committed to continuing to tend to their classes as we ride out this ending. Of course, students who have remaining classes on their class cards are invited to use them at our other two studios. Both Rebecca Hooper and Victoria Ladd will teach a final workshop at Wake Up Yoga West in March and April, which will be beautiful and inspired ways to maximize the positive, life-affirming resource this studio has been.

Manorama, and the Gods & Goddesses, or: what you will be doing February 25 & 26

Greetings, Sweet Yoga Friend,

When I was in Yoga Teacher School, 13 years ago, at OM Yoga Center in NYC, one of our weekends was devoted to the study of Sanskrit. We trudged down to the Lower East Side for a workshop with Manorama ji, who, I believe, was still in graduate school at Columbia at the time. Manorama sat at the front of the class on a cloud of pillows with a shawl wrapped elegantly around her shoulders, and spoke lovingly about her Guru ji, sharing a passion for the language of Sanskrit which sticks with me today. When I chant the Vowel Sounds of Sanskrit, I am drawing directly from the memory of that first workshop; when I chant the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, it is her voice I hear in my head and try to emulate.

Of course, at the time, I thought "Gerji"(spelled how I thought it sounded) was the name of her teacher. Only later did I learn that 'ji' at the end of the name is a term of endearment, and so this was her affectionate and reverent name for her teacher.

Since then I have learned a great deal about devotion and reverence from Manorama ji. Through her way of being she conveys the realization that all of yoga is a teaching, passed down from teacher to student, reinforcing the importance of sending gratitude back toward our teachers, and adopting an attitude of humility as we advance the teaching forward. I have learned to stay open and curious, to not 'stick the landing,' as in, not hold on too tightly to my current perceptions in an effort to solidify the truth. She eloquently described what she refers to as "the OM cycle," and I have pages and pages filled with pearls of wisdom she shares about this quest for truth called yoga.

I am so excited to be hosting Ma for a weekend workshop entitled, "Gods and Goddesses," scheduled for the last weekend of February. In this workshop, Manorama ji will be sharing stories and myths about many of the deities in the Hindu pantheon from the perspective of the Western student. Rather than regarding these icons as literal manifestations of the Divine (as some do, but we are not necessarily required to), this workshop will inspire teachers and devoted students to see them as archetypes representing aspects of our own intrinsic nature. You will learn about your own ability to remove perceived obstacles in your path, understand the power of devotion which makes the impossible possible, recognize the true source of your strength and fortitude, and begin to see yourself as embodying all these qualities yourself. This weekend will affirm your goodness, shine light on areas you may need to bring into harmony, and leave you feeling connected to yourself and your source. Together we'll chant, listen to stories, and begin to see all of life as an opportunity for growth, connection and joy.

If you are interested in enrolling in this program, please call the studio a 215.235.1228, or email Alane. I know many of us like to make decisions at the last minute to keep options open, but we need to ensure we have adequate enrollment by next week. By cOMmitting by Monday, January 23rd, you will help ensure that this workshop happens. To sweeten the deal, we are extending the early registration date to 1/23/12.

Manorama is a magical teacher who spins a web of sweetness, laughter and luminosity. Her voice will echo in your head for years to come.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Sweet Yoga Friend!

The crisp coldness of Pennsylvania's January inspires a cozy, introspective, get-down-to-business feeling that is ripe with possibility and ebullient with excitement. With so many delightful obligations fulfilled, it seems only fair and appropriate to inquire into the nature of what it is that YOU want. What will make you happy? How will you feel fulfilled, actualized and expressed? This, I believe, is the root of our New Year's Resolutions: a personal inquiry into what will bring genuine, authentic happiness.

Yoga practice is teaching so many valuable lessons in the pursuit of living a fulfilling life. The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali advises two complementary disciplines for achieving the goal of yoga; we could even see them as two sides of the same coin. The ultimate goal of yoga is the realization of truth, discovering who you really are. Even if that is not one of your conscious goals right now, Patanjali's advice could be applied to the pursuit of any goal.

The two disciplines, according to Yoga Sutra 1.12 are Practice and Non-Attachment. Practice is defined as the pursuit of the goal: whatever it is you are doing to achieve that. He goes on to say that practice becomes firmly grounded when it is attended to for a long time, without interruption, with reverence.

What is 'a long time?' To a young child, summer is a long time; to an elderly person, 60 years may seem like a long time. Waiting for the kettle to boil, or the bus to come, or the 5-minutes to pass in a deep hip-opening yin yoga pose each may seem like a long time. In the context of reincarnation, 7 lifetimes may be a long time. The point here is that meaningful results could take a while. This seems to indicate that it's important that you actually enjoy the steps on the path that may take you to the goal. If your goal is to complete a marathon, you better enjoy running! Many people profess to want to achieve one thing or another but discover they loathe every step of the way. Choose a goal with a pathway that you will relish traversing.

'Without interruption' requires a steadfast commitment to your goal. This means that you can't pursue one goal today, a different one tomorrow, and change gears again next week. If you want to learn a foreign language, for example, you can't get the Rosetta Stone for Italian and then sign up for a class at the Alliance Francaise, and look for a Spanish tutor, only to enroll in a sculpture class, and then get a personal trainer. In fact, the opportunity cost of pursuing any single goal is all of the things you cannot do as a result. If your goal is to visit China, for example, then all of your vacation time and savings has to be allocated toward realizing that trip. If you are pursuing a Yoga Teacher Training Certificate, 'without interruption' means that you have to forgo all of the other things you might have done with your time and money, at least for the duration of the course. 'Without interruption' requires you to not change your mind, to have no exit strategy.

'With reverence' indicates a recognition that you are not ultimately in control, and so all of your alleged achievements are in some way connected to grace, or at least to something you cannot take credit for. "With reverence' invites humility, wonder and awe. It means that you are not in pursuit of your goals solely for your own benefit. You pursue your dreams and visions because that is what you were born to you, and you see how your own happiness can benefit the whole world. When you are happy and fulfilled, you are probably a lot kinder, more patient, and more willing to extend a hand. When you are happy, you become a source of happiness and inspiration to others. Pursuing your goal 'with reverence' acknowledges that other people are involved in your achievements; there is precious little you could actually 'do' by yourself alone. It invites gratitude and generosity.

Non-Attachment, the other required discipline, is defined as not being pulled away by objects seen or heard about. You don't get distracted. It's also what is required in order to remain committed when challenges arise, or things are not going as hoped. Non-attachment means that you devote yourself fully to the task at hand, but you let go of the need to measure where you are and assess how you are doing. We can all get discouraged by setbacks; Non-Attachment is not giving in to the discouragement.

Fortified by this sage advice from Patanjali, what do you feel inspired to pursue in 2012? What will bring you genuine happiness? How better could you 'spend your life?'

Santa Comes to Dubai!

When I arrived in Dubai, after a 14 hour flight with little sleep, I marveled at the Christmas decorations in the airport. I have a fuzzy memory of thinking how amusing it was to see that. If Dubai is about shopping, than of course a secular version of Christmas would fit right in.

Today the Oasis Center's central area was completely filled in with Christmas trees, 'snow'men, reindeer, and even wolves and enormous stuffed squirrels. The Mall Manager greeted my photo op with a laugh and told me that Santa is coming to Oasis Center tomorrow, with elves, too. He appeared to be from India, and he told me that in Dubai, Christmas decorations are allowed, but no advertisements or billboards displaying Christmas 'propaganda.' He is also forbidden to have Christmas Carols in the center. He was required to remove the 'santa hats' from models in an advertisement.

In keeping with the Christmas and snow theme, the other day I made it the Mall of Emirates, which has the Ski Slope hotel attached to it. This photo is from the window in the mall. Some people living here have told me that they learned to ski here before going on a ski vacation, so I suppose it has a deeper purpose than simply novelty. There weren't tons of people there while I peeped in, but it was the day after a long, holiday weekend. Noura says it's often busy, and that she's been a few times. You can even rent Parkas and ski pants ... everything but gloves.

Turkish Coffee with a Hint of Cardamom

This is what fills my French Press these mornings; it's quite tasty. They don't seem to have half & half, as such. It's a bit of a challenge to find cream for my coffee, and what I've found comes in plastic containers that resemble ones that contain yogurt, sort of.

The alarm wakes me at 5:20 am. Coffee has been prepared the night before. In this apartment there is an electric kettle, which is total genius. A glass of hot lemon water goes done while the hot water steeps some flavor out of those coarse little granules, and I scurry to prepare myself. Teeth brushed, tongue scraped, and at least a little color on my face. Then, it's a mad dash to Skype my honey, check email, and peruse Facebook.

Raju picks me up at around 6:15 am, and I get to Oasis Center by 6:40 ish. The employees at the Center lay the mats out, and I often rearrange them just so. The ipod plugs directly into the wall, and their sound system speakers are hidden in the ceiling, I guess. We don't have lots of yoga props, but many of the students have brought some blocks and blankets.

Class goes essentially from 7 am to 4:30 pm, with a few breaks. I get 'home' by around 5:15 pm, or so, which is a pretty full day.

The training is almost complete, in that we conclude on Saturday. What's still difficult to wrap my mind around is that we still have about 40 hours together! The students have traveled quite a distance on their yoga path, and I'm feeling quite good about the foundation we have established together. They have teaching practice on Friday, in which half of them are teaching a full class while the other half practices; after the break, the roles switch for a different sequence.

They have all grown as yoga practitioners and are budding teachers, but what has also grown has been a community of tremendous support, respect and love. Yoga truly is for everyBODY, and may be the force that can indeed unite the world.

That Which is Ever New

In Yoga Philosophy, "OM" is said to be comprised of 4 parts: A - U - M (pronounced the Ahhh, the OOOh, and the Maaa) followed by the silence which 'carries the vibration.' These 4 parts of OM are said to correspond to such things as past, present, future and timeless-ness; Creation, Sustenance, Dissolution and that which is eternal ... also described as Beginnings, Middles and Ends and the formless reality which had no beginning and so can have no end. Manorama refers to this as the 'OM Cycle', which is continuously shaping and reshaping itself in each arising mOMent.

Today officially marks the end of the 2nd week of the Teacher Training Program I'm currently teaching in Dubai, U.A.E. In "OM Speak," we have just ended the middle part of the training, and have just begun the end phase. The end phase will have a beginning, a middle and an end. This, of course, as you in the States are in the 'middle' of your weekend, but here, the weekend is officially over, and tomorrow a new work week begins. We are still in the beginning of December, but it's toward the end of the year. As I write this now (9 hours ahead of the East Coast), it's the end of the day, and yet it's the beginning of the middle of the day in Philadelphia. Continuously colliding cycles create our experience of reality.

Another word for OM, according to the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, is Pranava. Some have said this word means, "sustains life and runs on prana, or the breath." Others have said the word means 'a humming sound.' Manorama has defined it as "That which is ever new."

To tune into Pranava, is to recognize that, even though things seem the same, this moment has never happened before. It is a trick of the mind to think, "been there, done that." Tapping into the power of OM is to remain vibrantly connected to the continuous unfolding of your life. By being attentive to how you conclude whatever is 'ending,' you have the power to create new beginnings. In fact, there is a new beginning tucked into every single breath.

As we slide through the middle of the holiday season and toward the end of 2011, rather than wishing it was over, see how attentive you can become to the entire cycle. As we approach the Winter Solstice, which is a great metaphor for the 'dissolution' phase of the cycle, ask yourself if there is anything you are finally ready to let go of in order to create the space for a new beginning. Can you release a grudge? Forgive someone a perceived wrong, even if that someone is yourself? Relinquish anger or resentment or blame? Forsake jealousy or pride or the indignation of having been hurt by life? Buried within the frozen hardness of winter are the seeds which will sprout springtime. Manage your endings skillfully, to create the space and the conditions for the next wave of OM.