Beaches, Palm Trees & Deep Reflection

We have escaped the Canadian winter in favour of a couple of weeks in the Caribbean.  We've been in Sint Maarten for just over a week and I'm finally settled in. It takes me a while to get into vacation mode, so I'm grateful that this time we are able to be away for more than a few days.

Sint Maarten or St Martin is absolutely beautiful. The mountainous landscape of tropical forest, stray goats and turquoise water takes my breath away each time our little rental car turns a corner. I am so thankful to be here. The people are lovely. It really is the "friendly island." 

We are spending our days exploring new beaches, walking, talking, swimming, and reading. I am currently entranced in The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The book is divided into four principles or "agreements" that are meant to guide the reader towards personal freedom and that is exactly what I am seeking in the year 2011, or 20-HEAVEN. 

Here's a little summary of the Agreements:

1. Be Impeccable with Your Word-- Use words that heal rather than destroy or harm.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally-- Recognize that everyone is going through their own shit and that other people's reactions toward often have very little to do with you.
3. Don't Make Assumptions-- Instead of trying to mind read and guess what others are thinking, ask questions and get more clarity.
4. Always do Your Best-- Give as much as you can, no more, no less, and know that "your best" will change according to the condition you are in and/or what's already going on in your life.

I like this format and it makes sense to me. These Agreements seem like an effective way to heal and let go of unnecessary suffering and stress. My Resolution or New Beginning, as I prefer to call it, is just this: I am freeing myself from the bonds of fear and becoming a more confident decision maker.

When I am not mesmerized by the scenery around me, reading or spending time with Craig, I am self-reflecting. I sit or lie on the beach and I contemplate my existence. What am I here to learn? And what can I improve upon? I question the nature of the limitations I place on myself-- what is my fear and why do I carry it around with me? 

Sometimes I notice that the area around my diaphragm is so tight  I find it hard to take a deep breath. I recognize the emotion sitting in my belly is anxiety or fear, but most of the time, I have no idea where it stems from. These sensation must have been there a lot longer than I've been conscious of them. So, I am using the tools I acquired through my practice to help soothe my being and let go of these deep seeded fears, one layer at a time. I close my eyes and I breathe slowly and rhythmically into my abdomen while envisioning the tension releasing itself from my body and disappearing. Some yoga asana also helps me loosen up.

And what are your New Beginnings or New Year's Resolutions for 2011? Are you seeking to clean up your mind like me? Are you trying to kick a bad habit like smoking, as my beloved is doing? (Congratulations for being smoke free for over a week, my love!) Or are you seeking to start an new project?

Whatever commitments we make to ourselves at this turning point is our New Beginning  and an opportunity to grow. The roads may not always be smooth, but it's important to stay focused and know why we are heading in a particular direction. Detours are unavoidable. My suggestion? Weave the commitment into your practice and make the yoga work for you. Like a ritual, every breath and every pose can help motivate and inspire you to stay on track.

The Warriors are my favourite poses for this purpose. As I practice them, I imagine I am embodying the courage, strength, stamina, calmness, focus, determination, stability and nobility of a true warrior that can overcome any and all adversity. I know this may sound a bit silly or cheesy, but this really helps me engage with my practice and helps me get more out of it.

For a little inspiration, here are some photos of Craig took of me last night on the beach in front of our pad:

Warrior I - Virabhadrasana I

 

Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II

Warrior III - Virabhadrasana III

 

"We search for everything we believe we don’t have, not knowing that everything we are looking for is already inside us. We are born with it."
Don Miguel Ruiz Quote

World AIDS Day

Today is December 1st, World AIDS Day. It's the official end of my Stephen Lewis Foundation fundraising campaign and I'm thrilled to announce that WE DID IT!!! Since the start of the Guinness World Record challenge in August, just over $10,800 was collected for SLF!

(I can now admit I was a bit worried that perhaps this fundraising goal was out of my league, because I've never raised that much money before.)

I'm so grateful to my generous supporters and sponsors. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is really special to me.

Radio Canada International had me on The Link today with Marc Montgomery to talk about my SLF campaign as well as the Guinness Record. It was fun. I brought Craig, who is a huge CBC fan and Jasmine, my new business associate in charge of press. Thank you to Seana Pasic, who was so nice to greet us and give us a tour of the studios. Also, thanks to friendly man at the reception who insisted on singing all of our favourite Christmas carols! Here's a photo Jasmine took of me talking to Marc, the host:

I've been trying to create a video of the interview, but my computer keeps getting choked up. So here's the link:

http://www.rcinet.ca/english/column/the-link-s-top-stories/15-46_2010-12-01-yogi-sets-guinness-world-record-to-help-aids-victims/

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In other great news, I spoke to my DVD distributor and it looks like we might release a series of videos for beginners! Very cool.

Back to the Future of Yoga

Recently, I spent four weeks being my own receptionist while in between studio managers at Om West, my Pointe Claire yoga centre. I noticed within the first week of answering calls and emails that most people wanted the same thing: A course for beginners that would make them feel comfortable and where they would learn how to practice yoga safely without feeling silly.

So, I started teaching a new course this week: Yoga Basics for Beginners! It's a four week program designed to introduce new students to the fundamentals of the yoga practice. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but didn't get around to organizing it until now.

It's great. I have more than a dozen people registered in my Tuesday class and about the same in my Saturday class! Their enthusiasm and keen interest in learning about the practice has totally re-invigorated my teaching.

Having spent so many years leading people through intermediate and advanced practices, posture to posture, I realized I really missed teaching yoga 101. So, this Yoga Basics program is awesome for me as an instructor and great for my studio. After all, there more people out there who don't do yoga then there are avid practitioners. I hope to make this an ongoing thing at Om West.

Here's an excerpt from my handout "Young Yogi here some things you need to know…"

1. There is no right or wrong way to do yoga & anyone can do yoga-- Yoga is an art, a healing science, a lifestyle and mindset and ANYONE can do yoga, regardless of age and ability. The great yoga master, TKV Desikachar, wrote in The Heart of Yoga: “The starting point is never the teacher’s needs but those of the student. This requires many different approaches; there is not just one approach for everybody (…) It is not that the person needs to accommodate him- or herself to yoga, but rather the yoga practice must be tailored to fit each person.”
2. Practice on an empty stomach-- Meals should be taken at least 90 mins prior to practice, so you digest fully and avoid eating heavy food. A small snack before practice is ok, especially for diabetics, hypoglycemics or pregnant women.
3. “Don’t make and Asana of yourself," (David Swenson, Ashtanga Yoga Master)-- The original intent of the yoga practice has little to do with yoga postures (‘asana’). Yoga postures are meant to build strength, stamina and increase flexibility so that the practitioner can maintain a steady pose for long periods of time without discomfort. So as senior yogi Hart Lazar says: “Let go of competition, especially with yourself at a younger age!”
4. Breathe-- The breath is key. It's the life of the pose! In yoga, we breathe in & out through the nose during regular asana practice. My basic rule: if you can’t breathe in a pose, you are in too deep!
   
5. Seek stability before flexibility-- Be sure that you are stable & grounded in a pose before seeking depth or a greater “stretch”. You don’t build a house without a solid foundation, so think of your postures in the same way.
6. When not to go upside down-- Inverted postures, like shoulderstand, are not recommended during menstruation as there is a natural downward flow of energy during this time and reversing this flow can disrupt the cycle. (It can also cause a flood!)
7. Keep the potpourri out of the studio-- Refrain from wearing perfume, cologne or essential oils when practicing with a group, because these smells get stronger the more you sweat and this can be distracting, not only for you, but also for everyone around you.
   
8. About chanting-- Most classes begin and/or finish with OM chanting. “OM” isn’t a word. It’s a vibrational sound that helps release tension from the body and helps to connect to the breath and the body. Ashtanga classes traditionally start with an invocation in Sanskrit which pays tribute to the lineage of teachers past & present. Other yoga styles may also chant as part of the practice.
   
9. What’s “Namaste”?-- Most yoga classes finish with a gesture and the saying “Namaste.” In Sanskrit this means: “I honor the divine spirit within you and recognize that this is the same spirit that is in me."
10. Better out that in-- It’s possible to feel a little sensitive or emotional after your practice. This is normal, as yoga and meditation dislodge deep tensions from the mind and body. Clear the residual tension by resting, drinking a soothing tea/water, eating good food and practicing again tomorrow!

However, most importantly, find what’s right for you. Have fun and enjoy your practice. There are many different types of yoga and many different teachers. It’s important to discover what and who resonates with you, and this may change over time. In fact here some web directories to help you find yoga classes near you:

www.yogamontreal.com
www.yogadirectorycanada.com
www.yogafinder.com