Day 98 - Joys

One of the greatest pleasures this whole 108x108 project has offered me is the chance to connect with other people and to share the blissful, transformational power of completing 108 sun salutations.

Yesterday, Bossa did her first 108 and sent me a message hours later saying she was still glowing from the experience. I love hearing about other peoples revelations. It makes my heart soar and keeps me motivated.

This morning, Miranda and I were joined by Colleen and Jocelyn, two of her students. They had never attempted a surya namaskar practice before and afterward, they kept raving about how great they felt. Jocelyn said her stiffness in her back disappeared and that at one point, she felt as though all of her energy was radiating from heart. They also said that during the flow, it seemed as though all negativity in their bodies was released.

These reactions remind me why I started this project to begin with. I remember how powerful my first 108 practices were. In fact, I distinctly recall experiencing tears of amazement and realizing sacredness of this repetitive sequence after my first one. What I've discovered now is that this practice is never the same, but it is always transcendental in some way and always takes me to a higher place. I like sharing this with people and watching them make their own discoveries through the process.

I received couple of nice and unexpected notes today. My student Mary Ann sent me a "10 days left"email and said she is still keeping up with her practices of 36 a day since my first day, April 18. Also, Canadian Olympic Slalom skier Anna Goodman sent me a message today saying she's been enjoying this blog and could relate to the endorphin fluctuations I was talking about yesterday. Here's part of what she wrote:

I just wanted to wish you good luck with the whole thing. It seems like [the 32 hour yoga practice] will become a mind-over-body challenge, and I personally think that is the hardest and most rewarding part of sports for me. A lot of the time when I get overwhelmed I try to put skiing into perspective and step back and enjoy the moment, even if it is the biggest competition of my life. With the good days and the bad days, it's all about the journey and what you get out of it as a whole, and (for me) it's really not worth focusing on small bumps in the road, but embracing the great moments in your day! Which, by reading your blog, you obviously do!!

Anyway I guess I just feel like I can relate in some ways to your blog's journey towards your final goal!

Today your blog really rang a bell for me about the potential endorphin crash!! I've heard about that before as well, and I think I experience it after every ski season, but once you have relaxed a little bit and accepted and embraced what you have just gone through, there always seems to be more challenges, travels, adventures and inspirations on the horizon to stay occupied and motivated for future endeavours!!

Anna Goodman

PS I also experience a joy today when I finally figured out how to do the 'ashtang' (lowering down part) in sivanada style sun salutation. You are 'supposed' to lower knees first, then chest, then forehead, but the catch is your nose isn't supposed to touch the floor, which makes it really challenging. It felt good on my neck when I pulled my shoulders back and drew my chin in.

Day 28 - Listening to the Heart (Chakra #4)

This morning, it was really clear to me that night clubbing does not complement my current yoga practice and lifestyle. I don't recover well from going to bed at 2 am, especially considering I am now waking up to 108 sun salutations. Although I kinda knew this before, I felt compelled to join my friend’s 30th birthday celebration at some fancy new supper club. I put in a valiant effort too: I wore 3.5 inch heels, a dress and stayed out past 1 am. I only having one glass of wine, I’ve been feeling hung over and low energy all day.

I slept in until 9:30am, and so I was anxious as to how and when I would be able to fit in my practice, my photos and my blog today considering I had to be at my studio this afternoon for a workshop my friend Jamie Lee and tonight another friend is celebrating her birthday. But I decided that since today I am focusing on the heart chakra, the fourth energy centre, I was going to listen to what my heart is asking.

I've been in need of some alone time and some space. Instead of doing the yoga asana part with Jamie's workshop group, I took my mat down the street to the water and practiced there. It was beautiful. I sat for a long time just looking out on the water and up at the clouds and started repeating this affirmation: "I am letting go and allowing the universe to take care of me."

It felt good to recognize what I need. I need to let go of my worries and expectations of this project. I know that what will be, will be, so why I am I still trying so hard to create a perfect poster, to give the most meaningful gift, to raise so much money for charity, to write interesting entries, and to top it off, why do I push myself go out and be the life of the party, as well? I know and I don't know this answer, my friends, but I understand why solitude and simple rural living makes spiritual life so much easier.

I am letting go and allowing the universe to take care of me.

My practice wasn't perfectly clean, but it was pleasant. I didn't really have a plan as to what postures I would do and I didn't even use a mat for most of it. I wanted to feel my hands on the ground and at many points, I laid on my stomach, my heart on the grass, and it felt good.

The Heart Chakra
The heart chakra, anahata chakra in Sanskrit, is located in the centre of the chest and is associated with the color green. This is the centre for compassion, kindness and the immune system. It is also through this energy centre that we connect with one another in friendship and in love. When this chakra is balanced, we feel compassion and unconditional love for ourselves, for others, and for everything around us. In the workshop today, Jamie was talking about how we project our emotions through our heart centre into the space that surrounds us and back. Thus, how we feel emotionally, effects what we experience. For example, when we feel happy and positive, we send out this signal and more happiness and positive things comes back to us. The opposite is true when we feel negative and angry. In light of this, it makes sense for us only to do things we really want to do and things that are good for us.

Something I find helpful is sit quietly and assess what exact emotions I am feeling. Then I ask myself Deepak Chopra's three essential questions: Who am I? What do I want? & How can I serve? I ask and then I wait for the first thing that comes to mind. For me, the answers are usually every abstract and symbolic. This practice can be done anytime, but it's nice to do it first thing in the morning so that you know where you stand emotionally at the start of the day.

Next, you can introduce mantra, if you'd like. The mantra for the heart chakra is YAM. According to my teacher, it is best to repeat YAM in a stable seated position with the eyes closed and hands on the heart -- right first, left on top. (She has advised me not to repeat YAM during the sun salutation, only when sitting still.)

Surya Namaskar Receipe: Day 28 - The Anahata Salute

To open and activate this fourth centre, I recommend doing a sun salutation that opens your heart and brings you joy. It can also be helpful to visualize the color green-- green like the grass, green like a lush forest.