Regular Yoga practice helps! We learn to be present and aware moment-to-moment.
“Life is our greatest teacher. Whatever we are doing can be instructive, whether we are at the office, or talking to our spouse, or driving a car on the freeway. If we are present to our experiences, the impressions of our activities will be fresh and alive, and we will always learn something new from them. But if we are not present, every moment will be like every other, and nothing of the preciousness of life will touch us.” (Riso and Hudson, “The Wisdom of the Enneagram,” 344)
I’m not sure what the opposite of the Type A personality is. I just know that I’ve never been into chasing “more” or competing with other people in any way. My treasures are so easily experienced moment to moment when I live a simple life. For example, I did a workout this morning then enjoyed delicious yogurt and cottage cheese for breakfast. I also watered plants in the backyard and pulled a few weeds while enjoying the beautiful morning air and the movement of birds and squirrels around me. Everything is a fulfilling spiritual experience when I’m fully present (rather than worrying about the future or rushing from one activity to the next).
Of course, my treasure is also found in being with my loved ones, and teaching Yoga every day. Doing small things to make the world a better place brings meaning into my life as well. There are so many opportunities for this when I’m really paying attention to life, when I’m centered and easeful. Peace to all!
I still have such a love for Hawaii; I lived there for over nine years. I’m just heartbroken over the fires that have destroyed Lahaina on Maui: a town full of such beauty and history. Dozens of people have died, hundreds of structures have been destroyed, thousands of people evacuated. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be there. Some dramatic online videos are available showing people slowly driving through roads with fire all around them.
And since I have always loved trees (they were my first connection to Spirit as a child), I must say I’m so sad over the scorching of Lahaina’s famous banyan tree brought from India (the birthplace of Yoga) in 1873. People in Lahaina are unsure whether it will survive. Earlier this year, the town had a 150-year “birthday party” for the tree. The tree had grown to the size of an entire city block! If you’ve never seen a banyan tree, it puts down roots from its branches which can become additional trunks of the same tree. I remember walking around underneath this fascinating tree in the 1990s. I’d never seen anything like it – so full of beauty and Spirit. I imagine many people over the years experienced times of profound meditation under this sacred tree.
My heart and my prayers are with the people of Maui during this most challenging time.
Nowadays there are many varieties of group yoga classes offered in recreation centers, yoga studios, gyms, and other locations. The word “hatha” is often used to refer to these physical classes in a general way. “Hatha” is a Sanskrit word that literally means sun-moon. The practice is designed to engage the body in a balanced way using opposites (sun-moon) such as right/left, up/down, forward/backward to help maintain physical health and well-being.
Prospective yoga students often feel stumped about the wide variety of names used for group classes. How to decide on a class that would be most appropriate for one’s needs? Here is a useful guide I designed for my university students:
— Gentle classes may be called Intro to Yoga, Beginners, Gentle, Hatha, Chair Yoga or (the most gentle) Restorative Yoga.
— A focus on deep stretching is called Yin Yoga (based on Taoist Chinese practices).
— Moderate intensity classes may be called Hatha or Slow Flow Yoga.
— Intense classes may be called Flow, Power, Vinyasa or Ashtanga Yoga.
I recommend a variety of styles depending on what you need each time you practice. For example, sometimes you need to be challenged, and sometimes you need to take it easy and de-stress. Private sessions can be a wonderful way to get exactly what you need each time you meet with your teacher.
Please use my Contact Page to ask questions or share your concerns. Namaste….
My Slow Flow Yoga class at Onelife Fitness, Norfolk
Holistic Yoga & Spiritual Guidance 