Yamas

Tortilla Soup - 3 Commitments

Renewing 3 Commitments

As I hunker down and eat some tortilla soup that I made yesterday, I was thinking about the goodness that comes from making food. For many reasons, in recent years, making food started by going into the freezer or the local deli to see, “what’s for dinner.” Buying a ½ share of the Food For Thought CSA this summer, helped me kick-start my cooking inventions. Also, having friends (you know who you are) who cook from scratch all of the time helps with feeling some peer pressure on the subject.

This brings me to my title today, Renewing 3 Commitments. I’d like to make a list of a three things that I will commit to for a month. Feel free to do the same with the Comment Button below. I’ll check back in with you on Nov. 22 to see how it goes.

Don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t perfect. 

What are 3 things that you are willing to commit to?

  

1)   Do yoga every day for 15 minutes or more.
I’m looking for the real deal here       Open =mind/body/breath 

2)   Cook a giant vat of soup and a dessert from scratch every week 

3)   Keep my plants watered – I’m actually not joking with this one. I tend to forget about the little guys.

Ahimsa 

Non-Violence

1st of the Yamas

It is the backbone or the life-preserver of the Yamas. If you can't remember much, remember this one. It means non-violence. If you think of this in terms of thoughts, speech and action, then you've got some searching to do. Also, if you think of it in the range from thinking negative thoughts about someone (or yourself) to the other extreme, of killing someone.

More importantly, it is what you do. 

Do you remember the feeling of falling madly in love with someone? How all that they said or did (even their faults) were amazing, or at least quaint? How do we get there with ourselves in our yoga practice, both on and off the mat?
Can we take the risk to be open enough to love ourselves (even our faults) for who we are?
-t.

Thank you Rachel Hinsley for starting this conversation in my head!

Mountain or a Leaf?

I've been feeling as stable a ancient mountain,
just to let one thing come along and blow me off my feet.

Instead of  a mountain, 

I am a dried up leaf, just shifting in the breeze. 

I've got some work to do...
The big question is whether or not I can make the choice to return to being a mountain. 
If so, how do I do it?

An Echoing Place...

The world is an echoing place. If we throw anger, anger comes back; if we give love, love comes back. 

Love should not be demanding, otherwise it loses wings; it cannot fly... Love should not be conditional, one should not expect anything out of it. It should be for its own sake, not for any reward, not for any result. And just because there is no desire for any result, it does not mean that results do not happen; they do, they happen a thousand-fold, because what we give to the world comes back, it rebounds...

Everyday Osho

After reading this, I went to pick up some Thai food. I tried my best to be pleasant and kind to everyone that helped me. Vwalla, it worked! I'll try it again tomorrow. But seriously, it is pretty easy to give a smile to those handing me a wonderfully spicy meal. Sometimes it is hardest to do it toward people who are nearest and dearest to my heart...

btw I made it through my second donation yoga class tonight. It was fun. I told the story of Buddha and the cobras. All three of the students smiled when offered eye-pillows :)

My new bff...

Like a hollow bamboo rest at ease with your body. 

Giving not, 

Nor taking.

Put your body to rest. 

- Tilopa (from Creativity Unleashing the forces within)

There is nothing to give, nothing to get. Everything is absolutely okay as it is. There is no need for any give and take. Your are absolutely perfect the way that you are. - Osho

I think that Osho is my new bff. No really, I stumbled upon his book about Creativity in the public library and I'm eating it up. The top quote in his book by Tilopa, is perfect for savasana (the resting pose at the end of yoga) and for life in general.
I know that there are times when I am out of sink and anxious. It would help me to think in these terms. How could I be anything but amazed with this life that I am living? 

so lucky.

t.

Observe, step back and breathe...

It is true of every art that 

you can not acquire 

what you have not felt. 

-Gustie Herrigel

I just finished my fifth time teaching students yoga. I'm lucky to have the same group all along so that we can  continue to build on what we know. 

But after the first two times I was thinking, "what am I trying to do here?" Why did I think that putting myself and my family through all of these hours of teacher training so that I can what? Tripping over my own words, and question how I can possibly fill an entire hour with these words and actions so that people can walk away feeling unsatisfied?

I had to get over myself.

How does a person do this? Very carefully. 

First, sit back and try to be an objective observer about the situation. It might not be as bad as you think. 

Second, realize that the world doesn't revolve around me. What a relief. Everyone there is coming from their own lives, and stuff. All if it is completely out of my control. 

Third, don't waste another minute and BREATHE.

Observe, step back and breathe. 

Once I do these things when teaching art, yoga or spending time with my kids, it is amazing to see the results! The last three times, knock on wood, my yoga classes have been more smooth and fun.