tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35988639410809831832024-03-13T08:25:12.356-07:00PEELED from EarthandSkymy experiences of Yoga and the process of waking upSarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-72678437211181021422015-01-04T20:50:00.000-08:002015-01-04T20:50:07.575-08:00First Noble Truth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There is always a shadow side to the light. When we inhale in our practice, an exhale is sure to follow. When we dance in joy and love and success, sadness, pain, and disappointment are always close. Sounds pretty pointless huh? Until we embrace the first noble truth on this <a href="http://www.rinpoche.com/fornob.html">path.</a> Life is suffering. Yikes! Can we except this? The human form has both light and dark. We are here to experience, to grow and stretch, be uncomfortable, be unsure. There will be more light and joy and success than we can ever imagine if we can embrace the darkness that lives inside all of us. We are imperfect.<br />
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What then? Life is just a series of ups and downs? It doesn't have to be. Let's jump off the roller coaster, let's stop and try to like what is difficult, embrace, perhaps except a lack luster outcome as learning, and move one step closer to some light. Less stark, less ominous. Living in the grey, or the middle. Walk on your middle path. It won't be easy, but it will be interesting, rewarding, liberating.</div>
Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-45928554289060876802013-04-25T18:39:00.000-07:002013-05-02T09:11:13.212-07:00Sushumna Nadi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="text-align: left;"> While practicing I like to use the spine as a boney landmark indicating 'center' or middle of my body. While inverted or simply lying on the floor in a gentle twist I can try and use my internal eye to sense this intricate structure and where it is positioned in hope of playing fair with my left side and right side. What blows my mind is the feeling that overcomes the body while doing this. Energy is unlocked. Breath moves more freely. Dare I say that both ida and pingala nadi are able to move more autonomously yet in perfect harmony through </span><a href="http://www.tantra-kundalini.com/nadis.htm" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">sushumna</a><span style="text-align: left;">? Perhaps!</span></span></div>
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Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-51639263367067412892013-04-01T18:53:00.001-07:002021-01-26T07:47:06.071-08:00Balance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The quest for symmetry of the organism is bound to fail, but balance is here for the taking. Even the earth is only round from a distance. Up close, it's all bumps, dips and waves. So beautiful! And how sweetly it spins, balanced on its axis as it is. Finding our own balance upon it, whether from a distance or up close, we relax into our beautiful asymmetry."</span></div>
Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-78369045925367656592012-07-10T08:34:00.000-07:002012-07-10T08:34:56.703-07:00Great Moments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am going to try and really open my eyes today so I don't miss any great moments. This picture taken by an unknown genius reminded me to practice staying awake.<br />
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</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-28091828877831892772012-06-21T11:43:00.001-07:002012-06-21T11:44:04.559-07:00Reminder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYxrvrdhGon0OMqRnYExHVvGVizyMOB9sZLD4zFJqFIp2mpalCO2_GfZIOguuVKhn-00OtOT8UA7mMNII4nEyaMJ-G5T8oOuDfv28co6n2ZrbzjBOWkFtZ7shU0NP8zUhhoJT-iF9rG4/s1600/tReckas_SarahRockpile10.13.10_9733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYxrvrdhGon0OMqRnYExHVvGVizyMOB9sZLD4zFJqFIp2mpalCO2_GfZIOguuVKhn-00OtOT8UA7mMNII4nEyaMJ-G5T8oOuDfv28co6n2ZrbzjBOWkFtZ7shU0NP8zUhhoJT-iF9rG4/s400/tReckas_SarahRockpile10.13.10_9733.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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What makes you feel awake, alive? Is it jumping in the ocean, listening to music or sleeping under the stars? Maybe just taking a deep breath is all you need to remember that having been born into a human body is in and of itself magical. I was reminded of this today while walking in my neighborhood. I felt like crap as my big pregnant body tried to make it up a hill so I stopped, took a deep breath and looked out into the trees. The air smelled sweet and the ocean breeze cooled my face. Instantly I was reminded on the genius of being present. I felt alive.<br />
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"I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive." --Joseph Cambell <br />
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A short but impactful six minutes on a man's last six minutes. Let me know your thoughts on this one!<br />
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"The easiest way to relax is to stop trying to make things different."<br />
--Joseph Goldstein<br />
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I've never been a women who yearned for her wedding day, or to have a bunch of children and devote my life to raising them. I love to work. I love to be productive. As a young girl my mother tells me I was always 'busy and important'..... I love to explore the human body and uncover it's layers until you hit emotions, energy, spirit. I love to teach and be of service to my students. I love to practice Yoga, surf and hike until my legs want to fall off. This I know.<br />
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A few days after Thanksgiving past, I had been sleeping for about ten to twelve hour nights and had frequent indigestion. I kept acting out in strange ways. Buying baby clothes and pillows for our home. Ted was getting worried. I thought maybe I had just hit some sort of nesting phase of my mid thirties. After breakfast I made a decision to buy a pregnancy test even though I was not "late," yet.<br />
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Now over six months pregnant I am starting to gain a little perspective. My past struggles have become close friends. It is as though they were preparing me for five months of sickness as my body adjusted to growing a little boy. To be totally truthful, I have struggled with not having my body for my own anymore. It is not mine. It is now simply a tool. I am a mammal that is hosting another life. The intense sickness brought me to me knees, I stopped all physical practice and spent day after day plastered to my couch or my bed. I felt useless. Who am I without my work, without my vibrant body, without my purpose? I began to fight my reality with all my will. As we all know fighting reality is a sad and fruitless fight. The harder I wrestled the sicker I became. I wanted desperately to change my current state. I definitely couldn't run away. Just looking at my Yoga mat made me sick, and surfing was an altogether terrible idea. I had to drop my agenda, I had to either accept that I am changing, my life is changing, I am having a baby and it is hard work to create him, or I was going to slide into some seriousness darkness. It was up to me, as usual!<br />
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With the encouragement of my brave partner Ted, I have started the process of accepting what is here and now. I have been given a massive opportunity to share my life with a child. My body will come back to me eventually and most importantly I am so very productive, it is just on the inside as I grow a human life. This kind of creating is different for me. It's internal, it's not about putting my energy out into the world but pulling in, reserving my strength for the creation of life. It is so powerful that I have had to redefine my daily practice completely. I see over and over again how situations can feel intolerable, but is often my own resistance that makes them so. <br />
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I realize more and more that this pregnancy has been the greatest teacher I have ever had. It has been the most awakening Yoga practice my body has ever endured. I am still practicing to be present with it, to accept my strange new shape and quiet energy levels. It is my new classroom.</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-79878679626447272312012-04-24T08:52:00.001-07:002012-04-24T08:52:31.233-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This by far has been the longest break I have ever taken not only from
writing but from my physical practice. I am now a little over six months
pregnant and feeling so many new things (the baby kicking is by the far
the most rewarding and bizarre). I look forward to sharing some of my
journey that has humbled me and overall kicked my ass in the past 6
months. Funny that right after I wrote about creating space for new
experiences I get pregnant!<br />
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For those of you who attend HOM Yoga and my classes at Yogaworks I will
be back in September teaching group classes. I have missed it so very
much.</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-76177751829766384602011-11-19T14:24:00.000-08:002011-11-23T11:10:46.068-08:00Going outside and then in.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4tE2gi0DopVqXuJIgVqRSpgYRoBs2HPTA1XfHl5MqzqXerFrTI25O66-owJdYUpgiQU0wv5eO0ngpiiD31sMP4VLfCWqnTtdNIN3Floa7IXLvXQWSNzoC13iP-FK1vpOYBSOty3JYSE/s1600/jTree_Oct2011_8816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4tE2gi0DopVqXuJIgVqRSpgYRoBs2HPTA1XfHl5MqzqXerFrTI25O66-owJdYUpgiQU0wv5eO0ngpiiD31sMP4VLfCWqnTtdNIN3Floa7IXLvXQWSNzoC13iP-FK1vpOYBSOty3JYSE/s400/jTree_Oct2011_8816.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After a few days in the desert with Ted a couple of weeks back, and several <a href="http://www.joshuatreeclimb.com/">rock climbs</a> later I began to feel a personal shift. It had become clear to me I needed to trim down my daily life, simplify, clean out so that come Spring new seeds could be planted.<br />
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I was ready to create space in my life. Without space I can't grow.<br />
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Maybe it was my terror up on the rock walls. Heights have their way of waking me up. It was possibly the simplicity of camping in open space, reminding me of what it's like to focus on the commonplace: cooking, cleaning, hiking, climbing on rocks, sleeping. Maybe it was all of it.<br />
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Whatever the case, my quick getaway was the perfect reminder of nature's genius. Each season brings in a new flavor, asks for a certain respect. I could hear what this season said to me.<br />
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"Go inward so you can go outward."<br />
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Yes, I needed more time for my own practice, no excuses. I am a better person when I'm taking care of myself. It is amazing that I still require these yearly reminders!<br />
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I find fall to have a more subtle temperament. It's transitional and introspective. I have found transitions to be the perfect instances for letting go, working with the concept of <a href="http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1647">impermanence</a>. It's nature's way of leaning out spring and summer's fat. Leaves fall, the air becomes cooler, and my desire to pull inward feels so natural. I always tend to shed a layer come late fall. The complications and heat that might have been accumulated over summer's party begin to dissolve. <br />
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So very simply I will start by saying goodbye to Facebook. I am going to open a book. I will be alternating a rigorous Yoga practice with work in my subtle body and a deeper <a href="http://www.natureyogafrance.com/fr/node/163">pranayama</a> practice. I am trying out a new Yoga studio that is more aligned with my practice! Shedding feels good.</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-14358460527316188872011-09-27T21:19:00.000-07:002011-09-27T21:19:38.754-07:00The music moves through him<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LXO-jKksQkM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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You don't have to practice yoga to have body awareness.<br />
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<blockquote><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">In Greek, "soma," means "body," and "nautes" means "sailor." So a "somanaut" navigates hi/r body, sailing upon the waves of the human sea. Like the astronaut who navigates outer space, the somanaut explores inner space. Somanauts are a courageous lot. The rich treasures lurking in the wild blue self make the real risks of looking and feeling inward deeply compelling, and enormously rewarding. --<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%09%20http://www.gilhedley.com">Gil Hedley</a></span></i></span></h6></blockquote></div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-40485367455851289882011-08-30T14:26:00.000-07:002011-08-30T14:26:50.804-07:00Grounding in the Elements Part 2: Water, My Reflection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy94Ivb0ExbFmWrS5iTQlF4CpADpv-5WS6DT82HyWiE1kVPEH_8s7k-nws7fqEE1TZbzNMzjx4k8cnQXGIyHzxDAxxzSzlcXrwa9c7lHuBG2fhDBPV8MmthdQgtpRQ95Wm7G6CtHH7zI/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy94Ivb0ExbFmWrS5iTQlF4CpADpv-5WS6DT82HyWiE1kVPEH_8s7k-nws7fqEE1TZbzNMzjx4k8cnQXGIyHzxDAxxzSzlcXrwa9c7lHuBG2fhDBPV8MmthdQgtpRQ95Wm7G6CtHH7zI/s1600/-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I had never really been alone. I grew up in a family of ten people, a few dogs and cats, horses to care for and plenty of friends that at any given time were escaping some kind of teenage hell at their own home. Life growing up was loud. Even on eight acres, space was limited. The kitchen table with ten Reeses and a few stray friends was always a bit chaotic. Noisy. Busy. My normal. My early childhood conditioning allowed me to feel comfortable and safe as long as I was extremely busy and distracted. It was natural for me to get lost in the shuffle of life.<br />
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In Greece Barbara and I did a lot of reminiscing about our time in New York together as young dancers and how drastically our lives shifted once we found Yoga and meditation. Our dusty memories started to bubble up as we spent hours on the beach sleeping, talking, and swimming.<br />
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When people ask me what New York was like I find myself talking about how it was so loud that I finally woke up. I began a new life and uncovered myself. Between dance class and rehearsals I dove into Yoga and spent four hours a day in the studio listening to my breath, and the other students' breath. Throughout my entire life noise seemed quiet, and the quiet felt unnerving, my racing mind and taxed body was afraid to stop. I didn't know how to stop. My time in the Yoga studio slowed this relentless pace inside of me. I began to crave the sound of<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHGHGBkGU0Q"> Ujjiyi</a> breathing, the energy of a Yoga classroom, the gentle sound of my teachers voice. I began to feel sensitive, that is, I could feel my own nervous system respond to my external environment.<br />
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Outside the Yoga classroom was the insanity and beauty of New York. As a dancer, the pace of my life was fast. My auditory sense was constantly overwhelmed by the nonstop life of the city. Intitialy New York's pace soothed me and held me in a constant state of peaceful anxiety. It was all I knew, it was safe, it was like home. Although the city provided unlimited growth both intellectually and artistically, eventually my body had had enough tight spaces and fast paced schedules. As my Yoga practice grew I slowly began to crave balance in my schedule. I wanted to sleep more. I wanted to meditate and read in my room. I craved healthy foods. I started to love silence. This began to freak me out. I moved to New York to create art, to never sleep and never feel tired. How was this happening? Each day that I practiced on my mat my physical constitution went through a shift. My mind body started to come down from twenty five years of crazy. Noisy no longer felt quiet, and the quiet began to sooth my nervous system. I felt a bit like I was free falling. At times it was so liberating and at other times it was terrifying trying to recalibrate normal. <br />
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Sitting on the beach of Megali Petra off of Kefalonia, Greece, I began to reflect and looked into a depth that is new to me. Eight years after New York City I find myself still detoxing from daily chaos and the noise I didn't even notice before. Beyond the listening and unpeeling that unraveled my nervous system in New York City I can safely say that this unveiling, this space I feel here on this island is so vast. My mind feels like a canyon and anxiety has tried several times to creep in because I have nothing to do but rest, eat, sleep, meditate, practice. I have sat quietly for many days now. No teaching, no phone, no boyfriend, no Mom. My life preservers are in California.<br />
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The translucent minty blue water surrounded me. The sea was like nothing I had ever seen or heard. Its limpid waters lapped rhythmically on the hot sand over and over. As I sat and looked out at the water I could feel another layer of craziness lift. My anxiety fades. I feel exposed. I feel. <br />
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</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-47484215418568115982011-08-01T03:25:00.000-07:002011-08-01T03:25:45.898-07:00Grounding in the Elements (Part 1) Co-written with Barbara Stamis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_g8f0vz="141"><br />
</div><div class="separator" closure_uid_g8f0vz="235" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaRna4U9QA4M4CkGTkPtLBwegAMgb88XjfDcytsEvlnpcupYsxCUPJCQ2PPaKMln-ReCoUqGxOGCZmzStmc9TNviUkcgUocKUmrEaDOvjBhx-xSzWAxzxLcQJ_XLTNoG3HodJEx7EyAs/s1600/Grounding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaRna4U9QA4M4CkGTkPtLBwegAMgb88XjfDcytsEvlnpcupYsxCUPJCQ2PPaKMln-ReCoUqGxOGCZmzStmc9TNviUkcgUocKUmrEaDOvjBhx-xSzWAxzxLcQJ_XLTNoG3HodJEx7EyAs/s400/Grounding.JPG" t$="true" width="290" /></a></div><div closure_uid_g8f0vz="141"><br />
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</div><div closure_uid_g8f0vz="238">Disembarking from the airplane upon our arrival in Athens, we felt a deep craving to take off our shoes and let our puffy, swollen feet hit the earth. After flying for over 13 hours and running around several airports our bodies felt as if they had been through a time warp… deeply dehydrated, exhausted and experiencing a sensation of floating a few feet above the ground. Our senses were numb, our minds foggy and our energy scattered... </div><br />
Out of Balance…<br />
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In Chinese medicine, astrology and various Vedic traditions, the general philosophy is to support the natural flux of the body as it ebbs and flows towards hoemeostasis. This can be accomplished using the qualities of fire, air, earth and water, because these four elements have attributes that can characterize our personal natures. <br />
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Air - Movement, Change, Communication, Ideas, Dispersion, Objectiveness, Expansion <br />
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Earth - Stability, Consistency, Rigidity, Practicality, Persistence, Caution<br />
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Water - Conformity, Personal, Sensitivity, Emotion, Nurturing, Depth<br />
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Fire - Heat, Assertion, Confrontation, Motivation, Speed, Strength, Boldness, Leadership<br />
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Surely, during and after our 13 hour flight, we were intoxicated with an over-abundance of the qualities of air. The imbalance was clear and we deeply craved stable ground to walk on and a consistent REM sleep cycle.<br />
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In Athens we determinedly planned our mission to overcome jetlag as quickly and smoothly as possible. Digging into our own tool boxes and relying on our mutual advice, we decided to keep moving rather than give in to the lethargy. We soldiered on for over an hour, connecting to the cobblestoned sidewalks and then treated ourselves to a nourishing meal. Our evening culminated with calming meditation, the goal being an uninterrupted eight hour sleep.<br />
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Pleasantly surprised, we awoke eight hours later quite refreshed. We continued to settle in by removing our shoes and climbing up the Acropolis to the Parthenon. Our bare feet trod the cool, smooth, marble steps of this cornerstone of civilization. Following in the footsteps of the ancients before us was an authentic and spiritual welcome into the old city. As we pressed firmly into all four corners of our feet, spreading our metatarsals with deliberate awareness to prevent us from falling, our fog began to lift. Gravity assisted the weight of our bodies and downward push into our legs and feet. The earth element began to balance our over-abundance of air… The antiquity of the Acropolis combined with the simple proprioception of the various temperate surfaces created the support we needed to move us closer to homeostasis.<br />
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After just one day in Athens, we are now nestled into the beautiful island of Kefalonia where we are able to easily embrace the quality of water by floating in the salty, warm, serene sea.<br />
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</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-1242048412698593462011-07-12T07:53:00.000-07:002011-07-13T15:48:04.506-07:00Welcome Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzO26NA7nJjFlqVLJsNSsoTgBnh8Lx7751EwkD7LDgmEhXk9y1f6S2yNyQyF7bhWO-pMQntxtddzNNx1S_231KkrMu7iyAdkMmjj1jcPDZ-5kf6a9pmkh6HJyeN959CWN0cEMqIT0As8Q/s1600/tripundrawhite_hindu_eyes_bw.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzO26NA7nJjFlqVLJsNSsoTgBnh8Lx7751EwkD7LDgmEhXk9y1f6S2yNyQyF7bhWO-pMQntxtddzNNx1S_231KkrMu7iyAdkMmjj1jcPDZ-5kf6a9pmkh6HJyeN959CWN0cEMqIT0As8Q/s1600/tripundrawhite_hindu_eyes_bw.gif" /></a></div><br />
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After a very long forced rest I am happy to say I will be back in class today. My body is still healing so it will be a new experience for me teaching with <i>this </i>body.<br />
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Laying around for all of this time allowed me to do plenty of self reflection, which for me leads to questioning. I began to look at asana and pranayama with fresh eyes. Simply deep breathing in child's pose was difficult and took my focus to another level. I had to listen. I had to breath and gently move into my body with grace and ease as to not ask what my body was not ready for. I feel most of all that after surgery my body needed LOVE. Not just healthy foods and rest which are extremely important, but the kind of love that comes from meditation and visualization. Self awareness. Pulling in healing with each breath. Seeing in my mind's eye my tissue healing, my body resting. Yoga but on a new level for me. <br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1088140399"><br />
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<a href="http://www.gilhedley.com/">Gil Hedley</a>, a Somanaut and over all amazing human being wrote, <br />
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>" Our bodies often do the opposite of what we want. They make noise when we want to be quiet, run out of steam when we'd keep going, stay up when we want to sleep, demand undivided attention when we're already very busy. Having a body is like having kids! Love your body generously as you would a child. Comfort it when hurting, forgive it quickly, respect its innate wisdom, & allow it scope to have a mind of its own."</b></span></h6><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"></span><br />
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"></h6>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-35430792977909911042011-06-17T21:32:00.000-07:002011-06-17T21:32:31.885-07:00Harvest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Let's not think or discuss for awhile and just listen to Rufus Wainwright and Chris Stills melodic voices take over some Neil Young.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S2u-C-dEnRI" width="480"></iframe></div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-42930163392715905362011-06-15T08:23:00.000-07:002011-06-17T07:12:06.932-07:00Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For all my students who patiently and impatiently listen to me discuss the book <span style="font-style: italic;">The Body Has Its Reasons </span>I hope you can enjoy this TED talk.<br />
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As <a href="http://www.antigymnastique.com/us/who_is_therese_bertherat">Therese Bertherat</a> says, "Our body is ourself. It is our only perceptible reality. It is not opposed to our intelligence, to our feelings, to our soul. It includes them and shelters them. By becoming aware of our body we give ourselves access to our entire being--for body and spirit, mental and physical, and even strength and weakness, represent not our duality but our unity."<br />
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<object height="326" width="334"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/SirKenRobinson_2006-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/SirKenRobinson-2006.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=320&vh=240&ap=0&ti=66&lang=eng&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity;year=2006;theme=how_we_learn;theme=how_the_mind_works;theme=bold_predictions_stern_warnings;theme=the_creative_spark;theme=master_storytellers;event=TED2006;tag=Culture;tag=children;tag=creativity;tag=dance;tag=education;tag=parenting;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/SirKenRobinson_2006-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/SirKenRobinson-2006.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=320&vh=240&ap=0&ti=66&lang=eng&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity;year=2006;theme=how_we_learn;theme=how_the_mind_works;theme=bold_predictions_stern_warnings;theme=the_creative_spark;theme=master_storytellers;event=TED2006;tag=Culture;tag=children;tag=creativity;tag=dance;tag=education;tag=parenting;" height="326" width="334"></embed></object></div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-22455488285647387602011-05-18T09:14:00.000-07:002011-05-18T09:14:30.883-07:00Time and Practice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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I have not written for awhile..... I moved to a new part of town with my partner and opened a studio in my home. During this time I felt as though I had no time. Teaching, moving, transitioning my whole attitude towards home and sharing space (this is a whole new experience for me as I have never lived with anyone). I felt afraid, excited and overwhelmed. Like always I stayed with my discipline around my Asana practice but started to feel as though my Yoga practice had fallen by the way side. My practice off the mat was suffering. Was it time that I lacked or perspective? <br />
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Here in this short passage I found time.<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">At one of the Dalai Lama’s talks he was asked, “Why is prayer important for a spiritual life?”</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">His reply was that prayer (meditation) is, “A simple daily reminder of your deeply held principles and convictions.”</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">Another listener asked, “For someone who is really busy, <strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">how does one find the time</em></strong> to do these kinds of prayers and meditation practices?”</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">The Dalai Lama said, in essence, you can always <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">make</em> time. But then he went on to add:</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">…if you think seriously about the true meaning of spiritual practices, it has to do with the development and training of your mental state, attitudes, and psychological and emotional state and well-being. You should not confine your understanding of spiritual practice to terms of some physical activities or verbal activities, like doing recitations of prayers and chanting.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">If your understanding of spiritual practice is limited to only these activities, then, of course, you will need a specific time, a separate allotted time to do your practice — because you can’t go around doing your daily chores, like cooking and so on, while reciting mantras. That could be quite annoying to people around you.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">However, if you understand spiritual practice in its true sense, then you can use all twenty-four hours of your day for your practice. <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">True spirituality is a mental attitude that you can practice at any time.</strong></em></div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">For example, if you find yourself in a situation in which you might be tempted to insult someone, then you immediately take precautions and restrain yourself from doing that. Similarly, if you encounter a situation in which you may lose your temper, immediately you are mindful and say, “No, this is not the appropriate way.” That actually is a spiritual practice.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Seen in that light, you will <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">always</em> have time.</strong></div></span></div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-16917532050448609732011-03-28T08:12:00.000-07:002011-03-30T07:38:03.273-07:00A Taste of Compassion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span id="goog_1901450951"></span><span id="goog_1901450952"></span><br />
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Just a little note that I will be teaching an hour of basic Yoga and mindfull movement this coming Saturday April 2 at 2PM in Huntington Beach. Here is the<a href="http://www.CompassionateConnecting.com/"> link</a> for 'A Taste of Compassion'.<br />
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It is my first time attending this conference so I am not sure how it goes however the topic of discussion is something we can all look at. How many times in a day can you transform your words into a more positive less reactive language. How would this transform your relationship to not only yourself but to those who come into contact with you? Remember that we are what we think. Hope to see you there!<br />
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</div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-89887521950328385382011-03-04T13:51:00.000-08:002011-03-04T13:51:06.693-08:00Ask Yourself<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOLvEefiWSXtvK_UVwLpyu4ZfOjGtcBXJvzDOqr87JaRi6M57BrflS9TyBl03eFgVo0Ecu1JiJOrWzk8m3hF0kurkVwfCfVh8xhP1t4XziebwU2IWOVXDao-xCUTCJf0WJpC10-s7INU/s1600/outdoor-water-fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOLvEefiWSXtvK_UVwLpyu4ZfOjGtcBXJvzDOqr87JaRi6M57BrflS9TyBl03eFgVo0Ecu1JiJOrWzk8m3hF0kurkVwfCfVh8xhP1t4XziebwU2IWOVXDao-xCUTCJf0WJpC10-s7INU/s1600/outdoor-water-fountain.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrwLO1x5fP3vM5LVTkFJJquD16x0-mjRkzQOwnDIjb8FYdqme48cXQ_c34XJbUSe6cF9nnkNIuzv2UBf38b_71QBOVEKfv7deulSwxNmqPkqRovfiDkji3StdK1w3ZqmBpVzzpR4o_Nc/s1600/IMG_3646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrwLO1x5fP3vM5LVTkFJJquD16x0-mjRkzQOwnDIjb8FYdqme48cXQ_c34XJbUSe6cF9nnkNIuzv2UBf38b_71QBOVEKfv7deulSwxNmqPkqRovfiDkji3StdK1w3ZqmBpVzzpR4o_Nc/s320/IMG_3646.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Are you a fountain or a drain? Do you fill those around you? Do you fill yourself? Are those you surround yourself with fountains or drains? Do you walk away from seeing a friend and feel supported and rejuvenated or tired and tense? This question has become increasingly important to me and I hope to you as well.<br />
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</div></div>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-61712731288435172082011-02-04T07:33:00.000-08:002011-02-04T09:26:07.783-08:00Growing Pains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg1-FkORs_PQdrinhgXpRryKN_M4uqI0sf2shKkRZPFDHumoxs_FVQY1H1kX4jYypJsqbAFKlxAtAESx9z89raBaVz-M9SKsq1qjaJRTOtd3ZX71oWuCYLVwudQWdxWGpS3HPrRYL5iY/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg1-FkORs_PQdrinhgXpRryKN_M4uqI0sf2shKkRZPFDHumoxs_FVQY1H1kX4jYypJsqbAFKlxAtAESx9z89raBaVz-M9SKsq1qjaJRTOtd3ZX71oWuCYLVwudQWdxWGpS3HPrRYL5iY/s400/IMG_0538.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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We all arrive at tough times, we all can feel frustrated and blocked. It's essential... It's growth. I see this often in my Yoga practice. My body can seemingly feel injured or weak or incapable of moving into certain asanas with ease. If I push I only hurt myself or create more frustration. I'm a pusher, I like to move through blocks quickly but what I have discovered over and over again is that pushing results in the opposing force pushing back harder. Whether it's a muscle, ligament or emotion there is an element of time and space that is required for growth. It is my practice to wait, listen to my body and allow it to open and understand when I'm ready (although I often feel as though I am always ready!). The challenging part is to have enough patience to relax around the times when I am not able to move through the pain but I am meant to sit with it. I never have looked back at one of these hard moments in my life and thought that it was a period of failure. With a little time and perspective these rough spots in my life always reveal themselves as times of growing and learning. <br />
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I read this on a card at a gas station off the 5 freeway halfway between Laguna Beach and Redding. I appreciate the sentiment.<br />
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"The bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you do not turn." AnonymousSarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-82430335304077003342011-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:002011-01-18T08:11:07.638-08:00What Lies Beneath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xqx7fP0RtONWUAaPjX1KBc0BVuDLO1jnqIvbXbc-O91gV6H09M1Ld0Z6V-AYbSzfmg9e59dGmTqH0S-96QnhfgzrCuSaH8CU9ZMih_dfCo9aSkOgYtLZS_0d2M22lJu-p-Npr8hzJ40/s1600/IMG_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xqx7fP0RtONWUAaPjX1KBc0BVuDLO1jnqIvbXbc-O91gV6H09M1Ld0Z6V-AYbSzfmg9e59dGmTqH0S-96QnhfgzrCuSaH8CU9ZMih_dfCo9aSkOgYtLZS_0d2M22lJu-p-Npr8hzJ40/s320/IMG_0417.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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I find it more and more essential to read between the lines. Whether it's regarding a contract for a new job or a pain in the body it can be almost guaranteed that there is more to the story. The initial pitch for the job may sound exciting! The small twinge at the <a href="http://www.medicinenet.com/hamstring_injury/article.htm">origin of your hamstring</a> may be a tiny whisper that comes and goes throughout your Yoga practice... Hmm. It's not to say that all is wrong and that surely the new job will totally suck. Same as the small whisper in your body, it may or may not be your hamstring slowly pulling away from the bone. However, it is up to you to look deeper. Practice<a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2523"> svahdyaya</a>, self-study and care enough about your personal well being to acknowledge the potential depth of all things. <br />
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I find this short video to be a modern example of the power of self study.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #804040; font-family: 'Arial Baltic';"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ItsAllAboutBloodFlow#p/c/0/KqmeB6GB25Q" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/user/<wbr></wbr>ItsAllAboutBloodFlow#p/c/0/<wbr></wbr>KqmeB6GB25Q</a></div></div></span></b><br />
<blockquote style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" type="cite"><div><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><div style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 10pt;"><div></div></div></span></span></div></blockquote>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-27034182322666342582011-01-03T15:39:00.000-08:002011-01-04T07:44:04.415-08:00Truth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJzlSHniVTTdgU4zY0fCjFJz2KPzaIYMs8VDFDA-79btwkGBgbutvoW-hqpVx1dsY3mqjILpTnSYX06wB3PfKwze42zspZIDZt_yvk-y5bdTeOvD8f0JTQRSrfQM9cCocjYM6hrRECiQ/s1600/IMG_0602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJzlSHniVTTdgU4zY0fCjFJz2KPzaIYMs8VDFDA-79btwkGBgbutvoW-hqpVx1dsY3mqjILpTnSYX06wB3PfKwze42zspZIDZt_yvk-y5bdTeOvD8f0JTQRSrfQM9cCocjYM6hrRECiQ/s320/IMG_0602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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"Truth is stranger than fiction, but this is because fiction is obliged to stick to probability; truth is not." -Mark TwainSarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-65135326310959990132010-12-21T16:50:00.000-08:002010-12-21T23:08:49.667-08:00Dedication of Merit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_w3KQbIxnAmxNR-BKjsNcrbWSCxTz9_4lDei9d17MrunsuTLoXu4RCQxacPiODz5mrJxH26ubUDdFBxhkE91SiDis_54hlc4WGmtF9AHzKQshgChLZq45QNmMuOoOaqIshlqNwyTY38/s1600/IMG_3260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="298" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_w3KQbIxnAmxNR-BKjsNcrbWSCxTz9_4lDei9d17MrunsuTLoXu4RCQxacPiODz5mrJxH26ubUDdFBxhkE91SiDis_54hlc4WGmtF9AHzKQshgChLZq45QNmMuOoOaqIshlqNwyTY38/s400/IMG_3260.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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This is a traditional Buddhist prayer taught to me by my teacher <a href="http://www.omyoga.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=136">Cyndi Lee</a> and passed along to her via her guru Gelek <a href="http://www.utbf.org/en/tradition/glimps.php">Rinpoche</a>. During my first three years of studying Yoga I would recite these words with the rest of my classmates after each asana class. I still recite the words daily. I hope these words reach into you as they have reached into me.<br />
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"May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness,<br />
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering,<br />
May all beings never be parted from freedom's true joy,<br />
May all beings dwell in equanimity,<br />
free from attachment and aversion." -- <a href="http://shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1709&Itemid=0">Gehlek Rinpoche</a>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598863941080983183.post-85938314896735011952010-12-08T23:04:00.000-08:002010-12-11T09:41:20.118-08:00Wandering Vagus (the nerve not the city)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Zk45W1di4LF8tqt4ecJWLj9zMFjN98YctkhQ3VX_6UYSkDPGX3lEommYEs1M63DgPiCSOntekwPuNpRKiO36_hFbWsuNH5r1kpilEdVGQZSpbasvBE1D3U9m5ZfSYc5ziWFVB_p4Ehg/s1600/102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Zk45W1di4LF8tqt4ecJWLj9zMFjN98YctkhQ3VX_6UYSkDPGX3lEommYEs1M63DgPiCSOntekwPuNpRKiO36_hFbWsuNH5r1kpilEdVGQZSpbasvBE1D3U9m5ZfSYc5ziWFVB_p4Ehg/s320/102.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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While driving up to teach a class in Corona Del Mar this week I turned on NPR and caught the tail end of a <a href="http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131734718/just-breathe-body-has-a-built-in-stress-reliever">discussion</a>. A fascinating discussion. A physician and a yoga teacher explain the benefits of deep breathing through the eyes of science. Their main topic was the function of the v<a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7631">agus nerve</a>, the tenth of twelve cranial nerves that begins in our brain and runs all the way into our colon. Even more impressive than its length is how this nerve effects our bodies. One of the responsibilities of the vagus is to keep the larynx open and to provide the impulse for the lungs and diaphragm to function, all in an effort to....breathe.<br />
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The vagus is composed mainly of sensory fibers, in other words, the nerve is a massive communicator to our brain of what is going on in our <a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18276">viscera</a>. Studies have shown that when the vagus is stimulated our <a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2403">sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system</a> are put into balance. The stress response is stopped. How then do we stimulate this giant nerve?<br />
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Seeking stress relief in our crowded lives has become a multimillion dollar industry. Believe me, I'm in it! Between my organic food, acupuncture, and various forms of body/energy work it can really start to rack up bills. The good news is, in order to put the brakes on our stress response it's up to us to get comfortable, sit as best as we can right in the middle of our bodies and take a slow deep breath. It's free.<br />
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Through practicing Yoga I know the benefits of <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/768">Ujjayi breathing</a>. After a few minutes of pranayama, my mind becomes more steady, I drop into my body and I feel like my feet are on the floor. As my mind slows I am able to listen to what my body needs in each asana. The breath is the catalyst for, and director of, all movement. Out of <a href="http://www.yogamovement.com/resources/patanjali.html">Patanjali's eight limbs</a> of Yoga he gives<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcPjvp4La8A"> pranayama</a> (breath work) the fourth limb. In my ten years of practicing Yoga the benefits of deep breathing continue to surpass the benefits of my asanas. It is essential to the practice of Yoga.<br />
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Now, there is an art to deep breathing, not to be confused with <a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3853">hyperventilation</a>. Breathing slowly, through your nostrils may seem like nothing, however it can be done incorrectly and lead to adverse effects, like fatigue and dizziness. Make sure that you learn the techniques of deep breathing or Ujjayi breathing with a trusted teacher. I suggest a yoga class or the '<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Science-Breath-Practical-Guide-Rama/dp/0893891517">Science of Breath</a>', by Swami Rama.<br />
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</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4n2H_22voft6MLnZVVAK_JB-uhZk8tAJTuT4NniXOJaM-uKhtA6-4VKoEKaj8OYNUk5ycybqtpKd91PhboSq3HdAug9vK0_maFXrrco1GpLlwvIFuCizRMvTK3g3lqCkgfDiFtHAi8M/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4n2H_22voft6MLnZVVAK_JB-uhZk8tAJTuT4NniXOJaM-uKhtA6-4VKoEKaj8OYNUk5ycybqtpKd91PhboSq3HdAug9vK0_maFXrrco1GpLlwvIFuCizRMvTK3g3lqCkgfDiFtHAi8M/s400/IMG_0483.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><h3 style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</h3><h3 style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">On the most basic level Yoga teaches me to listen to my body. What we wake to as we continue to practice is nicely found in this excerpt of the Upanishads. As we slow down, rest our mind on our breath and move in and out of our asanas (poses) we begin to train ourselves at a very core level to become the observer. We retrain our perspective. We watch ourselves in our most gross form, in our bodies. From this observation stems the ability to observe our personalities with more objectivity. The sprouting of our awakening.</h3><h3 style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span><br />
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</span></h3><h3 style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Watch your thoughts; they become your words.<br />
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Watch your words; they become your actions.<br />
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Watch your actions; they become your habits.<br />
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Watch your habits; they become your character.<br />
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Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny.<br />
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ॐ<br />
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<a href="http://hinduism.about.com/od/scripturesepics/a/upanishads.htm">-Upanishads</a></span></span></h3>Sarah Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10427371578995866683noreply@blogger.com0