:: YogiSutras: Yoga Blog - Journeys into Yoga ::

Today, take note of when you catch yourself getting lost in endless thought. Notice if being on that mental treadmill raises stress levels in you, or spirals downward. Visualize where your thoughts are taking you.

From: Wild Divine: The Journey to Wild Divine

Try this: when you find yourself in a patch of anxiety, take a few minutes to focus on your breath, visualizing the slow, steady cadence as you take oxygen-rich air not just into your lungs, but into your whole body, and exhale, releasing tension and stoking the inner fires of peace and strength.

This tip has been taken from the Wild Divine’s Training Manual. Visit: The Wild Divine and register for their newsletter to receive their monthly news.

Try this: Decide to have FUN or enjoy a part of your day that you might not normally think about. Inject some humor in the world around you and watch the kind of responses you get — you’ll find that it can do much more for your environment and mental state than you may have realized.

This tip has been taken from the Wild Divine’s Training Manual. Visit: The Wild Divine and register for their newsletter to receive their monthly news.

I just embarked on another journey, the Journey to Wild Divine program. In yoga class, my yoga instructors talked about a “mind/body game”, as well as the work of Deepak Chopra. Well, this biofeedback game features Deepak Chopra as he walks you through breathwork techniques to help you create a balance and sense of well-being.

Check it out:
The Wild Divine

Our last day. meditation began with some kind words from Shiva, chanting, and some moments to ourselves. And, she brought an offering of sacred malas from India, and talked us through how to hold them in mantra, or just hold them close. I was looking at these all week, so it hit a precious spot in my heart. Then, we began with our own practices. Yesterday, I was working on a Chandra Namaskar flow, but sometime in the early morning, I decided to my body wanted a Surya Namaskar flow too. So, I combined the two Namaskars, and began with the lunar series, then flowed into the solar series, and a Bakasana flow. The room was full of everyone doing their own flows. Somehow, I lost a lot of core strength this week, and found my inversions to be quite difficult, if not impossible. Maybe I’m relearning the asanas and tweaking my form. Back to the training…this method of training, where we are given the tools and empowered to build our own practices is perfect for me. I’m leaving with a pretty full toolbox, and anxious to put it to work.

Took my last run at the beach during break. It’s nice to run along the water, but I am not drawn to it as I am the mountains. Just a personal preference.

This afternoon, Raj honored Shiva with the gifts of flowers and a signed photo album from the class.

She was truly touched. It set the momentum for the afternoon…slow, grateful, and full of digestion. No practice happened all afternoon, just a nice review and discussion on what we learned. The pop-quiz was actually refreshing, as it put into context the depth of the knowledge we actually digested. Shiva created a sweet ending ceremony, where we were honored with our certificates, and all got a chance to stand on the stage and present our versions of Namaste.

Mental notes to myself: make a shrine and have it somewhere where I can have my asana-free practice. Create time for this every day.

Split up my week into 3 practices at the studio, and 3 practices on my own. Learn to groove on my own practice instead of always moving to someone else’s groove.

Thank you Shiva for a wonderful week!

~Namaste

On a side note…if you get the chance to visit Santa Monica, or, if this exhibit ever comes to your area, please, please go. Make sure you spend at least 1-1/2 hours. The exhibit consists of humans with nature, in a setting I’m sure none of you will ever see. The website does a good job…but the videos and photographs in real life tell much, much more. It’s yoga applied in life’s essence…

www.ashesandsnow.org

Today, we had the honor of sleeping in…and meet after noon. We spent the afternoon working on our own flow practice, based on what feels good in our bodies.

Using the three-part vinyasa technique, we went into our spaces to create. This is the most powerful part of Shiva’s training, creating, using our own bodies, and teaching to ourselves the beauty of yoga. Tomorrow..we get to practice our own flows…

Shiva Rea YOGA TRANCE DANCE

I thought I could communicate the essence of this evening, but the truth is, it is an inner experience, and really can’t be duplicated in writing. But, I can give you some information…

(note on the photo…Ian and I were anxiously awaiting the opening of the door to the studio, and playing with the camera. He’s not in the trance yet…although it may look like it) It begins with a meditative setting, with candles, sage, and spirit. Like an audience who dresses up for a play, we all were there in our dance gear, waiting for Shiva to open the door. As she did, we poured into the room like an anxious audience would. Shiva, dressed in white dance-pants a black top, guided us through the opening of chanting, OMs, and natural breath. She then guided us through some free-form yoga, which felt pretty natural after our training this week. It was at somewhere in this beginning, where I began to get lost within myself. All the while, the music is playing, with lots of bass and treble. It gets louder and louder, as we slowly morph to our feet, and start dancing with ourselves. This was not a dance with a partner…your partner was only your body, being guided by the music, the spirit, and the moment.

The music continued, from all parts of the world, full of beat and soul. Even Zepplin made it’s way in there. The wave moved in and our of every corner, in mostly a oneness, circular fashion. Shiva was everywhere, sharing, moving, and spreading her spirit. Everyone was moving, dancing, spinning, within themselves. At some point, Shiva was in the middle, driving the room with her movements. Like a wave, moving in and out, spinning and swirling, the room moved with her.

2 hours seemed like moments, and before I knew it, we were back on the floor, enjoying beautiful music from Daphne and a regee wonder, who chanted and sang. The room chimed in, and we chanted to this beautiful music and guitar to bring down the energy. We truly could have stayed all night…

If you ever get the chance to experience it, you have to, you must not miss this opportunity. The Shiva Rea Trance Dance is a magical experience…

~Namaste

This morning’s meditation with the SO HUM mantra was delightful. There’s something about coming to the end that makes you more settled, and, with having most of the tools in our bag, we’re now ready to start creating our own personalized classes.

The am class began with Chandra Namaskar, as we are in the beginning of the new moon. While this is a hard practice to begin the day with, I found it perfect for my current state. The 20 minute guided shivasana brought everyone to a dream-like state.

Then, this afternoon, we set off our our own meditative state to create opening meditation and a three-part vinyasa, based on what part of our bodys were feeling it. This was empowering. My partner Karen and I chose Chandra Namaskar as our base, and both created two unique mini-vinyasas for the hips and side bodies.

Tonight…the Yoga Chant Dance…

This part isn’t about Shiva, it’s about my friends Gina Lombardi and her husband Kevin Sizemore, and one year old son, Gunnar. Gina joined me for breakfast Tuesday morning, and then brought her family up to meet me for a nice dinner tonight. What a blessimg to have friends in a foreign turf. Gina and I go all the way back to high school, and I hope to rekindle this relationship. She’s a gem.