New Year's Resolutions

It is that time of year again for New Year's Resolutions. As a young person I always rebelled against resolutions stating that we should be trying to better ourselves and our lives AT ALL TIMES, not just once a year to be forgotten as soon as February rolls around. Can you, for that matter, remember what your resolutions were from 2011? And did anything change long term?!
Well, a few years ago I started to make New Year's Resolutions. Predictably falling into my predetermined pattern of setting unreal expectations and forgetting them. I only remember 2 of 3 or 4 from last year because I had a yellow post-it note on my desk that said, "New Years Resolutions?" That was so no one would know what they were of course but I would still be reminded... Hmmm... A victim of my own cryptic, mysteriousness I soon forgot them. Sigh...
So this year I decided to pick just one.
But which one?
For me the diet and fitness resolutions are something I think (or obsess) about on a daily basis and I am constantly planning and tweaking my goals there, so my resolution needs to be more broad but also specific enough to promote real change, like an actual goal. It needs to be esoteric and spiritual but something I can do everyday.
Something I've been talking to my yoga classes about recently is living consciously, awareness of ourselves and the world around us, being in the moment and how habits both good and bad serve to keep us from being present and in the now. So that's it! Simply, LIVE CONSCIOUSLY. Be in the moment as much as possible. This resolution encompasses all previous resolutions. It's a WIN-WIN! So this year I will be more aware of my actions and their effects, the things I say and how it will make others feel, the thoughts I have and the impact on my own psyche. I will be more conscious of not just what I put in my body but being in the moment while eating it. And I will be more conscious of my impact on this planet and conserve resources and energy.
Living consciously is about living in the moment. Habit is the opposite. When I said to my class that there are no such things as "good habits," I got some shock and confusion. But a habit is unconscious whether it's good or bad. It's automatic and robotic and there is no being present. In fact we use habits so we can multitask unconsciously constantly. So why live in the moment? Why be present and mindful? Because then we can have gratitude and in turn more satisfaction in and appreciation of our own lives. And when we practice gratitude we become more content, less attached and addicted to things that don't matter. We become a happier human being in a position to help others. If we practice slowing down and being mindful of our body, speech and mind, the benefits will be instant and long lasting. It is simple but not necessarily easy, it takes practice. This year my post-it notes will be everywhere with just two words... Live Consciously.

Nightclubing Yogini?

"Being yoga" is easy when seeking out peaceful and conducive environments like a yoga studio or out in nature's solitude. But "being yoga" means just that, to BE yogic in ANY environment.
I recently got back from vacation in San Francisco and Redwood City visiting friends, sightseeing and getting out of the SW Florida heat. Our activities ranged from hiking in the Redwood forests, wine tasting in Napa, experiencing the Gay Pride Parade to nightclubbing. During this vacation week I did very little yoga practice or working out at all. Except for a lot of walking, I purposely decided to NOT try to have a daily workout since when traveling with others, you have to stick to the plan which involves everybody and not just oneself.

THAT is the challenge.

My close friends had been scheduled to perform this night at a standing room only nightclub in San Francisco. Basically there was a bar and a stage and that was all. I never really liked nightclubs. There are too many people, mostly drunk, spilling their alcohol on you and the music is usually far too loud to have a conversation let alone hearing each other at all. This is surely the appeal for many club frequenters. But yoga and Buddhism have taught me not to judge, so for this night I would be flexible and introspective. If something bothered me I would look inside and usually find an ego standing there, which I can work with. I would not be bothered by spillage of which there was plenty... everything is washable anyway. And most importantly I would be there for my friends, to support and cheer for them until my throat was sore. I ended up having one of the best nights ever and didn't even use my earplugs.

So "being yoga" is a constant process, a moment by moment practice of letting the ego go and being there for others. As I continue my practice, I realize that that is where true happiness resides. But BEWARE, the nightclub is no place for SAVASANA.

Conflicts Within?

Can we embrace the conflict within? A psychiatrist friend once said, "we HAVE to be able to deal with our mixed feelings." It is normal and natural to feel mixed about things. In this day and age of instant and immediate reactions to events and ideas we are encouraged to feel only one way about things. What ever happened to saying "Well, I'll have to think about that for a while," or let me "meditate" on that. Can we admit that we have mixed feelings about something or does that somehow say we are "weak" and/or indecisive?
I feel that if we embrace our mixed feelings it will ultimately make us feel more whole and integrated. We ARE NOT one dimensional, we DO have many different feelings (sometimes opposing) that make us whole and human. It's a beautiful thing... EMBRACE YOUR TOTALITY!

A Friendly Conflict?

"Anger cannot be overcome by anger. If someone is angry with you, and you show anger in return, the result is a disaster. On the other hand, if you control your anger and show its opposite – love, compassion, tolerance and patience – not only will you remain peaceful, but the other person's anger will also diminish". Dalai Lama

I have recently been involved in some conflicts between friends. I find myself in the middle of things since I have loved every one of them. And now it is coming down to picking "sides". Which for me is impossible since I believe each of them have been both in the wrong and in the right. The actual "truth" is subjective depending on who I talk to. And I too have been right, wrong and selfish. So how am I to judge?, and choose a side. (This is why I would make a terrible juror by the way).
So what I have decided to do is take no one's side, stay friends with everyone and move on from here. That is my lesson.

Morning Yoga on a Quiet Beach in Nicaragua

The Great Race!

Wow! I finished! The Sprint Triathlon that is... What an amazing test of my will, strength and perseverance. I finished however pretty low in my age group but NO MATTER! I'm just glad to have survived. And yes I think I'll do it again. This time with a more calm attitude, some tweeks in my transitions and also my training and I know I can improve my performance.
All in all it's just a testament to our human ability to adapt to all kinds of situations. DON'T QUIT! Just because it was hard doesn't mean it won't get easier the next time. You can be more aware of what's going on around you, breathe, and just plain know what to expect. I'm fortunate to have had this experience. It has re-affirmed to me that I can do whatever I set my mind to. That makes me so happy! Who's in?

Top 10 Silly Things About Me Doing a Triathlon

10. The first thing I thought of was "What will I wear?".
9. I have only ever ran when someone was chasing me.
8. One lap of swimming and I thought my lungs would crack.
7. The theme of Jaws keeps playing in my head while training in the gulf.
6. I can train and train and still gain weight.
5. I can't wear any make up during the race. (Maybe just a little lipstick).
4. Who is dumb enough to train for a triathlon in Florida in SUMMER?!
3. I just learned the divorce rate is really high in triathletes.
2. I can still fall off my bike standing still in my driveway.
And the #1 silly thing...
1. Maybe I SHOULD have gotten those breast implants for more buoyancy.

You Want Me To Do What?!

My friends at work have offered me a particular challenge of which I've never, ever seen myself doing. They challenged me to a MINI TRIATHLON! At 42 years old, this just didn't seem like something I SHOULD be doing. Hmmmmm, well then, maybe I should... I know what it's like to dig deep and find an inch of drive when it all seems to be gone. I've been there with flying trapeze and especially the aerial silks. So this can't be any harder right? Well 2 months into training and some bumps, scrapes, bruises, sore everything and lots of sweat (training in Florida in summer) I am feeling comfortable enough that I know I will at least finish!


Once in a while we have to challenge ourselves with something out of our comfort zone so we DO feel nervous, scared and uncomfortable. It lets us really feel we are living and creating ourselves. We are not all genetically blessed with incredible talents but facing our fears and working through our issues helps us grow and progress. We become more sensitive and more aware and ultimately we are in a better position to help others face their fears.

Cell Phone Yoga?

Recently, a friend of mine told me of an experience she had in a yoga class. During class the yoga teacher had everyone in child's pose, he/she then proceeded to do some texting on a cell phone. The teacher never explained any reason to the class like someone close had a serious illness or something of a dire emergency, no it was general texting. Really...?? Do we have such an addiction to these phones that we can't even turn them off for an hour or two?!

Occasionally I hear a cell phone ring in my class. They are usually accidents (they forgot to silence them) but a couple times the students answered them. Again there was no dire emergency. I'm not sure if we need a new set of etiquette rules for cell phones or a reminder of why we do yoga in the first place, or both. This person probably never even thought there was anything wrong with multitasking while teaching yoga.
If we are truly in the present then distractions lose their pull on our attention. Yoga is supposed to help us wake up, stay focused, live mindfully and be present. We owe it to ourselves and others we come in contact with...

Livestrong Website for Health and Fitness

Here's a great website for health and weight maintenance, http://www.livestrong.com/ You will learn so much about foods and labels on the "Daily Plate" food journal section. Plus many many more fun and motivating features. It can track your calories, sodium, cholesterol, fiber, fat, carbs, protein, exercise, etc... in easy to read pie charts so you can really see what your eating on a daily basis. And the best part is it is free. As a Personal Trainer, I have referred many people to this site and have noted much success. Give it a look!!

Posture

Notice your posture right now. You're probably sitting at your computer with rounded shoulders and back. Notice how it feels. Now uncross your legs and bring your spine up over your pelvis. Pull the belly in and lift your breast bone. Lift your heart up. Take your shoulders back but don't squeeze too hard. (It shouldn't feel like too much effort.) Bring your ears over your shoulders and relax your face. Now how do you feel? Possibly more alert? Better breath? More relaxed? Good posture can even make you look and feel younger and thinner and who doesn't want that, right? Practice this every time you sit. Be conscious. Live yoga.

Yoga Journal Website

For all you aspiring yogis and yoginis, here is Yoga Journal Magazine's website. Put it in your favorites as a reference to articles, pose information, different styles of yoga and specific health and wellness information... http://www.yogajournal.com/

If you're interested in a more intermediate/advanced practice of backbends and hip openers, try this John Friend video. It will only be up for a limited time so check it out soon! http://www.yogajournal.com/video/113

Words to Live By

If you do what you've always done you'll get what you've always got!

Change Is Growth

Change is growth, growth is success. That is a simplification but in terms of succeeding in life you must continually make changes to grow! Sometimes these changes are forced upon us like from our struggling economy. The challenge is to use the change to better ourselves, and most importantly to have a good attitude about it. Your attitude, pos or neg, sets the stage for either you feeling success or failure. In yoga, your attitude is crucial. It makes a difference between uncomfortable and GREAT!

Welcome to My Blog - Being Yoga

Hello! Welcome to my Blog! I hope we can use this to share our insights and questions to further our study of a yogic lifestyle and healthy living. I'd like to share a quote, "Health is not a commodity to be bargained for. It has to be earned through sweat" B.K.S. Iyengar. I often hear people say that they'll "start" their diet, exercise, yoga, at a future date. Why not take care of ourselves daily? Is it inconvenience? Resistance to change? fear of success? Even small changes can eventually lead to great health improvements. What is one small health change that has made a difference in your life?