New friends - old souls

The Y12SR and Sunday night yoga classes have new students. I am enriched with knowledge, insights and struggles brought by each new person who comes to class.
I have had the delight of getting to know a young person who is the friend of one of my kids. An "old soul" who has wisdom and kindness, yet has experienced so much pain from the journey to wholeness. Coming back to the class week after week I get to hear the serenity being developed, the healthy solutions being sought and the tenacity that grows out of living a life in recovery one day at a time.
I have met people further along their path of recovery who want or need to expand their tools of coping and soothing. Yoga coupled with the tools of recovery do fit that bill: yoga philosophy giving an additional framework in which to discuss our recovery ethics and what it true to us. Yoga movement helping to release the tensions that have built over time. Pain in the spirit, the body, and the mind can be lovingly addressed and let go.
I have met people who are not sure what the problem is: self or another, personal behavior or the "unacceptable" behavior of a loved one. Sitting in the discussion circle, hearing what is read and said, can help unravel the confusion. Taking it to the mat can assist working things out; as the body moves through the poses - the subconscious mind can move through what has been said. Sivasana can then integrate the activity of the body and the enlightenment of the mind.
So new folks are arriving each week; some stay , some drift in and out, but I am always left with the honor of having been in their presence. I am grateful.

There is a publisher for my book!

"Yoga and the 12 Step Path" may well soon see the light of day! I am so excited, I am savoring every moment of this process of becoming published. A year to write, four months to edit, five weeks in the hands of an able agent and a decade to experience, research and live.
It is exciting to experience this stage of the journey and I am in each moment OF the experience. At this time my healthy brain is allowing me to be in the gratitude and joy of the moment. Rather than anticipating what may come, or being anxious about my choices up until now I am bathing in the beauty of now. Gratitude and the breath make the miracle of each minute real.

Daily Meditation

For a period of 10 days I had been using a guided meditation to refresh my morning practice. I discovered an useful intention-setting meditation; "Listening to Your Inner Voice" by Lori Leyden. Surprisingly it truly has had an impact on my days.

I try guided meditations from time to time; and while I benefit from all moments in meditation some experiences linger. This practice has been one of those. I have been struggling with a challenge and the guidance provided here, along with my desire to face my barriers and boundaries, is the perfect union with my practice right now. Sitting quietly, becoming conscious of my safety, my willingness to grow and feel differently than I do now (practicing satya and aparigraha) and allowing, without constraint or control, to let the truth unfold slowly, I found my intention. I did not come to the cushion with a specific intention in mind. I came to the cushion with an openness to the possibilities; the possibility of change.

This is what the journey into a sober life has been for me. I did have an intention at first - to STOP IT! I wasn't sure what IT was; I did know that it would entail putting down the drink and drugs, but I had no idea what would come next. I just showed up. I found safety in the rooms, I became honest, and I became willing. I learned to let go: to let go of who I was and let go of what I thought was "going to happen".  And my life got better; the future opened up and while all situations have not been rosy - they have led to rosy moments and a life I could never have imagined.

So - being open to the intention discovered in this meditation was kind of like being a new comer to my life. I have jerks and pauses, and then cruise along with the smooth deep breath of moments that allow my days to be beautiful.

If you are interested try it! I am posting it here for your listening pleasure!

Kyczy Hawk E-RYT200, RTY500 is the author of "Yoga and the Twelve Step Path", a leader of Y12SR classes, and the creator of SOAR(tm) (Success Over Addiction and Relapse) a certification training now available in an ONLINE study course.  Go to the website, scroll to the end of the page and sign up now http://www.yogarecovery.com/SOAR__tm__Cert_all.html

You may also take her ONLINE recovery infused yoga classes 
http://yogarecovery.studiolivetv.com/MemberRegistrationYR.aspx

Summer Cold and Taking Things as They Are

I have been madly preparing for an art show and sale that takes place on the 18th of June. With pottery you have to get all revved up weeks before the event so that the 3 to 6 week process from bringing pieces from the clay bag to the table can be completed. This is planning and living in the future. That vibrant activity has come to a close. I have also been writing a book (yes! A REAL book.) The process of writing and re-writing, re-reading and re-assessing is now on hold. The book is now off my desk and in the hands of the editor who has been giving me kind encouragement and wise feedback.
What does this have to do with my cold? I have cleared my desk and my potters wheel of projects - I have only a few things to do before the sale, and I cannot do them I am so exhausted! I don't' have a "next step" to do on the book - it is out of my hands for a while. I can't take the yoga classes I finally have time for; in fact I have had to cancel some classes I teach. I have to take the advice I so freely give others; to take care of one's self (yes, I mean that, the self that is in the care taking of one). So I am in a chair, not DOING anything, (except now, writing this to clear my head). I am struggling with pranayama due to my congestion and taking meditation as I can find it.
Yes, taking things as they are, not being too disappointed at the change from expectations concerning my "free" time. Perhaps this is just what I should be doing. Resting and contemplating; and coming in touch again with my activity oriented sense of self. I am still my Self - at rest and taking care. Will I listen? I am trying!

Chair Yoga at BREATHE in Los Gatos

A scrumptious new studio is opening up in Los Gatos. BREATHE is a feast for the eyes and the talented staff offers a buffet for the body - all types, practices and lineages of yoga are there from which to choose. Yours truly will be joining the staff in February - teaching a chair yoga class each Thursday afternoon. This one hour class will combine all the integral elements of a yoga practice; breath work, stretching, strengthening, twists and some challenge followed by full-body seated pose relaxation. I will have a "sample" benefit class on January 1, 2011 at 3pm - so please come by, see the studio and try a Chair Yoga experience. Once you try it might be able to recommend a friend and loved one to the class in February. See you there!

Yoga and Recovery - 12 Steps and Yoga - Y12SR

Last Friday I held my first Y12SR class at Willow Glen Yoga. Yoga and 12 Step Recovery is a class that begins with a one hour topic / discussion all recovery meeting and concludes with a one hour yoga class. We were few this first time -but the meeting was awesome. Sometimes having a small group brings deep sharing and this was such a time. While we each got to share fully - kind of introducing ourselves to the group, we did have a shorter meeting which let to a longer practice. YAHOO! I was able to include some restorative poses at the end which were received with (quiet) enthusiasm. Of course this last section of relaxation is always more yummy when preceded by some warming strengthening stretching work; and it was. We brought "acceptance" in as our sankalpa. Acceptance of where we are on our recovery journeys, where we are in life with all its challenges, where we are in our physical bodies, and where we are on our spiritual paths. We spoke of it during the meeting, we experienced it during the active practice and we integrated it during final relaxation. What a wonderful class.
I look forward to the next two Fridays and hope we can continue after that. Come one come all!

If you want to practice a few sun salutations at home in between classes try this one page description of the sequence: Sun Salutations

More thoughts on Santosha - Contentment

Santosha: thoughts based on The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele

Santosha is the observance of contentment . I read from Deborah Adele's book again today. Contentment is a state of being that requires attention as well as in-attention – one of those cosmic balance things. I must be mindful – but not grasping to experience it.

In my reading and my musings I have found the following.

We are encouraged into a state of longing by advertisers – offering us constantly new things or new and improved versions of what we already have – this sense of longing being magnified by their efforts.

To counter these feelings of longing – look around and contemplate gratitude Be grateful for that which you are, have and know.

Also consider that possessions possess and often things can become a burden – golden handcuffs which bind us to things or situations.

Be content in the moment. Often times we are more involved in and invested in getting ready – getting ready to live, to be, to experience, to EXHALE, to be who we are. Envy and expectation can rob the current moment from its due – again gratitude.

When we look outside ourselves and expect others to meet our needs we are looking to others for sustenance and completion . That can only disappoint. We become discontent and loose contact with ourselves. Our true selves. Look in and find strength, look in and find gratitude.

Often we spend our time grasping pleasure and avoiding pain. We create discontent in ourselves by searching for something that is other than it is. To find balance find gratitude.

Finally emotional disturbance can pull us out of contentment. Finding the root and finding compassion in dealing with the root cause will move us closer to contentment. It can take the tick of the clock to give our own emotional state to another – in fear, resentment, anger or hurt. Taking responsibility for the resolution to this out of balance feeling can start with gratitude. Gratitude for taking action when one should and for NOT taking action when one shouldn’t can be the start. Often the emotional states are of our own device and taking the time to look inside can be the key- to reclaiming your contentment and abiding in that grace.

Namaste