Pursuit of Dhyana

Step Back from the Asana.

Set the New Year on a stable track

“But I’m addicted to it. I have been working on pincha for nine months, I can’t back off now!” Does that response speak to you? During this first quarter of the new year step back from the asana and be still. How? By practicing fewer poses...practicing restorative yoga...practicing seated poses to ground and prepare yourself. And do what? Meditate or meditate more. Why? For the peace, connection, and clarity from meditation feed your spirit and transform your asana practice. Join me in this path of enrolling in an insight meditation course, or some form of mediation workshop even if you meditate at this time. Scout around your local yoga studios as well as the universities and holistic centers to find a workshop near you and enroll in one.

Just as we ‘begin from the beginning’ occasionally in our asana postures, take yourself back to the bottom rung of meditation with a mentor or guide. I have enrolled in a six-week meditation course because I have found the power of attention by stepping back to an environment of simplicity to strengthen me in many ways. I have found this from my own meager (version of meditation for dummies, I suppose) and virtually unguided pursuit of dhyana. But now, I seek more direction and understanding from a mentor who has studied and practiced 

for many years, I guess I also enjoy being a student!

My class begins in two weeks and the enthusiasm is building, but I avoid building expectations. Good or not so, or indifferent, I should have a few blogs to document this adventure. I look forward to hearing about  your journey as well. 

Life Embraced

It's been a while...

My decision not to write was a wise one. 

This fall, I was met with another rough spot in the road...I suddenly lost my mother-in-law and my father had to be moved into an Alzheimer's residence. But when family heart aches occurred earlier in 2012, I thought I could take my time to formulate my thoughts and words about the "senioritis" I was experiencing and blog about them in the coming weeks. I realized that writing about certain events, people and situations are sometimes better left untouched. The potential to harm, expose and hurt people in my life seemed to loom over me, as they may have felt that the family's business was being publicly laundered. 

Throughout 2012, I have observed and witnessed self-destruction and implosions on the blogosphere by numerous bloggers. Their 'bear all to cleanse myself’ about personal moments in their family, matrimonial or professional life back fired by alienating friends, partners, peers and family members. In one particular instance a mommy blogger doesn't back away from the keyboard after her child 'comes out' to the world. Taking some time to absorb and become comfortable with this revelation could have prevented her from blogging the most disjointed, snarky, mindless and scattered jibberish content for more than a month-further discrediting herself. Then there was a post from a yoga teacher/blogger (remember that?) about her sultry hook ups with one of her students, it came off like she was bragging about the conquest.  I quit reading blogs for a while because I felt that the content was turning into episodes on reality TV shows (that I also avoid.)

My blogging intention for 2013 is to do my best to write when appropriate and not force the pen for blogging’s sake. I hope to bring light and humor to those who click on my blog, and hopefully some fascination or intrigue causing readers to seek and dig deeper for more knowledge on the presented subject matter. It’s a lost opportunity if we do not learn something new each day!

Life Simplified-

Sondra

Beaches and Bolsters

You realize you are a seasoned yogi when you open the hotel suite door and spot a bolster on the bed along with a pile of pillows and think...”restorative pose!” The bed full of supportive fluff smiles back at you and whispers “How was that looong car ride? Didn’t have time to stop and really streeetch those legs out?  Too confined for a spinal twiiist? Awwww, poor baby!” This cooing and persuading persists as you survey your temporary digs and check out the ocean view.  

No arm twisting needed, as soon as the husband steps downstairs to take care of business you go to work:

*Blanket on the floor? √

*Bolster under the knees? √

*Pillows stacked to support back and head? √

*Washcloth over the eyes? √

“Siri, set my clock for 5 minutes please.”

Ahhhhhhhhh.

You quickly replace the linens and accurately reset the pillows in place, otherwise your husband would accuse you of having a pillow fight with yourself. Then you muse about how you can sneak that bolster down to the beach.......

Namasté

Prana on the Porch

"Have you practiced #yoga on the front porch of a bed and  breakfast? #imagineit #365yoga"

Tweeted by @neshobayoga

An early morning began with seated pranayama amongst a row of rocking chairs. I then rose and stepped over to the sunlit side of the porch to awaken a downward facing dog and flow through several surya namaskar A’s. I continued with some standing poses and an upright pigeon variation (I squatted deeply and extended my arms laterally while I envisioned a heron perched on a fishing pier.) Savasana was swapped for tadasana with hands poised at anjali mudra for several minutes-to provide myself with a grounded clarity for 

the day.

This grand Victorian Lady presides on an urban Pensacola street corner, it’s been her post for over one hundred years. I can imagine that she has witnessed some unusual events in her city, but has there been anyone else to practice yoga on her porch...or am I the first?

The Double Vision Was Always One

I love Art. It doesn’t matter if it is painting, drawing, sculpture, needle arts, photography or pottery, I love the expression of an individual’s vision and creativity. I also like to meet the creator of such fine work and learn of their background and beginnings into their prospective art form; quite often they are some fascinating stories. 

As a yoga teacher, I do have some creative souls who share their practice with me. I am writing about two in particular, and since it is the summer blockbuster movie season dominated by super heros...I will affectionately call them the dynamic duo. The yogi and yogini are Dale and Brin Baucum of Baucum Pottery in Memphis, Tennessee. “Potters, ok...well that’s a nice hobby”, you say? Not at all, this couple has been spinning the wheel for four decades...it’s their livelihood. The couple met in the spring of 1972 at the Memphis Academy of Arts (now the Memphis College of Art), Brin was focused in photography and Dale was immersed in ceramics. It wasn’t until 1983 that Brin joined Dale in ceramics and began channeling her expression of the relationship between man and nature from photography into clay. From a yogic perspective, it is easy to see how yoga immediately resonated with them. I can just imagine how the turning of the wheel is a moving meditation for both of them, creating such pure beauty while spinning darkness into oblivion.

They have such an impressive portfolio of work that the Dixon Gallery and Gardens  has arranged a “Retrospective in Clay”, displaying pieces of their work over the past 40 years. This exhibit runs through October 14th, 2012, so set aside some time to  explore this as well as two other interesting exhibits and The Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

The Creative flow of Living, Writing and Yoga

I have come to the conclusion that these three things (living, writing, yoga) weave tight into each other, and I don't think they are very well or healthy without each other. There are essays, poems and novels that wrap themselves around me and hold me tight. There are people in my life who bring me that same support and warmth- and pretty much without fail, my yoga practice does too. My yoga holds me high, lays out a few cliffhangers and gives me a few giggles. 


I wanted to share a poem from a former student who had to relocate to the foothills of Arkansas last summer. I still think of Jennifer and her delicate grace. At her last class, I read this poem out loud during our Sun Salute A sequence... and it was magical! It touched so many yogis and yoginis in the class with smiles, serenity, tears and community.

A Yogi's Prayer

(Salutation to the Sun)

Arms held high I greet the day in salutation to the sun

Feeling beams upon my face I know the day has come

Forward bending I let go with gentle yogic grace

Lunging back with open heart I welcome life's embrace

With my back a plank straight and true I begin to turn within

Sinking now releasing on my knees and chest and chin

Cobra-like I stretch up feeling strength within the pose

Downward like a sunbeam I gain spiritual repose

Lunging forward easily feeling sweet release

Forward bending I relax welcoming the peace

Joyfully I stretch up to be all that I can be

Prayerfully I greet the God in you and the God in me

Namasté    Namasté    Namasté

Jennifer Veblen 2010

TRUE DAT

Our yoga allows us to experience life in a richer, fuller HD format. The inhibitions and barriers start to crumble away as we begin to weave ourselves into the world community and explore culture, customs and languages foreign to us as well as our own native speaking dialects. Enjoy my images capturing life off the mat in New Orleans...