Author: Diana Gould Bonyhadi

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Going on Vacaction

Leaving town for vacation.

So much to do.

Stay present, I remind myself as I pack, do  laundry, print tickets, confirm reservations, water plants…

Looking forward to seeing old friends.  Looking forward to studying with teachers from my past.  Looking forward to sleeping in.  Looking forward to seeing new sites.  Looking forward, but trying to remember to stay present.

Just as in the asana practice, I must remind myself; be present while preparing, be present while there, be present while leaving.

And drink plenty of water.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Yoga Studies: Iyengar & Sacred Activism

I  have spent the last three days immersed in yoga.  Not that I am not always immersed in yoga, it is just that I amped that up three-fold.  I spent Friday and Saturday studying Iyengar yoga with JinSung, my former teacher from the Bay Area, and today I spent all day with Andrew Harvey and Karuna Erickson studying Heart Yoga,  the yoga of Sacred Activism.

JinSung speaks deeply and clearly about the structural alignment of the body in yoga.  He presents fundamentals of alignment and links them through all poses.  Actions which seems to contradict one another become clear and greater space is found within.  And, he is a master of the use of belts and props.  I definitely learned new ways to strap and wrap the body.  Students beware:  time for more yogi bondage.

Today, I was fortunate enough to be able to join Wisdom University for the first day of a five-day Intensive on Heart Yoga.  Andrew Harvey, one of the our great modern mystics spoke with fire and passion, encouraging us to  examine our own inner obstacles to living vibrantly in the moment.  Karuna, a yogini of deep wisdom, led us in a compassionate and restorative practice, opening our hearts and nurturing our spirits.

So here is a little truth about me:  I consider myself a peacenik.  I hope that every step I place upon this earth is one of creating peace.  In a previous incarnation (e.g. my other professional career) I was a mediator, working to help individuals and groups resolve conflicts and  find opportunities for collaboration.  Living and teaching yoga, while not as”sexy” as  being “international mediation consultant” is also all about resolving conflict and teaching peace.  So maybe I am no longer out there doing dramatic things to negotiate and reduce some of the more public conflicts of our times, but I hope and believe  that by teaching and sharing yoga, I am helping to creating spaces of peace within individuals who will then share that energy with their friends, families and communities.

This is the path of the Sacred Activist.  The path, that given the current state of the world, most of us are treading.  The path to which we must give our hearts fully in order to find the strength to address the grave issues confronting all of us.

So, my fellow yogis, know that in every practice you are creating a better world.  By moving your bodies, removing the stress, finding alignment, and opening your hearts, you are creating peace, not just on your mats, but beyond.  You are all Sacred Activists. Everything thing you do matters.

Thank you,

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Aparigraha – Living in Balance With My Computer

One who perseveres on the path of noncovetousness gains deep understanding of the meaning of life. (Patanjali Sutra, 2:39, trans. B. Bouanchaud)

 

Aparigraha, one of the yamas of the eight-fold yogi path is frequently defined as the path of non-covetousness, or a letting go of the desire for possessions. The yamas are the personal restraints, and in this abundant consumer-driven society, aparigraha may be one of the hardest yamas to practice.  I mean it is easier to practice saucha (cleanliness) by taking a shower everyday than to practice aparigraha when it comes to wishing for nice soap and fluffy white towels to go with that shower.

Anyway, the things is, my computer is causing me so much frustration, that I am experiencing just the opposite of aparigraha.  I  WANT a new computer.  I NEED a new computer.

I am so used to being able to sit down at my computer and write whenever I want, and then be able to upload it whenever I want.  I like being able to check my email several times a day, and to read the news online. I have gotten so used to having my computer as a regular part of my leisure and work day, that as it fails, I am driven to a state of frustration and distraction that is unnerving.

I am even I am having difficulties feeling compassion for my computer.  At first I would quietly do a restore when I saw a blue screen.  Then I would do a defrag.  Then I would do a virus fix, and then all would be well for a while.  Good computer, thank you computer.  But now after several months of this and a recent check to the computer geek squad, the dang thing is still failing and running hot.

So, the question is, how do we find balance between our wants and our needs.  Clearly I need a functional computer.  And, I am lucky to have this computer.  But…it could be better, faster, more reliable… And this is when we (or least I am) forced to re-evaluate the equation of time, money and peace of mind, and the practice of aparigraha.  I don’t want to be driven by my desire for a cool new computer.  But at the same time I don’t want to waste time and money and personal energy on technology which causes hours of frustration and loss of money, not to mention a lack of personal clarity.

Aparigraha is about learning to let go of our need for possessions.  And in my mind it is about bringing a personal  awareness to our sense of entitlement and neediness.  Maybe I will go out and get a new computer.  Maybe I won’t, but the very fact that I have spent time and energy considering the question of need vs. want brings me, I hope, one step closer to practicing aparigraha.

Perhaps, if we all stopped to pause before engaging in that next purchase decision, we would all be further along the road to living our yoga beyond the mat.

 

Shalom & Namaste

Diana Bonyhadi

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Skiing, Sunday Salutatuions and Interfaith

Now there is a title.  Really, I just wanted to let you know that this entry is all about everything, and that everything is connected.

So, I went skiing on Saturday.  Haven’t been in 3 years, and I admit that I was a bit concerned about my ability to stay upright on those skis.  I was afraid of getting hurt (no time for that), and at not being as good as I used to be.  And the good news is, the skiing was wonderful.  It took a couple of runs, but I found my rhythm and I let go into the  joy and beauty of the moment.  I realized that I had let my attachments to the past and my fear of the future keep me from doing something I truly enjoy.  I had also let the business of my life get in the way of my living of life.

On Sunday morning I was back at Village Green Yoga for my Sunday Salutations Class.  This class combines yoga asana with philosophy and spirit.  My day of skiing had left me neither sore nor tired.  In fact, I was stronger and more revitalized than I had expected.  Taking time off from my routine had restored my energy.  I was reminded once again of the importance of staying present and living in the moment.  And I was reminded that our connections to the divine are invigorated by our joyful participation in life.  Class was amazing, and all of us were renewed and inspired by our practice together.

In the afternoon, I attended an Interfaith Gathering called Tending Adam’s Garden.  Jews, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists came together to discuss what we can do together to help repair the world. This is a monthly meeting that brings members of different faith communities together to address the critical issues that are confronting our world today.  At the heart of it, is the understanding that while our faith traditions may be different, our hopes and dreams for a life of full-fill-ment, wholeness and connectedness are shared.  Here are just some of the responses that were given to the question  “What are the essential qualities that are needed to repair the world?”:

  • Open-heartedness, commitment, courage, education, self-awareness, recognition of our interconnectedness, respect for one another and ourselves, compassion, the willingness to listen, patience, belief in our capacity to do good, and a connection to the divine.

As I listened to the group discussion, I was brought back to yoga.  Not only are all of these qualities identified in the 8-fold path, but many of them are also specifically identified in the yamas and the niyamas.  And as I think about our practice of yoga, I am reminded that on the mat we are encouraged to practice with compassion, to study ourselves and the teachings, to listen with an open heart, to practice with ashimsa, and at times we need both courage and patience to find the next pose.  And certainly we must practice with compassion.  If all goes right, and we stay very present, we can’t help but feel our deep and abiding connection to the eternal divine wisdom that lives within all of us.

So, skiing, yoga and interfaith.  It is all connected.  Have a great week.  Do something you love.  Share it with someone who nurtures your spirit.  Practice your yoga with an open hear, both on the mat and beyond.  Look  at the world and pitch in to make a bit better.  And rejoice in our interconnectedness – with each other and the Divine.

 

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Treat Yourself to a day of Heart Yoga

Wisdom University is offering us a locals a great deal.  We are now able to attend their Heart Yoga workshop with Andrew Harvey and Karuna Erikson at a special daily rate of $99.00.8:30 – 5:00pm, lunch  included.

Now if you are like me, this is exceptionally good news.  I do so want to attend this workshop, but really, I couldn’t walk away from my students for a whole week.  Now I can look forward to attending at least a portion of the workshop, and I know that even that small bit will make a big difference in my life.

So to all my fellow yogis in and around the Seattle area, I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.  Give your selves a gift of heart.  Open yourselves up to the deeper wisdom that lies within.  Sign up for the whole week, or just attend for a day or two.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana

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An Egg-cellent Education

I have a friend who is 14. She wants to go to college. So she is raising hens and selling super fresh, local, organic eggs. Once a week I get 2 dozen eggs for $6.00. Now, if you like fresh organic eggs, you probably know that this is a great deal. I used to pay at least $5.00/dozen. The best thing is that these eggs are incredibly fresh and delicious.

If you want in on this deal, Let me know. You can post your request for eggs as a comment to this post.  I will forward your request on to my friend.   Eggs will be delivered every Saturday morning to Village Green Yoga in Gilman Village, Issaquah.  Thank you Jean for your support.

You can pick them up at your convenience. You can also sign up in person for the eggs while checking out the classes at Village Green Yoga.

Here’s to vision and perseverance and a college fund endowed by farm fresh eggs.

Shalom & Namaste,
Diana

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Dancing with the Divine – A review of my weekend with Jon Friend

Dancing With The Divine

Last weekend I flew down to San Francisco to attend the opening of the Dancing with the Divine Workshop and training with Jhon Friend founder of Anusara Yoga.  I love my Anusara yoga teacher (Jean of Village Green Yoga) and have been considering training to become an Anusara Inspired Therapeutics teacher.  So, I thought why not go to the source and take a workshop with John Friend.

I found my way to the JCC in San Francisco.  Parking was easy.  I was early.  There were a few people milling around.  But as the time to start the workshop drew near, the lobby filled with hundreds – yes I said hundreds – of totally cosmic, happy yogis.  Most seemed to be in their mid thirties, and all of them were glowing with yogi bliss.  Closing my eyes, I could easily transport myself back to my early days of being a Deadhead in San Francisco; the clothes were much the same, as was the buoyant, sparkling energy.  The only thing missing was the smell of marijuana.

Fast forward to the training.  Imagine a ballroom, with 250 yogis lined up mat to mat, all simultaneously chanting and om-ing, accompanied by two musicians playing wind instruments and drums.  The room was positively vibrating with energy.  And there it was again, that feeling of being at a Dead show – is everyone here a groupie?

John is a masterful teacher.  His instructions are clear and concise, and interwoven with yoga wisdom and humor.  He carefully builds the heat and energy within the body, encouraging the students to tap into the divine energy of Shiva-Shakti.  Before I knew it, I was entering poses that had here-to-fore been unavailable to me.  Maybe it was the collective energy of the room, or the letting go into the divine, but either way I appreciated the opportunity to drop back into a urdhva dhanurasana (backbend) from standing and then to rise back up to tadasana. It was also great fun to wrap my foot around behind my head and balance on one hand and the edge of my foot.  Who thought I would be going there?

Anusara is all about opening into heart energy and manifesting the divine.  No wonder there were 500 yogis coming to share this experience.  According to John, there are about 250,000 people practicing Anusara yoga in over 100 countries throughout the world.  I appreciated John’s encouragement to use this great energy to create good in our world.  In our final session we were each given a seed ball that has been made with concentrated energy of positive intention.  We were to practice with this seed ball, focusing our energies for healing into it, and then sometime in the future we are to plant the seed ball somewhere that is in need of nurturance, care, and a bit of green.  I picture all those happy yogis going out and tossing cosmic balls of love and healing into their neighbors’ yards – “here you go, have a ball of grace – you noisy, polluting so and so.”

So, I am back in Seattle, loving our snow covered world.  My practice in enlivened by my experience.  My students will appreciate some of the teachings.  But I don’t think I will be joining John’s merry band of yogi pranksters (his name for it  – without acknowledgment of Dr. Ken Kesey). John is clearly a masterful teacher, but I am not a groupie. I don’t believe I need to add another 500 hours of training to become a certified Anusara teacher.  As a yoga enthusiast and teacher, I believe we should all study the wealth of knowledge of yoga.  Thousands of years and thousands of teachers, all shedding their light on this sacred tradition, this is what makes yoga more than a physical practice.  It is a wisdom tradition that touches all of us and encourages us to find our own path within in it.  I am grateful that John has opened the door for so many and that he encourages students to make their practice of yoga resonate from a space of intention.  I will continue to study Anusara yoga, but I will also study ashtanga, iyengar, kundalini and all the many other paths that form the whole of hatha yoga – the yoking or joining of light and life within and about us.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Jean Houston on Public Radio Network

“Tending the gardens of our lives involves a kind of cosmic yoga; we yoke ourselves back to remembering that we are made of the same stuff as the Universe from which we continuously arise second by second”

Jean Houston

Have you ever had a chance to hear or see Jean Houston?j

She is one of those magical women who reminds us of who we really are and all that we can be.  She leads us on a journey of self-discovery and helps us to see our part in the global cosmos. She is also really cool, insightful and very vibrant and funny.

And guess what?  This time you don’t have to cough up any money to hear her.  Which is unusual, as she is the real thing and people all over the world turn to her for leadership on personal, interpersonal and international issues. And usually you do have to pay.

But tomorrow it is free.

So, check it out Friday at 2:00pm PST on PRN (Progressive Radio Network)

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Voices of Wisdom

Check this out.

A radio show dedicated to the voices of wisdom.  It’s sorta like NPR, but its PRN – Progressive Radio Network.  And it is on everyday, all day long.  Cool, now I have a new preset for my radio.  A place that fills the need for something between news, which is mostly depressing and music which allows me to check out.  Without having to buy or download anything, I can hear lectures and dialogues of people who are really looking to see and be with the world at its deepest level.

Imagine spending your morning with; Dr. Helen Caldicott, an afternoon with Bill Thompson, or an evenings commute with Jim Hightower.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the present – moment that is.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Inspired by Andrew Harvey

Andrew Harvey & Karuna Erikson

Heart Yoga in Seattle

It’s been over twenty years since I had the pleasure to participate in a workshop with Andrew Harvey.  It is no understatement to say that he is a wise man of great proportions.  I remember clearly the sense of wonder at his gentle ways and his immense wisdom.  He is perhaps most famous for his translations of Rumi, and his gentle rendering of other great sufi teachings.  He is in short a modern mystic; a man capable of leading all of us towards the deeper turnings of our souls.

Monday night, as I participated in the live teleconference, a precursor to the Heart Yoga workshop to be held here in Seattle at the end of March, I was again struck by Andrew’s intense intellect and deep commitment to helping us find our path to the sacred through Heart Yoga.  To hear the full content of the teleconference, click on the following link: download the recording here .

If you are interested in deepening your yoga practice, and strengthening your commitment to your life’s work here on earth, I encourage you to consider this fabulous opportunity to spend 5 days with two amazing teachers of yoga and mystical traditions.

Heart Yoga and Sacred Activism                                              Registration:  click here

Syllabus:  click here March 28 – April 1, 2011

Logistics (transport, rooms, meals, map, etc.):      click here

Eight 1-hour prep videos by Andrew & Karuna:      click here (from Daily Om)

From the Syllabus:  “This initiation will open your heart to love, strengthen and infuse your body with light, and deepen and inspire your yoga practice (whatever your level of experience) as well as your commitment to sacred service. You will experience the profound union of the radiant body with the awakened heart, and the love, peace, and sacred passion that is birthed from this marriage.”