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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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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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New Ashtanga Style Style Class

Hey Everyone,

I will be adding a new class to my teaching repertoire.

Ashtanga-Alignment:  Wednesday evenings 5:30 – 6:45, Urban Oasis in Issaquah.

This will be  powerfully active, movement-based class, sure to get your prana flowing. We will be moving through the basic level one ashtanga series, but with a focus on alignment.  This class is for the experienced yogi seeking to up-level their practice.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana

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Insight from a weekend with Sara Powers

Greetings,

I spent this past weekend with Sara Powers who is the founder of Insight Yoga.  Sara and her husband Ty have been leading yoga classes and workshop for many, many years, and although I had not yet had the opportunity to study with her in person, I had been familiar with her through her video “Insight Yoga.”  As the only yoga video with which I like to practice, it felt like re-meeting an old friend when I walked into to take her workshop.

Sara Powers has set her heart and mind to the integration of yoga, meditation and transpersonal psychology.  So to spend a weekend with her, was an experience focused within, on the prospect of “being in yoga”, rather than of “doing yoga.”  And what a pleasant prospect it was.

As everyone knows who reads this sporadic blog, my focus has always been on “living yoga,” whether it occurs on the mat or hopefully even beyond the mat.  Thus to spend a weekend focused inward, breathing our way into the deepest parts of ourselves, was a great blessing.  I will admit however, that I am not so adept at being still for such long periods of time.  Not only did my body shout out its discomfort, but my brain was also busy, sending me all sorts of messages.

And yet that was what we were there to do.  Become aware of the ramblings of the brain.  We sat meditation before and after asana practice.  We practiced meditation in the asana practice.  In fact, yoga with Sara is meditation in stillness and in motion.  Our work in meditation was not to shunt away the messages of the brain but rather to become “mindful” of them.  Instead of noting a thought and saying “I see you now go away,” we were to acknowledge the thought and follow it. By allowing ourselves to follow a thought, we engage in a process of self-acknowledgement, and self-affirmation.  It becomes liberating to enter this process, and a bit entertaining.  For example, here is just one of the thought trains that I followed…

“Breathe in to the hara. Awareness of breathing into the hara. Am I thinking my breath?  Am I focusing on my breath? Am I focusing too much on my breath? Am I distracting myself from my breath? Am I really meditating?  Mindfulness… What happens if I spend the whole time analyzing the focus of my breath?  Will I no longer be practicing mindfulness? Follow a thought … There are no thoughts … How did I do that?  Oops, there is a thought.  My thighs are beginning to hurt … Should pay more attention to hip openers, or maybe I should pay more attention to closed hip positions … how to teach this balance …  Are my students getting it?  How can I serve them better”

Okay, you get the idea.  Not only did my mind search around for things to latch onto, but under it all, was a common thread of “am I good enough?”  And I doubt I am the only one out there who is constantly filled with self-doubt.  But that is the power of a mindfulness practice.  We can see how often we go to these places, and by doing so disempower those voices of self-doubt.  Recognizing our communal need for love and affirmation, and the collective tendency towards self-doubt, we in turn become more accepting and nurturing as individuals and as community.

Now that is pretty darn cool.

So, take some time (ten minutes) to sit in contemplation of your thoughts.  Acknowledge them  for what they are.  Enjoy the process.  Enjoy letting go.  Live your yoga.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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New Year Events and Commitments

Hey Everyone,

Hope you are enjoying 2011. Did you make any resolutions for the New Year? I did. I want to do more of the things that I know bring me joy. Instead of looking back and regretting what I didn’t do last year, I want to honor all that I did do that made me feel good. And I want to do more of all of those things that make me happy. I should probably be able to keep this resolution. That is as long as I remember to stay present.

I am hosting a workshop this weekend at Urban Oasis in Sammamish, WA. The workshop is entitled Ten Essential Poses and runs from 1:30 to 4:00pm on Sunday. Come and learn what 10 poses would make up your essential practice. We are all different, so not everyone needs the same ten poses, but all of us need to have a few posses we can do every day that will bring us back into the light and help to ground us, so we can move forward in peace in the moment.

Hope to see you Sunday, and Happy New year to Everyone.

Shalom & Namaste,
Diana Bonyhadi

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Winter Solstice and the Balance of Yoga

Winter Solstice and a Lunar Eclipse – powerful forces of light and dark – all in one evening.  Wow, I am still trying to wrap my brain around the possibilities.  Last time these two events occurred simultaneously was 456 years ago.  I will have to ask my friend and ayurvedic astrologer, Melanie Farmer, to comment on the synchronicity of these events and their possible effects on our doshic equilibrium.

On the one hand, now that the solstice has passed, I know the days are going to get longer.  With each day we will have a bit more light.  But the contradiction here is that even though the days will be longer, we will actually be entering more fully into the cold of winter.  At least there is a balance, a bit more light for a bit more cold.

And a lunar eclipse.  Here in the Northwest, we frequently are unable to see this magical event.  But night before last, the skies cleared and the moon was large and full, only to be slowly covered up, not by clouds, but by a shadow.  The moon that is so consistent in its cycle, moved through its cycle yet again, but its light was momentarily oblated by a larger force, the force of a shadow.

So here we are, moving from darkness to light, yet entering into this moment of turning, with a full awareness of the power of our shadow. Because it was indeed our own shadow that covered the moon – the shadow of the earth covering the light of the moon.

In yoga, we are always seeking to achieve balance.  We balance on one leg and one hand (ardha chandrasana), on one leg (vriksasana), on both hands (adho mukha vriksasana), on our heads (salamba sirsasana).  We work to balance our inhalations and exhalations (sama vritti pranayama).  We strive to balance our breath with our asana movements (vinyassa).  And most importantly we seek to balance our  effort/engagement with our ability to let go.

And many times we do find ourselves in balance.  It happens pretty regularly, just like the solstice.  When things are all in place and we exert correct effort, the asana, be it headstand or tree will simply just happen.  Ah, but then we begin to wobble.  Nobody is pushing us, the floor is not moving.  What is happening?  Could it be our shadow?  That little voice inside that continuously questions our ability to be.  “Uh, are your really in that headstand? You sure you have it right.? Can’t believe you are still there, what a lot of work that must be.”  And by the time those shadow thoughts have registered, we are probably all about to fall.

But let us take comfort in the fullness of the eclipse.  Let us allow this amazing event to be a touchstone for our yoga.  While a shadow does indeed pass in front of the moon, the moon does not lose it’s course, and neither should we.  Let us abide in the fullness of the moment.  Let us watch the shadow pass by. Let us not worry or be shaken by the doubts that arise in a moment of darkness.  And then let us pass into the fullness of the asana, the fullness of our breath and balance of our yoga.

Happy Winter.  May you experience the beauty of the season with the fullness of your heart.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

 

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Do Yoga, Be Happy

Feeling Blue?  Try a downward-facing-dog pose.  A new study from Boston University School of Medicine found that yoga boosted mood more effectively than walking.  Doing an hour of yoga three times a week for 12 weeks increased GABA levels by 13 percent as measured in the study’s healthy participants right after a session.  GABA, a neurotransmitters in the brain, is lower in people who are depressed; levels rise with the use of meds.  The walkers showed nor significant increase in GABA levels.  “This is the first study to find a behavioral intervention – yoga – that has an effect on brain chemistry similar to that of antidepressants” says study author Chris Streeter, M.D.

 

So now you know, one more scientific study proves that yoga is good for you.

 

Happy downward-dog everyone.

 

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana

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Why I Went To College

Why I went to College

If you ask someone who is about 17 why they are going to apply to college, in most cases, the honest answer would be…because my parents and my college counselor told me to.  In some instances you will hear that the person wanted to learn as much as they could from the best institution possible.  Or they might say they are going to college to play for the best college team in the country.  I highly doubt they will tell you that they are going to college to accrue debt, learn how to party, make friends that last a life time, oh, and maybe learn some accounting, biology, or how to write an essay.

I went to college because it was expected of me, not because I knew what I wanted to do with my life.  I ended up studying international affairs and psychology, becoming captain of my sailing team.  The dual degree led to a fascinating career in mediation and international collaborative problem solving, the sailing led to a great opportunities to crew on some excellent boats.  But, most importantly, because I went to college, I made friends that have supported and nurtured me for ever so many years.

Okay, how is this related to yoga???  Well, today I am flying to Palm Springs to help three of these friends celebrate their birthdays.  My plane was to leave at 1:00.  I got to the airport at noon, I boarded the plane at 12:30.  I sat on the plane till 2:30, I got off the plane – still in Seattle at 3:00.  I got back on a plane at 3:30, and now I am finally heading to Palm Springs. But…  never did I let this get to me.  In fact, it didn’t even occur to me to stress out.  I am thankful they figured out the plane shouldn’t fly while it was still on the ground.  I am thankful there was a fresh plane to take us to our destination.  I am thankful I have friends from 20 years ago I can go hang out with.  And…

I am thankful to my morning practice and my students for giving me the opportunity to deepen our practice together.  I am pretty certain that without the yoga, at this point my body would be complaining, my mind would be complaining and my energy would be all whacked-out.  But as it is, I am calm, happy and centered.

It’s all about staying present.

Letting go of expectations for the future.

Letting go of expectations for the past.

And rejoicing in the moment.

So, when someone asks you why you went to college,  or why you should go to college,  remember, the correct answer is… the parties, the friends, and the ability to write a good essay.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Halloween Thoughts & Patanjali’s 8-Fold Path

Happy Halloween.

Hey Yogis and Yoginis.  How is your Fall going?  Her in the Northwest, we have been blessed with the most amazing October.  Many sunny skies, some clouds, some wind and a couple of powerful storms.  And today, Halloween, it is sunny, crisp and the sky is filled with clouds of the most interesting patterns.

Today is a day for celebrating spirits that play in the night; Jack-O-Lanterns, trick or treating, parties, costumes, and masks.  As I was out raking leaves, I began thinking about the dress-up aspect of Halloween.  When we don our costumes, are we setting out to hide our true identities or are we taking the opportunity to show the hidden sides of ourselves.  Maybe we are exploring deeper aspects of ourselves we don’t have the chance to explore at other times of the year, those parts that we are perhaps to shy to share in normal circumstances?

And of course, I began to look at this from the yogic perspective. I began to explore the parallels between a deep yoga practice and the celebration of Halloween.  Yes, I know you are probably laughing right now.  But really, I think we can do this.  Look for example at how in yoga, we get the chance to go deeper into each pose, perhaps reaching into areas we don’t normally go.  Trying out poses that we have seen but never thought we could do.  Encouraging our breath and our bodies to reach out and explore the limits of that which we consider ourselves to be, and in doing so, find that the boundaries to our identities might be pushed just a bit further.

Maybe the most interesting question is ….  What masks do we wear everyday to shield ourselves from ourselves and the rest of the world?  How do we present ourselves to the world and how do we protect ourselves from the world.  Perhaps everyday is Halloween, and it is only during our yoga practice that we begin to shed the masks and explore our true selves.  Indeed Patanjali in laying out the eightfold path of yoga  states quite clearly that it is through our practice that we can learn to take off the masks and experience our Divine selves (see list of limbs cited below).  A scary and yet magnificent possibility.

So, as you play this Halloween and dress up yourself, your home, your children, and perhaps even your pets, take a moment to explore how your costume might indeed be a manifestation of a deeper part of your being.  Step into that space and enjoy it.

Shalom & Namaste & Happy Halloween

Diana Bonyhadi

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The core of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for yoga practice. Upon practicing all eight limbs of the path it becomes self-evident that no one element is elevated over another in a hierarchical order. Each is part of a holistic focus which eventually brings completeness to the individual as they find their connectivity to the divine. Because we are all uniquely individual a person can emphasize one branch and then move on to another as they round out their understanding.

In brief the eight limbs, or steps to yoga, are as follows:

1.      Yama : Universal morality

2.      Niyama : Personal observances

3.      Asanas : Body postures

4.      Pranayama : Breathing exercises, and control of prana

5.      Pratyahara : Control of the senses

6.      Dharana : Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness

7.      Dhyana : Devotion, Meditation on the Divine

8.      Samadhi : Union with the Divine

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A Week of Enlightenment

A Week of Divine Enlightenment

Well no, I can’t say that I have become an enlightened being this week, but I did set the intention for the week to open myself up to the possibility of experiencing the divine fully in each and every moment. And what a great week it has been.

It started as a simple question; “If I were truly an enlightened being, how would my actions in the moment change?”  The first thing I noticed was a shift of awareness.  My internal critical self took a step back.  Enlightened beings are not so judgmental – wow what a relief that was.  In my practice, I found it easier to open more fully to each asana, delighting in the postures for their own sake.  My breath flowed more gently and my meditations were longer and deeper.  In my daily life, I discovered that the traffic was less annoying and chores became vehicles for nurturing my family – not dreaded tasks.  In short, I found myself more open to the positive in every situation and more supportive of everyone around me – even those teenagers with whom I share space.

As a yoga teacher, this has turned into a deep blessing.  Opening each class with an invitation to honor the divine within, allowed all my students to reach deeper into their practices.  As a result the room became a sanctuary, and each student a manifestation of the divine.  Literally, all of us were glowing.  The asanas shimmered and the meditations were nurturing and affirming.

When we invite the divine into our lives, we are making the choice to fully acknowledge the grace, beauty and sacredness of our world. If my experience this week is any indication, creating space for the divine is a pathway for creating greater possibilities for peace in our lives and the world.

Finally, a comment on the numerous articles in the press about the perceived conflict between yoga and religions.  First, yoga is not a religion, it is a philosophy.  It is best viewed as a road map for our intrapersonal and interpersonal interactions.  Yoga – which literally mean yoking or union – strengthens the connections between the individual and their own religious commitments. In my practice this week, I found support and clarification of my Jewish faith, particularly as expressed through the Sh’ma: “Listen Israel, Adonai is holy, Adonai is one.”  By embracing the divine, I embraced the concept of the holiness of all beings and the interconnectedness of everything.  I mean, if I am divine, then you are too, and he is, and she is and he is, and so forth.  What a beautiful sparkling world of divine beings we are.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi