asana

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New Classes for Fall

Hey Everyone,
I am expanding my teaching schedule. Come check out the new classes.

 

Village Green Yoga
Tuesdays & Thursdays: Noon to 1:00
Lunch Express – Specifically designed to help you re-energize and re-focus. And get you back to work on time. Come spend your lunch hour doing yoga, and feel great all over for the rest of your day.

Village Green Yoga

Alternating Saturdays: 8:00 – 9:15am

All Levels Yoga. Start your weekend right.  Come join us as we move through asana, pranayama, and mediation, Opening our hearts to the beauty within and around us.  Clarifying our minds to see our own paths, and strengthening our bodies to enable us to fully realize our dreams.  Sounds too deep?  Okay, just come, and stretch and laugh your way into morning.

 

Urban Oasis

Wednesday 7:00pm – 8:15pm

Level I Alignment Yoga

Ready to move out of the beginner class?  Not quite ready to jump into the all levels classes?  Want to learn more about the fundamentals of the asanas, as well as a bit about pranayama.  This is the class for you.  If you have taken the beginner series and want more, join us for Wednesday evening classes.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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L’Shana Tova & Patanjali Sutra II.5

Anitya asuci duhkha anatmasu nitya suci sukha atma khyatih avidya

Sutra 2-5

The need for pleasures and the source of suffering comes from identifying with
that which is not eternal. True self is pure and eternal.

`L’Shana Tova

Happy New Year.  I spent most of yesterday and the evening before in synagogue.  It’s Jewish New Year and so a time for deep reflection.  We are called to reach deeply into that reflective space and ponder where we have been and where we want to be in the future.  This is the time when we take stock.

Traditionally, we call this the time of repentance.  The ten days of awe, when the book of life is opened and we get to re-write ourselves into the book of life.  It is the time when we look back at the past year and hold ourselves accountable for all that we have done.  For many it is a time of self-flagellation.  Our minds fill with the “I should’ves, Why didn’t I, Why did I?” And we ask for forgiveness.  Some of us even write the difficult letters, or make the phone calls to those we love and have hurt during the year.  But most importantly, it is a time of letting go.

I belong to a unique synagogue.  We practice an integrative form of Judaism which is draws upon ancient Jewish practices of mysticism, meditation and chanting. It also draws upon the wisdom teachings of Buddhism and Daoism.  I find that the combination of song, prayer and meditation allows me to go deeper into myself and to nurture the divine spark that lives within.

According to our Rabbis, the real work to be done during this week is the work of self-love.  Yes, look inside, take stalk, but also forgive yourself and let go. I don’t know about you, but I certainly am my own worst critic.  So to be presented with the task of looking inside and practicing self-forgiveness is a deep spiritual challenge.

This is a time of catharsis.

And I find that my yoga practice is deepened by my Jewish faith and vice versa.  We meditate on the mat and we meditate in synagogue.  We honor the divine that lives within in our yoga practice, and we honor the One that is Universal Being in our Jewish faith.  Patanjali reminds us that our attachments to what has been and what could be, keep us from living fully in the moment, and thus lead to pain.  The days of awe remind us to look back, take stalk and then let go, and embrace the New Year with an open heart and a clean slate.

So to all my fellow yogis and yoginis, and to all my Jewish brothers and Sisters, may I wish you a sweet New Year.  I encourage you to open yourselves up to yourselves.  Take time for silence and meditation. Listen quietly to the clear voice that lives within.  Know that we are all manifestations of goodness.  And celebrate your unique unfolding, on the mat and in your life.

Shalom & Namaste

Diana Bonyhadi

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Celebrating Freedom

Happy Independence Day

Aside from the the usual – bonfires, s’mores, roasting hotdogs, parades and fireworks – how will you celebrate 4th of July?  I will practice sun salutations on the beach and stand on my head and watch the waves move in and out.  I will also watch a parade and go to a bonfire.  But there is more to it than that.  I am called on this day to look deeper.  I am called to a moment of presence, an opportunity to set an intention and to honor the gift of freedom, given to me as a citizen of this fine country.

This American of American Holidays stands as a hallmark of our country’s commitment to freedom.  Freedom to be who you are, celebrate how you wish, pray as you believe and walk tall as an individual.  It also marks our country’s determination to choose our own alliances and set our own economic and political trails.  This is a heady list of choices to make at the personal and social level.

I can’t remember who said this, but “with choice/independence there  comes great responsibility.”  So it seems that on this day when were are celebrating our freedom, we should also be examining our own commitments and intentions.   So perhaps today is a day which can practice living  in the same way that we our start our yoga practice.  Today let us set our intentions for our practice of life.

Questions to consider

  • I am free to choose how I live – how do I want to live?
  • I am free to pray as I want – to what or whom do I want to dedicate my prayers?
  • I am free to associate with anyone – how shall I choose my friend and how can I support them?
  • I am free to vote and exercise my political will – what do I truly care about and how can I support that with my vote?
  • I am free to live each day as I wish – how can I live each moment of each day more fully?
  • I am free to celebrate as I wish – what is it I want to celebrate and bring light to?

Have a fantastic 4th. Enjoy the celebration of freedom.  Enjoy your freedom.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Yet Another Official Endorsement of Yoga

Health magazine’s, June issue provided a list of the top 10 things you can do to improve your health.  And yes, Yoga made it on the list.  We all  know  how good yoga is for us, but every now and then it is nice to see the greater health community taking note.  And the more “clinical” studies that are conducted, the greater likelihood that yoga will move from the list of alternative therapies to the list of accepted and, dare I say it, medically approved therapies, even ones that are covered by insurance.  Perhaps I am dreaming, but I fully believe that the therapeutic benefits of yoga are so pervasive, that yoga should be covered by everyone’s insurance.

“When your back hurts, jackknifing into downward dog is probably the last thing you want to.  But a study in the journal “Spine” found that patients with chronic low-back pain who took two 90 minute Iyengar yoga classes a week for six months experienced less pain and depression, and were able to do more than those who followed conventional treatments.”  Health , June 2010.

Have a Great Day,

Shalom & Namaste

Diana Bonyhadi

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Rainy Days Make Me Dig Deeper

Okay, I admit it.  I am a Californian.  I love the sun, I am not particularly fond of rain, and now that it is June in Seattle and still raining, I am having to dig a bit deeper to remain bright and energetic.

I started my practice today with Svasana – now that might seem a bit backwards, but it seemed the best place to begin.  Fully grounding myself to the earth and appreciating the deepness of that connection.  It also allowed me to accept that my energy is lower when the sun doesn’t shine.

From Svasana, I was able to begin slowly moving through leg stretches, hip rotations, supine twists, and even some core work.  Before I knew it, the wintery blues were gone and I was ready proceed with my regular practice.

Accepting where I was in the moment allowed me to create a practice that was nurturing and nourishing.

Things to ponder

  • How often do I deny where I am really am in the moment?
  • How often do I “power through” when it would be better to “ease on through?”
  • Is it harder to go slow or fast?

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Back Bends Workshop this Weekend

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Opening your Heart to Spring – Finding Safety and Comfort in Back Bend

Sunday 1:30 – 4:00

Urban Oasis Yoga & Wellness Center

3310 East Lake Sammamish Parkway

Sammamish, WA 98075

(425) 677-8403

This workshop is designed to help everyone experience the joy and healing benefits of back bends.  Students will be exposed to a variety of different back bends, and will learn important elements of alignment to ensure that their experience with back bends is both safe and rewarding.

Please join us as we open our hearts to the beauty of Spring and the beauty within.

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Gumby Yoga – Only if you Lead with your Heart

Gumby Yoga

What comes to your mind when you think of Gumby?  A cute green, super flexible, smiley cartoon character?  Do you remember anything else?  Maybe his buddy, the horse Pokey?  They were best friends, always there for each other.  Maybe you remember his adventures.  I know, it was a long time ago, but dig deeper.  Here’s what I recall – that Gumby was always “bending over backwards” to be there for folks.  His heart was so open, so full, that he could literally stretch himself to be there for others.

Now that’s what yoga is all about for me.  Not that super flexible body stuff – that’s cool and all – but where I resonate is with that open heart business.  As my practice deepens, I realize that it is not about finding more ways to tie myself in knots – we tangle ourselves up enough as is – but rather the real focus is on finding more ways to stretch open the spaces in my heart and dust off the cobwebs of my mind.

Don’t get me wrong, I love finding new ways to deepen my back bends.  Urdhva dhanurasna (wheel), ustrasana (camel), eka pada rajakapotasana (one-legged king pigeon pose), pincer mayurasana/vrshchikasana (forearm balance/scorpion) & Warrior I – lay them on me.   But help me to remember that a pose is just a pose.  And the pose will remain static and boring until that point when my heart lifts up into it, and I am able to live from that open space.

In order to fully live my practice beyond the mat, I must be able to embody the being of Gumby – stretching, reaching, opening my heart so that I have the space to truly bend over backwards to be there for others.

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Living Yoga – Living Green

Happy Earth Day

Living Yoga – Living Green

Once again it is Earth Day.  Do any of you remember when we first started celebrating Earth Day?  It was such a big deal – tree plantings, school activities, huge community wide events.  Now, it seems as though we have gotten habituated to the idea.  I mean I have to actually look for events and celebrations.  Where are the big banners and posters for local get-involved events?

And then I remembered one of the primary principles of our yoga practice.  The first of Patanjali’s yamas is Ahimsa – roughly translated to “do no harm.”  On the mat, we take this to mean that we respect our bodies and we don’t push beyond our limits.  But what does it mean beyond the mat?  Well the first step is to treat all beings, including ourselves with compassion and respect.  Avoid those harmful words, thoughts and actions.   Practice Kindness and compassion in all you do.

And from here, “being/living green” is a logical extension of Ahimsa.  If we are to avoid harmful actions to all beings everywhere, wouldn’t that also include our own lovely planet?  Practicing beyond the mat when it comes to the earth means living Ahimsa and treating the earth in ways that nourish her and don’t hurt or  deplete her fine resources.  There are so many simple steps we can take to support  our earth, and as a result support and nourish ourselves.  I offer just a few here, and welcome your suggestions to expand this list for all of us.

Walk gently and leave no tread

  • Take a hike or walk.  Enjoy the great outdoors and when you see any litter, pick it up and put it in the trash/recycling.  I admit I carry an extra bag for the litter on my walks.  I even get in the deep knee bends picking all that stuff up.
  • Avoid using bottled water – those plastic water bottles are filling up our landfills and most often the water is no different from that which comes out of your tap.  Check out this great video to learn more.
  • Reduce your energetic footprint – turn out the lights, turn down the heat, turn off your computer when you are not using it.
  • Reduce your gas consumption, drive less, walk/bike more, ride with a friend.
  • Save a tree – bring your own bags to the grocery store.
  • Recycle – see if you can make your recycle bin fuller than your garbage bin.
  • Clean green – most household cleaning projects can be done with some combination of vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and water, and a bit of elbow grease.  Think of it this way – less toxins down the drain and a cleaner healthier home for you.
  • Use less water – I know here in Seattle it is hard to imagine a water shortage, but the less we use here, the more there is for others in greater need elsewhere.
  • Eat local & organic –the food won’t have to travel so far, the energy footprint will be less, and the food will be fresher and better for you, and you will be supporting your local farmer.
  • Use a yoga mat made of sustainable products – I love my Jade Harmony mat.

There are so many more things we can do to practice Ahimsa beyond the mat.  Adding just one of the things to your daily practice will not only benefit the planet, but it will also deepen your yoga practice.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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Beer, Compassion & Inversions

Have you made your weekend plans?  If not, here are a few things you can add to your schedule.  Some are very yogic, and some are not so yogic. I hear that there is a good chance it will be sunny this weekend, so regardless of how many things you plan to do, make sure that one of them involves playing outside.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi


Friday & Saturday:

Hopscotch Seattle, Fremont

Okay, this is for you if you think that an evening tasting premier beer, scotch and tequila sounds like a night of fun.  Think Octoberfest, only with more variety.  I think it is even being organized by the same folks, and the proceeds will benefit the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). This unique tasting experience will feature over 80 beers, wines and spirits and allows guests to interact with beverage experts to discover their true palette during the two-day event.

Saturday:

Compassionate Seattle, Center for Spiritual Living, Seattle

Come celebrate and participate in the creation of a new Charter of compassion for Seattle.  It’s true, there is not another city willing to sign an official Charter of Compassion, a public declaration of our commitment to not only live and breathe compassion, but to also conduct the business of our city with a heart of compassion.

This will be a fantastic day – great music, great teachers, great community.

Sunday:

Get Ready, Get Set, Go Upside Down – An Inversions Workshop 1:30 – 4:00pm

I will be teaching this class at Urban Oasis, East Lake Sammamish Blvd, Issaquah, WA

6 months yoga experience required – that and a great attitude, cause we are going to have a lot of fun learning how to do head stands, hand stands and forearm balances.  After this class, you will never be afraid to go upside down again.  Advanced variations will also be explored, just in case you have got your handstand down and you want to see where else you can take it.  Contact Urban Oasis to save your space.

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Live Music & Celebratory Kirtan

Live Music & the Yoga of Devotion

There is another master teacher in town this week – Shiva Rea.  She will be leading a teacher training and open workshops throughout the weekend at Shakti West in Ballard.  I don’t know if there is still room left, but you might want to check it out.  I definitely plan to.  Shiva Rea has a very special energy about her.  She lives her yoga and has great wisdom to share.

And if you don’t already have plans for this Friday night, you can treat yourself to an amazing evening of music and chanting, also at Shakti West and led by the gifted musician Steve Gold.  I just put a link into his myspace place so you can check out his music, just click on his name, and you can go right there.

Celebratory Kirtan with Steve Gold & Friends

Friday, April 16th, 8:00-10:00pm

Pre-register: by calling SHAKTI West (206) 297-9642
Cost: $20 Adv, $25 at door — 2 hours towards Shiva Rea’s Teacher Training
Location: SHAKTI Vinyasa Yoga West, 2238 NW Market Street Ballard, Seattle, WA 98107