yoga

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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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108 Sun Salutations

Happy Summer.

Today felt like the first official day for me, as I actually got to sit in the sun by the lake, and the ice cream man came by and I had the first fudgesicle of the summer.  A perfect day, and I am truly thankful for the moments in the sun spent with my children.

July 10th is rapidly approaching and we yogis  in Seattle are getting ready for the Yoga for Hope event at Memorial Stadium to support City of Hope Cancer Research Center.

108 Sun salutations is not a random number.  In fact, yogis around the world celebrate the spring equinox and the official changes of  seasons by conducting 108 sun salutations.  This practice will be done alone, or more commonly in a group.  The energy of sharing such a practice is incredibly powerful.  Also, there are official yoga mala days in which people join together to do the 108.

By why 108?

In fact, the number 108 carries spiritual significance throughout a wide swathe of cultures:

* 108 is the number of “Upanishads” comprising Indian philosophy’s “Vedic texts”.
* 108 is the number of names for Shiva (a really important Hindu god).
* 108 is the number of names for Buddha.
* 108 is the Chinese number representing “man”.
* 108 is the number of beads on a Catholic rosary.
* 108 is the number of beads on a Tibetan “mala” (prayer beads, analagous to a rosary).
* 108 is twice the number “54”, which is the number of sounds in Sanskrit (sacred Indian langauge).
* 108 is six times the number “18”, which is a Jewish good luck number.
* 108 is twelve times the number 9, which is the number of vinyasas (movements linked to breath) in a Sun Salutation.

There is your history.  Tomorrow I will give you the sequencing.  Students in my classes are getting more and more familiar with the concept of doing 108.  We’re not all there yet, but  the vision of 108 is no longer an impossibility.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana Bonyhadi

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108 Sun Salutations

108 Sun Salutations, are you kidding?  All in a row? One right after the other?  Why?

There are a lot of good reasons, and I will give them to you in a minute, but for now, let me give you the details.

Yoga for Hope

Fundraiser for City of Hope

Cancer Research

July 10, 2010

Registration @ 9:00am

Salutations begin @ 10:00am

Memorial Stadium at the foot of the Space Needle

Seattle, WA

Nine of Seattle’s leading yoga instructors will teach an outdoor class focused on the sacred number 108-practicing 108 Sun Salutations underneath the Space Needle at Memorial Stadium in hopes of bringing the spirit of health and community together! The instructors have partnered with City of Hope, a leading biomedical research, treatment and education center, to help raise support and awareness for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Researchers at City of Hope understand the importance of complementary and integrative therapies like yoga. Their Integrative Medicine Program, by incorporating complementary modalities with state-of-the-art medical care, is seeking to understand the mind-body-spirit connection to assist those battling life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.

Click here to register, and support this fine project. It will be a great day, a great practice, a fantastic experience.

Tomorrow I will share with you about the wisdom and history of this amazing practice.

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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Great Work – Great Community

I am pleased and honored to announce that our efforts to support the African Village Survival Initiative (AFSI) through Yoga with a Purpose raised $430.00.  On behalf of AFSI, I want to thank all of you who attended classes and supported this important initiative, either through your attendance or through your direct contributions or both.  Truly it is a blessing to be a part of such a wonderful and caring community.

Shalom & Namaste

Diana Bonyhadi

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Abiding in Gratitude

Everyone once and a while I am called to notice how full my life is, how much I have to be thankful for.  I guess you could call it counting my blessings. Honoring our blessings is indeed a “practice that takes us beyond the mat,” for as we take a moment to express our gratitude, we open our hearts to blessings and are open to the energies of healing.

Last week was Yoga with a Purpose Week.  My classes were full, and we raised some much-needed funds for the African Village Survival Initiative. I am thankful we could all be part of helping others less fortunate develop means for economic sustainability.

This weekend I spent with my book club friends up on the Olympic Peninsula.  Wow, what a gorgeous spot: Snow-capped Mountains in the distance, water lapping at the deck, seals and eagles playing for our amusement, and sun!  Oh, I am so thankful to live near the Puget Sound.  If you haven’t given yourself a 24 vacation, do so soon and visit Kingston, WA, just an hour and a half (including ferry ride) north of Seattle.

No book club retreat could be complete without the book discussion.  This weekend we discussed the Help by Kathryn Stockett.  This book is so worth the read. The author deftly combines history of the 1960’s, race relations in the south, and explorations into the meaning of family and friendship.  This is a book that will keep you laughing and crying and glad to be alive.  I am thankful I can read,and thankful that such great books exist, and that I have a community of friends with whom i can share my love of reading.

Mother’s Day.  Okay, it’s a gimme, but I gotta tell you.  Those hand-made cards and poems from my family rock my world.  Thank you Hallmark for giving me a moment to revel in the love of my family.

I think that is enough for now.  I think I will add my list of thank yous to my daily meditation practice.  Perhaps you will join me.

Namaste,

Diana

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Today – Yoga With A Purpose

Today I am dedicating my teaching practice to Yoga with a Purpose. All Proceeds from my classes will be donated to the African Village Survival Initiative.  Simply by attending class, doing that which you know  nurtures your body, you will be doing something good for others.

We call this yoga of compassion.  Yoga of the heart.  Yoga to heal the soul of the planet.  Kharma/Seva Yoga – the highest form of yoga, which is an offering to the planet.

I wrote about the AVSI last week, so if you want more information, go back a post or two, or link on out of here.

Come join one of my classes, or look to see what other studios in your area are supporting this week of Yoga with a Purpose.  Yogis across the country are offering classes, so if you haven’t chosen your studio/teacher for today, find one who is giving it up for AVSI.

Have a great day.

Shalom & Namaste,

Diana

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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.