Living your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life

Yoga on the mat and yoga of daily life. The author, Judith Lasaster, wrote Living your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life, over 20 years ago, to help us learn how to apply yogic principles to our everyday lives. It seems that when we are on our mats we find peace; peace within our selves and from the distractions that surround us. But, once off the mat all of those distractions come back to roost in our minds which then reflect in our bodies. By understanding how the two: yoga on the mat and yoga off the mat are connected we can address the challenges that may come our way and learn to live in balance. 

I have been practicing yoga for a number of years and I so appreciate the gifts it has given me; to cleanse my body and mind and bring a sense of peace and balance into a world of many complexities. Yes, there are times when my practice seemed to be set aside because I had so much more I needed to get done. So much more. During these times I feel a sense of unease, of imbalance, of sadness and I chastise myself for letting all that I don't really need get in the way of what I do. The result, I am mad at myself; instead of looking at what the distractions are and putting them in perspective. 

I find myself returning to Lasater's book when I need to remember my physical and mental well being. According to George Feuerstein, Founder-Director of the Yoga Research and Education Center, the premise of her book, "a down to earth discussion of how we can use the age-old wisdom of yoga in order to connect with the sacred in everyday life."  I like down to earth. It doesn't have to be steeped in research, but put into real life situations so that one can see how the two relate to each other. 

As we find ourselves in one of the most troublesome times in our world Lasater's wisdom is what we need. She has several themes throughout her writings; one that I would like to focus on is Patience. I feel like the ability for many in society to be patient now is so dis-concerning. So many are quick to jump to conclusions; quick to jump to anger and frustration about something that may be out of their control. Have we lost our ability to be patient and practice patience?  Can we find, "that time when we feel perfectly content with whatever is because we feel perfectly connected to whatever it, whether things are going the way we want them or things have fallen apart?" What I tend to see now is impatience; impatience physically, emotionally and  pyschologically. I see it towards friends who may have different political views. I see impatience towards the checkout person in the grocery store or the manager who has rules he/she needs to follow. Even people who don't know each other seem to be at each other. When does it end? 

Maybe we need to do a reset. Begin with being mindful and focusing on the feelings we find ourselves going through when we find yourself being impatient. Don't you wonder how much time we waste being impatient with ourselves and others? A phrase I use in my yoga classes would be a good phrase to keep in mind when you find yourself beginning that road to impatience, "go with the flow." I was a high school teacher for a number of years and this phrase was always present in my classroom. Teenagers are not known for their ability to be patient; but what I hoped, is that when they found themselves getting agitated, their thought would be, "ok slow down, let's look at the situation for what it is." We had many discussions surrounding this topic. I hoped that when they left me this philosophy would be with them. 

For so many of us we place a value on what we get done, what we can accomplish on any given day and throughout our lives. Like there is a scale and our accomplishments are on one side and our value on the other. I am very guilty of putting a value on what I do. I am not happy about it and it is something I am constantly working on. It is hard work to keep the balance; maybe we need to take our accomplishments off of the scale and replace them with empowerment. We have the ability to make choices; what we have to decide is what choice am I going to make. We have the power to look at a situation as a situation and pay attention to the feelings that determine it. 

In our yoga practice we may find ourselves being tested. Our mind may want to take the body into a particular pose, but the body itself can not perform as we would want. The result is frustration within us. Yoga is not a competition, we are often told. Your mat is your mat. Well, tell that to your mind.  Bring yourself to a pose that you can be in for a few minutes, like Easy Seated pose/Sukhasana.

Take yourself there to begin your journey on practicing patience. Once there notice what you notice, feel what you feel. Don't analyze, just be. Notice your thoughts, are they pleasant, worrisome, questioning? Did I remember to focus on my breath? SO many questions can begin to form. The question then becomes, "Can you rest in the present moment, even if it is just for one more moment."  Let the questions go and just sit. If find that this philosophy helps me through much of my yoga practice. And, I also find that this philosophy helps me when I am in a situation where I can feel anxiety and tension rise. 

Lasater ends her discussion offering suggestions that we could take on that may try our patience. Each can be one that we learn a bit more about ourselves: 

• Choose the longest line at the grocery store or wherever you might be shopping. Pay attention to your bodily sensations. Breathe. Focus on the reality of the situation and that everything is moving as it should. 
• The next time that your spouse, child, or friend is upset, listen with full attention. Don't make any comments or offer any advice. Practice compassionate listening, or as I would teach my students, "active listening." 
• You may find yourself listening to something that does not have any interest to you; again listen actively. Relax the body and breathe.
• Lastly, when you feel yourself becoming impatient, remember that whatever the present situation, it will change. Life is impermanent. Even the most difficult of life's situations will not remain the same. 

Mantras to Remember 

"Everything is moving at it's proper speed."

"Choice is the most profound freedom."

"It won't always be like this." 

"There is always enough time in nature."

"Is the problem the situation, or is it my reaction to the situation?" 

 Love to hear from you. Thanks: Debra 

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From Teacher to a Student of Yoga: Thoughts that Arise

 Ever since I began taking yoga classes I have brought a journal with me to write my thoughts as I sit on my mat. In addition, I take note of the practice I am in; the moves, the breath, the feelings that arise. At each studio I visit there is a special place I like to land. This place feels like my own little island; where I can be myself for a time. I would like to share some of the tips, the thoughts, what I have discovered while being the student. 

Alignment Tips: 

• When on the back to do a crunch, do not lift the tailbone off the mat; instead tailbone on the mat & "knit" ribs down. If you pick your tailbone up you do not work the upper portion of the rectus abdominis.

• Trikonasana/Triangle: Open hips stand with hips parallel to the outside of the mat. 

• Forward Fold/Uttanasana: Put hands on your shins before coming all the way up. Less stress on lower back. 

• Support your head when on your back so forehead is even with cheekbones. Otherwise the neck is pinched and tightens down the spine (Andrea). 
• Alignment: 1. Three fundamentals: Grounding-Roof of mouth-Exhale. 2. Pre-yoga exercises (get ready for the theme). 3. R=recipe: intro, warm, peak, cool down. 4. A=action & resistance: taking & going down one more layer. Use your mind to add the resistance. 5. W= win/win alignment: natural alignment. 

Chanting: 

- Nervous; freak out the practitioner

- Not interested; move on

- Uncomfortable; uncomfortable with voice/ or both

+ Getting and staying in alignment with Yogic tradition

+ Power of Mantra-channeling energy

+ Energetic quality of the class

Breathing: 

Breathing in-welcome breath. Come home to your body. 

The breath we share, we share with others. As we heals so we heal others. Our breath reminds us that we are alive....live. 

Andrea: Look at modern life & its impact; balance. Breath is what is, don't try to change or manipulate it. 

Guide your breath to areas of the body. 

Finding stillness in a world of constant motion. Pelvis the seat of grounding. Whether the challenge is physical or whether the challenge is a part of life. Inhale: easy & effortless. Exhale: ride the breath all the way out & pause. 

Bumble Bee Breath:  Immune boosting; Stimulate the lymphatic system & thymus gland. Vibration of the body. Reduce anger & anxiety. 

Ujjayi Breath: Ocean breath. Heat building. Clearing/channeling tapas. Comfort & clarity. Notice imbalance of breath. Hand in front of face; exhale and feel the heat on your hand. Close mouth/hand down/constrict back of throat on inhale. More of a "working breath." Do while practicing Sun Salutations. 

Diaphragmatic Breathing: Inhale belly button/Exhale sternum. 

Teaching Tips: 

• Think about the format of my classes so that I can focus more on the spiritual side of yoga; meditation at least five minutes. 

• Feel the connection  between your body & the earth. 

• Ground to counter the stress of the holidays. 

• Five "B's" Help find the "root to rise" action
• Blueprint
• Breath; become centered, connect with stability
• Balance: find center 
• Bandhas: internal support; help direct prana
• Bliss: look of peace; sense of equanimity

• Constructive Rest: grounding, profound effect on the body. 1. Weight of the body draws down roots. Go through body parts that are on the Earth. 2. Gentleness & Kindness toward our bodies. 3. Follow Breath. 

• Fascia: webbing that covers muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is a "net" that protects us. Back Fascia Line: toes/heel, inner knee/hamstring, bum back to over the skull to eyebrow. Front Fascia Line:  toes tips/ankles front/shin bone over knees-quads/hip crest, pubic bone to sternum, divides SCM muscle to behind the ear/over the skull. Yet it can get twisted, bound up causing immobility & pain. Elasticity through stretching.

• Pulls heels towards each other in Open Hip Asanas to ground your foundation.

• Protraction: out / Retraction: in. Feel the shoulder blades moving forward (protraction) and moving back (retraction).

• Tap into your Intuition: listen to your body & what it is telling you. Use your inner teacher to guide you. 

• Transverse Abdominus: "corsett." Center point-grounding, take pressure off of the lumbar. Neutral spine. Stop the pee. 

• Bringing in "new elements" to share with your students??!! Expose them to a practice(s) taht are a part of the yogic tradition with out bringing in a sense of trepidation or fear. Why is that? Do we fear opening ourselves up-going outside the pre-made box? Are gender norms been instilled since birth; that we fear "new?" Do we keep our expressions, our openness, our voice silent?! To add to the stress of expression, now when I do open my voice for all to hear-am I loved? Am I on cue? Am I holding to long? Are people watching me?

• Muscles Two Main Functions: 1. to produce movement, by moving the bones of the skeleton. 2. to maintain posture/body position. LOCKED SHORT: muscles get stuck in the contracted position (tight in). Stretch at the end of the contraction. LOCKED LONG: pulled on, act like straps, "contracting." SOLUTION: muscles are designed to contract & relax in succession=increase circulation to the area, bring nourishment & develops muscle tone & strength. "Contract/Relax, Contract/Relax..... Then stretch (if appropriate). 

• BUCKET: Depleting your bucket/depletes your energy level. Filling your bucket/energizes you. Fill your bucket. Pelvis is your bucket. 

• Kriyas: Kri: action.... Ya: atman/soul.... Sort of action or effort involving your transcendental self. Increasing access to subtle energy & then channeling that energy in different ways. Channel your energy more efficiently.  One can more easily control the fluctuations of the mind through controlling one's energy, one's life force. Shift our awareness so that we think thought instead of thought thinking us; take spontaneous right action. 

• Svadhyaya (Niyama) self-study in addition to physical practice. Open our hearts & minds to this deeper inquiry. Ground & center us. Flexible in body & mind. 

Meditation: 

Start with the scalp to toes; relaxing, bringing to light where the tension is & focusing to relax. 

Ground, Center, Be Present. "Social Face," Settled & Present. 

Bring in our past experiences. Allow these to drop down; seep into the ground. Grounding: pre-prep for practice. Roof of Mouth: spacious. Exhale: feather moving in the wind. 

Meditation: Intention & Visualization. Path of Breath. Identify a feeling that brought you here to your mat and create a visual around it. 

Lying Meditation: Grounding, pause-be still to find balance. Moment to moment awareness with our perceiving bias or judgment. Find techniques to tether the mind. Bring "peace in"-"peace out." 

What I See When On My Mat: 

Blowing in the Wind: Milkweed.... Soft breeze....strong gust....even the stalk itself bending in the wind. Is it trying to hold onto its seeds or does it know it is time to let them go?

Robin looking in the window. I wonder what it thinks as it sees these beings moving on their mats. 

PEBBLE

Field of Awareness: But in a removed, detached way. To look at the obstacles that may hinder or block our path. Hold a pebble close to your eyes. I appears larger, then as you move away you truly see its true size. So it is with your obstacles... if we let them be our only focus, we may never realize how small they are. 

Appreciate yourself fore what you are, how far you've come & all that you have to look forward to. 

Life around us is ever changing....but our "true self" is unchanging. Who we are is good enough. 

What goals are really important to our lives, our world, our wellbeing? ANSWER: "Vairagya'" non-attachment & appreciation of ourselves. 

Practicing with a Cold: Sore joints, head full of ****... It is truly good for you to do your practice with a cold? Energy level is low, to move takes great effort, balance is off, lowering my  head puts pressure on the eyes; feels like they are going to pop out of my head! And yet, here I am. I want to bring movement to my body to clear the toxins out of my body. Working through discomfort to a place where I forget that I "can't" breath well & my head hurts. To take myself out of my body & feel the flow. 

Practicing in the Warmth of the Sun: April 2018.... April should be a month of growth of rebirth. The mornings may be cool, but by afternoon the sun has warmed up the earth and the plants that have slept during the winter months begin to emerge. Rains come to water the earth, to wash away the remnants of winter; to cleanse and renew the earth. This April has been quite different; cold mornings continue through the day; even though the sun has shown itself. Rain has turned to sleet, ice & snow blanketing the plants that have begun their journey. For the farmers, plowing the fields has been put on hold, waiting for the ground to dry. For those of us that have waited for Spring to come, patience is their mantra. We can not change what Mother Earth may send us, so we need to have patience; hoping that the cold will diminish, the snow will melt and the earth will warm. All of these thoughts showed themselves today as I went through a most wonderful practice in the Sun. Though the landscape outside was one of snow; the sun shined bright and warmed my island, my space, my mat. 

Energy: Recharge....Plug-in.... Feel your body& where it is at. Do you need to challenge yourself more & increase your energy level or have you expended  your energy by doing to much all the time & you need to bring yourself down. 

Hummingbird.... As we were going through our practice today a hummingbird appeared by the window. It's wings fluttering so fast, its beak tapping the window. As I watched, I wondered, "why was this beautiful bird drawn to this particular window? What did it see that drew itself here? What was it expecting to find? Was there another bird that looked like itself?" Friend or Foe?  I smiled and laughed to myself. What a wonderful surprise on this sunny day. A sunny day after what seemed like days of dark clouds, thunder & rain. This sighting brought such joy to my heart that I didn't think there would be sadness. And yet, there was. Not knowing what was forcing the bird to keep tapping on the window, it soon fell to the ground. 

Turkeys Feeding in the Fields.... Turkeys were feeding in the fields as we practiced. First, they moved across the field to the side of the hill and then a while later came back across the field. I wondered why they chose to come back from where they were?? Can I/we use this to apply to our lives; first go one way and then go another, only to come back to where we were? 

Spring Day & the Sun is Shining.... The sun is shining it warmth spreads throughout my body. After days of heaviness, of wetness in my body, I was feeling weighted down. My mood was one of negativity, questioning life! To have the sun greet me has brought a renewed sense of hope. 

Why Do I Do This? I read, I write, I practice, I teach and yet, I feel like I am not truly "living" what I teach. I work hard to research and understand the book side of yoga; but I need to go beyond this and truly internalize. Let go of whatever I seem to feel/think is holding me back. Who am I trying to prove to? Me or everyone else? I want to be at peace with myself & my life's journey. When does this happen? Be at peace with in you! Whatever happens.... You/me need to let go of the outside & inside expectations. Be you. Know you. Love you. 

Cold, Brisk Day.... I love sitting on my mat looking out the window as it brings me peace. And, you never know what you will see. Today, part of the prairie was in the sun & the other part was in the shade. The wind has created beautiful drifts with swirling edges. 

To Be Remembered.... Pres. George HW Bush's eulogy by his son. We should live our lives how we want our eulogy to be. How do we want to be remembered? I spent too much time worried about my outer being; so much time wasted on something so meaningless. What would Sid say, what would the girls say, what would be grandchildren say??? 

Describe your Paradise.... Living for health or living in paradise? Do we create our own paradise because we fear reality.... Ans as a result our paradise, though fake, becomes our reality? To live healthy, I believe is to live for your health. How would you describe your paradise? In todays society for some or for many, paradise would be valued by the material wealth one has, the power, the toys one has. 

Feeling at Peace.... Feeling at peace where you practice. Feeling no pressure to perform where you teach. Yoga should not be about the numbers: how many or how much. And yet, this is what I see and experience in some of the places I teach. When and why has yoga become a business? Where the bottom line is more important then those you serve, than the peace you bring! 

Questions to ask of a studio: 

What is your philosophy?

What is the focus of the studio?

Spiritual practice vs exercise?

Community Involvement?

Teacher expectations? 

Spiritual: 

Ganesh: Remover of obstacles. God of success. Don't sit & dwell; remove obstacles. New experiences-pray to Ganesh. SPRING: earth changes as does the person, the more you practice the more you can overcome. 

Santosha (Niyama): Contentment. Accept things as they are. Positive relationship with ourselves. Ethical concept. Satisfaction. Accepting & appreciating what we have & what we are already & moving on from there.  Bring about a space that is an opportunity for growth. 

Bhagavad Gita: not to look outside ourselves for happiness, but to realize that peace & happiness lies within. 

Vata: Time of the year (Fall to Mid-Winter). Skin is dry, air is dry, body's joints are dry & need lubricating. Fluids

Kapha: (Spring to Summer) Time of "mud." Water & Earth. Heavy, sticky, cold, moist. One may feel lethargic & cold. Opposites balance: create warmth in the practice. Twisting postures. 

Prana: "chi" life force-energy systems in our bodies. Essential to our health & well being. To awaken our higher consciousness. Keep the uninterrupted flow moving; don't become sedentary. Eat food which are not refined or processed. 

Transition from Pitta to Vata; from Summer to Fall. From heat & humidity to cold, dry & mobile. Feel the earth; work on stability. How do you feel? (heavy-light, moist-dry) What do you need to support you? Turn your attention to the feeling of breathing; cultivating our prana, our life-force (Andrea). 

Saucha (Niyama): Purity of speech, body & mind. Cleanliness of speech, body & mind. Notice your thoughts, actions and negative thoughts. Try to be content, to accept things as they are. 

Questions Posed by Those I Teach

     Questions abound regarding the teachings and practices of Yoga. Throughout my career as a teacher I am often approached and asked questions about various topics. I am by no means an expert in the practices and teachings of Yoga; but if I don't have a confident answer I will do research to find an answer. In the end both of us learn a bit more about this fascinating way of life.

     A group of us had gone through a class that I teach called Core & Balance. As the name states we work on targeting and strengthening the torso and then use this to take on balancing asanas. We had finished the class when one of my students asked if we could chat; she had a couple of questions that had come up during our time together. The first question surrounded the way that we are often asked to breath during our practice. My student stated, "I often hear from you and other teachers that we should breath in and out through our noses... why is that? I have to be honest and say that I often exhale through my mouth. I can't exhale through my nose."  For her, she often finds that she breaths better if she opens her mouth when exhaling. 

     I asked her if she always exhales through her mouth. (if this is a common way that she breaths to do something different might be difficult). From what I could gather she doesn't always exhale through her mouth; but if the movements are difficult or feel difficult she can not exhale through her nose; she needs to open her mouth and exhale. 

    There are studies that have been done which have taken a look at the way humans breath. The Cleveland Clinic wrote an article on mouth breathing. In the article the clinic tells us the differences between, "nose breathing and mouth breathing. "When your breath through your nose, tiny hairs called cilia filter out debris like allergens and pollution. Your mouth doesn't offer that protection." In addition, the study found that, "your lungs and throat function better with moist air. Your nose has bony structure that handle that task. Air through mouth is drier." Lastly, "our lungs and throat thrive on warm air. When you breath through your nose, the air you take in gradually warms up until its closer to body temperature, making it easier for your tissues to absorb."   

     Alexandra Benisek, a staff writer at WebMD, who publishes medical articles states that," Most people naturally breath through their noses almost all of the time. But some people develop mouth breathing later in life or are born as mouth breathers due to their bodies structural makeup." A person could have a nasal blockage which prevents them from breathing comfortably in and out of their nose. Allergies can cause stuffiness, which in turns affects the way one breaths. 

       Yoga Journal, a magazine which focuses on the many facets of yoga was asked a similar question and their response, very similar to the medical professions statements, "asana practice should never be done while breathing through the mouth. Both inhalation and exhalations must be done through the nose. It moistens the air, thereby preventing drying of the lungs, it warms the air, thereby preventing lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis; and it filters the air, preventing particulate matter from reaching the lungs." 

I will share my research results with my student and it will bring out a wonderful discussion. 

    The second question posed to me (by the same student) was why we don't do movements such as those used in Pilates in the Core & Balance class I teach. What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga? If we are working on strengthening the torso why wouldn't we bring in more pilate type exercises? I had to be honest with her and say that I have never done pilates and know little about their philosophy. I do teach at a studio that has a Pilates class, but I have not taken one. So, off I went to do some research so that I could give her a somewhat educated answer. 

    There are some similarities. According to Amanda Mactas, author of, Yoga versus Pilates: How the Workouts and Benefits Compare According to Fitness Experts, talked with Jacqui Kingswell, a certified Pilates Instructor about these two methods. Kingswell stated that, "both Yoga and Pilates are low impact, welcoming for all fitness levels, and gentle on your joints. You are increasing awareness of your body and breath, and you are often encouraged to focus on your breathing technique to keep centered." But there are some differences. 

    Yoga is, for me, about bringing mindfulness and spirituality into my life. Yoga focuses on the connection between the physical poses (asanas) and the breath (pranayama).  Yoga is over 5000 years old (pilates originated around the 1920"s).
Benefits of a yoga practice include: improved balance, enhanced sleep, flexibility, eases of lower back & neck pain-stress related illnesses (headaches)-some symptoms of menopause; a sense of over all wellness. 

    Pilates is, about muscle toning, body control, improving posture and increasing flexibility. In addition, pilates, from what I have read, is about "adopting a position and then challenging one's core my moving the arms and legs." It is not an aerobic exercise program. Core strength and stabilization are its goals. 

    I so enjoy having these conversations with my students. I want them to feel comfortable asking me any question. In the end we both learn a bit more about our practice.

Resources: 

https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/mouth-breathing

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22734-mouth-breathing

https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-sequences/take-a breath/

https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/difference-between-pilates-and-yoga