Hanuman Philosophy ~ Bite 2

The following reflection is based on the teachings shared by Douglas Brooks.

Hanuman is a shape shifter.  You go inside and become what you need to for the given circumstances or situation.  This isn't fake - it comes from a place of authenticity.  I am this and I am also that.

Do you ever feel like a dichotomy?  Do you feel like parts of yourself contradict one another?   It is all you.  Beautiful YOU.

For a moment lets apply this to the physical nature of our yoga practice.  The alignment in the different asanas allows us to express ourselves in different ways - the different versions of ourselves.  We make beauty in all asanas- not just one.

Meditation Inspiration

I just started reading Sally Kempton's book, Meditation for the Love of It:  Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience.  I really liked what she said at the end of the introduction:

"We would feel a lot better if we realized that meditation is like any other intimate relationship:  it requires patience, commitment, and deep tolerance.  Just as our encounters with others can be wondrous but also baffling, scary and even irritating, our encounters with the self have their own moods and flavors.  Like any other relationship, this one changes over time.  And it is best undertaken with love."

The moon shines because it does not escape the night ~ Rumi

Anusara embraces Tantric philosopy which accepts both the good and the bad ~ the beautiful with the ugly.  A couple of days ago I was in a rotten mood with no real explanation and I came across this poem by Rumi.

Painting by Chloe Hedden:  http://www.chloehedden.com/

If you befriend the Beloved

you will never be lonely.

If you learn to be flexible

you will never be helpless.

The moon shines because it

does not escape the night.

The rose is scented because

it has embraced the thorn.

Join me in the 30 Day Meditation Challenge

One of my teachers, Amy Ippoliti, does a great 30 Day Yoga Challenge on Facebook.  The June Challenge is:  10 minutes of meditation practice EVERY day for 30 days.  I'm very excited about this challenge.  A week or two ago I included 10 minutes of meditation in two of my classes.  This is an area of resistance for me (practicing meditation) so I imagine there is quite a lot for me to learn here.  Can anyone relate? 

Yoga Funny

My friend Chloe shared this with me.  I found myself both humored & horrified.  Enjoy!

Beauty Reflected

We were blessed to have Jim Campbell enter our community last week with such grace that I think we all started to believe that he was part of our community:  always had been and always will be.  Jim has a giant spirit and it is really impossible to sum up his personality in a few words.  Although I said it isn't possible, I can't help but try to give you the feeling of his personality with a few adjectives.   Jim is funny, creative, energetic, passionate, fun, and honest.

He invited our kula to participate in his creativity as yoga & spiritual models.  The result, as reflected in his photos, showcases his talent and the beauty that we are so grateful to be immersed in. 

Jim Campbell's photography website:  http://www.omlightphotography.com/

Which style of yoga is best?

All and none.  It seems there are endless options these days to the style or kind of yoga available to practice.  Hatha, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Yin, Bikram, Anusara, Iyengar, Flow -- we're just getting started.  I like this quote taken from the manifesto of the Asmi Yoga studio in Bend, Oregon:  "the best kind of yoga is the one you do."

Read the rest of the Asmi Yoga Manifesto:  http://asmiyoga.com/ourintention/manifesto.html