Sunday, May 4: day two of three – Santosha

Posted on May 4, 2014 by perlgurl

Spending a quiet day at home today, trying to recoup from an awesome performance last night.

I’m getting the full performance pics from the official photographer, but I’m also really hoping some folks got a few photos of us since I neglected to take any groups shots of us! However in my defense it was a bit chaotic backstage and the added stress of fog machine irritating my lungs probably stressed me out beyond my normal “let’s take a bunch of selfies” skills. And then there was the lost-then-found wedding ring incident at the very end of the night to add more chaos and stress before we ended up enjoying each other’s company at my house post-performance. What a night! Good times!

Yoga:  Does sitting on the couch watching “Waking the Dead” for half the day count?

Pranayama: Given how sore my lungs feel today, I’m thinking that the fact that I’m doing any breathing today is quite remarkable. Practices in special types of breathing are out of the question for me today.

Santosha (or Samtosha) is most commonly translated as Contentment. The feeling of being content, or satisfied occurs when we have just enough— not to little & not too much of any given thing/emotion/person/place etc! This delicate Goldilocks balance is consistently in flux, kind of like riding a see-saw.
We set our selves up for disappointment or attachment when we rely on external circumstances to determine our level of contentment. These external circumstances are constantly changing and therefore causing our degree of contentment to rise and fall with the tide of our environment. A form of Liberation (moksha) comes when we can maintain inner contentment when circumstances, or people, don’t turn out the way we expect or desire. Accepting others for who they are is a big step toward achieving and sustaining contentment.
While the focus is to seek contentment from within, we must be cautious not to surrender our power to navigate our circumstances. Be aware of the tendency to resort to the “it is what it is” crutch. Some things can be changed, and if not, then our response to them can be changed.
How does this concept challenge you?
Observe, Honor & Activate the feeling state of Santosha!
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Sunday, April 27: day one of three: Aparigraha

Posted on May 4, 2014 by perlgurl

Very long day today.  Started the day at 11am with turban practice for my troupe in order to be ready for our show next weekend.  Had my regular two classes, then I went out to lunch/early supper with some troupe-mates since we had to be at dress rehearsal at 6pm.  Got home around 8pm if I recall.  This time of year dance-wise is nice because we know what we are doing, but there is still a certain level of stress and anxiety about getting it right.  One week and this will all be over! Also, today was my last day teaching on the weekend until September.  Wohoo!  Hello weekends!

Yoga:  Nope.

Pranayama:  Nope.

Aparigraha:  My car is full of clothing donations to take to the SOAP program, plus a few boxes of misc stuff to drop at value village.  Purge baby, purge!!!!

Today, (Sunday) we will shift our focus to the final yama; Aparigraha.
Practicing greedlessness sometimes means practicing restraint. Do you need all of the STUFF? In the next three days, do a little inventory of the unnecessary things in your life.

  • Negative or harming thoughts and self-imposed obstacles— Get rid of them.
  • Over abundance of non-perishable food items, clothes, books— Donate them
  • Old habits, grievances, and grudges— Release them.

Use this time to purge the excess, as well as recognizing when you are craving more than you actually Need.
Ask yourself “Is this craving fueled by fear, jealousy, cultural expectations, mindlessness or ________?” Know that you are already enough. The mantra is simply: “ I am enough”

Notice how the yamas have woven together basic moral principles, that when mindfully practiced, can create a harmonic system of checks and balances. When in doubt, run the dilemma through the filter of the 5 yamas. It is bound to get caught in one of them and reveal the solution!

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Saturday, April 26: day three of three, Brahmacharya

Posted on May 4, 2014 by perlgurl

I lost track after eight hours, but I think I spent nearly 10 hours cleaning, organizing and giving stuff away today. I can walk through my garage, now, get my bike out and even get to the front door in my house again! I’m not done yet, but this is so much better. And checked my email to find this is in line with my Living Sadhana Yama for tomorrow (Sunday): Aparigraha (greedlessness).

Yoga: Nope.

Pranayama: Nope.

Brahmacharya.
Often translated as celibacy, a better working definition for the householder is that it’s the maintenance of your vital essences. Ojas and Tejas and Prana are three ayurvedic principles that translate as potential, radiance, and vitality.Exercising self-restraint, and leaving excess behind supports a feeling state (bhavana) of contentment (santosha). This practice also keeps the reservoir of energy (Shakti) full and ready to realize the potency of consciousness (Shiva).Over the course of the next three days we will Observe ways in which we ‘leak’ or give away our energy. Notice when you feel depleted and observe the circumstances that are causing this depletion. Honor the underlying samskara that supports and possibly perpetuates these circumstances. Activate your consciousness to initiate the practice of brahmacharya!
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Tuesday, April 29: day three of three: Aparigraha

Posted on May 4, 2014 by perlgurl

Yoga:  Once again a class night.  And a wild and energetic class at that!

Pranayama:  Hoping to start an actual practice next week.

Aparigraha: Found more DIY costuming stuff and gave more of that stuff away.  I hate throwing stuff away, but I like giving it away so I’m going to work on this more and more this summer.

Today, (Sunday) we will shift our focus to the final yama; Aparigraha.
Practicing greedlessness sometimes means practicing restraint. Do you need all of the STUFF? In the next three days, do a little inventory of the unnecessary things in your life.
Negative or harming thoughts and self-imposed obstacles— Get rid of them.
Over abundance of non-perishable food items, clothes, books— Donate them
Old habits, grievances, and grudges— Release them.
Use this time to purge the excess, as well as recognizing when you are craving more than you actually Need.
Ask yourself “Is this craving fueled by fear, jealousy, cultural expectations, mindlessness or ________?” Know that you are already enough. The mantra is simply: “ I am enough”

Notice how the yamas have woven together basic moral principles, that when mindfully practiced, can create a harmonic system of checks and balances. When in doubt, run the dilemma through the filter of the 5 yamas. It is bound to get caught in one of them and reveal the solution!

Posted in Living Yoga Sadhana (LYS) | Comments Off on Tuesday, April 29: day three of three: Aparigraha

Friday, April 25: day two of three, Brahmacharya

Posted on May 4, 2014 by perlgurl

I woke up yesterday thinking I might TRY to do yoga naked at home (with no one else there). Then I got out of bed and realized that I prefered to get coffee and really didn’t like that idea. Today I woke up thinking the same thing, but once I actually got up I decided once again it was a bad idea.

I’ve been so busy with work and dance this week that I’ve fallen seriously behind on blogs.  I do have drafts with rough outlines started for each day so I planned to spend tomorrow morning (Saturday, April 26) working on them. The sad truth is that I’m actually writing this on Sunday, May 4.  Since our last YTT weekend I have only done an actual practice on Monday, April 21st, when I was angry, so my practice was not great. I did find time to get in another Monday practice on the 28th (blog coming soon) and I do want to find time for yoga, but I have not had a day off since the weekend before our last YTT training (April 5th to be exact) and I’m realizing I’m probably subconsciously fighting it since I’m a bit perturbed about having to do this now because the timing is all wrong for me and I just don’t have room to fit anything else into my schedule until after the big recital next weekend. I can be a great big bratty child sometimes 🙂

Yoga:  Still not building a regular practice.  May.  I can start this in May!

Pranayama:   Still not building a regular practice.  May.  I can start this in May!

Brahmacharya.

Often translated as celibacy, a better working definition for the householder is that it’s the maintenance of your vital essences. Ojas and Tejas and Prana are three ayurvedic principles that translate as potential, radiance, and vitality.Exercising self-restraint, and leaving excess behind supports a feeling state (bhavana) of contentment (santosha). This practice also keeps the reservoir of energy (Shakti) full and ready to realize the potency of consciousness (Shiva).

Over the course of the next three days we will Observe ways in which we ‘leak’ or give away our energy. Notice when you feel depleted and observe the circumstances that are causing this depletion. Honor the underlying samskara that supports and possibly perpetuates these circumstances. Activate your consciousness to initiate the practice of brahmacharya!

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Pins and needles and guls, oh my!

Posted on April 30, 2014 by perlgurl

supplies

Last minute costuming supplies brought to you with a 50% off all notions coupon from Joann’s.

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Monday, April 28: day two of three: Aparigraha

Posted on April 29, 2014 by perlgurl

The view from my yoga mat at the UAF outside yoga class.
2014.04.28_yoga_view

What a difference a good bra, two tank tops and a better attitude can make!

The view from my mat at the UAF class today. I got sunburned, bitten by a mosquito, and even with sunglasses on the sun just about burned my eyeballs out while I got sweaty, but I still enjoyed it! And I did upward-facing dog more than twice last night too! Look at me, getting stronger!

When I came home from yoga I was hungry. Normally Mondays is curry night, but I came in the door and didn’t smell curry. Michael came to greet me, probably saw the sadness in my eyes and said, “I made the best of a bad situation.”

Then he explained that he got stuck at work and could not get to the vet to pick up Missy’s insulin and that he didn’t get to the store for curry stuff either. Instead he managed to barely get two more doses for Missy out of the insulin I had left out on the counter (crossing fingers it is still effective!) and that he made vegan chili for me.

He’s a good one.

Caught up on some of the blog entries from last week, still have three more to do. Recital is five days away, then I get my life back and summer starts!

Today, (Sunday) we will shift our focus to the final yama; Aparigraha.
Practicing greedlessness sometimes means practicing restraint. Do you need all of the STUFF? In the next three days, do a little inventory of the unnecessary things in your life.
Negative or harming thoughts and self-imposed obstacles— Get rid of them.
Over abundance of non-perishable food items, clothes, books— Donate them
Old habits, grievances, and grudges— Release them.
Use this time to purge the excess, as well as recognizing when you are craving more than you actually Need.
Ask yourself “Is this craving fueled by fear, jealousy, cultural expectations, mindlessness or ________?” Know that you are already enough. The mantra is simply: “ I am enough”

Notice how the yamas have woven together basic moral principles, that when mindfully practiced, can create a harmonic system of checks and balances. When in doubt, run the dilemma through the filter of the 5 yamas. It is bound to get caught in one of them and reveal the solution!

Posted in Living Yoga Sadhana (LYS) | Comments Off on Monday, April 28: day two of three: Aparigraha

Thursday, April 24: day one of three, Brahmacharya

Posted on April 29, 2014 by perlgurl

Yoga: Repeat of Tuesday, meaning no yoga practice. Although I taught my own classes for two and a half hours and between warm-up and cool downs twice, I feel like I get enough of a short personal practice on these days.

Pranayama: Too busy to make time to add something new. Did I mention our big dance recital is one week from this Saturday?

Brahmacharya: Teaching days are such a blur for me. I’m not going to force myself to do anything other than what is absolutely necessary and that includes neglecting most of the things I’m supposed to do for my LYS for today and most likely until the recital is over. Lifestyle changes take time and like a strict diet, forcing them is a good way to end up being very, very angry and failing at the goal.

Brahmacharya.
Often translated as celibacy, a better working definition for the householder is that it’s the maintenance of your vital essences. Ojas and Tejas and Prana are three ayurvedic principles that translate as potential, radiance, and vitality.

Exercising self-restraint, and leaving excess behind supports a feeling state (bhavana) of contentment (santosha). This practice also keeps the reservoir of energy (Shakti) full and ready to realize the potency of consciousness (Shiva).

Over the course of the next three days we will Observe ways in which we ‘leak’ or give away our energy. Notice when you feel depleted and observe the circumstances that are causing this depletion. Honor the underlying samskara that supports and possibly perpetuates these circumstances. Activate your consciousness to initiate the practice of brahmacharya!

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Wednesday, April 23: Day three of three, Asteya

Posted on April 28, 2014 by perlgurl

Yoga: Nope.

Pranayama: Nope.

Asteya: I’m pushing myself too hard and the sickness I’ve been fighting for over a month flared up again today in the form of a sore throat and general tiredness. I have decided to take the night off for myself and canceled my violin lesson so I can rest. Not really Asteya, but I’m being gentle to myself.

 

Asteya = Non-StealingFor the next three days we will focus on making conscious choices, taking only what we need & practicing generosity and gratitude.Lets pay attention to the ways in which we covet or steal from others and also with-hold pleasures from ourselves. The more we want to be someone else, or shift our desires outward, then the less we are honoring our own divinity.

Stealing manifests in many more forms then simply taking something that does not belong to us. What ways do we take credit for things we didn’t do? When do we covet someone else’s ’stuff’ — whether they be accolades, physical items or opportunities? If we haven’t earned them, then they do not belong to us. These forms of stealing are rooted in a sense of desperation, emptiness and fear.

At the heart of Asteya is the practice of giving back, being grateful and acting with integrity and reciprocity.  You have the ability to transform scarcity into abundance and fear into faith.

 

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Tuesday, April 22: Day two of three, Asteya

Posted on April 28, 2014 by perlgurl

Yoga:  No yoga practice.  Although I taught my own classes for two and a half hours and between warm-up and cool downs twice, I feel like I get enough personal practice on these days.

Pranayama: Too busy to make time to add something new.

Asteya: Teaching days like today are such a blur for me. Between a new project at work where I’m having to learn a lot of new ways of doing things, trying to ensure I am half-way prepared for two classes and the upcoming recital, I am barely getting through each day. I’ve also realized that I’m probably a bit perturbed at the timing of this LYS since I just cannot fit more into my days right now and I’m going to be okay with essentially failing this first LYS.

 

Asteya = Non-StealingFor the next three days we will focus on making conscious choices, taking only what we need & practicing generosity and gratitude.Lets pay attention to the ways in which we covet or steal from others and also with-hold pleasures from ourselves. The more we want to be someone else, or shift our desires outward, then the less we are honoring our own divinity.

Stealing manifests in many more forms then simply taking something that does not belong to us. What ways do we take credit for things we didn’t do? When do we covet someone else’s ’stuff’ — whether they be accolades, physical items or opportunities? If we haven’t earned them, then they do not belong to us. These forms of stealing are rooted in a sense of desperation, emptiness and fear.

At the heart of Asteya is the practice of giving back, being grateful and acting with integrity and reciprocity.  You have the ability to transform scarcity into abundance and fear into faith.

Posted in Living Yoga Sadhana (LYS) | Comments Off on Tuesday, April 22: Day two of three, Asteya