Author: Jane

The Yogic Ripple

Jane

I just finished reading All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It is a novel set in Germany and France during the Second World War. The story revolves around the wireless and those that used its transmissions for pleasure, and as a means to guide the war. One of the characters built a large radio transmitter. He used this transmitter to send stories for children, and other helpful information out into the world. He did not know how far these messages would go, or if anyone ever heard them. He felt compelled to transmit his messages, letting the waves of his voice go where they may.

I often feel powerless and small in the face of world tragedy.

The desire to do something is weighed down by the magnitude of despair around me. Motivational slogans such as, “One person can start the wave to move mountains” seem hollow. Their platitudes ring false in my ears.

Reading this book has reminded me of the power of the simple act.

It brings me back to a time when my workplace felt very tense. We were very busy and under a lot of pressure. The energy in the building felt overwhelming to me. I turned inward to cope, trying to block out the heaviness that I felt. I was weighed down, and started to dread going to work. My yogic practice has taught me the power of my breath, and how it can alter the way my physical and emotional body feels. I decided to go to work and simply breathe. I walked with purpose through the office consciously breathing, finding my center and grounding my energy with my breath. I started to feel more open and available to my co-workers. Going to work took a positive turn. The heaviness around me lifted. I trusted that the sense of lightness would ripple out beyond my physical space.

We never know what result our actions are going to create.

Yoga is union; a union of mind and body, of breath and emotion, of physical energies, and ultimately of all living creatures on our earth.

Please like & share:
Share

What is the Core?

Jane

The core is not one single thing.

It is a mixture of beliefs, physical structure, human desire, mystical dreams, personal strengths, and perceived weaknesses. Infuse this medley with individual perceptions and learned behavior, and you get a multi-faceted core system.

I have had a real challenge writing this blog entry. It should be easy to write – after all, I have attended so many fitness courses on strengthening the core, moving from a strong core, strong core – strong back, and so forth. I could write many articles on different techniques and exercises to build a strong physical core. All of that is valid and important, but somehow does not feel necessary to explain. It does not further our understanding of what our core truly means.

We live in a culture that is somewhat obsessed with six packs, rock hard abs, and designer belly button rings. The core is much more than that. Physically a healthy core includes everything from your shoulder girdle to your pelvis. When the structure of our body is in balance and aligned, we will move from a much stronger and stable place. Although many crunches might make it look like your core is strong, you could be creating an imbalance in your back muscles that may put your back and hips at risk. I think balance is a better way to look at the core: physical, emotional, and spiritual balance.

Our core beliefs are instilled in us through learned and perceived experiences. This is an area of thought and exploration that fascinates me. The thought that we each view the world through our own lens of core beliefs, seeing something that is unique and impossible for another to experience in the same way, boggles my mind. It is like trying to wrap my head around quantum, infinity, or the black hole. The line of thinking that “my way is the only way – because that is what my world shows me” – just does not fly. If my belief is the only way, then how can there be so many other people surviving and thriving by living through their core belief systems. I have gone down this rabbit hole of thought so far, that at times I have lost my footing, and questioned all that I am, and all that I know. Again it comes back to balance. Balancing the unknown with the known, trusting my gut to know the difference between what feels right for me, and when I am being swept away in the murky waters of other’s confusion.

Spirituality is part of the web of our core. Being a spiritual being is just as much a part of our core as denouncing spiritually can be. It still makes up the essence of who we are. Once again, I return to thoughts of balance.

The image of core that comes to mind is an apple core. The shape is wider at the ends, tapering in to a rounded middle section – filled with a hard structure, and some seeds. The seeds are placed to plant new ideas so that our structure and beliefs never become old and stale. The hard structure is the support that keeps us strong and upright. The curves keep us fluid, so that we can bend, twist and turn. The apple core is always part of the apple, even though we cannot always see it. It does not matter if it is a big juicy apple, or a small compact apple, if it is living, it has a core, grown in the same natural pattern, but each develops to be unique.

Please like & share:
Share

Connecting to the Flow

Jane

The water element flows through our bodies, making up approximately 60% of our being. Connecting to this all important element can create a sense of physical and emotional ease. Societal decorum suggests we should follow the strong, stoic approach to life. Expressions such as “suck it up”, “soldier on through”, “push through the pain” come to mind. I suggest that our bodies will be healthier, and our emotions more even if we honour the water element and seek to find our own flow.

After a stressful situation an animal will shake its body to release the built up adrenaline. Why are we encouraged to suck it up and soldier on? Our bodies are designed to move, and our joints function much better when we honour that movement. Incorporating random movement into your day can be fun and refreshing. Organized exercise is great, but we do not need to go to a class to move our bodies. Sway, jiggle, swing, rotate your joints and feel your body come alive with sensation.

Life is a rhythm of give and take, easy and hard, up and down. The times when we go with the flow of life can bring us the most contentment and peace. When we lose the sense of flow life begins to feel like a struggle. The sense of struggle begins to permeate all of our life experiences, leaving us feel stagnant, and discouraged.

How do we then move through the struggle, and reconnect to the flow? We can start by being aware when it is happening. Mindfulness is a way to get some perspective on life situations. Noticing what you are doing, when you are doing it helps to stay rooted in the moment. As you move your body, notice that you are moving your body. When you are washing the dishes, stay with washing the dishes instead of planning out your next activity. Being mindful means to live in the moment, which in turn allows you to connect to the flow.

The month of June is dedicated to connecting to the flow. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to learn more about this topic.

Please like & share:
Share

Rooting Down to Rise Up

Jane
tree, exposed roots
tree, exposed roots

Roots by Suneel Madhekar (CC BY-SA 2.0)

In yoga we often refer to the feet as the roots of the posture. In standing postures the feet are the base which supports the pose. When the base is stable, we feel more secure and are able to explore a deeper connection with the pose, and our breath. In hand balancing postures, our hands become our roots. From a well-placed hand our physical structure can rise up relying on the structure of our hand and arm. Our sacrum can become the base of the posture when we are lying on our back, as in constructive rest, or legs up style postures. A level sacrum provides the support that allows the legs to rise up or to sink down and rest, depending on the posture.

This principle of finding roots to rise up also applies to life off the yoga mat. Our roots can be thought of as our home. This home is more of a feeling than a physical structure. When we find the sense of roots, a connection to something stable, we embody the idea of being at home with ourselves. The roots of connection is often referred to as being grounded. It is feeling the support of the earth, and to being able to stay present in life moment by moment.

I must admit that the idea of being ground has not always appealed to me. I am a creative being, and I quite enjoy the rush of excitement when a new idea pops into my head. I thought that, I needed to sacrifice the buzz and excitement that I feel when presented with a new project. I have learned that one does not have to sacrifice creative energy in order to be grounded. We can have it all!

There are many different meditations available that can help you find your sense of grounding, or personal home. The one that I use most often is one in which I visualize my energy travelling down into the earth. My energy weaves through rocks, sand, and grains of soil, deep down into the center of the earth. At the core of the earth my energy feeds into the magma of Mother Earth, the Mother that supports and nurtures all of life. Whatever energy is fed into Mother Earth comes back to us in the form of nurturing support. I envision this energy as always traveling with me. As I move through my day the connection is always there, providing me the support I need.

From the sense of roots into the earth I am able to rise up and face the world. Daily life can feel sometimes become overwhelming and feel like we are being sucked into a wind storm. When you are not connected to anything you get thrown about in the wind. If you use the energy of connected roots you can remain steadfast in the wind. You have a clearer vantage point from which to view the world. It is much easier to decide a course of action from a centered, stable place than it is to try and catch a glimpse as you fly by on the breath of the wind.
One quick way I use to get grounded is to breathe in through the crown of my head, and out through my feet. Sometimes I literally stomp my feet to feel the connection to the earth. The buzz of excitement that I love is still as much fun, only now I have that added benefit of feeling the support and love from Mother Earth.

The theme of the month of May on Sapphire Island is finding that sense of rooting / grounding. We will be exploring this theme through our social media outlets in the form of articles, pictures, yoga flows, and mediations.
We look forward to connecting with you in person and online.

Please like & share:
Share

Where and What is Balance?

Jane
balance
Balance by Hartwig HKD (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Balance by Hartwig HKD (CC BY-ND 2.0)

We live in a time of health related catch phrases. Words like holistic, wellness, authentic, intention, manifest, and abundance come to mind. I know that I use them within my teachings, and hear them from others. The frequent usage of the words can override any real meaning or valid connection to the situation. One such concept that has recently gotten me thinking are the words and ideas related to balance. The common adage seems to be that if we live a balance lifestyle, health, happiness, and success naturally fall into place. I seem to be hearing the word “balance” everywhere, as if it is the balm for everything that troubles us. What does this really mean? If we successfully stand on one foot will we be overcome with a utopian sense of being? Will we feel complete as human beings when we can successfully balance a teeter-totter in the local playground? Or does it mean that we must do equal parts work and relaxation in order to be healthy? These questions come to mind when I hear the phrase, “life-work balance”.

We know in our bones when life is tipped too far one way. We may feel overwhelmed, stressed, tired, and ill when we are spending too much time in one area of our life while neglecting another area. We many even become hyper, overactive, and scattered. The trick is to notice when this happens, and then to actually examine why we feel this way, and what we might be able or willing to do about it.

Balance – what image does it evoke for you? Is it something you have, or something you want, or is it just an overused, abstract notion that holds no interest?

The Sapphire Island theme for the month of April is the exploration of balance, through our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies. As we are all unique individuals, balance will hold a different meaning for each of us. Let’s embrace those differences, while being open to discovering what will enrich our lives. Let’s explore what it means to have that elusive “life, work balance”. Imagine finding the center point in the teeter-totter of life, and from there feel safe enough to let it tip from one side to the other, knowing that the center point is just a breath away.

Through the month of April the discussion of Balance will take place through various social media applications, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Look for articles, images, meditations, and yoga flows to help you discover what being balanced looks like to you.

Please like & share:
Share