peaceful warrior

On page 200 of my Meditations from the Mat book, Clyde B. writes “what I like about yoga is that it is not based on faith, it is based on experience. I know from experience that I carry stress in my body, and the postures are ways not only of releasing that stress but confronting it, experiencing it and understanding it. You have to learn to accept it, to live with it, and to let it go.”

This passage has helped me deal with the challenges that I’ve faced this year. I’ve also learned to be grateful for the gifts that I have received from life’s lessons.

2013 started off being a wonderful year for our family. Not only was I loving my first year teacher training but our new granddaughter was born during my weekend teacher training in February! Gracie, our angel, joined our three other grandchildren. What a great way to start off our year!

Life was going along just fine: beautiful grandchildren, great summer days spent at the lake with family and friends, an incredible workshop with Jan and Shauna (even though I asked myself the second day if I should be participating in this workshop). By day three of the workshop, I knew that I could let go of my fears of inversion and just enjoy the journey. I could feel the support from my teachers and yoga practitioners. Everyone was compassionate and I started to understand that fear was giving me doubts and anxiety. I was the only person putting undue stress on myself.

I completed the workshop with a calm mind and a new appreciation of yoga and my teachers. I felt so empowered and grateful to be a part of this community. I didn’t know what life had in place for me, but this workshop gave me the strength and the experience to accept it, to live with it, and to let it go.

Thank you Jan and Shauna for helping me find this lesson.

At the beginning of September, I came home from a yoga class, walked in to the house and knew from one look at my husband that something awful had happened. He had just received the news that a young man, Tyler, who has been with us for over 17 years and who we love dearly, was diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer. This meant an amputation in the following weeks. This vulnerable young man, who suffers from FASD and who has always had the most positive outlook on life, could not understand the extent of his diagnosis due to his challenges. My family was devastated. I became stronger for them, ensuring them that his spirit would stay the same, and that we had to be strong for him. We have to live in the moment.

Less than two weeks later, my brother called me and told me he had to speak to me about something serious. His wife had cancer and needed surgery at the beginning of October. Karen is only 51 years old and has three sons. My brother was shattered. Once again, I found the strength to support him and told him to live in the moment, to not think too far ahead.

Last weekend, we celebrated Christmas with our young man, Tyler, who is walking with crutches and always smiling. I have a new appreciation for grounding the four corners of your feet and the tree pose. He is a true warrior and has not lost that positive outlook on life.

the author is currently enrolled in the yoga centre winnipeg 200hr  teacher training program

So after a very long break without any blogs the yoga centre blog has been revived!!!Once again the upcoming posts will be from participants in the Yoga Centre Winnipeg 200hr Teacher Training Program

 enjoy....
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INNER SPACE

I came to yoga (full time) in Feb. 2011.  I was suffering with extreme anxiety and my body was shaking.  My nervous system was exhausted and I could not relax.
I immediately found comfort in the yoga philosophy and the kindness of my fellow students and teachers.

Over the two years I have practiced faithfully. Each day coming to my mat with hopefulness.

I struggle with the fact that I have gained 15 lbs and I have not noticed much difference in my bodies flexibility.  I want to do it “right”.  I want to be “good” at yoga and I’m not.  I need props and I can’t sit in virasana.  I’m having a hard time with my expectations on how a posture “should” look.  I’m struggling with attachment.  I don’t like “letting go”.  All these struggles in yoga are the same struggles that I have life.  (go figure)

Now the good news …………sometimes, when everything is just right, when I’m lulled by my teachers soothing voice, out of my thinking mind, I find something that wasn’t there before-  SPACE. 

I can breathe deep, calm, quality breaths down to the tips of my toes. The breath brings a peacefulness that I didn't know existed.  

 That’s where I have grown. That’s where my diligence has paid off.   On the inside! 

Those magic moments are coming more frequently than they did in the beginning. I’m willing to look at my beliefs about how yoga postures and life “should”  look.  I continue to heal and grow.  I know I will never NOT do yoga.  I think it’s magical.
 I am forever grateful to my humble teachers.

Brenda

Letting Go

We arrive with intent to hang on

Holding tightly to all that is

Then we discover through trial and error

That we only have what we can’t hold

Our will,

            our love,

                        our peace of mind,

                                    our reason for being

                                                            our breath…..

Namaste,

Elaine Klym

Trip of a Lifetime yoga in the Maya Lands

We have just recently returned from our Holiday in Mexico. A group of 23 of us including Jan and myself headed to the Mayan Riviera for a week.  The trip was hosted and organized by the Tao Centre for Inspired Living.

This was not your average yoga holiday on the beach- in fact we spent more time in the jungle. This trip was about connecting with the ancient rhythm of the earth, challenging personal perceptions, and transformation.

We feasted like royalty, did yoga, walked , swam,  snorkeled, floated, hiked, walked, zip-lined, canoed, rode bikes, climbed pyramids, and ventured into ancient caves called cenote’s.
A different aspect of the journey spoke to each of us, awakening of some deep part of our being and asking us to step forward a new.

We began the trip with a ceremony led by a Mayan healer.  In this ceremony we honoured the 4 directions and the elements and set our intentions. From that moment on, the transformations began.
 Perhaps it was the stark contrast of leaving the deep hibernation state of Winnipeg winter and arriving into the lush and vibrant tropics that was so powerful, but, there is definitely something about the Maya lands that wakes one up and shakes you out of your everyday reality. It is the ever present energy of the ocean, and the vibrant  pulse of life that is felt walking through the jungle. Without a doubt the energy of mother earth and rebirth is palpable in the abundance of  hidden water caves (cenotes) which literally connect one to the feeling of being in the womb of mother earth. These limestone sinkholes are often pitch dark, with bats and stalactites, and stalagmites. Visitors must often travel down a little ladder and swim or float through the cave to experience them fully.

Sometimes the Maya lands would teach us to step out of our notion of time and to relax into the moment- when the shuttle did not show-up on time, or our adventure took us hours longer than expected. Somehow it all worked out, helping us to trust the flow of the universe!
 This lesson about time was mirrored in an experience we had on our last day- floating down a mile long canal. In this canal one could not really swim, infact it was counter productive (a little like worrying). Instead, we had to surrender to the flow of the water. Occasionally we bumped into the waters edge or one another but ultimately the current took us where we needed to go and each of us got their in our own time.

 My own transformation took a literal turn when I lost my travel purse containing everything from cell phone to passport. I literally had to replace my identity.  The process was not one I would recommend, but like any transformation involved a feeling of resistance, struggle, doubt, letting go, acceptance, patience and ultimately resolve.
Walking around without the important documents, credit cards & the precious "iPhone" was remarkably freeing!

A number of us chose to participate in a Mayan sweat lodge ceremony called a Temescal. This ceremony was spiritual equivalent to letting go of one’s identity and cherished notions of self and coming out reborn. Impossible to describe, beautiful, challenging and freeing!

The people we met were friendly and loving with, hearts wide open. We were fortunate to have several ceremonies with Mayan elders, as well as touring the area with guides who were deeply connected to the land and the people. We learned so much- not just about the maya- or the land, but about life. One of the messages of the traditional Maya was the honoring of the present reality but also the heavens and the underworld equally. This understanding of nature and the cosmos led them to honor death and life equally.  Our guides reminded us that we are all part of an intricate web of life, and that what one does effects the whole.

 I can only speak for myself, but I have a feeling that most would agree- the blessing and transformation of this trip was a visceral knowing that change is an essential part of life and that we are deeply interconnected  to each other and all of life.

 I am so grateful to my fellow travellers, and the beautiful people we met who  facilitated & guided us on this journey, the ocean, the jungle, and all that came together to make this trip a reality.

In Lakesh, ( I am a reflection of you)

Namaste

Shauna

Why Yoga and Why Yoga Teacher Training

Five years ago I was working at a job that I had lost my passion for, I had this constant noise in my head that wouldn't turn off which brought out more negativity than normal.  The same advice was being given to me by my friends, mentors and career coach – What do you love?  Find something you Love and you won’t have to work a day in your life right?  Listing what I didn't love was easy but I struggled with what do I love?  What would recharge me both mentally and physically instead of draining me?

I started taking yoga four years ago at my workplace. The instructor’s passion for yoga was contagious.  Her willingness to share the challenges she experiences in her own practice enabled me to be more forgiving of myself.  I love the feeling of peace and contentment that come from practicing yoga.  I felt strong both mentally and physically.  I could have the crappiest day at work and after yoga class I would have a smile on my face.  When the breath and postures align during my practice it is one hour of true peace.  The emphasis on breathing as you move in and out of postures helps quiet my mind. I am not always successful but I aim to embrace the yogic philosophy of compassion and patience and accept I am a work in progress.

The idea of teaching yoga came from a comment in passing from my yoga instructor.  Teach yoga?  Why not?  I love yoga and share my joy of yoga with everyone I meet.  The idea was germinated.  Find something you love right? 

After a few years of taking yoga classes I decided to take yoga teacher training and as happens in life found a new job that has renewed my passion which makes it easier to go to work in the morning.

Year one of teacher training is almost over and minus the stress of the testing weekend coming up, I have enjoyed learning about the subtle details of the poses and attempting poses I wouldn’t dream of doing myself and working outside my comfort zone.  The variety of classes offered at the YCW has given me a more balance yoga experience which has flowed over into my personal and professional life.  What could be better than that? 

Namaste,

Beverly Wood

The Middle Way

Since birth I have been drawn to ‘the middle way’. A Libra, and a middle child in a “mixed” marriage, I guess I was pre-disposed.

What is the Middle way?

I guess it depends who you ask.

The phrase “everything in moderation” immediately comes to mind. It is a favorite saying of mine and many people I know. In general, I believe it is a healthy adage to live by, but  sometimes it is also necessary to be moderate in ones pursuit of moderation!!!

Buddhism is often called ‘the middle path’ or ‘way’. While not a Buddhist, I do follow the teachings and writings of many who are. The interpretation that speaks to me is mindfulness; responding to what is happening in the moment, rather than from dogma, habit, or preconditioned expectations.  

The Buddhist intention: not too much attachment or too much aversion also comes to mind. Awesome intention- but hard to put into daily life!!!!

Yoga also is often perceived to be a middle of the road practice as well with its emphasis on acceptance and not-attachment. Yet, the path of yoga can be quite extreme in its requirements, depending on how the teachings are interpreted. In addition, different styles of yoga often contradict each other when it comes to alignment or what is recommended on a particular path of healing. Many of my yoga teachers over the years have been definite in their beliefs and protocols and yet very few of these wise and well respected people actually agree on what those protocols are.

This just strengthens my belief in the middle way!!!

Each one has something brilliant to offer. My job is to listen to my own inner wisdom and discern which is right for me. That being said, others would say that I am watering down wise teachings- that in order for transformation to occur you must you pick a path and stick to it. 

 Which voice to follow?

There is a popular Buddhist teaching that says: if two students are walking down the road- one will be told, go a little to the left and the other a little to the right. This teaching is a teaching on the middle way- Both  instructions are accurate for what is necessary in that moment for each individual and include the recognition that to bring the whole system into balance- what is required in the moment may not feel like a to move towards centre.

 

It is common to encounter resistance and uncertainty when we are asked to change a pattern or a habit. Often the recommended steps feel quite dramatic or extreme- they feel out of balance. A great example is learning Tadasana. When most of us first learn how to stand in Tadasana (Mountain pose) it feels foreign, and off centre- when in reality the sensation is the body getting used to a new equilibrium.

Knowing that change feels strange-how do we know if an uncomfortable feeling is an old familiar patterns causing resistance or something genuinely not for us!!??

Sometimes checking things out with a trusted teacher or friend can be helpful and necessary.

Ultimately we can develop the capacity to follow our own inner wisdom by continually returning to the present moment- and checking in

·         pause 

·         tune into the surroundings

·         feel the breath 

·         feel the body sensations

·         open to the wisdom of the body and the moment

·         rest

 

The result is a few moments of presence, a brief opportunity to connect to our own experience within the larger whole. 

From here the path may be clear. In my experience rather than a definitive answer, I encounter a greater willingness to be okay with uncertainty. 

I am more likely to accept the situation and move forward from a place of curiosity and compassion instead of doubt and fear: to walk the middle way.

Namaste

 Shauna

A Change is Gonna Come

one more from the YCW Teachers in Training 

In our fast paced  world, where everything has to be faster better stronger, where we all are  very result oriented, yoga doesn’t really fit, why choose yoga as an activity of your choice when you can lift weights, run, play sports and see results and accomplishments bright, clear and fast?

I must say, these were exactly my thoughts, the classic, ill start yoga for stretching, and hey if I learn to balance on one finger, that’s a bonus!!

It wasn’t till 3 years after I started practicing that I realized, something amazing is happening, I started noticing those oh so very subtle changes in my mood, energy levels, attitude and in my body, things just became....... well...... better, the biggest difference is all of my aches and pains from running and lifting weights went away, I didn’t even notice when it happened, just know that the pain in my knees and lower back that I have struggled with since I was 14 were gone.

When this aha yoga moment happened (notice that yoga moments are actually 3 yearlong LOL)  I knew there and then, I need to learn more about this amazing discipline and culture, so teachers training program was the natural thing to do. When the realization happened my heart was pounding like crazy all  I could think of is – I need to go to there!!!!! Clearly I didn’t know about pranayama breathing back then! ☺

Till this day, yoga amazes me in its subtle power and strength, the slightest miniscule adjustments make a great difference, all you need to do is learn to listen to yourself be honest about your capabilities, and well, be patient.

Yoga changes you on every level, not just the hot yoga booty everybody are talking about, the change is coming from within, therefore it takes time for it to surface. But when it does, you know that there is nothing like it, it gives you wholesomeness, connects your body and mind, helps you to feel grounded and stable, and not just for tree pose but for all your life’s positions.

Now I love hearing ‘ oh yoga is for stretching’ it means that I can tell the wonderful yoga story again, and maybe, just maybe bring one more person to a studio, take a step back and observe how their eyes just open.

Can’t wait to become a teacher and watch the magical yoga transformations happen right in front of my eyes.

Namaste everybody im going to get my – soon to be hot yoga booty on the mat for a morning practice”

 Vera

Vera Rubin is a member of the Yoga Centre Winnipeg 200hr Teacher Training Program

Coming Back

September always reminds me of the cycle of life.

It is a time of returning.

For some it is a loss. I have a friend who always experiences a tiny bit of grief over the end of summer. Definitely the days are getting shorter, the air a little crisper and the green starts to turn to yellow.

For me it is mostly an exciting time- a time of new beginnings and returning.  Maybe I am predisposed to see it that way- as a September babe- it literally is the New Year for me. But it’s the time of Jewish new year, and for so many the return to school.

In the yoga business, it means people coming back from holidays – rested, inspired, seeing faces we haven’t seen in months.

It is the start up of new programs and new possibilities! It never fails to surprise me how happy I am to get back in to my routine- to get fully involved in work. The same work and routine I was so grateful to have a rest from a few months ago. That is the beautiful thing about life it is always changing.

 At the same time September can feel overwhelming- especially if I forget to pause and enjoy the moment and the beauty of it all. There is so much to do so much more to be done!!!

Aak- the excitement can turn to anxiety!! On the one hand the change is inspiring, but only if I remember to breath and stay present.

  

As we come back into our daily routines and rhythms why not do so with consciousness, gratitude, and love. Times of change are also powerful times for transformation- even more so if we enter into it consciously and with intention.

Take a few moments to connect to what you are returning to.

Breathe and feel the beauty of this quiet moment- even if it is just one -with nothing to do.

Connect to what you love or value about your life.

What you want to cultivate, and what you want to leave behind.

Anytime you feel overwhelmed- try returning to the rhythm of the breath to the quiet beauty of this moment, and return to your life fully present ready for anything.

 Welcome back!!!

 shauna

Sacred Geometry

Yesterday was the last day of our summer intensive.

 It has been a very magical experience, a privilege to be a part of.

There is something about practicing together with a shared intention that is transformative in a way that is beyond words.

As a teacher it is awe inspiring to observe the commitment, willingness, and dedication of the participants. It is also humbling to watch bodies, minds, and spirits literally light up and transform as the week goes on.  It is an opportunity to see the unique beauty of each individual in the group and yet the sense that we are all mere particles of a larger reality is palpable. It is apparent that there is no “me” teaching anything –  just there to hold the space,  guide, and be witness to the transformation unfolding. 

Coincidentally during the intensive someone from a newspaper asked me what I thought about the popularization of yoga and how it had moved away from traditional spiritual practices of India.  I know he had a point but because I was in the midst of this amazing experience, the question seemed trivial.  The practice we were doing could be scrutinized as westernized by someone’s standards, but that does  not make it any less valid. What was happening in the yoga room was every bit as sacred and spiritual as what someone might learn in an ashram in India, and perhaps even more so.

Self awareness, acceptance, compassion, transformation, and joy are not limited to methodology, lineage, and they are certainly not limited to yoga. Still yoga as we know it is an opportunity to integrate the practices of the body mind and spirit. How deep a practice is ultimately depends upon what we bring to it.  This week was an opportunity to witness beings show up with love, courage, and a willingness to surrender to the divine flow of life.

 Namaste

 Shauna

Olympic Effort

With the opening of the London Olympics this past weekend it seems fitting to insert a blog relating to the Olympics.

The way yoga practioners veiw the Olympics ranges from believing they should be abolished to those are people trying to get yoga in as an Olympic sport.

Clearly yoga means different things to different people.

For me yoga is an inner practice, not measured by outside standards or judgments.  Right from the first class I attended the message was "this is not a competition"- that message has stuck with me. In my instructor training at Kriaplu Centre, the message was again- allowing, accepting, trusting  and learning to "just be".  Life is full of  places where we feel we must be the best, or live up to expectations. It is refreshing, and powerful to have something that is done for its own sake that helps us connect to our true nature.

This does not mean  yoga is an opportunity to go to sleep. Following specific alignment instructions help a person stay injury free in a posture. Those instructions can also help get you into a pose you could not access on your own. Focusing our attention on specific instructions or attempting different and challenging poses are ways of waking up our awareness and  learning to be present to life's difficulties.

Of course there are people whose practice is awe inspiring and we want to emulate, but the journey is to recognise that and refocus our awareness back to what is true for us. Most of us who practice yoga struggle with wanting to be the best, do it right, or to please the teacher.... in my opinion turning yoga into a competition only feeds that side of our nature.

That being said the path to becoming an Olympic level athlete shares some essential elements of the yoga path. In particular I am referring to what Patanjali call the 3 supports: Tapas, Svadyaya, and Ishvara Pranidhana. 

1) Tapas: is sometimes translated as burning zeal, and physical discipline.  Not only are both the Olympic athlete and the traditional yogi deeply committed to the practice of their sport but all the related physical practices – rest, diet, etc. This kind of discipline requires what the yogis sometimes call burning zeal -an almost obsessive passion- without it the Olympic dream would not be reached. For most yogi’s the tapas is usually for health or oneness with our true nature, with so many people practicing yoga  I believe it is but ultimately it is an individual question- what inspires and motivates us to get to a class  or to do our own practice!?

 2) Svadhyaya: It is usually translated as self study. It refers to the inner work, study of your own patterns and nature as well as the study of the masters/teachers who have gone before you. For the modern Yogini this may involve studying sutras (ancient writings on the path of yoga) or simply studying with a teacher. It also involves a willingness to look at our inner experience with curiosity and kindness.

3) Isvara-pranidhana:  Faith, Surrender, Grace. This can also be translated as presence. Despite the hard work,  practice and the inner preparation, when it comes down the competition, an Olympic athlete must be fully present to the task at hand- which ultimately involves a letting go. As an observer it appears that it is also a case of grace that allows one person to finish a fraction of a second ahead of another and become “the best”in the world.

For the yogi it is through attention to the breath, and body that we come into presence (even  if it is only for a moment). In this place we may connect to our true nature, and a feeling of oneness with all that is. The result is that we gradually learn to live our lives as if each moment was as precious as winning an Olympic gold medal!

Namaste

Shauna