Namaste: The shit in me greets the shit in you

That's right I said it.

"Namaste: The shit in me greets the shit in you. When I am in that place in me, and you are in that place in you, we are one." *bow*

Here come the yoga police to strip away my right to teach, can you hear the sirens?  I can.

Namaste

I end all of my yoga classes with namaste.  With my hands to my heart, and following a deep breath, I look at each student and say, "The light, love, and peace, in me, greets the light, love and peace in each one of you, when I am in that place in me, and you are in that place in you, we are one. Namaste"

After a yoga class nothing feels more true for me. 

And yet here I sit, after a very long Monday, which followed a VERY long Sunday and I don't feel light, love, or anything close to peaceful.

So I tweeted, the shit namaste, and I sat.

I sat.  Then I laughed.  And then it was real.

I mean on the one hand it was absurd. "The shit in me greets the shit in you."  I knew I was tempting some of my co-workers who quite unintentionally greeted my shit today. But then I took a step back and met the simplest reality I have ever known. 

The simple yet deeply real truth is a lot of people are living very difficult lives, and we are all a part of it. No one can escape this reality of uncertainty, fear, and stress whirling around us. Whether the economic downturn has hit us personally or not, it is there impacting our reality and ready to smack us in the face.

Truthfully it is in times of despair, sadness, or shittyness that I have experienced a deep sense of connection with the despairs of the world opening me to a connection with all of life. So I guess you could say my deepest shit is what some call God.  ooohhhh and maybe I have gone too far again.

With sensitivity, honesty, and a desire to accept all that is, I say to you...

The shit in me greets the shit in you. When I honor all that I am, and you honor all that you are, we are one in full humanity. Namaste.

New Year's Resolution Yoga Style

Yesterday, I was writing the e-newsletter for the yoga studio where I teach.  As I sat down to compose the message, I began thinking of my yoga training and the influence of my dear teacher Pam Schap (owner of the studio) and my teacher who trained me as a yoga instructor, Sandy Carden.  Both have influenced me greatly through their words, actions and their being. And it was from their great teachings, and a quick google search that the following ideas came together.

So often we set out to make a New Year's Resolution. The trouble with this practice is that so often our resolutions are guided by negative feelings we hold about ourselves.  Needing to loose weight because we are unhappy with how we look, stopping some habit that stems from our self-loathing, etc.

As a part of the training I did for yoga teacher certification was an intense study of the ancient yogic practice of Yoga Nidra.  Yoga nidra is a meditation technique that guides you to such a deep level of relaxation, you are incredibly open and receptive.  Nidra actually means sleep.  If you can ever find an opportunity to participate in the practice of yoga nidra, I would highly recommend it.  When you begin the practice of yoga nidra you state your sankalpa.  A sankalpa is an affirmation, intention, or prayer stated in the present tense.  Popular sankalpas include, I am peace, I am happy, healthy, and whole.

"The sankalpa is a chosen resolution made during the practice of yoga nidra. It could be said that the main purpose of yoga nidra is to realize one’s sankalpa. Whether this is true or not, sankalpa has the potential to release tremendous power by clearly defining and focusing on a chosen goal. Its effect is to awaken the willpower within by uniting the conscious awareness with the unconscious forces lying dormant. It takes the form of a short phrase or sentence, clearly and concisely expressed, using the same wording each time, to bring about a positive change in one’s life. Now the important question arises: How to choose the appropriate sankalpa?"*

*Read more of this text here.

This New Years I invite you to take some time to identify your sankalpa.  Rather than creating a resolve to be different for a whole year, create a positive intention for how to be in the present moment.  It is ludicrous to try to change your behavior for a whole year, by beginning with a self-deprecating style.  So this year, I invite you to see yourself in your most positive true light and to let that light shine in this present moment and for many more to come.

Namaste!