To Bikram or not to Bikram?

Wow, I'm glad that's over.  I stepped out in the sunshine filled afternoon and let the cool breeze fill my body in a way that I'm pretty sure has never, ever felt so relieving.  Good god, it had been so hot in there.  The last time I attended a Bikram class was about 5 years ago.  This was long (about 1 whole year) before my life path really had aligned with the Practice.  I had hated it.  I swore swore swore I would not return.  The pushing and sweating and harshness did not appeal to me.  I could not relate to the alignment principles; "Lock out your knees!", "Feel the pain sensation!"... What?!  So I let it go.

I tried some Anusara style classes with the "Melt your heart!  Melt your heart more! No moooorrreeeee!"  Jesus I thought my rhomboids would go into full and unstoppable spasm at any moment...

Then, I found vinyasa flow.  I moved through the postures and though they were difficult and I was inflexible I had amazing teachers whose subtle alignment clues brought me home.  They repaired the division in my body and mind.  I became more flexible and with that, my life began to change.  I moved out of old holding patterns, both physically and mentally.  I burned away samskara, so literally that I have now found a fast-track pace toward the almighty "purpose in life".  (There is a very faint hint of sarcasm here, but only in the most joyous manner.)

Now, back to the question -- To Bikram or not to Bikram? -- I returned to Bikram after 5 years of swearing it off both to myself and those around me.  But, the questions have come up over and over lately.  What, Danielle, do you think of locking out your knees?  Why so hot in there?  What about this and that Bikram posture?  Well, hmmm.  I'm not quite sure.  I disagree with this and that and the other thing about Bikram, but do I really know??  Can I say to my fellow shishya that I really understand?  There is always understanding on a deeper level.  There is always this magic, this "a-ha" moment that arises out of almost anything.  Even if something doesn't quite resonate with you, this is no reason to cast it aside and judge, n'est-ce pas?

The first two principles which resonated with me from yoga philosophy were NON-JUDGEMENT and NON-ATTACHMENT.  So in order to rid my judgement from my opinion about Bikram philosophy, I have stepped through the doors of hell... to find the doors of perception.  I signed up today for an intro-one-month-unlimited, winner-takes-all Bikram pass.  The only way to know is to dive right in I suppose.  I will need desperately, more than ever to supplement my life with my vinyasa practice so that I may remain grounded and open to this new endeavor.  And, who knows maybe even without long flowing lines of energy and vinyasa to rinse and regroup,  I will still feel the profoundness of the world around me after a Bikram yoga class.

We'll all be shishya together!!  

dream big.

Nobody ever said the life would be easy.  My parents tried really hard to make it so.  They gave me all the right advice and a lot of the right opportunities.  But, alas, I was adamant that I would make my own mistakes and DO IT MY WAY!  They were correct of course.  It would have been much, much easier to take their advice and live more responsibly at a younger age.  Now, here I am.  

I wrote a business plan.  It was such an eye opening and enlightening experience.  I sifted through all the ideas in my mind and came up with the ones that stuck, that stood out, and that were realistic.  It all seems so clear now.  Except the part where it actually happens.  Does it actually happen?  We'll see...

"I got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream."

Vegan Cream of Kale and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:
Raw, unadulterated almonds
Salt
Garlic
Miso (of choice)
Olive oil (optional)
Kale
Spinach
Mushrooms (optional)
Pure water

Grind one handful of almonds with 2 large pinches salt in blender until fine powder forms.
Add 1 clove of garlic and 1 tablespoon miso of choice to blender.  (Also can add 1 tablespoon olive oil.)

Steam 5 leaves of kale and 2 handfuls of spinach until wilted but not completely soggy. (5-8 mins or so.)

Add kale, spinach, and steaming water (about 2 cups) to blender.  Blend.

Optional:  Steam 4 chopped button mushrooms.  Add to blended soup.  Blend only for a moment.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm and delicious.  A very sattvic meal (minus the garlic which is rajastic)! Also does not aggravate vata, pitta, or kapha!

An original recipe!

Enjoy!

Tradition

Let's keep the tradition of yoga alive!

Ujjayi means "victorious"!

This is one of the many wisdoms I was taught by one of my yoga teachers.  In one month of intensive training in Bali, I came to understand deeply what keeping the tradition of yoga alive means.  The yoga we practice today is kind of a new age form of yoga with roots in not only the thousands-of-years-old Vedas, but also more modern European gymnastics and wrestling.  Thousands of years ago there were maybe less than a hundred actual asana.  The focus then was more focused on cultivating the mental faculties required for meditation.  Today we have thousands and thousands of asana and modifications to accompany.  We live more in a physical culture with less emphasis on meditation.  For me like many, one component of settling the mind is this intense and cleansing physical practice.

There is, however, one aspect of today's asana practice that is steeped in ancient tradition.  This is the use of Sanskrit terms to identify certain pranayama and asana exercises.  Sanskrit is an ancient language akin to the use of Greek and Latin in Europe.  I feel that during a yoga class the use of Sanskrit has the ability to bring about deeper and more profound connection to each pose.  During vinyasa yoga sessions, Sanskrit terms almost guide me into a more meditative asana practice with their cadence and link to a deeper story behind the words.  I recently heard of ujjayi interpreted as the ocean sound.  It is true that ujjayi pranayama causes the practitioner to make a sound like an ocean wave with the breath moving across the constriction at the back of the throat, but... ujjayi interprets to "victorious" in Sanskrit.  The strength of ujjayi pranayama moving through the body supports the asana practice allowing the practitioner to be victorious.

Let's keep the tradition of yoga alive!   :)

Ashtanga = 8 limbs
Ha = Moon
Tha = Sun
Yoga = Union
Yama = Ethical restraints
     ahimsa = non-harming
     satya = truth
     asteya = non-stealing
     brahmacharya = integrity in relationship to sexuality
     aparigraha = freedom from desire or greed
Niyama = Observance
     shaucha = purity/cleanliness
     santosa = contentment
     tapas = self-discipline/burning spiritual ardor
     svadhyaya = mindfulness/self-study
     Ishvara Pranidhana = surrender (to god or the absolute)
Vinyasa = Flow/moving meditation/linking of movement and breath


The path is clear, n'est-ce pas?


OM MANI PADME OM

= "the jewel is in the lotus flower"