Namaste Yogi’s

This past year has been full of change and the world dealing with uncertainty, financial crisis, great loss and unexpected circumstances. People have had no choice but hold on tight and go with the flow without knowing any outcome.

For some their personal loss has been huge, losing their home or their place of employment and their world as they know it is falling apart. This must be an incredibly scary place to be in. People have been forced to accept what has come their way and do their best to pick up the falling pieces around them.

Yes, of course there are families who have not been affected and their lives remain the same. However on some level they do feel the emotional vibration on what is occurring all around. Everyone is still affected directly or indirectly.

It is near the closing of this year, a time to reflect but also step into action and think about how you as an individual can create the abundance you want in your live, how you can show greater love and appreciation for the people in your life and in what way you can make a difference in bringing more peace and harmony to the world. This may seem like a heavy statement but an intention and good deed towards someone who may need it, goes a long way. Far beyond reaching other people, first we need to go deeply into ourselves and make our own changes within. The energy we reflect is what is taken in. Practicing compassion, loving kindness, karma yoga, meditation, planning a fundraiser, giving emotional support to a friend…….the smallest act can make a profound difference. The more we continue to become conscious on every level, the more that energy begins to spread to wake up others next to us.

At times we only want life to go our way and everything to be great. When we encounter hardship, struggle, loss or disappointment we tend to think “why is this happening?” instead of seeing the potential growth, possible freedom or lesson we may be granted by the circumstance.

I bought a book the last time I visited Kripalu that I had seen in a magazine and been curious about. When I saw it I decided to buy it. It has been many months that this book has sat comfortably on my shelf. The other day I decided to start reading it. There is a fantastic paragraph about struggle in one’s life. It really allowed me to contemplate my own views on hardship and pain.

In the entire world, there is not one human being who is free from pain. Even in favorable conditions, a person encounters struggle. The external form of struggle appears to be cruel. Some describe it as a horrible demon, but its nature is not malicious. In fact, it is proper to welcome struggle, for its arrival is always auspicious. Struggle keeps us from growing sluggish. It changes an animal into an ideal person. It transforms an ordinary human into a spiritually awake person respected by the world….It is alright if we cannot receive struggle with love, but struggle should never be discarded. To discard struggle is to discard God’s grace.

From: The Wisdom Of Yoga A seeker’s guide to Extraordinary Living By: Stephen Cope. The second book I bought for Harlan who in typical type A fashion read it in a day.  He recommends it highly.

Breathe in Peace, allow your love to emerge and be felt.

Blessings,

Sara

Bob Dylan once wrote, "I'm stuck in Mobile with those Memphis blues again."  I feel that way in New York City.

I'm here for a two day business trip and my mind is melting with the huge number of choices of where to go.

There's the Jivamukti Center where I can dip my toe into their practice.

There's Dharma Mitra's Center where I can learn how to do an unsupported head stand on a New York City sewer cover.

Every block literally has a new door calling.

I feel like a kid in a candy store.

There's Eddie Stern's Yoga Shala for Ashtanga.  There are a pure Mysore practice.  I wonder what they do if you can't even do Mountain pose correctly.  Do you lay down is Savasana after you attempt Mountain pose?

There's Pure Yoga - 25,000 square feet of nothing but yoga.  It's supposed to be gorgeous.

And there's my old reliable friend - Sonic Yoga with some outstanding teachers.

I'm overwhelmed.

I think I'll break out the mat and practice in my room.

And since Sara is recommending some books to you.  Here are some excellent ones for teaching yoga.

Teaching Yoga Resources 

I think you'll be amazed at what's available.

Om Shanti Shalommmm,

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