Yoga Practice: Migration

Bird migration at Eddystone Lighthouse, by Charles Samuel Keene

Watching birds fly south as the seasons change, I've been noticing my own movements as life around me changes and unfolds. I'm not sure where I'm headed, but like the birds, I seem to have some internal homing sense that leads me and pulls me along to the next destination.

Here are some things that have been meaningful to my yoga practice of late:

• Sun salutations with a pause to move back and forth between extended side-angle pose and reverse warrior pose. It feels a little bit like I'm stretching my wings and getting ready to fly.
• Finding eagle pose, then shifting my non-standing leg forward and then back to warrior three feels a little bit like I'm taking account of my situation and then letting go to soar.
• Taking time to do some some scissor jumping jacks with arms outstretched makes me feel little like I'm getting somewhere fast.
• Stretching out with heron and pigeon. These poses remind me that even birds need to take a rest from traveling now and then. 

Return to Center

Arrows, by Finch and Canary

Life has a way of pulling you away from your center in a hundred different directions at once. My favorite way to return to center is to follow a simple pattern: In. Out. Gratitude. 

1. Sleep. Return to center by letting your body and mind do it naturally, without all of your efforting. In. Move into your breath and the heaviness of your body to help you fall asleep. Out. Move out naturally as you give up control and fall asleep. Gratitude. Wake up grateful!
2. Move. It happened that I took Neesha's "Finding the Hub: Centering Mind, Body, and Heart" class on yogatoday recently. Just what I needed. The key to the class:  In. Move into the core of your body.  (My favorite example: draw your arm bones in before raising them above your head.) Out. Open from the heart to the periphery of your body.  Gratitude.  Be grateful and joyful that you can share in the practice.
3. Meditate. Try this bell meditation, which is available via the On Being website. The principles should sound familiar by now:  In. Move in by focusing on the sound of the bell.  Out.  Move out by letting your mind open and welcome everything.  Gratitude.  End with gratitude and extend this joy and peace to all beings.

May you all feel the peace and joy that comes with feeling centered!

Spider Yoga

Spider Woman, by Man Ray

We moved into a new home about a month ago—a home that had sat empty for several years before we showed up. Spiders had decided to take up residence, and we still see a spider somewhere inside our home just about everyday.

When I see a spider, it isn't just a bug to me; I can't help think about the different roles that spiders have played in myths (grandmothers, seductive women, cursed humans, tricksters). I feel a little less powerful (and less mythological—there aren't any stories about me in mythology, are there?) when my path crosses these little guys. Sometimes they get smashed, I have to admit, but I try to let them be, when I can.

The other night a spider joined me for yoga. She had long thread-like legs, and she mostly walked upside-down on the window blinds. I found her to be a very good teacher. She was so graceful and so self-assured. 

So I tried to do spider yoga in her honor. This involved some balancing poses: sun salutations flowing into half-moon pose, warrior three, and extended hand to big toe pose. With my arms and legs splayed out and floating in air, I tried to find the same quiet ease as the spider displayed. For me, this is when yoga is best—I'm not only deepening into my own breath and body, I'm also deepening into the mythological collective. 

Inner Work, Body Work

Saint Margaret and the Dragon
via Orbs of Zenith

"One who has conquered the mind, senses and passions, thought and reason, is a king." . . . or queen . . . "He or she has Inner Light."

    —Light on Yoga, by B. K. S. Iyengar

I'm not sure how I feel about the word "conquered" . . . I might choose a word like "befriended," but anyway I think this is a good reminder of the process of integration. More to come on this!

Sacred Space: Right Here

In my part of the world, rolling hills and big sky are reminders of spaciousness (in the loveliest of senses) and possibility. Just driving through the country yesterday was a pilgrimage for me. 

Western Oklahoma Sky, by Nancy Park
via Bold Brush painting competition

What parts of your environment do you find inspiring?

Admiring: Two Yoginis

Girl Crush? What a great idea for a magazine!

I have a whole list of girl crushes. Who are they, you ask? Well, let me introduce you to some of them! Here are two ladies from the yoga world whom I admire.

Tiffany Cruikshank. I took one class from her at a retreat, and she kicked my butt. What I love about her: she embodies strength and grace. And her playlists are groovy.

Neesha Zollinger. She's a teacher on yogatoday.com, and her bright spirit always makes my day a little better. Plus, she did a lesson based on Star Wars. Sweet!

Neesha Zollinger

The moral of today's girl crush episode: seek out women that make you want to be a stronger, brighter you.