Holistic Wellness

During my early training on how to teach yoga, I learned something interesting: some people think only in terms of negative. I don't mean that they are negative people; rather, that the lens of their mind's eye only sees things in terms of negative. This lens might have developed out of a self-preservation situation, or some other natural occurrence. However it grew, the mind can only frame experiences in terms of the negative. For example, if I ask someone who has lived with chronic pain all their life to paint me a picture of what a good day looks like, they may give me answers such as, "less resistance to movement" rather than "more mobility", or "less fatigue" rather than "more energy". It's a subtle language difference but the way the mind, body and energy process this subtle difference is big.

I'm a fan of language. I'm always looking for better ways to say things, using clearer analogies and more precise cues. I can be a bit obsessive when it comes to naming my classes and workshops. I've been obsessing for several years now about a certain title for the cancer work that I do. I'm always looking to find the best way to describe my work without using this negative frame.

The word wellness is one of my favorites, because it goes beyond the negative and brings us back to the positive. What would a day be like without pain, or illness, or fear or stress? How would I name that day? Wellness encompasses so much, just like yoga. There is physical wellness, but there is also mental, emotional and spiritual wellness.

Wellness implies that good feeling that you get when the sun is shining on your face, the warmth in your heart rises up to meet the warmth on your face, you are smiling without regard to who is watching and time stands still. 

Photo from ahealthiermichigan.org

In the winter months, we are more vulnerable to this negative thinking. There is less sunlight and more stress to contend with. Our normal healthy routines are replaced with the hustle-and-bustle-type of holiday activities. Social situations are required, which can be draining for the introverted types. It's important during these times that we understand what our own personal wellness requires and fit that in as a priority today - not tomorrow.

Asana, meditation, breathing practices, exercise, massage and regular sleep can make such a difference during this season. What supports your wellness? Make a wellness plan today.

Namaste.

Integrate to End Suffering; Welcome Change!

Photo credit: Amy Dotson

Happy New Year!  I hope this post finds all of you healthy, happy and whole.

As some of you have already experienced, yoga is a tool for integration. At the end of the last year, I took some time off to reflect on what was a very challenging and growing experience over the past 12 months. What I discovered is that my challenges, and my times of suffering occurred when I wasn’t integrating fully. There were periods when I was so much in my body, but didn’t allow my mind or heart to motivate me; there were times when I was in my head (okay, a lot of times!), and I felt my body and heart were neglected; and there were opportunities for me to be so much in my heart that I felt I might burst, but my head and my body were not there, too. Each of these times brought joy and necessary insight, and each of these times brought me a good deal of suffering. It was only during the rare moments that I experienced my body, heart and mind all working together as a team towards one goal, that I felt relief from suffering. And it was only during these times that I felt a balance in my energy.

For the coming year, I will be posting about ways to balance the body, heart and mind as a method to improve the flow of life force and free ourselves from suffering. Beginning next month, the posts will be more frequent and I’ve invited guests to write entries relating to the month’s theme. My website will be going through a upgrade, and I hope to be able to offer more resources as the year progresses. I also hope to move to a system that allows followers to connect with my blog more easily. So, do peek in, follow my blog if you can, and enjoy the holistic advice on living with ease.

Namaste

Announcements

• Lorien's public class schedule has changed for 2013, so check Lorien's schedule page.
• New Year's Day special classes: noon-1:15pm Wellness Yoga, followed by 1:15-2:00pm Breath and Meditation at Breathe Los Gatos. Join us and start your year off with ease, mindfulness and intention!
• Jan 19 1:30-2:30pm: FREE Check Your Boobies party! Join us at Breathe Los Gatos for this educational and fun event, and bring someone who needs to learn about breast health.
• Feb 2 1:30-4:00pm: Yoga for Cancer Survivorship at Breathe Los Gatos.
• Coming soon: Yin Yoga Immersion weekend, Yin Yoga Teacher Training... more details to come.

Inventive vs. Innovative Thinking, the Yogic Perspective

In his latest book, Light on Life, master yoga teacher B. K. S. Iyengar poses the idea that the intelligent yogi seeks innovation - the inspired choice of something totally new. He states that "all people are clever compared to other forms of life", but being clever and inventing new ways to do the same thing over and over isn't enough to liberate us from suffering.

He goes on to say about the yogi's intelligence:

"It can choose. It can choose to perform an action that is new, that is innovative. It can initiate change. It can decide to jump out of the ruts in which we are all stuck and strike out on a path for its own evolution. Intelligence does not chat. It is the quiet, determined, clear-eyed revolutionary of our consciousness. Intelligence is the silent or sleeping partner in consciousness, but when it awakes it is the senior or dominant partner."

Fo me, this year has been about living consciously, about waking this intelligence. Ten months before I picked up Mr. Iyengar's book, I was struck by the thought that it was time I befriended, tamed and trained my mind. My first step towards this goal was to pay attention to my thoughts, which supported the reflexive quality of my mind. The second step was honoring the ability to choose. That sounds simple, but it is by no means easy. We all have the ability to choose: we either choose creative invention towards the same end, or we step out of the rut and innovate a new end.

Announcements

• Tuesday, Nov 6: please go out and VOTE! Then, bring your proof of voting to a nearby yoga studio, because many of them offer free classes for those who vote.
• Saturday, Nov 10 1:00-4:00 pm: there is still room in the Winter Wellness Workshop at Willow Glen Yoga. See Special Events for more details.
• Friday, Nov 16: Lymphedema presentation offered by Cancer CAREpoints, located near Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose; see www.cancercarepoint.org for more details.

Foundational Questions for Spring

Welcome, Spring! I know it's rainy, cold and dark outside as I write this, but spring is officially here: time to surrender the past, rebirth, grow and change. It's always a busy time for me and this spring is no exception. Between teaching classes and planning future workshops, retreats, chanting sessions and other fun projects, my mind has been drawn to the foundational question of what is yoga? I've recently read several articles about what yoga is not; like shadows defining the form, we often use the negative to describe our subject. But it's important to remember that the shadow is not the form. So, what is yoga?

In promoting my work with cancer patients, I travelled to several doctor's offices to pass out flyers. When I let them know that I teach yoga to cancer patients, I often got a quizzical look. I then offered to give a demonstration to the staff to show that I would not be asking their patients to wrap their legs around their heads. Most people have one or two views of yoga: it's an excuse to take a nap, or it's a contortionist practice. After twelve years of practice, I can safely say it is both and neither of those.

To me, yoga is about relationship. It is a physical practice that helps us relate to our own bodies, an energetic practice that relates us to our own breath, a mental practice that relates us to our own mind and a spiritual practice that relates us to everything else. It can be as simple as a good stretch or as complex as a total quality of life overhaul. The magic ingredient is us; we plant the seed, we cultivate the practice and we reap the harvest. People need guidance to begin with and possibly along the way, but the guru is really inside. The articles that I've read all point to the subject leaving themselves out of the equation; often quite painfully, they learned that yoga is not that.

This spring, let go of what no longer serves you, stretch past your limits safely and watch yourself blossom, but always remember your inner guidance. Namaste.

Schedule updates and special events; please click description for more details...

• Lorien will be away for a training March 27-April 1. Classes will continue with subs.
• NEW! Starting Tuesday, April 5, Lorien will teach a Yin Yoga class noon-1:00pm at Breathe in Los Gatos.
• Class change: Tuesdays 1:00pm class at Breathe is now a Wellness Yoga class, which means that anyone dealing with chronic pain, compromised immune systems or chronic stress from illness or injury can find ways to improve their total quality of life through gentle yoga practices. Class is offered by donation ($12 suggested, but no one turned away). Please help spread the word!
• Saturday, April 23: Yoga as Cancer Support workshop 1:00-4:00pm at Breathe in Los Gatos; this workshop is donation-based and is for patients, caregivers and professionals working with cancer.
• Sunday, April 24 (Easter) OM for Peace Annual Chant: 3:00-4:00pm at Breathe in Los Gatos; this free hour of chanting OM is our annual Easter ritual to connect with others in an effort to send a vibration of peace out into the world. No need to register, no previous chanting experience needed, just come with an open heart.
• Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1: Yoga Retreat to the Beach Immerse yourself in this relaxing weekend retreat at the beach in Watsonville; only 2 beds lefts - register NOW!
• Coming soon: Wellness Yoga DVD... stay tuned for more details!