Reality 2.0

There are rare few among us who enter this world fully actualized.
The vast majority of us see "reality" through the lens of our conditions: our upbringing, situation in life, culture and education play a huge roll in what we believe to be real. Like a piece of software, this view of reality can get stuck in an old process and become outdated; what we really need are better inputs, more experiences with a wider range of people, places and situations and / or more education. When we reflect and assimilate this information, our version of reality is upgraded. Where we once saw the world in terms of black and white, we now may see shades of gray. Reality 2.0.

We experience true empathy, rather than sympathy, when we expand our perspectives this way.

So how do we upgrade our views of the world? First, there must be a desire to do so. That doesn't come from the mind, it comes from the heart. Next, we can study; reading, viewing, listening... these are great tools, but remember that they are from someone else's perspective. In my opinion,

Taking action is the bravest and more effective way to upgrade reality. 

When your entire being - body, heart, mind, breath - are involved, the upgrade is impactful and change is inevitable. Instead of shades of gray, we might even see colors!

Retreats and travel have always had this effect on me. Taking me out of my comfort zone and the version of reality that I'm used to, these trips always change me.

Lorien in Corcovado Park,
Costa Rica

Last year, I visited Malawi, Africa, as part of a yoga and service retreat. I will be forever affected by this country, the work we did, the people we met (with eyes that shine so brightly with love for the world!), and the friends we made. This year, I'm co-leading another yoga and service retreat, this time to Costa Rica. There are expectations that I have for this trip, because I've seen the country before, but I know in my heart that it will be an experience that will change me. From the hanging bridges in the Cloud Forest of Monteverde to the wild jungles of the Osa Peninsula, this country is rich in animals and warm, friendly people. We have some idea of the service work that we'd like to offer, because we are coordinating with the president of one of the smaller towns, and she's letting us know what they need. One of the lessons we learned in Malawi was to really investigate what people need, rather than assume using our outdated version of reality. We have an idea that we'll be installing more of the solar-powered LED lights in a school; these made a huge difference to the people in Malawi! Another idea is that we'll be helping with a garden to make the entire school more self-sustainable. Another idea is that we'll be helping with the sea turtles that come ashore near this town.

We'll go with open hearts and open minds, ready to have our view of reality upgraded.

If you're interested in this retreat, the deadline for the early bird discount is Sat, Feb 14. There is an information night at Breathe Los Gatos on Fri, Mar 6 at 7:30pm. Details about costs are available on my Events page, and you can place your deposit directly with Breathe Los Gatos by contacting Lauren Wierman Palladino: LaurenatBreathe@gmail.com.

Walking Meditation

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao-tzu

Photo: Jennifer Prugh

It's early morning, just before dawn. We rose to practice yoga asana together in this different place, different country, different experience, and our leaders tell us that our practice this morning will be different, too. Instead of exploring mountains and triangles and warriors, we are going to walk the shore of Lake Malawi as a meditation, an inner exploration.

I roll up my mat, remove my socks (it's cold, but I don't want them to get sandy) and step onto the sand, recalling the instructions for walking meditations taught to me years ago. This is a practice that I find very useful, and not just as an alternative to seated meditation. During times when I felt most uncertain about my beliefs, my opinions, my path, I found peace and strength from walking meditation. I hear the cues in my head.

Stand. Pause. Breathe. Notice.

Feel your feet, observing the texture of the surface you're standing on.

Start to shift your weight from one foot to the other, moving slow enough to notice the subtle changes.

I feel the cold sand slide beneath my feet as I transfer my weight. The unevenness reminds me that I will need to stay present if I want to keep my balance.

Begin the simplified movements of walking in place: lift your heel, push the ball of your foot, feel the bottom of your foot as it lands, then repeat with the other foot.

I begin moving with the rhythm of my own breath and I notice that others have already begun walking and I am far behind. No rush, I tell myself. When I feel as if someone has pulled me by the heart, I slowly advance forward.

Inhale. Lift. Push. Feel. Drop. 

Exhale. Lift. Push. Feel. Drop.

Over and over again I follow the cues in my head. I remember the instructor explaining that people practice walking meditation at many different speeds, but that I should find the speed that keeps me focused on what is happening right now.

After a while, I catch up to the back of the pack. I decide to find a new texture and walk through the shallow parts of the lake, a large enough body of water to offer small waves lapping the packed sand. The water is much warmer than the sand and my toes are happy. I repeat my steps in the water for as long as I can. When I reach a place on the shore where a small river is connecting with the lake, I look up and see the sky glowing.

I want to hold this sight forever. But a wave tickles my ankles and the sand shifts beneath me. Time to let go. Time to turn back. Time to reconnect. The practice awaits.

Inhale. Lift. Push. Feel. Drop. 

Exhale. Lift. Push. Feel. Drop.

The Year of Living Consciously Part 1

Happy New Year! As you can see by the title of this blog, I've decided to change things up a little in 2012. Each month, I'll invite you to join me in ways to be a little more present, more aware, more forgiving and more joyful.

This month, take some time to notice your mind. The mind can be sharp, reflective and clever, or it can be dull, clinging and repetitive. See if you can step back from your thoughts every now and then and really look at what's arising in your mind. Each thought sends ripples through your being as your mind assigns a condition to it (that's a "good" thought, for example), and we'll explore those ripples next month. For now, just look at the thoughts and see if you can notice the conditions that arise just following each thought. Think of this as training the mind - like swimming laps or doing sit ups. You must repeat this exercise over and over to really receive the benefit: less identification with your thoughts. Meditation is a good place to practice this, but you can do this at any time, any place. Practice being the witness of your thoughts, a simple but challenging skill.

Namaste

Schedule updates and special events; please see Special Events age for more details...

• NEW series: Beginning Jan 12, Lorien will be teaching a daytime 6-week series based on Hanna Somatics work. These are gentle sliding, rocking movements done on the floor to help regain awareness and flexibility while relieving pain. Class meets Thursdays, noon-1:00pm at Willow Glen Yoga. 6 weeks for $80. Pre-register at www.willowglenyoga.com.
• NEW ongoing class: Yoga Basics is an exploration into the fundamentals of the yoga practice: breath, posture, energy. Each week is a different theme to help beginners to advanced students alike fine tune their practice. Class meets Wednesdays, 7:30-8:45pm at Breathe Los Gatos. Check fees and new students specials at www.breathelosgatos.com.
• April 27-29, 2012 Weekend Retreat with Lorien and Marti Foster at Mayacamas Ranch in Calistoga. See Special Events for more info.

Mindfulness Matters Part 2

Last month I participated in a wonderful event at Breathe Los Gatos that raised funds for Japan Relief. I've been to other fundraisers before, but I noticed a difference right away with this one. Before the fundraiser even began, Jennifer Prugh announced that she wanted this event to raise a few thousand dollars; I believe she even targeted an amount around $5,000, but I'm not sure now. What I found bold was her very public announcement of what she wanted to have happen. For much of my life, I kept my desires hidden so as not to be disappointed if they didn't come to fruition. But here was someone fearless enough to state in a very public way what she wanted. And you know what? They raised over $7000 in that event!

I was inspired by Jennifer's daring and decided to go public with what I am working on. As many of you have read by now, I am developing a wellness DVD for a non-profit group called Human Connexus. Last week, I announced that I would campaign to raise funds for this DVD project by posting 108 rounds of Sun Salute variations on YouTube, and I'm asking for 108 donations from participants. I'm putting it out there: I envision that we will raise 108 donations by the end of June!

So, Universe, there is my intention. I'm going to keep that intention in my mind and work towards it with all I say and do in the coming weeks. This is mindfulness in action. Last month I posted about watching your thoughts, words, actions, habits, character, destiny. This is the next step. Namaste.

Schedule changes and special events...

Note: I will be on vacation June 18-July 1, but classes will continue with subs. Please go to Special Events for more details.

• 108 Challenge: Compassionate Yoga Serving Us All! June 1-18. Check YouTube or Facebook for daily short sequences that are variations of 6 rounds of Sun Salutes; practice every day until June 18 to complete 108 rounds, or a yoga mala. Please contribute to Human Connexus to help us gather 108 donations, a compassionate mala.
• June 12: Cancer Survivor Day at Kaiser; free yoga with Lorien in 3 different 45-minute sessions. For more information, please click here.
• Sept 11: Soothe Your Soul Workshop at Breathe Los Gatos, 1:30-3:00pm.
• SAVE THE DATE: Next retreat is scheduled for April 27-29, 2012 with Lorien and Marti Foster at Mayacamas Ranch in Calistoga. You do not want to miss this one!

Lesson of the Hurricane Yogis

Many times, I’ve heard yoga teachers speak of being the “eye of the storm”, achieving inner calm in the face of adversity. This summer in Mexico our yoga retreat group faced hurricane Emily with strength and serenity, thanks to our yoga practice.

Perhaps my judgment was clouded by my need for the retreat; as a mother of two and a yoga instructor, I was desperate to receive some nurturing myself. I felt sure some rain would be the worst we’d encounter. But weather reports said the storm was headed directly toward our Tulum resort. The night the hurricane was to hit, we were rerouted to a hurricane-proof Cancun hotel. We were still hopeful this was only a temporary setback, and that we would be sipping tropical drinks by the turquoise waters of Tulum within a day or so. We were trained in yoga, and were ready to receive anything... right?

Our "refugio anticiclon" roughly resembled a three-story cinderblock prison; a resemblance enhanced when the power and water went out shortly after 7 pm. This was my low point; I desperately clung to the idea that this was only temporary, but could feel myself sliding into a somewhat familiar pool of negativity. And then, an amazing thing happened.

We all began sharing what little we had; candles, flashlights, laptop-provided music, and yoga. We came together to eat, drink, entertain, comfort and heal, even though some of us had never met. We stayed awake as long as we could, listening to the rain and wind. It felt like a scene from The Three Little Pigs, with a wolf named Emily huffing and puffing outside. At the worst of it, I laid flat on my back and breathed deeply into my belly, trying to keep my imagination in check.

The hotel withstood 70-80 miles per hour winds, with some damage to the outside of the building. Tulum received the brunt of the storm, including 160 miles per hour winds! Unlike many tourists, sheltered in less-hurricane-proof structures with hundreds of strangers, we were privileged to have the hotel almost entirely to ourselves. We contacted the Tulum resort, which estimated a week to restore power, water and clean up. In the meantime, a seasoned traveler in our group suggested we travel to Chichen Itza to visit the famous Mayan ruins. Moving inland was a wise choice; all the coastal towns were without power and water. We piled ourselves, and our luggage, into a rented mini-van for the two-hour trip. Although it was cramped and uncomfortable, no one complained. We joked how blessed we were that three people had cancelled their retreat plans, as they wouldn’t have fit!

We recharged at Chichen Itza, appreciating all the wonderful little things; power, running water, air conditioning, good food and a space for yoga (albeit one shared with the local insect population). Both the instructor and I led classes during our three days there, and our group found a rhythm. Still, we longed for the beach and our original plans. We packed up the mini-van and headed back to Playa del Carmen. We were light-hearted, and our hopes were high.

As we neared the beach town, we were again reminded of how fortunate we were. Signs of the hurricane’s wrath were everywhere; fallen power poles, broken windows and doors, thinned thatched roofs, and streets strewn with debris. We quickly claimed our hotel’s roof as our very own yoga studio. As I practiced, now without the company of mosquitoes and with a cool breeze, I felt my energy come back and my anxiety subside.

The relief was only temporary. The next morning the skies opened up and poured two inches of water onto our rooftop “studio”! Of course, this happened on my morning to teach. I was again impressed at the undaunted attitude of these yogis. Some collected towels or changed into bathing suits; others swept the flooded areas free of water and debris. It seemed no accident that these eight people were here together, being together.

My morning’s teaching plans distilled down to one thought: Sun Salutation. As we moved through the poses, I silently prayed to Surya to return to us, or to at least delay the rain long enough for us to practice. The rain did abate for much of our practice, but returned with more force as the students rested in Savasana. What else was there to do? I guided the group through a “laughing Savasana”; I asked them to picture some funny moments from our trip. Playing charades by flashlight, stuffing an undersized mini-van with bodies and baggage in the pouring rain, chasing caterpillars away from our mats... It had the desired effect. We giggled and washed away our tensions.

That afternoon, we traded rain on the rooftop for the sound of a jackhammer at our new space. As our teacher shouted brief instructions over the din, the lesson of this trip came through to me, loud and clear. This is the yoga of life! Most people practice being the eye of the storm in the calm space of a yoga studio, but it can be very difficult to find that same inner peace in life, with all its noisy, damp, itchy distractions. In that moment, we hurricane yogis did.