About a month ago it was Chinese New Year and I spoke about the water dragon in my classes.  For some time now, I have also believed that one of things that would happen in 2012 is that old structures of society would begin to break down because they could not be carried forward in this “new world” we are creating.  Wouldn’t you know it? The first thing on water dragon’s agenda was Anusara® Inc.  Like a tsunami, the intensity of the dragon, combined with water, leveled our hierarchical system. Now we all stand together in the horizontal model that the Rajanka tradition, the philosophy that speaks to my heart, states.  A collective of voices and talents.

Back in September I was doing my Brand Thyself session with Jess and working on a new bio. She kept saying,  “speak from your own experience, you don’t need to validate or justify it with your teachers anymore.”  She reminded me that after being a student of yoga for more than 15 years, and teaching for over 10, that I have my own credibility as a student and a teacher on the path. This wisdom has really helped me the last few months and I think it will help us all right now.

Now is the time for each of us to step deeper inside ourselves and stand upon our own experiences.  It does not mean we have to separate ourselves from Anusara, many of the teachers who resigned stated that they will continue to teach the method. But I do believe it is an opportunity to look at the places where we are not speaking from our own experience and truth or simply taking our teacher’s word for it.  It’s time for radical authenticity.  To be guided from within, to speak and act from your heart, and to live the yoga.  We can stand together in our individual freedom.

Each of us can examine our lives, whether you teach yoga or not, and move toward deeper intimacy.  Each time I speak my truth, even if it leaves me feeling vulnerable, I am living from my heart.  This is what the new era will require. Right now we are just in basic training.

There is a saying in China, you can never see the head and the tail of a water dragon at the same time.  We have no idea where this is going, we just have to stay open and present, continue to practice, and flow with it.

During the three days I experienced the full spectrum of emotions. As our community broke apart, so too did my heart. I came to Miami because I needed to see things for myself. I don’t make big decisions quickly, and I certainly was not going to make this decision in haste.

My original plans had me staying for the weekend workshop, too. However, after the Advanced Intensive I decided to take a vacation day in Miami and then fly out earlier than scheduled on Sunday; I have never wanted to come home so badly!

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My “vacation day” plans fell through so I have a day in Miami Beach alone. After almost two hours in the sun without sunscreen, I went to seek lunch. As I sit on this wild promenade that is South Beach, Florida, watching vacationers of all walks of life from all around the world, I so wanted my day to be like that today. I wanted to play and have fun after the intensity of these last two weeks but instead I am preparing myself to go back to San Francisco and take the seat of the teacher. So, alone it is, and I embrace this. Many in my community, both teachers and students alike, are awaiting my report. Everybody is asking, “What is your stance?“ These last two weeks I have been unable to take a stance. I have been quiet. I have stood still, breathed, and done my best to practice the First Principle. I have been listening inside and out, watching and waiting to see what happens, talking to a lot of different people. My feet have felt like lead, unable to make a move in either direction.

I am not going to give you an account of John said this and did that. I am just going to tell you how I feel.

I stand with my teacher John because I can’t fathom walking away from someone when they are in a time of challenge. I DO NOT stand for him continuing to teach right now, or for Anusara Inc. to go on the way it has for all these years. I stand for John finding the healing that he now recognizes is needed due to this situation.  In both public and private conversations I had with John I am led to believe he is going to seek help. I hold him in love and compassion and wish for him to look deep inside himself at his shadows and his wounds and make peace. I stand for him living with alignment between his words and actions; I stand for him to go back to the divine source that brought Anusara through him in the first place and remember his truth and his vision. I stand for him to emerge better in himself than ever before and to find a balanced and sustainable lifestyle.

I stand for the method of Anusara yoga because it has helped me heal and it’s the guide I use to help others. I have seen it work time and time again and I believe in it wholeheartedly.

I stand for the community of teachers (even those who have resigned) that I have grown to love as my brothers, sisters, and spiritual companions, and I want us all to thrive like never before. I stand for continuing to co-create something beautiful – whatever forms that ultimately takes.

I stand for my local community: for the amazing teachers that work so hard; for the students that come to class week in and week out; for the deep bonds of friendship that have been forged through this yoga. We in the Bay Area were really trying to come together in a more powerful way in 2012 and we were off to a great start. I honor our plans.

I stand for myself to find my place within all this mess; a place where I can continue to learn, grow, and expand to my full potential. I have been inquiring deep within myself: Where does the container of Anusara support me and where does it limit me? Who might I be without it? What would it be like to stay without all those who have left? Can I stay in good conscience? Will our “tribe” be able to regroup and form something new, something healthy? Will we all just be individual yoga teachers in the sea of yoga? I do not yet have all of those answers, so still I stand and wait.

For now I am standing steady to see if we can reclaim and resurrect the school of Anusara yoga apart from John. Thank you Ross, Desiree and others for your tireless work and enthusiasm. Will John make the method public domain? Will he let us adopt his child and allow us to nurture and grow it from here? Do we start something new on our own? Will John do the hard work on himself and create a collaborative organization? These answers will not come quickly and for this moment I am prepared to wait.

The last nine years have been the best years of my life and I am grateful to all of my teachers, friends, and students who have supported me. I have found immense healing in this practice and this community and I have created an amazing life for myself, all because of Anusara yoga. Yes, the system is dysfunctional as it is but I believe we all have a hand in that. I want to use this situation to look and see where I am out of alignment and continue to get better in myself. I don’t know what the next nine years will look like but I remember John always telling me, “keep lining up, I promise it will get better.” He was right, and I now delight in telling my students that from my own experience. What to align with right now, that has not yet been revealed, but I am confident that my practice will continue to lead me to my heart.  

Looking back, I have had many breakthroughs both in my physical practice and in my life.  It’s always a pulsation: Sometimes big openings temporarily lead to deeper contraction, and at other times it pulses closer to the center.  My journey has been arduous, unraveling knots of physical pain and injury in my body, overcoming hurts and disappointments, and dismantling old emotional patterns that at one point helped me survive in the world.   Yes, there were times I wanted to get off the train because it felt like too much, but I knew I would never be satisfied with that choice.  Now, I can proudly say that I am happier and more vibrant than ever, I have been pain free for quite a while now, and feel as though I am living in alignment with my truth.

Yes, of course, I am still aware of subtle asymmetries, places of tension and holding.  As long as we are in a body we will experience that. But I am aware of them and feel blessed to have the finest tools on the planet to alchemize them into an even better me. (Thank you Anusara yoga!). I delight in how each opening reveals a new path to travel down.

The Upanishads state that for every 1/4 of the Universe that is revealed, there is always 3/4 more that is concealed.  So step on the path, come along for the journey, revel in the mystery, and join me in discovering the inner most depth of your consciousness.  It’s quite the ride!

Personally, I am feeling very optimistic about this year.  Yes, it’s true, our world is not in the best shape and these next several months will determine a lot about where we are headed.  While this is scary, I see it as a great opportunity. I am optimistic because in my world I see people everywhere waking up.  Great beings are consciously deciding to live in greater alignment with spirit, whatever that may mean to them.  The old ways of being simply will not work in our current times.

Inspired by the awakening I am seeing around me, and remembering that we need new ways of being, my theme for the year is LIVE VIBRANTLY!. Your nature is vibrant.  The life force energy pulsing within you is vibrant.  The question is: do you have a means to access your vibrancy?

Yes, our asana practice is one of the ways to access that vibrancy, but asana alone is not enough anymore.  As your awareness increases – which is one of the fruits of the physical practice – you must make choices in all areas of your life that serve and support you.  Vibrancy must be lived.  When your entire being is radiant, your every word, your every action reflects and offers that radiance.  We must consider how we are showing up in our relationships, in our jobs, and the way we treat the planet.  You are an extension of the earth and all beings that live here. When you tend to yourself, you tend to the collective.

As yogis we can be a bridge to all of humanity. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.  It’s up to us to step into living vibrantly: for ourselves, for our community, and for our planet!

In the spirit of this year’s theme to LIVE VIBRANTLY, I’ll be posting more tips over the upcoming weeks and months on how to live our yoga and access the vibrancy that is our true nature.

What now? I have put together a list of 12 ways you can continue what we have started here in December 2011 and make 2012 your best year yet!  If you have other ideas to make 2012 a more healthy and sustainable year, please post them, we’d love to hear!

Happy New Year!

1.  Bring reusable grocery bags with you every time you shop. This includes produce bags too!  Consider refilling containers in the bulk section of your local co-op. (Sustainability is Sexy)

2.  Shop local and seasonal whenever possible. In addition to the products you buy, please support smaller, locally owned businesses whenever possible.

3.  Challenge yourself this year to NO plastic water bottles or disposable cups.  If you already do this, how about reducing your take out food and bring containers and reusable cutlery whenever you can. (Sustainability is Sexy)

4.  Schedule a monthly massage appointment, if you have a specific injury or limitation, you may need to start with sessions weekly or every other week at first. (A Little Help From Our Friends)

5.  Educate yourself about what you are putting in your body, both the food you are eating and the products you use. Make the switch to organics, non GMO, and chemical free. Eat unprocessed, whole foods as much as possible.

6.  Schedule 20-30 minutes of quiet time each day to recharge.  Either nap, do Savasana, or put your legs up the wall! (See 26 Minutes to Greater Well Being and Just Put Your Legs Up the Wall!)

7.  Make sure you have at least a few unplanned hours each week to play and enjoy life.

8.  Go on a technology fast one day per week – perhaps during the time in number 7.  (I am going to try this one!)

9.  If you drive, can you reduce your time in the car?  Leave the car at home once a week; walk, ride a bike, or take the bus.  Carpool whenever you can.

10. Sign up for a workshop each month to continue your growth.  Deepen your yoga practice, start a meditation practice, educate yourself on health and healing, take a cooking class… Staying curious, open, and excited to learn keeps us young.

11. Are you holding on to anything from the past?  Resentment puts up a barrier that keeps you closed.  Give yourself permission to let go and forgive yourself and others. Don’t let the past weigh you down.

12. Reflect on your life each month.  The new moon is a good time to check in with your intentions and progress while planting seeds that keep you on your journey.

Sure an alignment based yoga such as Anusara® can help us to create healthy habits in our body.  A regular yoga practice will shed much of the surface tension our body holds while creating more awareness. However, if there is a biomechanical misalignment, even the way you do your yoga practice can continue to create dysfunction.

In my opinion, bodywork is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.   I am a firm believer in getting a little help from a team of highly trained, skillful, and intuitive body workers.  I am not talking about a spa massage, which can be nice sometimes, I am talking about work that will help you to unwind unhelpful patterns, increase your range of motion, and guide your body to find it’s own natural rhythm of ease and freedom.  As yogis that is precisely what we are seeking to do, so why not treat yourself to something that will enhance your efforts and give you more access to your practice?

An experienced bodyworker will be able to see and feel into your body and tailor the session to your specific needs helping to make permanent shifts in your body mind.  Each time you are on their table the session will be a bit different based on what presents itself.

Here are some of my favorite bodyworkers in San Francisco!

Mike and Jennifer Lane mobilize the joints and soft tissue optimizing range of motion, function, and balance through the Hendrickson Method. They both have a deep appreciation for the yoga practice and understand the body as a dynamic interconnected system.
www.mobilizethebody.com
mobilizethebody@gmail.com

Leni Mostaghim brings the insight gained from a devoted practice of Anusara yoga, as well as from over 10 years work as a certified Pilates instructor, to every session.  By interweaving Cranial Sacral work with the basic concepts and techniques of Ortho-Bionomy and honoring the body’s inherent wisdom, Leni’s work resolves injury and trauma and facilitates greater ease and connectivity, and is profoundly restorative for the central nervous system.  You can email Leni to inquire and book a session: integrative.healing@yahoo.com

Mark Haviland takes you on an adventure to unearth the kinks that limit the flow of chi in your body. His eclectic style is attuned to your needs and is a co-creative dance that can catapult ones healing journey exponentially and expeditiously.
Beyond Bodywork
http://www.yelp.com/biz/beyond-bodywork-san-francisco
https://www.facebook.com/BeyondBodywork

Katie Sutherland has trained in a wide range of modalities including neuromuscular therapy, craniosacral therapy, deep tissue & shiatsu which allows her to custom-tailor each session based on your needs. Her work brings awareness and openness to areas of tightness which can help you experience new places in your asanas that you may not have reached as quickly on your own. www.katiesutherland.com

In addition, if you have a specific injury it is also helpful to do a private yoga session with a qualified teacher trained in therapeutics.  This will help you to shed the light on your habits and patterns and teach ways to take care of yourself. Any Certified Anusara® yoga teacher will be able to see your habits and guide you to create balance. Check my website for more information on private yoga sessions. 

Disclaimer:  I am not one who follows a recipe and I am not a chef or a writer of recipes.  When I cook I do a lot of improvising and “eye-balling”, I did my best here to communicate what I do!

Put  1 1/2 cups of Quinoa in the rice cooker with a box of vegetable broth and assorted seaweed. Turn on to cook.

Wash and chop your favorite cooking greens such as kale or chard.

Add 1 tablespoon of chick pea miso to 1 cup of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of tamari, 1 teaspoon of Ume Plum Vinegar (you can use Rice Wine Vinegar instead). Stir well to dissolve the miso.

When the quinoa is finished stir in the greens and the miso mixture. The greens will steam in the hot quinoa. Top with sesame oil.

Now you have a delicious base to eat on it’s own or for any protein.
Two of my favorite ways to each this are:
1. Poached eggs and avocado
2.  Smoked salmon, avocado and pickled ginger.

Sometimes I add pumpkin seeds or shiitake mushrooms to the rice cooker, I invite you to be creative!  I also love to top it off with Gomasio.

This year why not try a different approach?

Reflect on the past year and make a list of all the major events in your life.  Your successes, your challenges, the lessons learned from difficult situations, the things that are working in your life, the things that aren’t…

Then highlight the things you want more of.  For example, if you are proud of yourself for  going to yoga once a week this year, start a second list and write that along with how you have benefited from your practice.  This is something you want more of.  Perhaps you will make it twice a week this year! If you got a raise or a promotion at work for a job well done, write about your success, you, of course want more of that!

If you had a relationship challenge this year note the attitudes and behaviors that caused the problem.  Then on the second list write about the lessons learned from the difficult situation. Perhaps a health problem prompted you to change your diet or your lifestyle to heal. You get the idea…

Now you have a list of what you have already achieved, what is working in your life, what you want more of, rather than a list of unattainable goals.  The attitude you start with plays a part in determining where you are headed!  Start 2012 with a list of how great your life is and be the creator of an even more fantastic year!

If you do have a big goal you really want to reach, be realistic.  I suggest writing your goal down with many small, clear actions toward achieving it, don’t expect an all at once transformation.

Happy 2012!

Supta Padangustasana – (Reclining Big Toe Pose)  photo –  3 variations
1. leg up, 2.leg to the side, 3. leg across the body as a twist. The main action is to press your thigh bone toward the back of your leg and maintain the natural curve in your lower back. It does not matter how close your leg is to your chest!  Use your hands on the back of your thigh or use a belt around your foot. Hold from 10 breaths or up to 1-2 minutes per variation.

Suchirandrasana – (Eye of the Needle) – see photo below – Flex the feet and spread the 4th and 5th toes to engage the muscles on the outer shins and protect the knees.  As in the pose above, the main action is to press the thigh bone toward the back of your leg and maintain the natural curve of your lower back.

Ananda Balasana – (Blissful Child) – photo – start with one leg at a time.  You can straighten the bottom leg or  bend the knee with the foot on the floor.  Engage the muscles of the legs and pull down on your foot like you are trying to bring your knee to the floor.  Keeping that, from the core of your pelvis push back up though your foot.  Once you do each side on it’s own then try both legs at the same time as pictured.

Supta Baddhakonasana – (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) - photo – There are many different ways to prop yourself in this pose.  Be sure to put a prop your under your shins to support your knees and hips.  For more open hips you can lay without support.  You may also want to support your spine with a bolster or a blanket. Stay 5-20 minutes.

Suchirandrasana - Courtesy of Yoga Journal

I hope you have been enjoying the posts this month.  Today, how about going back through the blog and reading one you might have missed.  Perhaps make a comment on something you liked or have tried and share your results.  Below you will see I’ve made a little table of contents  for you for easy access!  Please tune in next week for all new posts.  Enjoy the holiday weekend.

Happy Everything!
Stacey

Asana

• 12 Minutes to Calm, Ground and Energize
• Asana for Lower Back Relief
• Just Put Your Legs Up the Wall!

Recipes

• Kitcharie
• Edible Grace
• Building Community Through Food

Self Care

• Moderation: Enjoyment in Balance
• Oil Pulling – Removing Toxins From the Body
• 26 Minutes to Greater Well Being
• The Magic of Oil – Abhyanga
• What’s in Your Bathroom?

Sustainability

• Clear the Clutter
• Simplify the Holidays – Ideas for Gift Giving
• Sustainability is Sexy
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