I am creating these "Yoga Extras" blog posts for those of you resonating with the public yoga classes & Yoga Teacher Trainings I am leading. Inside of these blog posts you will find extra resources that support our weekly class theme. The weekly classes I guide are themed according to the season & collective energetic "weather"--This is of course influenced by many things; for instance, not only national and global events but how masses of people are feeling about and reacting to those events. It is also influenced by space weather (see spaceweather.com) & the current movement/placement of celestial bodies ie: the sun, moon, planets, nodes, stars, etc. You can find me teaching currently at Black Swan Yoga (North-Anderson) in Austin, TX. I am on the schedule as "Erika K." Mention this webpage for a free class.
Physical Focus (Peak Pose): Lower body including the QL & Shoulders--Legs, hips, back (releasing energies of tension, non-safety, fear, uncertainty etc. inside of a massive global growth spurt. This will be a slower-paced, cooling practice to balance the pitta (fire) energy of this summer season.
Philosophical: Here is a statement of Law: "Where you move your awareness, you move your energy." If we allow our thoughts (aka awareness) to consistently return to something unwanted or undesired in our lives, we are actually energizing it! At the suggestion of Quantum/Cosmic Law as well as great prophets/teachers/wise beings: "Turn your head away from what is dying." Ie: look ahead at what is wanted and what IS working instead of what feels like it's "going wrong" with your life. Please don't misunderstand me, I'm a big proponent of therapy (that stuff saves my life) and feeling your feelings (feel it to heal it, they say) but it is my belief that we are not meant to set up camp/build our home, so to speak, upon thoughts along the fear spectrum; ie: of what troubles us, worries us, things we think we need to fix." Doing so will slow the healing process/extend the suffering. See the Youtube vids below for further clarification. <3
Hey peeps.
Click the image above for a beautiful reading. What you will see is what this "tarot card" of sorts has to offer in terms of its support of your journey forward. As I was sitting here trying to feel into our class theme for the week, a line occurred to me: "turn your head away from what is dying." I was like...where did that come from? I felt like it was something Rumi said but I was having a hard time finding it. Then the above image appeared on an internet search and I thought, oh, that's a card from a Rumi deck I have owned for several years. Some of the wisdom from that card helped me in very trying times when my mom's physical life path was coming to a close.
Over the last few weeks I've noticed a theme coming up in conversation inside of my private wellness practice ie: working individually with folks. There seems to be a strong focus on "what is wrong, [...] what I need to fix [...] what is broken in this world." I'm choosing not to share here but I did listen to a Michael Singer podcast where he said: "If you are looking to fix something in the world, something is broken inside of you" (I wasn't in full resonance with the whole of the podcast so I'm choosing not to share it, but that line did grip my attention). And even now as I sit here and write, a line occurs to me: "We see the world, not as it is, but as we are--or, as we are conditioned to see it." (Stephen R. Covey) This rings with truth for me.
What are we CHOOSING to focus our attention on? Think about? Give attention to? You've heard the story of the two wolves, yes? There are two wolves in the room--which one lives and which one dies? The answer: the one you feed. My understanding is that we have an amount of free will (or choice) in our lives, and again, Universal Law states: Where you move your awareness (or thought, or attention) you move your energy." Heard the phrase: Your thoughts create your reality? It feels like it's getting a little old to both say (and hear) that everything is energy. But in my understanding, it is. Energy, or electricity, or waves with varying frequencies, or light/sound. Newtonian physics has its own set of Laws (think: gravity) on this planet, but the Laws change once we move outside of this planet as well as the microscopic/subatomic (as spiritual beings having a human experience we are both OF the Earth, and not, or Above this earth). Some Laws apply to our physical bodies, some Laws apply to our Spirit-bodies. I like to try and be conscious of these things in order to turn the volume down on my own suffering, and up on my ease.
Any of you paying attention to what I've been saying over the past couple of weeks know that I've felt struggle grip me (or perhaps I had gripped it). A couple of weeks back I was focused on what looked like it was falling apart, and damn did it hurt. I then directed my attention to what might bring my body/mind/heart/spirit back to well-being, and away from what was scaring me. And I do have to say, that was a better choice for me. I do feel relieved from the squeezing grip of fear. I chose to embody that idea of turning my head away from what was dying. See vids below for further clarification on my point here. I feel like this can be a controversial idea to some. If it doesn't resonate, throw it away. If you're curious to try one of many tools, research forward from here and try on a new idea. I know for myself, I want my peace to grow. And I wish the same for you.
In Love & service, ek. xo
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I happened to wake up this morning, AFTER I had created this week's theme and listened to an old favorite: Abraham Hicks. I listened to AH for yeaaaars, but haven't in several. Why should I choose to today (Friday 8/4)? Feels like further proof that what we think about/give attention to we energize and attract to ourselves. Hoping someone finds the teachings of AH as delightful and helpful as I have over the years...Click the images below to listen.
I know, I know, I think I've already shared this one (see below). Or one like it. Great
things are worth repeating! Click the image. <3
And...
And in case you missed last week's post, it's worth repeating that if you or someone you know is struggling with chemical addiction, help is everywhere.
A note from Boca Recovery Center in Boca Raton, Florida:
Yoga can be a great tool in addiction recovery as a deterrent from using controlled substances. To talk more about how yoga can help in recovery and other alternative treatment options, please feel free to check our guide to Yoga and Addiction Recovery
Boca Recovery Center https://bocarecoverycenter.com/ 24/7 Helpline: (800) 516-4357
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