Springtime Seduction

I’m sure most people have noticed that spring has arrived a bit early this year in terms of the emergence of plants and flowers. But it’s also having affects on the terrestrial creatures. I noticed its effects on February 16^th. That’s when my spring fever hit and I felt like I was going to jump out of my skin because I had so much nervous energy and such a heightened sense of awareness that it was simply overwhelming. It’s as though the earth got the cue to start blooming and sent a shock-wave of energy out to all living things…..humans included. We are, after all, animals, highly evoloved, but just as affected by the change in the seasons as other creatures. Spring has a physiological affect on us. It’s not just in your head. Spring fever is best characterized by restlessness, loss in appetite and nervous energy. The longer daylight hours trigger a drop in melatonin to the brain, so we suddenly have more energy when spring hits. Makes perfect sense. It’s mating season!!!

I think this is a really cool occurrence. In a time where we are so reliant on gadgets to help us navigate through life, almost eliminating our need to rely on instinct, we have this natural phenomenon that happens every year that is embedded in our instincts from the dawn of man and maybe you feel its effects, maybe you don’t. The fact is, this phenomenon we call spring fever is so visceral, so primal, so intuitive….and yet there are probably people out there who have no idea why they feel so frustratingly good once the sun comes out and kisses the skin. This is such a magical time to really tune in to your body and your senses and experience life from a sensual place. Spring fever gives most people extra energy, so what do we do with that? A lot of us go use it on exercise; others perhaps use it on creative endeavors; while others expend their energy on the chase and some extra circular activities. Wink, wink.  Nudge, nudge.

On your mat, you have an opportunity to explore that sensual side as you move through asana (yoga poses) and connect with your breath. Notice your heartbeat. Is it quickened or slow and steady? Notice the parts of your body that you love and praise them. Love yourself up!!! Think of this time on your mat as a hot date with yourself. Allow yourself to be seduced by your breath, the movement of your body as you flow through poses; being completely in your senses. 

                                                                                                                                                  

For some of us, to allow ourselves to open up to our sensual side can be scary. It breaks us wide open and makes us feel vulnerable.  We are raw, real and primal in that moment and it can feel like we are losing our sense of control. However, if you allow it, it can be so liberating and so blissful; you may find yourself in tears. Let it go. Let yourself go. Liberate yourself. Move from a place of intuitive knowing. You know the poses and their alignment… now move from a place of feeling. If your breath becomes an ecstatic moan, let it be so. Be yourself on your mat; your true, ecstatic, vulnerable self. 

                                               
                                                     

                                                         

Relinquish your control and your measured responses with yourself. Why would you have measured responses with yourself anyway?? Let the boundaries you put in place with yourself fade away. When you allow those boundaries and obstacles to crumble, you connect so much deeper to everything going on within you and everything around you as well. Your practice can become an all encompassing experience if you want it to be: you connect to your breath, your body, your thoughts and emotions and to some degree, depending on how spiritual you are, your higher self.

I have been known to liken my yoga practice to the greatest sex of my life because I feel like I am making love to my soul. For me to have to back away from my asana practice when I injured myself was like being forced to break up with the love of my life. My heart broke. And yet, during my physical therapy, I have had my weak moments where I have ventured back to that love only to suffer a set back in my healing. My practice has become the lover I simply can’t stay away from.

Even now, as the weather gets warmer and days longer, I feel that familiar pull on my heartstrings; that need to indulge in my sensual self; to turn myself upside down and inside out to connect with my heart and be moved to tears as I reunite with the greatest parts of myself.

This is what I hope for all yoga students. To experience that same visceral connection, that intuitive pull to discover how amazing you are and crave to rediscover it everyday.


"For it was not into my ear that you whispered, but my heart.
It was not my lips that you kissed, but my soul".

~Judy Garland


Namaste!

Kristen

NYT Article - Genuine Concern or Smear Campaign

Okay, so my last post gave perspective on how yoga can wreck your body and what you need to do to ensure that you have a healthy practice.  Good....glad we are clear on that.

On another note, I've been seeing that NYT article from a different angle.  This may sound paranoid, but hear me out.  I hate politics, but this seems plausible.

In the past 10 years or so, the yoga community has exploded.  In the past 5 years, it's really taken off.  Think about the circumstances over the past 5 or so years.  Economic turmoil, job losses, housing market chaos and healthcare reform.  The list goes on and many people have been thrust into a state of reflection and reevaluation due to these trying times.  Perhaps they turn to yoga as a way to alleviate the stress of losing a house or a job.  Moments of loss provide us with an opportunity to reflect and reassess our life and our goals.  We start to question if we still buy into the same beliefs we have adopted over time about society, religion and politics.  The time we spend on our mat can give us clear perspective about what is truly important to us.  We start to see that we can make a difference instead of letting ourselves and our lives be controlled by outside influences.

An interesting statistic that my teacher threw out during teacher training is that the vast majority of people who practice yoga are Caucasian with a college degree or higher and tend to fall into the category of "middle to upper-middle class", which is where most families rank in the U.S.  That's where the politicians need to get their votes from. However, if all these middle class families are now practicing yoga, they are more aware of what's happening in the world.  They begin contemplating what they value and the quality of life they would like to have for themselves and their families, instead of following the rest of the herd and voting for the candidate with the best presence at the podium or the candidate who will make history.  A very informed decision will be made about who will run the country next.  This is bad news for certain political parties if their priorities don't align with the rest of the country that truly wants change and will make a stand to get it.  Look back at Occupy Wall Street and all the other movements that took place to show that change is needed and sought after.

So was the NYT article published as simply an informative piece expressing genuine concern for the welfare of others?  Or was it published as a political smack and smear campaign against yoga in an attempt to regain control over society in a presidential election year?  We may never know for sure, but an article such as that preys on the narrow minded and fearful and when a headline like "How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body." is the first thing people see, they assume they don't need to read the whole article......all they see is "yoga can wreck your body."......and that is enough to keep them out of a yoga class.

Those in the know, know that yoga is more positive than negative.  It is reshaping our society and our culture for the better and politicians fear that people will really start to question them and hold them to their promises instead of simply voting for the guy who says he'll change things, but never does.  Society wants tangible results now, but the politicians want the people to be the sheep that will simply follow along mindlessly and be taken advantage of.  Enough!  We are yogins, and we have minds of our own and voices that will be heard and will make a difference.

Be the change you want see in the world.

Namaste!

Kristen

You can get hurt doing yoga???? Really???

According to the New York Times, yoga can wreck your body.  Honestly, I'm appalled that the NY Times would publish such an article.  Granted it was balanced enough in its view on the subject, but for anyone who was on the fence and contemplating taking yoga in the new year; just the title of the article alone will scare them away.

Given the negative press yoga received, I have made it my mission this week to speak to my students about the article in case any of them read it and to provide a realistic perspective on the issue.  Yes, you can can hurt yourself doing yoga.  The article cited extreme instances where people have gotten injured and perhaps done themselves permanent harm.  These cases were ones where students of yoga were either being poorly advised by under trained teachers or trying to advance their practice on their own without the guidance of a decent teacher.  It's no surprise that these people have "wrecked" their bodies.  Let's use common sense people and listen to our bodies which actually communicate with us better than most people.  Many of the big corporate run gyms only require that yoga instructors be AFAA certified.  An AFAA certification is an online course with a one day workshop!!  It's a joke.  It's not enough training to ensure that students are practicing as safely as possible.   If you are going to take a yoga class or work to advance your practice, please make sure your teacher is at least 200hr. certified.....500hr. certified is even better.

Another problem that most people face is their ego.  The ego is a double edged sword.  It's wonderful in survival situations where it is imperative to succeed, but when faced with challenges of executing impossible asana that our bodies may not be ready for, the ego can talk us into pushing ourselves further than we should.  We end up competing with ourselves and the other yogis around us who's practice may be more advanced.  That's how injuries happen.  One of my students said most injuries follow seven words....,"Hey, I'm getting really good at this."

Now, I'm not saying don't strive to advance your practice, but one must be mindful of when the ego is driving the car and if it's heading for a cliff.  Yoga is such a healing practice.....and if all you are seeking are the healing benefits of yoga, there is no need to make it advanced.  Gentle yoga, basics classes or any myriad of the gentler forms of Hatha yoga are are all good options for healing the body.  But if advancing your practice is something you are interested in, you must consult a knowledgeable teacher and work with them to ensure a safe advancement in your practice.  It's just common sense.

Thank you for reading.

May joy coarse through your veins as you explore and experience a deeper sense of yourself through your practice.

Namaste!

Kristen