Conclusion

Without Concern for results, perform the necessary action; surrendering all attachments, accomplish life's highest good. -- Bhagavad Gita

So we are at the end of the process for this program. I'm not at the end of my yoga journey by any means. I learned that in the times that I let things happen and didn't force or over think them, they had a better flow. When I didn't worry about the details or the perceptions of others, I was more in tune with my true self. And really, that is what this journey is all about. Only one person can walk in my shoes at a time.

My recommendation to students that may be new to yoga and interested in pursuing life as a yogi would be to follow their heart. It will lead them in the right direction. The right direction for them may not be the road everyone else traveled. There is no one absolute correct way to be a yogi.

If you have found peace in your heart, have a deeper appreciation for the human condition and understand that the only thing constant in the world is change, then you may be on the road to being a yogi.

Every day will not be easy. But with the tools of pranayama, asana, meditation and stillness, you will be able to get through the toughest times with grace.

Working with Injury

Lack of true knowledge is the source of all pains and sorrows. -- Yoga Sutra 2:24

To study yoga is to take a course in studying yourself. As we approach the end of the program, I'm noticing how my asana practice has changed as I've progressed in my breathing practice meditation. I like to take the classes more slowly. I'm not as rushed to jump into poses. I linger in poses that I enjoy or provide more stretch. I concentrate more on the poses that cause me discomfort or uneasiness.

I noticed in the last week or so that a nagging soreness in my knee has been flaring up a bit more that usual as well. I noticed that my alignment in my hips has been off more than usual and that could be causing my issue. It feels a little like I have a sick child with me that I must attend to while still practicing my asana and breath practices. Being ever mindful to take it easy on the sore knee while making sure the rest of the family (limbs) gets what they need.

While focusing on other things, I let my alignment go. I need to reconnect with my asana to maintain a safe practice and healthy body to better be able to progress in in my other practices.

So now I'm looking at my practice a little differently again. To make sure not to cause further injury of the knee and to assist in it's rehab while still being present through all the asana I'm practicing.

My teacher said last night in class: "In yoga there is no destination, just a continuous circle." So perhaps I'm circling around back to beginner status again to learn what I forgot or didn't catch the last few times around.

Finding Peace Around Chaos

Meditation practice is regarded as a good and in fact excellent way to overcome warfare in the world: our own warfare as well as greater warfare. - Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Last week I felt myself get very affected by the continuous news of the protests and unrest in Egypt. From listening to it on the news in the car as I traveled to and from work, to it being on TV when I got home. You'd think because scenes like these are shown on the news frequently, not to mention on drama shows and such, that I'd be numb to it and not phased by it. This time for some reason, maybe because it did seem to be on 24/7 or it was in the way the stories were told, it upset me greatly. I became very upset by the stories and the visuals. I noticed my mood change. I became more agitated and uneasy. It made me quite nervous. I even noticed that I interacted with others in a more distant way.

As soon as I was able to identify what was making me feel this way, I turned to my meditation and breathing practice to find some quiet. I decided that although it is important to stay up to date with the news of the day, I didn't need to hear about it at every turn. When I was in my car, I started to play more music. At home I turned off the TV or walked away if my husband wanted to continue watching.

Meditation and pranayama truly helped to calm me down and refocus my energies to more positive and more productive things. By the end of the week, I spent more of my practice time sending thoughts and peaceful energy to those areas in the world where there is unrest. Maybe if more of us are able to pool our resources of breath and positive energy, we can change the momentum there. It only takes a small pebble in the water to create a large ripple effect. Imagine what many pebbles can do. Maybe we can start a tidal wave of good energy going to all the troubled regions to make changes for the better.

Self Study

It is called the witness, the consenter, the sustainer, the enjoyer, the great lord, and the highest Self, the supreme Person in this body. -- Bhagavad Gita

The entire 300hr program can be considered a practice in svadhyaya as we all are asked to look inward and examine our practice, and what drives us to be teachers.

This week I spent more time thinking about this journey and program. It helped me to better understand why I'm pursuing this vocation. It is more of a calling than just a career opportunity after all.

I realized that I'm learning much more from working with people than I ever thought I would. I used to work at a desk programming code for a living and thought that was how I would earn a living the rest of my life. At one time I enjoyed the work because it kept me away from people and I could be introverted, not bothered and would find my own peace in that. It got old and unfullfilling and very lonely. I begain to feel like I wasn't doing enough for the world or making the world a better place.

Since I've been working with people in my teaching I've found that they are giving me so much more than I feel like I'm giving them. I tell people that when we are in class, I'm the facilitator. They will get out of the class whatever they put into it. The feedback in how they approach the class is amazing! I'm giving cues but they are responding with energy from places I don't know where! That's how I know this is a calling

I sat down last after my last day at a studio that was closing and thought about what my next steps are. Where will I go, what do I want to do, how will I go about doing whatever that is? I don't have all the answers to these questions yet. I've decided to let the universe take me where it wants. We'll see where it leads. I need to go with the flow right now and see who I will practice with and who will teach me on that road.