I am ME

“Watch your thoughts, for they become your words.

 Watch your words, for they become your actions.

 Watch your actions, for they become your habits.

Watch your habits, for they become your character.

 Watch your character, for that becomes your destiny.”

 – Upanishads

 

I look over my blog and I feel like a different person than the one who stepped into the Bohdi Yoga Studio 2 years ago.  I didn't realize when I had the thought years ago of finding something that I could study and find a passion for that I would be where I am today.  I am extremely grateful for the people I now call friends and the friends that have been so encouraging.  My family and I are still working on my yoga studio and I look so forward to having my own practice to share with others.  I truly could not have a more content feeling in my life at this point.  I am Me.



Emotions of Yoga

 

 

 

 

 We all have them and a yoga practice is a wonderful way to work with emotions.  Whether you know it or not there is always an emotion going on inside you.  When we understand the body/mind/spirit/ connection that is yoga we start to understand the importance of releasing emotions.  Some emotions if not released can be stored  and can really cause trouble in the body later on.  Even too much of a good thing can cause an overload to our system.  Through yoga and meditation I have had a lot of success on releasing build up emotions and have been able to just find my true self.  I like to start my day with a simple meditation and this can be a challenge some days.  If I am really overwhelmed and feel like I can't get to it I know that I need it more than ever.  Even if I can take just 15 minutes to sit and breath I will feel much better and ready to step into my yoga practice.  If you are looking for a great meditation to start out your New Year you should look into this meditation offered at Bohdi Yoga. 

Hands on Adjusting

 After the very first yoga class I took at Bohdi Yoga I knew I was in love.  The class was so amazing but the hands on adjustment during the class and at the end is what really impressed me and I knew I wanted to know more.

 

 

Through the teacher training we learned many things about adjustments and being in alignment.  This one on one was so important for me in learning certain poses and really helps to relax in savasana. I love to help others with hands on adjusting and am so looking forward to my next class at Bodhi yoga.

FAQ's

 

 

When beginning a yoga practice there are always many questions.  One of the most frequent questions I hear is "Do I have to be flexible?'  I know I addressed this in an earlier post but yoga is the very thing to give you the flexibility that you are looking for.  So no mater where you are that is where you start and your teacher will be able to help you with supports and alternative poses to help you grow in flexibility. Another question I have heard is how old do you have to be to do yoga?  Yoga is for ANY age.  I love to watch a baby as they naturally take up different yoga poses and how much they enjoy it.  You can start a yoga practice at any time in your journey and it is like any other new exercise you start, just check with your doctor if you have any concerns before you start.  The question of when is the best time to do yoga is something that I find changes for me depending on where I am in life.  For the most part I enjoy honoring my dosha and rising an hour before the sun and getting that sweet time in the morning to myself where I can have a practice to start my day.  When ever you choose just do it you won't regret it.  This is a wonderful place to start.

Resistance

Today as I started my practice my mind was ready and calm. I started working and wouldn't you know it I had some resistance on one side of my body.Once I felt this resistance I checked my thoughts and to no surprise I had thoughts running through my mind that I couldn't let go. These thoughts are things that I am truly resisting. I took a deep breath and really just let it go and watched as my body opened up a little more. I just love spending the time to do something so nice for myself and to take the time to breath and let go. It is wonderful!!! If you are looking to let your mind let go check this out.

Flexible

It is funny how when I talk to people about yoga they say "I would love to do that but I am not flexible". I always say "You don't have to be flexible, yoga helps with that". Those words have rattled around in my brain a lot lately. So as I practice and gain flexibility in my body I have been excited to also see that I have gained flexibility in my daily life. Things that were complicated or hard to do have become easier as I increase my practice. If you feel that life isn't very flexible you just might want to check out a yoga class!

New Years

If you are in the Provo area for New Years Eve you should really check this out. What a great way to start out your New Year!

Christmas Eve

This is what we are doing on Christmas Eve! It is very cold outside! My baby (he's 12) is on the roof clearing off the frost. That is part of my hubby in the window cut out there. We are working on the studio/garage/amusement park for Christmas. I love spending time together. I am lucky that they are willing to work in such cold. I can mostly support from the inside by making warm meals, that cold just gets to me. I just tell my Jesse that I can't help it my Dosha likes it when I stay warm. Merry Christmas!!

What now?

My teacher training has come to an end. I still have home work and other things to accomplish before I am completely finished. I have been enjoying the anatomy study that I have been doing. I just sit down with Cameron in the morning as he does his school work and I do mine. It creates some fun conversation between us as I learn about the body. I tend to interrupt him and say "Did you know this" or "Did you know that" about the body, I love learning.

I think that is why I am saying what now. There are other classes that are offered at Bodhi Yoga like this or this or even this. I just get so excited that I want to take them all now, today. I will have to put into use what I have learned so far and settle down and start with my breath. I know the answers are there if I take the time to listen.

Having Fun

See this kid?

And these awesome guys? Guess what they are doing? They are building a garage. This is something that my husband and I wanted to do ever since we built our home a few years ago. We needed a space for my hubby to park his truck and of course we need a spot to put the half pipe so that the boys can skate during the winter ;).

A couple of months into my Teacher Training my husband told me that he had been thinking about the garage and he thought he had a pretty good idea. When he told me that he had designed a garage that would include everything we needed I was so glad. He then said I have though of a way to put in a Yoga room for you. Wow I never dreamed of having a place so close to home. I look so forward to having a space to practice and share with others. Now when my husband gets that far away look in his eyes and he is thinking about building I get really excited to hear what his plans are or what he is thinking now.

I even got in on the action. I got to use this "lifty machine" to help put up the trusses. So cool!

This is a picture from the cab of "Lifty". It is hard to see but in the background that is the moon, just above the tree on the left. Those little dots on the left of that same tree on the ground are the deer. It was a beautiful day!

Happiest Birthday!

It's my birthday today and I couldn't ask for a nicer day! I love looking back on life and today was especially nice to do that. About 2 1/2 years ago I found Syl through a chain of events. I started to look into the classes that she offered and I knew that I just had to get there. In Feb. or March of 2009 I decided to sign up for the Thai Yoga Partner Training. I then talked to Syl over the phone and decided that I should start with the Yoga Teacher Training class that she offered in the fall. When the fall months came along our lives at home started to change. We had my nieces who ranged in age from 12 to 6 move in with us along with their newborn brother. We had a wonderful time but I knew that there was no way I could take the training I had signed up for. I called Syl again and worked it out with her.


The months went by and the trainings went by. I started to wonder if I would ever get to take the trainings that I was so wanting in my life. I love to see how things happen when it is the right time. That was what happened, it was right! I started my training in Aug. of this year and the best part of it was that I knew that class would end right before my birthday. I couldn't think of anything that I wanted more for myself. What a wonderful gift. I am forever grateful for a loving husband who says "It is your turn to go to school" and he supports me through it all. He picks up the slack while I am gone and always has a wonderful "Dudes weekend" with Cameron and Dylan. I am forever grateful to Syl. She is amazing and has created the most beautiful space that is Bodhi Yoga. The classes taught there are so great and the Teacher Training is life changing. If you are looking for the perfect gift for you or someone you love please look into this.

Winter already!?!?

I love Summer! I love Heat! So when the winter months draw near I start to get a little tense and sad. I started this morning with a beautiful Kundalini practice and that warmed me right up. I was in such a great mood after too. I stepped outside and saw the picture above. I couldn't feel anything but warmth and appreciation as I looked across my yard and realized that there was a bit of excitement in my heart for winter. Thank you Kundalini!!!

Meditation

Oh meditation how you taunt me :) I have been working on joining the wave meditation found here. The times that I do it my day is so wonderful. If only I could keep my focus. As I started my meditation today I had trouble doing more that just focusing on my breath which still works and is great but I am still looking for more. I took today's meditation mantra which is..

"I choose today to follow my breath on the stream of life, with which I share now, inhaling and exhaling, in this moment, with all beings everywhere."

Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

and read through this several times. I really started to feel something wonderful when my family started to get up and going. I felt a little upset because I wanted to keep going. Then I had an idea to hopefully help my concentration for this evening. I will go through my day and focus on my breath with this mantra. I will choose to see the world as one which I share with others. I will be conscious of all who share in the stream of life.

Gunas

My hubby getting his Rajas on at Venice beach!! I love to watch the Gunas in action.  Gunas are the three mental states that we use for communication.  Sattva is that space where communication begins and flows and also comes to an end.  Tamas is the understanding of the conversation.  Rajas is the act of speaking or communicating. Can you see his Rajas just yelling "Go big or go home!" and "I am forever a kid!!" To get more info on this you would be giving yourself a wonderful gift if you check this out.

What's a Dosha?

As I am watching the boys play in the ocean I am overcome by "waves" of peace. Things just seem right here. I can't pull myself away from the water. Then it dawns on me what this is about...it is about my Dosha. I am a Kapha which I learned about in my wonderful Teacher Training of course. I am still learning about my dosha and Ayruveda but what I do know is that water defiantly plays a strong roll in my person. You can check it out here.

The beach

This is what we woke up to this morning and it truly is a dream come true. We have needed a little get away and we are so grateful to be here in California. Since starting my yoga journey I have had this dream of practicing at the ocean and today that came true. I started with a little meditation and move on to this...

Yoga at the beach, it doesn't get better that this!

The gift

Wow! This last week has been so amazing. It has given me so many things to take to my mat. Being with my brothers and sisters has been some of the best times I have had in the longest time. We haven't all been together since my wedding which will be 20 years next summer. Just to be around them all and talk to everyone was so special.


As I looked over the past week I had to laugh a little. There were so many little things that went on to remind me of my dad. The fact that several of us had tire problems and then I went on to have several more car issues was such a little joke that I knew he had to have had a hand in. So I wasn't surprised when the day of the funeral started out so dreary, a very Eeyore type of day to say the least, I wasn't surprised. I thought that dad was having another laugh with us all. Later we went down to the docks by Cory's house to take pictures. The lake was so still and the sunlight was heavenly and that is when I saw the real gift that dad had given me...my siblings. I am so blessed and grateful to have each and every on of them.

Bye

My dad passed away last night. This morning I woke up early and knew that I had to go to yoga class, and it was exactly what I needed. I wanted some time to myself because I know the next few days will be kind of stressful. I am so glad that I was able to come out for the last few days and spend them with dad. I am grateful to a smart brother who called and let me know what was going on.

The time that I spent with my dad means the world to me. There are things that he has said over the last week that are of great value to me I am grateful for the time together. I am grateful for my dad. I am excited for him for his next journey.

I love you dad!

Try it, you'll like it!

You really should try it. If you have ever thought about yoga but told yourself that you are not flexible enough or you don't have enough time or whatever the thing may be, please check this out. You can do it from the comfort of your home with a wonderful instructor that is easy to understand. Yoga is not about how flexible or bendy you might be, it is about so much more. I invite you to find out what it can mean to you.

Things

I find it really amazing that I could have such a great class and feel so full and complete then get home an let it all slip away from me. What I am learning is to make or take time. I get up and get going and don't stop until I go to bed. When I get going in the morning I think to myself, I will just do this one thing and then I will practice. That turns into another thing and then another. We just jumped into being parents to a teenager and that has turned my world upside down. I keep waiting for this "thing" or that "thing" to pass and then I will make time. What I know is that there will always be a "thing" going on. It won't pass I will make the time to do what I need. I will make that time first and the other "things" will fit in when and where they can.