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| Yoga Birds Meditation Workshop ‘Group Photo’ |
The meditation workshop was a great success. We explored and practiced traditional basic seated meditation which is always a joy to share in a group setting. It’s so much more challenging than it seems, the group dynamic is very supportive. Second, we indulged in coloring mandalas in a 30-minute meditation. Check out the ‘group photo’. Colorful expressions of the hearts of seriously beautiful souls! Third we explored the basics of the Zen practice of walking meditation. We started walking very slowly around the perimeter of the studio for a five-minute guided walking meditation that gave directions as to where and how to use our feet and our steps as the object of our attention. Thich Nhat Hanh’s classic book and most famous quote “Peace Is Every Step” is at the essence of this meditation. After the intro we took our peaceful strides out on the street where they REALLY matter. Everyone slowed down and connected with their surroundings, and most everyone reported that it was challenging. Yes, slowing down, becoming mindful, and staying connected to peace is a practice. We ended the day with a guided yoga nidra practice. I led a meditation through the body during a 20 minute savasana. Most everyone felt like the time went faster. The general consensus is that the day literally flew by. As happens when Birds have fun!
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| Cherished Possession. Thich Nhat Hanh Original Caligraphy. ‘Peace is Every Step’ |
In a nutshell, meditation connects us to our essence of Being which is peaceful, and wise. Regular practices like asana (yoga poses), pranayama (breathing exercises), seated meditation, or any moving meditation where you come into a zone of single pointed focus helps to sustain that connection to our higher state of consciousness. Moving and living from this clear state, our actions (the mundane to the grandiose) become more graceful, we rise up with dignity to meet challenge and unfair situations, our steps become more peaceful upon the fragile Earth, and best of all we are fully present when the ‘good stuff’ is happening. Today was especially good at the studio.
My vision and intention for Yoga Birds has always been to raise the bar on hatha yoga offerings in this community. Every class, workshop, and teacher training I have offered has been in service of the vision. Modeling this studio after others like Yoga Works in Los Angeles and Swan River in New Orleans (which were my ‘home’ studios when I lived there), teachers must maintain a practice (1x/week) at the studio and maintain continuing education (I do not require the continuing-ed to be a Yoga Birds training). As much as I teach, I am twice that in unwavering studentship—both at the studio and in trainings with other teachers. One of the many reasons I hold myself to high standards in the realm of teaching yoga, is so that I may ask the same of all of the teachers at Yoga Birds. It’s REALLY hard being the owner of a small business. I will leave it at that. So that I may continue to revel in the last few minutes of this gloriously enlightening day.
Just got home from the picture show where we saw the most fantastic 3-D movie….’Brave’. The gist of it is that everybody has dharma, and we must be courageous enough to follow our Path. Oh it could not have been more perfect.
Please check online for changes to the July Class Schedule and read about the upcoming beginners series, and advanced studies series on The Bhagavad Gita I am teaching. I hope you will come and practice yoga and sing to the harmonium with us some this Summer.
Thank you all for supporting Yoga Birds.
OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI