Sr. Immaculata Chimes In

Free Your Voice! Fill The World With Your Positive Energy
This has been a year of new and exciting exploration into other styles and practices of yoga. The consistent Ashtanga practice is still going strong, making me stronger. It’s real gifts are in the subtle domain. I feel more in control of maintaining focus off the mat. This is good because I am hyper distracted otherwise. What freedom!
As I contemplate the end of the calendar year and start thinking about 2013 I feel great transformation on the horizon. There is so much challenge and suffering in everyone’s life, yet beauty and goodness always seem to save the day. This life is so much more manageable ‘one day at a time’. And when each day includes a few moments of pause and inner connection life’s preciousness is even more readily evident.
After a weekend of singing in kirtan with my friends in Prema Hara, I am all the more pumped about bringing the harmonium and singing into my yoga classes. At Christ The King, Sr. Immaculata used to say to us “Singing is praying twice.” I could not agree with her more.
This Sunday I am psyched to explore vocalizing breath and practicing some singing and chanting exercises from other cultures in the Vocal Yoga class at Yoga Birds. It is a three part series but drop-ins are welcome to join.
Come out and sing in community. Lets make some magic in Fairhope.
Peace Y’all 

Sketchy Yoga : Beautiful Art

“Any action done with beauty and purity, and in complete harmony of body, mind, and soul is art. In this way art elevates the artist. As Yoga fulfills the essential need of art, it is an art.” B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga Sketch Artist
At the beginning of August I embarked on a ‘new’ yoga project. I committed to daily practice of the Primary Series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Way back in the earliest days of discovering yoga, it was Ashtanga that I was drawn to. I stared in wonder at all of the beautiful people flowing and floating their beautiful bodies as if they were swimming above ground.
Frankly, no matter how hard I tried, it just NEVER worked for me. I felt like a body of cinder blocks flinging, crashing, sinking, straining, huffing and puffing to keep up with the class. I love to flow  with my breath. But the tempo of Ashtanga…one breath, one movement never made sense for me. It was hard and hard on my body. Yoga should not hurt or leave one feeling defeated. At least I knew that from early on.
I have spent almost 17 years in the yoga rooms where alignment is primary and the poses are treated  like sculptures that are chiseled and refined ad infinitum.  I know lots of poses pretty well now. I know them for their physical benefits, therapeutic purposes, and as well as for their ‘editorial’ qualities. I love alignment based yoga for a zillion reasons. I am familiar with it and fascinated by it. I will tinker with asana forever.
Last month I needed to clear some negative energy in my life and make some changes. As a yogi knows…I had to start with shifting inside.  Literally my head hurt from thinking too much and from my ‘monkey mind’ taking over.  In my yoga practice I REALLY needed to get out of my head and my tendency to hyper-focus on ‘details’ of alignment. So. Tired. Of. Details. Ugh. The alignment approach, for the first time ever made me feel stuck.
Knowing that some form of asana practice would guide me to a lighter place, I revisited my old acquaintance, Ashtanga.  The Ashtanga Primary Series is essentially a very simple practice that requires less ‘thinking’ and more flowing. It is  a set sequence of poses that trains the student to concentrate awareness on BREATH BANDHAS and DRISHTI.  That’s it. Period. It’s more about awakening and harnessing energy than creating pretty poses. With practice, the poses do become light and fluid. But the only way it happens authentically and internally is with practice. 
The biggest hurdle for me in this practice is letting go of the ‘asana as masterpiece’ mentality—which is purely an exercise of checking my asana-ego. There is no time for refining, and sculpting.  I have to let the pose be what it is and move on.  Luckily my body ‘knows’ the poses on a deeper level.  Most of the forms are familiar to my body/mind so, the consistent and relatively fast paced transitioning from pose to pose does not agitate my nervous system. As my friend and Ashtanga teacher Chuck Frenkel said “You really do need to know what you’re doing if you’re getting into Ashtanga”.  The more I practice, the more I want to practice. Not because I want to get better at the poses, but because I want to become more fluid in my breath, more steady with my gaze, and lighter internally from activating bandha awareness. And not just on the mat…
After a month of consistent practice, the energy has shifted. The necessary changes in my life have happened without much fanfare. Ashtanga Yoga…I think I am starting to get it. In yoga I feel like a brand new beginner all over again. Everyday I can not wait to get to my mat. What an amazing gift! 
 The artistry in the Iyengar and Anusara methods treat poses as a work of art forever in progress.  In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga the poses are like a series of quick charcoal sketches threaded together to weave a story of vinyasa.  Sculpt, weave, paint, sing, or sketch your yoga. It all makes this world a more beautiful place.
OM is where the art is.

Free To Be

1 part each: Oregon Chai Tea, Almond milk. 1 TSP Chai Spice (optional). Pour over ice.
Vegan Iced Chai Latte. YUM OM
It has been an excellent Firecracker Day. We had a completely full house this morning for the July 4th special flow class. The opening 34-voice OMx3 was super rich and resonant. Total chills just thinking about it. The studio is CHARGED with great energy! 
The chai tea party after class could not have been more pleasant. We hung out for almost an hour in the newly spruced up ‘bamboo’ picnic area behind the studio. The blooming hibiscus and shade of the giant live oak tree are a perfect ‘apres yoga’ gathering place.
So, you might notice on the online class schedule that the name of my classes has been updated to ‘Flow & Form’. Lately I have been teaching a lot more flow in my classes. We still definitely keep good form and alignment in sharp focus. But weaving vinyasa through it has become more fun and interesting than ever.  Hence the new name.
Since I have the honor of teaching four mornings this week (which is a lot of teaching), I am offering basically the same class sequence every day, with a different theme and music playlist. Yesterday was ‘The Mountain’. Today was ‘Free Your Breath’ and tomorrow is ‘Ocean of the Heart’.  Saturday morning will be …well I haven’t gotten that far yet ;). The class is based liberally on the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa which is designed essentially to be an everyday (with a few exceptions) practice. Now, when I say liberal, I mean it! I’m having great fun mining my 30 year old record collection for gems and also indulging in some birthday iTunes gift cards for new music to rock out the vinyasas to.  
I am totally loving everybody’s singing along with the support of the harmonium to open and close the classes.  The vibration is wonderful and it really ‘marks’ the class as something special.
Things are changing, shifting, taking new form and shape. It’s beautifully and appropriately Flowing with Form. ‘In yoga as in life’, as my friend Augusta Kantra says.
We Are Blessed To Be Free
I wore my FREE TIBET shirt today. Our class was dedicated to all who are not free. We are incredibly fortunate to live and breathe in Fairhope Alabama USA, aka Eden.
I am grateful to my yoga practice for helping me stay present to the blessing of every breath here and now. I am grateful for challenge, for I will never be without a teacher. 
Here’s a challenge for you….come to as many yoga classes as possible this Summer. And watch it shift and change your body, your breath, and your life towards vibrant awareness, skill in action, and deep contentment. Keep on rockin’ yoga in the Free World.
OM SHANTI

Well, Obviously A Blog Post…

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!
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

Experience Your Peace of Mind

“In order to have peace and joy, you must succeed in having peace within each of your steps.  Your steps are the most important thing.  They decide everything.  I am lighting a stick of incense and joining my palms together as a lotus bud to pray for your success.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

This Saturday at Yoga Birds, I am teaching a workshop on Meditation, Pranayama, & Yoga Nidra. We will explore and practice  Thich Nhat Hanh’s walking meditation, various methods of seated meditation, coloring mandalas, pranayama techniques, and experience a full, led yoga nidra practice. 


The workshop is Saturday, June 30th from 12 – 5:30pm at Yoga Birds in Fairhope. 
Register online at www.yogabirds.com. Or register day-of at the studio. Contact info and directions can be found at the website. Workshop investment is $65.

I hope you can make it! 

“Peace Is Every Step” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Change Re-Form Re-Pattern…Yoga For Life

Look At Your Patterns

Yoga does different things for different people. It can turn lethargy into action. It can turn a frazzled overworked person into a tranquil, peaceful being. Yoga brings us into balance. Yoga helps us to re-pattern negative and unhealthy behaviors. Since we are bodies of organic materials and over 60% water, we are in a constant state of flux from birth ’til death. Hence, we are forever re-patterning the ways in which we approach life in all realms- physical, mental, and spiritual.

In my 20’s I lost 80 lbs. It happened after I started yoga. In natural succession I began to eat more consciously and then I started jogging regularly (which was a dreadful, awful, painful feat in my pre-weight loss years). All of a sudden, running was exhilarating and a mighty calorie burner too. Jackpot! Right? The combination of new healthy behaviors (combined with long-term sticking with them) resulted in the significant weight loss and the ‘keeping it off’ factor that is even harder to maintain.

A few years went by and the jogging started to take a toll on my body…achy joints, sore back, tight muscles. As well, the aggressive yoga practices that made me sweat and groan and push and push beyond my limits, and then pass out in savasana, had depleted me and injured me. After a defiant few years of not accepting that I needed to shift my behaviors (again, really?? So not fair!!…I whined and protested).

I knew I had to alter my patterns to accommodate for my changing and now imbalanced state. Fatigued and constantly achey does not a nice tag teacher make. These were hard lessons. Part of my resistance to ‘change’ was purely fear based as I was absolutely not going back to being ‘the fat girl’- THAT was painful enough. But I also didn’t know any other way to keep my weight and compulsive over-eating tendencies at bay. ‘Cardio and hard-core yoga everyday or else!’ worked so well for me for so long. But waking up nearly crippled from it one sad night in 2007 I knew the gig was up. I had to make changes.

In this quandary, I am not alone. All of the time I see people who have made great life changes and had success in becoming more healthy and balanced physically, mentally, and spiritually. But if we do not continue to keep a close eye on the delicate state of balance within and outside of ourselves, and adjust our behaviors and practices accordingly we will become imbalanced again.

I have mellowed out. I still practice yoga everyday, but I listen deeply to my body and abide (most of the time) by the inner teacher. My home practice is mostly pelvic-abdominal strengtheners, inversions, backbends, and any ‘special’ poses I want to explore working on to teach in classes. I sit for meditation six days a week. I LOVE going to a few classes a week at Yoga Birds when it fits into my schedule. I do not consider teaching times as my practice. Practice is a receiving, teaching is a giving. I like to keep those in equal balance. 12 hours of teaching = 12 hours of practice. I owe that to my students. I still jog once in a blue moon. I take long walks with the dogs in Fairhope (that’s my FAVE). I do cardio twice a week on an elliptical or bike at the gym. Some days I have to force myself to kick up my heartbeat. Some days I have to make myself do restorative poses to bring my energy down. It seems that what I am most resistant to on a certain day is the missing link that will bring me more into balance. Most days I sit at a desk for many hours. Movement is vital for me to have any energy to work with.

Because of my beloved longtime practice of yoga and turning inward, I take pauses regularly throughout the day for self-inquiry. I often ask myself ‘Is this bringing me into balance?’ and then I proceed with a little more clarity. These are the gifts yoga. Everyday is different. Everyday our bodies are different. Our behaviors and actions, must honor the constant changing state of nature, otherwise we hurt ourselves.

I look forward to inevitable change and opportunities to really put this practice to use. I am so happy and grateful to be on this path with all of you yogis and friends.

Enjoy this Time. Enjoy this Life. Enjoy this Breath. Enjoy Yoga. Enjoy yourSelf Everyday.

Peace Love and Yoga Y’all.

 

YOGA…Only If You Want To Know Your Self

BKS Iyengar is quoted as saying “the yoga pose begins when you want to come out.” If it were always easy peasy, yoga would not be the enriching, enlightening, life saving experience that it is. Yoga is essentially a study of the Self. I recently heard a teacher say that yoga practice is a selfish endeavor. I don’t know if I agree with that. I believe that yoga as a practice of heightened awareness of Self is vital for continual development and growth as humans in constantly evolving bodies in a perpetually changing world. If we don’t practice continually connecting with the deeper parts of our psyche and consciousness, then life gets or stays hard and feels defeating, or we end up looking around one day asking ourselves, “how did I end up with this life?” or stating sadly, “this is not the life I envisioned for myself.”

The asana we practice on the mats simulates challenges that we encounter in the ‘real’ world. The real yoga kicks in during the important moments, those crossroads moments that change the course of life and path for better or worse. Those situations that tap the deepest fears and test courage and usually make you want to turn and run as as fast as possible to somewhere…anywhere else and just bail. You know…the intense, but necessary conversations with your loved one where you MUST speak your heart’s truth after holding back for far too long. Or when you MUST finally hold your grown child accountable for an irresponsible choice. Or when you MUST finally say no to a friend or relative.

In these moments the gifts of yoga practice (clarity, wisdom, balance, etc) enable proceeding gracefully. Human nature tends to lead to avoidance, or to ‘come out’ of the position, but when the yoga is at work, the fruits of our practice support the uncomfortable yet necessary actions vital to living from Truth and having the meaningful and good life that is the Divine right. This is not selfish. It is survival.

This week at YB, we begin a study series of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The text approaches the way of yoga not as a simple, linear path, rather, the Sutras lay out yoga as a method involving a radical change in the process of knowing ourSelves and experiencing the world. It gives techniques with which to analyze thought processes and to meet and lay bare our true human identity. Study of the Sutras is a map and a means of deepening self-understanding which makes us better citizens of humanity…better spouses, sisters, brothers, children, parents, friends.

In her translation of the Sutras, Nischala Joy Devi says “Seek not to learn the Sutras, instead seek to learn who is the one who studies the scripture”.

I am truly excited to embark on this conversation on the Sutras and contemplation of my Self in the community context of Advanced Studies Series. Our greater Lower Alabama yoga community is growing — not just in numbers, but in maturity and knowledge of the seminal, Classical texts of yoga. We becOMe more knowledgeable yogis…we becOMe our best Selves… This is the dream. We are, as a cOMmunity bringing the yoga hOMe. PEACE

Levitation Meditation…may the forces be with you

In an anatomy lesson with Leslie Kaminoff this week, he discussed gravity…the silent, all pervading force that is pulling every atom of matter strongly towards the center of the earth. Gravity is good. It provides stability.

The pull, which is constant, everywhere, and seemingly everlasting, can sometimes make us feel heavy and tired. Like we are made of cinder blocks, not light organic yogi handstand material. Whether we are feeling light or heavy at the moment, we all seem to be on a search for a relief from the enduring pull towards the dark center.

The obvious question is… If the force is so strong, why do we not in fact get sucked into the core mass of the planet? The answer lies in our perpetual quest to be ‘relieved’ of the gravitational pull, aka LEVITY, which (my fave ‘take’ on it) has been called “the pursuit of lightness of foot and heart” by Elder Lindhal.

In yoga and meditation, the simple seated asana (which, if you sit regularly, you know can be one of the most challenging of all yoga postures to maintain with integrity) we want to find a balance between these two natural forces. We want our pelvis and lower body to descend and our spine, torso, neck and the bowling ball that sits atop to ascend–effortlessly. Often, we have the opposite happening; we’ve got knees and groins ascending. Our chest, shoulders and spine are heavy and collapsing. And somehow we find ourselves TRYING SO HARD to just sit peacefully. WTF? These common tendencies cause inner discomfort, anxiety, torture, etc. Discomfort in meditation = inner turmoil and deafening ‘bad’ voices. Soooo not nice and defeating the purpose of meditation all together.

What is utterly fascinating about gravity and levity is that they are forces of nature…not of human doing. We simply have to surrender to the divine order of the Universe, turn in, refine or connection to the earth, become a willing participant and vessel or the life force energy to move through and within us and trust nature to do her thing. We have no authority over the forces, only the deep inner wisdom that, if we follow it, guides us to participate skillfully with them.

This principle of aligning and co-participating with the forces of nature does not just apply to the seat of meditation. The laws of nature live within us and apply to all of the actions that we take in our bodies whether on a yoga mat or out in the ‘real world’. In yoga we call it ‘root down to rise up’, or ‘create balanced action of muscle and organic energy’, or ‘press into the earth and feel the rebounding energy arise within you’. In life we call it equanimity. It’s all gravity pulling us to the center and holding us steady as levity (also called support) counters it by pushing an ascending energy up through us with as much force. It is ultimately balanced, divinely designed, and absolutely F#*~ING BRILLIANT!

We’re exploring gravity, levity, and ‘lightness of foot and heart’ all week in my asana classes. Expect more pranayama and meditation too! If I don’t see you on a mat…..May the Forces be with you.

PEACE & LEVITATION,

Melanie

 

Where I Stand With Anusara Yoga

My Stand on The Anusara Drama

 

I preface this blog post with an apology to those of you who don’t care or don’t know about the recent scandal surrounding John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, the school in which I have trained, practiced, and have affiliated myself with since 2004.

 

As the only licensed Anusara teacher in Alabama, it would be irresponsible of me to disregard, ignore, or avoid addressing the situation and how it affects me, my teaching, and Yoga Birds.In short, the recent crumbling of the Anusara community (due to serious alleged and proven charges against John Friend’s behaviors and abuses of power) does not affect me, the way I teach, or Yoga Birds in any way–other than it makes me sad to see my friends and colleagues suffer and it makes me angry that John Friend has tarnished the reputation of yoga in general.

 

I firmly stand by the method of implementing (in practice) and articulating (in teaching) the 5 Universal Principles of Alignment that were set forth as the foundation of asana practice in Anusara. I know from experience (good ones and not so good ones) and 16 years of unwavering studentship that the Anusara alignment principles make asana safe, therapeutic, and accessible for the masses (of course there are always exceptions and anomalies when dealing with a fluid human body). I will continue to hold the space to teach yoga using the elegant alignment principles because they work and more importantly they heal. Asana practice without attention to alignment will eventually (if not quickly) erode and injure the human body. The Anusara alignment principles empower folks to learn and practice taking skillful actions in asana that create the conditions for optimal energy flow in the body. The principles of alignment heal the body, strengthen the body, create appropriate flexibility in the body, and radically awaken the innate intelligence of the body that is within every person. Every person can have an intelligent body (free of suffering) if one chooses to wake up and find their unique optimal alignment. I will continue to teach in the same way I have always taught, (in my humble opinion) with clarity, creativity, sometimes challenge, and always with a light heart and a sense of humor. As always, my teaching will evolve as I continue a steady home practice, and diligent, dedicated studentship. I will continue to be an asana yoga student of my teachers Christina Sell and Noah Maze. They have both (along with over 100 other Certified and Inspired Anusara Yoga teachers) resigned their licenses with Anusara, Inc. I will embark on a 500 hour training with Christina Sell this year through the School of Yoga that she and Darren Rhodes have created (and Noah has joined them). I continue my anatomy studies with Leslie Kaminoff of the Breathing Project in New York. I am overjoyed to begin studies in Kirtan and Bhakti Yoga with Daniel Tucker founder of Kirtan Central in Berkeley, CA. And for my 40th birthday this year I will finally make a long awaited trip to the Chopra Center in California for an in-depth Ayurveda treatment (panchakarma) and study other Ayurveda practices.

Evolution is a wonderful ride. I am grateful for every moment on the path, for learning to ‘go with the flow’ (instead of constantly swimming upstream) is truly a daily practice and commitment to the Self. Truthfully, my last two experiences as a student with John Friend were unfulfilling and frankly baffling in some instances. I felt my time, money and energy in this arena of yoga (asana and teacher training) would be better spent studying more with Christina and Noah. And so it will be.

I am very proud of all of the hard work and training that it took to become Anusara-Inspired. My understanding and practice of asana has advanced more than I could have ever imagined. Through the healing and therapeutic Anusara practice, I experience more joy and less suffering in this body now than I did as a child, teen, or young adult. For that, I am forever grateful to Anusara yoga and to John Friend for his brilliant articulation of the method early on. I consider it a huge achievement and a great honor to have been in the company of so many great yoga teachers who are/were Certified and Inspired Anusara teachers. I do not feel the need to ‘officially’ resign as so many of my colleagues have done. I will not renew my license with Anusara (if there even will be such an entity) this year and I will cease to call myself an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher. I just got a zillion new business cards with the Anusara-Inspired tag, and I will probably continue to use them so as not to waste paper. I actually consider myself an ‘Anusara, Iyengar, Astanga, Jivamukti, Bikram, Bahkti, Muktananda, Bhagavad Gita – Inspired’ Yoga Teacher. That’s a little too much of a mouthful and doesn’t look very pretty on a business card. Why don’t we just call it CERTIFIED GUMBO YOGA? I WILL make that business card! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Peace Love & Yoga Forever, Melanie

 

Loving & Leaving

Where There is Lotus, There is Mud

Delhi Departure

I awoke this morning feeling like myself, just a bit weak and dehydrated. A normal morning of shower and breakfast happened which I am ever so grateful. After being so ill, I have renewed gratitude for the little things. Not wanting to waste a day in India, I hired a car to take me into the city for some last day shopping for friends and family at Kahn Market. Just driving around in this foreign city, I gape out the window with the woderment of a child at EVERYTHING. Indian customs and standards are so different from home. The standard of cleanliness is one that is hard to get over, but you do. The custom of wearing beautiful saris on a daily basis is intriguing and beautiful. There is a sense of constant chaos here…on the roads, in the train station, in the markets…yet everything moves forward. People get to work, children get to school, the sun sets and the moon rises just like everywhere else. There are domestic problems, poverty, crime, and devastating pollution. There has been an upsetting election, there is scandal in Bollywood. In some regards it is not so different here, yet it is utterly foreign. This is why I love to travel. The importance to meet and know people of other cultures and see how they live is vital not only to reinforce the fact that we are all brothers and sisters on this planet, but also to validate our our place and path. For if we have nothing to base or compare our life’s existence on but the small worlds we create in the patterns of our everyday lives, we might miss out on a life full with meaning and happiness. We must know more of the world to know more of ourSelves. Today I love Mother India and her kind hearted people, her dust and all the craziness, her strange take on efficiency and her rich Spirit. And today I couldn’t be more happy to be departing this city of 13 million, and country of 1.3 billion for my small hometown of 24,000ish, my mom’s gumbo, green Vitamix smoothies, my sweet sweet yoga community, and my colorful many legged extended family on Echo Lane. All One. All Love.