Today’s topic is Connection.  In yoga, we connect the body and mind by using the breath.  We also connect poses together through movement and breath.  The easiest way to illustrate this is with the “Sun Saluation,” a set of poses that many teachers use as a foundation of their yoga flow classes.  I do too.
 
Today we will begin to learn the Sun Saluation or Sun Salute set of poses.  I’m hoping you will memorize these poses in body/mind so that you can practice at home, too!
 
We can take the feeling of connection off the mat and bring it into our daily lives.  Where do you feel connected?  How does it feel?   
 
Can’t wait to “See You!”  Join us tonight at 5:30 pm  -  https://app.ubindi.com/Vicki.Schneider
 
Namaste & Blessings,
 
Vicki

This dog looks like he is laughing so I thought it appropriate for today's post.

Paying attention to what is occurring around us (or in us) is necessary in daily life. In that same vein, what we don’t observe or don’t attend to, we don’t respond to appropriately.  I have a funny story to tell you about Being Present or being mindful of what we are doing in the moment as a way to illustrate this concept.  I will tell you all about it tonight at 5:30 pm. 

I will leave you with two more related concepts.

The first - Paying attention fully, or at least the best we can, is essential for our Presence to awaken and observe.   

The second – “What we pay attention to grows stronger.”  This means if we pay attention to the noisy neighbor when we are trying to read a book, that “noise” and the annoyance that comes with it will grow stronger and probably “bug” us and disrupt our quiet afternoon reading.  If we don’t pay attention to it and shift our attention to the book or our breathing, we will enjoy our time reading. 
​
I hope you can join us at 5:30 pm to enjoy a funny story, move a little, and practice being present so that our lives can be more full and enjoyable through Presence.  Click here to sign up: app.ubindi.com/Vicki.Schneider

Namaste & blessings,
Vicki

PS - We forgot to use the paper and pencil last week. Have them handy today and we'll make it happen.

​For this week’s class, I have a poem for you to ponder.   It was untitled but was written by Erin Hanson.  I think it captures how many of us approach life today.
 
So if you can, take a moment now to read the poem, then read on……..  You can access it here.
 
We are doing so many things so quickly that we don’t “really” experience any of them – or at least not fully.  We might check them off of our list, but we don’t remember the details.  We don’t make memories. 
 
Why?
 
Because we aren’t present in the moment.  We are often caught up in thought – worrying about the future, what’s next on the list, or being consumed by something we just did that is in the past.  But we didn’t do it good enough – or so we think. 
 
And when we are carried away by these stories of thought, our Presence is covered up, hidden.  We are unaware of our own Presence.
 
You see, when we are attentive to the present moment, we open up space, and we let our Presence shine through.  Our Essential Nature that is always here.  Our Presence, our Soul – the Essence of who we are. 
 
It is this Presence; it is this Awareness that observes all of our sense perceptions (thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, images, ideas) and experiences life.
 
This Presence is who we are.
 
Tonight’s (or maybe tomorrow’s depending on when you read this) and next week’s practices will focus on being attentive to our bodies, emotions and thoughts that occur in the moments during our asana practices.  And in our meditations we will practice recognizing our own Presence.
 
If you’d like, you can sign up for class here.
 
I have a second request for you.  If possible, please have a pencil/pen and a piece of paper handy for class.  I’ll explain on Wednesday 😊.
 
With Blessings for a moment to moment happiness throughout your day.  I’m looking forward to seeing you in class.
 
Vicki

​Let me tell the tale
Of a girl who didn’t stop,
Who climbed up every mountain
Without a pause upon the top.
She’d dance until each blade of grass
Was clothed in drops of dew,
And the sun knew her by name
But the silver moon did too.
For a fear had settled in her bones;
A fear of sitting still,
That if you’re not moving forward
It must mean you never will.
So in time her dance got slower
And she looked at all she’d seen,
But found gaps inside the places
That she’d never fully been,
For she was a human doing
Human moving, human seeing,
But she’d never taken time
To simply be a human being.
 
 
2015 Erin Hanson

​Good Afternoon, Everyone!
 
I don’t know about you, but in the last year – year and a half,  I seemed to have lost my mojo.  I’ve been kind of off-kilter.  Things haven’t been lining up the way I wanted them to and I’ve relaxed my own personal principles for taking care of myself.  Maybe it’s an age thing, I turned 59 and now am going on 60 and it has really Kicked My Butt! 
 
I exercise less than I used to – almost to couch potato status.  And, it seems, I’m not alone.  Just yesterday I was talking to a friend and she agreed.  She loves desserts and used to limit them to a few times a week. Now it is more like an everyday event!   And, that’s just the physical part of taking care of myself.  The list goes on.  And, worst of all, my personal yoga practice has suffered too.  As a result, I worry more and sleep less.  So what happened?
 
I lost my work life - home life - fun and excitement - equilibrium.  Basically, I lost my balance. 
 
It can be tough motivating yourself to get moving again.  I know!  But, that is exactly what I am going to do.  And, I invite you to come along on this journey of “Creating Balance” with me.
 
Rodney Yee has written a wonderful book entitled “Moving Toward Balance.”   Over the next few months we are going to explore Balance and the elements, he says, make up balance like, Being Present, Opening into Vulnerability, Allowing Receptivity, Turning Inward, Changing Orientation and Awakening Connection, in our journey of Creating Balance in our lives.
 
I’m looking forward to “seeing you” in class!
 
Vicki
 
If you haven’t already, you can sign up for class here:  https://app.ubindi.com/Vicki.Schneider
 

​Life throws us curve balls.  It can be confusing and hard; and we generally respond ok. 
But sometimes, we retreat and let the world go by.
Or we stop. 
Completely.
We fight feelings, emotions.  We push away what we don’t want to deal with.
We become constricted in our bodies and they become tense and tight.  We can become hard or narrow-minded in our thinking and beliefs.
 
Today’s practice is about grounding and opening. 
Grounding and connecting with the earth, with ourselves, with spirit.
And Opening,
Opening our bodies, opening our hearts.
When we do this, we create space.
Space.
Space for something new.
Space to embrace new things, pursue new adventures. 
 
Today we implement the practice of grounding so that an opening can occur.
We will find expansiveness and rest there.  No deep work today.  Just resting in openness.
 
See you at 5:30 pm.
 
Namaste & Blessings,
Vicki

Rumi

Was it easy? No.  But it was important to do this work.  Then I just asked myself, what does this mean?  What should I do about the situation, if anything.  And, I realized a couple of things.  Spending too much time listening to "junk" news (I'll use that term because news is different for everyone) isn't helpful.  It's hurtful and it's causes confusion.  With that said, I'm going to select my news sources more carefully.

The second thing I realized is that we all need to find the place within where it is calm.  A place where we feel connected to our source (God, the universe, consciousness, again different for different people) and we need (not just a suggestion) to spend time cultivating a relationship with our source.  I use meditation because it helps me feel better, it helps me feel connected and whole.

So last night's class was geared at helping people find their connection to God.  Finding the still place within each of us.  It's here.  It's always here.  We just have to remember to spend a few minutes everyday practicing that connection.

Blessings & Namaste,

​Vicki