Rise Above

"We truly believe you can rise up above anger. That is not to say we rise up above all of our anger. We are still human and, as such, anger will appear. But with a higher consciousness, we are able to see more perspectives; we understand more, therefore we are able to choose different avenues than anger. After all, traffic is merely a whole bunch of cars going the same direction you are; a slow line at the grocery store is just other people who are also buying groceries for their families; and children make mistakes all the time, as do we all. "

Today, at least for today, think of yourself as a better person. The kind of person who can put yourself in another person's shoes and imagine what they must be going through. Right now, in this world, there are a lot of people who are hurting. They are hurting because they are afraid. They are hurting because they are hungry. They are hurting because they are confused and don't know what will happen next. Take stock of your life and be grateful for everything you do have. Step away from your pride and ego and let yourself be the calm one or the compassionate one. Be the one that helps another human being simply because you can.

Humans have a tremendous ability to rush to the aid of others in traumatic situations- a baby in a well, hurricane victims, cancer patients, plane crashes. Yet if we don't visibly see the source of suffering we allow ourselves to get irritated if people don't act the way we want them to. Enough is enough. Just for today reach out to someone, ANY ONE. Be a better person than you normally are.

Practice makes more.

"Practice kindness, and you start to become kind.
Practice discipline, and you start to become disciplined.
Practice forgiveness, and you start to become forgiving.
Practice charity, and you start to become charitable.
Practice gentleness, and you start to become gentle."
(Marianne Williamson)

Sensing a theme here?

I've suffered for some time from a so-called lack of will power. At least that's what I've told myself. And now I've said, "Self, this is bullshit. It's time you got off your duff and just did it anyway." And so I have. I now have the power of my will. At least that's what I'm telling myself and by God it's working.

James Arthur Ray says that we all suffer from ADD, at least when it comes to our misery. I'll add to that our laziness, our apathy, and our distractions. All the time, energy and money spent on the useless, the pointless and the negative. It's time to take back our attention and redirect into something meaningful and life changing. Why not? Were you planning on having a routine boring life? My guess is that wasn't what YOU wanted to be when you grew up.

So, what do you want to be? Just as important, how can you get there? I'm starting by acting as if. I wanted a meditation practice so instead of saying I didn't have the time or space, I changed it to "I meditate every day". And now I do. "I want to be strong." I go to the gym every day. "I want a strong immune system." I eat well and take vitamins. "I want to write." Yes I do.

And when things aren't going the way I want I remember that if I want to be it, I must start by doing it. No one else is ever going to do it for me and it sure as hell isn't going to just land in my lap.

Featured Yogini

I'm so excited that my teacher and friend, Laura Erdman-Luntz has been featured on the ShareYoga blog, including a quote from me! I hope you get a chance to read the article. Congrats, Laura!

Detox

"But the spiritual journey, the path of recovery and personal growth, is a detoxification process in which we bring up and out the negative beliefs we have carried with us from the past and that now poison the present."
- Marianne Williamson

Like my anger?

Anger

Don't be misled. I'm not angry. At least not right now. There was a time when I wasn't angry. Then there was a time when I wasn't angry and didn't show it. That was a long time. That's not to say that I was angry all the time. It's just that I just didn't get angry enough or loud enough in my anger. The problem is, as with anything, if you stifle it long enough it's bound to blow.

Then one day I woke up and I was angry. Really angry. Except I didn't even know I was angry. I just became what I felt was "violent". Please don't be misled. I didn't beat my husband or my children. I didn't throw things (unless you count pillows). And I didn't hurt myself. But I did see a rage I had never seen before in myself. I yelled. A lot. I'm almost embarrassed to say how much I yelled. I yelled at strangers on the phone. I yelled at my kids. And I swore. A lot.

Then one day I realized that I was angry. Great. Now what? Angry at what? Circumstances forced this anger to the surface and I got to really experience some raw anger. I was angry that I didn't have help. I was angry that I didn't ask for help. I was angry that I couldn't give my kids more of my energy. I was angry for having to be their everything - maid, servant, housekeeper, chef, chauffeur, personal hygienist, stylist. I was angry at being pregnant when I didn't want to be. I was angry at my body not being able to do what I wanted it to do, what it used to do. I was angry at being alone. I was angry at being alone and not being able to be angry at anyone else for it. I was angry at how women get treated. I was angry at and about everything.

Once I figured out that I was angry and what I was angry about, I let myself just be angry. Just be. I just made sure I didn't hurt anyone (at least physically) and I just went with it. Eventually I tired of it. I wore it out. I ran it and ran it and ran it until it was just out of breathe. Yelling felt old and useless. Swearing just seemed ineffective. I was starting to be done. It was good and it was done.

Now anger is one of the spectrum of emotions I feel. Part of my repertoire, a flavor I taste sometimes when the meal and moment is in need. I explored anger. I've determined when it's really anger and when it's merely irritation, or frustration or annoyance. There's a path to anger. Sometimes there are signs that appear and I try to remember that they lead to anger. Then I can remember that I don't have to go there. I might if the time and the situation calls for it. But then again, I might not.

WoYoPracMo

It's that time of year again! WoYoPracMo is back!

In case you aren't up to speed on tongue-twister-esque social site names, WoYoPracMo stands for World Yoga Practice Month. If you are a yoga practitioner or teacher, please join me and other Yogis and Yoginis in dedicating yourself to practicing yoga every day in January. You can set up your own page, add photos, blog about it, read other people's blogs and you may even get a prize!

When you join, come be my friend - search Members for Breezeatdawn. I want to hear how YOUR practice is.

Need some inspiration? The Musasana pose of the month is Vasisthasana, better known as side plank pose OR better known as the one my students groan about. I love it though! It's great for strengthening the core, legs and upper body. Let me know how it goes for you.

A Farewell to the Year.

     Walking in the night;

Snow is falling,

     A farewell to the year.

Shara

The word farewell is from Middle English (faren wel) and means a wish of happiness or welfare at parting.  It also means a last look at, or reference to something.  I have also read that it was used previously to wish someone a good and safe journey.  I think it's safe to say all of these apply to 2008. 

I hope that you, as I do, have no regrets about the last year.  It was a spectacular year in terms of my personal growth and I believe has set me up for bigger and better things to come.  Things didn't always go the way I wanted or planned.  I have learned to go with the flow and be more in harmony.  Now, things may not go the way I want but I do understand that in some way or another I have asked for it and I can't always dictate exactly how I get it.  Be it physical things, experiences or life lessons.

As I have no regrets I do wish the last year well.  In other words, I depart in happiness.  I plan to take what I've learned - the things I liked - about last year and repeat them with bigger and better results.  Likewise, for all those that have touched my life, or I theirs, I wish them happiness and well being too.

I look forward to a good and safe journey for 2008 and beyond.  A recent Muselan discussion regarding New Year's Resolutions brought up the idea of a theme for the year, instead of a list of goals.  Some of the themes offered by others included creativity, adventure, nonattachment and growth.  I had initially set a theme of Bigger and Better.  But recently, one of my friends who is turning 40 in a few weeks told me this is her year of "me".  I said, "More power to you!".  So in the spirit of a bigger and better me, let 2009 be the year of Personal Power!

In the New Year may you all be happy, healthy, wealthy, wise and whole!