ShivaShakti Synthesis

Holding Space as the Teacher

2012-02-21T17:45:00.000-05:00

Holding Space as the Teacher

There has been so much controversy about yoga lately. It is good to see our path being researched, spoken about and even scrutinized. It can be a bit overwhelming to try to sift through and figure out what is truth. Yet it has been wonderful to hear the dialogue that has been generated by these recent columns, books and stories. Even if we do not agree with what is being said, it encourages us to ask ourselves why we think what we think. In speaking about it with others, we can come away with a deeper and fuller understanding of what we see as the truth, at least at this stage of our journey. Truth is constantly being revealed as we evolve. It is a never-ending process. As the Upanishads tell us, “Many paths, one truth.”

Recently, in the wake of some revelations about a well-known yoga teacher, a former student and wonderful yoga teacher asked me to offer some thoughts on boundaries between yoga teachers and students, especially in the area of romantic/sexual involvement. This blog is not meant to judge on current events, of which I have no first hand knowledge, but rather to speak about a subject that I feel strongly about, create some understanding and perhaps even give some guidance in the hopes that we can maintain healthy and empowering boundaries.

The Yoga Alliance standards, as well as the ethics statements of most, if not all, yoga teacher trainings that I know of are quite explicit on teacher/student relationships. The ShivaShakti Synthesis ethics statement, which all students have to agree to and sign in order to teach, states the yoga teacher/therapist:
Will not take advantage of students/clients financially, sexually, romantically, or otherwise.
Refrain from romantic or sexual relationship with a current student, even if invited by the student.

If that is a given, why is it then we see so many of teachers, even gurus, stumbling in this area? A number of our most popular national teaching figures were or are married to former students. How does this happen?

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.4 (via Donna Farhi’s book, Teaching Yoga) states “vritti sarupayam itarata,” which translates as: at other times (itarata) the seer identifies with (sarupayam) the fluctuations in the state of consciousness (vritti).

Let’s look at a two of these Sanskrit words. Vritti refers to the thought waves of the mind. It is familiar to most of us who have studied yoga, as it is spelled out in the second sutra, which defines yoga as the stilling, quieting or non-attachment to these thought waves. According to Iyengar, Vritti can also mean a course of conduct, behavior, a state of being, mode of action, movement, function or operation. Sarupayam refers to our identification with these actions. Whenever we are referring to identification, we have moved into the realm of ego. Psychologically speaking, the ego is not necessarily a bad thing; it creates a sense of self (the “I” self) and can be quite useful in western society. However, when we become attached to our egos, the blinders go on and we can lose sight of reality. We see things from the perspective of our history and memory, which in all likelihood is not totally accurate. So when the ego is operating, those definitions of vrittis above, such as courses of action, conduct, behavior, etc., may not be accurately seen and understood when the veil of misunderstanding surrounds us. When the blinders are removed, those vrittis are seen as just that, fluctuations of energy and pieces of the picture, rather than the abiding truth of reality and our true nature.

When a student comes to a yoga class, they bring their past with them--their hopes, dreams, expectations and previous good and bad experiences with authority figures--into the classroom. In our current society, it is quite unlikely that they are coming in completely neutral, without any baggage at all. Because we cannot expect our students to be neutral, it becomes essential that we are, at least while we are holding the space of teacher. This is because the student/teacher relationship, whether we like it or not, is hierarchical, and therefore the teacher is viewed as an authority figure. There is a reasonable expectation that those in power will not abuse it and take advantage of those not in power. And that is the reality of the classroom. We are the teachers.

When a student wants to date, have sex with, becomes friends with, buy a fancy present for a teacher, they are not wanting to do that with me or you, they want to do that with the role of “Teacher.” So whether the student likes me or doesn’t like me, flatters me or criticizes me, my job is to breathe, not take it personally, and respect their felt experience. This is not to say I am not allowed to appreciate a compliment or should tolerate abuse but rather maintain a safe space for whatever may be coming up for them. Later on, I may reflect on what the student said, notice if I have any ego reactions from it and use the interaction as a learning experience. At the time however, my job is to simply be present (which of course is simple and so very difficult).

This sounds so easy but when a student comes up who has a need based from their past experience to be seen and noticed and my ego is feeling unappreciated and needing some soothing this can create a dangerous and unconscious interaction. In psychological terms this is referred to as transference and counter-transference. The student suggests getting together for some tea or a glass of wine at a place around the corner, the two of you go and notice you have so much in common and before long, and without intending to violate boundaries, an intimate relationship has developed. It may be sexual, romantic, financial or even just the intimacy of best friends, without regard to honoring the boundaries of the student/teacher relationship and consciously transitioning to a different type of relationship.

Referring back to Yoga Sutra 1.4, if we view the actions of our students as vritti, and the teacher as the seer, then it is our job as teachers to avoid attachment to these those constant and inconsistent fluctuations in thoughts and behavior. We maintain our role as authority figures by not allowing ourselves to be fully seen in all our humanness. My students may know that I had a rough day and am grateful to be with them in the studio but they don’t need to know the gory details of my rough day. This time is for them. My job is to provide a compassionate and non-judgmental presence that allows them to awaken to their beautiful diversity within the unity of true nature. At the beginning I may need to be like the sun, a source of light and warmth to wake students up to their inner light. Then I need to step back and be more like the humble moon, reflecting their light back to them.

I could go on and on about this but it is time to turn it back to you. I would love to hear your thoughts and continue this essential exploration.

Shanti, Janice

A response to NY Times: Many Paths One Truth

2012-01-25T11:53:00.000-05:00

A response to NY times: Many Paths One Truth

I am sure many of you have seen or heard about the recent New York Times article on “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.” If you haven’t, it was printed on 1/5/12. It has created quite a stir in the yoga community with a number of local and national experts weighing in on this. Marcia Miller from Yoga on High wrote a great blog that reminds us that safety and alignment are key factors for many of us who share our passion about yoga through teaching.

So I asked myself, what could I add? After some thought, here are my offerings:
Hatha Yoga, the yoga of asana, pranayama, kriyas, mudras, bandhas and meditation is a relative newcomer to the yoga scene. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written in the 1400s. Most of the other yogic texts were written BCE (before common era) or early CE (common era). Hatha Yoga, as it was originally developed around 1000 CE and as it evolved in the 1800 and early 1900s, was not for the householder.

What do I mean by householder?
The Vedas describe four stages of growth, or “ashramas:” brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. They have four legitimate aims in life: artha (accumulating wealth); kama (pleasure); dharma (obligation); and moksha (liberation).

Brahmacharya ashrama, or the “student” phase, is the first stage of life from birth to roughly 25 years of age. In this stage of life, the foundation is being laid for what is to come. It is filled with all the changes that are part of moving from infancy to adulthood, including growing physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. The experiences and skills acquired in this stage of life will, in many ways, determine the direction life will take and the ability to fulfill the future goals of life, artha, or accumulation of wealth. This stage is also preparation for grihastha, or the “householder” phase of life.

Grihastha ashrama, the “householder” phase, spans roughly from age 25 to 50 years old. In this stage, the focus is on going out into the world to establish a home, career, and family. The goal of this phase is to be in the world and raise enough money to support the self and family and to give charity to those in later stages of life who are on spiritual pilgrimages. Part of the path of being a householder is to allow for the experience of kama, or pleasure – the pleasure of being part of a family, as well as to responsibly enjoy the pleasures this world has to offer such as property, name, wealth and children, without the creation of too much attachment. It is also the phase of dharma, accepting your duty to your family, work, culture and country.

The “householder” phase leads to the third stage of life: vanaprastha ashrama, or retirement, which lasts roughly from 50 to 75 years of age. This stage is an important and undervalued time of life. It is the time of dharma, or obligation, when there begins to be the space and freedom to reflect upon and gain an understanding of how much has been learned as householders, and then give back (in appropriate ways) that which has been learned. It is a time to assist in the raising of grandchildren or other young people while understanding that every person has his or her own path, growth rate, and destiny that can be supported and guided, but not controlled by others.

In the final stage of life, sannyasa ashrama, which is from 75 years of age until the time of leaving the physical body, the focus is on moksha, or liberation. This stage of life is the time of developing equanimity in the face of all that life brings. It is the time of developing a deep sense of faith while continuing, as much as possible, to cultivate physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Hatha Yoga, to quote a friend of mine, was developed for “14 year old boys living in ashrams.” In other words, the primary practitioners of yoga were in the Brahmacharya phase of life and were thus more flexible and likely less prone to injury. They also had fewer distractions and responsibilities. Their job was to be a student.

Most householders in India practiced a more devotional path. They might rise, offer pujas and prayers to their guru and then go off to work or take care of the house and children. Developing hatha yoga for householders is perhaps the major contribution of the West to the ancient practices of Yoga. When Swami Vivekananda came to the World Congress of Religions in 1893 he received a standing ovation when he said “Many paths, one truth.” This is the wonderful and at times frustrating part of yoga. What is right? What is yoga and what isn’t?

This is a dilemma constantly facing us at ShivaShakti in the teacher training. We believe in a therapeutic approach to yoga where every “body” is welcomed, honored and cherished, where every layer or kosha of the Being is touched. So we have to teach some “rights” and some “wrongs,” while also realizing that our understanding of what is right will probably change. This is what, I believe, happened when hatha yoga came to this country 100 or so years ago. It was taught as it had been taught to these learned teachers who courageously made their way to this country and offered us a new way of understanding ourselves, each other and the world. What they likely did not understand is that it wasn’t just our thinking and culture that was different, our bodies were as well.

Some studies have suggested that the further a culture gets away from it’s connection with the earth, i.e., we live in houses that have a foundation between us and the earth rather than in a house with a dirt floor, the more the physical body loses its natural alignment. The way we stand, sit and eat is different. It has taken time for this understanding to develop and it continues to develop. So not only are Western practitioners in a different stage of life, they also have vastly different shaping to begin with, and that affects their flexibility, range of motion, and vulnerability to injury.

The article proposes that yoga involves intense backbends, twists and inversions that over time inhibit blood flow and have the potential to “wreck” bodies. I do not agree with the article that yoga has to be that way, although I am challenging myself to open to the reality that that too is yoga. It is not my yoga and it may not be yours, but it is steeped in an incredible lineage and perhaps it will awaken someone to yoga. As another of my teachers used to say in relation to the style of yoga that students want as opposed to the style that would probably be best for them, “take people where they are and then move them toward where they need to be.”

Yet with all that said, it continues to be the mission of ShivaShakti Synthesis to maintain the integrity of the tradition while making it safe and accessible to all beings.
Shanti, Janice

New Year's Resolutions from the Bhagavad Gita

2012-01-05T10:19:00.000-05:00

New Year’s Resolutions from the Bhagavad Gita
(the verses are taken from the internet, the commentary is by Janice)

Smile often - “In the midst of daily life, if one can endure the turmoil caused by selfish desire and anger, then he is truly happy. Indeed, he is a yogi.” (5:23)

Too often New Year’s resolutions focus on attempting to make major changes in a short amount time. This is a sure fire recipe for self sabotage. We are hard wired, instinctually, to preserve the status quo. The actions that lead to lasting change are those that are taken one step at a time. When we break things down into what I call “baby steps” the system gets a chance to adjust to the change lessening the unconscious need to sabotage ourselves. Here we begin with a perfect baby step–smile often. It has been demonstrated that a simple smile can change the mood of the one who is smiling and often positively affects the recipient. Try it sometime. If you are feeling down, look in the mirror and smile. It may feel fake initially but don’t let that sabotage take over, keep smiling. Give yourself that gift of presence I was talking about last month. See how it affects your mood.

Slow down – “You should first control the senses and then shatter desire, the sinful destroyer of knowledge and discretion.”(3:41); and
Stay focused - The focus of one with an unwavering mind is single-pointed in this world. But for the one with a quivering mind pulled in a thousand ways, decisions are endless.” (2:41)

The original definition of sin, in its Greek origins, is to “miss the mark or the target.” Richard Miller has expanded that definition to “misunderstanding.” When we miss the mark it is not that we are purposely trying to hurt or harm but that our attempts are falling short of the goal. We are human beings, and as such we are not perfect, we will miss the mark at times. Usually that happens because we have a misunderstanding about what the “target” should be, or where out focus needs to rest. For example, we may believe that the way to earn respect is to be the best. A lot of energy can go into trying to be the best and the only way to be the best is to be better than other people. So now, rather than focusing on doing the best we can in that moment and then (as the Gita would remind us) letting go of the fruits of our actions we are caught up in comparison and judgment, which may very well take us away from the basic desire, to be respected.

Just as it is more difficult to hit the target, say a dart board, if you are running by it and tossing a dart as you go, so it is almost impossible to tap into our inner resources and knowing if we do not slow down. In yoga, we focus a lot on the breath because the breath brings us into the present moment. When we are focused in the present moment there is greater clarity and discrimination, and the misunderstandings begin to disappear. Again, remember the principle of baby steps. Slowing down can be a resolution to stop once an hour and take 5 breaths. This may change your day. And if you clearer and present this may very well bring a positive change to someone else’s day.

Balance – “Indeed, yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little; it is also not for one who sleeps too much or stays awake for too long.” (6:16)

Here we are reminded of the gunas: tamas, or the principle of inertia, and rajas, or the principle of action, as well as sattva, the balance of the two. We are not being asked to do all sorts of austerities like fasting or going without sleep but rather to honor our humanness, our physical bodies, and give them adequate nourishment and sleep. The baby step here may be to look at your patterns of sleep and make slight adjustments to get more sleep per night. Without proper rest it is difficult to smile, maintain discrimination and choose nourishing food. In ayurveda it is suggested that we try to go to sleep between 10 and 11pm before we catch that “second wind.” Rather than being active during that time, the body needs to be resting so the days experience can be digested.

Remember, the journey can only begin with a single step. What is yours?
Shanti, Janice

Celebrate

2011-12-30T09:53:00.000-05:00

Two long nights, one short day, the Buddha smiles (haiku, author unknown)

More and more I hear people say they are not going to celebrate this season because it is full of crass commercialism, stress and stems from a tradition that they may be at odds with. I could not agree more that the meaning of the season can get lost in the melee of expectations that have been placed on this time.

Yet I cannot agree with throwing the whole enterprise out the door. If we look at most traditions around the world, including Christmas, Hanukah, Solstice, Chinese or Japanese New Year, Eid Al Adah, or Kwanzaa, we find a common denominator. They all involve light, food and community. Perhaps this is because, long ago, as people prepared for the cave journey, there was some fear that they would not make it through the winter, that there would not be enough food, warmth and hope to sustain them. It seems sensible then, that they would create a celebration filled with these things to sustain them through the dark times.

I believe that we do the same thing symbolically that our ancestors did physically. Winter time is the cave journey. It is a time when we are invited to go in and do some "housekeeping." Our ancestors spent the winter repairing their nets, pots and tools so they would be ready for spring. They spun wool and darned socks and sweaters. For us, the housekeeping asks us to turn inward, to notice what is stored in our cave (old baggage, false beliefs, hurts and wounds) and see if it needs tended to, healed, or released in preparation for the rebirth of spring.

The cave journey can feel dark and lonely at times. Perhaps this is why many people dread winter. However, as we know from yoga, if we never stop and listen, if we do not take the time to investigate, assimilate and integrate, the "stuff" of life continues to pile up creating emotional and/or physical distress. There is only one way through to spring - and that is through the cave.

I have come to think of this time of year as the big "bon voyage" party to send us off on the cave journey. The lights and candles that burn so brightly this time of year may represent hope and the light we will take with us to guide our journey. The food that abounds in celebrations may serve to give us trust and faith that we will have enough sustenance to survive, and the community reminds us that we will be kept safe and warm, and that we are never truly alone.

If this time of year if stressful and too filled with expectations, consider one tradition that does not serve you. Then let it go. In it's place create one that nourishes your spirit. And if you have already let go, create something new. Have a wonderful bon voyage party.

Let me know what rituals create light, hope and love for you this time of year. I'd love to hear how you celebrate and learn from you.
Shanti

Reciprocal Inhibition

2011-12-13T16:23:00.000-05:00

What does Reciprocal Inhibition mean and why does it matter?

According to Dr. Ray Long of Bandha Yoga, “the concept of the balanced Yin/Yang appears throughout the body.” One of the ways it shows up is through a concept called reciprocal inhibition. This is a term you may be intimately or at least remotely familiar with if you have been taken a yoga teacher training. But did you know (I didn't until Julia educated me) that reciprocal inhibition happens when there is a degree of familiarity with a task? When performing a brand new task, one the body is not familiar with, the nervous system creates additionally stability (at times experienced as joint stiffness) in the body by activating agonist muscles and antagonist muscles together. This is referred to as co-activation. This helps to prevent injury and generate stability until the body is more familiar with the task. As familiarity and repetition occur over time, the co-activation of the muscles is decreased in favor of reciprocal inhibition and the movements become more efficient and more fluid. This is another example of why establishing a new pattern, even one that is good for us, is hard work. It takes a lot of energy.

When a pattern is established, then the system moves toward the more energy efficient mode of reciprocal inhibition. What exactly does this mean and why does it matter? Reciprocal inhibition is defined as the mechanism by which the motor neurons of the nervous system cause a contraction in the agonist muscles, which are the prime movers, while inhibiting the contraction in the antagonist muscles simultaneously and reciprocally. In this way the antagonist muscles remain relaxed while the agonist does the work without opposition. Isn't this a great metaphor for life - to only use as much energy as needed, to get out of our own way and trust the innate intelligence of our being? Oops, I digress. Back to reciprocal inhibition. The degree of relaxation depends upon 1) the degree of contraction of the agonist, 2) the degree of skill the body has in the operation or task, 3) the degree of familiarity with the task, 4) the degree of complication in the task, and 5) if a task is voluntary or autonomic.

In Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says “Sthira sukham asanam,” which translates to “asana should have the dual qualities of alertness and steadiness (sthria) and relaxation and sweetness (sukham, which provides the root for the word sugar).” Reciprocal inhibition is the body’s natural intelligence of this sutra.

Again, RI is an autonomic response which at times occurs with volitional and familiar movements, but is usually automatic in movements elicited by the stretch reflex. However, we can use this natural response to assist in releasing long held tension in muscles that have difficulty releasing their contraction, possibly due to postural misalignment and imbalance. This is seen more and more frequently in the quadriceps and hamstrings. When the agonist--the quads--engage, the antagonists, the hamstrings are supposed to release. Yet because of a common postural imbalance, the tucking under of the sacrum, the quadriceps get overly stretched, which weakens them, and the hamstrings get tightly bunched. This affects the ability to adequately engage the agonist and relax antagonist. "Tight hamstrings" have become a frequent complaint in yoga classes.

Let’s play with an example that might assist with those tight hamstrings, especially understanding that the hamstrings cannot release unless the quadriceps are active. They need to have the quality of "sthria."

• Sit in Dandasana, staff pose. Support the sacrum with a wedge or folded blanket as needed to maintain neutral spine. Allow the legs to flop out, however they are showing up this day.
• Come into a forward fold (DO NOT do this if you are experiencing any back problems, as this is an example of what it feels like to not be supported). For me, as I do this, I feel a tugging at the sacrum and at the back of the knees. These are two places we do not want to feel a pulling because they are joints--this means I am not stretching a muscle, but rather possibly straining a tendon or ligament.
• Sit upright again and bend the knees slightly. Flex the feet and draw the quadriceps toward the pelvis, as if you were trying to shorten the front of the thighs. Let the back of the legs lift off the floor a little as you do this. Keeping the quads engaged like this, begin to lengthen the legs by sliding the heels away from you and pressing slightly through the ball mound of the foot. If the backs of the knees to not reach the floor, place a folded blanket under them so the hamstrings can release. You can also place a sandbag on the thighs to help them stay active while they release their weight toward the ground.
• Once again come into a forward fold. Keep the quads active and the sits bones grounded. Remember my other axiom, something has to stay grounded for something else to stretch. See if you can locate the stretch in the belly of the muscle rather than at the ends of the muscle. And of course, breathe.

Try reciprocal inhibition for yourself through this pose and others. Let me know what you experience.

By the way, I am not seeking to invoke controversy here. I know in Yin yoga we do come into postures without engaging the muscles in order to stretch the fascia and connective tissue. I would love to hear your thoughts on this and will write about this kind of passive stretching at a later date.

Shanti, Janice

Presence

2011-12-06T18:31:00.000-05:00

Last time we were talking about establishing presence and truly listening. Your presence is the greatest gift you have to offer. What would it be like to give yourself that gift? To listen to yourself?

Most of us have had the experience of becoming inured to a sensation. If you live by the railroad track the noise may at first create distress, i.e., interrupting a phone conversation because you can't even "hear yourself speak." Yet after sometime you may find that the sound has muted in the background, perhaps no longer a disturbance but rather a familiar friend. Given the amount of stimulus we are subjected to each day, it is understandable that we begin to tune out. How often have you heard someone with a back strain say they don't know how it could have happened, they simply bent down to pick up a piece of paper and "ouch," they couldn't stand back up again? Those of us familiar with the workings of the body know that it was not that simple, there had most likely been messages about the back for months that had not been heard.

How can we begin to hear ourselves again?

A couple weeks ago I was fortunate to have been at an iRest Yoga Nidra training. Yoga Nidra is a process of traveling through the koshas to heal and unwind any stuck places so we can deepen into the practice of meditation remembering our wholeness, our True Nature. The iRest style of Yoga Nidra, developed by Richard Miller PhD., places strong emphasis on noticing sensation and "meeting and greeting" every sensation as a welcome messenger. Be sure and check out their website: www.irest.us.

Instinctually, we are hard wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. This makes sense when it comes to learning not to stick our hand into the fire. But when we label other sensations as painful that are not dangerous we can spiral into a pattern of attachment and aversion that puts us on the roller coaster of suffering. I can share a personal example. I am quite attached to peace, love and harmony. This, to me, is pleasure. Conversely, as one might guess, I react to anger as if it were pain. I don't like it within me or around me. Yet anger is a normal and natural emotion. It is not “bad”. It is my reaction to it that creates the trouble, not the emotion itself. By this I mean, when anger becomes present and I push it down, I can become “sweetly and nicely” controlling, i.e., passive-aggressive. And we all know that there is nothing sweet or nice about that. It would be much more useful for myself and the other person if I said, “I am angry about this situation. When I can find some words, I would like to talk more about it.” Or “you seem angry and that really triggers me. I am going to go collect myself and perhaps we can talk more later.” This would be greeting the experience rather than reacting to it. Of course, I will not be able to actually speak my truth outside if I am repressing it inside. This is where iRest comes in.

Like all yoga nidra, we begin with setting the intention and then doing a body scan. This creates physical presence that allows for a deepening to occur. Next the focus in on the breath. This draws awareness even deeper and set up for the next stage, which is welcoming of sensation. We can begin with sensation like hot and cold, which tend to have less of an emotional charge. That would look like, “where is hot located in my body, what does it feel like? Where is cold in my body and what does it feel like?” From a neutral and relaxed place, this pair of opposites can be explored and any reactions to them can be noticed. The more aware we are of our reactions, the more we can begin to unwind the patterns of reaction and move into right action. Other opposites can be explored, loose and tight, relaxed and tense, etc. They can be fully explored. In other words, welcome them as an invited guest.

When this feels doable, then move onto emotions. Using my example, it would be anger. I could invite anger to be present. I then would explore it fully - where it lives in my body, how I feel when it is present, its color, shape, texture, etc. Thoughts that tend to go along with the experience of anger. In other words, be fully present to the sensation of anger. Then I would invite its opposite – perhaps happiness or serenity. I would explore the sensation of that emotion in the same way. Then I would invite them both to be present. I think of this as inviting them both to the dance and noticing how they dance together. They are, after all, two halves of a perfect whole. After some time of observation, I can move back into feeling the sensations. The feeler becoming the observer. The observer moving back into felt sensation. Then--and this stage takes practice and it is what our yoga is about–taking it off the mat, hold both at the same time. In other words, feeling the reality of my feelings while observing them. By feeling them, I have an idea of what is going on within me. By observing them, I can take that data and come up with an action that is right for that moment. That keeps me in harmony with the world. And here is the most excellent part. Harmony is what I was seeking all along. I just can’t get there by repressing my feelings. By giving myself the gift of presence, I become present. As we know there is no greater gift than that.

I hope you had a wonderful day of grace and gratitude and may it follow you into the holiday season. Take a moment and give yourself the gift of your presence. Let me know how it goes.

Shanti, Janice

The gift of presence

2011-10-26T15:19:00.000-04:00

The gift of presence

“Listening is more than simply hearing. Listening involves all the senses.” Jim Canterucci

How often have you said or heard someone say they just want to be seen, they just want to be heard? Why is it we feel this way? To truly listen to someone, as opposed to just hearing words (not unlike the cartoon of a human commanding a dog to sit or stay and it turns out what the dog is hearing is blah, de-blah, de-blah), is to begin to establish the conditions of truly connecting with another. It is establishing presence.

Recently, during the level two teacher-training weekend, we engaged in an exercise of establishing presence and then listening. The response from those who were heard for two to three minutes was profound. People were surprised that emotions arose through such a simple exercise, that they felt so moved. This may be because many of us unfortunately do not have much experience in being fully heard by another with non-judgmental presence. By presence I mean, fully awake and aware of what the other is saying. In other words, listening cannot happen unless first we ground and center ourselves in the moment. This is our greatest gift, our presence.

So how can we learn to listen? Try this exercise with a friend. First, one of you will choose to be the “listener” and one will be the “speaker.”

The listener will need to find him or herself. To do this, ground. Feel your feet, legs, sitz bones, pelvis and the base of your skull. Feel the sacrum as the potent source of energy at the core. As the tailbone roots down into the earth, the sacrum initiates the rebounding energy drawing up to the crown of the head. The sacrum and tailbone are the anchors that allow the crown of the head to open to what is going on outside without losing one’s center.
From that place, set an intention to listen with your whole body, not just your ears.
Ask your partner in this experience what is most present for them at this moment. Then let them talk, without analyzing, judging or fixing.
Rather than telling them what to do, try asking more questions. “Can you tell me more about it? What is your sense about what is present? Where is it felt? Does it have a shape, color or texture? Does it feel light or dark, loose or tight, etc?”

It is interesting how often we try to “fix” without finding out what the problem is. No wonder our best advice is not taken. When we take the time to listen the person being heard usually doesn’t end up needing fixing. As they hear themselves, the answer arises.

Give this a try. Give the greatest gift there is, your presence. And let me know how it goes.

Shanti

Resiliency

2011-10-12T15:53:00.000-04:00

Resiliency

Last week, we continued exploring the hamstrings. In that blog there was mention of the fascia, the glove-like connective tissue that interweaves and encases the tissues and structures of the body. This led me to a meandering train of thought about autumn and its reminder that the only constant is change. I see a connection between fascia and this dance of fall bringing on its winds of change.

When the fascia is tight the body cannot adapt, move and change as needed. It is like wearing shoes that are too tight. Everything in the body becomes restricted. Just as a tree that does not sway in the wind will break, a rigid body is prone to break down. But the opposite presents problems too: when there is no tone, when things are too loose, there is a lack of integrity in the system, which can lead to dissipation of energy, fatigue and injury.

This brought to mind one of my favorite words these days – resiliency. Resiliency is the “ability to spring back from and adapt to adversity,” whether that adversity is due to physical or psychological stressors. Resiliency brings to mind energy that is not too tight and not too loose but, as Goldilocks would say, “is just right.” Resiliency is a play of balancing opposites, of equanimity.

What are some ways to create resilience? Working with the fascia is a good one. Doing things that are nourishing to your being/Being is another. I love to play with balance poses in the fall as they remind me that balance is not a static thing, that it is constantly changing and that every time I find a new point of balance for that moment, I am creating resilience.

What creates resilience for you? What nourishes you? Respond and we can start a dialog; I would love to learn from you.

Can the Hamstrings Ever be Happy? Part 2

2011-10-10T08:34:00.000-04:00

Can the hamstrings ever be happy? Part 2.

Last week we focused on working with the hamstrings in terms of bones, muscles and alignment. There is an important piece that was left out that Doug Keller, Tom Myers and other wonderful teachers are paying more attention to, and that is the fascia.

What is fascia? Fascia is the connective tissue that is developed early on in the embryo and surrounds and holds muscles, muscles groups, muscle fibers, blood vessels and nerves together. The most superficial layer lies just under the surface of the skin and acts like a glove holding the entire body together. It is both thin and strong. This might seem a little gross, but if you have ever looked at a chicken breast and noticed the whitish colored thin sheets between the skin and the meat, that is fascia.

It makes sense then that if we try to stretch a muscle without attending to the glove encasing it, we might not get too far. Doug Keller states that “in contemporary theory, especially based on studies of embryology, it is the connective tissue of the body that seems to function in the way that Prana was described by the yogis.” Working with the fascia allows our whole body to breathe.

So how can we work with the fascia? In ShivaShakti Synthesis we focus a lot on warm-ups. Warm-ups are a way to create space to let the fascia breathe. Working with marma points, or places where the nadis or energy pathways cross, are another way to open the fascia. They are potent because they are places where energy tends to get blocked, just like any other crossroad. When we work with the marma points we are opening up the pranic pathways, which in turn, according to the science of yoga, opens both the body and mind.

So try this exercise from Doug Keller. At the bottom of the foot is a marma point known as Pada Madhya (pada meaning foot), which is located between the second and third metatarsals at the top of the arch.

Come into an easy uttanasana (standing forward bend). Keep the knees soft so there is no strain.
Gently shift your weight to your right foot.
Take your fingers to your right foot and “goose” the place on your arch described above by gently massaging it and putting slight pressure on it by pulling up. The pressure should feel like a release (not a strain), so as to protect the ligaments that form the arch.
Release the hand and return to placing equal weight on both legs in the forward bend.
Explore the depth of the pose; notice if there is anything different from your first version. Are the hamstrings perhaps more open on that side?

This is an example of working with the fascia through a marma point. By creating space in that energy system, the back of the leg was able to release a bit. Try the other side and then do both at the same time. This marma point does more than help the feet and legs. It is said to also help with headaches, cold feet, insomnia and lightheadedness.

Let me know how it works for you. And as always, I would love to hear from you about what you are interested in.

Can the Hamstrings Ever be Happy?

2011-09-27T08:57:00.000-04:00

Can the hamstrings ever be happy?

Most yoga teachers and experienced students are aware of the issue of tight hamstrings. In western society the "slouch" posture has become the norm. That posture generally involves the tucking of the sacrum and tailbone, which moves the pubic bone forward. If you stand up right now and do this you will probably notice that the buttocks bunch up, the hamstrings shorten and the quadriceps push forward becoming overstretched. This can lead to low back pain. However, if you unlock your knees and let the pubic bone move back while the tailbone softens down and in to greet the pubic bone you may notice a healthier tone returning to the butt and quad muscles allowing the hamstrings to relax and lengthen as the legs elongate.

But what about the flexible yoga practitioner who is experiencing pain at the sits bone, the ischial tuberosity? That pain may also be due to the hamstrings. Let's take the example of adho mukha svanasana, downward facing dog. In this pose, the instruction is often given to lift the sits bones up toward the ceiling while taking the heels to the floor. However, this can create strain on the hamstring muscle and/or the hamstring tendon. To come into this pose first warm up the shoulders, arms and wrists. Then come into table, tuck the toes under and shift the hips back into half-dog, keeping the knees on the floor, the shoulder blades grounded and the armpits light, just as in down dog. From half dog, lengthen the sits bones back and lift the hips from the strong thighs. Keep the knees slightly bent, lift the heels and buttocks up and then begin to “walk the dog”; do this by keeping the balls of your feet in place while bending one knee and lengthening the other several times to warm up the hips and hamstrings.

When ready to come into the full pose, bend both knees to slightly release the hamstrings and allow the pelvis to rotate on the head of the femur (upper leg bone). Then lift both ankles until, as Julia says, there are no wrinkles in the front of the ankle. This begins to lengthen the legs. Allow the sits bones to draw back at an angle toward the back of the room while lengthening the heels toward the back of the mat. Sense the natural alignment (in ShivaShakti this is referred to as a line of energy) that goes from the buttocks to the heels. Without tucking the sacrum let the buttocks flesh melt toward the heels while the toes are drawing energy up to the groins. Feel the connection between the head and the sacrum and between the sacrum and the heels. Back off if there is any sensation of pulling at the sits bone or knee. Remember, something has to stay grounded for something else to stretch. In this case, if the hips are lifted too high to the sky the pelvis doesn't stay grounded, and/or if the quads are bunched (instead of just engaged), the heels will pull and tug on the hamstrings instead of releasing them. This same principle applies to forward bending poses.

Give it a try and see what you think. Hopefully you will find your hamstrings to be happier, whether you started with a slouch or an overstretched muscle. What questions do you have to help me clarify this concept? How can this information translate off the mat, into sitting, standing and walking so the hamstrings can be happy? I’ll write more on this, but in the meantime we would love to hear from you.

Falling and Getting Back Up

2011-08-26T07:35:00.000-04:00

Falling and Getting Back Up

Thanks to Angela, our guest blogger, for sharing her experience and wisdom. She provided key insights to holding the space of student, which guides our deepening understanding.

In these past two weeks Angela and I have both blogged about the numerous ways the ego can sneak in and take over. This is normal. I repeat, this is normal. I get frustrated when people say "I can't believe s/he said or did that. After all, they are a yoga teacher". Have you ever heard that? It's as if the credentialing process for being a yoga teacher should include self-actualization. If this is true, there would be fewer teachers and many more gurus.

I don't know any teachers who profess to be perfect. Speaking for myself, I honestly admit that I teach because it keeps me on the path. And what is the path of yoga - it is about remembering our natural state of balance and wholeness, our union. And how do we figure out where we are out of balance? It is by weaving, swaying, tripping and sometimes even falling over. Being a yoga teacher does not mean we don’t trip ourselves up. Hopefully what it does mean is that we are committed to noticing that we have fallen, having the courage to look for what caused us to fall, i.e., the ego, and then getting back up and playing with a new kind of balance. Our mats are places where we practice awareness so we can be more aware in the world. Awareness is the key factor to healing into our wholeness.

Now you may be wondering if Angela and I learned anything on the mat at the yoga therapy training. Indeed we did learn many gems that we will be sharing. One is very apt right now. When talking about the leg action in certain poses such as triangle, trikonasana, Doug Keller would use the imagery of having one foot on the dock with the other foot on the boat and trying not to fall in the water. Just after the workshop, I was about to leave for the cabin in Canada (on a little island in a big lake and reachable by boat only), and I got the image all too well. I have been there and done that. Anyway, try it and see what your experience is and let us know.

When the Teacher Becomes the Student, Part 11

2011-08-18T18:17:00.001-04:00

When the Teacher Becomes the Student, Part II
Last week Janice wrote about situations when the teacher becomes the student, as when attending a yoga workshop. I’d like to pick up on that thread but take the topic in a different vein.
As yogis, we have a lot we can share. Seasoned yoga teachers, especially, have years of training and teaching experience to draw upon, which we are supposed to share with our students. It’s our job to verbally cue our students to find their way in a pose. It’s our job to give voice to yogic wisdom about everyday life. It’s even our job to help our students sing and chant. For teachers of hatha yoga – the physical path - we use our throat chakras quite a bit. The throat chakra is governed by udana vayu – energy that moves up and out.

But how much are we to share when we are taking a workshop as a student and there is another teacher whose job it is to voice and share his or her knowledge? When we shift from yoga teacher to yoga student, the role we play can become hazy in our own mind. We get used to an outflow of information from ourselves to our students (udana), then when enrolled as a student in a workshop we are required to shift to drawing in the information. Making that shift in roles is temporary: we need to practice the workshop content enough to digest it (samana) and then offer the processed content back to our students (udana again). However temporary the shift in roles is, the transition can be difficult for those who are not mindful of the need to shift roles. So, how do we decide what to share in a workshop setting and when to just keep things to ourselves?
The answer may lie in adjusting our focus within much lower, to the root chakra, governed by apana vayu. Apana is related to releasing what is not needed. We often think of this in terms of bodily functions, but to quote Doug Keller (Refining the Breath, p. 135),
“In a subtle but vital sense, the apana vayu has much to do with our power of decisiveness and self-determination, both of which turn upon our power of choice. Choice demands not only the affirmation of one possible good, but also the elimination or exclusion of other competing goods – choosing one good over another. Clarity in defining oneself demands decisiveness in eliminating what doesn’t work for us, what is not needed, or what conflicts with our highest goals.”
So while we may have something to offer – the greater good, may be served by not saying anything. If our highest goal at a workshop is to learn, maybe sharing what we already know is not serving the highest good. So how do we decide? Oddly, when thinking about this I was reminded of The Four-Way Test of Rotary International, which I learned about through my husband. It suggests,
“Of the things we think, say or do
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”
When I mentioned the Rotary questions to another yogi she reminded me of a similar set of questions which are attributed to Socrates: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” And Sai Baba is said to have added, “Will it hurt anyone?” and my personal favorite, “Does it improve the silence?”

It is an easy jump from these lines of inquiry to the yamas: “Is it true?” obviously connects to satya (non-lying), though in a workshop setting, truth is generally not an issue. While listening to the content in a workshop we relate the content to our personal experience and often also decide whether we want to share that truth from our own experience. Upon occasion we may even find that the experience we have the urge to relate is less honorable, even if it is true. If we are making a gossipy side-comment, the veracity of that comment should be considered as well as whether it is harmful to someone. This leads nicely to the yama ahimsa (non-violence).

Interestingly, the three sources of criteria that I previously mentioned are focused on ahimsa: “Is it kind (fair/beneficial)?”, “Will it build goodwill and better friendships?” and “Will it hurt anyone?” To expand ahimsa beyond the physical we can add: will your comment hurt another student’s ability to learn? Will it take the class off-track? Is it detrimental so someone? Side comments, not spoken to the whole group often interfere with the class’ ability to hear the teacher. And the teacher may find it difficult to focus with other conversations going on. Those are also harms we can perpetrate.

Hidden in these side comments is the yama asteya (non-stealing). Are you stealing another student’s focus? Are you stealing time from the topic at hand? Are you stealing the limelight for yourself?

Which takes us to the yama aparigraha (non-attachment). Once you’ve got the limelight, can you let it go? Do you hang onto it and keep talking? Are your side comments about drawing attention away from the teacher and to yourself?

Finally, Sai Baba’s questions, “Is it necessary?” and “Will it improve the silence?” seem to me to be related to brahmacharya (restraint of the senses). Brahmacharya gets a lot of attention because it is most associated with celibacy, but it can also be thought of as self-restraint, or having some control over your impulses. When you have the impulse to share, can you edit yourself to sharing what is pertinent and helpful versus what is distracting and off track? Can you determine what is not helpful at the time and save it for later? Or maybe you have a question that is important but so personalized or detailed and specific that it would be better asked one-on-one. Saving it and asking it later is restraining the senses.

In writing this post I certainly do not want to dampen the lively interaction and learning that can occur at workshops; the give and take of the collective wisdom that exists in a particular classroom can truly be exciting. And I certainly am not suggesting that, as a teacher taking a workshop, you shouldn’t ask questions. I am just suggesting that as teachers we take our yoga practice with us when we are in the role of students. If we are aware of our energy and how it is flowing, if we reflect on the questions provided by Rotary International, Socrates, and Sai Baba, and if we remember the wisdom of the yamas, the quality of the interaction you and your fellow students have with a teacher may be positively influenced. An increase in the level of learning in turn influences the level of teaching we offer when we leave the workshop. That improves everybody’s yoga!

Please let ShivaShakti Synthesis know if these thoughts and lines of inquiry are helpful in determining what to share at a workshop. Or perhaps you have another way to decide. Will you share?

Angela Nicolosi

The teacher becomes the student

2011-08-10T09:10:00.000-04:00

The teacher becomes the student

A sign of a good teacher is the one that is able to also be the student. Teachers learn in the moment from experiences with their students and other teachers. They also benefit from purposefully putting themselves in the role of student, as I did recently by attending the Doug Keller yoga therapy training. I have eagerly been anticipating this event for over a year, as I was unable to go last year. As a side note, he is a wonderful teacher if you ever have the chance to attend one of his trainings.

I arrived just in time for the training due to work and traffic. As a result, I got a spot in what I will refer to as the “black hole” of the room. I did not feel a sense of connection, and as we know from yoga, disconnect is the reason we develop an ego. My ego, which tends to show up as self depreciating, began to get loud. A common misconception is that ego is bragging and boastful, but that is only one side of the coin. Whether you are telling yourself you are better or worse, it's still all ego. My negative self talk ramped up and for awhile I bought into it. And then remembering came to me. I was not alone. I am perfectly imperfect. I am part of an incredible tradition that is still developing.

Once this awareness came I could see the factors that were contributing to my discomfort and rather than sit and suffer by myself, I reached out. By sharing my vulnerability and being received with empathy, my perspective changed. Does this mean that my ego was totally silent for the rest of the training? Not at all. But I could laugh at my thoughts, I could share them with others and best of all, I could remember the underlying connection and unity that ties us all together.

I learned a lot on about yoga therapeutics as well and am looking forward to sharing those next time we meet. In the meantime, check in with your sense of self and remember you are not alone. We have each other's back.

Shanti, Janice

The Life of a Householder

2011-08-01T18:10:00.000-04:00

The Life of the Householder

With summer at its fullest, how is your garden growing? Thank you Angela for taking a personal experience and allowing your insights to guide us into our own deepening awareness. Angela’s thoughts lead perfectly into the focus of our next post.

Someone recently asked me to talk about the tenuous balance of being a serious yoga practitioner and a householder. On the one hand we talk about honoring the body, mind and soul by caring for it so we can remember our union, while the reality often is that we don’t have the time to do the sort of self care that helps us stay healthy and mindful. This is so true and it is sad to see people shame themselves or be shamed for getting sick because they “didn’t take care of themselves.” When a child (or another loved one) is sick, a partner is laid off requiring the other to work extra hours, or there are cut backs at work due to the economy and the job now has additional requirements, etc., there is a need to push through the situation and take care of the crisis.

What seems to have happened to many people, however, is that they end up staying in crisis mode. Following any push, there has to be a time for recovery. It may not be as much time as is “ideal” but it is essential to find time for that practice (perhaps a 20 minute nap or yoga nidra) that, to use Angela’s image, creates less space for the weeds to grow.
So yes, as householders, we will always be pushed, prodded and demanded to go outside of the “balanced” yogic lifestyle. Remember that imbalance is simply an opportunity to find a new balance that serves better in this moment, the only moment there is, the present.

How do you carve out that time for you? And can you treat that time with the same diligence and ferocity as you would a child under your care? You matter too.

Weeding AND Feeding

2011-07-18T07:06:00.003-04:00

Spring was rough – I experienced both physical and emotional challenges. After several family crises in the same week I sought salve for my soul in my backyard garden. It needed tending and so did I. In a two day period that offered temperatures in the high 90s, I broke down hunks of donated hostas into 25 individual plants to create a border of green and white.

The physical labor was good for me as I sweated and shifted the earth into a new arrangement. My mind was busy with decisions about how to best to divide the hostas and where to place them, not worrying about loved ones far away. At one time the far end of the very shady yard had been cleared to expose a wide swath of rich black earth, but was never fully landscaped. Now muddy and overgrown, it offered little beauty, which describes pretty much how I felt. I was determined to plant a deep border of hostas on that end, and a single line of hostas along the north side of the yard to fill the space, create some order and offer beauty to the beholder.

On the second of those days of hot, hard earthwork, I heard myself thinking for the umpteenth time that if we plant more of what we want (like hostas), there will be less room for things we don’t want to grow (like weeds). And then I had the epiphany that this is true for humans, too. Planting for humans is doing our self-care practices, mantras, prayer, meditation, fun, work we love, spending time with friends, etc. The more life is filled with these things (the ones we want), the less room we leave for worrying, complaining, illness and unhappiness - the weeds of life.

What are you planting today? Tomorrow? And all the days after that?

We are ShivaShaktiSynthesis

2011-07-09T13:00:00.000-04:00

Recently someone asked me how to describe her style of yoga. She said, … “People call themselves Iyengar, Kripalu, Anusara etc. What are we?” I replied, “We are ShivaShakti Synthesis.” What a wonderful way to get a conversation going. If someone asks about your style of yoga and you say “I was trained through ShivaShakti Synthesis,” they are sure to ask what that is. This becomes your opening to say what ShivaShakti means to you. ShivaShakti is about finding your authentic voice. Acknowledge your tradition and use your words to let the world know what your passion and offer is. What are your feelings about this? And how would you describe your offer?

Therapeutic Yoga, Yoga Therapy and ShivaShakti Synthesis

2011-06-28T17:16:00.002-04:00

Therapeutic Yoga, Yoga Therapy and ShivaShakti Synthesis

We describe the level 1 program of ShivaShakti Synthesis as therapeutic yoga and the level 2 as yoga therapy. But what does that really mean? I have not had an easy time in articulating it and I suspect I am not alone. At the national level, a group of experienced folks have been meeting together for a few years trying to develop a working definition of yoga therapy. Definitions have ranged from “all yoga is therapy” to the concept that yoga therapy is a new and western invention that has no basis in ancient texts. Which is true?

I don’t think it is accurate to say all yoga is therapy. Originally, yoga was the practice for the seeker on spiritual path, while ayurveda offered the path to health and wellness. Yet many of the practices in ayurveda have their basis in yoga. The common root for yoga and ayurveda is samkhya philosophy, which to me says there is an ancient basis for yoga as therapy. This is why ShivaShakti Synthesis integrates the teachings of yoga and ayurveda.

I am working on writing up a section for the manual on our philosophy on therapeutic yoga and yoga therapy, so figured this was a perfect place to share some thoughts and get your feedback.

Here are my working definitions for ShivaShakti Synthesis:

Therapeutic yoga: Teaching a therapeutic style of yoga means that there is the ability to modify the practices, whether they are asana, pranayama, relaxation and imagery, yoga nidra and meditation to be accessible to any student.

Yoga therapy: Yoga therapy implies specifically addressing the areas of disconnect that separate someone from the truth and essence of their Being.

This is a teaser to get us started. What do you think?

Summer Solstice-Honoring the Light

2011-06-19T19:56:00.000-04:00

Summer Solstice – Honoring the Light

As the summer solstice nears there seems to be subtle, but strong anticipation about this day. What is the solstice? The word consists of two roots, sol, which means sun, and stice, to stand still. Yet the solstice seems to be anything but that. It tells us that the earth is in its most extreme phase of its dance between light and dark, and from there it will begin to change toward the balance of the equinox.

In the days of the sundial clock, the dials seemed not to move during the solstices. It was as if time stood still or was in stasis during the long period of sunlight of the summer solstice and the shortest period of the winter solstice. This may be why there are so many spiritual rituals and celebrations around these two times. It is said that the winter solstice rituals were developed because of the fear the sun would not return, and the hope that if enough light was created. In other words people were afraid that the darkness would become the stasis. Perhaps then celebrating summer is a hope that the fruits of summer and of light will stick around for a long time, that it will become the stasis.

The summer solstice may be a temporary stasis, a gateway where we are invited to pause, stand still and receive the light before moving onto the next step, as there is always a next step. Stasis means a suspension of growth and therefore is only a temporary state. But it is good to periodically stop and take a break before going into the next growth spurt. Although we cannot make summer stay we can use this period to soak up the outer light to recharge our inner fire.

So what makes your light shine? What will you be doing on the solstice? I’ll be chanting the Gayatri Mantra and doing a few rounds of Surya Namaskar, then attempting to surrender to the stillness of the solstice and sit in the light. Feel free to join me. Our circle is always there. We can invoke it at anytime.

Partner Yoga and the Dance of Interdependence

2011-06-13T09:50:00.000-04:00

Partner Yoga and the Dance of Interdependence

When I was growing up, I received praise for being independent, which, I suspect, was true for many of you. Over time, I came to believe that independence was good and dependence, not so good. Our culture tends to reward independence and harbor a negative attitude toward dependence, and for the longest time, I assumed these were the only two options. Then I got into a long-term relationship and discovered things weren’t quite so black and white.

Lo and behold, I discovered there was a third option – interdependence. My interest tweaked, I looked up the definition in the dictionary. Part of the definition of independence is quite appealing, to be free of. The other part, however, involves not having needs, which really hit me; who doesn’t have needs? Dependence means to depend upon while interdependence implies a reciprocal relationship where needs are allowed and mutually met. It seems pretty clear that while interdependence might be more challenging, it is the better course because it is the one that really can lead to a fulfilling life.

This interdependence is one of the reasons I love partner yoga. The dance of interdependence gets to play out there because in partner yoga, I am able to go deeper into a pose than I ever could have achieved on my own. However, it is not because someone else is doing it for me. Rather, it is because of the trust, connection and reciprocal relationship that I find within myself, my true strength, and just as amazing, the same thing happens for my partner.

Have you stretched your armpits today?

2011-05-27T17:49:00.000-04:00

Have you stretched your armpits today?

Just recently, another incredible class of yoginis and yogis (well, there was one man in this year’s class) finished the level 1 training. Typically, when I teach side stretch at the wall, I say that someday I want a t-shirt that says “have you stretched your armpits today?” This class took the quip seriously and had t-shirts made for the training staff that say just that on the front, with our ShivaShakti Synthesis logo on the back. What a gift.

This led to the present blog topic.

Why stretch your armpits?

The technical term for armpit is axilla (see, I just learned something new). It has a floor, a ceiling and four walls. The muscles involved are some we often hear about in yoga because they tend to be tight and imbalanced, i.e., the pectoralis (major and minor), subclavius, serratus anterior, subscapularis, teres major, latissimus dorsi and the long head of the biceps. These muscles create strength and balance in the shoulders and upper torso; some assist with respiration as well.

Due to poor posture and/or the stresses and strains of daily life (carrying the world on one’s shoulders) this area becomes imbalanced, affecting not just the physical body but the breath and emotions as well. The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerve fibers running from the upper spinal cord (at cervical vertebrae 5-7 and thoracic vertebra 1) via the axilla, or armpit, through the wrists. When compressed, it can create shoulder, elbow and/or wrist pain. When the muscles of the axilla borders are chronically contracted, which we might call "tight armpits," it is a wake up call to deepen the breath and broaden the collarbones. This allows us to find our strong center and then let the power, love and energy flow from that center. So, have you stretched your armpits today?

Feed & Weed

2011-05-18T14:13:00.000-04:00

Yes, it is time for blog #2. Thank you for the input and support. You are also encouraged to respond to the blog with your thoughts; our line of inquiry will only deepen with the exchange. Please let us know of any topics you would like to see explored.

Something that struck me when I was in Florida doing Panchakarma was the topic of detoxification and nourishment. Spring calls for us to detoxify. We clean out the flowerbeds of the sludge of winter. But why do we do this? We do this so the plants awakening beneath the surface can receive nourishment and grow. We, too, need to clean out the sludge of winter. So the panchakarma program begins before you arrive at the center with a gentle detoxification that starts at home. Then when you get to Florida you receive a detoxification program that suits your issues and dosha. After the program you are given directions about diet, herbs, lifestyle, etc. to nourish and revitalize you tissues once you are home.

Some people are better at purging, which is the extreme of detoxification, and some are better at stuffing or hoarding, the extreme of nourishment. But detoxification and nourishment need to be a dance that balances letting go of what doesn’t serve us and taking in what does. Gardeners know that the plants in the flowerbed need the debris cleared away, but that they will also do well with a layer of good mulch. And gardeners know plants need food, but will get sick or even die if they receive too much or too little light and water. We are our own gardeners. How do we know what we need to take in or let go? By listening. Not with our ears, but with our intuition. When we listen to what our bodies need and are of service to the self, it allows us to be of service to the whole Self of the universe. But that is hard part – the listening. What helps you to listen to what you need so you will flourish where you are planted?

Paying Attention to Intention

2011-04-22T17:39:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to stay better connecting to the ShivaShakti family we are starting a weekly blog. I, Janice, am starting it out with a thought that Lori Candon has been pondering – intention and attention.

What does it really mean to set an intention, how does attention fit into that?

The definition of attention, from the psychological point of view sounds as if it could have been written by the ancient yogic sages. It is:

concentration of the mind on a single object or thought, especially one preferentially selected from a complex, with a view to limiting or clarifying receptivity by narrowing the range of stimuli,
a state of consciousness characterized by such concentration,
a capacity to maintain selective or sustained concentration.

Intention on the other hand is:

what one intends to do or bring about,
the object for which a prayer, mass, or pious act is offered.

It seems to me that setting an intention, while not easy as it requires decision making, is much easier than paying attention to it. Attention here would imply staying awake and aware to where the energy is going. It is said that attention follows intention and the more the attention follows, the more potent the intention becomes. Richard Miller Ph.D. says that the intention is the anchor that aids in creating focus. Often, however, we drift about on the surface, looking everywhere for an answer without stopping to figure out what we are seeking. We set the intention, we anchor ourselves and then the mind gets distracted by the surface waves — “is that what I seek over there or perhaps it is in the opposite direction? Perhaps I need to anchor somewhere else”. But when we stay anchored, like in meditation, something deeper may be revealed. When the attention stays focused we may find ourselves diving underneath the surface where there the waters are calmer and clearer. Then a deeper meaning of our intention may arise. Every intention is a desire to find our way back home to the true Self. By setting the anchor via the intention and then staying awake to it, we awaken to the Self.

We would love to hear your thoughts, insights, questions and experiences about this. And if you have any questions you would like to have explored please send them to us.

Shanti, Janice