Jun 10, 2016 |
It’s been a few months since I returned from my yoga retreat in Sedona and the experience of sharing two yoga workshops at the Sedona Yoga Festival. I feel really blessed to have visited such a beautiful place and to have these opportunities and I wanted to share a story about how I lived my yoga while visiting the Red Rocks of Sedona.
If you have not been to a yoga festival, it can be a little overwhelming, but in a good way. There are way too many choices of classes to take, and the ones I do take are full of rich experiences that I should let soak in for hours, but instead I jump right into the next yogalicious session. I should take more breaks, but there is always a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) that creeps into my mind.
Sharing my Embrace Your Inner Goddess Workshop at the Sedona Yoga Festival.
This year at the festival I had a lot on my mind. I was still on my yoga retreat and wanted to spend time with the retreat participants, I was preparing to teach my own workshops, and checking my phone as much as possible for updates on my mother who was ill and recovering back at home.
When my mind gets full, my ability to hold onto things diminishes, and while I was at the festival I lost three things – my mala necklace, an aluminum water bottle, and my eyeglasses.
I lost the mala necklace the very first morning. At a Alchemy of Soul: Bhakti Vinyasa (Chill Happiness Flow) class with Silvia Mordini and musical accompaniment from the awesome Jim Beckwith (you’ll be hearing more from him in my future yoga class playlists). Now that is one dynamic yoga duo!
I placed the mala at the top of my yoga mat as I always do, to remind me of the intentions I take into my practice and set off on Silvia’s happiness flow. After class I was so excited to meet Silvia in person (we’ve been social media friends for a long time), that I jumped up, grabbed my mat, and off I went sans mala.
I didn’t realize I had lost my precious mala until about 15 minutes into the next festival class I attended, and there went my mindfulness. My thoughts started racing to where the mala could be, should I get up and go in search of it instead of waiting for class to be over, and who might have picked it up.
I was able to push the thoughts aside and really enjoyed my next session, but right after class I went in search of the mala. It wasn’t where I left it and hadn’t turned up in lost and found, and as I walked back to my hotel room, I made a conscious decision to let go of my attachment to the mala. I decided that whoever picked it up must need its special powers more than me, and perhaps I didn’t need the mala anymore. As soon as I let go, I felt a shift, a feeling of lightness, the freedom that comes when letting go of attachments. By choosing to let go of my attachment to this material possession, I became free.
Feeling FREE at Courthouse Rock in Sedona. High waisted yoga capris by Onzie.
The practice of non-attachment in yoga is called aparigraha. Attachments are tricky things, and attachment isn’t just to material objects, it can be to a thought, a story, or a person.
The water bottle was a lot easier to let go of. It was a really cool water bottle though, that I had been given at Manchebo Beach Resort and Spa, when I led my last yoga retreat there. I figured there was no way I was going to find that again and embraced my inner Elsa (from Frozen) and let out a big, “Let it go!”
[youtube]https://youtu.be/L0MK7qz13bU[/youtube]
The eyeglasses, were a different story. I was in no mood to let those go, and beat myself up pretty silly about being so absent-minded to leave them behind. Again, I retraced my steps and went back to the room where I thought I left them, to the lost and found (and by then, I had become very intimate with the people who worked this desk). I let the beat up session go on for a few hours, but again, made the conscious decision to let my attachment to my glasses go. They had gotten a bit scratched up and I would just have to get another pair when I got home.
On the last morning of the festival I went to an amazing kundalini yoga class led by Ana Brett and Ravi Singh. After the session I walked out completely blissed out, experiencing an OMazing yoga high. As I was nearing the exit, I was drawn to a table that was littered with flyers and empty coffee cups, and walked up to see what was there. Sedona is known for its energy vortexes, so when I felt a pull, I went to it. I noticed a gold shiny object, registered that it was a pair of eyeglasses, and my focus went right to them. I picked them up. They looked like my glasses, and then I put them on, and they were my glasses! I have no idea how my glasses found their way back to me, but I was grateful they did.
I’m not saying that if you let go of your attachment to something that it will magically come back to you, but I will tell you that the freedom that comes to letting go is a beautiful thing.
Sharing WOWYoga: Yoga for Menopause at the Sedona Yoga Festival
If you found my mala in Sedona, please keep it. It served its purpose and I have let it go. I have since purchased a new mala that is made of aventurine, black onyx, African turquoise, and jade and blessed with love, mantra, sound healing, and Reiki by Kathy Koziol of Yoga Momma’s Magical Malas, and I’ve set an intention to let its energy bring me creativity, imagination, calmness, balance, and prosperity.
What are you holding on to? Is it a story you keep telling yourself, a fear, a relationship? Try out the practice of aparigraha, and let yourself go. Buddha had to say that attachment is what causes suffering. Let go my yogi friends, stop the suffering, and feel the lightness and freedom that comes when you practice letting go.
May 12, 2016 |
Are you familiar with the acronym FOMO? This terms was introduced to me recently, and it describes a mental state that most of us are familiar with, the Fear of Missing Out. Let’s face it, there are just too many channels begging for our attention these days, so it is easy for the mind to get agitated to a point where we fear that we don’t have enough time to do everything we want to. I personally believe that Facebook and Instagram may be the root cause of much of my personal FOMO, because each time I log-in I see another yoga festival or workshop I want to attend, and all the great things my friends are doing, and it just makes the angst inside me start to bubble up. Do you know that feeling?
I would much rather replace the word FEAR with the word JOY, and focus instead on the Joy of Missing Out! There is a blissful freedom that comes when I shut off my phone, turn off my Facebook alerts, and just enjoy some quiet time. In essence, each time I step on my yoga mat it is a time to practice JOMO. When I come to the mat and leave behind my to-do list and stress, quiet my mind, and practice breath with movement, I get to experience the joy of missing out, and missing out has never felt so good.
If you think about it, the practice of yoga and meditation are the ultimate forms of JOMO. In meditation we seek to find a quiet place for the mind, to turn off the noise, to settle into a place of peace, and in that peace there is joy. Spending quiet time alone is a beautiful gift you can and should give yourself every day.
I’m dedicating myself to more fully practice the joy of missing out over the next month. All those times I’m sitting with my family or friends and I feel the urge to reach for my cell phone to check for messages, I’m going to remind myself of how good it feels to miss out on the chatter and be fully present for the people I’m with. Or, when I’m meditating and a pesky thought keeps coming up, I’ll get a smile on my face as I silently say to myself, “Jomo, jomo, jomo,” just like a mantra.
Take the challenge and let go of the fear, and embrace JOY, the joy of missing out.
Apr 20, 2016 |
Wow, since last April it has been a crazy awesOMe year full of many blessings, new yogi friends, spiritual growth, and incredible yoga trips and adventures around the world. All of this goodness has kept me blissfully busy, so much so that I have been remiss in providing post-yoga retreat recaps here on the DDD for my 2015 yoga retreats.
Photo credit for the awesome Sedona picture to the left goes to Lisa Dobrin who took this picture after we were both inspired by Robert Sturman at a workshop we attended with him at the Sedona Yoga Festival.
Before I can start sharing the pictures from paradise (and more stories and pictures are coming soon, I promise), I have to announce one more yoga retreat coming this year!
The Loving Kindness Retreat (Yogathon) is coming to the Mayan Riviera!
Casa Om – Puerto Morelos, Mexico – November 6–12, 2016
Check out this video with highlights from Casa OM and the incredible adventures that are included in the retreat, and then head over to the retreat page for all the details and registration info. It is going to be an incredible week full of beach yoga, snorkeling with sea turtles, eating delicious fresh food, enjoying laughter and adventure, nurturing loving kindness, and nourishing the soul with sunshine.
Oh yeah, it is going to be an incredible week full of beach yoga, snorkeling with sea turtles, eating delicious fresh food, enjoying laughter and adventure, nurturing loving kindness, and nourishing the soul with sunshine.
So, without further delay, here is a pictorial recap of the past few retreats. I have so many great photos and memories, it was really tough to narrow it down to these few.
Aruba I Am Love Yoga Retreat – April 2015
Beach yoga, SUP Yoga, Meditative Walks through the Labyrinth, Sharing the Yoga of Bob Marley, Snorkeling Adventures
Top Thrill Yoga at Cedar Point – August 2015
Beach yoga, Making new Friends, Banana Boats, Storytelling & Laughter by the Fire, Full Moonasana, the Coasters!
Santorini, Greece I Am Love Yoga Retreat – September 2015
OMazing sunsets, Forming Friendships that will last Forever, Incredible Greek Food, Sunset Dinners by the Sea, Hiking to Oia, Sailing, Goddesses Uniting, and a Truly Breathtaking Beach Yoga Studio!
Punta Cana – January 2016
Zumba + Beach Yoga + Punta Cana = Bliss, thank you Jeananne Siegferth for this OMazing opportunity!
Love & Nurture Yourself in Hocking Hills, Ohio – February 2016
Yoga, Hiking in Hocking Hills, Hot-tubbing, Yumalicious food, New friends!
Sedona Yoga Retreat & Festival – March 2016
Presenting workshops at the Sedona Yoga Festival, Practicing with Saul David Raye, Yoga in the Red Rocks, Hiking, and Hanging out with Goddesses!!
Wowza, it was an incredible year, and this coming year is already packed with lots of new adventures.
New Moon Rain Forest Renewal – Costa Rica – October 29 – November 4, 2016 – SOLD OUT!
SHANTI, SHANTI, BALI – March 2017
Hope you can join me for an upcoming yoga retreat in Paradise!
Want to know what it’s like to go on a yoga retreat with Maria? Here are a few testimonials:
“Aruba with Maria is a chance to:
Infuse every cell with fresh sea air,
Work out your tight spots with daily yoga,
Release the peripheral distractions of life, and focus on the center with meditation,
Forge beautiful friendships with strong women from around the world,
Jump into adventures, &
Experience the feeling of being invincible!
Best vacation ever!” – R. Esther Lutes, MD
“Maria is a crazy awesome yoga leader. Her Aruba beach yoga retreat was recommended to me by a friend in 2013 as one of the best, most relaxing vacations, and she wasn’t kidding! This was my first yoga retreat and will not be my last. The resort was perfect, and my fellow yogini goddesses were beautiful. There was a great balance of yoga, group outings, and personal time – so much fun. It was wonderful to totally unplug. I returned from vacation completely relaxed, at peace, and with a new commitment to my yoga. If you ever get the opportunity to practice yoga with Maria, whether in a class or on a retreat, I would highly recommend it. Maria is fun, energetic, compassionate, and exemplifies her manta: I Am Love.” – Debbie Cotts
Apr 18, 2016 |
I’m a big believer in listening to messages from the universe. In fact, I’ve written about this subject many times here on The Daily Downward Dog. It is a concept I originally picked up during a workshop with Erich Schiffmann, where he taught us to sit in meditation long enough to when we could tune into what we really needed to know that day.
Ever since then, my receiver has picked up some pretty profound messages, so I never miss a chance to practice this when I’m meditating. Last summer, I had a beach meditation experience that I remember clearly because it was so peaceful with long, luxurious spaces between my thoughts. All of a sudden, a message came blasting in so strong that it opened my eyes fiercely to the bright sunlight with its one-word message, and the image seared into my mind was Bali.
Yes, Bali, the beautiful Indonesian island known for its spectacular beaches and coral reefs, forested volcanic mountains, temples, rituals and traditions, and yoga and meditation retreats!
On that day, Bali was not one of the retreat destinations I was currently considering. I pushed the message out of my mind and went back to my meditation, but to little avail, I couldn’t banish the thoughts of Bali dancing in my mind. The universe was telling me loud and clear that I needed to get to Bali.
Bali, I hear you loud and clear!
I’ll cut to the chase. From that day on, I was convinced that I must do a yoga retreat in Bali and I did in 2017!, I’m super excited to be following my higher intuition and announcing that I’m going back to Bali again for another retreat in March of 2018!
Shanti, Shanti, Bali | March 12-18, 2018
The retreat will be held at the award-winning Floating Leaf eco-luxury retreat center situated in a lush oasis right by the beach in Sukawati, Bali. Retreat yogis will stay in luxurious villas, indulge in healthy delectable meals, grow your practice with twice a day yoga sessions with me, and take part in an impressive list of excursions and healing rituals that will immerse them into the Balinese arts and culture.
One of the many reasons why I decided to lead the retreat at Floating Leaf is that the universe sent me another little nudge when I found out the retreat center is owned by Mikaku Doliveck who just so happens to be from Cleveland, Ohio!
I’m super excited about this retreat and am offering a special early bird discount for yogis who sign up before July 15. So click here to see more stunning pictures of Floating Leaf, and read about each of the exciting retreat highlights.
Bali, beaches, yoga, surfing, meditation, healing spa treatments, relaxation for body, mind and soul, and personal transformation…. are you listening? Shanti, Shanti, Bali is calling your name too!
Feb 3, 2016 |
I haven’t written much about my 300-hour yoga teacher training, primarily because ever since it began in September of 2014 I have been so immersed in yoga study that there hasn’t been time left for writing. It was a 17-month spiritual journey that transformed the way that I live my life both on and off my yoga mat.
On occasion when we would get together for a weekend immersion, my teacher Mary Pat Murphy would put out a deck of intention cards and we each got to pick one. I always like this kind of exercise because it’s like reading a fortune cookie message. The cards are a lot like life, sometimes they give you the perfect affirmation, and sometimes it takes you a while to figure out what the universe is trying to tell you.
As I was looking back though my journal I kept during the program and the intention cards I picked, I realized that they tell the story of my journey and I’d like to share it with you.
One of the very first cards I selected was Ease, and it was exactly the message I needed. I was with a group of yoga teachers who I didn’t know and we were getting ready to dive into anatomy and that subject can be challenging for me. I was feeling a little intimidated in my new environment and when that happens I can let fear get the best of me. The message of EASE was exactly what I needed to remind me to approach the tough stuff with love in my heart, to slow down and move gently, with peace and ease in my mind. I can’t tell you how much this approach of ease has helped me this year to get though challenging times. When fear starts to bubble up, I remember to approach the situation with ease.
Next came Oneness. What an awesome affirmation to get during yoga teacher training. To me, this is the ultimate goal of yoga. To let go of the ego and the thought that we are different from others. To quiet the mind and realize a state of being that is united with all beings, with all that is in the universe. A state where one finds perfect harmony and peace.
“Peace comes within the souls of men when they realize their oneness with the Universe, when they realize it is really everywhere, it is within each of us.” – Black Elk
One of the messages I received while I was walking the Peace Labyrinth during my Aruba retreat last year was that I always need to remember that when I teach yoga, it is never about me, it is always about serving and loving my students. It is about ONENESS and this is an intention I will always practice.
Oh baby, did I need this affirmation! Each of us in the program got to pick a topic of yoga study to take a deep dive into. After our research was completed we pulled it all together into a formal presentation that was delivered to the group. My topic was yoga for menopause. I pulled this card when I was deep into the research stage, wondering how I was ever going to find the time to finish my research and pull together my presentation with all the other projects, workshops, and retreats I had on my plate last year. The affirmation of STEADFAST was my message from the universe to keep going, to be unwavering and fixed in my faith that I would accomplish the task, and I did!
I absolutely fell in love with the topic of yoga for women as they approach the stages of peri-menopause, menopause, and post menopause and have utilized all the research to create yoga workshops on this topic. I’m thrilled to be presenting a WOW Yoga (Women of Wisdom) workshop at the Sedona Yoga Festival in March and will be scheduling additional dates for the workshop this year.
Woo Hoo! I picked this card the weekend that I gave my special topic presentation, and it was the perfect little kick in the ass to remind me to let go of self-doubt, and to deliver my presentation with confidence and strength. This card also came near the end of 2015 and the word FEARLESSNESS resonated so deeply with me that I decided to make it my intention for the year to come. In 2016 I’m letting go of fear and approaching all that I do from a place of love. I have big plans in place and I know that I’ll never achieve my goals if I let fear get in the way. I am Fearless is my mantra!
WORTHINESS: having adequate or great merit, character, or value: a worthy successor. 2. of commendable excellence or merit; deserving: a book worthy of praise; a person worthy to lead.
This was the card I picked the very last weekend of training. It made me cry. Part of the reason I decided to go on the 300-hour YTT journey was to deepen my knowledge of yoga, but also so that I would feel confident and prepared to help and serve my students. I will never stop studying yoga, I will always be a student, but this card was a beautiful affirmation that I am a teacher worthy to lead others on their yoga journey.
With my teacher Mary Pat Murphy
I will always be grateful to my teacher Mary Pat Murphy and also Jolynn McFerren and Ruth Zito, who assisted in the program held at Namaste Yoga Studio (Namaste offers both a 200 and 300-hour YTT program). It was an incredible journey and I highly recommend this program to yoga teachers who want to take the next step on the path to ease, oneness, steadfastness, fearlessness, and worthiness.
To all my friends and family, thank you so much for being so patient with me. I missed out on some things this past year, but it was all worth it. I also missed sharing my inspiration on this blog, so stay tuned, I have a lot of catching up to do. To stay posted on my upcoming yoga classes, retreats, and workshops, please sign up for my newsletter (you’ll find the widget to sign up on my home page), and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter for lots of fun pics and inspiration.
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
Sharing my Embrace Your Inner Goddess Workshop at the Sedona Yoga Festival.
