Mar 8, 2012 |
The yoga poetry love fest continues today with a little ditty from Bob Weisenberg about how freakin’ amazing life can be!
If you are not familiar with Bob, he is the Associate Publisher of Elephant Journal, creator of an incredible series called Gita in a Nutshell and Gita Talk: Self-paced Online Seminar, and also happens to be a kick-ass flamenco guitar player. Bob and I share a common goal: to help demystify yoga for our readers. If you have ever struggled through a reading of the Bhagavad Gita, Bob breaks it down by major theme instead of the order it’s written. He mashes up the big ideas and the best quotations, opening it up for community discussion, and it’s a beautiful thing. Please check it out on Elephant Journal or Facebook, and if you’re curious about his flamenco guitar, you can download a few free cuts on his Yoga Demystified site. You should know that a little flamenco guitar can bring a touch of flair to just about any yoga class playlist.
Bob was lucky to have three of his poems chosen to appear in Volume I of The Poetry of Yoga, a superb new anthology of contemporary poetry that was edited and pulled together lovingly by community organizer, peace educator, author, spoken word poet, yoga instructor, and artist HawaH. I’ve been featuring some of my favorite poems from the anthology over the past week in hopes that many of you will head on over to The Poetry of Yoga website to pick up your very own copy.
The Meaning of Life–Who Cares?
By Bob Weisenberg, The Poetry of Yoga Volume I, page 85
According to the ancient Yoga sages
Questioning the meaning of life
While living
Is like questioning the meaning of a roller coaster
In the middle of a roller coaster ride.
Or, like questioning the meaning of love
In the middle of lovemaking.
Who cares when something is so amazing?
The amazement IS the meaning.
The amazement IS the ultimate reality.
The amazement IS the life-force of the universe
All around us and within us
Far beyond our ability
To absorb or comprehend.
The amazement IS what some call God
And the ancient sages called Brahman.
In the midst of the ups and downs
Of life and love
Just relax, breathe deeply
And experience the infinite thrill
of the amazing ride.
Win a FREE copy of The Poetry of Yoga
The Daily Downward Dog has already given away one book, but you still have another chance to pick up your very own copy of The Poetry of Yoga. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment below to let me know how much you love the mash-up of poetry and yoga. I will randomly select one winner on Monday, March 12 at noon EST from all of the comments left on the posts that include excerpts from the anthology.
If you are loving this poetry as much as I am, please consider purchasing a copy of the book, which is available at thepoetryofyoga.com, and help spread the word about this book to the yoga lovers in your life. For every book that is purchased, a donation is made to One Common Unity, so you get the gift of poetry and the gift of helping others.
Interested in submitting a poem for the second anthology? Check out The Poetry of Yoga Facebook page for details.
Mar 2, 2012 |
During the week of Valentine’s Day, I honored the holiday in my yoga classes with a theme brimming full of love. It wasn’t girlfriend, boyfriend, or significant other love; I was celebrating that full-on unabashed love we all need to give ourselves. This love shouldn’t just be commemorated on Valentine’s Day, but each and every day of the year. I’m talking about letting go of self-judgment, taking care of yourself physically, mentally, spiritually, and believing in yourself.
I found the perfect poem to convey a loving affirmation to my students and shared it with them when they were coming out of savasana. Well, I should say I shared it with some of my classes. Yeah, I have a little yoga teacher confession to make. During an evening class, I turned the lights down in the room so the students could settle into savasana, and the room was pretty darn dark. I sauntered over to the only light source, sans glasses, and started to read the poem. About three lines in, I realized I was screwed because my blurry eyesight was not registering the words. I fumbled through the poem, and luckily no one laughed.
My words of wisdom to all you yoga teachers out there are: Don’t be afraid to wear your glasses when reading materials in class, and go out and invest in a miniature flashlight that you can shine on your reading material when in a darkened room. And, one more bit of wisdom: Admit your mistakes to your students, and you will get a lot of love and compassion, not to mention a good laugh from them. I’ll just add this to my list of embarrassing yoga teaching moments and learn and grow from it.
But I digress, back to the poetry….
I’d like to share this poem with you. It comes from The Poetry of Yoga, an incredible anthology of yoga poems written by modern-day yoga poets. If you are yoga teacher seeking yoga poems to read in class, or are someone who wants to deepen their spiritual practice, please check out my recent review of The Poetry of Yoga for more details about how the collection was compiled and to order your very own copy.
One Love
By Jana Dvorska, from The Poetry of Yoga, Volume 1, Page 132
Come into the light
Hold each other’s hearts
Keep a tranquil mind
Full of hope and serenity
Believe anything is possible
Imagine yourself where you want to be
It will become reality
Limitless imagination will change the world
Set your intention and accomplish
Believe it and you will live it
Come together
Unite as one love
The universe is infinite unity
Universal is love
Be love
Feel love within your entire being
Let it radiate out into the world
Touch everyone you meet with your light and love
And if that poem was not totally yoga-loving-licious on its own, here’s a little musical accompaniment to bring the love full circle.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g[/youtube]
Win a FREE copy of The Poetry of Yoga
The Daily Downward Dog has been given two copies of The Poetry of Yoga to give away. To enter for you chance to win one of the copies, leave a comment below to let me know how much you love the mash-up of poetry and yoga. I will randomly select one winner on Monday, March 5 and another on Monday, March 12 at noon EST from all of the comments left on the posts that include excerpts from the anthology.
If you are loving this poetry as much as I am, please consider purchasing a copy of the book, which is available at thepoetryofyoga.com, and help spread the word about this book to the yoga lovers in your life. For every book that is purchased, a donation is made to One Common Unity, so you get the gift of poetry and the warm fuzzies of helping others. You can also follow the creation of the second anthology on the website and on their Facebook page.
One Love Music
Love – it’s not just for Valentine’s Day.
Thinking of incorporating a love theme into an upcoming yoga class? Here are a few non lovey-dovey songs about loving yourself and others, which are perfect for any yoga class playlist.
“Give Love” – MC Yogi (you can download a free copy of this song at www.yogafriends.com)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpVUih5nY9g[/youtube]
“Could You Be Loved” – Bob Marley
“Put a Little Love in Your Heart” – There are many recordings of this song, but I used the collaboration from Al Greene and Annie Lennox that is available on iTunes.
“True Colors” – Cyndi Lauper
“Have a Little Faith” – Michael Franti & Spearhead
“Seeds of Love” – Tears for Fears
“Seasons of Love” – From the Rent Soundtrack
“All You Need is Love” – The Beatles
I’m sure there are a ton more, so if you feel so inclined, please share some love and your favorite love-themed songs in the comments below. I would LOVE to hear from you!
Join me for a week of Beach Yoga Bliss in Aruba April 11-18, 2015)….our mantra for the week is I AM LOVE!
Feb 27, 2012 |
A few weeks ago I received a book in the mail, and as I started to scan through the pages, I felt like I had won the lottery! Like a beautiful asana, each page contained words perfectly aligned to lift my soul. I had been given the gift of a book of yoga poems that I know will provide inspiration for my life and my yoga classes for many years to come.
The Poetry of Yoga is a new anthology of contemporary poetry that was edited and pulled together lovingly by community organizer, peace educator, author, spoken word poet, yoga instructor, and artist HawaH, who wanted to create a body of current yoga verse written by modern, living poetic voices that would reflect on how yoga continues to shift the landscape of human consciousness and civilization.
Back in October 2010, HawaH launched a call for submissions for this book (which, through the power of social media, became a worldwide poetic movement) and received more than 1,500 submissions. He called upon master teachers and writers from around the globe to offer submissions as well.
So, how cool of a job would that be to read all of those submissions and then get to pick which ones made it to the anthology? HawaH joyfully did this task without seeing the names of the authors so that he would have an unbiased view. He was able to narrow down the submissions to 450 pages, too much for one book, so the decision was made to offer two anthologies. The first was published on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11).
“Poetry and Yoga…as inseparable as ocean and sand. Together they create a mirror glass reflecting the enlightenment inside of us. Yoga turns us inward as we discover the graceful flow of our bodies interacting with breath and spirit; poetry channels expression outwards, pouring in the shape of words onto paper. Letters bend as a yoga asana, creating paragraphs with our lives. Feelings unravel in the form of sentences buried deep inside.” – Hawah, from the Prologue of The Poetry of Yoga
As you go through the poems, you will find diverse voices from all around the globe, and if I have not piqued your interest yet, you can also check out the poetic stylings of yogis like Shiva Rea, Erich Schiffmnn, Sharon Gannon, Judith Hanson Lasater, Swami Ramananda, and Krishna Das.
One of the missions of this work is to help raise awareness and money for a non-profit organization called One Common Unity, which supports a movement for peace education and the building of a non-violent culture through music and art. In other words, they bring arts-based health and wellness, conflict resolution, and nonviolence education for inner-city youth. Fifty percent of the proceeds of each book sold is donated to One Common Unity.
If you are looking for uplifting poems to share with your yoga classes or are simply seeking a spiritual lift, you will find it in the pages of The Poetry of Yoga. Visit thepoetryofyoga.com to watch videos of the authors reading their poetry, get details on how to submit your work for the second anthology (which will be published on 12/12/12), and to purchase your very own copy.
I’d like to share with you one of the poems from the book. I got a huge smile on my face when I found it because it is the poem that I read when I taught my very first yoga class. I was leaving behind my stressful days working in corporate America and choosing instead to teach yoga. The words in Aaron’s poem speak to how I lived my life for so many years, and they celebrate the decision I made to live a more peaceful, fulfilling, and healthy life.
Too Busy to Relax by Aaron Hoopes
From The Poetry of Yoga Volume I, page 95-96
Too busy to relax they say
Complaints, excuses everyday
They sound so weak, so stressed, so tired
A mundane world in which they’re mired
No time to sit and just be quiet
Their mind’s a rush of thoughts, a riot
No chance they have to hear the sound
Of nature’s wonder all around
Of birds and trees and clouds and air
Too much work, it’s just not fair
This really seems quite sad to me
So much to do, no time to be
Breathe I say and move a bit
Then after that we can just sit
And watch the world at its own pace
There is no rush, it’s not a race
And if it were, what is the goal?
Where are you going mind, body, soul?
Too busy to relax I hear
These words seem like they’re based in fear
Tired, weak and too much stress
How did our lives turn such a mess?
We don’t need to look above
To find a place that’s based in love
Turn instead and look within
Find your self, it is no sin
Forgive, let go, open your heart
It is the only place to start
Think on that and you might find
Throughout your life you have been blind
Breathe I say and move some more
Run, walk, jump, stretch on the floor
Move your body, get up and go
Feel the energy, let it flow
Don’t get caught in negative
Habits that won’t let you live
Too busy to relax? Not true!
This hoax must end, it starts with you
If all you do is just the same
You never will escape this game
Do something new, do something Zen
Begin right now, not ‘if’ or ‘when’
Do one thing different, or two, or five
Change how you live, become alive
Do or do not, there is no try
Step off the cliff and start to fly
Begin with this, you won’t go wrong
Remember to breathe, deep and long.
I think I need to read this poem each and every day as a reminder to slow down and RELAX! Thank you, Aaron, for the insight and wisdom this poem provided.
Win Your Very Own Copy of The Poetry of Yoga!
To celebrate and share this lovely gift I received, The Daily Downward Dog is giving away two copies of The Poetry of Yoga. Leave a comment below to let me know how the poetry of yoga speaks to you. I will randomly select one winner on Monday, March 5 and another on Monday, March 12, 2012 at noon EST. In between now and then, I may just share a few more of my favorite poems from this awesome anthology.
Please spread the word about this book. And, you can follow the creation of the second anthology on the website and also through the Poetry of Yoga Facebook page.
Thank you, HawaH, for making these two copies of the book available to my readers and for your hard work and dedication to create such a marvelous and awe-inspiring collection of poetry about yoga. I may just have to get busy and create some poems to submit for the second anthology!
Feb 22, 2012 |
What an incredible concept: Yoga Bliss Akron celebrates their 1-year birthday, and yoga aficionados around Northeast Ohio get the goods. The goods come in the form of an all-star line-up of yoga classes and workshops that are being offered on Saturday, February 25 for FREE!
Yeah, I said FREE!
To give you an idea of the yogaliciousness of this event, check out the list of classes. There is something for every level of student. If you have been wanting to try a new form of yoga, are curious about meditation, or are wondering what all the talk about Thai massage is about, you must check out a few of these classes.
Bliss Day Festivities at Yoga Bliss Akron
9:00 AM Blissful Power
9:15 AM Flowing with the Seven Spiritual Laws
10:15 AM Detoxing through Breath, Twists, and Backbends
10:30 AM Therapeutic Yoga
11:30 AM Core Power
11:45 AM Slow Burn & Yoga Nidra
12:45 PM Inversions & Arm Balances
1:00 PM Introduction to Meditation
2:00 PM Hip Opening Class
2:15 PM Pranayama & Yoga Basics
3:15 PM Floating
3:30 PM A Taste of Thai Massage
4:30 PM The Five Tibetan Rites
4:45 PM Living Yoga, Living Love
Classes shown in bold will be held in the spacious and balmy hot studio, and the other classes will be held in the basics studio, which is kept at 70 degrees.
For more details on each of these classes, please visit the Yoga Bliss website and check out the schedule for Saturday, February 25. Yoga Bliss is located at 3045 Smith Road, Suite 300, in Akron, Ohio, directly behind Summit Mall.
I am thrilled for Yoga Bliss Akron and am also so grateful to Caroline for offering me the opportunity to teach at this beautiful studio. It has been an incredible year, and it’s been really fun to witness the community of students, teachers, and staff blossom and grow.
Happy Birthday, Yoga Bliss Akron! Here’s to another awesome year of blissful yoga to come (and many more)!
Feb 16, 2012 |
If you ever find yourself in South Beach (SOBE), forget about celebrity sightings and nightclubs, and head on over to the 3rd Street Beach to catch a beach yoga class! You don’t have to worry about what day of the year it is; these awesome beach yoga classes happen 365 days a year, and you have your pick of either a sunrise yoga class at 7 am or a sunset class at 5 pm.
These community yoga classes got their start back in 1998, when SOBE local and newly certified yoga instructor, October Rose, started practicing daily on the 3rd Street Beach. People started to join her, and before she knew it, she was teaching two classes daily. The word spread, and other teachers joined in the fun. In 2008, October moved to India, but her legacy lived on: Those two daily classes continue with the help of a talented group of local teachers.
As if practicing yoga on the beach is not cool enough in itself, 3rd Street Beach Yoga makes it even cooler by making the classes accessible and free to everyone. The teachers all offer yoga from their heart, but they do accept donations.
I was extremely lucky to attend two 3rd Street Beach Yoga classes when I was on vacation recently in SOBE. Yeah, it was a little tough crawling out of my comfy bed in the dark to make it to the 7 am class each morning, but it was well worth it!
The first day I attended a class led by Benjamin Smielowitz. It was dark and windy when class first started, but I was thrilled to see that another 25 or so beach yoga lovers had gotten their butts up early to get their yoga fix. We were rewarded when the sun started to creep out of the Atlantic, and by the end of class, we were doing our yoga accompanied by a gorgeous sunrise and sunny, blue skies.
Benjamin started class by asking if anyone was a yoga teacher. I raised my hand, and he was quick to ask me if I would like to teach the class. He was kidding (thank god), but I assured him that, as much as I enjoy teaching yoga on the beach, I was on vacation and was looking forward to experiencing his brand of beach yoga. I was not disappointed. Benjamin took us through a vigorous class (perfect for a brisk morning on the beach) and a few challenging poses like hanumanasana, which he skillfully demonstrated and then offered up the requisite modifications for those of us who aren’t quite as flexible.
My favorite part of class was savasana. It was cold that morning, and after only a few minutes in this resting pose, Benjamin, who thought that many of us looked uncomfortable lying in the cool windy morning air, invited us to come to a seated position in a circle. He then led us through a seated meditation with the mantra, lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu, which as he explained to the group translates to:
May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
It was a meaningful and moving way to end the class, and I felt a sense of community along with all of the other participants that morning.
I got to talk to Benjamin for a few moments after class and learned that he attended his very first yoga class right there on the beach in 2002 (how cool is that!). In less than a year from that fated first beach yoga class, he had gone on to become a certified yoga teacher. I love how the beach and the yoga had such a profound effect on his life!
Benjamin is also a gifted musician, and you can hear a track from his latest CD below.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6X52ikelNY[/youtube]
Tuesday morning I got up early again and joyously walked to the beach in anticipation of a second blissful sunrise yoga session. It was another chilly, overcast morning, and as I started to approach the lifeguard stand at 3rd Beach, my heart began to sink. There was no one assembled like there had been the day before, and I worried that the class might be cancelled (that happens if the temperatures fall below 55 degrees). But, not to worry, I looked a little further down the beach, and instructor Heather Morgan was walking towards me. We met up at the lifeguard booth and walked around to find a spot protected from the wind – no sooner than that did other beach yoga aficionados begin crawling out of the woodwork.
I learned a lot from Heather that morning. For example, Heather turned me on to a very high-tech way to keep beach towels (makeshift yoga mats) from blowing away on windy days. She simply comes prepared with some plastic bags that she fills with sand to weigh down the towels. Genius! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that when I was scouring the shores of Lake Erie last summer looking for rocks and driftwood to weigh down the beach towels on windy days.
Heather also had excellent modifications to help the class deal with the wind and instability that can come at times when practicing on the sand. She is a gifted teacher who brings her extensive knowledge of proper alignment to her asana cues along with a delightful English accent and sense of humor.
One of the most memorable parts of Heather’s class is when we chanted Om at the beginning and end. I have never heard anyone who can hold their Om better than Heather. I would be out of breath and closing off my Om, and I swear Heather would keep hers going for what seemed like a full minute longer.
If you’re in Miami, Heather teaches extensively throughout the area, and her favorite yoga style, which I’m bummed I did not get to try, is Skanda. I guess this will be my incentive to get down to Miami again so I can check out yet another flavor of yoga.
Heather and I both share a love for beach yoga. After class, I got to spend some time talking with her, and as we chatted, a passerby stopped to ask her about the classes. Heather was so enthusiastic in explaining the classes and the fact that you get to be outside with nature, watching the sunrise while doing yoga, and how in essence, this is what life is all about.
“Yoga challenges us, awakening our inner warrior to help us be the best we can be – add that to the beach,
and you have perfection.” – Heather Morgan
I couldn’t agree more! Thank you, Heather and Benjamin, for giving me such a lovely gift on my vacation and for the awesome inspiration that you provided for my summer beach yoga classes.
