Yoga Trip!!!

What better way to wander and re-establish harmony than a yoga trip to Los Angeles! Finally, here is the information for our group trip to LA on January 17th - 21st (Wed. thru Sun.) and everyone is invited to join us on this fabulous yoga adventure.

We will be staying at the Ambrose Hotel, a boutique hotel that provides "ambrosia" for the soul all year-round. It is a totally zen hotel with an Asian inspired garden and koi pond, not to mention great rooms. The hotel is 5 minutes away from the beach, 5 minutes away from great shopping, and only 5-10 minutes away from all the yoga studios and teachers we will be experiencing. Go to their web site at http://www.ambrosehotel.com to see pictures of the hotel or ask me to see the brochure.

We are going to take classes from different yoga teachers, like Bryan Kest, Mark Blanchard, and others, and at different studios like Yoga Works, Exhale, and more. This is a great opportunity to experience a nice variety of styles of teaching and studios.

The total cost of the trip is $1399 per person, or $899 per person if you share a room with someone else. (Please note, I will do my best to help you find someone to share a room but I can not guarantee it.) This covers your hotel room, one rental car per 3 people, parking, an all organic breakfast every morning, all the yoga classes, and a special treat of $150 worth of spa treatments at Willow Spa, where you will also receive a complimentary tea drink in their tropical garden along with a complimentary foot massage. Check out their web site at http://www.willowspa.com

All you need to do is book your airfare to arrive and depart whenever it's convenient for you and pay for additional meals. There are a lot of very inexpensive options for dining. There will be a lot of free time to shop, go to the beach, museums, or whatever your heart desires. You can join us as a group for dinner or be on your own. Just enjoy your experience, however it works for you. The whole point of the trip is to relax, energize, and experience the energy of different studios and the energy and styles of different teachers.

I will need a commitment from you by November 6th of $250 so I can reserve the hotel rooms. It is the off season which is a big time for large groups to come in so we need to reserve our rooms early. The balance of the trip must be paid by December 6th.

The more people who come to share the energy, the more fun it will be. What better way to relax after the hectic holiday season than to get away and practice yoga with your friends.

Om Shanti as we travel down this path together,
Gretchen

Looking Inside Yourself

I know that some of you in class this morning were not happy because you thought you did not get in a cardiovascular workout. First of all, if you did not, that is because you were not breathing and besides, most of you do not truly understand what a cardiovascular workout is and why and how it is important to your health. If you are really honest with yourselves, the issue is not the cardiovascular workout that you think you did not get. You are using that to avoid looking at the truth. If you want to do that, fine. No one is judging you for it. However, if you do want to really be honest, this is one of the instances to which I was refering this morning where you have a great opportunity to learn, to grow, and to transform. Whether you realize it or not, this is why you came to yoga. Examine the real reasons behind this dissatisfaction. Let this be your teacher. Let the attachment to your expectations go. This is what is prohibiting some of you in your yoga practice and in your lives. Many of you are not growing, your bodies are not opening up, and they are not going to as long as you hold on to that. It is your choice to stay there but when you are ready and want to grow and open and transform yourselves, then examine yourselves, look at yourselves, and when you do, not only will you spread your wings and fly, but everyone around you will benefit as well. Remember, you create your own reality by the choices you make. The choices are not always easy. I am not here to judge those choices but I am here to guide you in the practice of yoga, not aerobics, but yoga, and all that entails. What I did today was guide you to a deeper place, now it is your choice to continue to go there or not, to decide if you are ready or not. Whichever you choose, do not judge yourselves good or bad, one is not better than the other.

May you find your peace.

Om Shanti,
Gretchen

Teaching at the Juvenile Detention Center

As many of you know, there is a group of us that volunteer to teach yoga at the Juvenile Detention Center in Olathe. We teach there once a week and rotate the weeks between us so we are only there about once every 6 weeks. It has been such a rewarding experience for all of us. The kids only get to do the yoga every other week because they rotate the classes between the girls and the boys. I always feel such a sense of responsibility to these kids, especially since I may only see them once and never again. They are all in there for various reasons and for various lengths of time. Because of this, we don't get to build a relationship with the kids and because they see a different teacher every week, their experiences are so different each week. When I go, I always hope that there is something I say that they can take with them from that class and hopefully, it will make a difference in their lives.

Today when I taught, I had the boys and they were a little more unruly then I have had before. I should tell you though that every group has been really good and when I say this group was more unruly, they still were pretty good. They just wanted to talk a lot when they were asked not to and that sort of thing. There always seems to be one in every group like that but today, the whole group was like that. At one point I stopped the practice and I said to them, "You create your own reality. You create your reality by the choices you make." I intended to use that statement as a segway to let them know it was up to them as to how the rest of the class was going to go, etc. and I thought one or two might also get what I really meant by that. The boys just blew me away today because every single one in there stopped, their faces completely changed and you could see that all of a sudden, they truly realized that they alone were responsible for their being there. Every single one of them dropped their heads down. It was very sad and very moving all at the same time. The reality they chose for the rest of the class was quite beautiful.

Another message I always try to impart to them is that none of us is there to judge them, not in their practice, nor for the reasons they are there. I always ask them to not judge themselves or each other in the practice, or for the reasons they are there. I always tell them they can not go back and change things. What has happened has happened. They need to forgive themselves and let it go, learn from it, but let it go and realize if a similar situation presents itself again, they can tell themselves they have already had that experience, it wasn't good and they don't need to do it again. Be strong when they need to be and have the strength to let go when they need to let go. I also tell them that they are worthy. They are worthy of love and happiness and it is their right.

When you see these kids, you realize that is exactly what they are, just kids. They still have so much innocence in their faces and some have a lot of hurt in their faces, some anger, some sadness, but always, the innocence is still there. Some come from homes that make it difficult for them to believe all of this, some come from homes like your's and mine. For some, this seems a way of life, for some, jail is a refuge, and for others, they just made a stupid decision at the moment. For whatever reason they are there, they are not bad kids and one of the things this jail is so good about is their volunteer program. They have many programs and
volunteers and the thought behind it is just to let the kids know they are cared about in this world. A little care goes a long way and can turn someone's life around. Are we going to turn them all around? Absolutely not. Are we going to turn some around? Absolutely.

If you have kids at home, give them a big hug and be thankful for them. Spend time with them, treat them with respect, and most importantly, love them with all your heart. That is what they truly want from you. Isn't that what we all truly want?

Om Shanti,
Gretchen

PS.
Thank you to Sumya for organizing our teaching at the Juvenile Detention Center

Physical Health

If we live our lives continually motivated by anger and hatred, even our physical health deteriorates.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Within You, Without You

We were talking - about the space between us all
And the people - who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth - then it's far too late when they pass away

We were talking - about the love we all could share
When we find it - to try our best to hold it there - with our love
With our love we could save the world - if they only knew

Try to realise it's all within yourself - no-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small
And life flows on within you and without you.

We were talking - about the love that's gone so cold
And the people who gain the world and lose their soul
They don't know, they can't see - are you one of them ?

When you've seen beyond yourself
then you may find peace of mind is waiting there
And the time will come when you see we're all one
And life flows on within you and without you.

~by George Harrison (The Beatles, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Did you know that George Harrison was a devoted yogi particularly of Japa yoga, the practice of Mantra meditation, from his mid 20's until his death at the age of 58
in 2001? He is resposible for bringing Indian music to the West and exposing many people to yoga and meditation so a big thank you to George for being one of those
who made it possible for all of us to be practicing yoga today. If you read his lyrics from the song, "Within you, Without You", you realize he is simply talking about
yoga. He wrote those lyrics almost 40 years ago and they seem so appropriate to the state the world is in today. The only way the state of the world is going to change, is to make the changes inside ourselves. Whether or not we do, "life flows on within you, and without you". We can't stop the flow of life, but we can change how we live while life flows on within us, and without us. Your yoga practice is a tool to help make those changes.

Om shanti, Om peace.

Contributing to Society

In this world, in order to enable society to develop, all its members have to assume responsibilites and make their contribution. If we do not make collective contributions then there will be no development.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, speaking to the Tibetan National Assembly inDharamsala, May 1989

Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahuda Vadanti

EKAM SAT, VIPRA BAHUDA VADANTI.
There is but one REALITY, though the wise speak of it in many ways.

What use...

What use is a melody in an unmusical song? What use are eyes which express no kindness? Other than a facial appearance, what do eyes With no quality of kindness really do? A kindly look is the ornament of the eyes. Without kindness the eyes are two unsightly sores.

-Tirukkural 58: 573-575

Anger and Desire

t is not that anger and desire are inherently evil or that we should feel ashamed when they arise. It is a matter of seeing them as the delusions that they are: distorted conceptions that paint a false picture of reality. They are negative because they lead to unhappiness and confusion.

-Kathleen McDonald, "How to Meditate"

The Daily Work

“Our everyday yoga practice brings us home, allows us to abide in our natural state, that universal place inside ourselves—changeless, eternal, whole—a place that contains and embraces all the emotions."
—Amy Weintraub, “Depression and Our Forgotten Magnificence,” Yoga International (July/Aug, 2002)

This quote reminded me of how often people ask me if I believe yoga can heal whatever it is they think needs healing and most of the time, my answer is yes. Yoga is a daily pracitce but in this country we still have a huge gym mentality. We are treating it like other forms of exercise, pushing ourselves too hard while doing it and then not doing it every day. There is no denying it is an incredible form of exercise and one that should be practiced every single day, and that doesn't mean you have to go to a class everyday or shouldn't do other forms of exercise if you enjoy them. At least doing 20 minutes of sun salutations everyday will keep you strong, flexible and balanced.

Yoga is so much more than the physical exercise. Sometimes, the thing that needs healing has been caused by over exercising or injuries. We have a very unhealthy image in this country of what is healthy. Sometimes, and most often, the things in our physical bodies that need healing actually don't have anything to do with the physical body but rather the emotional body and the spirit. As the physical body heals, so does the emotional/spirit body and as the emotional/spirit body heals, so does the physical body but it takes work. We have spent a lifetime, or many lifetimes, to get where we are so the undoing doesn't happen overnight. The work is continual. The work is daily.

Love and light,
Gretchen

There exists...

There exists something that cannot be described.
-Maharamayana

Reflections

We are coming into the long, lazy days of summer, better known as the dog days. Now is a good time to stop and reflect on yourselves and your yoga practice. Not
to mention that Mercury just went retrograde and will be there for 3 weeks and is always a good time to go inward and do some self-reflection. I am asking you to take
some time and think about your yoga practice and ask yourself a lot of questions.

How do I feel in my yoga practice? If I feel good, why do I feel good? If I don't feel good, why don't I feel good? Is yoga just a workout for me? If so, why am I
not able to accept it and let it be more? What is stopping me from experiencing and accepting the practice? Can I sit in stillness? Can I accept doing the same thing
over and over, accepting that each day is starting the practice all over again? Can I practice without judgement, without judging myself, other practitioners, or the
teachers? If not, why do I feel the need to judge? Do I understand that the breath is the foundation of the practice, strengthening the deep internal core muscles,
providing oxygen to the muscles of the body, calming my mind, and massaging my central nervous system? Do I even breathe the ujayyii breath in my practice? Do I
understand that sometimes doing more in the practice is growth and sometimes doing less is growth? Do I understand that doing the more "advanced" postures does
not mean I am more advanced in my yoga? Am I living from the heart, anahatta, or am I living from my third chakra, manipura, allowing my emotions to control my
life? Do I know the philosophy of yoga? Do I live my yoga? Do I understand that yoga is not just a practice on the mat? Am I practicing yoga?

There are so many questions to ask yourself and the first step is being aware. Be aware of how you feel when you ask yourself these questions. It is not the answer
that is important, but the feeling that is important. Don't judge yourself, good or bad. Be accepting of what comes up, acknowledge it and then let it go and then, you
will be practicing your yoga.

Love and light,
Gretchen

Glow in One's Heart

"...what is better than the practice of acceptance to help us live through life's roller-coasters with an ever-present glow in one's heart!?"
~Mark Blanchard

Visit Mark's website at http://www.marksyoga.com

Love Expressing

Independence Day is another time when families tend to gather.

I want to take this opportunity to remind us all, once again, that no one knows our secret hurts better than our family members. They are, without a doubt, our greatest teachers.

Today, I am thankful, once again, for having such skilled teachers in my life. Not only do I get the opportunity to examine areas in my life where I still do not love myself, but I also am offered plenty of practice at forgiving myself and others.

This morning, when I awoke, I looked at the clock and saw it read 12:41, and that it was flashing. I knew this meant that we had a power outage.

As I reset the clock, I saw the metaphor:

Each day is a new day.
Each day is a chance to start over fresh.
Yesterday does not have any power over today,
which I do not give it.

Today I may forgive my yesterday
and I may recommit to staying in love
totally present in the now;
in the newness of this moment.

Today, I am thankful for those who love me enough
to point me in the direction
I need, for my self healing.

Today, I forgive myself
For all the areas
where I fall short
Of whom I think I Am
Of whom I wish to be
Of whom I hope to become
Of whom I think
I should be!

Today I love myself,
just as I am.

When I love myself enough
Perhaps I will free myself
Of my need
For the approval of others.


As I begin my new day,
I am truly grateful
for each and every teacher
present in my life.

Today, once again,
I claim my independence.
as I affirm my freedom.

Thank you,
one and all!

Elliott Teters

To subscribe to the newsletter, Love Expressing, visit the website at:

http://www.loveexpressing.com

Delusion

If you want to get rid of your enemy, the true way is to realize that your enemy is delusion.

-Kegon Sutra

Summer Solstice

June 21, 2006
The Sun's Peak
Summer Solstice

On the longest day of the year, the sun, which has on the days preceding seemed to rise higher and higher into the sky, reaches its zenith and rises no more. This day, which in the Northern Hemisphere can occur between the 20th and 23rd of June, marks the start of summer and is known as the summer solstice. From time immemorial, the coming of summer's light and warmth has been a time of gladness and celebration. In June, the snows had long since melted, the ground had thawed, the first fruits were
ripening on their vines, and Mother Nature had once again renewed herself. Though most of us have turned away from our agricultural heritage, the summer solstice remains a time of new beginnings and life-enriching endings. It is the day the sun reaches the peak of its power as well as the day that heralds the shorter days that eventually bring with them autumn's chills.

For ancient peoples of the Americas and Europe, the summer solstice was a particularly joyous day-and one auspicious for those seeking year-long luck, fertility, abundance, and prosperity. Men and women on two continents would gather to pay tribute to the sun's magnificence, to pray for a bountiful harvest, and to bolster the sun's energy with bonfires and fireworks. Today, the summer solstice represents an optimal time to upon the blessings we have received in seasons past and visualize the new bounties we hope to receive in the season just beginning to flourish. At noon, when the sun is at its highest point, we can pay reverence to its incredible strength and its ability to create life while also musing on the impermanence of life as represented by the impermanence of the season. You can reestablish your innate connection to nature on the summer solstice by spending time outdoors; following the sun's procession as the day passes; burning sun oils such as orange, benzion, or juniper; or decorating an altar with solar images, summer greens, or colorful blossoms.

Just as the summer solstice is symbolic of agricultural growth, so is it symbolic of personal growth. It is a wonderful time to nurture your potential as you would nurture a tiny seedling and let your creative energy express itself fully. On the summer solstice, you may feel compelled to emulate the noontime sun and be at one with the world around you or to let your inner brilliance shine forth at full strength, if only for a single day. Your life, like the seasons, follows a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and summers, whether literal or figurative, can always be celebrated.

~From the Daily Om

Contentment

If we're looking for outer conditions to bring us contentment, we're looking in vain.

-Ayya Khema, "Be an Island"

Learning and Teaching

Practice right conduct, learning and teaching; Be truthful always, learning and teaching; Master the passions, learning and teaching; Control the senses, learning and teaching; Strive for peace always, learning and teaching; Rouse kundalini, learning and teaching; Serve humanity, learning and teaching; Beget progeny, learning and teaching. Satyavacha says: "Be truthful always." Taponitya says: "Master the passions." Naka declares: "Learning and teaching are Necessary for spiritual progress."

-Taittiriya Upanishad

Getting to the Root of Zen

For some years now, students have not been getting to the root of the aim of Zen, instead taking the verbal teachings of Buddhas and Zen masters to be the ultimate rule. That is like ignoring a hundred thousand pure clear oceans and only focusing attention on a single bubble.

-Ying-an

Attentiveness

Attentiveness is the path to true life; Indifference is the path to death. The attentive do not die; The indifferent are as if they are dead already.

-Dhammapada

The Invitation

The Invitation
~by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's desire.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the center of your sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become shriveled and closed for the fear of future pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, or to remember the limitations of human beings.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true.
I want to know if you disappoint another to be true to yourself, if you can bear the accusations of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, your’s or mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver moon "Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn't interest me who you are now or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

Dropped Into Still Waters - The Ripple Effect

In a world of six billion people, it's easy to believe that the only way to initiate profound transformation is to take extreme action. Each of us, however, carries within us the capacity to change the world in small ways for better or worse. Everything we do and think affects the people in our lives, and their reactions in turn affect others. As the effect of a seemingly insignificant word passes from person to person, its impact grows and can become a source of great joy, inspiration, anxiety, or pain. Your thoughts and actions are like stones dropped into still waters, causing ripples to spread and expand as they move outward. The impact you have on the world is greater than you could ever imagine, and the choices you make can have far-reaching consequences. You can use the ripple effect to make a positive difference and spread waves of kindness that will wash over the world.

Should the opportunity arise, the recipient of a good deed will likely feel compelled to do a good deed for someone else. Someone feeling the effects of negative energy will be more likely to pass on that negative energy. One act of charity, one thoughtful deed, or even one positive thought can pass from individual to individual, snowballing until it becomes a group movement or the ray of hope that saves someone's life. Every transformation, just like every ripple, has a point of origin. You must believe in your ability to be that point of origin if you want to use the ripples you
create to spread goodness. Consider the effect of your thoughts and actions, and try to act graciously as much as possible.

A smile directed at a stranger, a compliment given to a friend, an attitude of laughter, or a thoughtful gesture can send ripples that spread among your loved ones and associates, out into your community, and finally throughout the world. You have the power to touch the lives of everyone you come into contact with and everyone those people come into contact with. The momentum of your influence will grow as your ripples moves onward and outward. One of those ripples could become a tidal wave of
love and kindness.

~Daily OM

Gateways to a Beautiful Life

#1. The main work of every human being is inner work. Each day, do something significant to deepen yourself. To have more of the life that you truly want, you
must first become more of who you truly are.

#2. See your life as a fantastic growth school. Everything that you experience, both good and challenging, has come to you to teach you the lesson that you most
needed to learn at that particular stage of your evolution as a person. Understand this truth, and keep asking yourself, "What opportunity does this person or situation
represent" in terms of your personal growth. This is a great source of inner peace.

#3. Be true to yourself--the best life is the authentic life. Never betray yourself. Take off your social mask and have the personal bravery to present the real you to the world. The world will be richer for it.

#4. Remember that we collect what we project. Our outer lives are nothing more than a mirror image of our inner lives. Pour light on your dark side. Become aware of the false assumptions, limiting beliefs, and fears that are keeping you small, and your exterior world will change.

#5. We see the world not as it is but as we are. Know that the truth in any given circumstance is filtered through your personal stained glass window--your personal
context. Clean up the windows, and you'll clean up your life. Then you'll see the truth.

#6. Live in your heart--it's wisdom never lies. Follow the quiet promptings of your heart, and you'll be led in the direction of your destiny.

#7. Stand in the curiosity of your life. In surrendering control, you'll create a space for possibilities to enter and treasures to flow.

#8. Care for yourself. Do something each day to nurture your mind, body, and spirit. These are essential acts of self-respect and self-love.

#9. Build human connections. Dedicate yourself to deepening your bonds with the people around you. Focus on helping others achieve their dreams, and be more
concerned with selfless service rather than self-gratification. You're here to enrich this world, and you betray yourself once you forget this truth.

#10. Leave a legacy. The deepest longing of the human heart is the need to live for a cause greater than oneself.

Excerpted from "The Saint, the Surfer, and the CEO

Let There be Peace

Secrets to Peace Issue 130-06
Let There be Peace
May 10, 2006


I love the idea expressed behind the word “let”.

It is the ultimate creation tool.

When we look at the biblical creation story, with each new creation, God would “let there be light, or let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water."

Typically, when we think of creation, we think of action. We equate it to doing; but, let seems to imply that the way of creation is “allowing” or “being” instead of doing.

I looked up let, in an online dictionary and it said, “to give permission or opportunity to”.

I thought, this may be what I leave out of my attempts at the creation process. I want. I expect. I may even demand, but perhaps I forget to “give permission to” or “allow” that which I want to see manifest.

Perhaps, “Let there be peace” must be accompanied by a release of my observations of where peace is not?

Maybe “allowing” peace is about non-resistance and not about demanding change?

Today, I will “let” these ideas percolate within my consciousness.

Thank you for “letting” me share my thoughts with you.

Elliott Teters

Silencing The Chatter
Taming Monkey Mind In Meditation

It's been called the monkey mind - the endless chattering in your head as you jump in your mind from thought to thought while you daydream, analyze your relationships, or worry over the future. Eventually, you start to feel like your thoughts are spinning in circles and you're left totally confused.

One way to tame this wild creature in your head is through meditation - although the paradox is that when you clear your mind for meditation you actually invite the monkey in your mind to play. This is when you are given the opportunity to tame this mental beast by moving beyond thought - to become aware of a thought rather than thinking a thought. The difference is subtle, but significant. When you are aware of your thoughts, you can let your thoughts rise and float away without letting them pull you in different directions. Being able to concentrate is one of the tools that allows you to slow down your thought process and focus on observing your thoughts.

To develop your concentration, you may want to start by focusing on the breath while you meditate. Whenever your monkey mind starts acting up, observe your thoughts and
then return your focus to your breath. Some breathing meditations call on you to focus on the rise and fall of the breath through the abdomen, while others have you
concentrate on the sound of the breath. Fire can also be mesmerizing, and focusing on a candle flame is another useful tool for harnessing the mind. Keep the gaze soft
and unfocused while observing the color, shape, and movement of the flame, and try not to blink. Close your eyes when you feel the need and continue watching the flame in your head. Chanting, devotional singing, and mantras also still the mind. However you choose to tame the monkey mind, do so with firm kindness. The next time the chattering arises, notice it and then allow it to go away. With practice, your monkey mind will become quiet and so will you.

~From the Daily Om

Peace

We all hear the same sounds. We look up and see the same sky. We cry the same tears. Our feelings and emotions are the same. All mothers are sisters. All fathers are brothers. All children are one.

Yet there is hate. There is violence. There is intolerance. There is confusion among people. We don't try hard enough to understand each other. We don't seem to realize that we all have the same basic needs, no matter who we are or what part of the world we come from.

We must understand the differences among us and celebrate the sameness. We must make the world a place where love and friendship dominate our hearts. Equality, respect, compassion, and kindness must guide our actions. Only then will we all be able to peacefully and lovingly live the life we each choose.

~Susan Polis Shutz

My Practice

About a week ago in one of the evening classes, someone made the comment to me that I don't know what it's like to struggle in a yoga posture and asked to see me do a posture with which I struggle. I was in the middle of teaching the class and continued on with the class without commenting. This particular class was taking people outside of their comfort zones and working on postures that didn't necessarily come easy to them so there were a lot of people falling out of postures, etc. That is what spurred that comment and I thought a lot about it later that evening. I want to share with you my thoughts and also a little bit about my own practice, about which I am asked a lot.

First of all, there are not any postures with which I struggle. Does that mean I can do the postures or even do them well? Not necessarily. There are a lot of postures that I can't do, yet, but I don't ever struggle in them. I work hard in my postures but always with a sense of calmness, with a great awareness of my body, and always, always guided by my breath. Whenever there is a new posture that I am learning, I never have the thought that I can't do the posture; in fact, I always think I can. Does that mean I can do the posture? Sometimes, sometimes not, but more often I can and I can because I believe I can. The mind is one of our most powerful tools and the vibration of our thoughts dictate a lot. The biggest obstacle we face in yoga is ourselves.

Being able to do a posture is just the end result of opening ourselves up and finding balance. Balance in our physical bodies, balance in our minds, and balance in our spirits. The goal is not to achieve a perfect posture, which there is no such thing; the goal is to remove the obstacles that are prohibiting us from being able to do the posture. The posture is just the end result of the journey. Sometimes the imbalances are physical, sometimes they are mental with the biggest mental obstacle being fear, and that's ok. That is as important to work through as the physical aspects and many of the physical blocks are caused from the fear. It's all about bringing the body, the mind, and the spirit into balance with one another and then ultimately bringing that balance into our lives. We do all of this work not for the
time we spend on our mats, but rather the time we spend off of our mats.

I am often asked if I go to classes, do I do my own practice at home, and do I use videos. Yes to all of that. I do teach at least 12 classes per week so I get a lot in just by the little bits I do in a class. I do go to classes when I can. Because I teach at the same times as most other classes, there are not many I am able to attend, but I always love to just be a student and I love experiencing everyone's energy. I attend as many workshops as I am able; not for teaching so much, but for my own practice. My teaching comes from my own practice because I am just sharing what I know in my own body.

I do sometimes do videos at home and sometimes I do my own practice without videos. When I do my own practice, I don't think about what I'm going to do, I just let my body dictate the next posture. I just do whatever feels good and I never let a day go by without doing some yoga. I may not get a full practice in but I always do something.

I love the practice of yoga. I love the way my body feels in the practice, I love when I find new openings in my body, I love how grounded and centered I feel in my life and continue to feel more so every day. I love the way pranayama and chanting affect my body, the way they open my chakras, and the clarity of mind that I get from them. I love that I have found the abilitly to travel to other planes in this universe allowing me to see how it is all connected.

I love sharing my experiences with all of you and I love what I learn from all of you. Mostly, I love what I learn from practicing, because the guru is truly inside each of us.

Om shanti as together, we travel down our individual paths,
Gretchen

The Practitioner

As in the ocean's midmost depth no wave is born, but all is still, so let the practitioner be still, be motionless, and nowhere should one swell.

-Sutta-nipata, translated by Dines Anderson and Helmer Smith

Meditation

When you are with someone you love very much, you can talk and it is pleasant, but the reality is not in the conversation. It is in simply being together. Meditation is the highest form of prayer. In it you are so close to God that you don't need to say a thing--it is just great to be together.

-Swami Chetananda

Peace and Harmony

Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a necessity. We are dependent on each other in so many ways that we can no longer live in isolated communities and ignore what is happening outside those communities.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Way to Practice

It is not proper to watch other people. This will not help your practice. If you are annoyed, watch the annoyance in your own mind. If others' discipline is bad or they are not good monks, this is not for your to judge. You will not discover wisdom watching others. Monks'discipline is a tool to use for your own mediation. It is not a weapon to use to criticize or find fault. No one can do your practice for you, nor can you do practice for anyone else, just be mindful of our own doings. This is the way to practice.

~Ajahn Chah, "Bodhinyana"

The Prana of the Universe

The sun is the prana of the universe, And it rises to bring light to our eyes. The earth draws the lower fire of apana; The space between sun and earth is samana, And the moving air is vyana. "Fire is udana. When that fire goes out, The senses are drawn back into the mind And the person is ready for rebirth. "Whatever the content of consciousness At the time of death, that is what unites us To prana, udana, and the Self, To be reborn in the plane we have earned."

-Prashna Upanishad

Lord of Love

All is change in the world of the senses, But changeless is the supreme Lord of Love, Meditate on him, be absorbed in him, Wake up from this dream of separateness.

-Shvetashvatara Upanishad

Objects of the World

"In every direction," said the Buddha, "above, below, around, and within, you see things you know and recognize. Put them down. Do not let consciousness dwell on the products of existence and things that come and go, for there is no rest of relief there. When you understand that by taking the objects of the world for granted as total reality, you are tied to the world, then this understanding will release you from your dependence on objects and will stop your craving and your desire for constant becoming. Then you can let go your hold and engage with things as they are, instead."

-Sutta Nipata

Buddha Speaks

"But what makes these 'experts' preach their own opinion and call it truth?" asked the inquirer. "Is it an inheritance of humankind to do this, or is it merely something they gain satisfaction from?" "Apart from consciousness," answered the Buddha, "no absolute truths exist. False reasoning declares one view to be true and another view wrong. It is delight in their dearly held opinions that makes them assert that anyone who disagrees is bound to come to a bad end. But no true seeker becomes embroiled in all this. Pass by peacefully and go a stainless way, free from theories, lusts, and
dogmas."

-Majjhima Nikaya

"Buddha Speaks," edited by Anne Bancroft, 2000. Reprinted by with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.

Disparaging Words

Disparaging words pain a man even when uttered in jest. Therefore, those who know human nature are courteous even to their enemies.

-Tirukkural 100:995

Why I Don't Use Props

The subject of the use of props, or rather why I don't allow them in my classes has come up again and I would like to address that with all of you. I do not use props
for a number of reasons. First of all, when you are using a prop, you are not truly in the posture for where your body is. You may feel like you are but in fact, the
prop is only giving you a perception that you are and making your ego feel better because that is not where your body is. We are trying to move past the blockages of
our bodies and in my opinion, using the blocks and props only prevents that. If you can place your hand on a block, you can place your hand on your leg which will also make you engage your stabilizer muscles which you need to be doing anyway. When you use straps, you are using leverage and that can be a recipe for injuries.

I know this is a different opinion from some teachers, but it is what I believe as well as some other teachers believe. This is a 5,000 year old practice and the use of props has only been in the last 15 - 20 years. Besides the reasons I have stated, I want to stay more true to the practice of yoga.

I know everyone wants to be deeper in a posture but part of the yoga practice is also accepting where we are each day. This is not just a physical exercise and I can not
stress that enough. I relate the practice of yoga to retail. In a retail store, 80% of your merchandise does not sell but you need that 80% to sell the other 20%. You
need the daily physical practice of yoga to help with the mental/spiritual benefits of yoga. Yes, the physical practice is hugely important, but it is not just physical
exercise.

Since I am addressing the use of props, I will also address why I don't use music. First of all, let me say that I think music is very important in our lives for a lot of reasons that I am not going to go in to right now, but I don't use it in my classes because I want the breath to be the music and I want you to learn to calm yourselves and not rely on the music to do it. I also feel like it is a distraction to the mind while you are practicing. You are suppose to be listening to the sound of your breath, not the sound of the music. Again, this is also staying true to the 5,000 year old yoga practice.

These are my beliefs and I have to teach what I believe.

Om Shanti and good health to all of you physically, mentally, and spiritually,
Gretchen