Can you ground too much? Nope.
Especially in our culture, removed as we are from the earth, natural light, and foot connecting to soil means of traveling. It is something that builds over time and something I gain from every yoga practice I do.
One practice to ground is to press into the earth when standing, sitting, or kneeling. It is a simple thing, as is visualizing, but life changing like a hinge on which so much weight can easily turn.
I grew up amidst mountains and was surprised on my last tubing trip on a mountain how easy it was to ground myself and feel so deliciously solid. Upon further reflection, all my favorite childhood memories were in the mountains at my grandparent's home, skiing, and hiking. I also find myself grounding effortlessly when I am on dedicated temple grounds, oft considered the 'Mountain of the Lord'. It was quite the epiphany to me as I found grounding such a feat to accomplish and maintain. It also made me realize why I felt so out of place in the low lying hills and flatlands back east. Trees are amazing, but I grew out of the mountain side.
Tadasana (mountain pose), unsurprisingly, has become quite significant for me now. It is now longer just standing. It is a pressing, visualizing MY mountains, and reaping the delicious solidarity on which to build.
Namaste.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Bodhi Flow - Vinyasa practice
The Bodhi Flow is an amazing vinyasa and unifying workout. It is a set series of movements, tiered and layered in such a way that warms, opens, strengthens and thoroughly readies you for an amazing asana practice, in addition to unifying body and mind.
It was exactly what I needed coming from an athletic background to consider yoga worth my time. It was my bridge to fully appreciate all aspects of yoga, not just my "great workout".
When I first did the Bodhi Flow, I was stunned that I could feel so good while I worked out and completely blown away that I could feel more energized when I was done. I was trained early on that if I didn't have to take a two hour nap after my workouts, I didn't work out hard enough. The Bodhi Flow truly liberated me to a wide realm of 'feel good'.
Thank you Bodhi Flow for the energy, strength, and self-unification.
Namaste.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
It was exactly what I needed coming from an athletic background to consider yoga worth my time. It was my bridge to fully appreciate all aspects of yoga, not just my "great workout".
When I first did the Bodhi Flow, I was stunned that I could feel so good while I worked out and completely blown away that I could feel more energized when I was done. I was trained early on that if I didn't have to take a two hour nap after my workouts, I didn't work out hard enough. The Bodhi Flow truly liberated me to a wide realm of 'feel good'.
Thank you Bodhi Flow for the energy, strength, and self-unification.
Namaste.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
BodhiSpin - Kundalini style yoga
When I first experienced Kundalini I never intended to practice it again. I recall reading about new yoga teachers that preferred Kundalini to any other style. It was incomprehensible to me. I can only imagine what I would have thought could I have seen my current self who not only loves doing kundalini, but delights in teaching it.
Kundalini tends to bring up the "garbage" or inconvenient issues that we would rather not address and have hence stuffed away. I had quite a bit of garbage stirred up for that first Bodhispin class. Had I not been incredibly judgemental of that garbage no uncomfort would have been felt. As it was, instead of just being aware and letting things flow and settle, I fought, shamed, and judged myself severely. I made myself sick from the sheer constriction of the judgment.
Kundalini is a great opportunity to 'zone in' to the body, to be aware and attentive. Often during repetitive movements, exercise or mundane tasks we 'zone out'. During new movements or tasks, we focus on what is coming next. Bodhispin combines repetition with progression that provides a foundation in which I am safe to be aware of my body and fully 'zone in'. The meditation at the end is sublime and the ultimate check in with the assistance of a mantra and breath to keep an aware focus. Thankfully, as with all things, meditation comes easier and more enjoyable with practice.
My thanks to the swami that saw our need for Kundalini Yoga and broke with tradition 30 some years ago and publically shared this powerful practice.
Namaste.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
Kundalini tends to bring up the "garbage" or inconvenient issues that we would rather not address and have hence stuffed away. I had quite a bit of garbage stirred up for that first Bodhispin class. Had I not been incredibly judgemental of that garbage no uncomfort would have been felt. As it was, instead of just being aware and letting things flow and settle, I fought, shamed, and judged myself severely. I made myself sick from the sheer constriction of the judgment.
Kundalini is a great opportunity to 'zone in' to the body, to be aware and attentive. Often during repetitive movements, exercise or mundane tasks we 'zone out'. During new movements or tasks, we focus on what is coming next. Bodhispin combines repetition with progression that provides a foundation in which I am safe to be aware of my body and fully 'zone in'. The meditation at the end is sublime and the ultimate check in with the assistance of a mantra and breath to keep an aware focus. Thankfully, as with all things, meditation comes easier and more enjoyable with practice.
My thanks to the swami that saw our need for Kundalini Yoga and broke with tradition 30 some years ago and publically shared this powerful practice.
Namaste.
http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/
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