Friday's Practice

Baby, It's Cold Outside. As this wind tries to permeate our bodies heat yourself up with the fiery breath of ujjayi pranayama.
As you move your bodies this morning thread each pose together with deep sounded breath. If you breathe ujjayi correctly you can sweat just sitting comfortably! Hear the whisper of the breath as you constrict the back of your throat. Don't forget to keep your mouth closed - keep all that heat inside of you!

Start standing in Tadasana.
3 Sun Salute A's
3 Sun Salute B's
Handstand (at the wall) 10+ breaths
Standing Shoulder Stretch
Vinyasa to Down Dog
Pigeon both sides, vinyasa between to Down Dog
High Plank, Vashistasana Left Side to 3-legged Dog, Right Leg Up
Right Foot Forward Thigh Stretch Left Leg
Runner's Stretch or Hanuman
High Plank, Vashistasana Right Side to 3-legged Dog, Left Leg up
Left foot forward Thigh Stretch Right Leg
Runner's Stretch or Hanuman
Badakonasana/Paschimottasana
Savasana

Promise in progress

My father is a quiet thinker. So much so that my brother, sister and I would always say “he’s in it right now”. He gets this look on his face where he puffs out his cheeks and stares off into another world. It only takes a second to know he’s here but not here. Fortunately or unfortunately, I inherited this trait. As much as I hate to admit it, I spend so much time off in my other world. Though I would like to think I am the only one that knows about my time spent elsewhere, clearly as seen with my father, I am not. That simple realization brought about my promise to talk aloud, to share my thoughts with others. It sounded simple. Just talk more. Oh but it truly frightened me. We all know how difficult it is to break highly developed habits. Deep down I knew that if I could share more of myself, if I could give others my full attention, my relationships would deepen immensely.

Sometimes I wish I could flip a switch and the change would be made. But I also know that wouldn’t be as rewarding. It’s the things in life that take time and honest dedication that bring about the most abundant rewards. I practiced violin for almost 15 years before playing at Carnegie Hall. This promise I have made to myself and really to others is worth all the time in the world. After just one month I see a change. It may be small but it is there. I may be able to count the number of attempts I have made but now there is something to count, something that counts.

If you feel that you have lost motivation, just take a look around. When I woke up this morning my dog Ysabelle, luckily was not sleeping on my head but next to my head, gave me a morning kiss. Then came the smile from my husband. Our mornings are filled with thoughts shared aloud and lots of laughter. We’ve had mornings like this for over five years now but it was just this morning that I realized our mornings together are sacred. I fully participated in each moment and each moment was truly beautiful. There wasn’t anything that was necessarily different about this morning just that I chose to see the beauty that has been right in front of my eyes.

As we reach the end of our 32 day journey together, I am realizing that 32 days is just not enough. However, 32 days is enough to see that promises can be made, promises can be kept and most importantly promises can be positive affirmations of who we are. Now we just need to keep the progression going. I want to, don’t you?

Listening generously

"When you listen generously to people, they can hear the truth in themselves, often for the first time" This was a quote I read this morning and I reflected happily on how much better I have been at slowing down and really listening, truly hearing my son. How much this affirms him as a person, not only telling him what he needs to be doing, but participating in what he wants to do, share and be. There was a time (and sometimes there still is) when I answer the phone, read the mail, try to finish the dishes or whatever else needs to be done rather than fully engaging the people I am with. I am happy that is now the exception and not the rule so much.

I was feeling bad yesterday because I hadn't been participating in the Promiseland as much as I would like but then I read through the posts of this past week, they were so thoughtful, personal they engaged me, I related to each and every one, Mitchel's bad day, Liz's fire, Katie's mantra, Lisa's peace, Nicole's winding and then realized I was participating, I was listening with my heart, I am not only reading or hearing the words that people say, but I am opening myself up to allow their expression, I am sharing in their experiences, I am drawing upon the inspiration of my community (see, my promise is fulfilled ;)). I know that I have learned to listen by sitting quietly, hearing all my thoughts come and go, by taking the time to practice and learning to live in the present moment. That right now is all that matters (and right now, and right now). So, perhaps I am not participating in the promiseland live, I share so much of the feelings, the emotions, the meaning of this experience I am more involved than I really knew. So as the week comes to an end and we move past the physical experience of the promiseland, it will be all the realizations all the lessons, all I've "heard" that will stay with me, it lives in my heart, it is part of my truth.

Love,
Vicky