Moving!...

Well, let me clarify... around the internet! I am working on a new blog: www.lindseyogabliss.wordpress.com

What do you think? Easier to naviagte? Pretty? Functional?

Adventures with David Swenson...

One word for my weekend... Amazing. I loved every bit of the yoga, travel, site-seeing, and food. I have learned more from David that I can put into words. He leaves me with a want to study with him again! David has this amazing fun demeanor that makes you laugh. He has a wonderful way of conveying hard-to-grasp concepts in a fun and easy way. I was browsing his website and found a Q&A section that I liked a lot: Thoughts. His website is http://www.ashtanga.net/.

We not only learned about yoga asana, modifications, and how to get into harder poses. But we learned that asana isn't the most important. Will it make your life any better if you can do the Advanced A series? No. David also gave a whole new meaning to bringing awareness into our practice by comparing our bodies to a car. If you are driving down the road and your car starts making a "thud, thud, thud" noise, what do you do? Do you speed up and ignore it? Do you stop and look at it and say, "eh, we can make it 100 more miles?" No, you pull over to the side of the road immediately, change the tire, and go about your way. So why do we ignore our body's "thud, thud, thuds?" If your knee is hurting it is sending you a message, "Hello Lindsey, this is your left knee speaking. We're having a little discomfort down here." And maybe I ignore it because I really want to do that next asana. "Hello Lindsey, just in case you didn't hear the first time. Ouch, ouch, ouch!" And I ignore again because I really have to try that jump-through... "HEY! Lindsey! Ouch, ouch, ouch, OUCH!" Not only did this make me laugh, but it really sank in. We've all heard our teachers say, "listen to your body" but this made it even more clear.

In the last class of the weekend we had a philosophical discussion on the 8 Limbs of Yoga. Why do you do yoga? Fitness? Stress relief? Or maybe to make yourself a more peaceful person? If you go to yoga, does it make you a better person? Not by any means. Just because the person next to you in class can put their foot behind their head does it make them a more "enlightened" person? Absolutely not. What if that person is horribly mean outside the yoga studio? In simple terms, the 8 Limbs are about how to apply yoga to your every day life. 

The definition of Ashtanga is "8 limb path."

• Yamas: self restraint, vows of abstension, control
• Ahimsa: Non-Violence
• Satya: Truthfulness, Honesty
• Asteya: Non-stealing, or Non-misappropriating
• Brahmacharya: Chastity, Continence
• Aparigraha: Without possessions
• Niyamas: fixed observation, rules, precepts established orders
• Saucha: Cleanliness, Purity
• Santosha: Contentment, Peaceful
• Tapah: Fire of Ordeal, A Burning Desire
• Svadhyaya: Study leading to knowledge of self 
• Ishvara-Pranidhana: God or Higher Self the target of concentration, surrender
• Asana: posture comfortably held, seat
• Pranayama: regulation of breath, restraint of breath
• Pratyahara: withdrawal of senses
• Dharana: concentration, fixing of the mind (mono-task, stay present)
• Dhyana: meditation, contemplation, reflection
• Samadhi: profound meditation, putting it all together

We had a two and a half hour discussion on all of this so it is definitely not possible for me to explain it all or even explain half as well as David did. But maybe it will spark an interest in your practice. 

David also mentioned that no matter the reason that we come to yoga, whether it be fitness, a simple want to do the poses seen on magazine covers, stress relief or anything else... we all end up in the same place. Yoga has this magical power to make you crave more. Why? We don't really know, it seems to be magical. But at the same time, "yoga is not easy" (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois). Putting all the 8 Limbs into practice is not easy. Pattabhi Jois is not talking about putting your foot behind your head, he's talking about applying yoga to your everyday life.

David ended the discussion with a question that I want to pose to you.

Is the world a better place because of our presence in it?

Wonderful food at The Laughing Seed vegan restaurant.

After an amazing & enlightening weekend with David Swenson!

New friend! Marian Bull.

Wouldn't be the same without my best yoga bud! Susan Hall.

Scenic ride home.

In addition to wonderful yoga inspiration by David, I met an amazing new friend. Marian Bull is a fellow yogini in search of yoga and she will be embarking on an amazing journey to Mysore, India in January 2012. Follow her blog posts to "live vicariously" through her experiences in India! www.MarianWrites.com. I love meeting new friends!

I also have a big "thank you" to extend to my friend, Swapna Gupta. This weekend would not have been possible with out you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Karma is a wonderful thing and you have a bountiful amount coming your way!

Love,

Yogi Tea Wisdom...

"Your life is based on the capacity of energy in you, not outside of you."

Love that my tea not only gives me a perfect bedtime treat... but that it has inspirational messages on each tag!

This Sunday...

This Sunday while I'm in North Carolina soaking up all the knowledge I can from David Swenson, Elizabeth Keller will lead the Sunday Community Yoga class at Birmingham Yoga. Elizabeth is a recent graduate of the Birmingham Yoga Teacher Training Program. Come visit her for a wonderful class!

Date: Sunday, Sept 18
Time: 5:05pm
Location: Birmingham Yoga (Inside 1st Ave Rocks)

Shanti,

Top 10 Yoga Websites...

In search of more yoga information? May it be yoga philosophy, physical asana, Ayurveda, meditation, or widsom, visit these Top 10 Yoga Websites for your enlightenment!

Top 10 Yoga Websites: An article by Elephant Journal

Shanti,

Outdoor Yoga Class...

Project Bandaloop is offering a one-of-a-kind outdoor yoga class at the Alys Stephens Center! 

Monday, September 19, 2011

Alys Stephens Center (UAB campus)
6:00pm

$5 donation 

All you need is your beautiful Self, a mat, and water!

See http://www.alysstephens.org/ for more info.

If you missed the Earth Harp last year, you won't want to miss this!

See you there!

Quote of the day...

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others."  ~Gandhi

Sweet Om Alabama...

Sweet *Om Alabama now has a website! 

www.SweetOmAlabama.org

Sweet *Om Alabama is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 and is dedicated to uniting the Birmingham Yoga Community to raise awareness and funds for pressing issues of our time. 

This wonderful website is still being built but you will find information on community yoga events in the Birmingham area. The main event for yearly donation is Global Mala. 

The above logo will be the T-shirt design this year. For all of those who give a donation of $35 or more will receive a bamboo T-shirt! Donation proceeds this year will go to starting a fund that will allow local yoga teachers to serve the at risk and in crisis population through the practice of yoga.

More info on Global Mala 2011...
This year's Global Mala Project will kick off Friday, September 23rd with a beautiful evening of yoga and meditation. The night will include a yoga set led by Akasha Ellis and a Healing Circle Meditation led by Kerry Meon.  

6:30-8:00pm

The Historis Cahaba Pumping Station

4012 Sicard Hollow Road

Birmingham, AL 35243

Saturday morning we will join together to practice sun salutations looking over the city at Vulcan Park. The group will complete 108 rounds, but don't be intimidated by the number!! Please come and practice for as long as is right for YOU and then relax, enjoy the music, view, and community!!

8:00-10:00am

Vulcan Park

1701 Valley View Drive

Birmingham, AL 35209

See the website for more info!

Oh! How I love living in Sweet Om Alabama!

Quote of the day...

"Meditation is really an inward gesture that inclines the heart and mind (seen as one seamless whole) toward a full-spectrum awareness of the present moment just as it is, accepting whatever is happening simply because it's already happening."
 ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

Salutation Nation...

 Wonderful practice with Christine!

Inspiring friend, Swapna.

 There's no better practice than one with my best friend.

 Wonderful friend, Susan Hall.

Blissful after a wonderful practice!

National Yoga Month!...

September is National Yoga Month!

Events in Birmingham...
Salutation Nation:
Homewood park, Sept. 10 @ 9:00-10:00am
Click here to find this event in your town!

A Peacemaker Meeting: International Day of Peace
The Yoga Circle, Sept. 17 @ 2:00-3:30pm
Click here for more information!

Global Mala: Sweet Om Alabama
Vulcan Statue, Sept. 24 @ 8:00-10:00am
Friday night treat: Sept. 24 @ 6:30-8:00pm - Meditation & Kundalini at the Cahaba Pumping Station

Family Yoga & More: With Annie D.
The Summit (Lululemon store), Oct. 2 @ 1pm

In other towns...
Global Mala: Fort Walton Beach, FL
Sept. 24 @ 8:00am-12:00pm
www.globalmalafwb.com 

Spirit Fest: Waynesboro, PA
Sept. 16-18
Click here for the Spirit Fest website.

David Swenson: Asheville, NC
Workshop: Sept 16-18
Click here for the Asheville Yoga Center's info on this event!

Find your event & get your yoga on!

Inspiration...

While I was in North Carolina for Labor Day weekend I stumbled upon The Highlands Village Square Arts & Crafts show. There were many amazing artists but this one truly opened my eyes. His name is Marcus Thomas and he is a quadriplegic by way of a skiing accident. The first day, I walked by and saw him sitting in front of a booth and thought he was just visiting as I was. But when I went back the second day he was in front of his booth painting a very intricately detailed picture! Marcus holds the paint brush in his mouth and paints these amazing pictures.

***When I arrived home I started looking for who he is and his story. I found this inspiring video...  http://youtu.be/dg_B2r3a5zk***

This one is my favorite. We all know I love labs! And also the dog, Bella was laying at his side while he was painting!

Click here for Marcus' amazing story on his website.

Does this not give a whole new meaning to the phrase, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade??"

Love Fulfills the Law...

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments: “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

~Romans 13:8-10

Naturally, growing up in church I have more exposure to the teachings of the Bible than any others. However, I am sure that there are passages such as this one in every religious text. I have always been curious about other religions and the similarities and differences between them.

What does your religion say about Love?

Shanti,

Quote of the day...

"Whether you're on your mat or out in the world, your breath is your link to moments of grace."
~Maggie Varadhan