Practicing From the Heart

For those of you who know me and come to class regularly, you know I have no problem waxing on regarding virtually any yoga related topic. So why was an article on backbending so hard to write? At first I started with the hows and physical benefits, but that’s really missing the forest for the trees. You can learn the hows, the secrets and techniques, along with anatomy and physical benefits at the workshop (CLICK HERE FOR INFO) -- The real question is the why…

Let’s start with how people sometimes feel about backbends. They can be intimidating, intense, and even scary. WHY? Well, if you’ll forgive the pun, it really gets to the heart of the reasons for a yoga practice. As yoga practitioners, we are striving to practice and live in a heart centered way. Backbends are often referred to as “heart openers”. What does that mean? Do you really want your heart “opened”?

For me, when I hear it described like that, it feels like maybe my heart will be opened in a way that would make it vulnerable and easily damaged or hurt. What that kind of language is really about is living fully from the wisdom of the heart, with the heart fully open to the richness of Life- which includes pain, pleasure and all that’s in between.

The true nature of openness of the heart has to do with truly connecting with others, the Creator and all of Creation. And to do that completely, there is a certain amount of vulnerability involved. Rachel Naomi Remen said, “At the heart of any real intimacy is a certain vulnerability. It is hard to trust someone with your vulnerability unless you can see in them a matching vulnerability and know that you will not be judged. In some basic way, it is our imperfections and even our pain that draws others close to us.”

This vulnerability then, is really about being authentic and real in a way that is available to others. Not so that you can be exposed to danger or pain, but so that you can connect. And the reason this works is because as you let go of the veil of “protection” you become closer to your true Self. When you can let go of your self with the little “s”, and be in touch with your Self with a big “S”, then the ego fades, and your interactions with Self and other are more about connecting genuinely than representing yourself in a certain way according to what you think might be most impressive.

This kind of openness and vulnerability will of course expose us to potential pain and heartbreak, but in a knowing that there will also be a corresponding joy and satisfaction that can only be experienced in the polarity between the two. This living from the wisdom of the heart provides fertile ground for the Grand Experiment we call a yoga practice. One of my teachers, Aadil Palkhivala talks about intensity versus force. As you move through your asana practice be very sensitive to the distinction between the two. At some point where you experience mental, emotional, spiritual discomfort, are you forcing it on some level? Use your spiritual discernment to know the difference.

Once you can have an awareness of feeling, practicing and living from the heart, you can use this Knowledge and Awareness to offer up the energies of the lower chakras (such as desire, fear, etc.) to the wisdom of the heart; offering also the energies of the higher chakras (thoughts, analysis, emotions, etc.) to the wisdom of the heart, the Seat of Love.

As you practice backbends, whatever comes up for you, offer it up. Work with intensity, and without force, opening your Self to all that Life has to offer, knowing you are meant and able to experience it ALL. And when you can approach not just your practice, but your Living in this way, you will be more connected to Everything, and bless the world with Who You Really Are.

Stay Bendy~
With Love, Liz

What's All The Fuss About Prana?

Hello Friends!

This month I wanted to talk a little about Edward Clark and what you can hope to get out of his workshop in September. For starters, it's a rare occasion to spend time with a Master Teacher, dare I say "international yoga celebrity", in a more intimate format that welcomes intelligent discourse and questions.

Edward is uniquely funny, brilliant and an effective and entertaining teacher. I encourage you to join us for the weekend of September 23-25 (details and comments from students who attended his previous workshop to the right) for Edward's workshop in Seattle. It promises to be a good time loaded with fun, great yoga technique, and yoga philosophy discussions. Here're a few words from Edward regarding what we'll be covering and why:

"At the very second you are reading this, somewhere on the globe, there are at least 3 yoga teachers exhorting their students to "Breathe". I have the statistics in my briefcase. Unless the students are enrolled in a YOGA FOR PEARL FISHERS PROGRAMME (copyrighted and trademarked), they can't have been avoiding breathing for too long. So, asking questions that seems too obvious and which have hence been overlooked, what are the advantages in breathing well? What constitutes "good" breathing? Also, a somewhat more sophisticated question, what are the techniques?

The answers to these questions may seem surprisingly complex and contradictory. For instance, on the one hand, "good" breathing is held as a tenet of most contemporary yoga practices whilst on the other hand, lengthy breath retentions are esteemed by much of the hatha literature of yore. The vinyasa premise is that breathing is a mechanism through which prana is manipulated. But, WAIT! What exactly is meant by the term "prana"? It would be pointless to try to give a full answer to the question in this brief pitch to lure you into attending a FULL!! Weekend of workshops and lectures (Yes, come on -- do you really think you're going to "get it" by attending a couple of the sessions? I reckon it takes at least a month of 8 hour sessions to even come close).

While this workshop won't "open your heart" or "root your core" or even "make a shamanic transformation", it will present a forum for the technical aspects of pranayama in vinyasa practice -- a subject rarely given extended discourse."

Well, there you go...from Edward himself. As most of you know, I spent a month with Edward at his studio in London learning his technique. It was an incredibly meaningful learning experience, and absolutely invaluable. We all know breathing is important, and as teachers, we talk about it constantly. Edward practices what he preaches, and what Edward will teach you is the specific whys and hows of making the breath work for you in your practice. And you may be surprised to find out it's not just about the physical practice, that's just the part people see...

Pranically Yours,

Liz

PS- to learn more about Edward's upcoming workshop in Seattle, September 23-25, or to register, email me at lizdoyle@msn.com, or check out the website: www.LizDoyleYoga.com

See you there!

Practice Interruptus

Hello Friends!

Here's a question: what do you do when it feels like your practice is going to hell in a handbasket? And you can define that anyway you'd like:

-I don't have time to practice

-I'm frustrated with/by/from (insert reason here)

-I'm not as motivated

-I can't find a yoga teacher/studio/style I like

-I stopped and I can't make myself start again

-I'm injured

You get the picture. I've recently been struggling with my own practice. This past month I haven't been practicing as intensely as I have for the last year, I can feel the difference in my practice, and I don't like it.

It doesn't really matter why we allow disruption to our practice. In my case, my good friend Patrick, a local yoga teacher and my yoga practice buddy, broke his arm. We have been practicing together for a year and a half or so, and it's been great. We like the same crazy stuff, we both like to work hard, and we have a similar enthusiasm for the practice. I have been looking forward to practicing with Pat for 18 months, when suddenly last month, he could not practice. UGH. I've been practicing, but it hasn't been the same. It was different when I had someone to push me, inspire me and hold me accountable on the days I didn't really feel like it. And things have been a bit lackluster for the last month as a result.

I've had all the normal feelings about it- frustration, annoyance, disappointment with myself; but I've also looked for the lessons in this experience.

Here's what I've come up with so far:

1.There is an ebb and flow to life, and therefore to the practice-on all levels. So don't be lazy, but don't beat yourself up either. Do your best to keep it together during the less ideal times, and things will come back around- they always do.
2.A yoga practice is personal, individual and about svadyaya (self-study), so it's best not to let it get too wrapped up in another person, their practice, or their existence. Yoga is personal. It is about Self-realization, not "Selves" - realization.
With those lessons in mind, it's healthy and fun to practice with one or more people. It's good to connect with other humans, and despite the requisite lip service to no competition in yoga, if everyone else is trying something, you 'll probably try stuff you wouldn't try if left to your own devices. And that's a good thing for personal growth.

Connecting and interacting with others is uniquely human, and it's where all the real yoga happens. Just make sure the practice is ultimately about and for you in a way that serves your spiritual development --with or without the company. Even though it would be so much simpler if enlightenment were about leg variations in handstand, it really has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with polishing the diamond of the soul and shining the light of the intellect upon it to reveal the beauty of its facets.

So put your efforts into your own inner practice, using the tools you have acquired thus far, with the most consistent work you can muster, and let no one or no circumstance deter you from the most important work you can do-revealing your true Self.

I hope to see you soon!
Consistently Yours,

Liz