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Safety Tips – Cross-Training with Yoga

Emily Seymour Cross Training With YogaCross-training with yoga is a popular discussion topic these days and people will sometimes ask me if I lift weights or do cardio. There are ways to effectively combine Eastern and Western forms of exercise but there are a few common mistakes to avoid.

To be clear, when I’m using the word yoga in this context I’m talking about the physical practice of asana, not the 5,000+ year old tradition. Asana-based yoga classes are the most recent evolution of the 1980’s aerobics fad and most YMCA’s, gyms and health clubs offer a variety of them. Yet many of these businesses do not educate their clientele on how to safely incorporate yoga into their work outs.

Contractive vs. expansive strength training.  

Free weight training is designed to build strength by repeatedly contracting the muscle towards the central axis of the body. Yoga poses such as Warrior 2 build strength by holding the posture and lengthening the muscles away from the central axis of the body. Contractive strength training shortens the muscle whereas expansive strengthening promotes a balance of strength and flexibility.

People who practice routine contractive strength training (such as bodybuilders) may have a tough time holding poses like Warrior 2. If you’ve been weightlifting regularly and want to start practicing yoga it can helpful to switch to lighter weights. There are some corporate yoga studios that offer classes that combine light weight training with yoga.

Asana and Cardio.

Any kind of joint impacting exercise should be done BEFORE practicing yoga. Asana opens the joints so it’s counterintuitive to run on a treadmill after practicing yoga. While there are cardio machines like exercise bikes and ellipticals that don’t impact the joints they do tighten the muscles. It’s a good idea to stretch for five minutes before doing cardio and then do an extended yoga practice afterwards.

A good warm up is key.

It’s worth mentioning another potential safety issue that frequently happens in gym settings. Oftentimes members arrive well after a class has started, sometimes as much as a half hour into the class, or else they might leave early. Many instructors don’t say anything as the success of a class is based on attendance numbers, but this can be quite dangerous.

For your safety you should plan on attending a group yoga class from start to finish. You wouldn’t jump on a treadmill and start out at peak speed, nor would you end a weight lifting session without a little stretching. Just like any other system of exercise there is a formula to a yoga class, and this formula is designed to give you optimal results.

Thinking about cross-training with yoga? I’d love to speak with you. Book a free no-obligation consultation today.

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Self Teacher Study – Mind Body Tune Ups

Mind Body Tune Ups

Alignment. Chances are you’ve heard this term for describing the positioning of our bodies in yoga postures. But what is alignment, really? What is it for? Is it simply the organization of our muscles, bones, tendons and organs, or is it something else?

Alignment is a practice of fine tuning the body. All vehicles require tune ups from time to time. When we bring our cars to the mechanic they might perform a wheel alignment and check the suspension. These adjustments help to keep your car functioning at an optimal level.

It’s the same with our body-vehicles. Yoga poses help to improve the functioning of your body by reversing the effects of poor postural habits, and from overworking or underworking the body. As our alignment improves so does our state of mind. When we’re not distracted by physical discomforts we’re free to focus on other pursuits.

Alignment develops through consistent, comprehensive yoga practice. Over time, practitioners begin to develop an increased level of awareness of their bodies and minds. This heightened sensitivity permeates other aspects of their lives. American yoga master Erich Schiffman explains:

“The beauty of being more sensitive lies in the discovery that beneficial things naturally start feeling good, better than before, and therefore become more attractive to you. Things that are bad for you no longer hold the attraction they once may have had. Your diet, for example, may undergo an effortless change. Certain foods you previously enjoyed may no longer be so appealing, and previously uninteresting foods may now entice you. Lifestyle habits may also change without conscious determination.”

By exploring our alignment we can begin to understand the mind-body connection. As we unravel the layers of our being we may discover how our outer and inner state parallel one another. The peace of mind you feel after a good yoga practice is a reflection of the freedom you feel in your body.

When you’re in “the zone” life takes on a fluid quality. This occurs in our interactions, our daily tasks, and our ability to move seamlessly through our days. This level of impeccability is like driving a sports car through a series of green lights. As we begin to tap into the intelligent design of the bodymind our confidence improves.

As our sensitivity develops we’ll become more aware of the times when we’re not in the zone. There may be a noticeable dissonance in our bodies, minds and environments. Some tell tale signs of needing a tune up include:

  • Mental tape-loops
  • Aches and pains
  • Feeling distracted
  • Encountering technical “speed bumps”
  • Increased irritability
  • Spilling things
  • Dissatisfaction
  • Low energy levels
  • Anti-social tendencies
  • Wasting money
  • Rushing

The first step is to notice that something feels off. Then take a moment to pause and listen to your intuition. The answer will appear if you simply ask yourself “What do I need right now?” Exercise, a home cooked meal, a massage or a good night’s sleep? Some time in nature or a good laugh with a friend?

These are all good forms of mind body tune ups. Another tune up tool is saucha, one of the niyamas (observances) of yoga. Saucha refers to purity in mind, body, and speech. Practicing saucha is a holistic form of spring cleaning. Next time you’re feeling a little funky try taking a shower, washing your yoga mat, emptying your inbox, or freshening up your living space.

What sorts of mind body tune ups do you practice? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

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Home Rituals – Chocolate Chip Cookies

So this week I wanted to share another recipe with you.  It’s an adaptation of the very first recipe that I ever learned (I was six years old) so it’s pretty dear to my heart.  I have a thing for making chocolate chip cookies.  Eating them isn’t so much the goal – it’s really just about the process of making them.  It’s a little ritual that I practice whenever I’m in a new living situation.  There’s something very soothing about it (maybe you can relate) and it brings a sense of being at home no matter where I am.

While cooking is an art baking is a science, so I stay pretty close to the original Toll House cookbook recipe.  But I’ve learned some tricks along the way too, so here’s the most recent evolution of this tried and true classic:

Chocolate Chip CookiesChocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 and 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 3/4 cup cane sugar
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 10 oz. dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a small pan over low heat, melt butter, cane sugar and brown sugar. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
  4. Transfer butter-sugar mixture to a medium bowl. Add vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. Gradually stir in flour mixture.
  6. Stir in morsels and nuts and CHILL the dough completely-at least 4 hours.
  7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 8-10 minutes – halfway through the baking time turn the pan 180 degrees.
  9. Allow cookies to cool before transferring.
  10. COOL the pans completely before baking another batch (option: run cold water over the pans).

Another trick is to use parchment paper to help reduce clean up. I like to store the cookies in the freezer in small ziplock bags and share them with as many people as possible.

*** For high altitude baking increase flour by 1/4 cup ***

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Taoist Travel Tips

Taoist Travel Tips Canal St

I had a bit of an adventure today – two train rides and one dash through Manhattan via the subway. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some ways that I streamline these kinds of big travel days.

Travel Tip #1: The Train is Awesome.

I love the train – it beats riding on the bus every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Some of the views between the city and upstate are simply fantastic. The train rocks my world for so many reasons, including:

  • The train is much more time efficient than the bus
  • I can actually work or read without getting motion sickness
  • The chance of getting stuck in traffic in minimal
  • There’s no risk of crazy drivers.

Instead of dealing with all that, I’m can sit back and do a bit of writing while sipping on hot tea.

Travel Tip #2: A thermos makes a trip ten times more enjoyable.

The train is far less stressful than other kinds of travel (except for maybe riding a bike). Airplanes are much more time efficient but the altitude swings are pretty tough on the body. As for boats… despite growing up on the coast of Maine I’m not a huge fan of boats. To each their own, but the train is the best form of Taoist travel that I’ve found so far.

Beacon Waterfall

I call it Taoist travel because Taoism teaches us to move through life much like moving with the current of a river. This doesn’t mean living in complete submission to whatever happens to you – it’s about learning how to engage skillfully and navigate life more effectively.

One example of Taoist travel is to avoid wasting energy by fighting unnecessary battles (this includes dealings with unsavory people). You can see this principle in nature, where animals instinctively know to conserve their energy by traveling the paths of least resistance.

Taoist Travel Tips Emily Seymour

Travel Tip #3: When it comes to stuff, less is always more.

What would you pack for a two month trip? I pretty much live this way. Schlepping my gypsy carriage (which consists of a roller suitcase, backpack, cooler bag and yoga mat) has taught me that as little stuff as I think I might have it’s always too much. Try lugging a suitcase up two flights of stairs in a busy subway station and you’ll know what I mean.

Travel Tip #4: Escalators and elevators are like gold.

As much as possible, try to save yourself from unnecessary strain. Take the escalator or elevator whenever possible. A little hard schlepping never hurt anyone (it probably builds character) but try to balance the effects by switching your carrying arm regularly.

Travel Tip #5: Take your time.

There’s no need to rush. Give yourself plenty of time to figure out where you’re going, to eat slowly, and to find your connections, gates or exits. When you’re able to enjoy the journey your mood improves. You might even find yourself smiling at strangers.

Do you have any Taoist Traveler’s Tips to share?  Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

You might also enjoy reading: More Taoist Travel Tips

Taoist Travel Tips Brooklyn Bridge

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Winter Retreat Recipe – Potatoes au Gratin

Potatoes au Gratin

When the weather’s cold and gloomy all I feel like doing is eating comfort foods. Potatoes smothered in cheese have been on my mind so I decided to whip up a batch of potatoes au gratin. This is one of my “go-to” winter recipes. The potatoes, cayenne pepper and onion are all “warming” foods and the sharp cheddar cheese sauce is full of good fats and protein. In the winter slow-cooked foods are where it’s at!

A few tips about this dish.

I used organic potatoes so I left the skins on. You could peel the skins if you wanted to but if you leave them on you’ll get an extra dose of fiber. I don’t recommend leaving the skins on if you’re using conventional potatoes though.

A great way to reduce your prep time is to slice the potatoes and onions in a food processor with a slicing blade attachment. Slicing by hand takes a lot longer and the pieces tend to be uneven. You can also shred your cheddar cheese in the processor, just switch to the cheese grater attachment.

Cayenne pepper is a powerhouse superfood.

I always use cayenne pepper instead of black pepper. Many people don’t know this but black pepper is mildly toxic. Cayenne lowers cholesterol, increases circulation and even strengthens the stomach lining [to learn more read: Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper].

It does takes a while to make this dish (about 2 hours) but it’s SO worth it! And your kitchen will smell amazing. For even more flavor you can garnish your potatoes au gratin with a splash of hot sauce. You could also sprinkle some chopped nitrate-free cooked bacon or lay a couple of fried eggs on top. Enjoy!

Potatoes au Gratin

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 medium organic russet potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • salt and cayenne pepper
  • 3 Tbsp butter plus extra for greasing pan
  • 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt + more for seasoning the potatoes
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 & 1/2 cups shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese
  • Hot sauce (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 10″ x 8″ x 3″ pyrex baking dish.
  2. Cut the potatoes in half and cut into thin 1/8″ slices (or use a food processor).
  3. Layer half of the potatoes in the baking dish. Season generously with salt and cayenne. Set the other half of the potatoes aside.
  4. Cut the onion into thin slices and layer on top of the potatoes.
  5. Layer the remaining potato slices on top of the onion slices. Season again with salt and cayenne.
  6. In a medium-size saucepan melt 3 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the flour and 1/2 tsp salt and stir constantly for one minute.
  7. Add milk and continue to cook and stir until thickened.
  8. Add the cheese and continue stirring for another minute until the cheese has melted.
  9. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and cover dish with aluminum foil.
  10. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 & 1/2 hours (or until the potatoes are fork tender).
  11. In the last fifteen minutes of cooking remove the foil to brown the top layer.

Potatoes au Gratin Hot Sauce

So good with a splash of hot sauce!

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Personal Retreat Reflections

I’m taking a personal retreat right now and have been diving into my practice. I’ve wanted to take a short sabbatical during the holidays for a long time. I feel very blessed to have this gift of uninterrupted time. My practice always aligns me with my inner rhythms which gives me the feeling of abundant energy.

Winter is a time for hibernation.

This is a time when the solar energy of the sun is in short supply. Energetically, winter is the season of apana. Apana (the downward current of subtle energy) is the force that governs elimination in the body (excretion, urination, menstruation). Psychologically, it’s best described as a state of introversion. In nature, apana is the force that draws sap into the tree’s roots.

The holiday season presents an interesting counterbalance, as it typically requires a great deal of output – emotionally, socially, financially, and physically. Being extroverted at this time of year doesn’t necessarily align with the laws of nature. And this can make us feel disconnected from our natural rhythms.

With so much emphasis on externalization it’s easy to fall into the mental trap of thinking that we are not enough.

Some people power through the holiday season like a marathon runner but overexertion might result in sickness. Eating foods that we don’t typically eat, drinking excess amounts of alcohol, and cold exposure can take a significant toll on our physical health. And the holiday season can lead to a number of mental health issues.

While it is possible to cultivate energy through the holidays, it’s very important that we have enough gas in our tanks. And we might not have the space in our schedules for taking a personal retreat. So what else can we do? Here are some simple suggestions of ways to practice refilling your “cup.”

  • Stay well-hydrated: drink plenty of room temperature, filtered water. 
  • Eat the most beautiful food.
  • Be mindful of CATS (caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, sugar).
  • Turn off your television.
  • Avoid violent movies and fear-induced media hype.
  • Go outside and spend time in nature.
  • Don’t read the news when you’re eating.
  • Go to bed when you’re tired or take a nap.
  • Slow down.
  • Meditate. Light a candle or sit by a fireplace (the ultimate television).
  • Exercise: move in ways that your body enjoys.
  • Breathe. A lot.
  • Relax in the sunshine.
  • Play, laugh, love.
  • Drink tea.
  • Sing your songs.

What are some other ways to take a personal retreat during this time of year? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

If you enjoyed this article you might also like:

How to Plan a Winter Solstice Retreat

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Yogavotes is Spiritual Materialism in Action

YogavotesCo-authored with Christopher James Whitson.

Yogavotes, a national, nonpartisan campaign has petitioned an estimated 20 million American yoga practitioners to vote in 2012. Yogavotes claims that “yoga is voting,” which is a lie. Yoga was never intended to be political and should never become political. Yogavotes, or any political non-profit acting in the name of yoga is inherently unethical according to yoga’s clearly defined universal purpose.

For the record, we are libertarians and we respect your right to vote your conscience. Not all yoga teachers share this value and there is a growing trend where yoga teachers are endorsing candidates in their classes. While this tactic is not supported by Yogavotes, some of their ambassadors are publicly endorsing their chosen candidates.

There is nothing unethical about encouraging someone to vote or to vote for a particular candidate. But doing it in the name of yoga is a form of cultural genocide. It implies that yoga is something very different from what it is or was ever intended to be.

Telling someone to vote a certain way assumes that you know what is right. But what if you are wrong? Even if ONE person is hurt by those policies then what you have done can not be classified as karma yoga or seva because seva helps EVERYONE. In such a situation any action establishes further karma.

With all the hype about yogis “needing” to vote, is it any small wonder that the Yogavotes movement is being driven by propaganda? Yogavotes is attempting to change the stereotypical view of yogis as being “fluffy, spiritual people.” Yogavotes claims that certain yogic values of awareness, connection and participation are integral to the voting process. Yet they fail to offer a balanced perspective of the valid arguments that have been made against voting.

Despite Yogavotes’ claim of being non-partisan, they are appealing to a demographic that is predominantly comprised of Democrats. Since the 1960’s yoga has been branded a progressive or liberal practice in America, despite the many thousand year history of Sanatana dharma and the various schools of Indian philosophy (of which Yoga is only one). This is mostly due to the conservative slant toward Abrahammic religion and Christianity in particular. Many conservatives (though admittedly not all) view yoga as being outside of Vatican-approved practices and at worst from the devil.

Some may argue that hippies did significant work to popularize yoga in the West, thus implying that is a good thing. We disagree with the notion of this being a “good” thing. Some argue that the popularity of yoga exposes more people to it. This is faulty and inaccurate logic. What is commonly accepted and believed to be yoga is not yoga at all and never will be yoga.

Yoga, by its very definition, is “union” and “yoking.” Yoga can be illustrated by its single-minded aspiration and unifying purpose of Moksha (liberation) through Nirvikalpa Samadhi – the absolute ascension of one’s own intimate energy and consciousness. This and this alone is Yoga!

What does Yogavotes or voting have to do with Moksha? The idea of saving the world through a non-profit somehow continues to have a lot of curb appeal and non-profits pop up all the time. But despite the increasing numbers of non-profits the state of the world has become progressively worse.

Yoga was never intended to be political. If anything, it was intended as an escape from politics (if you define politics as karma). While the modern sage Aurobindo was politically active for much of his life, he had to give up his activity in politics in order to devote himself to spiritual pursuits. Aurobindo believed that for human society to reach its full potential and become enlightened, each individual had to undergo internal enlightenment: the unification of kundalini with the supermind.

Yogavotes is appropriating the power and authority of the word yoga for an aim that is not in any way a Yogic aspiration. The more people believe something the more that becomes their reality. If Yogavotes continues to influence people’s beliefs yoga will become nothing more than a political-social-marketing platform and an alternative to the bar scene.

Yogavotes is spiritual materialism (a phrase coined by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche) in action. Not because it uses spirituality to sell something – it’s spiritual materialism because the ego is putting on a spirituality “suit” and is tricking you into thinking you are being spiritual by voting. And this ego-charade has infiltrated every aspect of the yoga community.

What is needed in the world today are more people who are willing to challenge their own egos, rather than making themselves look and feel good at the expense of true liberation (Moksha) and truth (Satya).

Yoga is intended to be completely non-partisan. How can ascension and liberation be partisan? Please, don’t put yet another stain on Yoga by condoning this Yoga Lobby.

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Yogis Can Eat Meat (if They Want to)

Yogis Can Eat Meat
I’m a flexitarian, which means that I eat small amounts of healthy meat. As a yoga teacher, people tend to assume that I’m a vegetarian. I enjoy vegetarian cuisine and have experimented with vegetarianism, but it isn’t in my best interest to eat that way.

I could replace meat with supplements or food combining options (such as rice and beans) and would do so if I had no other options. I just know that my energy level and health is enhanced from animal proteins. I understand that every person’s body is unique and their diet should reflect that. This is just what works for me.

I grew up in an American home. My family belonged to a co-op for a while and supported the Maine organic farmers association. I experimented with vegetarianism when I was in high school, but quite honestly I had no idea what I was doing.

When I went to college I didn’t like the cafeteria food, so I wound up eating a lot of cereal, bagels and salads. My boyfriend came to visit and saw how depleted I was, so we bought a hotplate and we made pasta and sausage in my dorm room. That first home-cooked meal was like finding water in the desert.

After a year at college I decided to take a leave of absence and began apprenticing with my dance teacher. Being on the road and eating out a lot while teaching five days a week took a major toll on my body. During spring break I experimented with the Blood Type Diet. After just a week of eating according to my Type O recommendations I felt healthier than I had in years. I was eating sprouted grain breads, vegetables, fruits and small portions of healthy meats and fish. The higher cost of eating this way kept me from continuing, so I fell back into my old patterns.

After my dance teacher passed I became friends with a group of people who had a cooking tradition. Each week a different person would cook a shared meal. I was very nervous about cooking for a large group, and my first attempt was a failure. One of the older women shared some of her cookbooks with me. One was specifically for “starving artists” like myself.

I started teaching myself how to cook.

I began to integrate these books with what I’d been learning about food energetics. Cooking became a meditation for me as I practiced listening to my intuition while preparing simple meals.

I moved to New York where I met a Chinese doctor and martial artist. He taught me about cooking alchemy from an Oriental medicine perspective. I started to view my food as medicine. For the first time in my adult life I started relaxing my belly while I ate. As a dancer I’d always held it in out of fear of eating too much. I was exercising a lot and learned that in order to train effectively I had to have enough of the right kinds of fuel in my body.

I went on to study yoga and Ayurveda, and continued learning about food as medicine. Like any other food, meat has medicinal benefits. My yoga teacher (who eats fish and eggs) taught me about the importance of gratitude and the power of prayer when eating.

There’s a common misperception in New Age circles that eating meat is somehow less “spiritual” than vegetarianism or veganism. There are many yoga teachers who eat meat and even the Buddha ate meat. Apparently eating meat was what killed him though – the story goes that he died from being served contaminated pork, which is a great argument against mishandling.

Every person has the right to eat however they want.

This is just my story about food and I’m interested to hear yours. Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

If you enjoyed this article you might also like:

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Is Power Yoga the Anti-Yoga?

Is Power Yoga the Anti-Yoga

A friend sent me a coupon for a week of free yoga classes so I decided to check out a studio in Manhattan. I’d heard good things about this place – that it’s one of the better studios in the city. On their website they describe their signature style as being based on the chakra system. I let go of any pre-conceived ideas of what this could mean and went with an open mind.

There was a strong MTV element.

The walls were painted with graffiti and one wall displayed a mural of Ganesha holding a boom box and a stack of dollar bills. The floor was covered in glitter and pink hearts that were arranged to help students align their mats so they wouldn’t kick one another in a packed room.

The studio owner came in sporting an Obama tee shirt and a half sleeve. I’d never seen such a blatant political advertisement by a teacher (yoga is not political BTW). The music was bumping from start to finish and the sequencing included some creative variations. The predominant theme of the class was fun, Fun, FUN! It must be what the student-clientele are willing to pay $18 a class for.

I had a hard time concentrating.

The over-stimulation was a stark contrast to my usual “studio” of parks and nature. It felt like I was in a dance class rather than a yoga class. I didn’t experience anything about the “signature style” to indicate a relationship with the chakras. It may have not been a part of the lesson that day (which I honestly don’t remember).

A few days later I received an email from a Buddhist Dharma teacher who shared his reflections on the benefits of Slow Yoga. He said that Slow Yoga helps his students with their meditation practices and that they believe that power yoga is the anti-yoga, or at least anti-enlightenment in the same way that guided meditation is anti-meditation.

With the MTV yoga experience still fresh in my mind, I had to agree that power yoga presents an obstacle. It’s not to say that power yoga can’t be used as a stepping stone but its primary function is aerobic entertainment. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that guided meditation is anti-meditation though…

What do you think? Is power yoga the anti-yoga? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

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The Bowl of Light

Hawaii Sunrise Bowl of Light

As I was digging through some old papers I found a letter from when I traveled to Hawaii in 2008. I was staying at a hostel on Maui’s north shore and the owner was a native Hawaiian. After a few conversations he started teaching me about Hawaiian spirituality. Before I left he gave me a letter with a story. These are his words:

The ancient Hawaiians believed that we are NOT human beings here to have the occasional spiritual experience, but that we are spirit beings here to LIVE the human experience. And they had a very beautiful story which represented this called the “Bowl of Light.”

Each child, as they were born, would have a bowl carved for them by one of the elders. And it would be given to them at birth and explained to them as they grew that this bowl represented them, as their True [self].

They were like bowls of shining LIGHT. They were ‘uhane nui’ – spirit greatness – and that all humans are spirit greatness, and that we shine from this place. We shine as spirit light. And as we go through life and as things occur that are not pono (in divine order), it is as if a pohaku, a rock is put into the bowl, it blocks out the light and we can no longer shine, shine as spirit greatness the way we were meant to be.

The Hawaiians had a very simple solution for this: they would just huli the bowl. In other words, turn the bowl over so that they could continue to shine as the spirit of light that they were meant to be.

There are similar lessons within yoga and Buddhism. It can be tough to let go of things that aren’t working but it can also be the best medicine. When life puts rocks in your bowl that is THE best time to practice. And when it seems like the whole world is being turned upside down it might just be a necessary step in emptying the bowl. Especially if we’re having a hard time letting go of the rocks.

May you shine as spirit greatness, the way you were meant to be.

If you enjoyed this article you might also like:

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Asteya: Yoga’s Answer to Hungry Ghost Syndrome

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