" Having patience, I should develop enthusiasm. For awakening will dwell only in those who exert themselves. Just as there is no movement without the wind, so merit does not occur without enthusiasm."  -Shantideva

I have been answering lots of emails lately about Teacher Training courses and the question I get most often is " I can't do all the poses, and I haven't studied all the yoga texts, can I still learn to teach?" and the answer I always end up coming back to is " if there is a sincere desire to learn, if you are genuinely enthusiastic about the practices of yoga and deepening your knowledge of them, then you will be successful." Simple as that. Everything else can be learned, but without enthusiasm the practice goes nowhere. It takes enthusiasm to commit, and to be disciplined. It takes enthusiasm to inspire others. It takes enthusiasm to continue moving forward, even when it feels that you are treading water.

The word enthusiasm comes from a Greek word enthous which means "to be possesed by a god, or inspired" . When we are inspired by a greater purpose we are able to overcome the inevitable setbacks that will occur such as physical injury or illness, mental confusion or despair, emotional pain or loss. When we set a greater intention for our personal practice than we find we can always muster then energy to get on the mat, sit down on our cushions, or pick up our studies. So what is a greater intention?

In Anusara yoga it is taught that there are two supreme intentions for practicing yoga. To know ourselves more fully (Chit), and to co-participate with the creative force of nature (Ananda). These are two great reasons. To rediscover our divine nature when we become disconnected from ourselves (happens to the best of us!), and to celebrate that knowing through creative expression when we are in remembrance. This means there is always a reason to practice. When you are feeling heavy, stuck and confused do your practice to come back to yourself and reconnect to the light within you. When you are feeling full of happiness and joy step onto your mat to celebrate the gift of life that flows through your amazing body. So in other words do your practice and you will find that the practice itself becomes the reward. Enthusiasm will naturally build and as you commit to your practice others in your community will find it easier to commit to theirs and now you have a group of people who's enthusiasm for practice will support yours when it is lagging. Enthusiasm is contagious!

In the words of Sri Patthabi Jois, "Do your practice. All is coming."

See you on the mat!

Urdhva Hastasana

Stand at the top of your mat, feet hip width apart and parallel. Inhale to take your arms up overhead

Ardha Uttanasana

As you exhale fold forward slowly by hinging at the hips. Place the fingertips on the       floor directly beneath your shoulders. Inhale to lengthen the sides of the waist and extend from crown to tail.

Uttanasana

As you exhale soften the elbows out to the sides and release you spine and head over stong stead legs. Hold a breath or two here to encourage length in the muscles through the backs of the legs.

Ardha Uttanasana 

Inhale to look up halfway once more, rising up onto your fingertips.

Straight Leg Lunge

Exhale step your right leg back in a generous step. Make sure left knee is bent directly over left ankle. Keep right leg straight, stay up on your fingertips, look forward and extend through the spine keeping the upper back between the shoulderblades soft and relaxed. Hold a few breaths.

Downward Dog 

From lunge pose step to Downward Dog on an exhale breath. Spread the fingers wide, palms flat, hands shoulder width apart. Straighten your arms to lengthen your spine. Hang your head down and relax your neck. Move your thighbones back evenly till legs are strong and as straight as possible.

Plank Pose

On an inhale breath float forward to Plank pose, leading with the upper arm bones. Keep shoulders stacked over wrists and ensure that body is  in one straight line. Arms strong, finger pads heavy. Relaxe upper back and lengthen forward through your sternum to keep chest open and spine long. Feel free to release knees down after a breath or two for extra support, but keep chest open and shoulders on the back.

Chaturanga Dandasana

Lower down towards the floor on an exhale breath. In one straight line (firm the fronts of your thighs!) or with the knees on the floor for extra support. Keep gazing forward so chest remains open. Allow upper arm bones to stay lifted as you bring chest to floor. Pause once you are on the mat, flatten your toes, lift your shoulders on to your back and gaze forward.

Cobra Pose

On your inhale breath continue to roll the shoulders up onto the back rising up into a backbend. Depending on your spine it may be a large backbend or a little one. Just remember to keep a slight bend in the elbows and continue to draw your upper arm bones up and back as you melt your heart forward. Keep the tops of the feet heavy to the floor. Hold a few breaths. Release on an exhale.

Down Dog

Exhale to move back into Down Dog. Hold a few breaths here.

Straight Leg Lunge

On an inhale breath step your right leg forward so that it comes into line with your right thumb. If you cant make it in one big step simply step as far as you can and then pick up the right foot with the right hand and place it where it needs to be. Rise up onto your fingertips.Extend forwards through your spine and waistline, backwards through your left heel. Keep left leg straight and strong. Hold a few breaths.

Ardha Uttanasana

Next inhale step forward. Place your fingertips on the floor beneath your shoulders, lengthen the spine from crown to tail.

Uttanasana

Exhale to fold over strong legs. Pause here enjoying the stretch.

Urdhva Hastasana

Inhale to take your arms up overhead, keeping legs strong as you lift.

Tadasana

Exhale to lower your arms. Pause for a breath or two if needed. Repeat from the beginning leading with your left leg to complete one full round of Sun Salutations. Do as many rounds as feels good.

Have fun!

  Cat Cow- Move with the breath between these two poses 12 times.

Rest in Child's Pose for a few breaths.

Come into Downward Dog. Hold for 5-10 slow deep breaths.

Come back into Child's Pose for 5 breaths.

Do a dynamic Cobra variation by taking your hands wide off of your mat and coming up onto your fingertips. Keep your hands in line with the sides of your ribcage. As you inhale roll your shoulders up on to your back and rise up smoothly with your upper spine to a comfortable height. As you exhale bring your chest back to the floor keeping your shoulders on your back. Repeat this 4-6 times, moving with the breath.

Rest in Child's Pose for 5 breaths.

Return to Downward Dog for 5-10 slow deep breaths.

Step into a comfortable standing forward bend, keeping the feet hip width apart and parallel, the legs strong.  Hold for 5-8 slow steady breaths. Don't push or bounce with the upper body. Just hold and breath.

Ragdoll up to a standing position. Make sure feet are still hip width and  parallel.

Moving with the breath 3-6 times inhale to take arms up overhead, extending the upper spine. Exhale to return to a neutral standing position. Keep the breath long and full. Match the length of your movements to the length of your breath.

Finish in standing position. Take a moment to pause, observe your breath and your body. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Tonight February 12, 2010 marks the festival of Shivaratri which is celebrated in India and around the world. Shivaratri (Shiva's Great Day) symbolizes the anniversary of Siva's marriage to Parvati or Sakti. In the Tantric philososphy of Yoga Siva and Sakti are seen not as a God and Goddess in human form but rather as archetypal symbols of the masculine and feminine aspects of the One energy out of which everything arises. Siva represents the light of consciousness, pure spirit. And Sakti represents the play of creative energy through form and matter. So their wedding night from the Yogic perspective is a celebration of the union between spirit and matter. As human beings we are a beautiful expression of this divine union. And as conscious yoga practitioners we are offered a means through which we as individuals can express our appreciation for and awareness of this gift. Living with appreciation and with awareness is indeed the hallmark of living a yogic lifestyle - and our practice on the mat can be a vehicle for celebrating it.

Today is a good day to reflect on the union of Siva and Sakti within you. We can know our Siva nature through stillness and through reflection, in states of deep meditative awareness, and in flashes of insight that arise from within. We can experience our Sakti nature through surrender to the dynamic play of change and movement that is our daily life, in our enjoyment of sensual pleasure, and in our creative achievements. Both the mystery and the wonder off all that is unkown and the tangible reality of our own physical body are manifestations of the same powerful force that shapes the mountains, moves the tides, and keeps the planets orbiting the sun.

You are a magical being and that is worth celebrating!

Sutras 1.30-1.39

"Perception of our true nature is often obscured by physical, mental, and emotional states of imbalance. These imbalances can promote restlessness, uneven breathing, worry, and loss of hope. These imbalances can be prevented from engaging by developing loyalty to a sacred practice. To preserve openness of heart and a calm mind, nurture these attitudes. {and practices}"

• Kindness to those who are happy, compassion for those who are less fortunate, honour for those who embody noble qualities, equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values.
• Slow, easeful exhalations can be used to restore and preserve balance.
• Or engage the focus on an inspiring object.
• Or cultivate devotion to the supreme, ever blissful Light  within.
• Or receive grace from a great soul, who exudes Divine qualities.
• Or reflect on a peaceful feeling from an experience, a dream, or deep sleep.
• Or dedicate yourself to anything that elevates or embraces your heart.

In this wonderful group of sutras Patanjali gives us a number of helpful practices to regain balance and equanimity when we find ourselves lost in doubt or confusion. Some of them are quite simple and can be approached by a beginner on the path; such as working with slow easeful exhalations when agitated or restless. Others are quite advanced as they require us to observe our attitudes and reactive tendencies in regards to the people we interact with. What I love about these suggestions from Sri Patanjali is that they are as relevent to Hatha Yoga students today as they were to the practitioners of Raja Yoga in Patanjali's era. Indeed they are helpful for every one regardless of whether they have a formal yoga practice or not- because they are universal practices used to address a universal issue - lack of balance. We all find ourselves out of balance at times, it is part of the play of life. It is also part of the play to discover and to nourish supportive practices that bring us back into connection with ourselves. That bring us back into balance. As modern day yogis we are blessed to have an abundance of knowledge available to us. Ancient wisdom and sacred practices are no longer only shared with the chosen few- they are available to all who go looking for them. But don't get caught in thinking that just because a practice is considered sacred or is incredibly ancient that it  has more power than the practices you have discovered for yourself. Walking the beach, sweeping the floor, playing in your garden, doing the laundry, preparing dinner for your family, reading to your child, napping with the cat, taking the time to share a moment with your neighbour...all of these can be used as an opportunity for mindful practice and can be just as powerful as chanting OM on your meditation cushion. All of these and so many other everday moments can be used to strengthen your practice of yoga and bring you back to center. You may truly be too busy to get to a yoga class at your local studio, but you are never too busy to practice yoga. Yoga is in the everyday. In the sacred as well as the mundane. Dedicate yourself to both equally and you will find you have a thousand ways to practice and endless opportunities for enjoying the play of life. Imbalance and all.

Chapter 2 Verses 49 & 50

"Seek refuge in the attitude of detachment and you will amass the wealth of spiritual awareness. Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do. When consciousness is unified however, all vain anxiety is left behind. There is no cause for worry, whether things go well or ill. Therefore, devote yourself to the disciplines of yoga, for yoga is skill in action." - Eknath Easwaran

I love this interpretation of the word yoga- "yoga is skill in action". I love everything about the practice of hatha yoga, all it's many, many benefits...but none has been more useful or transformative in my own life than the ability to make discerning choices. Through a commitment to regular practice, maintained over many years, I am now better able to make wise choices that reaffirm what is most important to me and in keeping with the values I hold dear. This ability to remember what is most dear allows me to see my way through the maze of  daily choices- both big and small- that make up my life. The ability to choose how we are going to act, or react, in any given situation, is an ability that matures over time and is strengthened through our practices of yoga and meditation. We may not always act in the most skilful way every time we are faced with difficulty or tension, but even the ability to recognize and reflect on our reactions and then think how we might act differently next time shows the dawning of wisdom. This wisdom is strengthened each time you step onto your mat, take your first deep breath, soften your mind and drop into your experience of the moment. The more aware we become the more skilful we become. And when we come up against challenge in the practice our ability to stay present builds the strength of that awareness. We begin to learn how to work with tension, or doubt, fear, or exhaustion. We learn how to keep the surface of the mind clear and the breath steady as we see our way though our challenges in the way that is most skilful. Our work on the mat prepares us for the challenges we meet every day in our interactions with co-workers, loved ones, family, and community members. Indeed our progress on the path of yoga can be judged more honestly by the harmony of our relationships than by the length of our hamstrings! So the next time you find yourself losing focus as you drop into negative self judgement or striving in your practice of hatha yoga remember that you are working to strengthen something much stronger and harder to control than your physical body- you are developing your personality. And that leaves a much stronger impression on the people you know than your perfectly executed backbend ever will. 

 Intro to Yoga Course

Always wanted to learn Yoga but nervous about dropping in to an ongoing class? Can't touch your toes? Stressed out and don't know what to do about it? Wanting to get back in shape? ....This is the course for you!

Come learn the basics of Hatha Yoga practice with experienced local teachers Natalie Rousseau and Pascale Froment of Coastal Bliss Yoga Studio. We'll give you the skills and the confidence needed to begin a regular practice of yoga just in time for Spring.

Dates: February 16th-March 16th
Times: Tuesday nights 7:30-8:45
Location: Coastal Bliss Yoga Studio (above Studio One)
Cost: $90.00 plus GST

• All graduates will receive a 10% coupon off the purchase of an 8 or 12 class yoga pass to Coastal Bliss Yoga Studio

To Register: Natalie at 250-725-8363 or natalie@pacificelements.ca

Pre-Register by Feb. 13th to avoid disappointment.

Some ideas are circulating in my mind about new offerings for this year.

First thought is a 5 week beginner course - to entice all your friends, parents, and husbands to come try out this yoga thing in a non threatening atmosphere. If you think this would be a good idea let me know and I'll run it on Tuesday nights, starting on the 16th. Course would teach the fundamental poses so that folks who join would have a good basic understanding that would allow them to feel confident joining an ongoing drop in class at the studio.

Second idea is a good old Power Yoga class. Now that there are so many more teachers to offer All Levels classes and Level 1 classes I'd love to teach some good sweaty flow. If you are into working hard, having fun, and sweating tonnes let me know and we'll make it happen.

If you haven't checked out the new studio yet get yourself to class tomorrow. It is gorgeous and I am absolutely delighted to be teaching is such a lovely place. It's just what we needed. Let's take this Tofino yoga thing to the next level now!

Theme for classes on Feb. 1st and 3rd

The concentration of the true spiritual aspirant is attained through faith, energy, remembrance, absorption and illumination. - Swami Prabhavananda

In this Sutra Patanjali points out five key attitudes of the true spiritual aspirant, five attitudes that will lead the student in the right direction. These core attitudes are:

Shraddha/Faith: when we speak of faith here we are speaking of faith in the practices themselves. When we have a deep abiding faith in the practices we have committed ourselves to then we can develop certainty on our path. We may not know exactly where we are going to end up, but with faith in our chosen direction we release fear and doubt, two very powerful distractions that will undermine the best of intentions.

Virya/Energy: virya is a term for the heroic energy that is often needed to maintain our commitment to our practice. To work with heroic energy doesn't mean forcing ourselves to do long grueling hours of practice without break, or working with super advanced poses. We may need to call on heroic energy simply to roll out our mats for a gentle morning stretch at 6am when we'd rather sleep, but it's the only time we get before the baby wakes up. We strengthen virya when we commit to showing up. No matter what. By getting out the door to class when our partner is enticing us to stay on the couch and cuddle, or we'd rather tune out in front of a movie. Every time you honour your commitment to practice you feed that warrior strength within you- and when the time comes that you really need to call on it- it answers you.

Smriti/Remembrance: by cultivating an attitude of mindfulness and remembrance we hold true to our deepest intentions. What are we in remembrance of? Our Self with a capital S! Our best and brightest self. We hold to remembrance of what matters most to us, deep within our hearts, and when we stumble on the path it's that remembrance that helps us back up again and shows us the way.

Samadhi/Absorption: samadhi is a state of deep concentration, of absorption and integration, of connection. Samadhi may not always be easy to attain but through practices such as conscious asana, pranayama, meditation, and mantra we develop our ability to hold our focus for longer and longer periods of time. This training sets the ground for samadhi to develop. Think back to when you first started your practices of yoga and how easily distracted you were. With time your ability to hold steady is strengthened. One of my teachers once said that "yoga is not a practice that rewards youth", and it's true. It takes time for wisdom, steadiness, and unwavering commitment to develop. The good news is that each step on the journey is rich with learning and reward.

Prajna/Illumination: prajna is defined as higher knowledge, wisdom, and discernment. It is key to our success on the path that we are continually open to and indeed seeking higher knowledge. True Knowledge. Knowledge that Illuminates. Truth is different than book learning, or endless facts on a variety of subjects. Truth is universal. And when we hear it spoken we know it to be true in our hearts. True knowledge exists within you and is always available to you, but often it takes an external source, a teacher of some type, to remind you of it. Teachings and teachers come in many forms, some of them unexpected. Your difficult co-worker may offer many lessons on wisdom for you to learn if you are open. Your mother, partner, child or dog can be your teacher. You may be reminded of what is true to you from a TV commercial or a Hallmark card. Keep your mind open and learning is everywhere. Truth and magic are universal- keep your eyes open and you'll see it sparkling all around you.

As we are in a time of new beginnings I will now be working with inspirational themes from the foundational yoga texts in all of my classes. I will post the passages I'm working with and which classes I'll be using them in here. Please check in regularly and feel free to email me for further info or discussion anytime you like.

Inspiration for classes on Jan. 29th, Jan. 30th, and Feb. 2nd

"In the city of Brahman is a secret dwelling, the lotus of the heart. Within this dwelling is a space and withing that space is the fulfillment of our desires. What is within that space should be longed for and realized. As great as the infinite space beyond is the space within the lotus of the heart. Both heaven and earth are contained in that inner space, both fire and air, sun and moon, lightning and stars. Whether we know it in this world or not, everything is contained in that inner space.   - Chandogya Upanishad

I love this particular passage because of the poetic way in which it expresses a key teaching in our practice of yoga- that which we seek is inside of us. All the wonder, and magic, the knowledge and the surety, the contentment and the joy that we search for...is just below the surface of our busy minds, waiting to be found in the stillness of our hearts.

With the practice of Hatha Yoga we are given a further tool to aid us in our discovery of this hidden treasure. Through focused, conscious practice we can, and do!, begin to remove the layers that bind the heart so that it's inherent fullness can be felt. So that our actions, and our words, even our thought begin to be guided by this sense of connection to our deepest truth.

Joy is our true nature. And it is our birthright. It is up to us to cultivate practices that allow us to connect to it.

See you in class!