Christmas Eve Yoga - Giving and Receiving

When the mind is free from personal interest, we do our work well, and feel joy. Our lives become meaningful. If our minds are free from selfishness and there is sacrifice in everyone’s lives, the very world becomes a heaven, an abode of peace and bliss. Everything in this life gives. Sacrifice is the law of life. That is why we admire and adore people who have given their lives for the sake of humanity.

~The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali/Translation and Commentary
by Sri Swami Satchidananda; pgs 26-27

That is why at Christmas, we celebrate the life of Jesus, why we admire his example of selflessness. His whole life was spent in the process of giving and sacrifice. It is because of his living example that he is still loved and has many followers. Many spiritual leaders, no matter their religious ties, regard him as a wonderful example, teacher, divine being, and many, even God himself.

Christ did not give in order to receive. His followers gave him adoration, love, and respect because he freely gave to them. They felt his genuine love and concern for them. Giving and Receiving is the natural order of things.

"For it is in giving that we receive."
-St. Francis of Assisi-



Vinyasa Yoga is an example of giving and receiving. It is a constant flow and dance with the breath; a gentle giving and receiving between opposing forces: the inhale and the exhale.

In the process of this dance with the breath, the body becomes free, when the body is free, the mind can be still, and when the mind can be still meditation comes spontaneously. Without ease and freedom in the body, the mind cannot be still. When there is discomfort and suffering in the body, there is discomfort and suffering in the mind. The Body and Mind do not exist separately; they are one.


In Vinyasa Yoga, when we listen to the sound of the breath, and move with that rhythm, meditation comes freely. The breath brings Vinyasa Yoga its meditative quality; a meditation in motion. The use of the mantra "OM", as the breath sound, can increase this meditative quality.

Inhale the sound 'aahh' with the intention of taking in what you need. Receive the gift of the breath. Let the inhale bring you strength, hug you to your center, fill you with energy.

Exhale the sound 'mmmm' with the intention to give, reach from your center, and really feel the sensation of giving back to the universe.

As you allow yourself to move with this intention, this mantra, this breath, you will find new places to release in each posture. Then moving becomes strong and easy(sukha stira), free, meditative, joyful.


Vinyasa Yoga, like life, is the constant movement from center, then readjusting to come back to center. This movement with breath allows us to feel deeper, more intrinsic sensations. We naturally begin to explore deeper, constantly finding new sensations and places for our inquiry.

Through dedication to our practice, we learn how to be strong yet at ease. We learn to use muscular energy to hold strong to our center and organic energy to move out from our center. With practice we learn about our tendencies, and how to bring balance them. When we learn to bring balance to ourselves in our Yoga Practice, we can then transfer this knowledge out into our lives. We learn to move out into life with strength and ease, and better able to share our whole “Self.”


Vinyasa Yoga is an example of giving and receiving. It is a constant flow and dance with the breath; a gentle giving and receiving between opposing forces: the inhale and the exhale.

Allow Your "Self" Its True Nature: Creativity

Aparigraha.Non-clinging;Non-hoarding;letting go of fear of not having enough/not being enough

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you did not do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines; Sail away from the safe harbor; Catch the trade winds in your sails; Explore; Dream; Discover; (Create).

~Mark Twain


In the Class, Yoga for Women, we want to allow for a smooth flow of energies. Bringing creative color, clothing, physical movement, to your practice, will bring a wonderful inner joy to your soul. Allow your "Self" the freedom to express its creativity, your creativity.

Vinyasa Sequence: Energize, Open, & Cleanse

This sequence Energizes by engaging an active breathing rhythm; Opens by moving the body through a wide range of postures as well as all four movements of the spine; Cleanses by bringing heat to the internal organs and muscles.

We will be learning how to move through this sequence as smoothly and freely as the Varied Sun Salutation Sequences. With this sequence, along with the Sun Salutations, we will build endurance, as well as heat and free the body enough to explore more challenging postures.


(Right Side)

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti

~Dance the Star

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III
(Airplane Arms)

~Cresent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior II / Virabhadrasana II

~Extended Side Angle / Utthita Parsvakonasana

~Triangle / Trikonasana

~Half Moon / Ardha Candrasana

~Spread Leg Intense Stretch A / Prasarita Padottanasana A

~Crescent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III
(Prayer Hands to Heart)

~Tree / Vrksasana

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti


(Left Side)

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti

~Dance the Star

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III
(Airplane Arms)

~Cresent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior II / Virabhadrasana II

~Extended Side Angle / Utthita Parsvakonasana

~Triangle / Trikonasana

~Half Moon / Ardha Candrasana

~Spread Leg Intense Stretch B/ Prasarita Padottanasana B

~Crescent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III
(Prayer Hands to Heart)

~Tree / Vrksasana

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti



(Right Side)

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti

~Dancer / Natarajasana

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III

~Crescent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior I / Virabhadrasana I

~Side Intense Stretch / Parsvottanasana
(Arms Behind Back,clasp elbows or Revolved Namaste)

~Revolved Side Angle / Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

~Revolved Triangle / Parivrtta Trikonasana

~Revolved Half Moon / Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana

~Spread Leg Intense Stretch C / Prasarita Padottanasana C
(Left thumb on top)

~Crescent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III
(Namaste Hands at Heart)

~Eagle / Garudasana

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti


(Left Side)

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti

~Dancer / Natarajasana

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III

~Crescent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior I / Virabhadrasana I

~Side Intense Stretch / Parsvottanasana
(Arms Behind Back,clasp elbows or Revolved Namaste)

~Revolved Side Angle / Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

~Revolved Triangle / Parivrtta Trikonasana

~Revolved Half Moon / Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana

~Spread Leg Intense Stretch C / Prasarita Padottanasana C
(Left thumb on top)

~Crescent Lunge / Anjaneyasana

~Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III
(Namaste Hands at Heart)

~Eagle / Garudasana

~Equal Standing / Samasthiti

New Class-Yoga for Women

Monday, Dec. 3, my Monday 9 am Restore class was changed to a class specifically for Women. It will honor the challenges and health needs that are unique to us. Each class will move in a gentle flow that will address a specific feminine need. We will learn to truly dance with the breath. Spread the news, tell all your female friends, and I will meet you at BREATHE.

Next class, Monday, Dec. 10, will be a class of colors. Get in touch with yourself, and wear the color that corresponds to the chakra (area of your body) that feels stuck for you.

~Root(feet,legs,pelvic floor)-Red

~Sacral-Orange

~Solar Plexus-Yellow

~Heart-Green

~Throat-Blue

~Third Eye (between the eye brow)-Indigo

~Crown-Violet

Set your intention to clear this space, and come to class prepared to move =}. Remove the blocks, and express yourself, inside and out. We are in this life experience "For the Long Haul."

The Guest House by Rumi

I was reminded this week of a wonderful prose by Rumi. A reminder that we may all need, especially during the rough times in our lives. Somethings in life come to us because of others choices, some come to us because of our own choices. What we are reminded of in this writing, is that they do come. The interesting thing that our practice of Yoga and its philosophies try to get us to do is to be aware, and then choose to "act" rather than to "react." This is a very hard thing to do, especially when emotions, old and new, are brought into the mix.

In our Hatha Yoga Practice (the physical practice of Yoga postures)we see our reactive tendencies on all three levels of our being. If we pay attention, we see that through out our practice we go through a variety of sensations: physical, emotional, and spiritual. What our practice is really begging us to do is to pay attention and to choose our actions, instead of staying in the mode of reacting. Which do we choose? Action or Reaction? It is a very interesting view if we can step back, as though we are watching ourselves from a distance, and see ourselves as we truly are. In this way we can learn some very valuable things about ourselves, and with this new knowledge, learn to stop the pattern of reacting, and choose our actions. This can help us avoid more of the bumps in life, and with that, possibly our "Guest House" visitors will be more pleasant.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

- Rumi -