This week’s musings….

I love life. I love yoga. I love my family and apples and peanut butter. I love music and dancing and well behaved dogs and children. I love October and July in Arizona. I also love falling and failing and learning and growing. For too long I loved only what I perceived as the “good” things, the happy things. For too long I reserved love for big things and special things and then I found yoga, and meditation, and hope. In that process I found that all things are lovable, the little things, the big things, even things that annoy me because they cause me to think and act and grow. Recently I was reciting a mantra for the umpteenth time and it finally, truly and wholly sunk into my being, I learned the mantra because of my affinity for the JivaMukti school of yoga via my teacher, Alanna Kaivalya. I carry this mantra with me everywhere with the following translation/interpretation:

Guru Brahma
Guru Vishnu
Guru Devo Maheshwara
Guru Sak Shat
Param Brahma
Tash Mayi Shri Guruvay Namaha

Our Moment of birth is our teacher, the duration of our lives and all the experiences we accumulate are are teacher, our misfortunes and calamities are our teachers. The guru is nearby and within ourselves. The guru is indescribable and beyond all forms. All efforts are offered to the teacher.

GURU – GU – darkness, shadow RU – remover. GuRu to remove darkness. All things are our teachers. The teacher is within you, all things are available to you and each moment is given as a gift to bring us from ignorance to enlightment. What a blessing.

You don’t need a yoga pose or a fancy book, you don’t need anything but the willingness to listen to your heart and learn. Everything is merely a tool to help you see your own divinity.

Me personally? I feel yoga has helped me to see this more readily than I might have left to my own devices, learning from those that have sought before me helps me to make the connections. Find your truth, your path and you may very well find that all things are your teachers, just remember to be still enough, quiet enough to hear what they are saying.

Asana (yoga pose) For the week: Marichyasana III (Marichi’s Pose)

Wellness Tip of the week: For learning to occur we need to stretch ourselves, figuratively as well as literally. So what have you been avoiding? Have you heard of the benefits of kettlebells but have been afraid to try them out? Have you been “meaning” to get to a yoga class, but feel intimidated….(http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/09/10-things-every-beginning-yoga-student-should-know-erica-rodefer/) Maybe you have talked about getting involved in a charity? (www.stbaldricks.org/participants/happyshaveday) (http://www.komenphoenix.kintera.org/raceforthecure2010/arcreated ) Perhaps you have been avoiding talking to someone? Maybe you have been meaning to go to your place of worship???? Whatever it is, whatever is holding you back, stretch a little outside your comfort zone and reach out and watch how you grow and learn.

Mantra (sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of “creating transformation”)for the week:

If you feel comfortable repeating the guru mantra above feel free. Or you can try:

Inhale: all things exhale: teach me