Kirtan & Chanting

So, here it is: my family and friends think that I've lost my mind. I spend my free Saturday evenings going to kirtans, banging on a drum, or playing my harmonium. I sing the names of the gods and goddesses. I hang out with my crazy yoga hippie friends and lose myself in the music. And that's crazy. My husband doesn't understand why I feel the need to play the harmonium, to listen to chants all the time in my car, and practice them. But here it goes: music brings me closer to God. It always has, it always will. There's a reason I spent way too many years playing instruments, studying opera, spending all my extra money on sheet music and expensive voice lessons: music has always been my passion. Now my passion is yoga and sharing that with others. It's like God gave me an outlet for that with kirtan. What better way to bring together my two passions than Bhakti yoga. The path of Bhakti is one of devotion. I love the concept of devotional singing. The words are incredibly powerful, the melodies haunting, the spirit of those around me divine. So, for those of you who think I'm crazy? Come with me to a kirtan. When you lose yourself in the moment with the music, with everyone chanting all around you, you'll understand. Keep an open mind and God will shower you with blessings! Meanwhile, I'll keep playing my harmonium, singing my songs and living in the beautiful, musical moment.

A Look Down The Road...

So, this week, I'm studying with Judith Lasater. It's an amazing experience. For anyone who's not familiar with her work, she teaches a restorative style and is also extremely knowledgeable in regards to anatomy and kinesiology. She is in fact trained as a physical therapist. This is an amazing woman who's been teaching yoga for 40 years. And here's what she said (paraphrasing of course!): As a yoga community, in general, we are OVER stretching. We're pushing our ligaments too hard. Eventually, over time, we will end up with VERY loose ligaments. And what's the point of a ligament? To connect bones to each other. So, when your ligaments are too loose, you end up with some ugly problems.

When she said this, it reminded me of a conversation I had with Rod Stryker (another amazing yogi) back in September. I asked him, "With so many different teachers each telling us a different thing about how we're supposed to live or how we're supposed to practice, how can we know what's really true?" To paraphrase Rod, he said that we need to carefully look at the lives and the practice of the teacher we wish to emulate. What is their practice like? Do they live in a way that feels authentic to us? If so, then that's great. But if there's something that doesn't seem right for you, then don't try to emulate that person or do exactly what they say. Rod then went on to talk about how many senior teachers he knew that had received hip replacements in the past year. He said, if that's what you want, go for it. THIS is what Judith reminded me of. (trying to tie this all back together for you!) If over several years we have loosened our ligaments to the point where our bones can't hold together, we end up with these issues. Some senior teachers are open and honest with these issues (Dharma Mittra just had a hip replacement) but others are not. I quite literally think that hip replacements are becoming the face lift of the yoga world!

So, when I look down the road, 30 years from now, do I want a hip replacement or any other surgical procedure? No. Do I want to continue to grow in my asana practice? Of course! But, maybe I'll think more on the words of Judith Lasater and Rod Stryker. Be careful who you choose to emulate. Stay with what's authentic for you. Listen to what your body's telling you, don't tell your body what to do. In the end, you'll thank yourself for it.

Yoga: A Cult?

So, one of the headline stories on cnn.com yesterday was about yoga as a cult. Here's the link if you're interested in reading it:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/01/05/yoga.lawsuit.lee/index.html

Technically, it's not about yoga as a cult, but about Dahn Yoga and their leadership/business model/etc... However, if you see the headline, what you walk away with is "yoga is a cult". With so many different styles of asana practice out there and so little education provided to the general public, I'm afraid articles like this are rather damaging. A co-worker brought this article to my attention, saying "By the way, check out CNN. They say you're in a cult."
But this leads me down this path of thought: Anything, taken to an extreme, is dangerous. You must always think before you act. Does this smell right? Is there something here that doesn't seem right? If you read the article, you find that these former Dahn Yoga employees state that they were coerced into performing dangerous activities. Their minds were being controlled. While asking people to do these activities might not be right, they should also take responsibility for making the decision to do what they were asked. Extremes are never a good option. I could practice yoga asanas all day long, meditate and practice pranayama. But at what cost? In reality I would be alienating my husband and daughter and if asana was practiced too much, damaging my body. Are people in a hurry to gain enlightenment? Is that why people go to extremes in these types of practices? I make the time I can for the things which are important for me. I struggle to find the time on a daily basis for my meditation, but I know it's important. I sneak it in when the opportunity presents itself. But I won't go to ridiculous lengths because a supposed guru says that is the only way.

In the end, we all are our own gurus. Look inside yourself and see what lies within. Listen to your body and your soul. Make wise decisions, live in the way that you know is right. Seek positive role models and teachers. Be careful who you choose to emulate. Yoga is not a cult. I can't speak to Dahn Yoga in general, but YOGA, the path, this is not a cult. It's a lifestyle and a choice. Not always the easiest, but the one I've chosen. Your thoughts?

Kirtan - Last Night

Drove up to Denton last night for kirtan with Rudra Das at the Yoga Hut. I've been to a few kirtans before and love singing, so these events are always right up my alley. A teacher of mine was telling me the other day about her experience with a recent kirtan. She said that she had trouble sleeping that night because of all the spiritual energy and vibrations that had stayed with her. While I understood the concept when she spoke of it, this wasn't an experience I'd had in the past. Last night I understood what she was talking about. I finished kirtan at 9:30, drove home, and finally passed out at 1 am! I'm usually dead at 10. When our 2 year old woke us up at 6:45 this morning, I was bright and ready to go. I could still feel the energy of last night's experience. Now I know what she spoke of. It's what I imagine it must be like to drink a bunch of coffee, or smoke a bunch of cigarettes. The boost is incredible! Perhaps they should market kirtan to college students who need to stay awake all night to study. "Hey kids, take a break to sing Jai Ma and then get back to your studying!" What an experience. Can't wait for the next one.

First Post

I've been saying for awhile now that I would find a home for some of my thoughts on practicing yoga, teaching yoga, and other ramblings as I continue on my path. So here it is: the home for these thoughts. Maybe you'll read it, maybe you won't. I'm not attached to that. It's here for me and if you care to join me on this journey, I welcome you!