......don't go!

Yogis,

I have a Lenten Rose out front. She is known as being one of the earliest flowering plants, sending out her buds to welcome the Lenten season. A sure sign that spring is starting to knock at the door.

A few days ago, a whisper in the air told me to brush the leaves off the plant, get down on my hands and knees and look below. Lo and behold there they were. Several swollen buds with their heads bowed down beneath the green. I took a picture and sent it to my sister Amy with a note stating that according to Ms. Rose, spring is on her way.

As you all know I am only a neophyte in the ‘I love winter’ department, where my sister has always been all in on the joys of winter. Her response to my note lacked a spring like enthusiasm as you can imagine.

At that moment I realized that I too was not ready for spring. I texted back. Where is winter?

If any of you live in the Midwest you probably won’t agree with what I am about to say, but here in the Mid Atlantic winter never held us in her grip this year. Yes, we had a few cold weeks. Yes, the polar vortex made its way through, lasting a mere two days. We did indeed have several inches of snow this week, but more like a March storm, the very next day the great melt began.

All of my telltale signs of the severity of the winter season are pointing low on the scale. The number of times I have made soup. The number of days I wore a wool scarf around my neck in the house. How often I had to scrape my windshield. The amount of firewood used. In fact, I haven’t even started my annual 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, which is a winter staple for me!

I haven’t had a gas bill that caused my jaw to drop. My sage still has some green leaves on it and having to watch my step on the ice hasn’t happened. Instead of soil that is hard as a rock, there is mud caked to my boots and tracked on the kitchen floor. My umbrella seems to have replaced the snow shovel as the must have item. No, I am not ready.

A forsythia tree down the street has bloomed, which most years makes my heart sing, but this year I whispered oh no. A walk along the river yesterday revealed Bluebells pushing their heads through the soil and I found myself wishing they would retreat.

Winter is the season for quiet. Alone time. Self-care and nourishment. The months to do the inner work to prepare for the outward forward movement of spring. Winter is time for me, and I haven’t had enough. I am not yet empty to be able to take in the fullness spring and summer offer.

So, don’t hate me, but I am hoping for a cold March.

‘There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you…. In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself’
                              ~Ruth Stout

Doing the inner work,
SARAH

......I heart you

Yogis,

It all began very innocently. A text message waiting on my phone as I woke Thursday morning. A wish for a happy valentine’s day. I quickly began to type my response but stopped myself. Words suddenly didn’t feel like enough.

I headed into my ‘room’ – if you’ve spent time here you know my room and all you have to do is walk in there and you will know me – grabbed my bolster, dropped to the floor and draped my back over it. Now we’re talking! Now my heart has some space. Now I can tune into the vibration of love………

What is love? I love dark chocolate. I love being down by the river. I love dancing. I love my family. Are these all the same? What if all of them were suddenly gone. Would I still love? Could I?

There is this illusion we fall into that the people, places and things that surround us are the cause of that delicious stirring inside. But you may hate dark chocolate so that bar I keep in my pantry clearly isn’t love. There may be someone I avoid at all costs, yet you may feel you would drown without them. No, there isn’t anything on the outside that is the source of that inner glow. They only act as a reminder.

Love is a vibration. A high note that exists within each of us. An energy that acts as the glue to keep us all together. Its power can chase away fear and lift us to a higher state. We only have to tune to its frequency and be it.

For the next half hour, I lay there with an open and vulnerable heart. I imagined turning on a light in the center of my chest. With each inhale that flowed into that space I visualized the light becoming brighter and brighter, until I was radiating. Then one by one I brought images of people into that light and shined on them. Family, friends, students, neighbors and even some who make it a challenge to love.

The lighthouse shines for all boats. It matters not what a boat has done or where it has travelled. None are refused the light. Love is meant to shine that same way. All beings receiving the same heart energy. All.

I am love, so by darkening even one ray, I lessen myself.

Did you feel me?
SARAH

......her name was Irma

Yogis,

She went by the name Irma and she was mighty. As the strongest landfalling hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin she swept through the Virgin Islands with her 185 mph sustained winds and gusts upward of 220mph. On September 6, 2017 Irma flexed her muscles and showed just how powerful nature can be. Life became marked by ‘before’ and ‘after’.

The British Virgin Islands (BVIs) captured my heart back in the early 90s and I return every couple of years to soak in their sun, float in the waters and set my rhythm to island time. Last week was my first trip back since Irma paid her visit. Almost a year and a half later her name is still on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

I was hesitant at first to ask the locals about her as I didn’t want to open wounds, but quickly saw that they want to share their stories. To let us know how life changing that day was to each of them individually, to their community and to life as they knew it. Each story unique yet similar. 

First a concern for property. Standing in hallways straining to hold the bulging walls from caving in or leaning body weight on doors to keep them from flying off their hinges, until that instant when it became clear she couldn’t be contained and all that mattered was living through her stay. Running to inner rooms, jumping into bathtubs or tying themselves to steel beams, often losing tracks of others in the chaos, and waiting in terror for the next five hours.

This was only the beginning. Once Irma packed up and moved on the island was left with no running water, no working toilets, and no electricity…….for months. All personal generators and fuel confiscated by the government. Curfews and night noises. Not one leaf on the trees. Here if our internet or power is down for even a few hours we demand answers. We feel inconvenienced by no A/C in the short time we wait for the repair man. My life’s complaints felt trivial.

Yet I heard no bitterness. Instead the word that kept coming to me was resilience. I heard not once but several times that the island isn’t now better or worse….simply different. Some faring better then others where they could rebuild even a little bigger and stronger, but others still living in tents along the road. Buildings with fresh coats of paint across the street from boats lying face down in the brush. Yet all with an energy of moving forward.

In some cases, a sense that perhaps some needed changes had been forced.  Irma had transformed their home and it was now their responsibility to make a life in it.

Standing next to a concrete slab which used to house the jeep rental company, paperwork was handled under a tree with a tarp instead. The sun shone down on us all. 

Misha, a young woman from Tortola who I had become friends with when she was only a teenager came over one gorgeous morning so we could do yoga together.  On the patio overlooking the turquoise sea and serenaded by the roosters we breathed and took time to notice. The breeze, warmth, connections, friendships, life.

Everywhere we went we were thanked. Waiters, taxi drivers, shop owners all expressing gratitude that we had returned and were supporting their economy. And as I was leaving a brief summer storm painted a rainbow across the sky…….reminding me that I loved this place and the people’s spirit both ‘before’ and ‘after’.  Not better or worse. Simply different.

I will be back,
SARAH

.....bring the outside in

Yogis,

When you hear the word medicine what comes to mind?  Do you imagine taking a pill or measuring out a teaspoon of liquid? In the world of earth medicine, that isn’t always the case. Earth medicine works with the qualities of plants, minerals and animals to bring holistic wellness to the body, mind and spirit. A different type of prescription.

Yes, you can use herbs in cooking or make tinctures and powders from plants for internal consumption and there are times for all of these. Herbed oils for the skin and herbal vinegars for the immune system. Other times though, we don’t even need to go that far.

Simply being with the plants and minerals can serve as our medicine. And with the cold dreary days of winter and all the indoor time the season brings, this can still be easy! 

Look outside and spot the green. Holly trees with their red berries. Evergreen bushes, bamboo and pine trees. All make beautiful cuttings to place in bud vases throughout the house, bringing in both joy and aroma. Bedside tables, kitchen islands and bathroom shelves all provide a fresh perspective when something live returns your gaze.

A pinecone sitting at the kitchen sink warms the soul. The rock that caught your eye on your walk (they do sometimes wave) placed next to the computer will be more than happy to help ground you when things become chaotic. Knobby sticks can be a piece of art in your centerpiece. Be creative. Everything in nature offers beauty when you look closely.

When Valentine's Day rolls around be sure to cut off the spent blooms from any flowers you receive. Lay them out somewhere that they can breathe while drying. Rose petals in your bath water moisten the skin and set a tone for self-love. Much needed in this cold dry air.  

And one of my very favorite prescriptions in February is to cut some twigs from the forsythia bushes and put them in a mason jar with water. In two weeks, their smiling yellow blossoms will be lighting up the room and your mood. A cure for the winter blues and a reminder that spring is not far behind. 

So when you can’t be out…….bring the outside in! She will heal you.

And did I mention she’s free?
SARAH

......where you look is where you go

Yogis,

As we walk through life we are guided by our eyes. Always scanning ahead of us for walls we may bump into, obstacles that might trip us or holes that could turn our ankle. At the same time, we are seeing the unique architecture of the building ahead and the red berries on the holly tree. All occurring without any effort on our part. In fact, we may be so deep in our own inner chatter that although the eyes are seeing, we see nothing. 

When we get to a turning point in the road it is the eyes that first make the turn and we tag along. We look and everything else follows.  Because where we look is where we go……

This is a powerful principle that can be harnessed to guide your life in positive directions.

We have magnificent eyes that can see infinite shades of red, the jaw dropping awe of a cloudless sunset, the tiny toes on a newborn foot and the vastness of the dark sea. But we also have an inner vision that has the capacity to see even beyond what exists for our physical eyes to land on. Not limited by ‘what is’. Our ability to visualize opens new worlds. We can choose to see anything.

Where we look is where we go…….

We visualize all day even if we aren’t aware, so what we are visualizing is of great importance. Our mind often prefers to look at all the potential problems that may arise. As if somehow preparing for the worst will keep us from being surprised. This goes by the name of worry. But all that does is increase the possibilities for trouble. By seeing something over and over we give it attention and awareness which gives it energy.

Where we look is where we go……

If on the other hand we use the inner screen to visualize what we are wanting to manifest in our life, that is what becomes potent.  Seeing what we want already manifested, in full color, over and over and over will inevitably draw it toward you. Our inner gaze can create our outer view.

The practice begins by noticing what you visualize. Where do your inner eyes like to go? What stories do they love to watch?

Then when you notice a scene that doesn’t serve you and your purpose, turn off the projector and select a new movie. It takes wanting to, and then inner determination to change your script. And patience. But it can absolutely be done. Visualize it!

A knee injury……spend time each day visualizing it completely healed. Sit quietly and see yourself moving it with ease.  A project you are working on……..watch the scene where you are presenting the completed project on time to the accolades of your team. 

Instead of picturing the financial woes you feel are coming, turn your sights to a flow of abundance. See a sold sign on your house. Visualize the positive pregnancy test. Watch as your event fills.

Because where you look is where you go……..

I think tonight I will watch the one with me doing handstand,
SARAH

Time for Me

                 .......a nourishing women's winter weekend retreat


Serenity Circle Yoga's first weekend retreat!
March 1-3
Book your room now!

Details here -  http://serenitycircleyoga.squarespace.com/new-events-1/

......just do something

Yogis,

There are times in life where we get a little stuck. The forward movement that we were riding high on takes a pause. As if our car has hit a snow drift and we are spinning our wheels. For me that can happen around this time of year. I think it is the extra time inside and the dull shade of gray that the sky displays on many mornings.

I have been noticing how when the ‘stuckness’ appears, I do one of two things. Push the pedal harder to try to smash my way through or do nothing. Neither is very effective. Lately I have been idling in the do-nothing phase. As if I simply turned the ignition off and walked away.

The mind loves this. The negative self-chatter kicks into high gear. Who were you to think you could make that happen….. What makes you think you deserve that…..   You aren’t working hard enough….. What you offer isn’t needed…… You need more skills…..  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 

Which of course feeds into more do-nothingness. But the longer the engine is off, the colder it becomes. The harder to get it started. The days come and go with no noticeable forward movement. 

This is where I found myself this week.

In classes we are working right now with the energy of fire which is the energy of action. Forward movement. Heat. Transformation. Taking something and changing it into something else.

At one point in class I give a couple of challenging options for students to work on. Arm balances, correctly aligned chaturangas or holding plank. My queue is to work from exactly where you are and take some small baby step into the uncomfortable. Not to push the pedal harder by doing something beyond where you are which eventually leads to injury but also not to do what you know is easy. But most importantly……Just Do Something!

I woke up Wednesday morning hearing myself saying – Just Do Something! Anything!

A few hours later a package arrived. It was a chakra necklace from my cousin.  It came with seven small crystals, each a color of a chakra. I immediately placed the yellow one in which represents fire and put it around my neck. I spent the remainder of the day taking my own baby steps. Applying some gentle heat. 

Making that phone call I kept putting off. Posting a note looking for drum lessons so I can learn how to play my new African drum. Reaching out to someone I want to get to know better. Opening up a blank document and placing the first words for my book’s introduction on the page. Creating the flyer for my very first weekend women’s retreat, for which I have spent a year preparing but couldn’t seem to take that final step!

When the car has been sitting idle and cold, we don’t floor the engine and roar down the street. We turn the key and patiently allow it to warm. We gently press out the coughs and sputters and ease it down the road. Our life needs the same care.

Where are you stuck? What do you want to manifest but can’t seem to gain momentum? Beginning now, just do something, every day. Open a new door. Place one foot outside your comfort zone. And before long the snow drift will be in the rear-view mirror. Just do something……

Happy Full Moon,
SARAH

Time for Me

                 .......a nourishing women's winter weekend retreat


Serenity Circle Yoga's first weekend retreat!
March 1-3


Details here -  http://serenitycircleyoga.squarespace.com/new-events-1/

.....sleep your way to change

Yogis,

I have always wanted to be able to speak two languages. I find it so intriguing that the mind can have the same thoughts using two completely different sets of words. I would love to know what that feels like.

Growing up I remember hearing that if you listened to language tapes as you were falling asleep you could become fluent in that language (never actually tried). I also knew it was best to do your final studying right before bed (this I did). The idea being that new thoughts are imprinted differently in the period of drifting off to sleep and that they are bound to stick.

As an adult I discovered the powerful yogic practice which uses this same process to create lasting change in our lives. It is called Yoga Nidra….. 

Yoga nidra translates to yogic sleep. The entire practice is done lying on the floor on the back (ok, count me in!) For the next 30 to 60 minutes an instructor guides you on a mind journey through the parts of the body, breathing, various images and visualizations. Your only effort is to remain still, aware and follow the voice.

What happens is a very deep relaxation. Not only the body, but the mind and the emotions……all places that hold tension. In a typical night’s sleep, we often fall asleep but don’t truly relax. In fact, one hour of yoga nidra is said to be as restorative as four hours of sleep. 

As the body relaxes and the mind continues following the voice, the brain waves slow. There is a sensation of drifting in and out of consciousness. Somehow asleep, yet following instructions. Although still aware we begin operating more from the subconscious mind. Our place of receptivity. A fertile soil for new ways of thinking, being, living.

So yes, yoga nidra feels absolutely blissful, but the real power lies in what we sow in the soil. At the beginning of the practice you are asked to mentally repeat a resolve to yourself. An intention. A short simple statement in the positive and in the present that represents what it is that you want to create. The change you desire. For example, ‘I am courageous’. Or ‘I am patient. ‘I live in abundance’. ‘I release fear of the future’. And then at the end you state it to yourself again with heartfelt feeling and conviction.

The practice of yoga nidra is gaining popularity as we all look for ways to release the tensions that our current way of living brings. Many of the newer diseases have their roots in the thoughts, worries and tension backpack we carry. Stress has become second nature. Here is a practice that unwinds all of that.

I am thrilled to now be teaching it here locally with my first workshop next Sunday at Washington Yoga Center. But there are classes springing up everywhere. Give it a try! Create change while you sleep!

Just try not to snore too loud……..

Om,
SARAH