Every fall in Vermont I am reminded of the potential beauty and grace of transition. The shift of fresh green summer to the vibrant hues of autumn reminds us that we can hold true to ourselves and shine even in the midst of change.

Yoga has helped me navigate the inevitable changes of life. I invite you to join me and may the abundance of your heart be reflected from the inside out like the brilliance of the fall!

The Summer Day

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should have I done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
-Mary Oliver

This past month I went on a backpacking trip in the northern Green Mountains with my father. We spent a long weekend hiking and enjoying a preview of the first autumn colors. At one point, we stopped on the shore of a remote marsh which was teeming with trout, birds, and moose tracks. Although we didn’t see the moose, the evidence of it’s greatness left us in awe. Learning to be aware of the bliss and greatness of life is my mantra for the month of September. I am reminded of Mary Oliver’s words which so eloquently remind us of our “one wild and precious life.”

I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
Around me like circles on water.
My tasks lie in their places
Where I left them, asleep like cattle…..

Then what I am afraid of comes.
I live for a while in its sight.
What I fear in it leaves it,
And the fear of it leaves me.
It sings, and I hear its song.
-Wendell Berry

As we heal through meditation, yoga, or any mindful practice, it can open us. Perhaps the intellect opens a new window of perspective, the heart peels back a layer to reveal a deeper connection to the universe, or the body unfurls to release underlying emotion. When I started practicing yoga, back bends were physically challenging for me. Emotionally, it was like my heart was breaking open. At first, as with any broken heart, it was too much emotion for me to handle. Memories of sadness surfaced, tears fell, but eventually I softened and the world in all its inherent compassion was there to greet me. Back bends are still challenging for me. Some days, I am resistant to open myself that deeply. I find that those are the days when I most need to hear the song of my heart.

There is in nature a sense sublime of something far more deeply infused.

-William Wordsworth

On a weekend hike I was graced with the sight of rare, delicate trilliums blanketing the forest floor. Pure white and tender pinks seemed to set the stage for a mid-summer nights dream.

Anusara Yoga philosophy is based on the Tantra view of Kashmir Shavism. The Tankrika believe that everything is a manifestation of the divine. When we respect and and align ourselves with nature, we invite grace to fill us. If we resist and go against the flow of nature, we suffer. We can choose to align with grace or not. The choice is ours.

Divine are the trilliums. So is divine the dark, damp earth below.

Entering the heart is like coming into the center of the sun. There is no more you; there is nothing except the iridescent force of that light. When you are in the center of the sun, there is no way to block its’ light. It streams through you and around you. So by entering your own heart, you make the whole world a better paradise.

-Gurumayi

Hello sun! After a struggle between light and dark here in Vermont, we have settled (at least for a few days) into the sunshine of spring. In the spring, I always notice how the sun helps me to melt away a layer of psychological baggage and reminds me of the joy and light present within my own heart. The glowing faces and lighter presence of others confirms my own experience with the return of the light. Entering the heart is like unearthing mysteries that spark spontaneous joy. This internal joy in sanskrit is called svayambhu. Seeking this joy is the light of life. Where do we look? Why inside our hearts of course! Happy Spring.

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhibit my days
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
to live so that which came to me as a seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
-Dawna Markova

Healthy risks remind of us the miracle of our mortality, the splendor of life. And many times when we are challenged, it is hard not to fall into an immediate response of stress. How can we step back and soften, set up a firm foundation of support as we grow out of our perceived limitations or boundaries? Yoga has a way of bringing us to the edge of our comfort zone and reminds us of the essential opening that is required of our minds, hearts, and bodies. For me, there are poses in my yoga practice that make my heart pound at the thought of doing them. My muscles tighten up and my focus wavers. My innate goodness is always there, always accessible, no matter if I fall flat on my face or not. My ego risks more than my physical body. More and more, I have learned to soften my mind and body by focusing on the breath and then setting up a firm foundation. This foundation is always rooted in the support of my teachers, fellow students, and my physical and mental focus. The real challenge is applying this to life off the mat. “Soften and set your foundation,” I often hear the voice of my teachers say. How do you open yourself to the unknown in your life? What happens when you bring breath awareness and softness into an uncomfortable situation? Notice the outcome and open yourself to the possibilities.

Every month at Evolution Yoga studio, the teachers designate a theme to contemplate and share with each other and our students. The theme of the month at evolution yoga studio is “tapas.” I know I know–your thinking fancy Spanish appetizers right? Well it is also sanskrit for “a burning desire for bliss.” Bliss, what kind of bliss? Well, this is up for discussion and interpretation. My own persistent desire lately has been to get myself organized for the new year. I have been diligently writing in my day planner, buying my books for class, writing this new website, and dusting the corners of my apartment. Busying myself with the details, I had a little revelation the other day. What fuels the tapas? What am I striving for, and what is the purpose behind this fire? Is my time spent reflective of my own truth? Satya, last months’ theme, is a sanskrit word which means truth. When I paused and made time for the activities I value, I started to see the integral connection between tapas and satya. When we cultivate satya, we can use this inspiration to fuel our tapas, inviting a deeper integrity into our lives. This month, make time to think about what you truly value and authentically stoke the fire.

“There is an old Sanskrit word, lila [lee´la], which means play. Richer than our word, it means divine play, the play of creation, destruction, and recreation, the folding and un-folding of the cosmos. Lila, free and deep, is both the delight and enjoyment of this moment… It also means love.

“Lila may be the simplest thing there is-spontaneous, childish, disarming. But as we grow and experience the complexities of life, it may also be the most difficult and hard-won achievement imaginable, and its coming to fruition is a kind of homecoming to our true selves.”

-Stephen Nachmanovitch, Free Play