Set Higher Standards by YogiRavi

The Dale Chihuly sculpture at The Bellagio in Las Vegas.

I have a friend who works for master glass sculpture artist Dale Chihuly, and we were talking about the sculptures a bit. It got me thinking about how amazing this art is. If you’ve ever been to the Bellagio, that’s his work hanging on the ceiling as you enter the main lobby. The thing about glass is that it can be incredibly brittle (I am well-known to break wine glasses all the time). Glass sculptures can be oh so delicate. However, add a little heat, and the glass becomes fluid like a syrupy liquid, you can bend shape and transform it into the most fanstastical creations. Heat can be freeing and liberating.

In my yoga classes I spend a lot of time generating heat in the physical body, so that we can move safely and deeply into back-bend and hip-opening postures. After a few sun salutations, even stiff legs can feel quite loose.

For all of us, heat can come in the form of literal/direct heat as one would find in a heated yoga practice, or generated internally through focused breathing. It can come from the intense heat of continued focus and effort. It can come in a deep way through meditation. It can come from emotional “heat” due to stress, longing or news both good and bad. Heat can be incredibly uncomfortable but it is also through this heat that we are able to bend and shape ourselves in new ways.

The Sanskrit term that best captures this notion of heat is called “tapas” which literally means “heat” but also references a practice of spiritual purification through the burning off of negative energy. In yoga it is also one of the “niyamas” or self-restraints that are mentioned in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Intense transformative fire is said to emanate from the third-eye of Lord Shiva, a powerful force that eliminates all evil. Evil doers beware!

Without heat, deep change is impossible. Welcome the purifying heat. When things get challenging and you feel the intensity build, understanding that you have a unique opportunity to grow in incredibly profound and new ways. It’s a chance for you to make your masterpiece.

In yoga classes I often ask students to “set and intention” for the class as we begin. This intention, or purpose, can set the tone of the entire class. An empowering intention can make be the difference between moving through class with “the wind at your back” and struggling through in a hope that it will come to an end quickly! Intention setting is not some esoteric principle. It is something that we do every day whether you know it or not.

Today my intention was to "tip-toe through the tulips" - mission accomplished!

Think about your own day (pick a day, like today). If you went to work or school or on a trip somewhere, when you walked out your door to start your day, you had an intention with regards to where you were going. Whenever I put the keys in the ignition of my car, I have a point to why I am turning on the car. Either it is to get to work, go to the store, visit a friend or do something else with a purpose. There is always a reason, even if the reason if to just go for a joy-ride!

In the same way, when students roll-out their yoga mat they are their for a reason, be it conscious or not. In making a conscious and directed purpose for practice there is an opportunity to create a positive meaning for the time and effort spent. It is also a chance to anchor a practice to something positive. After all, it is a lot easier to push through a physically challenging asana if there is a motivating reason for it! In the same reason, it is easier to deal with a challenging situation at work or while traveling if you have a motivating force behind your actions.

Red, red and more red! These tulips are incredible!

As with yoga class, there is power in setting an intention for your day. When I get up every morning, I  set an intention for how I intend to be to be during the day. The intention is never based on an outcome (which is impossible to control) but always centered on my own way of being (which is completely within my control!). Here are a few examples of empowering intentions – in the form of “Today my intention is to….”

• …be an outstanding example for others
• …see the humor in every situation
• …stay present
• …relax and have fun
• …see the best in everyone
• …focus on doing what matters
• …serve without expectation
• …to give it my best effort, nothing more and nothing less

Try this practice out for the next few days. When you wake up in the morning (perhaps after a meditation) make it a point to set an intention. Come back to it on a regular basis (perhaps every time you have something to eat or drink), and watch your days take on a whole new meaning.

Empowering intentions can indeed add some color to your life!

"Yin and Yang" photo from Eric Bardo

In the Yoga asana practice that I teach we spend a good portion of each practice in an energetic fiery flow that builds “yang” energy. Simply put, you get very warm, start sweating profusely and raise the overall energy level of your body. The closing portion of class is designed to be more cooling, contemplative and introverted energetically speaking – more “yin” in nature.

The “yang” however only exists relative to the “yin.” If the entirety of the practice was more gentle, a few sun salutations would be construed as fire-building. In the practice I teach, sun salutations are heat building, but could also be construed as more gentle given the numerous poses we do that build even more heat (extended side-angle pose, dolphin pose, plank pose, arm balances etc.). I remember being in a class with a master teacher last year, where after several hours of intense asana practice the teacher had us hold dolphin pose for a while. After a minute of struggle, she mentioned that if we wanted a break from dolphin, to just straighten our arms into downward dog! For those of you that practice yoga asana, you know that holding downward dog can itself be tiring if held for a while. However, in the context of all the other asanas we were doing during this particular practice, it seemed quite effortless. Downward dog felt as relaxing as child’s pose!

In the same way, when I was in high school we use to train with all kinds of equipment to increase the intensity of our practices. We used to wear drag suits (old torn suits with pockets sewn in then) and tie inner-tubes around our ankles. We’d swim miles like this. When we’d take them off, we’d start swimming sets that would normally be grueling, but they would seem easy in contrast to swimming with all that darn equipment!

My friend asked me the other day what I would do if I could do anything I wanted, if I was 100% financially and otherwise secure. I didn’t have a great answer when she asked, and I still don’t. However, that question got me thinking. I have been thinking about what it would be like to live in a world where everything was great. Where nothing bothered me. Where I didn’t have a concern in the world. Where everyone was happy and I was always happy. Where nobody ticked me off. Where the bus always came on time and where days were always sunny. I started thinking about what this world would be like.

I didn’t like it.

I think it would lack color, energy and interest. I think it would get boring. I think that the surprises and excitement that I get from my life is partially the result it being full of highs and lows, good days and challenging days, tough luck and good luck. I think without the “bad” the “good” wouldn’t seem so “good”. I think the trick in this whole situation is then to just accept and deal with the challenges as natural events. Not get caught up or impacted by them in a major way (far easier said than done!), and understand that it is only through this contrast that life can have any color and interest at all.

Bellevue Buddha

Every now and then I do challenges to either learn something new or re-commit myself to something I already do – but not enough. They say that 30 days is just enough time to make a habit and from my experience it is long enough to get “over the hump” that usually comes with any kind of change in routine – and actually start to see the benefits.

I have been meditating on and off since late 2003, having learned a technique from John McAffee at the Relational Yoga Mandiram. You can read about one of my fasting and meditation retreats a few years ago. Since that time I maintained a regular twice-a-day meditation routine. 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. On occasion I would sit longer, but this was the typical day.

However, for the past couple years I’ve been slacking. Sometimes I will sit for just five minutes before getting distracted. Sometimes a week would go by without sitting at all! While I do practice yoga regularly (and during 90 minutes I do experience a heightened flow-meditative-state), there is still nothing like sitting still for a few minutes. It is perhaps the most challenging of all aspects of a well-rounded yoga practice.

So, I’m starting a new 30 day challenge. Here it is:

I commit to, starting today and for the next 30 days, meditating twice a day for 20 minutes each. Once in the morning and once in the evening.

I’ll blog about my experience as the days go on. I sat already for my two sessions today. They went by surprising quickly, and my mind was quite still. I’m guessing not all days will be this easy . If you have never meditated before, here are a few tips:

Find a spot that is flat and firm, use this spot consistently for all of your sessions. Don’t meditate in a bed or on a cushy couch. If you get cold in the morning wrap yourself in a shawl.

• Try to sit cross-legged, but if your legs and hips are two stiff, fold up a blanket and sit on it, allowing your ankles to rest of the floor with crossed legs. Use as many blankets as you need! If this doesn’t work for you, find a stiff backed chair to use.
• Set an alarm clock for the allotted time. Start with 5 minutes and build up to 20 minutes. Do not open your eyes until the alarm goes off. Resist the urge to peek!
• Find your spine in a position where it’s straight, with natural curvature. Avoid the tendency to slouch. This will just induce sleepiness! Imagine that you are balancing an apple on your head
• Rest your palms on your knees face down. Alternatively, you can rest your palms one on top of another in your lap.
• Breath in and out through your nose. It doesn’t have to be a loud and audible breathe like they teach in some yoga classes. Just breath normally. Allow your mouth to close and bring the tip of your tongue to the upper palate, and rest it there.
• Continue to notice your breath, if you mind wanders, bring it back to your breath. No matter how many times your mind wanders, keep bringing your awareness back to your breath.
• Try to remain motionless, no matter what! Even if your body tingles or tickles. This is the point, don’t get distracted. You can do pretty much anything for 20 minutes.

That’s it! There are other techniques that people use as part of a meditation practice, but this is the most simple approach. It is highly effective and infinitely challenging. Give it a shot!

Quick post – it’s been a while since I last wrote and I’ve recently discovered something so simple that I just have to share. Sleep. I’ve been very busy of late, with a new job at work, a bunch of travel, teaching yoga and taking some workshops, and getting ready for an upcoming trip to India. The one thing that has been lacking is sleep – and I’ve been getting by on 5-6 hours a night pretty consistently for the past several weeks.

I’ve noticed that I’ve definitely been a lot more irritable, less energized and haven’t been as mental sharp and generally optimistic about things.

Starting last Friday, I’ve been making it a point to sleep a LOT. This means getting to bed by 10pm at the latest and getting a solid 9 hours every day (over the weekend I got 12 hours a night….which was a bit too much). The change is dramatic. I find that my entire day goes better and I feel generally happier, mentally tuned in and my relationships with people also seem more connected.

Sleep is important….speaking of which…gotta go to bed soon…teaching yoga in the morning!

An unstoppable dude!

What is stopping you? Is there something in your life that you want that you do not have? If so, what is keeping you from going out and getting it? This could be something relating to your physical body, your job, your bank account, your relationships, your friends, etc.

I have little patience for people who whine. I think everyone is entitled to have an opinion and complaining might be cathartic to some extent – but I don’t enjoy hearing people complain about things, especially when the people complaining don’t take action to fix whatever is the issue.

People often complain about things because they pass ownership for a situation on to someone else. Someone else didn’t grant them a promotion. Someone else cooked the delicious cookies (that they over-ate). Someone else is ignoring them. Someone else cut them off in traffic. Etc.

During my yoga training last month we spend a lot of time taking ownership and responsibility for whatever  happened to us in our lives. Our job (or lack thereof), our relationships, our childhood experiences. All of these things were ultimately our creation – be they good or bad. Being responsible – at cause – for your life gives you tremendous power.

When you are at cause you take ownership for everything that has, is or will happen to you. This also means that you are control of creating the life situations that you wish to happen – and recreating the meanings for things that have happened in the past and were previously called “bad” into more empowering memories. If something doesn’t suit you, change it! If something is stopping you, choose to be unstoppable and resolve the issue.

The key to being unstoppable is therefore a simple one. Take responsibility for your life situation – the good and the bad, by accepting that you are a cause for whatever has happened, will happen and most importantly, whatever is happening in your life now in this moment.

Hiking is a great way to get your mind out of your way

You are capable of doing far more than you think you can do. So stop thinking.

You brain will take you out of the game if you let it, so don’t! I spent the past week as an assistant at a yoga teacher training. I was witness to literally dozens of transformations during the program. I saw people get into poses they didn’t think they could do, find deep stillness and happiness and uproot lifelong bad habits.

Most of the magic happened halfway through the program. By that time, the marathon yoga classes, lectures, meditations and disconnection from distration (like phones and computers) had created an environment where people could let go, stop thinking and just be. Like magic, once the mind was put to bed, the real work began and people lit up and really found their personal power.

Our minds are wonderful tools and knowledge is valuable, but finding your own truth and personal power is not a journey of thinking by the mind, it is a journey of your being. So put your mind to bed – go for a run, practice yoga, meditate, play with your kids, go for a hike – do whatever it takes, and let your journey begin.

During one of my many daily practices at the 2008 Level 1 training

I’m headed back to Level 1 Teacher Training for Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga. I attended last year as a student, and this time I will be an assistant, supporting the other students and teachers in the program.

I’m looking forward to spending another 8 days in the Catskills at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, disconnecting from technology for a while, helping others to learn and grow and I’m sure I’ll also pick a few things up myself. I am always amazed at how the act of teaching others can help you to learn so much.

See you in a week or so!

I sat in a few teacher training classes during a workshop held at my yoga studio this weekend. The training is geared for those who are not yet teaching but have the desire to do so.

Since I am already teaching I’ve had several folks ask me why I would sit on a training session that I’ve already done and progressed beyond. My response has simply been that even if the training is a repeat, I am bound to learn something new. It is like going out on your favorite hike for the fifth time or walking into your favorite restaurant for the second time in a week. Just because it isn’t new doesn’t mean your experience the same as it always has been.

There is always a new experience to be had and new lessons to be learned.

In this training, we spent time doing personal introductions and getting feedback on them. I realized how my body language and tone and filler words (and, but) were keeping me from connecting with people in a powerful way. I’ve done literally thousands of introductions at work, in social settings and to begin yoga classes, but never really thought about how important those first few words I say about myself can really shape others impressions of me. Boy am I glad decided to do this workshop again!

I love the science of fitness and weightlifting. In most cases, you spend a ton of effort and time to tire your body out, just so the last few moments of work can cause your body to grow.

In weightlifting, it is only last few reps that cause your muscle to grow, everything else is a glorified warm-up.

In my yoga practice, the same is true for building not only mental strength, but a stronger mind. B.K.S. Iyengar, who is largely responsible for popularizing yoga in the West, says that “your yoga pose begins when you want to come out.” This is absolutely the truth.

In any physical practice, I’ve found the best results by sticking with something when I feel it is time to quit. 100% of the time, my body can go further, it is my mind that takes me out.

In my workplace, it is often by sticking with the uncomfotable situations that I am able to make a breakthrough on a project, or in bridging the gap in a relationship with someone I need to work with.

Make progress by sticking with it and pushing through, not by checking out.

For more on this topic, check out Seth Godin’s great book, The Dip. I like the audiobook – he has a great delivery (it’s a short listen just over an hour).