Gandhi - Satyagraha

In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note...

Mohandas Gandhi died by assassination on this day in 1948. The political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement, he was the pioneer of Satyagraha loosely translated as Soul Force, truth force or "holding on to truth," a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed and conceived by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as "Mahatma" (Sanskrit for great soul). Gandhi deployed satyagraha during this movement and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha influenced Nelson Mandela's struggle in South Africa under apartheid, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaigns during the civil rights movement in the United States and a fury of other political and non-political unifiers of peace and standing of for beliefs.

On some level, we are always battling something either physically or emotionally. It's up to us to deal with those conflicts or wars in the most peaceful way possible. Treat yourselves with kindness. When we treat ourselves with that justice, it's easier to treat others with that same likeness.

We bring Satyagraha into our practice today. I'll lead a class and blog but it's up to you to hold on to your truth and what you are ready to commit in alignment with why you practice today and everyday you come to the mat.
In his words, we are inspired to move and contemplate.

A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.

Action expresses priorities.

Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world - that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves.

Be the change that you want to see in the world.

Culture of the mind must be subservient to the heart.

Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.

Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.

Glory lies in the attempt to reach one's goal and not in reaching it.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

In a gentle way, you can shake the world.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Inspired always,
Lady Yoga

Relief, Surrender and Peace - Paris Peace Accords/Ending US involvement in Vietnam 1/27/11

Darlings,

In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note...

On Jan 27 in 1973 – The Vietnam Peace accords were signed in Paris ending our involvement in the Vietnam War. So many of our US lives lost and that's no consolation but there is relief in no more to lose.

The War ended in April of 1975 in the surrender of South to North Vietnam with the capturing of Saigon.

When we come to the mat we are often at war with the physical body or controlling the mind to focus at the task at hand.

Let’s collectively intend to arrive here now with an accord of peace, even with the external heat, surrender to the sensations and thoughts within, meet the challenge, but don’t fight and in that challenge, you can find relief, surrender and ultimately, peace.


We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. Dalai Lama

Growth demands a temporary surrender of security. -Gail Sheehy

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender. William Booth

We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us. Saint Teresa of Avila

Change is the essence of life.Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become. ~unknown

“All of our reasoning ends in surrender to feeling” Blaisé Pascal

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. Mother Teresa

Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. –Oprah Winfrey

There was never a good war or a bad peace. Benjamin Franklin

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. Buddha

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. Albert Einstein

For fast-acting relief try slowing down. Lily Tomlin

Perhaps all pleasure is only relief. – William S. Burroughs

No man is great enough or wise enough for any of us to surrender our destiny to. The only way in which anyone can lead us is to restore to us the belief in our own guidance.
Henry Miller

Yours in relief, surrender and peace,
Lady Yoga

We're Turkeys at Heart...NOT eagles....

Darlings,

In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note...

On January 25, 1784 Ben Franklin, in a letter to his daughter expressed his disappointment in the Eagle being selected as the symbol of America. He wanted it to be a turkey.
Loosely expressed, he thought the eagle was a lazy bird with bad moral character. He does not get his living honestly and can’t fish for himself but watches the fishing hawk and steals it from him.
The turkey is much more respectable – a true original native of America. Though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage, would not hesitate to attack.

Trivia, when was Ben Franklin President?
Waiting...
He wasn't!
But, he was the only non president to have his face don currency. Sweet! I want to be on the penny!!

So, ridiculous as it is, it's a nice little idea to bring with us on the mat that history, and politicians can often be funny in their attempts to MAKE history. The Turkey is a fine bird but its better on Thanksgiving and not as our national animal treasure.
But, it's funny.
Let's explore laughter and humor in honor of Ben Franklin.
Enjoy the silliness of putting yourself in postures for health but let go of the seriousness of perfection. It is, just yoga and yoga is designed to move the body to a place of stillness and in preparation for meditation. Yes, you can get strong and fit, but find the fun and certainly, find the funny!

"A day without laughter is like a MacDonald's hamburger without fries"- Gerry Hopman

"The human race has only one effective weapon and that is laughter"- Mark Twain

At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. Jean Houston

Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen. – Carl Sandburg

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. –Woody Allen

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. –Khalil Gibran

It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either. Wayne Dyer

Laughter is the valve on the pressure cooker of life. Either you laugh and suffer, or you got your beans or brains on the ceiling.
Wavy Gravy

Tell the truth. Sing with passion. Work with laughter. Love with heart. 'Cause that's all that matters in the end. – Kris Kristofferson

I believe that laughter is a language of God and that we can all live happily ever laughter. – Yakov Smirnoff

"Recipe for a happy life: Loads of laughter, heaps of humor and a general sprinkling of smiles. Excellent for twosomes or large gatherings"- Gerry Hopman

"Life abounds in comedy, if you look around you"- Mel Brooks

"Never be too busy to laugh or too quick to criticize"- Gerry Hopman

"One of the best things you can have up your sleeve is a funny bone"- Author unknown

"An onion can make you cry, but there never was a vegetable invented to make people laugh"- Will Rogers

"Computers will never replace humans until they learn to laugh"- Author unknown

"There are things that are real- God, human folly and laughter. The first two are beyond comprehension, so we must do what we can with the third"- John F. Kennedy

"Humor is to the soul what rain is to the earth"- Gerry Hopman

"A day without laughter is a day wasted"- Charlie Chaplin

"Laughter is the musical workout of the soul"- Gerry Hopman

"Humor is more important than knowledge"- Albert Einstein

"Through humor you can soften some of the blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it"- Bill Cosby

"You need to smell the roses once in a while, but you also need to tickle you funny bone regularly, so it won't go numb on you"- Gerry Hopman

"We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh"- Agnes Repplier

"The more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh"- Bill Nye

"Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on"- Bob Newhart

"The most wasted day is one without laughter"- E.E.Cummings

"If you don't laugh at your trouble, you won't have anything to laugh about"- Edgar Howe

"Laugh at yourself before anyone else can"- Elsa Maxwell

"You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh - it's as simple as that"- Jay Leno

"If we don't laugh, we would all go insane"- Jimmy Buffet

"Always laugh when you can. It's cheap medicine"- Lord Byron

"The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter"- Mark Twain

"He who laughs last lasts"- Mary Pettibone Poole

"Laughter is inner jogging"- Norm Cousins

"You can't deny laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me the most civilized music in the world"- Stephen King

"Laughter is the shortest distance between people"- Victor Borge

Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquillity. - James Thurber

Laughter rises out of tragedy, when you need it the most, and rewards you for your courage. Erma Bombeck

The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. Virginia Woolf

And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh. - Friedrich Nietzsche

Man is most comical when he takes himself too seriously.” Og Mandino

Laughter is an instant vacation.” Milton Berle

Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place.” – Mark Twain

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is. - Francis Bacon

"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it." - Bill Cosby

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road." - Henry Ward Beecher

"Comedy is acting out optimism." - Robin Williams

Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. – Will Rogers

Male turkeys can turn their heads red, white and blue by controlling the flow of oxygen to their heads while strutting." John James Audubon

Dance like everyone's watching and laugh at yourself and with others,
Lady Yoga
PS, Happy Birthday Mom, you are the funniest person I know

Martin Luther King Jr. 1/15/11

Darlings,
In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note...

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929. At 35 he was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize turning the entire prize money towards furtherance of the civil rights movement.
Between 1957-1968 Martin Luther King travelled over six million miles and spoke over 2500 times.

As you gather your collective intention for practice today, use Mr. King's words. Remember you have a dream and in that dream you have immeasurable ability to change the world one thought at a time, one action at a time, with yourselves and those around you. Your passion to change the world begins with yourself. Use his words to inspire and ignite the peace within and cultivate your passion.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.

At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory shall be revealed and all shall see it together.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.

Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

The time is always right to do what is right.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.

We are not makers of history. We are made by history.

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

~Martin Luther King Jr.

I have a dream. And I live it every day I get to lead a class and share a bit of history in a yogic way.
Yours,
Lady Yoga

Albert Schweitzer 1/14/11

Darlings,

In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note...

Albert Schweitzer, the French theologian, musician, philosopher, missionary doctor and Nobel Prize-winning physician was born on this day in 1875 (in Upper-Alsace, Germany (now Haut-Rhin, France)).
He won the Nobel Prize (in 1952) for his philosophy, Reverence for Life which, in his words means to be in awe of the mystery of life and explains that good comes out of observing and serving mankind.

Today as we look to practice either on the mat or contemplating reading this blog, let's set the collective intention for our own personal reverence for Life and the deep sacredness of this practice. In lightness and in awe - be where you are now, whether you have been practicing for six years or six minutes and hold on to the possibility of change and celebrate the ebbs and flow that change and progress brings about in your practice.

And, in his words...

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

Example is leadership.

I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end

Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now - always.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.
We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats

Meow,
Lady Yoga

TODAY!

Darlings,
In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note...

NBC's "Today" show premiered. 1/14/1952
The American morning news and talk show airing every morning was the first of its genre on American television. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series.

Let's celebrate...Today!!

Today's accomplishments were yesterday's impossibilities. Robert H. Schuller

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Thomas Jefferson

How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I'm committed to? Tony Robbins

I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. Groucho Marx

Don't let yesterday use up too much of today. Will Rogers

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today. Malcolm X

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today. James Dean

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. Leo Buscaglia

If you fell down yesterday, stand up today. H. G. Wells

Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games. Babe Ruth

“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a GIFT. That’s why it’s called the present.” – Bill Keane (Family Circus)

Light tomorrow with today! Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Yours, yesterday, TODAY and tomorrow...and lovin' Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera and Ann Curry always...ok and Hoda and Kathie Lee too,
Lady Yoga

Bridge and Union 1/4/11

Hello darlings and happy new year,
In Lady Yoga fashion, it is my goal to look back in history to see where we have come from, find the yoga in the moments past to keep us rooted in the present and passionate about where we are going in the future.
On that note.
On January 4th 1999, for the first time since Charlemagne's reign in the ninth century, Europe is united with a common currency when the "euro" debuts. Eleven European Union (EU) nations (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain), representing some 290 million people, launched the currency in the hopes of increasing European integration and economic growth. In this financial union, there is yoga, defining and redefining the exchange of energy in currency, transaction in action.


On January 5th, 1933 construction begins on the Golden Gate bridge after the gold rush.
Following the Gold Rush boom that began in 1849, people realized the land north of San Francisco Bay would increase in value with new accessibility to the city. Soon after, the plan was put into action, building a bridge that would span the Golden Gate, over the San Francisco Bay, connecting the San Francisco Peninsula with the southern end of Marin County.

These moments in history represent connection and unification in yogic terms. Financial gains aside, they represent the momentum we have as a country here and abroad.

We use that connection and the inspirational quotes below as our collective intention as we practice.

Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together. - Anai Nin

When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities.
- Deepak Chopra

The most important thing people can do is refuse to have any resistance to staying connected to their source.
- Dr Wayne Dyer

Our breath plays a very important role in our life. The breath is the connecting link between the inner world of the mind and the outer world of the body and environment.
- Ravi Shankar

Pay attention. It's all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. stay eager. - Susan Sontag

Invisible threads are the strongest ties - Friedrich Nietzsche

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects. - Herman Melville

We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tired into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly. -Martin Luther King Jr.

Man can no longer live for himself alone. We must realize that all life is valuable and that we are united to all life. From this knowledge comes our spiritual relationship with the universe. - Albert Schweitzer

Our ancient experience confirms at every point that everything is linked together, everything is inseparable. - Dalai Lama

There can only be one state of mind as you approach any profound test; total concentration, a spirit of togetherness and strength – Pat Riley
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. – John Lennon

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. – Helen Keller

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. – Henry Ford

If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.

We are all in this together, by ourselves. – Lily Tomlin

An idea is salvation by imagination. – Frank Lloyd Wright

Gratitude, goals, gold and euros, yours in bridges and union,
Lady Yoga