The Essence of Yoga

Gratitude for India~ Thank you for this Life!

2011-11-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

During my trip to India I visited many temples and watched with ever widening eyes their sacred pujas (ceremonies). Bells, chanting, incense, candles, milk offerings, and 100‘s of bodies pressed together like sardines just to catch a fleeting glimpse of the puja. To watch the Indian people at these pujas was incredible. The depth of their presence, their offerings they gave and the physical prostrations astounded me. They did not just bow their head, they lay belly down, in full surrender on the cold stone floors in front of altars, shrines and murtis to prostrate at the feet of the Gods. The humility and gratefulness was so alive in their being that they would spend their own food money to buy a coconut and banana basket and give it as an offering to Spirit. Their devotion and love is something I will always remember when I come to my altar with gratitude in my heart.

The Gratitude Project~

Six years ago I was suffering from a deep loss. A friend and life coach of mine suggested that I start a gratitude journal. I did so reluctantly. I began writing down my blessings sometimes in the midst of a gut wrenching sob I could feel a fiery and willful place inside me would help me to push the pen across the page. I sat for 5 minutes a day for the next 6 months and recorded all the things i was grateful for. I recall one of my earliest entries, “I am grateful for this breath...” because that is all the light I could find. Turns out that breathing is one of the most profound gifts I have ever received.

After two months I had many pages filled with events, people and situations that appeared in my life for which I was grateful for. Even challenges in my life began to show up in my entries as counted blessings. I remember at about 3 months I read through my journal and was astonished that I had actually forgotten that half of it had ever happened. How often have I not only forgot to acknowledge the blessings but even forgot that they even happened?! Well, the proof was right there! And, to see it all in writing, the pages of support in the numerous ways I was gifted completely shocked me. Not only that, but i noticed a pattern. The things that I was grateful for over time began to increase and magnify in my life. The act of channeling my thoughts, speech and actions toward the blessings not only eased my suffering but opened the flood gates of creative energy so much that a new venture emerged that would support me and my family.

The gratitude project had a profound impact in my life and it has stayed with me. In difficult times I acknowledge the simple blessings present here and now, and align my heart with my deepest truth. That the light inside of us is bright, unwavering and indestructible and always shows me the way out of the dark cave of my mind and into the light of my heart.

Namaste on this Thanksgiving Day,

Sienna

India- An Amazing Day

2011-11-14T01:14:00.000-08:00

After many days of travel and visiting temples, witnessing and participating in sacred pujas and, being with the people of India I am completely melted like butter on a warm skillet.. lightly sizzling with Shakti. Today I left the group for an outing by myself. I am feeling a bit more brave and decided to take a rickshaw from the hotel back to Ramana Maharshi ashram at 5:30am. While people slept soundly I crept out for my secret expedition- to witness the sacred milk offering puja to Shri Bhagavan Maharshi. Maharshi obtained enlightenment here in Triuvannamalai on Mt Arunchala. The ashram sits at the base of this amazing mountain. After he became enlightened he went to meditate in the cave on this mountain for another 16 years.

The rickshaw ride was fantastically exhilarating as my driver swiftly dodged wandering sandus, cows, dogs, chickens, beggars, zooming motorbikes with 2-4 people balanced precariously on the back and early morning buses Indian people with dotis and sarees and the brave walking tourists who were out at that time. We headed straight into a crimson red sun that I watched rise out of the ash colored sky. A mystical haze made the scene dream like but I was completely taking every sight, sound, and smell in that my awareness could hold. My driver dropped me off and I took off my shoes and entered the ashram. Boys were chanting the vedas, people siting and meditating in the temples and visitors outside sitting quietly as peacocks strolled by.

Chanting signalled the puja was starting so I quickly visited the temple to walk around the Ganesh murtis as he is the God of the threshold. I did pradakshan, a clockwise lap around several different murtis then went to the main site called Samadhi Temple. Inside there was first a Nandi bull who protects and watches over then the Shiva linga and finally a murti of Shri Bhagavan (R. Maharshi). This was the very site his body was buried in the 1950's. The marble floors, walls and statues (murtis) hold incredible power that I could feel pulsing through me the more I tuned in. A brahmin came in to bless the site with flowers and poured blessed mild and ghee mixture that we later drank. Then we waved our hands over the sacred temple fire and placed ash on our foreheads. Completely a beautiful experience.

I sat and meditated in the temple, then his room where it has been left just as he had it when he died then another side temple. I had the most amazing meditations, meaning doors in my awareness opened up that had never been open before,, or that I had never walked through. I witnessed my awareness contracting around experiences then expanding. I could see and feel Ramana Maharshi sweet and powerful presence near me. I was so content and settled in my being that I remained totally still for long periods of time. I am not sure if I was even breathing.

Later in the day I visited the caves where he spent 16 years.. and well, that is for next time. Just as incredible as this morning.

I feel blessed in a multitude of ways being here... no words can express. And, I give enormous thanks to those who made it possible for me to be here. I assure you-- you are all in my heart while I visit these sacred places and are receiving darshan in a variety of forms through our connection. No time and space.. just presence.

In love,
Sienna

India- The first few days

2011-11-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

Holy cow dung its India! Much more than I expected in every way.. that includes all categories from sights and sounds to smells and tastes. First off, arriving in India in 4:00am after a 23 hour journey is a strange awakening. Even at that hour there is a hustle and bustle of craziness that you cannot believe. Thankfully, I meet up with 3 other yoginis from our group in the lay over in Dubai (that is in the middle east, near Kuwait!) and we clumped together like oil droplets in water because our sense overload felt easier to bear together rather than separate. Luckily, we were headed for the beach for our first 2 nights to rest and settle our tired bodies and frazzled nerves.

Warm ocean breeze, coconut palms swaying, fishing boats pushing off the shores of Kerela beaches to claim their days catch was the beautiful sight we arrived to as we checked into our rooms at 5:30am. But just outside the gates of our this tranquil, protected hotel setting was the stark poverty that line the streets the entire 45 minute taxi ride here. I have done my share of hanging out in Tijauana and have seen many times the shanti towns that line the US border walls but this seemed one step deeper in the muck, where it starts to seep into your boots from the top. The colossal divide between my life and the life of the majority of India's people was intense to witness and all I could do with the little energy I had was to sit on the wicker porch chair and gaze into the horizon of the sea-- somehow that allowed me to feel my body again. Yes, I was still here, breathing... and, resting as much as I could with what IS.

In India with Love,
Sienna

P.S. please excuse the tired typos... its been 3 nights in 3 different hotels and 3 crazy cities and many wondrous temples-- i think sacred ash is lofting from my forehead like snow into my eyes as i type but i am too tired to wipe it away. and, it IS a sacred blessings from the Brahmin temple priests so i gratefully leave it be. good night.

Sienna Goes to India

2011-11-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

I am leaving in 30 minutes to SFO for my 18 hour flight to India. I am tingling with anticipation as I know this will be life changing. Someone said yesterday, " Going to India is like childbirth-- you never know what it is like unless you have experienced it for yourself!. So, with two childbirths under my belt I am ready... I think! The land of India is a mystery to me.. I look forward to all the discoveries I will make there and share with you on this Blog.

I am happy to join Hareesh Wallis a tantric yoga scholar and Laura Christensen a beautiful yogini on this trip to visit the home of Yoga. Here are just a few of the places we will visit. I am headed to the south first to visit Ramana Maharshis ashram in Trivandrum first, then to Kanyakumari to visit the Minakshi Temple for Lord Shiva puja and Swami Vivekananda meditation rock, on to Madurai to ride rickshaws and hall of 1000 Columns, to Tanjore and the Brihadisvara Temple, Vishnu and Shiva temple in Chidambram, on to Mahabalipuram to visit the Golden City of the Chola Dynasty, the Chennai my teacher Shri Krishnamacharya's mandiram, then to the North. Delhi and Amritsar to see the Golden Temple and Todd Boston w/ Snatum Kaur and Punjabe region to stay with a local family.

I will be blogging to share all the juicy details. Stay tuned with hearts open.

Love,
Sienna

ps. please excuse any typos.

Bhakti Challenge: Day 15

2011-08-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Children can easily open the drawer

that lets the Spirit rise up and wear

its favorite costume of

mirth and laughter.

When the mind is consumed with

remembrance of Spirit

Something divine happens to the Heart

That shapes the hand and tongue and eye

into the word

Love.

~Hafiz

What a joyous way to end the Bhakt Yoga Challenge~ with a poem by Hafiz the famous poet who writes profusely of Divine Love. These sweet words seem to summarize our 15-day journey together. To playful and mindfully let Spirit rise up within us, to turn our minds toward remembering the true nature of our Hearts and to express this eternal Love in the world.

Day 15: Bhakti Yoga Challenge

Meditate on this poem. Allow it to come alive in your heart and see how these words, and the intention behind them, dance in your Heart.

Awaken to any degree to the Love within, and we can then reflect the nature of Love to a similar degree in our lives says William Mahony in Exquisite Love. In doing so we can enter into the joy and delight that Love offers. By expressing our gratitude to the source for this Love and offering our Hearts in service to others then Love becomes an action word. And, through this action we can be a healing presence for ourselves and the world.

I am grateful for your presence in this Sangha. I believe everyone participated in their own perfection and to that I honor and bow to you.

Namaste~
Sienna

Class Schedule at Yoga Mountain Studio in Fairfax, CA:

Tues & Thurs 9:30-11:00am

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Saturday 9:30-11:00am

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March 31-April 6th, 2012

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Bhakti Challenge: Day 14

2011-08-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

This Bhakti Challenge is almost over; however, I encourage you to find 15 minutes a day to stay touch with the Love inside for yourself, for your loved ones and for all beings. “Internal lives are like ashes of fire-- without wind the ashes will die” Zen saying. The wind is your personal practice and it is the mindful breath directed to the heart that keeps the flame alive. There are 3 simple steps to remember~ Practice, Penetrate, Express... repeat!

Bhakti Yoga Practice 15 minutes a day
Penetrate the eternal Heart and the Love within
Express this Love in daily life

Let's come back to the question and our song about looking for Love. I relate this great search to a story of the Buddha. “As he took his final breaths of air moments before his death, an old sage asked his students, "Where is the Buddha?" Seconds later he was dead.” Adyashanti says this question is Buddha’s final and most direct teaching. For this Challenge we could also translate this to Where is the Love? The Buddha is a representation of our true Self and our true Self is in a constant state of Ananda or bliss, joy and Love.

Now that you have done some or all of the Bhakti practices in the Challenge you will be able to use your own personal experience to answer the question~ Where is the Love? Where did you find it? Day 14 is all about remembering.

It is essential to take time in your practice to reflect and journal about your experiences because it is a thread that will connect and inspire you back to your practice. You may read your journal and say “Ah-ha I remember! And, remembering is the first step back home to your heart. As John Friend, Anusara Yoga founded says “ We practice to remember”. In my own experience having a daily practice is the most challenging and rewarding things I have ever done.

Bhakti Challenge: Day 14

Do a simple Yoga practice of meditative movement to release tension and to connected to body, mind and breath.
Sit tall and claim your seat. Sit on a firm cushion or chair to ensure there is no strain in your low back or hips. Move your shoulders and ears back so they rest square over your hips. Now feel your breath flowing easily and gracefully in and out without effort. Allow the breath to deliver you to your heart again and again. After a few minutes begin to reflect on the practices and experiences that helped to reveal your Heart. Revisit the sensations and feelings that came with this revelation-- maybe it was a feeling of warmth, flow, melting, opening, expansion, relaxing and joy. Stay here and bask in the glow of remembering. The pathway to your heart is always there, any time and any place. Trust in this pathway you have forged to your Heart.

See you tomorrow.

In Love, Sienna

Bhakti Challenge: Day 12 & 13

2011-08-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

You are on the home stretch. If you have missed a day (like most people)-- don’t berate yourself. Remember this is a Bhakti challenge-- and it is about Loving yourself. Kindly ask the story teller inside your head (the ego) to sit back with a cup of tea and let your heart jump back into practice.

One of my favorite Yogic chants is translated into english below:

Lead us from the unreal to the real

Lead us from darkness to light

Lead us from death to immortality.

The first line is a potent reminder-- may our practice lead us from what is unreal what is Real. In one of my favorite books Yoga and the Quest for True Self by Stephen Cope he quotes Amrit Desai as saying "Acceptance of reality is what we really mean by the word Love. Love is accepting reality. It is not necessarily an emotional experience; it is impersonal and universal. Reality is God or Spirit in disguise." In essence, to deepen real and lasting Love in your life-- become friends with Reality. Become aware of what IS, just as it is, without the need to change it. Because what IS happening in the moment is Real, everything else is a story. Of course, that does not mean sitting on the couch with a pint of Coconut Bliss and watching reality go by. With presence we move in the world, and we respond and act from a place of Love.

Love, is then found in the present moment and you are a manifestation of this Love in the physical form, as many ancient Yogis and Sages through time and across spiritual traditions have recognized. And, at any moment you can choose Love by bringing your awareness to the present.

Desai says “ If you want to experience the joyous ecstasy that life offers, there is one commitment that is absolutely fundamental: the commitment to live in the moment.”There is so much more to this than I can write, it is complex and yet simple.

Thich Nhat Hahn, a living zen master and author of over 100 books on spiritual practice has created simple ways to cultivate awareness of the present moment. Today we will do one of these practices-- one that I did with him over 10 years ago called Walking Meditation.

Day 12 & 13: Bhakti Challenge

1. First, let's warm up. Asana or yoga postures were designed to prepare our body and minds for meditation. Practicing Yoga is one of the best ways I have found to release tension, drop-in to my breath and slow my thinking mind. Then I am more receptive to meditation. Do 5 minutes of simple yoga postures with breath and movement to warm up today.

2. Walking Meditation

“Let us walk as a free person and feel our steps get lighter. Let us enjoy every step we make. Each step is nourishing and healing. As we walk, imprint our gratitude and our love on the earth.” Thich Naht Hahn.

The weather is beautiful lets go outside and walk. Find a scenic and quiet setting in nature or your neighborhood. Walk without a destination. Feel your breath moving in and out. Walk with a soft gaze, focus upon nothing but aware of everything. Smile softly with your eyes and allow it to spread to your face. Imagine every cell of your body smiling softly. Let the stress and worry of your day fall away with each step.

Walk in silence, both internal and external. Make each step a gesture, move in a state of grace, and each footprint is an impression of the peace and love you feel for yourself and the universe. Walk mindfully for 10 minutes.

Come back to your seat and close your eyes to integrate and reflect on your experiences. Write in your journal and let me know how you are doing.

Many blessings on your walking path to awareness,

Sienna

Day 10 & 11: Bhakti Yoga Challenge

2011-08-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

The last Bhakti Challenge plunged right into the depths of Yoga philosophy. Do not let those fancy Sanskrit words prevent your from dropping in-- Sanskrit words reveal themselves over time just as the 5000 year old tradition of Yoga does. Yoga is experiential in nature and doing the practice is the only way to feel what it does for you. I cannot tell you-- you can only feel the truth in your own body, heart and mind. (Photo: Mt. Tam Sunset I took after a beautiful meditative walk on the ridge)

Bhakti Challenge: Day 10 & 11

Today’s practice is similar to yesterdays but with a different warm-up. See how this warm-up changes your experience of the Clarity Meditation from Day 8 & 9.

Sun Salutation- Mountain pose, forward bend, plank, cobra, down dog, then back to mountain pose. Or make up your own-- get creative-- just get on your mat! Or, do the on-line video called Sun Salutation warm-up on the Yoga Mountain homepage. Breathe slowly and mindfully with all movements.

Shoulder Opener- Stand tall and strong in mountain pose. Clasp your hands behind your buttocks. Breathe high into your collar bones and across your upper back. Stretch the arms straight and move the shoulders and head back. Feel the chest opening with each breath. Soften your face and throat. Stay 8 breaths.

Supine Twist- lay on your back, bend your knees and lift your feet off the floor. Engage your belly and twist to the right bringing the stacked knees to the floor. Soften your chest and breath your opposite shoulder down. Enjoy this restorative twist as it opens your hips and your shoulders. Stay 10 breaths and the repeat on the other side.

Clarity Meditation- with the legs up the wall. (See Day 8 & 9 for a refresher) This is so perfect for a HOT day! When your ankles and feet get puffy and achy from the heat-- its time to go upside down. I cannot tell you how GOOD this feels and how AMAZING it is for relaxing the thinking mind and dropping into your HEART. You’ve got to feel it for yourself. Then journal about your experiences.

If you having trouble posting your comments to the Blog please email them to me and I will gladly post them for you.

With Heart ~

Sienna

Day 8 & 9: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

How was the body scanning from the previous day? I have heard some interesting feedback-- most of you are having mixed experiences. Sometimes the heart feels open and alive while other times the chest is contracted or there is discomfort in your body. We are a pulsation of life and awakening to our hearts is a wild ride. That is why we have a Sangha of support here! Thank you to those who have taken the time to write on the Blog and to share with me about your experience. You inspire me!

We all know that when we feel hurt or pain that sometimes our hearts become closed, hardened, blocked and protected. Over time we may even create thick, stone-like walls around the heart and say “Ok, now I am safe-- my heart is protected!”. Yes that is true, but no one can get in-- not even you. We become locked out of our own hearts and cut off from the joy inside for decades or even an entire lifetime.

“The things that darken the heart” heads a chapter TKV Desikachar’s book called The Heart of Yoga. He is the son of Shri Krishnamacharya, the late modern day Yoga master, and a highly revered healer and scholar. Why does the heart dim? We cover our hearts when we feel hurt or wronged by someone else; and we defend or harden our hearts when we notice our actions or words may have hurt someone else. But, somewhere deep inside we know that life would be better and more fulfilling if we could release the clamps on our heart and express the Love that we know is inside.

The truth is, we do not always see a situation clearly and thus may act in ways that create pain. Imagine driving your car on a clear sunny day-- you stay in your lane easily because you can see clearly. Now imagine driving in a snow storm-- the lanes disappear and it is difficult to stay on track. Simplistically, that is what happens when we lack clarity-- we can no longer see where we are going and veer off our path.

The Yoga Surtras, an ancient Yogic text by Patanjali, states that this lack of clarity is due to avidya or incorrect knowledge. We think we are perceiving something correct in the moment only to realize later that we did not see the situation correctly. In the meantime, may have done something we regretted later. The Sutras say avidya leads to dukha or suffering and this is why we protect and close our hearts.

To decrease avidya (misapprehension) and therefore decrease dukha (suffering) we need to see clearly. To perceive correctly in the moment we need to be mindful, present and in touch with our hearts. We will use the practice today to bring more awareness to the present moment and notice what is happening in our body, hearts and minds. To do that we will use one of our most powerful tools in our Yoga toolbox-- the BREATH! Truly, it is the most potent tool to deliver us into the moment and connect us directly to the truth. Over time this practice helps develop sensitivity to witnessing the body, mind and heart without judging.

Day 8 & 9: Bhakti Challenge

* Lay on your back and hug your knees into your chest. Curl into a ball and breath here for 10 breaths.

* Lay on your back with knees bent and twist both knees to the Right. Stay here for 10 breaths. Watch the breath fan your ribcage in all directions. Soften your skin and become receptive. Repeat on the other side.

* Hug your knees into your chest again. If you have time feel free to do other Yoga postures that support opening the body.

* Clarity Meditation~

Lay on your back with your legs up the wall, palms face up. If this is not comfortable you can lay on your back with your legs resting on the seat of the chair. You want your legs above your heart.

Feel the wonderful waterfall of energy from your legs moving down to nourish your heart. Stay focused on the rise and fall of your chest, and feel your heart soften with each exhale. Mindfully watch thoughts arise and simply name them as they arise. Thinking, thinking... and come back to the breath. Bathe in the healing waters of the breath. I suggest taking about 6-8 minutes total for this meditation- that includes both Parts 1 and 2.

Part 1: Now, recall a time when you felt hurt or when you may have said something that hurt someone else. Notice the energy arising. Move the energy into your heart and keep breathing-- long slow exhale. Notice the energy (even emotions) rise and fall just like your breath does. Energy comes and goes,, and so does your breath. Cultivate the witness-- a powerful inner seer that has no judgment, to watch with support and Love. Surround this memory with the warmth from your own heart and see if it changes. Take time and be gentle with yourself.

Part 2. Now spend some time reflecting on a time when you supported someone with your thoughts, words and actions. Remember the smile or soft look they gave you when they could feel feeling your sincere caring and Love. Bathe in the beauty of that moment and appreciate how your generosity allowed for a deeper connection to their heart and to your own. Resting in the Loving energy that you created. You are a powerful, healing force in the world.

After your complete this meditation bend your knees, roll to your Right side and rest a few breaths. Sit up slowly. Well done! Write in your journal and Blog.

Namaste,

Sienna

Day 6 & 7: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

During the Body Scan Meditation from the previous day did you notice that some areas of your body were more relaxed and alive than others? For example, you may have noticed your legs were relaxed but that your low back was holding tension. Many spiritual practices include body scanning as a way to increase awareness to unconscious holding patterns or tension in the body. Awareness or “chit” as it is called in sanskrit, refers to a state of resting in pure consciousness. At our essence we are all wildly alive, pulsating energy bodies where life-force or prana is moving without any blocks to its flow. Areas of tension are like dams in the river or flow of the prana in the body and are often linked to times when have been triggered to defend or protect ourself from perceived danger. To protect we shut down, tense, cringe, recede or contact our body. Awareness acts like a laser beam that can dissolve chronically tense areas by bringing the healing attention and Love that these tense areas are craving for. Loving attention heals and restores our connection to our true nature.

Day 6 & 7: Bhakti Challenge

For the weekend, practice the warm-up movements and the Body Scan Meditation (see Day 5 for instructions) on Saturday and Sunday. Focus on the flow of the breath moving in and out of the body while directing your attention to each body part. Notice changes in your breathing. If you loose touch with your breath or your breath becomes shallow or constricted this may be a place of increased charge or tension. Stay here and breathe. Maintain loving awareness and notice what arises. Welcome your experience as a way to release the blocks that hold your back from the pure light of your heart.

Journal and share about your experience-- be your own loving witness. And, this weekend hold yourself in a heighten state of loving kindness by doing something special for yourself. May the loving action you choose nourish and renew you on a deep level.

Namaste,

Sienna

Day 5: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

So the chocolate is all gone.. now what? There is always your Bhakti practice. Like the old Buddhist saying, life is simple-- chop wood, carry water. By now you have probably felt some resistance to doing a daily practice. Can’t we get a day off? This is normal and even expected. There will be excuses, bartering, negotiations with the self.. and the Yoga masters know the pull into old habits is strong so they ceaselessly refer to a daily practice to stay connected to the Higher Self. The important thing is that you come back, connect to your longing for real Love and forge on without judgment. No effort is ever lost. Each time you come back to your practice the neuro-pathways become more established and new life-enhancing habits of connecting to your heart get stronger. You practice is your refuge and the Divine Self is waiting within.

What is Bhakti anyway? “Bhakti is an offering of Love and the state of Love from which the offering comes from. It is being immersed in the Divine hearts abiding presence” William Mahony. Put this on the top of your to-do list today!

Day 5: Bhakti Challenge

Repeat practice from Day 4.

And, continue to explore where your feel warmth, flow, light, aliveness and the pulsation of energy inside your body. There are numerous physiological & neurological pathways, energy channels, meridians, nadis, chakras through out the body. Refine your attention to feel the subtle energy circuits and centers in your body. What do you notice?

Yogis would say that the pulsation, life-force, that is inside of us is the same that is in everyone and everything. This is the principle of inter-connection and ultimately of union. Union is the state of Yoga and it is the highest state of Love. Today lets focus on this Divine pulsation inside.

Namaste,

Sienna

Day 4: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I talked about the song “Looking for love in all the wrong places” and the story of Krishna and Pariksit-- its a must read! Where you able to recall moments in your life that you were looking for love outside of yourself? Sometimes when I need a warm fuzzy love-like feeling I find myself at Good Earth buying an Endangered Species black panther extra dark chocolate bar-- you know what I am talking about? !! Ok, there is nothing wrong with that... and that is why I love the Tantric yoga tradition-- I no longer have to feel guilty or “BAD” for indulging a bit here and there. However, I acknowledge that continuing to refine my thoughts and actions to be life-affirming and aligned with the Highest is my practice.

That being said back to the chocolate-- in Exquisite Love, Bill Mahony says there are higher and lower forms of love. The lower forms of love are more impermanent and related to the physical... like chocolate. I am sad to say that after I eat my chocolate it is gone.. poof! So, then the thrill is over and I am back where I started. The higher forms of love are deeper, ever-lasting and connected to essence of being. The Love of the Self is ever-present and thus when activated creates a steady and high level of love in our hearts. When you gaze into a loved ones eyes and see beyond the temporary form and into the sparkle of their eyes you touch into the Divine Self within them. And, the Love we see in them is a recognition and affirmation of the Love we see inside of ourselves. Try this next Bhakti Yoga practice~

Day 4: Bhakti Yoga Challenge

Eat chocolate-- just kidding! Truly you can and notice what happens.

Cat/Cow pose- on your hands and knees. Move with the breath. Long, slow breaths. Do 5 Repetitions.
Downward facing dog- 5 breaths
Child’s pose- 5 breaths
Repeat that sequence once more.
Body Scan. This exercise will bring awareness to the place that you feel natural aliveness and warmth in your body, and help you connect into your the natural wellspring of Love inside. Lay on your back, palms up. Notice the rise and fall of your chest with each breath. Watch the flow of your breath for a minute. Then move your awareness to your feet to begin scanning the body for sensations. Over the next 3 minutes make your way UP the body-- feet, shins, knees, thighs, pelvis, navel, solar plexus, heart/chest, shoulders, arms, hands and neck and head. Notice where you feel warmth, flow, pulsation, opening, softening. When you find a place like that stay rest there and breathe in and out from that source. Notice what happens. Then spend another 3 minutes going back down the body starting with your head and going to your toes.
Take your time. Write down your experiences in your journal and in the Blog.

Please sign-up for the Blog so you can be an active part of the group process to activate more Love in yourself and in the world.

Namaste-

Sienna

Day 3: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

Looking for Love in all the wrong places? You know the Waylon Jennings song I mentioned in the newsletter...

I was looking for love in all the wrong places

Looking for love in too many faces

Searching your eyes, looking for traces

Of what.. I'm dreaming of...

Here is a great story from ancient India that William Mahony tells about the search for love that also relates to this modern day song~ Pariksit had a vision of God or the Divine as Krishna (an Indian deity) who stood by and gave unconditional love and protection to him while he was a baby in his mothers womb. The moment he was born the feeling went away. He spent the rest of his days combing the streets, stopping people as they walked by and staring at their faces while asking them “Are you Krishna?.... are you Krishna?” He searched far lands to find the vision of Krishna he had before. His life was lived in constant longing to find Krishna again... to find that unconditional Love-- yet he was looking outside of himself.

You may identify with this search for Love. And part of why we are searching at all is because somewhere inside of us there is a memory of this infinite Love-- otherwise we would not have the yearning to search for it!

Love is an inside job and, I would add, JOY! We turn toward our practice and our Sangha to support us in diving INSIDE again-- taking a heart-centered journey. (Image is Krishna)

DAY 3: Bhakti Challenge

The basic practice is the same for Days 1-3 we a slightly different focus so you can get to know each practice and what it does for you.

5 Minutes of breath and movement

10 Minutes of Radiant Heart Meditation

(Scroll down to Day 1 if you need the instructions)

Take time to notice where you have been looking for love. Without judgment or story just be honest. Did you find what you were looking for? In the Radiant Heart meditation imagine absorbing the glowing sun energy and visualize your own heart as a reflection of the sun. The Light is generated from inside of you-- allow the Light to bathe your entire chest and torso. Bask in your own Light.

Enjoy your day,

Sienna

Day 2: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Let's welcome a few more Bhakti Yogis who just signing up today! Breathe them into our Sangha, feel their intention to create more Love and lets support each other by doing the work! Here we go.

Poetry is a beautiful way to exit the thinking mind and enter the heart-mind. From the great yogi Sri Yogananda

What is Love?

Love is the scent with the lotus born.

It is the silent choirs of petals

Singing the winter’s harmony of uniform beauty.

Love is the song of the soul, singing to God.

It is the balanced rhythmic dance of planets-

sun and moon lit.

In the skyey hall festooned with fleecy clouds-

Around the sovereign Silent Will.

It is the thirst of the rose to drink the sun rays

And blush red with life.

DAY 2: Bhakti Challenge

Repeat the practice from Day 1.

5 Minutes of breath and movement

10 Minutes of Radiant Heart Meditation

(Day 1 is available on this Blog)

During the meditation, As Yogananda suggests in his poem, imagine the sun rays blush red with life inside of you. Notice the sensations in the body and let go of stories or judgements that arise. Come back to the breath again and again. To stay attentive-- become curious. Notice where you feel the warmth or blush of radiance.. and where you feel less. Breath from the open areas into the less open areas. Breathing in and out-- welcome your experience.

Make a note in your journal. It will help bring context to the story I will offer tomorrow.

Many blessings~

Sienna

Day 1: Bhakti Challenge

2011-08-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to DAY 1~ Start connecting to Love now.

Let’s jump in! Has this ever happened to you-- you are having dinner with a loved one and both of you are laughing and enjoying your connection to each other. Your heart feels warm and open to them. Then, a touchy subject comes up and they say something that upsets you. In fact, now every word feels hurtful. Soon your chest tightens, the breath becomes shallow and the doors of your heart slam shut. The ICE queen or king has landed. Where is the LOVE now? ... because its getting cold in here. (I will come back to this..)

During this 15 Day Challenge I will refer to the Narada Bhakti Sutras-- a 1,000 year old text with heart-centered reflections that inspire us to awaken a deep and eternal LOVE that resides within all of us. Sound complicated? Its not, anyone can do this. All you need is 15 minutes. Remember, nothing will change if do things the way you have always done them. Try this 15-minute practice everyday for 15 days. It will be your experience that will empower you to share your heart like a peaceful warrior of LOVE.

Where did the LOVE go anyway? The Sutras says that the LOVE inside all beings never leaves. Yeah, but... you may be saying. Bottom line is that for something to ring your TRUTH bell you must experience it for yourself.

Try this:

Part 1. Imagine someone your deeply cherish and feel overflowing warmth toward. It can be a newborn child, close friend, spouse, a beloved pet. Breathe in deeply and notice where you feel the sensation of LOVE in your body. Spend 30 seconds breathing into this LOVE. Close your eyes and do Part 1 now before moving on.

Part 2. After you have connected to the Love inside from Part 1 let’s go on. Now imagine someone that is a challenge for you. Take 30 seconds to notice the sensations in the body that arise. Close your eyes and do this now.

What happened to the Love? I bet if you did Part 1 again that the Love would arise just as it did before. It truly never left. The Love is there waiting to rise up again should the heart be open to receive it.

Bhakti Sutras say that this wellspring of Love inside of us is ever-flowing from the center of our heart. When we feel warmth for someone that we Love that it truth we are witnessing the joy of their existence-- that presence that is the Divine inside of them. We catch a glimpse of the radiant, glowing Spirit that is the essence of who they are. In fact, going even further, they arereflecting your own radiance back to you. How divine!! And, in that moment there is a sense of connection, an abiding Love and even a sense of Oneness. Let’s bring this in to practice.

~~~~~

Bhakti Practice for Day 1:

Dedicate a quiet corner in a private room for your Bhakti practices. If you have a cushion, mat, altar, or candles feel free to use them.

1. Do 5 minutes of movement and breath. A few yoga sun salutations or easy stretches will work well. Move and breathe mindfully.

2. Do 10 minutes of the Radiant Heart Meditation. Sit comfortably with good posture. Breathe deeply and draw fresh air into your lungs. Fill the lungs in all directions-- expand the back body, allow the ribs to fan out and soften your chest. Long flowing, nourishing breaths. Stay focused on the chest rising and falling with each breath. Now, imagine an image of the SUN -- a radiant, light-filled, glowing sun. Place the sun into the heart. Breathe easy and full. Notice what happens over time. Stay curious, remain open, and allow the Radiant Heart practice to reveal something about the nature of your own heart to you.

~~~~~

Doing the practice is essential. Remember your intention to practice. Were you wanting more LOVE in your life? Are you wishing that the world was a place of LOVE not war? Then allow your experience to bring forth your own personal truth about your Heart and the LOVE inside. And sit in dedication to this Sangha knowing we are more powerful together.

* Keep a journal of your own experiences.

* Sign-up for the Bhakti Blog online to receive updates.

* Share your experiences or questions on the Blog.

Until tomorrow, Namaste~

Sienna

Reference- Narada Bhakti Sutra translation Exquisite Love by William K. Mahony Anusara Press 2010.

15 Day Bhakti Yoga Challenge

2011-08-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

You have arrived! I am thrilled to welcome over 40 people to our online Sangha. You all are stepping up to claim you right to deeper LOVE for yourself and for the world. My teacher Gary Kraftsow says "we are here but a blink of an eye, make every moment count". And here you are, making this moment count.

Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths to feel your intention for being here. Come fully present to the energy inside. There is an inner pulsation called PRANA (life force) that permeates all things~ and that life force is connecting us all now through our powerful intention to LOVE. Connect your intention to the group. Feel the energy of all who signed up with a similar intention~ to cultivate and express a deeper LOVE for themselves and the world. That is powerful!

Love connects, Love heals and Love is the only thing that will bring us into balance with each other and the earth. It is an inside job that we all must step up to. There is no time to waste. This is not the pink puffy heart us girls use to doodle on our homework pages in school... this is serious work.. which can bring serious intimacy and joy to our heart. The path to LOVE is not for the faint of heart~ it is for the warriors that are willing to SEE, to FEEL and to BE who we truly are.

A daily practice is the key to staying connected to Spirit, Divine, God to nature to whoever or whatever is your highest. And I believe it an be done in 15 minutes or less. Over the course of this Bhakti Challenge try it for yourself and see. Your personal experience is the only way to know what is TRUE for you. May these practices cultivate your inner Guru~ grow your personal Truth~ and illuminate your path to Love!

See you on Monday, August 15th!
Namaste~ Sienna

Resolve to the Limitless

2011-01-05T11:02:00.000-08:00

Thrive in 2011. The aliveness, joy and happiness that many of us seek with the coming of a new year will not come from surface resolutions. One resolution I find to be the grand daddy of them all is the intention to know myself better so all my choices are anchored in the deepest truth of who I am. The resolution to discover my own essence in its totality-- goes straight to the root. Where roots live underground and rarely seen in a darkness that can cloak the mystery of who I am-- I go on a search to see what is truly nourishing me. There lies my personal truth, which no one else can define, like a precious mineral in the barren soil waiting to be recognized, absorbed and assimilated into the living animation of our material form-- the body and mind. There are many 'truths' like many minerals in the soil, some will do a satisfactory job but there are often precious few and even one that just shouts “Bingo”!! It is the one that catapults the seedling upward on its perilously journey, piercing the earths crusts and growing tenaciously and vigorously toward the light no matter what the circumstance. It is the truth that will nourish and feed you in all kinds of weather.

For some it is a truth that at we are all interconnected. Consequently, the choices and the actions that follow are attempts to affirm and live from this truth. Knowing that your imprint on this earth, the words that you speak will create a ripple outward eventually affecting all beings everywhere direct your actions. One of my deepest truths is that we are all beings of supreme love and that pure goodness and light is our core essence. When I am feeling healthy, happy and well this is an easy truth to behold. But occasionally my truth is tested and the roots gets yanked out of the ground and dangle lifelessly in thin air. When this happens I instantly feel “ungrounded” and “up-rooted” and my body manifests this immediately and I sense a “pulling” up from the inside. I begin to walk around like I reverse balloon-- sucked up from the inside. My organs pull up, my pelvic floor tightens and even the skin on my body grips tighter. With roots above ground I am no longer close to the source of my nourishment-- my mind becomes foggy and my body starved for nourishment. If I make an important choice from this place it will certainly be one made with lack of clarity and one from fear because that is the state I am in.

Being aware of these sensations are key first step as awareness always proceeds change or transformation of any kind. Once I feel this happening I pause to see what truth I am operating on. Can I find my deepest truth still alive inside of me .. somewhere.. anywhere? A pause is the next most important step toward replanting the roots and all too often this pause gets put on hold like a call coming into a busy doctors office.. “please hold, you are caller 127, we are taking calls in the order received” then the hideous elevator music (or worse the trying to be hip, alternative music station comes on with the latest grind and grunge). A PAUSE of this nature.. one that is questioning the very core of who you are is not to be put off. I swiftly move this one up to the primo attention spot and let the others reorganize themselves.

The pause creates space to breathe and the spaciousness softens my mind that has severely constricted around all the analysis and cloak of control it is clinging to. The pause defies the frenetic active flow around me and freeze-frames the chaos that swirls between the dangling roots and the soil beneath. The pause allows the truth of bodily feelings, sensations to arise and guide me back to nourishment. I notice that my body never lies-- my gut, muscles, skin and breath all tell me exactly how well I am assimilating the life I am co-creating. And, it is the place that can bring me back to the ground-- the earthy existence of real life. And, reveals how to best express and celebrate my truth in this material form. With the breath and meditative movement like yoga or dance I begin to feel the natural magnetic pull toward the earth, like gravity’s invisible yet steadfast draw into the earths core that pause pulls me back toward my center. My thirsty roots plunge back into the earth and feel gratefully to be back home. A deepening breath and sigh of relief signals a softening of my skin draping it like silk over my body while my organs settle and nestle back into the inner caves of my relaxed chest and pelvis. From this centered place I re-connect with my truth.. I sense if it is still true for me. My body reflects the answer through its steady, calm, deepening breath and the joy that begins to bubble up from the ever-present geyser inside. And, all this can happen in a matter of seconds when I am in a place of knowing myself. Seeing the places I get hung-up, hung-out and rung-out to dry I honor the old wounds of my life. I also laugh at them more these days... a great side effect of allowing my flag to fly free catch the wind and occasionally get batted in storms over years.

My resolution of resolutions is to take the time to see, to feel and to inquire about my deepest truth. It is the truth that sends me on an inner quest to know myself. A truth that guides me upward toward the light and reveals the essence of who I am. And, that is a gloriously deep resolution worth making.

By, Sienna Smith

Full Spectrum Beauty ~

2010-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last day of the yoga therapy immersion with John.. more tears and more laughter. The ends of the spectrum became more full and the container more expansive with every passing day. People speaking of terrible accidents and illnesses while also sharing incredible moments of joy, humor and heart. Simultaneously laughing, crying and smiling all at once. Now, that is a robust life lived to the fullest expression! That is life with all the colors of the rainbow and that rainbow is arched across the whole damn sky where the shiny, golden sun beams pierce through the puffy white cotton ball clouds. What made the rainbow? Thunder, lightning and the soaking wet rain in the sky. All aspects create the fullness. That is the most profound gift that life has given to me... the ability to see and feel the edges of life more fully.. the immense pain and suffering and the most profound beauty and joy.

This became clear years ago-- I was grieving from the loss of my marriage and was crying on and off for weeks but then one day, mid-sob, I sucked in an enormous amount of air into my lungs and burst out laughing. It was the strangest thing, my mind said-- wait! I am sad, I am really supposed to suffer here, life is horrible. Then I felt the edges of my mouth turn up and I began to smile. My next thought was-- is it possible for me to feel both immensely sad and joyful at the exact same moment? Must be because it was happening. Then a surge of energy came through me and I felt completely free. It was like the cage door flew open, I jumped out and spread my wings on the invisible air and took flight. It blew my mind because everything I knew about suffering and joy changed in one gasp for air. The grieving was necessary, it tore down the walls that blocked my view and the joy inside of me had never left.

Life is magical, it has given me exactly what I need to free myself from my limited view and to see the full spectrum of who I am. I wish for myself, my loved ones and all beings everywhere that we continue to be reminded-- as many times as it takes-- that we are spirit in material form. We are an embodiment of the highest. Namaste, Sienna

Love heals

2010-10-08T10:31:00.001-07:00

John and the fire goddess Pele are cooking the whole kula today like a well done tapas pie! Tears, perspiration and shiny smiling faces were everywhere. What a tremendous honor to hear the personal stories of the local people that came through the ‘Friend-ly’ clinic today and to witness their healing. Earlier he worked with a man that snapped his achilles tendon five months ago and had it sewn back together. He has not been able to walk comfortably since. After 5 minutes with John he started to jump up and down on his foot and then took off jogging around the room, hands in the air and cheering. Later today he worked on a 71 year old woman who had a long list of symptoms that stemmed from a 30 year old trauma to the head. After 20 minutes she felt more alive and full of hope than ever. Ok, how much did John pay these people? I would be asking the same question too if I haven’t seen John do this many times this year and even experienced it myself. John says, expect a miracle.. apparently he is not kidding.

On one level it is simple, people need a compassionate, healing touch from someone who sees and affirms their true nature as one of pure light. Never underestimate the power of this above all technical therapeutic knowledge. This kind of potent energetic healing can free up years of suffering and you don’t need a medical degree to do it~ truly anyone who can see the truth with unwavering eyes can be a healer.

Another level of healing happens through steady effort. John says it comes down to this; “how badly do you want to be Free?” You have GOT to want it bad! You have GOT to be so sick of being stiff, immobile, depressed or in suffering of any kind that you will do anything to be free. This work of re-aligning the body requires effort but through effort heal can happen.

To find freedom from stiffness or injury first open to something bigger than ourselves- whatever you call it- spirit, God or higher Self. Then I teach students how to properly engage the muscles by hugging them evenly to the bone (what a beautiful practice to hug yourself from inside). This takes specific, skillful action done with steady attention and it works. We open through stability and it creates a sense of safety in the nervous system that the body can then release in to. Since bringing these teachings into my class I have received more emails than ever about how peoples bodies and lives have opened up. I am jazzed for them. I am also grateful that the teachings are coming through to help in some way. To the highest.

Namaste~ Sienna

From Why? to Wow!

2010-10-06T10:39:00.001-07:00

All the mechanics of alignment will do very little in the long run unless we first honor the force of spirit that animates us in our lives. John emphasizes this again today like he would be happy if we only wrote this in our journals, packed up and flew back home. (However, I do have a burning question about the engagement of lower scapula that I have to ask him this week!) He reminds us that even though we learn specific ways to fire this muscle to move that bone into alignment it is always secondary to the bigger picture of opening to spirit.

I remember five years ago when I was given an assignment from my spiritual teacher to create an ‘evidence’ journal. I was to write down everything in the course of the next 5 months that would classify as synchronicity or stoke of good luck like chance meetings, right place at the right time or events that seemed horrible at first but ended up being a blessing. Within a few weeks a 1/4 of my journal was filled up. At least once a day life’s inherent perfection was proven to me, I just had to take the time to notice. It literally blew my mind and radically shifted my view on life. I always thought that my carefully constructed plan would lead me to happiness... so I painstakingly did all the ‘right’ things like every ‘good girl’ should. Luckily I also had a little rebel inside that questioned everything-- sometimes it felt as if the rebel girl and the good girl got into a hair-pulling fight at recess. This represents the dance of light and dark, shiva and shakti in the material world. Both come to be so we can know the perfection of Spirit. Writing that journal and seeing how the universe is supporting me allowed me to let go of my attachment to my plan and open to the universes plan. I not necessarily an easier ride, for me it has been a more alive, vibrant and life affirming ride- one that I could have never orchestrated on my own.

Now, tell me that when I was grief stricken during my divorce, lying on the floor of my bedroom feeling lost in a black sea of sadness and swimming in a pool of tears.. and I would have said you are crazy! However, Spirit sees the BIG picture.. we often do not. We only see a narrow view like standing on the beach looking through binoculars when spirit is standing above us looking at the entire ocean. Where we only see one bird, Sprit sees the entire flock, the global migratory patterns and so on. I could not always understand at first the reason I became divorced, lost my home or injured my shoulder but over time the bigger picture become more clear.

My truth is that the universe works in mysterious yet deeply profound ways and every time I acknowledge this I become so humbled in the face of such divine perfection that the only thing left is complete gratitude. I am human and I do forget these things, some days I want to say “Why” instead of “Wow”. But that is the reason I practice yoga~ to remember the Wow! And, from this place I bow down to the unfathomable ways in which I have been guided every step of the way.

After his Big picture reminder he says casually “Today we are working on the shoulders”. I immediately feel both happy and terrified at the same time. It is a vulnerable place for me and an area I have worked on for 10 years. The ‘caving’ in of my heart has been giving way to healing and expression. This blog is part of that expression, Thank you for reading.. there is no accident that we are connected.

Namaste~ Sienna

A Quantum Ride to Healing

2010-10-05T01:15:00.000-07:00

“The universe is not random...life is deeply orderly. From symmetry of flower petals, the distribution of colors in the rainbow, to the rain drop patterns on the rooftop there is deep order and inter-connection in the universe and our body follows suit.” says John. This is one of those phrases where my brain explodes trying to comprehend it and yet I eagerly jump on the quantum super highway, buckle my seat belt and go for the next ride. The journey of inquiry and revelations continues and there is a child-like joy inside as I ease on the gas to explore this truth.

Because the universe and the body has a deep order, healing can happen quickly through the art of aligning our bones. “Heal 10 or even 40+ years of chronic pain in one day~ line up the body, the channels open and the body heals” says John. I heard this a few years ago and again today, my left eyebrow raised...(I can't even raise my right eyebrow, that's for the next yoga therapy session!) but I have seen him in action and more importantly I have experienced it myself using the principles.

My right hip has been torqued forward for 15 years and today it released. I felt a softening and settling in my front hip flexor that I have not felt before. Two years ago I had a similar breakthrough in my neck. After 10 years of neck pain where occasionally I could not lift my head off my pillow in the morning I worked with these alignment principles and my neck pain was gone in a week. The realigning of my hips and neck both brought up emotional releases as well.

The physical body is the outer expression of what is happening on the inside. The tension in my body began in childhood by contracting during the times I felt unsafe. I literally sunk my heart into my chest and rounded my shoulders forward to shield myself from harm. My neck pain was the physical manifestation of this long held internal pattern-- and when it final healed it was because I was ready for the pain to tell its story and be freed. The body speaks in the language of pain because it is something we ultimately listen to, right? Pain is hard to ignore for long. (On a side note; what does western medicine do for pain?... often prescribes pain killers which severs our connection to our own inner healer.) Now, that I no longer needed to protect, my muscles are safe to release and I have the profound opportunity to feel the emotional energy that arises with it. Intense as it may be, deep down I feel an unwavering inner strength that grew right out of these challenging situations. LIfe is full of miraculous and orderly spirals~ that which hurts us can heal us and then come back around to empower us. I appreciate the potency of this in my life.

All day today I had a smile inside thinking of the divine order that has lead me to this moment here in Maui sitting in front of John. There are no accidents only a deep order that resides in the universe. Everyone I have met has helped me get here and to know some aspect of the truth from the flower, to my neighbor to my spiritual teachers~ Thank you.

Mahalo and Namaste~

Sienna

Airplane yoga~ Opps!

2010-10-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Aloha~

I was doing yoga on the plane to Maui today... standing forward bend, lunge.. I looked down at my feet and noticed my ankles looked a little puffy... Ah, I said an inversion would be perfect for this. Hummm... I have never done an inversion on a plane, should I? Better yet, could I... in this skinny little hallway by the bathrooms? Before you know it I was kicking up into HANDSTAND on the plane... then a funny thing happened...

Hands on the floor, forward bend, one foot up then airborn with the other foot...and OPPS my right heel hit the inward fold of the accordion like bathroom door and pushed the door inward and sent my foot over my head and toward the you know what... luckily I have been doing so much core work in my practice lately that those abs kicked in and flung my legs forward again and back to the ground. Wow, Yoga helps in all kinds of situations.. it just goes show that you never know when your practice will come in handy, even if it is to get you OUT of something that your Yoga practice got you IN to in the first place! Either way, I will take it. Here's to starting off the week smiling :)

Mahalo,

Sienna

Goddess Pele destroys and creates in a fury for the highest~ John Friend's

2010-10-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Maui is known for its rock you to the core healing vibration that chews you up and spits you back out~ I am sure it is no accident that John Friend choose it for the yoga therapy training this week. Many come to Maui to heal.. some stay and some run screaming home.. the goddess Pele does not mess around. Goddess Pele is a Hawaiian Volcano and Fire Goddess~ the embodiment of both destruction and divine creative power. "She is the flame of passion and the fire of purpose, she is the energy of dynamic action and she is the glowing essence of eternal and profound love." says R.Barkemeifjer de Wit. Ok, sign me up. Tomorrow I leave for Maui to dive into the Pele's fiery arms, the blue oceans wild current and the earths sacred ground to meet myself again and again... this time its not the Iron Goddess of Paris but the Fire Goddess Pele that presides over the court of truth and transformation along with an amazing teacher, John Friend.

With anticipation I read an email from Donna at the Anusara registration office saying... "make sure to bring a journal, you will need it everyday"... I can only imagine why. I savory these concentrated times to go in.. and am also a little uneasy. But that has never scared me off before not matter what comes up. The spiritual path and the human condition fascinates me to no end. I have a ferocious curiosity about what lies inside and it propels me past the comfort of clear water into the unsettled murky water. For as long as I can remember I had this desire to know. I was the child who would climb the fence that said "no trespassers allowed" and for good or bad I had to know what was behind that chain linked fence. Sometimes I found a frothy mouthed, teeth wielding dog and sometimes I found succulent, sweet oranges hanging from low branches. No matter what I discovered, I was always going back for more. And, this trip is me climbing over the fence again.

I wade through the waters of my own soul so I can know myself, so I can be with that which blocks me from knowing who and what I am. To be real, to myself in every moment is my dedication,,, however that looks. The human condition is not always pretty, despite the images the media bombards us with, and I want to honor the realness in myself. Over the years I have glimpsed the truth that we are an embodiment of the divine~ I want to deepen my knowing of this. And, If my experiences along the way translates into helping others to see the light of their own Self then I am honored. If not I still walk, I still yearn to discover and explore my own true nature.

In love and gratitude to my teachers who have lead me here. Thich Nhat Hahn, Georg Feurestein, Thai Ashonoah, Jean Marie Hayes, TKV Desikachar, Gary Kraftsow, Mirka Kraftsow, Maritza and John Friend. I bow deeply, Namah.

Sienna

Yoga~ Plain and Simple

2010-09-07T23:51:00.000-07:00

The spiritual path is a "Reality Project" a term coined by Stephen Cope in one of my favorite books of all time "Yoga and the Quest for True Self. In order to feel what is Real we go to its contrasting opposite.. and literally jump into the murky depths of the unreal. We dive into the illusion-- flop around, go belly up, try belly down and tread water dog paddle style until we become tired, exhausted and on the edge of giving up. Then in the darkest hour we stretch out our feet and touch the sandy bottom of Reality and walk to shore.

A famous modern day yogi A. Desai says "Reality is more sacred to me than my most sacred concept. Reality is the message of consciousness. Reality is God in disguise." Reality is this moment, a live, streaming, real-time experience of each moment where awareness is completely absorbed in what is happening now. If we do not like what is happening now then unconsciously we may move into "WHY, is this happening now?" and fight the truth of the moment. But the truth remains,, this IS happening now. So, the Reality Project begs us to change the question to "WHAT is happening now?" because then we have the opportunity to really love. From a yogic perspective, LOVE is acceptance of what is. If you are in the moment, you are in love. Now, that is the knight in shining armor of true LOVE we've been searching for not the white dress, not the house or 1.5 kids. Being in the moment, observing the truth and accepting what is. And, to choose to say "I do" to every moment, again and again. That is the essence of the spiritual path... plain and simple. It is a divine marriage of Self to Reality for the sake of LOVE.

Namaste~ Sienna

Open to the moment, and miracles are revealed.

Anusara Yoga in Paris-- I can feel the heat!

2010-07-07T14:22:00.001-07:00

Yesterday in class John Friend said-- “Downward facing dog... now make your hands strong, grip the floor with your finger pads in total commitment to your practice and as a sign of honoring your teacher (meaning anyone who has been an inspiration in your life). He continued... “ Out of hundreds of applicants you were specifically chosen to attend this training-- you are worthy to be here! Know that it is your dharma to claim your space at this training and claim your place in the world.” I could feel a current of fear shoot up my spine because worthiness is something I have been working on my whole life. And, even though I have been teaching for almost 10 years there are still times I get nervous and think-- what the heck am I doing leading the class? I know these thoughts stem from my childhood but on some level they are still alive in me. It is similar to someone giving you a complement and then saying to yourself “ah, they must be blind!” or “they are just saying that to be nice”. This self doubt acts like a poison that eats away at us from the inside.

When John spoke yesterday his words triggered the seed of unworthiness in me and laid it out on my mat for me to practice on-- all day long. At first I resisted, an old habit of mine that I know does not work, then I turned to the quiet place inside of me that whispers the truth of who I am. With trust I allowed the discomfort to surface; the sweating, the heat and shortened breath but I stayed with it. By the end of the day I felt joy creeping in because I know these times of discomfort are golden invitations to transform the patterns that limit me. And, that the path of yoga has the power to send the stone walls built around my heart tumbling to the ground in one day. I knew that by allowing the discomfort its full expression that I would be liberated with each drop of sweat and tear that hit my mat. This process went on like a wave inside of me for 2 hours. Finally, by the end I felt more spacious and my breath deepened. I felt more alive and a fullness inside my heart like it was vibrating out of my chest. I felt humble and at the same time I felt a sense of worthiness bubbling up inside. “Whoa-yah, thank you spirit...now were talking!” I said to myself. The next day I showed up again on my mat... ready to do it all over and open up to the mystery of what I would find this time. ~Namaste Sienna

A stroll down the Rue de Rivoli

2010-06-26T01:32:00.000-07:00

Our first afternoon stroll down Rue de Rivoli, the main street of the Louvre with buzzing outdoor cafes every 4th shop and people busily walking by. The mix of people is amazing; from model chic with strappy platform heels- emanating the Eiffel tower to ripped jean shorts with off the shoulder t-shirts and sneakers. I decided to go someplace in between... but I did bring my black strappy mini platform heels, which Kyra likes, for some later evening Paris jaunt.

Walking down the Rue we tripped over a wonderful corner outdoor cafe and sat down to our first Parisian meal. Vegetable quiche with a glass of grigio blanc for me and jamon crape with orangina for Kyra. The Place du Carrousel, the Louvre and the Jardin Des Tuileries were so close behind it felt like the most exquisite golden peacock sitting on our shoulder singing the sweet secrets of Paris in our ears. The Parian bird of culture, magnificence, human history is vastly different that of the Costa Rica bird of brilliant natural splendor and mother earths trembling vibrance but somehow I feel equally alive in both. I lounge in my black and gold wicker chair and take in the view around me. My mind is full and has an appetite for intense chatter like it gulped down 3 espresso while my body was away in the bathroom. My mind quickly tweets about everything I take in. From the awe of the intense beauty in human creation to the judgements of the our self importance and human over-indulgence. Yoga quickly hops off that mat and sits down next to me at our sidewalk cafe reminding me that these thoughts are always a reflection of myself and what I see is more about me that what I gaze upon. With that bell ringing like the hand hammered Tibetan bowl that I play in class I take another look. A half second later I see the incredible passionate beauty of human connection and creation, I see the life force in Parisian’s communication and I see a vibrant country teaming with spirited lovers of life. This touches me deeply as I recognize this succulent passion in myself as well. I feel it pumping like golden champagne in my veins.. it is the bubbly of life that has been a fountain inside of me since I was born.

Maybe the aliveness I feel is why I feel so at home in the rainforest jungle and the city jungle. I see they are both coming from the nectar of the same magnificent flower. The One flower all creation is born out of and will eventually dissolve back into. I feel immensely grateful to be here in Paris, what a wonderful creation. Tomorrow we will climb the Eiffel tower and visit the Mona Lisa.

In Parisian love and Namaste~

Sienna

My cat says..."take me to Paris, or else!"

2010-06-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

I was away from home most of the weekend and when I returned my cat decided to welcome me with a dainty poop on my yoga mat! Pets just 'say' it like it is don't they? "meow, why did you leave me alone, you love yoga more than me, how could you??... meow" I was laughing so hard I dropped to the floor...

6 days till Paris... must figure out the cat thing.

French in 7 days?

2010-06-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

Paris w/ John Friend .. leaving in 7 days. Wondering if I can learn to speak French in 7 days.. any gurus with instant French transmissions? Seriously, bonjour is the only word I know. Yo no comprendo, oye ve.