I'm easy like sunday morning....

Not only is this song great, the outfit Lionel is wearing might top Neil Diamond in the super sparkly suit realm.  And currently I'm feeling "easy like Sunday morning"


Last night I had the insomnia again, maybe it's not insomnia, I have been going to bed way to early and waking up at hours like 3am, 4am and 5am when nothing is going on, not even an exciting Twitter feed.  Is it possible I need to follow a speed freak that doesn't stop Tweeting for early morning entertainment? Please send suggestions as I am now reading Walden, again.


This morning after a thorough cleaning of my apartment I headed to the noon Bikram class up the street.  I've been having some challenges with my lower back and sciatica. Man, its rough, the back just gives out which forces me to go easy in postures right when my mind is in the groove and wants to push me further. 


This afternoon I had solid conversations with several people that have left me feeling"easy".  


I tend to forget that I've been on this planet, have experienced so much, worked so hard on myself in the past few years that I have the power to bring some practical vision to things others are dealing with in their lives.


In AA they say we are here to help the "still sick and suffering," which on any given day can easily be me.  Today I was able to be there for a few people and in the process make myself feel good too.  That's a gift, not a gift of my super human powers, but the gift of being alive.  If you can be there for someone to help ease their pain it will in return make you feel good.  Double your pleasure? You bet.


My 96 year old Grandmother is having an especially difficult time right now, her partner for the last 17 years is living with his children because of dementia. She is being uprooted from her home for the past 20+ years in South Florida to return to an assisted living facility in Detroit, her home town.  Most of her belongings are being given away, and next week she'll be all moved into her new place. 


My father is doing an incredible job at being there for her, he is a wonderful son, I only wish I can be there for him when he needs that support too.  I guess I am now or at least I try. 


The conversation between my Grandmother and I was hard, the last few times I've spoken to her, she is depressed, stressed out and seems unmotivated.  I asked her if she believed in God, now this is a woman who was head of the B'nai B'rith mind you (national, not just local), she said "yes and no, lately I don't feel god"  This made me extremely sad, as I said, she was always very involved in her temple and the rituals of Judaism.  Which leaves me to question if she practiced her religion out of habit, the ritual or if she actually does have a spiritual side?  Now wasn't the time to ask her, I will return to this conversation in the future once she is more settled in. 


I think most of my family practices out of forced habit.  That might be why I was never drawn to religion and why when I practiced I questioned everything.  Was it for the love of god or faith?  It didn't seem like either growing up, cue "Tradition" from Fiddler On The Roof...


Now I consider myself deeply spiritual.  It has nothing to do with religion.  It has to do with my "conscious contact with my high power," I often call it god for lack of a better term, but only in the presence of people who won't run off thinking I'm trying to convert them. 


AA helped me find my faith in a higher power, it was the start of my spiritual journey which I work on daily.  This year was a big growth on that journey, studying the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, The Bible and The AA Big Book.  At the end of the day, what I've discovered is simple, if you can open your mind and believe that there is something bigger than yourself out there, you have faith.  It will develop and keep you peaceful, if you can expand on that and add a little meditation or reflection it will change your life. 


That's my experience, not unique in anyway, it works for me.  It seems to work for others I know too, so I share that with you.


When I let my ego take over and think that I'm in control all hell breaks loose.  Sometimes that needs to happen to remind me that I have faith and it's deep.  Hell my parents named me Shanon Faith!  How could I have not had it all these years??  I only needed to unlock it.


I'll leave you with this, actually it's for someone special that I know will understand, just fake it until you make it.  I'll have faith for you now until you have it for yourself. 


Grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.


xo


Shanon

Getting My Groove On

Today I feel out of this world.

This weekend in yoga teachers training was nothing short of fantastic.  Saturday morning we had an 8am Traditional Hot Yoga class with the Yoga To The People owner Greg Gumucio (he studies and worked with Bikram for 5 years) .  It was hot in there, Traditional Hot Yoga is the Bikram sequence.  Which is my jam.  Bikram yoga changed my life, then sobriety changed my life now it's changing again in yoga teachers training.  It continues to just get better.

Bikram Choudhury (sometimes I refer to him as my boyfriend)

Here is a nice article from The New York Times on Yoga To The People

NYT YTTP Article 2010

I think my life gets better because I have so few expectations now.  lol.  I don't know, I take my life a day at a time, sometimes a few days in advance but not too much further, otherwise I go slightly manic.  A day at a time usually works so far I've learned everything works out and really beyond death everything else is solvable.

Ever since I started the yoga teachers training this year in mid-February I've been reading Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar.  The yoga sutras are basically like 8 steps, similar to the 12 steps of AA.  The whole thing trips me out and continues to remind me I'm doing the right thing with my life.

 BKS Iyengar

BTW last night I was watching Enlighten Up, a documentary on yoga and in the film they visit and interview Iyengar.  I was very interested so I looked him up and he has a place in Pune, India.  Here's the hook, there is a two year waiting list to take class there and you have to have had practiced Iyengar yoga for eight years! lol, I don't think I'm going to Pune anytime soon. (that rhymes).  

Check up Enlighten Up if you dig yoga or documentaries. It's really good, here's the trailer, you can get it on Hulu.

This Thursday I will tandem teach my first Vinyassa yoga class. Which basically means I am leading the class, a full time teacher will be in the room with me and when they feel I've taught enough they will step in and take over.  I might get 3 mins or 30 mins into class. Who knows!??  I'm super excited.

I'm calling this entry Getting My Groove On because I feel like I got my groove back in the last week and I'm ready to teach now.  The last few weeks I've been so frightened of speaking in front of people and not feeling connected to the dialogue.  Today I taught Superman & Camel pose in a trial run with my class and it just flowed out of me.

This entire experience in teachers training has really helped me grow.  I know that teaching is what I'm supposed to do, I am going to continue my studies, this summer I will take a kids yoga teacher certification course in June and I am observing a senior yoga class this week as I am also very interested in teaching seniors yoga.  If I can get an apprentice ship for this senior yoga class I'll be out of my mind happy.  That is my goal right now. I also really enjoy learning about the Gitas and Sutras.  Once I figure out what I want to specialize in I'll do my 500 hour training (similar to a graduate program).

Tonight I'll listen to the YTTP podcast while I bake vegan apple muffins and then write up more flash cards for Thursday's class.

Yoga is a practice not a performance.  Remember that each time you step on the mat.  You practice for yourself, be present, set your intension and have fun!!  Yoga is fun! 

Shanon