sacred texts

In my search for a deeper understanding of the lineage of the tradition of yoga, I've come across a website that contains the scared texts of ... everything (www.sacred-texts.com). Man, I love the internet, what a fortune it to be born in a time where technology like this exists. Being one who is voracious for information to fuel my own transformation, knowing that I can find (almost) everything that I am looking for and share that information with others so easily through, say a blog for example ... awesome!! To start: The Vedas | are among the most ancient religious text still in existence, composted about 1500BC, codified about 600BC, committed to writing some point after 300BC. There are four Vedas: the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.

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Put it Inside Them

Matt Bade, the extraordinary drum kit master of Vasudeva, came across this Siox Indian story on his travels that resonates with me deeply. I would like to share it with you ...

 

The Creator gathered all of Creation and said, "I want to hide something from the humans until they are ready for it. It is the realization that they create their own reality."

 

The eagle said, "Give it to me. I will take it to the moon."

 

The Creator said, "No, one day they will go there and find it."

 

The salmon said, "I will bury it on the bottom of the ocean."

 

"No," said the Creator, "they will go there too."

 

The buffalo said, "I will bury it on the Great Plains."

 

The Creator said, "They will cut into the skin of the Earth and find it even there!"

 

Grandmother Mole, who lives in the breast of Mother Earth and who has no physical eyes, but sees with spiritual eyes, said, "Put it inside of them."

 

And the Creator said, "It is done."

Free from the "I" and "mine"

Class Reading 4/25 Creative Flow Free from the "I" and "mine," from aggression, arrogance, greed, desire, and anger, he is fit for the state of absolute freedom. Serene in this state of freedom, beyond all desire ad sorrow, seeing all beings as equal. - Bhagavad Gita

Is this possible? I think so. I have come to believe that "I" and "mine," aggression, arrogance, greed, desire, and anger are mistakes that we can stop making. As the Bhagavad Gita suggests, a more perfect understanding of who we are will place us beyond the concepts of desire and sorrow, and once we know who we are, we ca see all beings as equal. Until then, thought, there will be pain, because we are not operating with all the facts at our disposal. We look out into the world and become confused. With one foot in delusion and the other in grace, we experience conflict, sadness, and the constraints of time. Some of us, however, have moved beyond delusion, let go of our false personas, and spent time in direct contact with samadhi. Those moments of connection and deep understanding support the notion of spiritual growth, spiritual health. Our situation is dynamic, we are ever changing, and if we listen to the promptings of our hearts and act with faith, we will grow up and become adults, in the true sense of the word.

from Meditations from the Mat by Rolf Gates

Homework!

Homework Assignment #1 Headstand prep: dolphin push-ups  extra credit: raise each leg 3x each side 

Homework Assignment #2 Pinch-prep: dolphin push-ups with pinch arm (elbows in line with shoulders, hands should distance apart) extra credit: raise each leg 3x each side

Homework Assignment #3 Hand-stand prep: from a mini down dog plant your hands under your shoulder and pulse forward just over your wrists extra credit: raise each leg 3x each side

Your reward for your homework is an increase confidence during inversions and the fun of going upside down without fear!

See you soon in class! With Love,

Kat

"Rhythmic Flow" Saturday (4/11). 6pm

I would like to invite you all to Rhythmic Flow this Saturday (4/11) at 6pm. Rymthmic Flow Yoga is a style of Yoga created by a teacher of mine from Wilmington, NC - Kristin Cooper Gulak. This first time I took a "Master Class" as it used to be called, with Kristin, I didn't have a practice of my own and .. in that class, I found myself trying to find my own flow within in group of experienced, connected Yogis and Yoginis who were all doing their own thing to loud, engulfing drumming! .. I felt both lost and completely free at the same time. For me, it was a pivotal experience.

To quote Kristin from her website www.rhythmicflowyoga.com, "Rhythmic Flow Yoga is an offering of the joining together of two of my greatest loves-the infinite teachings of hatha yoga and the liberating joy of drumming. It has become a vehicle for me to combine two art forms; and a journey for yoga students to have a deeper experience from live music that I simply can not convey when I am teaching with my ipod. Nothing beats the inspiration of having real human beings with incredible instruments from around the globe providing your own private yoga soundtrack.... jamming away while you move and sweat. It is truly an honor to share this practice and I am so grateful to the yoga community for embracing the creative process and to the drummers along the way that I have shared this creative journey with. It is our hope and vision that through Rhythmic Flow we can create more awareness of yoga as service in a way that is fun, liberating, and open to any and everyone."

I resonate deeply with the creative process that Kristin talks about because that's what life is ... a creative unfolding!

I would really love to share this experience with you on Saturday. (and each 2nd Saturday of the month at the studio.)