As inspired by Angela Farmer's work, we noticed our Back Bodies.
The Back Body is often forgotten, left behind, pushed to the Front Body so we can seem impressive or make us try harder for something, and unfortunately, there is a feeling of something missing in the full 3-dimensionality of our Being in our Bodies.
The Back Body is where we rest and where we can be protected and feel at home in, not unlike a content tortoise. When we were nourished in our mothers' wombs, our Backs felt our Mothers' breathing - - we knew she was there, and we were comforted by her.
Start by taking your open palms to your heart. Notice how the heart rests near the back of your spine, near your Back Body. The heart, in its natural resting state, does not want to be pushed forward and presented out; it wants to rest, beat, pump, and work in the back.
Then breathe into the Back Body. Imagine a color emanating from there and let the color shine all around and into the space behind you.
Feel the wideness of the back of the buttocks. Feel the wideness of the sacrum opening out behind you. Feel the opening of the kidney wings, filling up, lowering and widening. Feel the broadness of your back, almost circling around to embrace your sides and front. Feel the back of the neck and head, opening and widening.
Now notice your Internal Body and allow the Internal Body to rest comfortably into the Back Body.
You can sit in your Back Body, as you would your favorite comfy armchair.
Melt into it. Relax into it. And continue to feel into your Back Body as you open your eyes, lift your gaze, and take in the world. Continue to feel through your Back. Don't lose it, Be in it. You can then drink in the world as much as you want without losing yourself and do what you need to do, be what you need to be, at any given moment. You will be IN yourself, and still be IN the world.
This is a practice you can continually come back to all throughout your day: sitting, standing, driving, eating, conversing - - - the practice of being in the Back Body, in Yourself, and still engaging in the world.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Angela Farmer's Grounded in Gratitude Workshop @ Kripalu...WOW~!
After spending time with Angela Farmer for 4 magnificent days at Kripalu, I feel absolutely transformed and feel deeper in myself and in the practice of Living!
We traveled deep inside our bodies using breath, and learned how our organs feel and how they tend to glue to our bones, how to create more space inside to feel more peace within. This concept that Angela introduced to us, of "work-in", not "work-out" really left an indelible mark in me, and will probably affect my yoga forever!
The space created inside my body from the spiraling and internal "wringing" of the organs, learning to use the power of intention and rooting through the belly organs and growing ever-longer roots from my body, using the natural world as a metaphor for the body, and not being afraid to explore "un-asana" movements was so liberating, and honestly, felt very "Yogic" and authentic to me - a true expression of self.
The question of "What is Yoga?" is worth looking at, for every individual involved in conscious practice, at any given point in their journey. What are the roots of these asanas, pranayama practices, meditations, and chakra points? We can inquire inside of ourselves, become quiet, and REALLY begin to listen. Then, not being afraid to explore, try things out.
One of the workshop days, I spent time at the Kripalu Lakefront and walked to the water's edge, watching how the water lapped onto the shore against the fallen leaves, twigs, and pebbles. I watched the gentle lapping water against these objects and how it created a small vibratory ring in the water that echoed and widened out to the larger expanse of the lake. How far does this vibratory ring go, and how big does it get? Does it ever really go away? How beautiful, I thought, this example of the energy everything vibrates out into the larger sphere. This is part of our power, this energy we vibrate out. We can simply be sitting, standing, being, and we are HERE. Really, HERE. We don't have to DO anything.
Is there really a death? ... well, that was another conversation with a bunch of searching Yoginis, of which we don't have to go into too deeply, at least in this post.
So many gifts, so many gifts...
We traveled deep inside our bodies using breath, and learned how our organs feel and how they tend to glue to our bones, how to create more space inside to feel more peace within. This concept that Angela introduced to us, of "work-in", not "work-out" really left an indelible mark in me, and will probably affect my yoga forever!
The space created inside my body from the spiraling and internal "wringing" of the organs, learning to use the power of intention and rooting through the belly organs and growing ever-longer roots from my body, using the natural world as a metaphor for the body, and not being afraid to explore "un-asana" movements was so liberating, and honestly, felt very "Yogic" and authentic to me - a true expression of self.
The question of "What is Yoga?" is worth looking at, for every individual involved in conscious practice, at any given point in their journey. What are the roots of these asanas, pranayama practices, meditations, and chakra points? We can inquire inside of ourselves, become quiet, and REALLY begin to listen. Then, not being afraid to explore, try things out.
One of the workshop days, I spent time at the Kripalu Lakefront and walked to the water's edge, watching how the water lapped onto the shore against the fallen leaves, twigs, and pebbles. I watched the gentle lapping water against these objects and how it created a small vibratory ring in the water that echoed and widened out to the larger expanse of the lake. How far does this vibratory ring go, and how big does it get? Does it ever really go away? How beautiful, I thought, this example of the energy everything vibrates out into the larger sphere. This is part of our power, this energy we vibrate out. We can simply be sitting, standing, being, and we are HERE. Really, HERE. We don't have to DO anything.
Is there really a death? ... well, that was another conversation with a bunch of searching Yoginis, of which we don't have to go into too deeply, at least in this post.
So many gifts, so many gifts...
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Next Class is Friday, October 30th!
Hope this post finds you feeling happy & well.
The next Embodied Autumn Flow Yoga class will be on October 30th.
I will be at Earthdance (www.earthdance.net), moving, exploring, and grooving on Oct 23rd!
If anyone is interested in exploring contact improvisational dance, please let me know since we have started an informal Contact "Lab" group, meeting in Brattleboro at Bhava Yoga on Tuesdays.
Goldenly lit Saturday!
Peace!
The next Embodied Autumn Flow Yoga class will be on October 30th.
I will be at Earthdance (www.earthdance.net), moving, exploring, and grooving on Oct 23rd!
If anyone is interested in exploring contact improvisational dance, please let me know since we have started an informal Contact "Lab" group, meeting in Brattleboro at Bhava Yoga on Tuesdays.
Goldenly lit Saturday!
Peace!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Oct 16th, 2nd class: The Kosas
2nd session...
We traveled Deep inside of ourselves, inside the Kosas, the sheaths that constitute our entire beings: our Bodies, Minds, and Spirits, from the grossest layers of our physical manifestation into the subtlest layers we can definitely feel, but hard to "grasp."
What a wonderful turnout!
Familiar faces from the past, new friends, strangers, and Julie, who traveled far in from Marlboro.
Thank you all for your practice, presence, and open minds!
The Kosas, from grossest to subtlest:
The Anamaya: Earth, Bones, Skeletal, Density,Cold, Gravity, Heaviness, Slowness, Minerals...
The Pranamaya: Water, Fluidity, Liquids, Skin, Organs, Blood, Cellular Fluids, Yielding, Joy...
The Manomaya: Fire, Heat, Quick, Nervous System, Metabolism, Sight, Clarity, Digestion...
The Vijnamaya: Air, Light, Buoyant, Lungs & Heart, Loving-kindness, Large Perspective...
The Anandamaya: Space, Blissful sheath, space between cells, Deep rest, Empty Clarity
The Cittamaya: Beyond Elements, Inspiration, Awareness of consciousness thru body & mind...
The Atmamaya: Qualitiless, Universal Consciousness, All of This is NOTHING But That...
As we approach our asana practices with an awareness of the Kosas, an added depth flavors our practices. It's no longer "just stretching" or "getting into a pose" or "looking good doing this" ... Don't mistake what I'm saying: I love a good vigorous sweat as much as the next person! But, where's the depth, what is it that feeds and nurtures my practice, what can I get out of this, as one who is searching for meaning in this life?
What is it that makes us, US? We are Nothing but That... what IS That?
The life force energy enlivening each and every cell, connecting us in this vast interwoven Web of Indra, pulling us down onto this Earthly experiecne, and all the while, we are conscious of this!
Let us continue to inquire, all the while not forgetting to Enjoy The Process and Drink the Nectar of Our Juicy Lives! Peace, peace, peace.
We traveled Deep inside of ourselves, inside the Kosas, the sheaths that constitute our entire beings: our Bodies, Minds, and Spirits, from the grossest layers of our physical manifestation into the subtlest layers we can definitely feel, but hard to "grasp."
What a wonderful turnout!
Familiar faces from the past, new friends, strangers, and Julie, who traveled far in from Marlboro.
Thank you all for your practice, presence, and open minds!
The Kosas, from grossest to subtlest:
The Anamaya: Earth, Bones, Skeletal, Density,Cold, Gravity, Heaviness, Slowness, Minerals...
The Pranamaya: Water, Fluidity, Liquids, Skin, Organs, Blood, Cellular Fluids, Yielding, Joy...
The Manomaya: Fire, Heat, Quick, Nervous System, Metabolism, Sight, Clarity, Digestion...
The Vijnamaya: Air, Light, Buoyant, Lungs & Heart, Loving-kindness, Large Perspective...
The Anandamaya: Space, Blissful sheath, space between cells, Deep rest, Empty Clarity
The Cittamaya: Beyond Elements, Inspiration, Awareness of consciousness thru body & mind...
The Atmamaya: Qualitiless, Universal Consciousness, All of This is NOTHING But That...
As we approach our asana practices with an awareness of the Kosas, an added depth flavors our practices. It's no longer "just stretching" or "getting into a pose" or "looking good doing this" ... Don't mistake what I'm saying: I love a good vigorous sweat as much as the next person! But, where's the depth, what is it that feeds and nurtures my practice, what can I get out of this, as one who is searching for meaning in this life?
What is it that makes us, US? We are Nothing but That... what IS That?
The life force energy enlivening each and every cell, connecting us in this vast interwoven Web of Indra, pulling us down onto this Earthly experiecne, and all the while, we are conscious of this!
Let us continue to inquire, all the while not forgetting to Enjoy The Process and Drink the Nectar of Our Juicy Lives! Peace, peace, peace.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
2nd Session: Friday, October 16th!
Let's meet again for our 2nd session:
to invigorate, motivate, satiate, and contemplate as we flow into the weekend.
Autumn is a natural time for us to visit the spectrum of our internal colors ... when we can listen to our bodies' need for a lightness of movement, like the falling leaves.
Come and celebrate your full Selves with a wonderful 1 1/2 hour yoga practice with Embodyoga and Vinyasa teacher, Nabi Kim.
to invigorate, motivate, satiate, and contemplate as we flow into the weekend.
Autumn is a natural time for us to visit the spectrum of our internal colors ... when we can listen to our bodies' need for a lightness of movement, like the falling leaves.
Come and celebrate your full Selves with a wonderful 1 1/2 hour yoga practice with Embodyoga and Vinyasa teacher, Nabi Kim.
Fridays: Oct 16th, Oct 30th, Nov 6th, Nov 13th
9-10:30am
Putney Friends Meeting House (off rte. 5, near Basketville)
$12-14 suggested donation
*Special Deal: Bring a Friend, pay 2 for $20!*
9-10:30am
Putney Friends Meeting House (off rte. 5, near Basketville)
$12-14 suggested donation
*Special Deal: Bring a Friend, pay 2 for $20!*
(This is an ongoing series: more dates in Nov & Dec may be added. Check this site for updates. Drop-ins always welcome.)
*Please bring a yoga mat (and if possible, any props = a blanket, a pillow, a strap, a block)*
Any questions, please email yoginabi@gmail.com
or call 347-615-1553
Friday, October 9, 2009
Oct 9th, 1st Class!
Small steps, small steps, we start with small steps.
What a lovely space, the Putney Friends Meeting House!
In the toasty, hushed, window-filled, wooden-floored and ceilinged, prayer-flagged cozy room the 4 of us energized the space with our practices.
With lit tea candles and contemplation, we began writing our answers to the question:
"How does Yoga serve you in your life?"
We felt our bodies yield, unify, receive support from the Earth. Always, we start from the Embodied yield & support principles. Then our practice takes on another dimension: a deeper relationship with the ground underneath, with the space around and in us.
As we flowed into shapes in our surya namaskars and steadily held asanas, we continually felt our bodies and inquired on what we're feeling, what we're tensing, where the breath is allowed and where the breath may be blocked.
Organs were heavy with gravity and they were allowed to relax, release, slip up and slip into our bodies as support systems in asana. Sometimes, we had no joints, and sometimes we went deep into our bone marrows.
"Peace, unity, comfort, flexibility, lens through which to see my life, love for myself, ease, relaxation, being in The Now..." were some of the answers to how Yoga serves us.
What IF we believed that we already embody these qualities? How would we live our lives if we're not HAVING TO BE ANYWHERE OR DO ANYTHING; that we are unfolding just as we are?
Gratitude, Lara, Kiki, & Dave!
Let's continue on!
What a lovely space, the Putney Friends Meeting House!
In the toasty, hushed, window-filled, wooden-floored and ceilinged, prayer-flagged cozy room the 4 of us energized the space with our practices.
With lit tea candles and contemplation, we began writing our answers to the question:
"How does Yoga serve you in your life?"
We felt our bodies yield, unify, receive support from the Earth. Always, we start from the Embodied yield & support principles. Then our practice takes on another dimension: a deeper relationship with the ground underneath, with the space around and in us.
As we flowed into shapes in our surya namaskars and steadily held asanas, we continually felt our bodies and inquired on what we're feeling, what we're tensing, where the breath is allowed and where the breath may be blocked.
Organs were heavy with gravity and they were allowed to relax, release, slip up and slip into our bodies as support systems in asana. Sometimes, we had no joints, and sometimes we went deep into our bone marrows.
"Peace, unity, comfort, flexibility, lens through which to see my life, love for myself, ease, relaxation, being in The Now..." were some of the answers to how Yoga serves us.
What IF we believed that we already embody these qualities? How would we live our lives if we're not HAVING TO BE ANYWHERE OR DO ANYTHING; that we are unfolding just as we are?
Gratitude, Lara, Kiki, & Dave!
Let's continue on!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Embodied Autumn Flow Yoga with Nabi
Let's invigorate, motivate, satiate, and contemplate as we flow into the weekend.
Autumn is a natural time for us to visit the spectrum of our internal colors ... when we can listen to our bodies' need for a lightness of movement, like the falling leaves.
Come and celebrate your full Selves with a wonderful 1 1/2 hour yoga practice with Embodyoga and Vinyasa teacher, Nabi Kim.
Autumn is a natural time for us to visit the spectrum of our internal colors ... when we can listen to our bodies' need for a lightness of movement, like the falling leaves.
Come and celebrate your full Selves with a wonderful 1 1/2 hour yoga practice with Embodyoga and Vinyasa teacher, Nabi Kim.
Fridays: Oct 9th, Oct 16th, Nov 6th, Nov 13th
9-10:30am
Putney Friends Meeting House (off rte. 5, near Basketville)
$12-14 suggested donation
*Special Deal: Bring a Friend, pay 2 for $20!*
9-10:30am
Putney Friends Meeting House (off rte. 5, near Basketville)
$12-14 suggested donation
*Special Deal: Bring a Friend, pay 2 for $20!*
(This is an ongoing series: more dates in Nov & Dec may be added. Check this site for updates. Drop-ins always welcome.)
*Please bring a yoga mat (and if possible, any props = a blanket, a pillow, a strap, a block)*
Any questions, please email yoginabi@gmail.com
or call 347-615-1553
*Please bring a yoga mat (and if possible, any props = a blanket, a pillow, a strap, a block)*
Any questions, please email yoginabi@gmail.com
or call 347-615-1553
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