One year ago today, my Anam Cara reached through time and space and found me! And
we have been inseparably bonded ever since.

On May 4, 2010, my life would never be the same again.
Today, my heart is filled with gratitude to know such devoted and abiding love, such truth and integrity in friendship, such laughter and levity, such depth and profundity- the challenge to reach beyond myself and what I knew, what was comfortable, what was safe.
To know this kind of love that makes us grow into inhabiting a new self, a self that is more evolved and more connected to the things in life that truly matter …
Lao Tzu said,
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; Loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
Having the courage to love yourself, however, well… that gives you happiness.
And on this anniversary day, I am celebrating this notion of loving- loving myself and another and the courage it takes in those moments when we want to abandon the underlying and steadfast truths we know exist in our hearts, to overcome history’s insidious call to return to our less-evolved selves.
Today, I celebrate the courage it takes to love- to love in all moments, in all ways- to love oneself, to love another, to take these leaps of faith, when we take a chance on ourselves and we reach all the way across the universe, into the great unknown- when we haven’t the slightest notion what waits for us there …

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When you spell the name of the city, you have to do it in CAPS- it’s only right.
Something about it’s epic history;  City on top of city, a patriarchal monument to ego etched in marble at all stages of grand decay.  Lower case just doesn’t do it justice.

And then there’s nature … then there’s the Wisteria … they’re everywhere, dripping fecundity-the promise of spring and new beginnings- the divine feminine which pervades every space, and fills every breath.
Their subtle fragrance lacing every experience, informing every glance and ambient aroma- cafe latte and bread fresh from the oven. Hot sun and cool air, the smell of wood burning from the artisanal pizza ovens …

When I look at the image of the wisteria, the thing that my mind recalls first is the quality of life I experienced for 5 wonderful days.

I didn’t use my cell phone once while I was over there. Now ask me if I missed it.
Not one bit. Not at all.
Life was just fine without it, and in fact, life was MUCH BETTER before it.
Any of you remember what it was like to actually live in the moment?
Do we really live in the moment now?
In order to do this, we have to make some powerful concerted efforts that go beyond the brief meditation that precedes our yoga practice or follows it.

Making total eye contact with the person or people you are talking to … allowing yourself the space and time- uninterrupted, undistracted quality time to savor what is right before you.

How often do you do this?

Something fitting that comes to mind now is the Heart Sutra …

Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.

This is a mantra that not only clears all distraction, but more importantly, the suffering that arises from it.

It is one of the loveliest and most powerful mantras I’ve ever experienced, and I have to thank my friend, Kevin Starbard for reminding me of it at his inspiring and beautifully taught Feng Shui class that I recently took before leaving on my trip.

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“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance”
~Oscar Wilde

When was the last time you actually interrupted the relentless flow of tasks, emails, texts, calls … and took a real moment for yourself, BY YOURSELF and stood in front of the mirror and had a conversation with yourself? And what if you actually made yourself turn off the bad radio inside your head, the one that is ceaselessly self-critical? And what if you stood there basking in the wonderment of who you are as a perfect, loving, whole being on this earth?

Maybe today’s the day you need to do it. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I say you do it … And this is how the conversation should go:

“Hello there, stranger. How have you been? How are you today? Right this minute? Right here, right now?  Did you know that I love you and I appreciate you? All of the little things you do for me, body and mind, to keep all of my finely-tuned involuntary systems humming along … keeping me alive so that I can stop and smell the roses and share a smile with that lovely child holding his Mother’s hand? Here I am, self, here I am spirit, saying hello and giving you some much deserved, overdue love.

I did this very thing today, and was surprised and delighted to find that when I looked at myself, I felt a sudden sense of comfort, peace and quiet. It was some kind of unexpected magic. There I was floating inside this bubble of surreal amazement, this rare opportunity that I had chosen to create, suspended in time, holding the rest of the world at bay in order to have this very important conversation … with myself.  I was suddenly no longer just a person, but an entire world unto myself– yes, that’s right, bigger than my own reality outside- no longer merely a person, a person who interacts with the world and focuses most of her energy and attention out there, but pristinely alone in this stolen, dedicated moment in time.  I was the only one alive and ready to be lavished with the love that only I knew how to give. And I smiled at myself- I felt overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude to be alive, in this body, with this heart, silently pumping inside. And I gave thanks to myself, my body, my mind, my soul and I kissed myself on the forehead, the way I would tenderly kiss my child. And then, I smiled, a deep, broad smile that lit up my face- the face that was staring back at me, and inside, I could feel the new, life-giving energy that can only come from love zephyring up and down my spine and traveling to every part of my being, igniting me with inspiration and epiphany. It led me to put fingers to keyboard today and share this with all of you … that to love yourself is the only way to go. I highly recommend it, this loving of yourself, this smiling to yourself in the mirror, and I have vowed to myself, that even on my darkest days, I will perform this most sacred ritual of not just checking in with myself, but loving myself and giving myself a smile, which serves as a perfect segue to the “Inner Smile,” perhaps one of the most powerful ways to love thyself, not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day.
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Welcome, Resilient Rabbit!

“The year of the metal rabbit is about harmony and goodwill,” as well as a time to rest and recuperate from the wild ride we all had with the Tiger … and what better way to do this than with a Yin practice?! Join me, February 19-20th at YogaWorks NYC Soho for a rejuvenating, harmonizing weekend of Waking Energy and Yin Yoga …

And tonight, in honor of the delicate, elegant and peace-loving hare who brings great treasures of fortune and blessings, I am featuring this excerpt from Susan Levitt this evening … Enjoy!

THE YEAR OF THE HARE 2011

Hare year can be a nurturing time of peace, calm, leisure, and rest after the intensity of the previous Tiger year. During gentle Hare’s influence, good taste and refinement are valued, and comfort is desired. Money can be made easily, but spent easily. Dragon year 2012 will be a wild, exhausting time, so appreciate the small pleasures of Hare year as opportunities to heal, relax, and entertain. Make time for family gatherings and comfortable travel. Expect political compromise and diplomatic peacemaking on a global level. Discretion and persuasion are effective in a Hare year, whereas force does not work.

The year of the Hare begins on the new Moon of February 2, 2011 at 6:31 PM PST. This is also the date of Imbolc, or Candlemas, the cross quarter-point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Lovely Hare is a symbol of purity: fastidiously clean Hare washes its face with its front paws to look beautiful as polished jade. According to Chinese legend, a magical jade Hare lives in a palace on the Moon. The Chinese Moon Goddess Ch’ang-o allows this charming jade Hare to keep her company so she will not be lonely. The Hare is an herbalist and alchemist who peacefully mixes elixirs of immortality under a cassia tree on the Moon for the Great Mother of the West, a Chinese Goddess of death and rebirth. Hare’s Moon palace is delightful, and the company of the Moon Goddess so enjoyable, that Hare never leaves the Moon. Over time, Hare has become a yin Moon spirit.

For more from Susan Levitt: The Hare

On this New Moon in Aquarius eve of The Year of the Rabbit, I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to the Tiger for bringing me my new love

and for helping me to cultivate tremendous patience … the patience to withstand the unprecedented endurance test he wielded this past year. The story below truly expresses how I feel about The Year of the Tiger that is passing tonight. Tonight, oh fearsome and elegant beast, you stalk and saunter your way into that gentle night and tomorrow, the sweet hare appears from behind the safety of the verdant bushes and hops lightly into our lives to bring us calm and peace and refuge from the storm of 2010 that was THE TIGER!

The Tiger, the Man and God

A man was being chased by a tiger. He ran as hard as he could until he was at the edge of a cliff with the tiger in hot pursuit. The man looked over the edge of the cliff and saw a branch growing out of the side of the cliff a few feet down. He jumped down and grabbed the branch just as the tiger reached the cliff. The tiger growled viciously as the man sighed a great sigh of relief.

Just then a mouse came out from a crevice and began to chew on the branch. The man looked down to what was a drop of a thousand feet and sure death and looked to the heavens and yelled out, “Dear God, if you are there, please help. I will do anything you ask but please help.”

Suddenly a voice came booming down from heaven, “You will do anything I ask?” it questioned.”

The man shocked to hear a reply to his plea yelled back, “I will gladly do anything you ask, but please save me.”

The voice from heaven then replied, “There is one way to save you but it will take courage and faith.”

The branch began to weaken from the mouse and the tiger was still growling a few feet above the man, “Please, Lord, tell me what I must do and I will do it. Your will is my will.”

The voice from heaven then said, “All right then, let go of the branch.”

The man looked down to a fall of a thousand feet and certain death. He looked up at the hungry tiger a few feet away and he looked at the mouse still chewing on the branch. Then he looked up at the heavens and yelled, “Is there anyone else up there.”
~Unknown

New moon in Capricorn and an eclipse again, this time a solar eclipse and shortly following on the heels of the Winter Solstice, full moon and total lunar eclipse. Yin and Yang- the perfect opposites that create the universe we are a part of …
Another amazing opportunity to move mountains inside. And speaking of moving mountains, I moved my own Annapurna.  I tapped into The Motherload of ancient pain and shed some of the heaviest, most dust-laden layers of  crap that had been stagnating and blocking my new life-giving, potential from springing forth. I say Annapurna, because Annapurna in Sanskrit means ”full of food” (feminine form), and is normally translated as Goddess of the Harvests. And her association with the giving of food (wealth) led her in time to be transformed into Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. And food, such food! What I reaped from my journey into the underworld of my psyche yesterday and lo these many moons was a gift so rich that I will be relishing it for the rest of my life.

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This Winter Solstice is a special one, folks … it will not come again any time soon, and it is a magical window to fly through. It is a time of both letting go and ushering in- a time when the combination of the full moon, total eclipse and solstice is so powerful, that the energy of the three can literally catalyze instantaneous transformation in our beings- if we are willing to offer up what is old and say goodbye to it to make space for what is new, for what we wish for in our deepest hearts - what we ARE manifesting.

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Today, you are 127 years young. Happy Birthday!

You were a Saggitarius! You HAD to be a cool dude. How could you not have been?! It’s one of my favorite star signs for a man- exemplifying all of the character traits and qualities I esteem: Pioneer, visionary, freedom-lover, philosopher, multi-talent, generous spirit, man for the people. Describes you to a “T” from what I have come to understand, and all that I have personally gleaned by being an avid fan, student and teacher of your work all these years…
Your revolutionary system changed the face of fitness today.
And I can’t help but grow nostalgic and take a stroll down memory lane on this special day. As a budding baby ballerina at age 13, I had no idea what that first mat class taught by the illustrious and endlessly elegant Eve Gentry, one of your beloved disciples, would mean to me one day … that your work would inform and influence the better part of most of my years since then.

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This blog dedicated to the exceptional women who joined me on a wonderful weekend journey in the Berkshires October 1-3 and gifted me with their abundant positive energy, enthusiasm and open hearts.

Every time I teach, I receive the incredible gift of knowing that we are all on this path of life together, that we are all teaching and guiding one another, whether we are officially in the “teaching” or “learning” position … and I experience an expanded sense of consciousness and satisfaction each time I see the light of recognition go off in someone’s eyes, because of something I have shared or a sign of true body-mind integration after giving a specific cue. And each time this happens, I receive a gift.

And therein lies the secret joy of teaching for me … that the true gift of teaching, of giving is in witnessing others’ transformation, because as we see those around us harness the information and tools that we give, we grow and transform at the very same time. That’s how the phrase “Heal Yourself, Heal the World,” came to me when I was creating *Waking Energy- we are all one, and when we give to others, when we share the fruit of our life experience with others, it’s literally the same thing as giving to ourselves- when we give, we receive, and we receive ten-fold in return.

And it is these shared experiences, especially those that happen in the intimate and beautiful environment that a place like Kripalu offers that serve as catalysts for significant change and growth in our lives. It is these moments that inspire us to find ourselves again, to acknowledge and care for ourselves and reclaim our power, our lives, our selves.

So it is with great gratitude that I write this blog to all of you who filled my heart with fulfillment and joy and helped me to transform and empower from the inside-out the weekend of October 1-3, and I can’t wait to do it again and see you all next time!

And just to whet your appetite for next summer, I wanted to share a descriptive excerpt from the “New Body Pilates: Transform & Empower” Workshop I have written about here today … the preview for Summer, 2011’s Waking Energy Workshop will be featured in my next Blog.

Enjoy!

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Tonight, I want to pay tribute to my friend, Maya White and her always inspiring astrological readings, by featuring her October forecast that arrived in my mailbox today, just in time for the New Moon in Libra happening tonight!

As she says in the excerpt below, this new moon is about cleaning up the past and strengthening that which is already in motion, and my day today, was completely filled with exactly that– cleaning up the past in order to make space for what I have set in motion, the star-points of my future.  This new moon in Libra is also about relationships, and commitment and integrity– the very underpinnings of what make a relationship viable and fruitful. And while we tend to think about relationships as those unions we form with others, tonight, I am thinking most especially of the relationship I have with myself, and the commitment and integrity I wish to strengthen within my own being for my own development and soul evolution, so that each relationship with another that I invite into my sphere serves the highest good in each partner.

Tonight I embrace the challenges that I faced today as I struggled with the very daunting task of wrestling with some choices I made long ago, that are playing out in my life even as I type these words onto the page. Among other things, life is a series of lessons and the choices we make that creates them. Today, I felt trapped inside my own mind, slave to negative thought patterns that kept circling back on themselves, and I was filled with regret and anger.

Then I went for a run through the forest. And things started to change. As I cleared a path through the trees, moving underbrush out of my way, I cleared a path in my mind, through to the other side, to my body, where I could start to see clearly again, because I was no longer fighting with my conscious mind; I had entered the realm of the real truth– I felt my legs moving powerfully underneath me, my arms swinging, my heart beating, the blood pulsing through my veins, new breath and chi getting pulled into my being with every new breath, and I felt my being-ness, I felt my power, I felt my feelings, the energy that has been trapped inside, stuffed down by my thinking mind that had tried in such a desperate frenzy to control the external— the uncontrollable. As I ran through the forest, dappled in end-of-day sun, I felt the hush of nature and the whisper of the nocturnal creatures starting to stir, and my problem no longer held the same weight. I had the sudden realization that in the grand scheme of things– in life, my situation was so very small and inconsequential– and that if this had been my last day on this earth, is this how I would have wanted to spend it? Fretting over something, losing vital life force over something that was soul-crushing. I realized that my “story” was temporary, that I was being presented with the opportunity to clean up this past decision and resulting upset and start anew; I could start in a more self-loving way, so that the next time I was presented with a similar decision, I would make a better one motivated by acknowledging my self-worth, not by selling myself short as I had done, betraying myself, over a year ago now, but paying the price today. And more importantly, rather than reasoning with my mind, I would go deep inside and be still; I would listen to the message of the body, the truth that always rises up inside, and I would root myself in my being, in nature–integrating body and mind, not splitting off from it, as I had learned to do as a child … and as a result, I would embrace myself — the empowered woman I am today.

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