Yoga Teacher Training - Day 3

Yoganize Teacher Training - Day 3
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Yoga is not simply an exercise, a work-out, or even a meditation.  Yoga is a state of mind- a stillness of our thoughts; a quietening.  It releases us from stress and illness, bringing us back to our pure existence.  We maintain a practice to achieve this state of mind by focusing on the body, mind, and breath.  We arouse a sense of peace, harmony, and balance.  We feel centered when we are calm and we quell any trace of Ego.  It is in humility that we connect with the divine light in ourselves.
Yoga encourages:

• movement that works to relax the body
• relaxation to quiet our frantic minds
• chanting to arouse and release emotions
• meditation to center the spiritual elements

image source

Yoga Teacher Training - Day Two

Yoga Teacher Training- Day Two
Saturday, August 27, 2011
"SANKALPA" or Intention
Each day we should purposefully set our intention.  Sankalpa is the Sanskrit word meaning will, purpose, determination, or intention.  Idly going through the motions of your day without a set intention causes you to lose the power of patience, kindness, compassion, etc.  Your sankalpa should always be short, precise, and easy.  For example, "Today I will breathe deeply," or "Today I will be kind."
My intention for today was to be Curious.  I believe we are all meant to be seekers and that there is great joy in our individual quests to be open, to learn, and to grow.  When we abandon the natural curiosity we are born with, because we are too busy, too tired, or too complacent we miss out on a wonderful part of our lives and sometimes forsake our purpose.
The Five Siddhas Make Their Way to the Kailasha Mountains; opaque watercolor on paper.  1820; The San Diego Museum of Art

Choose Your Own Path

Yoga Teacher Training- Day One
Friday, August 26, 2011
1. Give from fullness, not depletion.  Take care of yourself first.  Think of the example of an emergency on an airplane.  You are told to put the mask on yourself first.  If you are not healthy and full, you cannot give to anyone.  You must also receive to be able to give.
2. Self-reflection.  Society is numb from business especially in the West.  Yoga is good for depression, anxiety, and stress, because we can calm down and rest our minds in stillness.  "Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10
3. Loving yourself first is the best gift.  Be able to forgive yourself.  We all make mistakes.  The beauty is found in learning from them.
4. Surrender to yourself.  Calm your mind.  We all have layers like onions that can be peeled back through meditation and yoga.  Sometimes pain from childhood can come out during your practice.  Sometimes people can feel emotional and cry during a practice or meditation.
5. Use yoga as a tool for transformation.
6. Be the change you wish to see in the world.  Don't tell people what to do, but lead by example.  Purity of thought, food, and practice.
7. Everybody needs love.  Don't react defensively to negative people.  React in love.  You never know what they've been through.
8. Yoganize is a combination of styles.  *Yoga is a system of breathing accompanied by movement.