Tag: writing

Meaning of Namaste
Blog, Published, Writing, Yoga

Meaning of Namaste

meaning-of-namaste-647x300

All I wanted was a damn good chutney. About 12 years ago, I double-parked and ran into an Indian food restaurant located in a strip mall in my hometown. I’d had an incredibly long day at work and was craving comfort food and my sofa. When I blazed through the door, I was greeted by a man who stood about the height of my chin. He was the host, the cook, the waiter, and, as I quickly learned, he was also the owner.

He met my cyclone of an entry with a steady kind gaze, and then simply pressed his palms together at his heart, and with a slight reverent bow, said “Namaste.” I had heard the word before, of …

Hanuman: Myth, Mantra and Asana
Blog, Published, Writing, Yoga

Hanuman: Myth, Mantra and Asana

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Hanuman was born on the wind and a prayer. His father was Kesari, a sort of meditating gladiator monkey-like humanoid, called in Sanskrit, a “vanara”. His mother, Anjana, held the essence of her name: “anj” in Sanskrit means reverence.

Anjana and Kesari really wanted a kid, and prayed to Lord Shiva for the blessing of conceiving a son. Shiva, pleased by their devotion and prayers, sent Vayu, the god of wind, to carry Shiva’s essence to fulfill their wishes, perhaps something like a sacred stork.

Turns out that Vayu delivered a pretty gifted kid. Like his gladiator father and like many of our modern day mixed martial art competitors, Hanuman had a plethora of skills and talents. He wrestled demons, …

How to Grieve: The Way You Love
Blog, Published, Writing, Yoga

How to Grieve: The Way You Love

grief

Every human being on the face of the earth has lost something. A loved one, a pet, a job, their youthful innocence, their car keys. And, for the deeper losses, we Grieve. In fact grief is as much a part of life as love is.

DABDA: STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE
– See more at: http://www.gaia.com/article/how-to-grieve

…
Blog, Published, Writing

Open Letter to Oprah Winfrey and HARPO Productions

Dear Oprah,

When I was 8 years old, I would come home after school each day, make myself a vanilla milkshake and like every other kid in that era, plop in front of the television.

What I was really drawn in by were talk shows. I was captivated by the opportunity to hear about people’s lives and their personal struggles, brought out into the open. Unfortunately, when my father got home from work, storming into the house, everything changed. When he begin to beat my mom and brother, as he did all too often, I would simply sit closer and closer to the TV, trying to block it all out while waiting for the police and or paramedics. I had …

Blog, Published, Yoga

Channeling Your Child: A Survival Guide for Yoga Moms

When I teach Yoga, I often lead with, “Look! We all know we’re supposed to keep our minds and eyes on our own mat. But the truth is, we’re always eyeballing those around us. So let’s take a good look around and give each other the ‘once over’ so we can get our yoga on.”

The moms I know get constant practice at avoiding comparing when it comes to preserving their sanity. Especially when their children are mid-meltdown in public. During those challenging moments, moms don’t need a sixth sense to know that the young couple on a blind date two tables over is silently judging. And, of course, there’s the all-pervading guilt about misbehaving offspring that trails behind like …

My Damn Dharma
Blog, Writing

My Damn Dharma

Whack-a-Mole-2

I never thought my life’s purpose would be largely influenced by a childhood arcade game.

The first time I ever heard the word, “Dharma” was in a vinyasa yoga class in Boulder Colorado, fifteen years ago. My teacher, Brandon began the class seated criss-cross-apple -sauce style, explaining to us that there is a purpose in all that we do; our dharma.

Not yet familiar with Sanskrit, the language that forms the foundation of Yoga, I thought Brandon had hiccoughed mid-word. What was the word he was trying to say, was it direction? duty?… And why the hell are we starting a power yoga class seated listening to chit chat? Just then, something he said cut through my irreverent irritation.…

In the Flow, in Elevation Outdoors
Events, Published, SUP Yoga, Writing, Yoga

In the Flow, in Elevation Outdoors

http://www.elevationoutdoors.com/in-the-flow/19187559003_d9bb8cfd59_o

Yoga on a stand-up paddleboard may sound intimidating, but get out on the water and you will find it easier than imagined. Here are seven reasons why you should give it a try.

One of the first things I learned about yoga was how vital it is to feel the ground beneath your feet. So the first time I attempted a downward facing dog pose while teetering precariously on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), I was pretty sure I’d lost my mind.

Why the heck would someone practice yoga on the water? Well, let me tell you exactly why:

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Divorcing Harley Davidson
Blog, Writing

Divorcing Harley Davidson

FullSizeRenderIn midst of hoards of bikers honeymooning with their motorcycles, I decided to call it quits. As it is with the ending of any relationship, this one had been rocky for quite some time. Of course in the beginning I was in love and it was blissful, from the moment I saw my first Harley.

It was early June of 1978, in central Illinois, when the air was still cool but held the promise of heat that would be liquefying asphalt come August. I dropped my mom’s hand in the Kroger’s parking lot, blinded by sunlight glinting off the thundering pipes, and watched the burly bearded driver and his much younger looking blonde passenger cruise around the corner until my …

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