LOVE

All you need is Love….great words written by the Beetles. But what kind of love? Valentine’s Day that just passed is marketed to love, romantic love. In our culture that is what we think we should strive for, but is it really? Love of Self, this is not as highly sought after. But without love of self, can we really have any other kind? There are many definitions of love, but can love really be defined? It is a state of being, not just doing.

In my classes, I always encourage students to move from a place of love & compassion towards themselves. We can experience pain & discomfort in our practice, that come from a physical source, but also from an intellectual or emotional place as well. Can we meet what is there & using an idea of being kind, work through the things we find without avoiding, forcing or judging. Easier said than done, but it is important to try.

If you have taken a class from me, you have likely heard me say “less is more”. It’s an idea I feel is very important, as it keeps us safe & allows our body to trust what we are doing with it, so in the end we will become flexible & stronger more quickly. But in our culture we are told if we work harder, push more we will get what we want. Here is why I think it is counter productive. I remember a mentor of mine saying if you look at sensations as having a frame of boundaries, your job at first is to find where the edges of that frame are. If you push past your boundaries, the frame will feel forced & in response will become smaller due to not feeling safe & you will make less progress forward. However, if you learn where the edge of your boundaries are & meet them, not force past them, the frame will become bigger over time because it feels safe to do so.

In the end, less is more, is about trying & challenging ourselves without harm or absentmindedness. To have Self Love to meet all we find in awareness.

The article attached, is a bit of a read, but well worth to see how love & compassion is the most important part of our practice & how you can apply it to not only yoga, but life.

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/philosophy/nurture-the-new-you/

Would love to see you join me for a class in Calgary, or Cochrane. Go to acyoga.net to see where I am teaching. For an extra bit of self care, join me for the 2nd in a series of Mini Self Care Retreats in conjunction with The Cave Sauna & Spa in Cochrane on March 3 5-9pm. I am hoping to offer one monthly, so if you can't make this one, maybe next time.

See the attachment for more information.