Things have been happening and I got caught up in the happening!

Change often intimidates us. We fear changes because it is so unknown. But in reality what happens is we make up stories about what might happen, and instead of being present, we allow those stories to take off and we are no longer looking at what is true, right in front of our faces. Being stuck or stagnant in our ways may seem comfortable, however it is again, a story or an excuse for shying away from changing.

It is important view change as inevitable, but that usually we bring about smaller changes before bringing about larger changes.  

Change and Changeless

One cannot exist without the other. They are constantly pulling and pushing each other and we are constantly trying to get them to balance out. Just like in our Asana practice we always feel a force forwards and backwards. Pressing down and lifting up. Things unchanged are what help us to ground, be stable and strong. It gives a foundation for everything to build upon. Our changes are what helps us to move forward in life and find new things, new beginnings and take away what we don't need anymore.

Life gives us the unexpected all the time. The way nature flows is unpredictable. There can be storms and waves but we can also have peace and stillness at any given time. When changes comes about we sometimes want to resist or fight it, because we want to stay in our unchanged comfort. What we don't realize is that struggling and staying stagnant is also causing another kind of discomfort. And our tendancy to cling to what is comfort is just an unreal attachment. If we can align with nature and follow the flow, let go of our need to control, this is where we find peace and comfort. Knowing the unpredictable nature of the world we can stand stronger our ground and be able to take what is given to us. As Yogi's our sensitivity to changes are there, we just have to trust ourself and notices the subtle shifts in energy, this will tell us where to go, how much to change and how much we remain unchanged.

The working of change

"Shiva Energy" is what one of my Yoga teachers refers to as the energy of destruction. There is this natural movement of things towards destruction in order for change and rebirth. We can look at the ideas of death and destruction as negative but they are a way of wiping the slate clean for us. We can start all over again. And change cannot truly happen without the actions of leveling and letting go completely. This is an important concept because in order for life to go on we have to have change. If things stay the same they are motionless and stagnant -the opposite of life. There is this idea we talk about in Yoga a lot about "surrendering" and "trusting the universe". The season of fall brings about this strong energy of change and if we don't surrender to it, or go with the flow...it only makes things more difficult. If we become rigid and fight it, we start to find that we're tiring ourselves out, fighting the inevitable. Its important to trust the decisions that we've made that are now coming into play. At the same time the Fall is metal energy which is also has to do with refining. Its the working of change. It is deciding what is absolutely necessary and what is absolutely unneeded and getting rid of it. It is being strong and decisive and cutting off the waste and only keep what is pure.

In celebration of Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

Time for Change!

Fall is a major time of change. Maybe you've noticed weird unsettling feelings or just an urge to purge your apartment. It's a great time for us to make some definite decisions and embrace the idea of just allowing things go through their cycles of change and transformation. Sometimes when we don't let go of the summer...we still walk around in shorts and end up catching a cold! Its important to move with the natural progression of the changes and also to find the places where you, yourself need to make these changes.

In other news...slight schedule changes in Yoga this week. There is no rooftop class Friday morning -bad weather! And for those of you planning to go to Jai for 4:30pm class on Saturday...I won't be teaching, but you'll be in for a big treat because Katherine, my sub is great!

San Genarro Festival

Ege tuning up his Sitar for Yoga class.

Spring, change and tulips

Because it is Spring (finally in NYC), the theme of change comes up for me. It's come up in several different ways in the last few weeks. One big change for me is that I will be going back to school! HOOOOEMMMMGEEE. That's weird for me because it's been a long time. I'm already feeling anxiety about how I'll be juggling things in my schedule! But also the good anxiety in which I'm excited and anticipating.

Another change theme that seems to keep coming up is the idea of changing yourself for someone. I always hear people say "don't change for someone" which I think depends on the situation. I think its all good to change or compromise if you find it better for all parties to co-exist better, but to straight up change without checking in with yourself is a whole 'nother story. Then there is the idea that when someone becomes imposing and you have to work around them. I hate those situations because it is usually a situation in which there isn't much that you can do to change the environment and so you have to put up with a certain amount of catering to said imposing person in which ultimately, you change in order to make them feel better about their insecurities. And then there is the situation where someone is so rude that you want to be rude or nasty right back to them..but then you stop and realize...that's not me, I can't let this rude nasty person change the way I would normally act.


Next time you are stuck in one of these situations in which you don't want to change for someone else...after thoughtful meditation and consideration if you still feel stuck or trapped, image you're in Triangle Pose and you're trying to stack your hips and shoulders. You know when the instructor tells you to imagine you're trying to fit between two narrow walls or panes of glass? Be there....in a nice Triangular place. It is what it is and you find away to make it work some how.

Stop NYC, and take in those tulips! University Pl.