Yin Yoga and Sound Bath

Yin Yoga is a slow, meditative practice that encourages students to shift their focus inward. The Yin way is to hold a pose under a reasonable, non-maximum stress for long periods of time, (usually three to five minutes).  All poses are on the floor.  

Yin yoga stretches and targets both the deep connective tissues between the muscles, and the fascia throughout the body. But because the layers of connective tissue cover every muscle, ligament, organ and even cell, you understand that whatever we do in yin as a ripple effect and an overall beneficial effect throughout the whole being.

The aim is to increase circulation in the joints and improve flexibility as the poses stretch and exercise the bone and joint areas. It also helps us to regulate the body’s flow of energy .

It is a practice that brings yourself to an habit of introspection which will spark awareness. Like other forms of yoga, Yin brings increases flexibility and decreases stress, contributing to a general state of wellbeing. 

This is a class that will also offer the healing effects of sound bath throughout the practice.

Please join me and Yumiko Saturday December 1st at 12 noon in Pasadena at Curative Yoga. 

The Walk of a Spiritual Warrior

Your feet are planted strongly into the Earth. Without a strong foundation you cannot go anywhere. Once you develop some strength in your legs to support all of your movements and the shapes, you start building  your core muscles, engaging the belly and tapping in your own power, only then you move up and work with mobility, flexibility, range of motion and start aiming for the stars, the Universe.

Any human being, at any given time can improve something in their life, the effort and the commitment to do it is all that is required. Of course we keep in mind that we are impermanent and everything and everyone around us is impermanent. But while we are here on this Earth, wouldn’t it be our birthright to experience also joy, happiness and peace besides their obvious opposites?  What is the work of a Spiritual Warrior if not the work you do on your Self with patience, over and over, moving forward no matter what?

You are part of the lower and higher realm, you are part of the air, the ocean, the sky and mostly you are part of all the other living beings. But first before you are able to connect with the Universal Reality you need to go inward and peek within you. You have to pause and stay with what you find. You have to let that moment sink in, without wanting to change it, without wanting to run to the next exciting moment but staying with whatever arises , accepting the inevitable dance of the likes and dislikes, of the wants and do not want.

What is behind those fixed ideas that are constantly present, those beliefs that show up right away, that make our life maybe safer but so restricted and tight? Isn’t it time to let go and give those attachments a vacation? We start with one moment at the time.  Using the science of breath once you have made your body stronger you bring in vitality and energy and then you still need to continue and sit down in meditation, facing whatever arises in a non-judgmental way, forgiving yourself, loving what is.

Only then the door for the opportunity to feel freedom within you opens.

Blessings to All!

We will miss you Anthony Bourdain

Several thousands years ago' , on the banks of the lake Kantisarovar in the Himalayas , the Adiyogi Shiva poured his profound knowledge into the legendary "Seven Sages". The Sages carried this powerful yogic science to different parts of the world, including Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa and South America  but it was in India that the yogic system found its fullest expression.

Through the ages the humans have pondered on the same problems and they have left behind some of the answers with images, sculptures , paintings, poems and writings.

It does not matter where you were born and it does not matter when, but if the Quest within you is really strong , you will find your Truth.

Through creating some openness in your body you will create space that will allow for the contemplative questions to come up.

Hatha Yoga is a preparatory process so that the body can sustain higher level of energy . The process begin with the body, then the breath , than the mind and the inner self.

You are never alone in this. We are all interconnected .

Please allow the transformation of painfullness by creating openness and you will not feel lost or alone in this world to ever wish to disappear . This life is a gift !Your body is a miracle . Say Yes to the Serpent, say Yes to be fully alive with the pain and the joy.

We will miss you Anthony Bourdain.

Blessings to All!

Yoga for Healing

Gentle Yoga with Meditation and Mindfulness practice in Monrovia, CA. at St. Luke Episcopal Church.  Mondays 6:00 to 7:15 pm, May 21st through July 18th, 2018.

I create the space for you to safely explore the depth of your Being. Come and do the work. "Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable" - Parahamansa Yogananda-

Group Sharing

When you share your joy and your troubles in a group, there is transformation. The awareness shared is held with warmth and gentleness by each person because the realization of interconnectedness arises and uncover the fresh ground within us. In that ground we realize that we all contain the same colors.Some people have more orange or red within them and some others more blue and green but we all contain the orange, the red, the blu and the green. We all contain the creative energies of life and we can decide to go along with peace or stay in conflict. On this fresh ground the realization that we do have a choice may spring out as a lonely flower in the midst of rocks .At the same time on the same fresh ground we may find the feeling that we do not have a choice but exploring this emotion without judgement is empowering . Our exploration with all of our courage is to stay with it with no escape . Nowhere to be , nowhere to go . Blessings to All!

Breath and Flow The All Comprehensive Class

One aspect of the Yogic science is the physical practice. However, I would like to tell you that the physical Yoga or Hatha Yoga (initially the only physical practice was Hatha Yoga) was primarily designed to facilitate the meditation so it would be possible to sit still in a cross legged position with minimal or no pain.

Yoga means union of a separation that is solely created by the mind. It is a union of the Higher Self with the smaller self, a union of Higher consciousness with self consciousness. If we only get a glimpse of this union that is always present within us, we experience freedom from suffering, freedom from anger, freedom from jealousy and freedom from disappointment, to name a few.

In the most ancient spiritual and holy books, the importance of pranayama and meditation is clearly stated to achieve a state of yoga. Yet nowadays it is widely and mostly used as just a physical practice.

While the physical practice will be a great start to your connection within and it will give you great benefits, if you are serious on living a life that is peaceful and joyful , and if you are ready to take full responsibility for your current life circumstances, I advise you to dedicate time every day to manage your breath, to meditate and to be curious with your introspections.

Yoga is every day, every moment of your life, not just a work out in a studio.

Sutra of Patanjali n.2 “ - Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah - The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.” This by itself it is the definition of yoga, not if you are capable of enduring a headstand or not.

Please come and explore an all comprehensive class with me. 

Blessings to All.

The First Step to Self Love

It is possible to gift our nervous system with improved tolerance and patience to help us with uncomfortable energy. It is through full attention of the present moment that we watch our emotional reactivity and we identify our story line and fixed ideas that we have of ourselves and WE PAUSE. We do that over and over; and WE PAUSE . We do it in sitting in meditation and we continue throughout the day and the night with the understanding that we are all connected and continuously changing.

I like to put reminders in front of me in many places where I usually rest my eyes, in the car, near the computer, in the bedroom, near the altar. When we are trying to change an automatic behavior , you need to have reminders every where because it is not an easy task.

With constant effort and intention we can make our life better, more expansive and we can deal with suffering in a way that is not destructive.

It starts with taking care of ourselves and this means something different for everyone. To me, to be able to look at my own emotions and decide to delay the reaction, or need to step up and fix everything, it is love.

How do you take care of yourself? What does it mean for you to love yourself?

and yes,...Begin Again with Every Breath....the journey is not a straight line, it is a rollercoaster, but what is important to me it is to fall and to raise again and again...

Blessings to All!

Namaste,

Antonella

Lord Ganesh

Who is Lord Ganesh?

Ganesha is the formless divinity. As per Hindu mythology, he is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

He is the supreme consciousness that pervades all and brings order in this universe.
Though Ganesha is worshiped as the elephant headed God , the form is just to bring out the formless, he is Ajam ( unborn) , andhe symbolizes the consciousness which is omnipresent.

Why Lord Ganesha has an Elephant head?

Elephants don't walk around obstacles neither are they stopped by them. They just remove them and walk ahead with effortlessness.  When we worship Ganesh we reinforce the same qualities within us.

Symbolism and Significance of Ganesh

Ganesha's big belly represents generosity and total acceptance .
Ganesha also has a single task which signifies one-pointedness.
He carries in his hands the 'Ankusa' (awakening) and the 'Paasa' ( control) . With awakening there is a lot of energy that is released and it needs to be channeled with proper control.

One of the symbolism of this God that I love the most is the one of remover of ignorancewhen knowledge is obtained . It is seen in the story of his birth and it is also seen in the mouse in which the God travels- The mouse represents the mantra which can cut through sheaths and sheaths of ignorance , leading to the ultimate knowledge.

I am reminded every day that whenever I feel fear or anxiety most likely it is because of a thought that I have magnified and projected in the future and it only existsas a problem without a solution. I remind myself to be aware of that thought and I let it go at the same time. I look for a solution by getting knowledgeand I learn, and when I learn I cut through ignorance .

May Lord Ganesh remind us of the power of knowledge in every level of consciousness and guide us in moving forward embracing obstacles as opportunities in a very effortless way. May we be generous and acceptance of our imperfections and of others.

Namaste!

The Comprehensive Yoga Class

Dear Souls,
Dear Beings,
Dear Humans,
and mostly….. Dear Friends,

When you engage in contemplative practices, you become aware of your inner world, your thoughts, your memories, your desires, in a more clear, vivid way.
You realize that the Outer World is just a reflection of your Inner one. Some of that reality is a mini-movie that your brain recreates to “possibly protect you” from the ancient threats, that have been embedded in our genetics since the formation of humanity, and those mini-movies may be quite uncomfortable , like an underlying feeling of anxiety and fear, to say a few.
98% of your thoughts of today are the same of yesterday!!!!
Negative events generally have more impact than the positive ones, and in relationships, it typically takes about five positive interactions to overcome the effects of a single negative one (Gottman 1995).
But there is a simple truth, and that is:
We can directly alter the brain’s activity and its structure and we can use our awareness in ways that promotes well-being. The key is in how we focus our attention and how we intentionally direct the flow of energy and information.
SO we have a lot of work to do!!
Come and join me in this 2 hours class. We will experience the strong yang energy through the flow and upward poses and the more calming energy of the long held forward bends. We will relax and we will meditate and we will use simple exercises to redirect our attention where is most beneficial for a life of enjoyment.
Every level is welcomed, there are so many variations and props to help you find your own shape (asana).
It is not about the perfect pose, it is about coming together and using this 2 hours as an exploration of your beliefs, and understanding if they are serving you or you may want to adopt new ones.
I hope to see you there and mostly I want to wish you love, kindness and compassion, may these three realities be always present in your heart.

Namaste,

Antonella

How The Unknown Can Be Your Fortune

How does the process of stepping into the uncharted begin?

• We pay attention to the ordinary life first.
• We look at our condition, and then we look at the bigger picture that we are part of. (The same way a drop of rain is part of the storm).
• Sometime uncomfortable feelings will arise, sometime feeling of excitement will permeate us . We have to remember that those feelings are there to indicate that is time to shift, to progress, to act, to face whatever is coming up.
• Remember, there is always an opportunity for growth and creating a better life.
• We have to nourish and honor the desire within us, in becoming something different from what we are.
• Our sensibility and intuition will help us in showing the way, in hinting to a new endeavor, in whispering the good thoughts within.

At that moment the uncertainty that we live in is our fortune. Right there, we have the chance to expand, we can open our eyes and see and learn something different. The brain will create new
pathways of response, totally separate from our past. That is so precious!

What next?……

In order to transform the fear, the doubt, the uncertainty into fortune, we have to start a new adventure.  Small or big adventure it does not matter, but the steps you take towards the change will empower you and fuel your journey.

And how do we do that?

We have to accept the unknown and what intimidates us.
We have to see every challenge as an opportunity to grow.
We have to tune in to new ideas and adopt new beliefs that will help us be better.
We have to createnew habits that support our intention.

The goal is to reach an inward happiness so profound that will benefit all the people and places around you.

Blessings to All!

Yoga is for Everyone

One thing that I am so sure about is that the practice of Yoga , the Pranayama (Breathing exercises ), the Meditation, can be beneficial for everyone. Even if you are stuck in bed and can only rotate your ankles or flex your feet and you do that rhythmically with your breath and you are totally and meaningfullypresent while you do it, it will make a difference.

I am always so surprised when I hear people telling me that they can't do yoga because they are not flexible or they can't twist.....that is exactly why it would be beneficial for them to explore this practice. People think that in order to come to a yoga studio they have to be ready to be doing something that sometimes it takes many months to get familiar with....it would be like saying that the only way to learn to speak another language is to openyour mouth and impeccably be able to have a full conversation with a local!

I understand it can be intimidating to walk into a yoga studio whenyou are far from feeling strong but the healing comes from acknowledging where you are and taking little steps forward.

We do not have to be fast, we do not have to get to a perfect pose, we just have to put effort on doing those little steps. Hardly anything in life is gained with no effort , the more you put in , the more it comes back.

Just remember there are many different ways to approach a new endeavor....choose a compassionate teacher that will understand where you are, you can practice in the comfort of your home, you can start with chair yoga, you can chose to just do movements and breath or just meditation.

There are many different degrees to approach the road to healing....don't ever be discouraged!

Blessings to All.

Making Choices through Intuition

Everyday you are bombarded with choices to make. You have to decide what it is best for you. You may make a choice and go off the road, but there is nothing wrong with that.  When you go off the road and you feel like you have lost your way, you will learn something, You will enrich yourself. Later you can go back and take a different road but there are many things that are only possible to discover if you have the courage to make mistakes.

Start with sitting in stillness and observing all of these repetitive thoughts running a show in your mind. Repeating this activity of observing will create some space. That space is so vital for any changes you want to see in your life. Intuition comes through, when you create calmness in your mind . One way to achieve that is to sit and direct the attention to your third eye and surrendering with devotion to all that is. Having said that, remember that your repetitive effort in this activity is very important. If you want something you have to pay with your effort. Based on how much effort and time you put in this you will obtain results. The effort requires knowledge and the most immediate efforts we can put in action are observing our self and remembering our self…..in this way when you make a decision, your intuition will guide you towards a purposeful choice that has integrity and is in alignment with your path.

Blessings to All.

Being Present in your Yoga Poses can Heal You

The Nature of Yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body.

Bringing attention to where your emotions feel in the body it is a very helpful tool for self healing. Bringing your awareness in those places while you are doing yoga poses helps dissipate the grasp those emotions have on you. The emotions are a form of energy and they usually show up right where the chakras or wheel of energy are located. 

Chakras are energy centers and access point to tap our full potential and power. The whole spine is a pole of energy vortexes. After practicing yoga and meditation the chakras are open and activated because unconsciously with each pose we tap into one or more of these centers but we can also do it in a conscious way. Sometime you feel heaviness between your eyebrows or you have a choking feeling in your throat, or your feel your stomach churning. Use those signals as a map for your work.

The Seven Chakras

Below is a list of energy centers and the yoga poses or meditation connected to those areas

• Muladhara or First Chakra or root chakra located at the sacral region - Pay attention to the root area when you are in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I), Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) or Deep Relaxation Savasana
• Svadhishthana or Second chakra located at your sex organs - Pay attention to that area when you are in Cat and Cow (Marjaryasana), Pigeon pose (Eka Pada Kapotasana), Garland pose/Squat pose (Malayan) ,Wide angle seated forward bend (Upavistha Konasana)
• Manipura or Third Chakra located at your navel - Pay attention to that area when you are in Boat Pose (Navasana), Bow Pose(Dhanurasana), Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II),Revolved chair pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
• Anahata or Fourth chakra located at the level of your heart - Pay attention to that area when you are in Camel Pose ( Ustrasana), Fish Pose (Matsyasana), Upward Plank pose (Purvottasanasana) , Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose
• Vishudda or Fifth Chakra located at your throat- Pay attention to that area when you are in Wheel Pose (Chakrasana), Plow Pose (Halasana), Cobra (Bhujangasana),Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana)
• Ajna or Sith Chakra located 1 inch above and 1 inch within your eyebrows - Pay attention to that area when you are in Eagle Pose (Garudasana), Standing forward bend (Uttanasana), Knees-to-chest pose (Apanasana)
• Sahasrara Seventh chakra located at the crown - Pay attention to the area at the top of your head when you are in headstand (Sirsasana), all the types of meditation in Easy Pose and of course Deep Relaxation Savasana.

Of course there is a lot more to this, we can use mantras, mudras, specific breaths for each chakra but this would be a good experimental work for your self healing practice
If you need help with the yoga poses I have mentioned above you can go into the yoga journal website and search the pose by name http://www.yogajournal.com/category/poses/

Emotions as a form of Energy

It is sometime helpful to remember that emotions are a form of energy. If an emotion arises in us, it means we have it, we own it, we have created it either by a physical event, or by a thought or maybe because of a dream. It does not really matter how it was created but the fact is we have this strong energy/emotion within us and we have to elevate it, transform it and make it sacred.

If we put our attention on it and we accept and honor it, it disappears , it leaves us. It does not exist in its low vibration in which we perceive it as anger , jealousy, resentment, guilt or all of the uncomfortable heavy manifestation of it. Through movement and yoga (but not only, as I believe there are always many paths that lead to the same treasure) that emotion is transformed into a higher form of energy....the movement helps release the deep seated emotion and the awareness through the breath moves the energy upward and eventually utilizes in a more noble form.

Discover your own truth, your own goodness , it is within you at the reach of a breath.

Namaste.

Change is Great!

Stepping into unknown territory can be terrifying at times….but it is mostly with change, either chosen or given to us by life circumstances that we have an opportunity to spiritually grow.

It is mostly removing something from our physical life that we can create space for some newness to come, still allowing our memory to be our closet for our treasured moments.

The key ingredient for inviting change in a positive way is to bring awareness in what we say, in what we think and in what we do.  I believe there is more than one way to reach an outcome but I can certainly say that when we meditate and deepen our practice of yoga we inevitably become more acquainted with ourselves….Have you ever paid attention when you listen to a friend, what happens in your own mind? Do you listen completely interested to your friend’s story or are you playing your life story within?

Have you paid attention when you are practicing your poses, what happens to your mind, are you really there trying to embrace whatever the pose brings up or are you at dinner time already? 

Do you allow yourself to take a step back and love yourself every day asking what have you done in that day to honor your needs and feelings or do you run from one day to another….

If you slow down and you become aware of your needs from deep within, the Needs of the Soul , than you are able to invite change in your life and have faith that you will embrace the new possibility and turn it into a positive progression of your journey on Earth. 

Reflect, Slow Down, Breath, Practice, Sit Still, Laugh, Cry, Love but Do it with all your presence and all your Senses.

Namaste

Special Event : Yoga to raise Alzheimer's Awareness

If you live in the Los Angeles area, please join us for this very special event to support Alzheimer's Awareness . We will practice yoga and do a meditation, and together, we will make a difference in our hearts and for those we care about. 

Reflections on the Potential of Awareness

The excerpt reported below is from the Tibetan book of living and dying by Sogyal Rinpoche.
I found this poem so funny in some ways and so real at the same time.
If only we would bring more awareness on our own thoughts and actions rather than pointing the finger outward…we would be so much ahead of the game….in this process of expansion that life is.…

1)I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in it.
I am lost…..I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

2)I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I’m in the same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3)I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in….it’s a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

4)I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it.

5)I walk down another street.

We always want to have an escape, and sometime the escape could even be an uncomfortable but familiar situation.
So what if one day , may be not today, but after reading a book or taking a yoga class or after meditation or after talking with a friend , we catch ourselves, when in response of a situation we would normally take a direction. Instead we stop and have a clear insight of that moment.
Acting in the opposite way and stopping our actions when we want to go the old and familiar way is one of the hardest thing to implement. The reason is because we are stepping into no man’s-land, but I think it is really worth trying because that is where we grow.
The key for growth is changing our habits and in particular the habits of our mind. If we want to expand and feel that sense of wonder we need to keep working at this crucial reflection.
Let’s be present, let’s be mindful!
Light and love to you!

Reflections of a Yoga Teacher

In the past the only way to reach someone was handwritten letters and phone calls. I am a little nostalgic of that time as opening a paper letter and reading the personal handwriting was something really special.

But I am also very grateful for today's technology that allows me to reach you in a matter of seconds, through this space that is dedicated to my connection with you: my reader.  And even though I'm not a writer and English is my second language, I still want to voice what I think is interesting to me.

I am always excited to arrive at the Yoga Studio to teach the class.  I set up the music and the candles and I walk to the front row. In an a few seconds I get a glimpse of some of the practitioners. There is  the young guy that is standing and ready to sweat, he came for fitness yoga; there is the older lady  who is sitting and came to get relief from that chronic pain; and there I see the faithful student, she is already there ready to go deeper in her practice  and a new student, she is curious and came just to try it.

My duty as a Yoga teacher is to uplift all the people that came in , and to give the instructions that will allow them to practice in a safe and progressive way. 

I always wonder how will I be able to do that considering the variety of intentions and the physical conditions of each one, but when I close my eyes to tune in  I know that I don't have to worry , as I am just a vehicle  of Universal knowledge and each of those Beings will receive personal guidance in some moments, and will benefit from the group energy at all times. May they always recognize the Higher Consciousness within them and may you ,my readers, never hesitate to step into a yoga class, you will always leave richer than when you came in.
Swami Rama has a great explanation for what Yoga is and is not : " Yoga is not a religion. It is not just a system of exercises to keep the body fit or to cure minor physical disorders. Yoga is a discipline for the fullest development of the soul, mind, and body. Yoga is a scientific, holistic approach to life."