Thursday, May 01, 2008

Get out there...way out there and be free

What I love about yoga...

I love that it is like kindergarten for grown-ups.
There is singing, dancing, learning something new, repetition, recess, and nap time.

This was my morning.
We had a discussion about healthy poop. It should be approximately 6 inches in length, 1.5 inches in diameter and with a nice formation. If you are vegetarian it should float, if you eat meat it will sink. It was even suggested to keep a pair of chop sticks in the bathroom so as to further examine your poop. Oh I am not joking. (I can see you with your mouth open or shaking your head or many of the other reactions that flashed through the room.) Chopsticks!?!

Then we got up and danced. Yes danced first thing this morning. Whooping and hollaring and shaking our stuff. This is good for the lymphatic system and great for the soul. I highly recommend it.

After the dance and a stroll around the room we found a partner and chanted to our partner.

I am happy
I am good

I am happy
I am good

Sata nam
sata nam
sata nam gi

wahe guru
wahe guru
wahe guru gi

Sat Nam is a biju (seed) mantra that means truth is my identity or I am that.
Wahe guru is the mantra of ecstasy and elevates the spirit.

Next, with our partner, we found someone's mat and sat down face to face and knees to knees. We looked into each other's eyes. Formed lose fists, inhaled then on the exhale raised our fists over our head, stuck out our tongue and gave a loud HA! Yes, a big ole HA right in the face with tongue out and fists in the air. This goes on for 5 minutes. Try this for 30 seconds. Go on and try it. It's not easy to get in touch with your inner ape, HA, and look into someone else's eyes.

We found our way back to our own mats to lay down. Now it was time for a sound bath. We had a guest musician who started the sound bath with the singing bowls. Then he started playing the didgeridoo. WHOA! I love the singing bowls. They sound like infinite space. But from the first note of the didgeridoo I was completely grounded and focused. I could feel the vibrations moving through my body. I was aware of my heartbeat in my chest and the pulse in my belly. The didgeridoo has such a primal sound. This sound bath, while it might sound like a crazy thing to do, was amazing. Everything that was scattered about me became aligned. That is what it felt like.

We then had savasana aka naptime to the singing and guitar playing of Michael, one of the other participants. We sat up and chanted a little more all together and then we went about our day.

I know these things may sound really out there. But yoga offers a chance to really be yourself and get outside of your box. I love to dance and to sing and to listen to music. Who doesn't?! I got to do all of that before 8am this morning. It's been a great day!

3 comments:

Laurie Ann said...

I've totally been thinking of taking up yoga for more flexibility and calm. And I live a block and 1/2 from Golden Bridge. I'll talk to you tonight, if you're going to SnB.

Ellen Bloom said...

I am impressed by your adherence to all things yoga. You are in inspiration.

We were speaking about the Integratron near Joshua Tree last night. Here's their website:
http://integratron.com/Welcome.html

Also, there's a didge fest in Joshua Tree in AUGUST...hot, hot, hot: http://www.jtdidgefest.com/

Natalie said...

Thanks Ellen for the didge info!