Being Empowered

10,000 hours

2010-07-30T16:28:00.000-04:00

10,000 hours

This is a number that many experts use when referring to mastery. Research says it is not only the hours that are dedicated to the skill, but also the elapsed time in-between that makes a difference. In the book, "Genius within Us" author David Shenk says that after studying the process of mastery, ten years and ten thousand hours- no matter what the domain- seems to be the start of mastery. This equates to three hours a day. Just the other day a friend of mine who is a student was referring to a teacher at Empowered Yoga. He was commenting on her development as a teacher. I told him it is a simple equation, passion + practice = mastery. I told him that if the person is passionate and practice is steady then mastery can be achieved. The part of David Shenk's research that I find so important is the importance of lapsed time between dedicated study time. It is the digestion time that allows for the skill to soak into our being. I always tell our students in teacher training that the only thing they are lacking is teaching hours. Is there a skill you would like to master? If so are you putting in your time towards mastery?

The Sound of Your Life

2010-07-28T11:16:00.001-04:00

"Out of silence emerges the sound of your life". During certain periods of my life, I work with quotes. This is one I am working with now. I am at the end of a 90 day challenge involving sitting daily in meditation so this quote is something easy to work with. Meditation is a pretty misunderstood word. Meditation and focus are synonymous. We meditate all of the time, especially when we drive. If you don't concentrate on the road you get in an accident or you get a ticket. In the process of seated meditation you concentrate on your body and breathing. You are concentrating on yourself. Seems a bit narcissistic at first yet all of this hinges on your intention. For most people, meditation is a process of relieving stress while experiencing joy and self discovery. The process is learning to listen inwardly to the sound of your life. Within this process you are taught the importance of being gentle and not judging yourself. Most of us can be hard on ourselves and judgmental. If you get quiet and sit still, what is your experience? For me spending time each day to be quiet and do nothing has become a profound practice. It has gotten me in touch with the sound of my life and the direction it is taking. We have beginner meditation every Friday in Wilmington if you would like to learn how to meditate.

Evolutionary Impulse by Andrew Cohen

2010-05-24T14:25:00.001-04:00

Identifying with the Evolutionary Impulse

The evolutionary process is going somewhere. And now, maybe for the first time in history, we can decide with more conscious awareness where it's going. But our ability to do that depends entirely upon who we understand ourselves to be. What part of our self are we identifying with? Is it the personal psychological ego, or the conditioned habits and beliefs of our culturally created self-sense? Or is it the deeper, more authentic self that we discover when we awaken to the impulse to evolve? When we make the effort to identify more with the vertically moving energy of the impulse to evolve than with the horizontal pull of the personal ego and cultural self, everything changes. We transcend the enormous weight of our own predetermined conditioning and open ourselves up to the liberating experience of that part of the cosmos that is trying to evolve through us in every moment. We make ourselves available to that powerful telos, and when we do we become profoundly transformed. Now our attention has shifted from the conditioned past to the ever-ecstatic immediacy of the possible,here and now.

Andrew Cohen

How Yoga Works (Part III)

2010-03-29T15:11:00.003-04:00

In my last post we looked at two different situations. The two situations were easy to write because I was writing about myself. I have been the ideal and I have been the not so ideal. As time moves along and I continue to practice yoga I become wiser and more aligned with what is skillful and what is unskillful action. Skillful promotes peace and unskillful acerbates confusion.

It is really important that we take a look at how our sleep, time management, nutrition and movement choices play a role in our life and how we think. We only practice Hatha yoga for 60-90 minutes on a mat and the average student shows up twice a week. At some point within our yoga practice the question, “how am I living?” becomes a dominant question. Do we carry an undernourished, over caffeinated, under-slept and stressed out body to the mat or are we taking care of ourselves?

I always say that at some point, something has got to go! The lifestyle has to change or you just have to quit coming to yoga because the pain of confronting your lifestyle over and over again becomes too exhausting. Unfortunately most people choose to discontinue the yoga. Only 10% of people who try yoga continue past one year.

Many people find this depressing but the fact is that it is more comfortable to stay stuck in habits and unconscious living. It's easy to make excuses about why you can not continue yoga. After fifteen years of teaching I have truly found a great appreciation of the understanding that as human beings we ourselves are our biggest obstacle.

This is one of the ways that yoga works. We learn to look at our own mind. How is our life manifesting within our body? This becomes the very ground upon which we can draw some conclusions. If we continue the way we are living what are the predictable mistakes and outcomes? If we courageously change some things where does that point the direction of our life? How does our courageous redirection alter the lives of those around us?

How Yoga Works (part two) Two Situations

2010-03-22T11:25:00.003-04:00

Ideal situation

You wake with gentle zen chimes (this really makes a difference for me, available on itunes yet they also sell Zen alarm clocks) from a good night sleep where you were predominantly resting in theta and delta waves. You wake up with sufficient time to prepare for work. You get out of bed and are not rushing so you are calmly moving about your day and are now in alpha waves. If you drink caffeine you have a small dose of just one cup which will bring you into beta waves.

You move throughout your morning and enjoy a tempered drive to work listening to something that promotes relaxing. Throughout your work day you take momentary breaks to stand up and stretch your arms overhead (this severely disperses compressional forces on lower spine and increase blood flow promoting energy). It only takes 30 seconds to stand and stretch. This also helps reset your attention span.

You keep a glass of water next to your desk and drink water because you realize that dehydration is one of the easiest ways to misconstrue hungry and promote lower energy levels. You shift into beta waves as needed throughout the day yet maintain a constant foundation of alpha waves as you move through your tasks with great efficiency.

You practice mindful breathing throughout the day which helps you maintain a sense of calmness yet alertness. Your take a walk at lunch or engage in some light reading and enjoy a healthy lunch. You go back to work and by mid afternoon you eat another healthy snack which will help prevent energy crash. You leave work and exercise before coming home. Once home you spend time with your family and have a healthy dinner with possibly one glass of wine without the TV on. You finish the night sipping tea and reading which helps shift your gears down from alpha-theta-delta.

Not so ideal

You wake up to loud buzzer from alarm with not a lot of time to get to work. You just shifted from delta or theta right into beta and skipped alpha. You move quickly to get ready for work and drink 2-3 cups of coffee. You drive to work in a rush listening to music or something that aids in maintaining beta mind.

Get into work and start working feeling overwhelmed by the day tasks maintaining beta mind. You don’t drink any water pushing you into a dehydrated state. Due to the feeling of being overwhelmed you never get up at your desk till lunch. You have spent a large majority of your morning in beta mind. For lunch you eat something not so healthy loaded in high glycemic carbs and saturated fats. Your blood sugars drop an hour or so after lunch and you are tired and bouncing from alpha to theta with brief periods of beta.

To stay awake you go for more coffee or a candy bar. This helps you make it through the day yet your ability to focus is poor due to the brain waves. There is no exercise after work and instead grab a few beers. You get home and have the munchies so you eat something unhealthy. You eat too much because your blood sugars are off from too much alcohol and dehydration because you drank no water throughout the day. This puts you into a food coma on the couch where you pass out. You wake up around midnight and make your way up to bed where falling back to sleep can be difficult due to the fact that your brain waves are confused as to what part of the day it is. You eventually fall asleep yet you wake up periodically throughout the night depriving yourself from ever really spending time healing in theta and delta.

How Yoga Works (part one)

2010-03-15T13:55:00.002-04:00

I was teaching in Charlotte this weekend at the Laughing Buddha and during one of the sessions, a student asked “How does yoga work?” I recently read a book entitled “How Yoga Works” and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone that has a yoga practice or is looking for a reason to take up the practice. I will take the next several blogs to explore this question from a different perspective than what the book focuses on.

Before we dive in, it is important to understand the etymology of the word yoga. The word means union. It is a study of polarities and it indicates two forces becoming one. It denotes the idea of finding balance between these two forces so that they can become one action. First let’s look at the mind with regards to the study of yoga.

Your body is made of trillions of cells. These cells are called neurons and they communicate with each other through electrochemical processes. The human brain has approximately 100 billion neurons. A frequency is the speed at which they are traveling. Brain waves are characterized in four different frequencies:

Beta- Fastest impulses at 13-40 cycles per second. This is associated with our normal waking state. Beta helps in logical thinking, analysis and active attention function. Stress and neurotic behaviors could throw the frequency to continuos elevated beta levels. The busier your mind the more beta waves are omitted.

Alpha- 7-13 cycles per second. This occurs during daydreaming, fantasizing and creative visualization. This is often associated with a deeply relaxed state and meditation. This is the state of mind where the mind can be calmly attentive. This is where the mind is less neurotic and more open.

Theta 4-8 cycles per second. Theta is associated with intuition, otherwise known as 'sixth sense' and allows us to access our subconscious. It is activated during deep states of meditation and dream sleep. Theta is also associated with creative thinking, and allows us to tap into our inner genius.

Delta- .5-4 cycles per second produced in deep sleep

At any given time throughout your day your brain is omitting one of these signals. We can look at these mind sets like the gears of a car. First gear is Delta, second is Theta, Alpha is Third and Beta is Fourth. Our bodies have evolved and developed so that they can shift gears throughout the appropriate states and times of the day. When we are healthy we use all of the gears for appropriate situations. If we are going to talk about how yoga works understanding brain waves is critical. In the next blog we will look at two different situations.

Yoga in a Bottle

2010-02-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

Until the onset of electricity 100 years ago, human beings went to bed after sun down and arose at sunrise. We slept 10-12 hours a day, ate foods from the earth, walked everywhere or rode a horse. There were no tv's, ipods or emails. Life was more organic and slower, allowing us to spend more time being and inhabiting the fullness of our name as human beings. It is important to realize this is our evolutionary genetics and the way we have been living for thousands upon thousands of years. Fast forward to the 21st century, our worlds have become lightening fast. Both parents work to maintain the American lifestyle. Processed food and caffeinated beverages have become a staple in the American diet. The normal chores that are required in order to operate a household, and a family, become something that happens at night, shortening our sleep and increasing our overall workload. Things move at lightening speed with cell phones, emails and modern day efficiencies of travel. All of this can leave us under slept, over processed and in many ways out of touch. We take on the name "Human Doing" and throw our evolutionary clocks out of whack!

These are facts in the 21st century. American life is not going to slow down. If we allow ourselves to speed up with it we will find ourselves in the middle of a speeding tornado, missing our life and potentially falling prey to the three D's: dissatisfaction, depression and disease. The famous Tibetan Lama Chogyam Trungpa would often say, "where there is speed many times you find struggle". In my own life I now notice when I am moving too fast, I have developed the practice of pausing. Many times I discover a feeling of unease and struggle when I pause. A decade ago, I began the practice of Hatha Yoga to help me deal with the speed of life. Hatha Yoga is the exercise system that involves movement and breathing exercises that help bring the nervous system into a greater state of balance. Eventually, I created a style and approach to Hatha Yoga, Empowered Yoga. Our methodology is a three step process that begins with stabilizing your attention on your body and breathing. From the process of stabilizing yourself, you can't help but notice the second step which is resting in a feeling of calmness and clarity. As your practice becomes more consistent, the third step happens which is the arising of wisdom. You begin making better choices that help you become more skillful in working with the speed of the 21st century. Empowered Yoga has made a big difference in my life!

Recently, I was turned onto a product called Suntheanine. Within Suntheanine is a natural occurring amino acid called L-theanine, found mostly in teas. Clinical research suggests that 50mg - 200 mg Suntheanine naturally stimulates activity in the brain known as alpha waves, which are associated with a relaxed but alert mental state. Within 15 minutes of ingesting Suntheanine my wife and I noticed that we both felt calmer. We were doing chores around the house and we both felt more focused. Since then, we have been incorporating Suntheanine into our nutritional habits and have noticed less feelings of speediness and a greater sense of clarity. This product is like yoga in a bottle! The world needs yoga and if someone can get that yoga attitude in a bottle then maybe they will find their way into Empowered Yoga.

The Antidote

2010-01-07T14:30:00.002-05:00

This is where the practice of yoga steps in. Yoga is the science and art of steadying the mind in this moment. We can do this on a yoga mat or in a seated mediation posture. I use both techniques yet find the seated meditation practice to be a more solid ground to understand and work with my mind.

The Hatha Yoga practice serves as the physical exercise systems that strengthens and purifies the body while cultivating a mind that is steady and familiar with breathing and the body. The Hatha Yoga practice is means to bring us into deeper states of stillness and to prepare us to sit in meditation.

In meditation practices, you are not shutting your mind down or attaining a state of non-thinking, rather, you are learning to make friends with and understand how your mind works. And this becomes the very ground upon which you can make wise decisions on the direction your life is taking.

When you sit and get still and settled. It becomes a place where you can begin to see which voices are driving your life and which direction you are headed. Our lives carry with them a lot of momentum. The practice helps slow down and cultivate a heightened state of awareness--intimacy with ourselves. It also helps us begin to develop a relationship with the presence inside of us that can see and feel thought and emotion from a third party perspective.

My friend and mentor, David Nichtern, calls meditation a burn. He says that when we sit we can burn up our karmas. We can begin to rewire our brain and we can cultivate qualities that can help change our relationship to life.

This process is challenging. The momentum our lives possess is like a river that is carrying us. In the beginning it can be like swimming up a stream. Daily practice and a relentless commitment are required.

Karma

2009-12-14T14:13:00.001-05:00

Last night I was watching an interview with Drew Brees who is the

quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. He said, "I believe in karma:

what goes around comes around". He was referring to his team's hard

work attributing to their undefeated 13-0 record.

Karma has become a widely used word and now we even are hearing it on Sports Center.

Karma means energy. There are many ways to understand Karma and there

are numerous different takes on the word and its meaning. It is a word

that originated in eastern philosophy. Many people think of the past when they hear the word karma.

In order to understand karma, we need to begin with the present moment and then take a 360 degree view. I get quiet and still and I hone into this moment. How does it feel? How does my body feel? How does my mind feel? How is my life going? What

is going on at this very moment?

Whatever my observations are I find they are a result of my past thoughts and actions. The way I feel has to do with how I take care of my body on a day to day basis. My view of this moment or attitude has to do with the way I am thinking. Considering the average person has 60,000 thoughts and over 95% of them are reoccurring it is safe to say that our thinking is conditioning. We meet this moment with the lenses of the past. It is our parents, the churches we went to, the neighborhood we grew up in, our friends and all of our experiences that paints the texture of our present moment awareness.

Over the past two decades neuroscience has given this a name: neuroplasticity. This is the science of how the brain gets wired. We think a thought and the more we repeat this thought the stronger it becomes. This would explain why we tend to think the same way over and

over again. It would also explain why we can have a hard time changing and

why our country and world at large is in a perpetual state of dissatisfaction.

We sincerely want one thing yet we are stuck with a past prison that is rooted in repetitive patterns. We want to break free from our conditioning and be dynamic, fresh and positive everyday yet we find it impossible to change our behaviors. We tend to let go

of things we need to hold onto and hold onto the things that we need to let go

of. As we move along with life we become harder and harder and less flexible while the gap between our life and the life we want to live gets broader and broader.

Am I depressing you? I don't mean to yet there is a way out......will handle that next week in my next blog

Boston

2009-11-18T10:57:00.001-05:00

I spent this past weekend up in Boston teaching at Metrowest Yoga. Boston is a mature yoga community and they are pretty serious about their yoga. The weekend started with a three hour intensive with a discussion on what it meant to be empowered and concluded Sunday with a discussion on what it meant to live an Empowered Life. The group was energized and their thoughts were sound and provoking.

Sunday, I read a quote by Carl Jung. The quote was, "the greatest influence on our own life and the life of children is the unlived life of our parents". Those that spoke up were parents and shared their ideas of raising children. Towards the end of the discussion, I presented a different view, "we are all children here....how has your life reflected this quote?" We had to get moving and begin a Hatha yoga practice so we never really got a chance to discuss. Maybe this blog will get some discussion going?

When I contemplate this quote I can immediately look at it two ways (although there are numerous ways of viewing it). The first, how am I perpetuating the unlived life of my parents? Second, what part of their unlived life has influenced me to be different and to go in a different direction? It reminds me of the Buddhist lessons on karma. Karma is energy. The teachings of karma are the teachings of cause and effect.

Because karma has become a fashionable word these days you will often hear people say, "That is your karma". A more accurate understanding would be this is happening right now because of karma. Your karma is the sum total of everything you have thought and experienced up until this very moment of your life.

There is no better way to understand karma than to sit still, get quiet and notice where you are right here and right now in this very moment in your life. Our lives are truly the sum total of all past thoughts and deeds. For me the whole point of practicing Yoga is to get still and pay attention non-judgmentally to how we are framing this moment of our life.

Sit with it long enough, we can literally feel our whole life narrow down to this very moment. This is a very courageous thing do to. It can also become the very ground upon which we can awaken to a new direction or reconfirm the direction our life is headed.

If you do have children a worthy contemplation is how is your unlived life affecting your children--come on Boston yogis and yoginis what do you think? We never finished this discussion.

Intention

2009-10-29T14:52:00.001-04:00

It is a regular practice of Empowered Yoga to establish an intention for your practice or for your day. The purpose of this practice is to pause and get in touch with where we are.

Sometimes people will refer to another person by saying, “they are so lost because they don’t know where they are going”. I would like to rephrase that by saying, “someone is lost when they don’t know where they are” Goal setting focuses on what you want the future to be whereas intention setting focuses on what you would like to cultivate within this moment. Both practices are important.

Many times when I pause to get in touch I realize that I am not in touch—many times leaning into the future. This realization gets me back in touch. It refocuses me on what I am doing. For me this practice has evolved off the mat. Sometimes I will ask myself before walking into a room or into a meeting, “what is my intention for this next moment of my life”? What would I like to cultivate?

This practice has afforded me the opportunity to get in touch with the direction my life is taking and how my present actions are leading to some future outcome. This practice has turned me into a more intentionally focused person.

I find the more I can pay attention to the present the more my future becomes what I wish for.

Who blew out the Flame?

2009-09-29T16:04:00.002-04:00

This is a blog I wrote for a www.florianvilla.com

If you are using term “burnout” then you are indicating that at one time, the flame was lit. The question is, who blew out the flame? If you sit with the question, the answer is not too hard to find–you did. It is a painful realization yet it is true one. This brings us to the three characteristics of truth: it stings, it cleanses, and it sets you free.

Teachers have come to me over the years to tell me that they feel burned out. In almost every instance I was able to notice a common theme. That common theme was a lack of daily practice which can lead to a busy and untamed mind. Our days are so fast and so scheduled in the 21st century. If we don’t pause daily and practice, our minds get out of control.

The founder of the Shambhala and famous Tibetan Lama Chogyam Trungpa said where there is speed you will normally find struggle. Our practice helps us to slow down, relinquish the word struggle and wake up to this moment. When the mind is not trained, the present moment becomes nothing more then the past replayed and/or we see ourselves reaching for some kind of future fulfillment. The mind is uneasy and is in a state of dis-ease. We lose our sense of vibrancy and our ability to recognize the brilliance around us.

We start to look outside of ourselves, thinking that we need another teacher training, a new workshop, or maybe even a different life. We look in the wrong direction. The solution is not outside of us– it’s inside. This is what we as teachers are fundamentally teaching yet we to fall prey to not taking our own advice. We don’t need to travel to the Himalayas. What we need is to amp up our practice right where we are. Get into class 5 or 7 days in a row. Pick up an old book that previously inspired you and journal. Write down why you teach and get in touch with your intention. This can help you re-light your flame.

Keeping your flame lit is your job as a teacher. When life gets challenging, our teaching and practice can go deeper. If we don’t practice we feel burned out. I learned this early in my career. The answers are really that simple when dealing with burn out. Sit with this message and again remember the three characteristics of truth: it stings, it cleanses, and then it sets you free. Does this message sting?

Paralysis by Analysis

2009-09-29T11:58:00.001-04:00

This morning I had coffee with a long time friend of mine that I have lost touch with. His name is Joe. We caught up for a while on the present, then relived the past, and finished up our time together talking about the future. At one point in the conversation, Joe commented that many people get Paralysis by Analysis. I loved this catchy expression and thought I would write about it.

Many times in life we find ourselves analyzing a situation. The ability to look at a situation and break it down is an important process in the brain, and it's one that is required when aiming to live skillfully. What happens though when we find ourselves over-analyzing the past, reliving mistakes, and going beyond what is healthy? We get stuck living in the past. We walk around rigid and tense. By continually reliving this past event we experience paralysis by analysis.

Joe then asked me, "How do you let go? Sometimes my mind is just so crazy". I told him that telling most people to let go is like throwing a child in the pool and telling them to swim-- the child has never been taught to swim nor has the child practiced swimming. Cultivating a mind that can let go is a skilled practice and something that for many of us can only be cultivated through practice.

In my Hatha yoga practice and my running practice I use the principles taught in the Shamatha meditation practice. Shamatha means calm abiding. The practice is simple in explanation yet challenging in application. The idea is to cultivate a present state of mind by anchoring your attention on the steadiness of your eyes, respiration, and body. When thought arises and pulls you away from mental steadiness you simply notice that you have lost your attention. You return back to the eyes, respiration and body.

As you continually return to your present state of mind you begin unwinding the focus on analyzing and the habit you have ingrained within your brain. This is challenging work yet it does work, particularly when practiced on a daily basis. The process of letting go of thought and coming back to the present moment cultivates a mind that can let go. I personally find with this practice that it has before easier and easier to let go. In my next blog I will write about what we are experiencing as we let go.

Running Barefoot

2009-09-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

So you read the New York Times best seller Born to Run and the barefoot philosophy makes sense. You go buy the Vibram Five Finger Shoes and kick off the $100 cushioned shoes. You go out for a run and start having visions of running in the Copper Canyons with the Tarahumara runners. You feel joyful and light and are quick to say this is paradigm shifting! Then all of a sudden POP the dream bubble explodes and you feel pain! You come to a screeching halt and in an instinct you become a non-believer. Days later your feet start feeling better and you tell you self--no way am I doing that again. The Vibram get tossed to the back of your closet and your throw back on the coffins, I mean cushioned shoes and go back to your old habits.

Unfortunately this is going to be the reality for most people who give this barefoot running thing a shot. The reason why is very simple. Your foot has been supported for years and anything supported becomes weak. Your feet have had a vacation for a VERY long time. They have been atrophying (weakening) ever since you put shoes on at a young age and started running. Since that day the cushioned shoes allowed you to change the evolutionary way your body was designed to run and the rest of the 206 bones and 640 muscles of the body have followed suit. If you are going to bring your dogs out of retirement and kick the coffins off your feet you need a plan. I began running 6 weeks ago in the Vibram and I would like to share with you some insights from my experience.

Step One--Get the shoes and start wearing them all the time--do some walks in them and start getting in touch with using the balls (fronts) of the feet.

Step Two- If you live in the greater Wilmington area contact Tracy Peal and get a lesson on the Pose Running technique. If you don't live in the Wilmington area go to the Pose Technique website and find a certified coach in your area. http://www.posetech.com/services/TracyStevenPeal.html.

Step Three--Begin running preferably on grass. Start off SLOWLY and work the Pose Technique. If you feel any pain stop and walk and then begin again SLOWLY working the technique. Anytime pain arises stop and walk. The pain is an indicator something is wrong. I have stopped and walked often and each time I begin running again and work the technique the pain goes away.

Summary:

The first week I began Vibram running I ran one mile and then worked up to two miles by the end of the first week. I stayed at two miles at a 9-10 minute pace for the first five weeks. The fifth week I worked up to a three miler. By the end of this week I ran 5 miles and felt great! I have to stop during most runs and walk due to pain in the plantar fascia (bottom of the foot) yet once I walked fifty feet it disperses. I am a supinator in my ankles which means I tend to run on the our edges of my feet. Over the years this has tightened the the medial arch (inside) of my feet. The barefoot running is unlocking the inner arches of my feet and as they unlock the plantar fascia is being stretched and is unlocking. The pain when I am running is an indicator that I have done enough unlocking and need a break. The walking allows some rest and then once I start running again my plantar fascia is willing to endure some more letting go.

As the Inner arches unlock I can feel my shins, thighs and hips begin unlocking--it is truly an amazing process. I have to really pay attention when running which has quieted down the voice I hear when I run. The voice sounds like this, "this sucks, this sucks, this sucks" I am enjoying running more and more and realizing that I was truly born to run. I would love to hear some feedback from others going through this process.

September 22nd 6-8pm

Chris Mac Dougall author of Born to Run and Pose Coach Tracy Peal will be doing a book signing and clinic at www.Trailcreekoutfitters.com

Born To Run

2009-08-26T11:22:00.000-04:00

A few months ago, I read a book entitled "Born to Run" by Christopher Mac Dougall. Chris is a former war correspondent and contributing editor for Men's Health. He set out to discover why 8 out of 10 runners are injured each year--he counts himself as one of those 8. His journey takes him from his doctor's offices in Philadelphia to the biomechanics lab of the University of Delaware. He winds up at Harvard's anthropology department and heads out to the West Coast to learn more at Stanford. His journey ends in the Copper Canyons of Mexico for the grand finale of the book and the greatest race the world will never see. I listened to the book and was literally in tears towards the end. Christopher beautifully weaves scientific research into a fun and entertaining story that is not just for runners. It is a story about the human spirit with a triumphant ending and a powerful message.

I picked up this New York Times Best Seller after three people told me about the book in one week. These people told me that Christopher was bringing some of the same information to his readers that I had taught within my movement principles workshop. This book gave me permission to act on what I knew to be true. A little over nine years ago I kicked off the shoes and started a yoga practice. I always thought about running barefoot yet listened to the popular myth that I need shoes to handle compressional forces. Chris's book taught me that I truly did not need them. I started running barefoot (with Fibrum Five Finger Shoes) four weeks ago and it has truly been a paradigm shifting experience for me. In my next blog I will post a recommendation on where to buy the shoes and how to begin the journey of running with the earth instead of on it.

It's just my little toe

2009-08-25T11:13:00.000-04:00

My wife and I were at a party this weekend. As I was talking with another guest at the party, I could not help but notice that she was favoring one foot. I asked her what was wrong. She said, "Oh it's nothing--I just broke my little toe." My wife turned to me right away and said, "Shut up--don't say a word." Sara knows the way I think and she is very educated on movement principles herself. She really knows her stuff and understands the independent nature of the human body and mind. I said nothing and just let it go.

Two of the three arches in the foot connect to the little toe. These arches serve to handle compressional forces and absorb shock while standing, walking, running etc. Basically, if you are on your feet, the arches are meant to be working. When the little toe is not functioning, the arches of the feet are

not functioning, and the joints above the foot- such as the ankles, knees, hips, spinal column, etc-are each working even harder and are subject to more compression within each joint.

Most people I speak with don't seem to understand how the body is interdependent and how everything effects everything. I find that it is the tendency of every one's mind, and not just mine, to possess a narrow focus. We have trouble seeing how everything is connected and related.

I would certainly be unaware of this truth if not for the hundreds and thousands of moments of focused attention on my yoga mat. My practice has truly taught me that the smallest adjustment in my foot can adjust my neck or shoulder--it is truly amazing to experience this connection.

Life is very much the same--our thoughts, actions and inaction's within each and every moment will affect the people near us and the world beyond us. We are all living in this cause and effect relationship and there is nothing that is not felt... that is truly something that is worth contemplating.

Living the Ordinary Extraordinary

2009-08-12T11:37:00.001-04:00

After last night's class, a student asked me a question that no one has ever asked me before. The student, who was new to Empowered Yoga but not new to spiritual practice, asked me if I had opened up my third eye.

The third eye is where the Hindus respectfully wear the red dot. The third eye is referred to as the Eye of Intuition and is one of the Seven Chakras within the human body. I responded "No, I have not." He looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face and asked, "Well then why do you practice?" I told him that I practice so that I can be a better husband, a better Dad and a nicer person within this world.

I have no aspirations for anything extraordinary--I aspire to live the ordinary life extraordinarily. He smiled, and said that he understood. During over conversation, he told me that he was off to India to study with a guru. It prompted me to share something with him: "I searched for years only to come full circle and realize that what I was looking for was right here. Maybe you will find what you are looking for in India, but maybe it is right here and you are unable to see it." After long pause, he spoke. "Maybe you are right", he said. I replied, "Maybe I am and maybe I am not-- but either way you will find out."

It reminds me of the last chapter in a modern day book that is bound to become a classic. The book is called "Light on Life", by 91-year-old Yoga Master BKS Iyengar. He tells the reader that he spent the majority of his life as a seeker and it is only now that he sees clearly. He urges the reader not to make the same mistake that he has made. Iyengar is asking us to stop looking outside of ourselves and start looking within. Stop thinking that some moment around the corner will complete us. Stop thinking that if our lives were different, they would somehow be complete. This kind of thinking postpones our happiness until the future. One day, we realize that we are old, and that we missed the whole point of life-- this moment is enough, be appreciative to be alive. Enjoy your life now.

It's Not Yoga

2009-08-04T15:27:00.004-04:00

It always cracks me up when I hear people say, "That is not Yoga". It gets into the mental constructs that people build in their minds about what something is. This is the way our mind works.

For instance—when we meet someone, we ask questions. As we hear information about them, our minds begin developing a view or picture of the person. We can then make a judgment as to whether or not we like the person, whether the person is someone we want to be around, and if the person is worth our time. If you have never noticed this about your mind then pay attention the next time you meet someone new and watch the way your mind works and builds a construct.

Yoga is no different. If people come in and they have never done yoga then Empowered Yoga becomes their mental construct of what yoga is and should be. Yoga should be heated, have mirrors, and involve intention setting and chanting Om. This becomes their mental construct of yoga. It builds a student’s body and helps deepen Hatha Yoga (physical) practice, yet, many times it leaves a student rigid in belief and thus closes them to possibilities.

The idea behind repeating a sequence or committing to a style is to begin to develop a deeper understanding of reality and their relationship to it. The very nature of reality is fluid and ever changing. In our observation we can begin to realize that we suffer in life because of our rigid mental constructs and beliefs that do not allow us to see the beauty in something or see something that we have seen many times before in a whole new light.

When someone says to me, “That’s not yoga” I understand that they are stuck in a mental construct. In essence, they are admitting that they are not yoga and really don’t understand yoga. Yoga is everything. Yoga encompasses all. Yoga is Life!

Getting out of the Box

2009-07-21T13:51:00.000-04:00

Empowered Yoga was founded on a simple yet profound premise—you have the ability to wake up to your life right now. All of our experience is created by our minds. We are primarily responsible for the pain and stress we create in our lives and the lives of those around us. Most of this pain is due to living life on automatic pilot and reacting to life in habitual ways that are ingrained within us from past conditioning. We get caught in a box and the box can suffocate us.

Each of our brains is wired in a unique way. By becoming present and learning to observe our thinking from a non-judgmental standpoint we can begin to see the way we are wired. It is important to observe our reactions from witnessing perspective so that we can come to fully own who we are. If we get caught up in judging ourselves then we risk falling into a dual mindset.

Practice becomes a process of making friends with ourselves and owning all the aspects of who we are. It is by fully owning who we are that life becomes more workable. Our habitual thought patterns become more palpable and this develops the very ground to work with them. When we judge ourselves we never fully own our minds—by judging ourselves we hold ourselves at arms length further perpetuating and ingraining the thoughts.

In order to choose wisely we need to develop awareness. More specifically we need to develop more precision and intimacy with the present moment. It is within this precision that we can learn to identify thought patterns that no longer serve us and create unnecessary suffering within our lives. We can also become aware of thoughts that create and support happiness and joy and learn to invest more attention into these thoughts.

It is in changing the direction of our life that we ultimately begin changing the direction of the lives around us—this is the paradox of personal change. We all would like to see the world change and for things to be more peaceful and more loving. For this to happen we have to begin to work on ourselves. In the words of Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see within the world”

Becoming empowered begins with a profound realization that you do have moment to moment choices within your life. You don’t have to be a slave to past conditioning. You don’t have to be a victim. You can chose wisely and compassionately to change your life’s direction. All of this can happen by simply making a commitment to pay attention and observe how you are relating to what is happening.

Traveling Man

2009-07-16T14:54:00.002-04:00

Over the past three weeks I have been traveling. I was in Italy with my family and then teaching in Costa Rica and Las Vegas for two weeks. All in all I feel very fortunate to be able to step away from business and my family.

With this being said I am very glad to have been given the life I have. I am a home-body and I prefer being at home verses on the road. Occasional trips are fun yet after expereincing three weeks in a row I have had my fill.

I have a lot of compassion and respect for people that have to travel a lot. I was on planes, trains, automoblies and ships. Traveling can really test your patience and show you who you are. We got lost in Italy a few times, I missed a plane in Charlotte and sat next to a guy heading to Las Vegas who sniffled for four straight hours wiping his nose with his hand.

To me these are the greatest tests of yoga--when life is just not going your way. How do you react? Can you discover peace amongst discomfort? I fared pretty well yet I have a long way to go. At times I felt enlightened and at other times I felt like freaking out--isn't that the way life goes?

I will post another blog tomorrow and get back to one a week now that I am home.

9-12

2009-06-08T12:02:00.000-04:00

I taught a workshop this weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Laughing Buddha Yoga Center. The owner Dawn Hinshaw and the whole Laughing Buddha Community was so nice and receptive to the teachings. Our last session was Sunday morning from 9-12pm. This was the fourth session and each session was 3 hours. Sara poetically pointed out that it was their 9th through 12th hour of yoga within 40 hours--we all laughed!

Why would someone want to do this much Yoga in such a short period of time? Simply put, because it transforms you and shifts your perspective quickly. If there is one thing yoga is aiming to do, it is shifting your perspective. As we age we tend to become more solid within our beliefs and more rigid within our thinking. It is not just our bodies that tighten and harden--it is our minds too. Our mental constructs towards people, places and things become more narrow and this limits the possibilities. This unfortunately gets us stuck in ruts. I hear adults all the time say, "I wish I could do that." You are living a substitute life.

When you practice this much yoga, your body and mind start to loosen their grip--you soften and begin feeling the many possibilities that life presents. It is the silence and the process of continually coming back to the present moment that allows us to begin seeing that-- in many ways-- you hold the key to your future. As Rumi says, "Why do you stay imprisoned when the door is wide open?". Your mind is what paints your moment to moment awareness. Yoga teaches us to become aware of the paint colors and the landscape. It also allows us to step back and change colors and the landscape.

At the end of our session on Sunday you could see the shift on people's faces. Their skin was brighter and their eyes were wide open. There was a radiance about everyone. Thanks to everyone within the Laughing Buddha Community--Sara and I felt right at home.

Guru

2009-05-26T12:11:00.000-04:00

We all have a tendency to some degree to look outside of ourselves for answers. We think that someone is going to swoop into our lives and save the day—leaving us free from our problems. I remember first meeting David Nichtern, who is a senior Shambhala teacher and also one of my mentors. He said to me, “Johnny, no one is going to save you—you have to do the work yourself”. It was a sobering thought, and in some ways, it was a slap in the face—an invitation to sit up straight, be responsible for my life and begin doing the work.

Guru is a Sanskrit word that means “to bring light to darkness”. Our darkness is our delusion which creates confusion within our lives. Spiritual practice is meant to bring light onto our darkness and lift the veil of confusion. Seeking out a spiritual teacher is very popular in the east and it is becoming more popular in the west. When I asked David what the role of a teacher was, he said it was to hold up a mirror unto the student. His answer reminded me of an expression, “The ball is in your court”. The teacher simply aids the student in seeing themselves in a clearer light by continually helping the student understand their experience. The teacher simply keeps throwing the ball back into our court.

This weekend I had a pretty powerful experience early Saturday morning that fully brought home why the ball has to be in our court. I was reading Big Mind, Big Heart by Dennis Genpo Merzel and I experienced Big Mind. I have had several glimpses of Big Mind before, yet this weekend it was particularly powerful. I dropped into a whole new level of understanding. I cannot write too much about this experience because there are no words that can describe Big Mind. What I can say is that there was a knowing beyond anything I have ever experienced. This knowing was accompanied by a deep sense of peace. I just sat there for a while on Saturday and well, I just sat there.

The only thing that holds us back from experiencing our fullness is ourselves. When we bring our attention fully to this moment and stop striving, stop wanting it to be different, and simply be with our experience, we experience our light--darkness fades and we realize that the ball has always been in our court. If we can simply just see that we are the ones we are looking for. Within us is everything and outside of us is everything. There is only separation within our mind's perception. This is the experience of Big Mind.

It's not just about the Journey

2009-05-18T13:21:00.002-04:00

I spent the past weekend in bed with some kind of viral flu--I had a fever of 103, chills and sweats, dry heaving--wah-wah-wah. So you get the point--the toughest part is that I spent the last three months training for the Delaware Relay Marathon. The race was Sunday --needless to say, I could not run. A similar thing happened this past February- I was three practices away from completing the Yoga Challenge. I came down with a sickness and missed completing the challenge.

So the saying goes, "It is all about the journey." I truly believe that the journey, or the process, is a huge part of the equation, yet it's not the full equation. We often use this expression in order to focus on here and now, and to realize that the true prize is in the process. I no longer believe it is all about the journey.

The destination or goal is equally as important as the journey or process. The goal is something in the future. When you think of your goal in the present moment it motivates you and reminds you why you are doing what you are doing here and now. When there is a destination or a goal, there is a purpose that can be felt in the present moment. That purpose lights up your path so your journey becomes more crystal clear. The clarity you obtain by having a goal has the potential to infuse you with passion that can keep you enthusiastic and motivated within each step on the journey.

In the case of the Relay Marathon I immediately recognized when deciding to run that I could not just go out and run 6.5 miles--I had to train for it. I started a program three months ago and followed it closely. Before I started the program, I would go out and run whenever I wanted and run as fast or as long as I felt like on that particular day--some people would say this defines freedom. I thought it did, yet I was wrong. Do whatever you want and you will be free. However, I have discovered that for me, this defines laziness, lack of motivation, and even confusion. When you are not in touch with a purpose, there are very few people that can continue to do something with intensity, passion and consistency.

Knowing each week that I had to run a certain amount of miles with a particular pace held me accountable. There were so many days that the so-called freedom runner would have not run or dogged it. It was the destination--the goal that held me accountable in the present moment. It was discipline that helped me discover true freedom.

I feel great about my commitment. I just wish I could have done the race. I have learned a lot about the importance of having a goal and getting clear on my intentions. The largest lesson I have learned is that the clearer I am with what I want my future to be the more powerful the now can be.

Spinning Wheel

2009-05-11T13:22:00.002-04:00

As we think the same thoughts over and over again they become patterns in our lives. Eastern philosophy uses the analogy of a wheel. The wheel spins in a direction and our lives spin in that same direction. Thoughts become words, words become actions, and then actions become our deeds. Deeds turn into character and then character gives birth to destiny. This is something very powerful which all human beings should learn at an early age.

The way we think and act will become a pattern, so act and speak wisely. Learning to cultivate a pause before speaking and acting can be one of the wisest things a human being can do to prevent creating more unnecessary suffering in their lives and the lives of those around them.

Many of these words are adopted from an ancient Buddhist text called the Dharmapada. Dharma means truth or that which upholds our life. Pada means foot. Dharmapada is a collection of the Buddha's teachings which provides guidelines for walking a path of truth. In this journey, you are asked to recognize that which upholds integrity within your life and that which blocks integrity.

For me, this is a moving target--it is a real practice to pause and get in touch with my words and actions and observe that which builds integrity and that which blocks it. Noticing ways of thinking and acting that no longer uphold integrity can be painful when you begin to realize just how long you have been doing something that blocks integrity.

For me, pain sets in after I have reacted and I realize that I said something or did something I did not want to--just out of habit. The habit is the spinning wheel. Our reaction and actions are so heavily imprinted within us. It takes a strong desire to want to change matched with patience to pause and notice that there is a choice. In pausing we begin seeing the power of the spinning wheel. The forward pulling energy of our tendency to react the way we have always done it.

This is where faith steps in. When speaking about faith, Martin Luther King said, "You don't need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Notice when you pause. Feel the tendency to react and pay attention to your body. There is a tension you can get in touch with--this is your fear body. Take a breath in and begin consciously breathing. The tension will begin to dissolve with your attention. This is the beginning of learning to work with the spinning wheels within our lives. This is the beginning of changing the direction of the wheels. This is being empowered.

Master Cleanse

2009-04-21T11:36:00.001-04:00

I am on Day Seven of the Master Cleanse. It is arguably one of the world's most famous cleansing programs. The Master Cleanse was created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. Author of "Healing for the Age of Enlightenment" and "The Master Cleanse", Stanley was renowned for his research into the role of toxemias in disease. Stanley experimented with cleansing techniques and discovered that drinking a mixture of organic Maple syrup, Organic Lemon, distilled Water and cayenne pepper throughout a ten day period would clean all of the systems of the body and detoxify the body.

Throughout the cleanse, the water nourishes the cells and keeps the body hydrated while the vitamin-rich lemons help to loosen and break up mucus in the body. Grade B Maple Syrup is one of the most balanced of all sugars- it keeps sugar levels balanced to avoid unnecessary spikes in hunger or extreme lows in energy levels. Finally, cayenne pepper is a blood vessel dilator, thermal warmer, and valuable source of vitamin A.

Stanley believed that toxicity was the main reason for disease and the root of many of the problems that our bodies experience. Over the last thirty years, people all around the world have taken part in this fast and have cured themselves of everything from infertility, diabetes, back pain, ulcers, and more. While I am not claiming that this cleanse can heal everything, I firmly believe that the Cleanse can take you to a whole new level of living!

The idea of not eating anything for 10 days is scary. Immediately, you realize just how much time and energy you put into thinking about eating, getting the food, preparing the food, eating the food, cleaning up from eating and then eliminating the food. The body requires enormous amounts of energy to process food. How do you think you will feel when that energy is not being spent on food? At times, the energy can be overwhelming.

When people tell me "I could never do that" I say "That's right, you can't." You will do whatever your mind tells you that you can or cannot do. Understanding the power of the mind is what begins to elevate human beings. Maybe it's time to clean up and clean out your mind and body—it was for me.

Yoga Systems

2009-04-12T21:23:00.002-04:00

In a previous Blog I wrote about how my Hatha Yoga was taking a backseat to my Yoga Running. The average reader has probably never been introduced to Yoga running and thinks of yoga as an activity that involves stretching. This is a limited view of yoga and without some knowledge of yoga, how would anyone know? The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj which means to yoke. Visualize two oxen pulling a plow—the thing connecting the two of them is called a yoke. The word yoga means two forces working together to create a singular action.

Classically you have 6 major systems of yoga

1. Hatha Yoga—yoking physical postures (asana) and breathing techniques (pranayama)
2. Karma Yoga—yoking our actions with the benefit of others
3. Bhakti Yoga—yoking our life with God through devotion
4. Raja Yoga—Royal path or the Eight Fold Path. Path outlines guidelines for yoking our life with God
5. Jnana Yoga—the study of scriptures in the pursuit to attain more knowledge helping us come to a greater awareness of God
6. Kriya Yoga—is a complete system covering a wide range of techniques, including mantras and techniques of meditation for control of the life-force, bringing calmness and control of both body and mind.

From a contemporary standpoint, most serious yoga practitioners are practicing all six systems. In the west most of us come to the yoga practice via Hatha Yoga—as we stick with the practice we become curious and start reading yoga books. Now we are practicing Jnana yoga. Through the process of gaining knowledge we become more aware of where we are creating stress in our lives and the lives of those around us. In this stage we are practicing Raja Yoga. As we refine our lives we become more conscious of the seeds we are planting through our words and actions. Now we begin practicing Karma Yoga. We discover that the true purpose of Hatha Yoga is to sit in meditation and come into deeper levels of stillness. We are now practicing Kriya Yoga. Finally we begin to contemplate the face of God and what God means to us. The veil of egotism begins to lift and Bhakti Yoga becomes a moment to moment practice.

While it seems like I am suggesting that this is a linear progression, it is not at all. This is a 360 degree dynamic process that keeps unfolding and unwinding within us and around us. Yoga is something we do—it is also something that we are. As we begin to understand the profundity of this ancient science it becomes evident that yoga is our birthright all aspects of life can be yoga. When I am running if I maintain awareness of my mind and body then running takes on the traits of yoga. For me this is changing my relationship with running.

Energy follows Attention

2009-03-30T09:34:00.002-04:00

This is a law of the universe of which I am quite fond. I make this point often in class: wherever you direct your attention in life is where you are going to go. If you are dealing with an injury and you put your attention into learning about the injury, doing workshops, asking teachers questions and spending time on your yoga mat, you are going to heal the injury. If you are making lifestyle changes and putting your energy into activities that will foster this change, the change will become a reality.

Yoga also affords us the opportunity to hone in on what thoughts we are putting energy into and where are placing our attention. If we feed into positive thinking, our life will breed positive vibes. So what do you do when you realize you are feeding negative thinking? First of all, congratulate yourself, because the first step to change is awareness that there is pain. The next step is to become non-judgmentally aware of these thoughts, learn to watch them and notice how your body reacts to them. It is important to not judge yourself because falling into judgments worsens the matter and creates further self loathing.

We have an incredible ability to rationalize and ignore where we put our energy—I catch myself doing it all the time. Be mindful of where you are placing your attention and begin noticing whether the results of your attention will be constructive or destructive to your state of peace. Wiser life choices arise by continually refining your attention. Yoga is the art of paying attention.

Nature of Task

2009-03-24T12:19:00.000-04:00

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier—not that the nature of the task has changed, but the ability to do it has increased.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am running more than I have run in years and my Hatha yoga practice has taken a back seat to my Yoga Running practice. On a good week I practice Hatha Yoga five days. Recently, I have had to take it down to three times a week due to time constraints—I will let you know how my body adjusts to this training change. I am following a structured running program: as the mileage increases, so does my capacity to run faster and longer.

When running I am being mindful of my foot strike and the alignment of my body. It is a real mediation to let go of thinking and let my attention rest within. I am very aware of my habitual running patterns and over the last few years I have been able to cultivate a much more ergonomic technique. It has been challenging to change the way I run, yet, with repetition my ability has grown. I feel Emerson's wisdom each time I run.

Within our teaching training program students often make the same comments- "you make it look so easy" and "you are so good at what you do". My response is always the same, “If you do this for as many years as I have, then you will also be good at it. If I'm not a half decent teacher by now then I am pathetic.” I find the better I get at any skill the less serious I take myself. Getting good at something is nothing more than practice and repetition. If you are committed to something and keep practicing you too will find wisdom in Emerson’s words.

Hatha Yoga

2009-03-16T09:15:00.002-04:00

In the last two decades yoga has exploded in America—more specifically Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is the physical practice of yoga. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language. When translating Sanskrit, often times multiple words are used so you can gain a better understanding of the word. Yoga means “to yoke, join two things together or balance out two polarities”.

It is important to take a step back and realize language was created to bring about a mental construct around something, in an effort to communicate with other beings. Your mental construct may not be the same as mine. It is also important to realize that yoga is older then any modern day religion. Yoga is not a religion, instead it is a tool that can be applied to any and every aspect of life.

Recorded history doesn’t go further back than 3,000 years. The rest has all been handed down orally. The original translation around yoga is said to mean yoking God and human. Where and when the Hatha Yoga part came along is also a bit of a mystery. Some scholars say it was spontaneous movements that came out of meditative states while others say it was learned by watching animals move and imitating their movement. The latter of the two would explain why many poses have animal names.

Classically speaking the yoking in Hatha Yoga is Asana and Pranayama. Asana literally translates as seat. Pranayama translates as extension of life force. There are thousands of interpretations of Hatha Yoga—Empowered Yoga is a contemporary approach. Hatha Yoga was the first form of exercise ever created and works powerfully on balancing out the strength and flexibility of the body. It helps train the mind to be stable which brings clarity and breeds cultivation of wisdom.

Dynamic Self

2009-03-10T22:05:00.002-04:00

In Buddhist wisdom the self is viewed as dynamic and alive and not some fixed object of permanence. If the self was permanently unchanging then it would not be affected by thoughts, emotions and concepts so what would it have if it did exist? When we treat ourselves as a fixed identity—we are taking ourselves too serious. We say things like, “I was hurt so bad” We are unable to let go of the past and we suffer for it.

When we are able to view ourselves as always in creation then our fixation on the past will severely be reduced and our possibilities for the future will increase. It is at this point that we can really take charge of our lives. When viewing ourselves in this dynamic relationship the present moment becomes a great opportunity to reinvent who we are. The past becomes easier to work with and the future becomes whatever we want it to be.

Yoga Teacher Training Transformation

2009-03-03T09:11:00.003-05:00

Guest Blogger--Liz Freeman who graduated from Yoga Teacher Training this past weekend

The past six months have been the beginning of what is proving to be an incredible journey. A few thoughts about how things have changed in my life:
* At a base level, I've learned that the opportunity to practice yoga exists in my life all around me. It's up to me to choose to practice. I consciously make a choice to practice even more in my life.
* Recently my boss, with whom I've worked for almost three years and have known for five, shared with me that she thinks the past year has been my greatest year of personal growth: I've developed, matured, and become so much more of a resilient person. I have tremendous respect for her, and so this feedback is really very special
* My dear friend, the fashionista, has been one of my greatest yoga teachers off the mat and outside of EY. Simply by throwing away everything in my closet, and then helping me (1) recognize my filters, and then (2) work to break through them, I quickly realized that what I learned about clothes isn't limited to clothes. It applies to the rest of my life. I am recognizing my filters - about all sorts of things in my life - and then breaking through them. It is scary, especially because I have countless ones to work through still.
* I am grateful for the friendships and love and perspectives that everyone in the YTT program has offered. While I will miss the time-intensive weekends, I trust that I will continue to grow as an individual because of what I've learned from others and the relationships that we'll maintain.
* I am not as scattered as I once was. While I still do too many things and keep too busy, I have learned to prioritize. And taking care of me is a priority. And I am slowly starting to slow down. This is a good thing, and I am grateful for each small win.
* In the past two years, I've become better connected with my body and with my mind. It's amazing that I've made it to 32, and just finally beginning to wake up. Thankfully though I am now. And some days, even though it's scary, I'm excited to learn whatever it is next. And other days, I wish I could curl up in a ball and not face myself or the world. It does take courage every single day to open up. I am thankful for having the support and friendship of those at EY - it helps me find this internal courage.
* It turns out, I really enjoy teaching! It is a huge part of my practice. I feel so honored to be able to guide others through a practice, and while I'll never know what each student is going through specifically, I know that each person is on a journey. I know the courage it takes for them to show up on their mat, and I feel humbled that they are comfortable to come to class because all I can offer is support, love and compassion, and it turns out, that really is enough. In turn, their presence and friendship offers me the same.
* I am lucky to have amazing people in my life. In the past several months, however, I feel like I've been taking more than I've been giving in many of my relationships. Recently though I've realized that maybe I'm giving in different ways than I previously have. And it might not be "less," it might just be different. As an example, two of my dearest friends have signed up for (and completed) BNB. They signed up because they've told me they've seen a difference in me - for the better. They loved me then, and they love me now just the same. But they see something in themselves that they want to explore, and it's awesome that they feel comfortable exploring it. Again, it really is about love and compassion. Wow.

Outside affecting the Inside

2009-02-24T10:29:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading an article in Discover magazine entitled, “Are we still evolving?” I love to read about evolution and how organisms change. If you asked me if we are still evolving, I would say, “Of course we are!” I was surprised to read that there are certain scientists who think evolution has halted. It appears that recent studies of human genomes reveal that not only are we still evolving but we are evolving at an accelerated rate.

It appears that the accelerated rate may be due to the increasing size of the population among other factors that largely deal with the environment we are living in. My brother is an evolutionary biologist and studies how DNA changes due to environmental factors. He uses insects within his work and says that DNA is DNA. If DNA changes in insects due to environmental factors then it changes in human DNA. I have learned from him that the same exact species will develop differently when it lives in different environments. The outside environment affects the inside.

This makes me think about our environment — our homes, places where we work and the company we keep. How all of this is affecting the way we are evolving and changing inside. It really makes you stop and reflect on your environment. Are there things that I need to change in my environment? How can I create an environment that promotes healing and love to all those that are in it or may enter it?

Runner's World

2009-02-14T05:32:00.003-05:00

About a year ago a writer from Runner’s World magazine contacted me about a workshop I was leading entitled, “The Balanced Runner”. Over the past year I have had several writers from Runners World come down for workshops. They discovered the deeper essence of what yoga can do for runners.

This past summer I went up to Runners World headquarters and lead a workshop to several staff members on Movement Principles for Runners. Most of those in attendance had been practicing yoga yet not with the awareness of the movement principles. Just before Christmas I had an opportunity to record nine exercises for www.runnersworld.com which can be found on their website.

This experience over the past year reminds me of something I say often while teaching. It is not what you are doing as much as where you are when you are doing it. When we move our body we can be completely connected to our body and let go of the cognitive aspect of our brain. By focusing on what we are feeling verses what we are thinking we can come into a deeper connection with our mindbody—running can be a meditation.

Any movement whether in the gym, yoga room or running can be viewed as therapy and healing if it is being done with principle. If it is not done with principle it tears the body apart. Running can get a bad rap. There is nothing wrong with running although there is something wrong with running on an imbalanced structure. Learning the movement principles can be the difference between being sidelined with injuries and running into your nineties.

Dropping Performance

2009-02-10T12:16:00.002-05:00

Six years ago I went to a Vinyasa workshop with Rolf Gates. Rolf had just recently published his book, “Meditations from the Mat”. He was a powerful teacher and quickly becoming well known throughout the yoga world. When I arrived for the workshop the yoga room was buzzing and it was mat to mat. You could not even see the color of the floor—mats were touching. People were dressed in their most fashionable yoga gear while intensely warming up. I felt like I was back in an ice hockey locker room prepping for a big game.

When Rolf walked in he was calm and collected. Before he began the class he asked some profound and simple questions, “Can we drop the performance mode? Can you empty your cup and allow me to guide you through a practice?” The intensity of the room dropped and everything grounded down into an non egotistically awareness—it was a profound shift. Rolf’s wisdom still rings in my ears. There are many people who come to the physical practice of yoga with a performance based and competitive mind. You can learn a lot about yourself if you can see this aspect of yourself. The part of your mind that wants to perform, wants to be better then those around you and wants to win.

At Empowered Yoga we emphasize challenge over competition. A challenge is born within your heart—it is a quest for inner excellence. When you compete it is about the ego, there are winners or losers and the motivation is many times not so pure. When your motivation shifts to challenge we broaden our view. Our practice becomes a simple question, “Am I doing my best?” If the answer is yes then you are always a winner and there are no losers. Paradoxically this shift from competition to challenge inspires others to let go of egocentric motivators. Paradoxically my body is stronger, more flexible and graceful when I am operating from challenge. Fear constricts us and a competitive mind is a mind that is based in fear.

75 to 25

2009-02-02T10:03:00.003-05:00

Saturday afternoon I was sitting by a pool in Costa Rica then hours later I am in freezing temperatures. I went from one polarity to another. This is metaphorical for being on retreat and then in the blink of an eye, being back in your real everyday life.

In my last class Saturday morning I gave some helpful hints on reentry into society after a retreat.

As soon as you land into your respective airport notice your surroundings and the speed at which everything is moving.
As you are picked up by family and friends notice your heightened awareness and let this awareness see people with a greater sense of openness and appreciation.
No one else was on the retreat so don't expect those in your life to be any different. You are the one who is different. (Non-judgemental of course)
Don't speak too deeply about your experience. Just tell people it was life changing.
Realize that without a daily practice you too will fall back into the speed and potential unconsciousness of life

What makes a retreat powerful is incorporating the teachings into daily life. If you have never been on retreat make it a goal to someday attend one. They can be truly life changing.

Opening or Closing

2009-01-29T10:39:00.001-05:00

In any given moment we are either opening or closing to life. If you are closing you may feel anxious, stressed and typically uncomfortable. If we are opening to life we feel calm, relaxed and at ease. In any given moment you can pause and notice how you are feeling. Getting into the habit of noticing this can help you make decisions about the direction your life is taking.

When we are closing we are resisting reality. We wish the moment was different. We want life to be different then it is. No matter what we do wrestling with reality is one fight we will always lose. If you do not like what life is presenting to you resisting it will only make it worse--what we resist will persist. In fact it will not only persist yet in many cases build pressure and inflict more stress.

If we are open to life then life is more workable. We can accept what life is presenting and begin working with what is. In many ways this can turn the most difficult circumstances into powerful learning experiences. Happy moments can become even more joyous!

Presence

2009-01-22T15:22:00.003-05:00

Before I started to practice yoga I never really gave much conscious awareness to the present moment. I would be awakened from daydreaming by a nun slapping down a ruler or a coach yelling loudly. Of course I spent time in the present moment yet I never knew the difference between being in thought and being present without thought.

In high school and college I continued living without this awareness. In reflecting back I was always living in my head, reliving the past or strategizing about the future—never fully appreciating where I was. Do not get me wrong—my childhood was incredible. I just never knew that there was a difference between thinking and experiencing the present moment without analyzing with thought what was happening.

When I first started practicing yoga I would wonder what the teacher thought of me and while in class anticipate what posture was coming next. I would look around the room for entertainment. If a class did not entertain me, I would seek out another teacher or class. I would be thinking constantly during practice. This all changed one day when I started to practice Ashtanga Yoga.

Ashtanga Yoga is a series of postures. There are three reference points to creating a mind and body connection. I learned to bring my attention to the stillness in my eyes, the breath, and the awareness of my body as it remained still and as it moved. I began understanding what it meant to be present—athletes call this the zone. It is the place where everything slows down, thought drops and the appreciation for life grows.

These three reference points have grown into daily tools that I use on and off the mat to return back to the present moment awareness. Life seems to get brighter and brighter and my appreciation grows from this practice—a worthy component to being empowered.

Costa Rica

2009-01-21T14:31:00.002-05:00

I am writing this entry from Pura Vida Spas in Costa Rica. This is my 7th year facilitating retreats and every year it seems to get better. The attendees this year are steadfast, enthusiastic and came to work deligently with a smile. There is not much resistance and this makes the practice much more enjoyable and fun.

Each day starts off with a basis meditation. This year Chris Rogers has joined me to lead the group on Big Mind training. Big Mind is learning to think bigger then yourself. Our theme is Beginners Mind. This is a term which orginates in the Zen tradition. The general idea is that a beginners mind is a Big Mind and capable of numerous possiblities. A more advanced mind is a small mind and limited in possibilities.

After each morning session we enjoy amazing fruit and other healthy food. We ask people to stay light on the eating due to a 10am Hatha yoga practice. After practice we shower and enjoy a heathy and tastey lunch. Much of the afternoon is spent resting by the pool or sleeping.

We practice again in the later afternoon. This is a longer practice where more theraputic movements are practiced. Afterwards everyone showers and we have dinner together. The conversation is rich.

I really enjoy being down here yet it is challenging being away from Sara and our children. I hope to handle the Blog on Presence while I am down here.

I have not had time to edit this blog so excuse me for any grammer mistakes.

Commitment

2009-01-07T09:04:00.003-05:00

Maintaining a commitment can be very difficult for people—why is this? I believe the most important part of maintaining a commitment is being clear from the very start why you are feeling the way you do. Around this time of the year people are setting resolutions. Their commitments are rooted in dissatisfaction—an aspect of your life that you are not happy with and you would like to let go of and change.

It is really important to spend time with this feeling of dissatisfaction and not just ignore it. The more intimate you get with the dissatisfaction the more meaningful the commitment will become. Spending time writing down what will happen if you maintain the commitment and what will happen if you don’t maintain the commitment can be very fruitful. Brainstorm and refine your thoughts and feelings to one page. Read this page daily and remind yourself why you made the commitment.

If you are unwilling to spend some time to become clear on what it is that you want your life to be about then chances are you will lose your commitment. I don’t think people lack willpower or discipline they just lack presence. I will address presence in my next blog.

If you are new to the blog I aim to post weekly entries. I write about my challenges and triumphs in life. My intention is to help you live a more empowered life.

Importance in Personalizing

2008-12-03T11:36:00.001-05:00

The beauty of yoga is beginning to understand the paradoxical nature of truth. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit yuj, meaning, "To yoke" or "to unite".
It connotes the idea of balancing out the polarities. It is within this balance that we discover oneness. When the Buddha was asked how to tune a lute he replied, “not too tight and not too loose”. Yoga is all about striking a balance.

In the last entry I wrote about the importance of not personalizing your experience. In this entry we will address personalizing our experience. Let’s look at two different situations. One that will create suffering and one that will create happiness. During situations where suffering arises, I find it important to stop and ask myself how I have contributed to this situation. By making this a practice I don’t fall into a victim mentality spending endless time blaming someone else for my present state of unhappiness. I know if I don’t practice this, I will become hard, defensive and guarded in life.

Now, when it comes to successful situations that produce happiness, I don’t personalize it. I ask myself how those around me have contributed to this situation. For me this keeps me humble and non-egotistical. This helps me foster an attitude of interdependence and appreciation for those around me. I can rest in the cohesive nature of life.

Striking a balance is the skillful act of knowing when to personalize and when not to personalize an experience. Your internal compass needs to point towards happiness at all times, so if personalizing an experience brings up suffering then you can let go of personalizing. If not personalizing the experience brings up suffering then you need to stop and ask yourself “how have I contributed to this situation?” This requires a keen sense of awareness and the ability to discern.

This is a very important practice while being on the path to happiness.

The Pain in Personalizing

2008-11-28T14:10:00.001-05:00

Up until a year or so ago, I did what most human beings do—I personalized everything in life. If someone was nice to me I would take it personal. If someone would not let me in while driving in traffic I would take it personal. If someone whom I loved said something hurtful or did something hurtful I would take it personal. As I began taking a step back in my life I began noticing that in the majority of all of these situations I have very little to do with the reactions and actions of those around me especially if I don’t know the person at all.

For instance the other day my wife Sara got upset with me and said something’s that she did not mean. I reacted to her, yet not nearly as much as I would have one year ago. After reacting a bit I engaged the present moment, watched my thoughts, and emotions, I calmed down pretty quickly. Within the calm was a deeper understanding of Sara’s reaction. Her Mom just started chemo again and is living with bone cancer. It is very painful for Sara to see her mom suffer and there were other things also going on that had Sara upset. Her reactions to me truly had nothing to do with me—I was just the receiver of her angry and sadness.

The next time you experience an emotional charge or reaction, pause, engage conscious breathing—stepping into the present moment. Watch the emotions and thoughts as a third party observer and watch them fade. After fading remain in the non-judgmental awareness and watch insight arise as to what you just experienced. I find most of the time it is not personal. A necessary practice in Being Empowered.

Confirmation or Unease

2008-11-26T10:29:00.001-05:00

If you contemplate the questions, what is my life all about and you receive confirmation congratulations you are living the life you want. If there is some hesitation or unease, you need to start digging deeper. What is it that comes up? Write it down and begin studying your dissatisfaction.

Some people have a tendency to ignore dissatisfaction. It is the old saying, “ignorance is bliss”. Maybe at first ignorance is bliss—over time whatever we resist will persist. I find the persistency becomes annoying because it is reality knocking on my door getting louder and louder. At some point the volume becomes painful and our dissatisfaction deserves attention.

Once you get in touch with your dissatisfaction pull it close like a doctor analyzing a sickness, turn the questions around. Why do I want to be here, what do I want my life to be about and when I am gone what do I want people to remember me for? These can be very empowering questions. Journaling can be some of the most transformative work. If your life is worth living—it is worth writing about.

The Big Picture

2008-11-17T13:10:00.002-05:00

When I was first introduced to present moment awareness, I thought “this is hard”. In educating myself about my own mind I realized that in many ways my mind has always controlled my life. My habits and judgments and the past have always lead the way. In the beginning I realized if I could just direct my attention away from the stream of thought and disconnect once a day it would be more than I had been doing my whole life. As I began to bring my attention away from the thought stream and into the present moment I discovered a new way of living.

The intention behind developing a calm abiding practice is to develop a non-reactive and non-judgmental orientation to the present moment. Most of our suffering and stress in life comes from us personalizing our experience and continually reacting to life in a way that is purely predicated by our past conditioning. When we are only identified with our thinking this is the only way we know how to answer to life on a daily basis—we know no better.

I always remind students that this practice is a moment to moment commitment. It is important that you see the big picture of developing a mindfulness practice. The big picture is that our ability to evolve and cultivate our inner wisdom is not just for personal reasons. As we elevate ourselves above the bondages of habitual ways of living that cause suffering and pain in our lives, we begin to affect those around us. People begin noticing that we are different and less reactive. It is our presence and example that begins to inspire others.

I truly believe that each human being is here in this life to show what is possible within a human life. Now you may think I am being cliché yet I ask you to cultivate these questions. Why are you here? What is your life all about? When you die what are people going to say about you? If you spend time contemplating these questions and come back to them often enough you will begin to notice one of two things—confirmation or unease. I will handle this in my next entry.

Discovering Your Vision

2008-11-17T12:48:00.002-05:00

Focusing your eyesight during a yoga practice is called drishti in Sanskrit. Drishti is a point of focus. Each yoga posture has a designated gazing point. Focusing your eyes during a yoga practice is the first step in a three tier process which synchronizes your mind and body. The word drishti is derived from the Sanskrit root rish meaning vision or insight.

Your mind tends to identify with whatever it looks at. When our minds are busy we don’t have an opportunity to see clearly. If your eyes are wandering your mind is wandering. In ancient India the Rishis were visionaries who lived amongst the tribes. They were able to give wise advice about decisions that had to be made for the welfare of the tribe. Similar to the stories you hear about the Native American Indians seeking insight from their elders.

It is typical for the beginner yoga student to look around the room, move quicker than the teacher, anticipate the next posture and of course we can’t forget the good old fashion fidget. These are all simple signs of being identified with thinking verses being. The mind is leaning into the next moment and focused on thoughts instead of the body. Remember your body is always in the present moment—it is our minds that get caught up in the past and lean into the future.

I remember in the beginning of my practice I would spend a lot of time looking around trying to figure out how to do postures correctly. We encourage new students do to this in the beginning of their practice. It helps them gain an understanding. As you gain a deeper understanding of the alignment and the process of synchronizing the mind and body, a student gains confidence and begins discovering the power of a stable vision.

This is paradoxical. By narrowing your vision and bringing your attention to a one pointed focus you begin to gain a larger perspective within your life and the lives of those around you. The consistent practice of synchronizing the mind and body leads to a calmer state of being outside of the asana or meditation practice—within this state something very special and revolutionary happens. You begin seeing your thoughts from a third party perspective. Your thinking slows down and something much vaster than thought shows itself. I will handle this in my next entry

Self Discipline

2008-11-14T13:42:00.001-05:00

Building on the literal meaning of discipline, self discipline is the ability to work with the instructions that come in and out of your head on a daily basis. It is learning to discern which thoughts create peace and happiness and which ones create stress and suffering. Paying attention to your relationship with your thoughts and how you react to them is the foundation of developing self discipline.

Discipline can be a difficult word for most of us. It conjures up images of somebody standing over you with a stick, telling you to do something or else. I find that if we view discipline as an external force that is confining or restricting we will never develop discipline. Viewing discipline as something that comes from within, hence self discipline, can lead to the cultivation of wisdom and a true feeling of freedom and stability within your life.

When you are trying to change a behavior or create a new pattern—paying attention is the critical component. For instance let’s use the example of creating a consistent exercise program. You have a time scheduled when you are going to exercise. As you get closer to the time you are supposed to exercise pay attention to any thoughts that start to sabotage your intentions. As you start to see the thoughts begin to label them as sabotage and then return to the present moment before you begin reacting to them. Taking a deep breath in and exhaling fully can help you develop a relationship with the present moment. This relationship will help you let go of self sabotaging thoughts. The thoughts will slowly lose their power as you learn not to identify with them and return to the present moment—you are pruning your brain!

The first time you see the thought you may get excited because you have never fully seen that the thought holds you back from what you want. I promise you the second time you see the thought you will also notice that they now have supporting thoughts. This is the wiring's way of pulling in other wires in the hope of not being pruned. If you stay present and pay attention without reacting the thoughts will leave within no time. Each time you watch the thoughts and don’t react to them they lose their power—you are now on your way to developing new wiring within your brain.
The process of developing self discipline is some of the most challenging work you will ever do. It is also some of the most rewarding. It is only hard if we stop breathing through it. If we keep returning to the breath we will develop self discipline and wiring that supports our deepest intentions.

Discipline

2008-11-10T15:50:00.001-05:00

The word discipline in its most general sense refers to systematic instruction given to a disciple. The Latin root disciplina "instruction", from the root discere "to learn," The origin is the master giving instructions to the disciple. Further elaborating the disciple follows instructions eventually creating a habit around the instructions. The disciple has created a discipline through repetition.

I will often hear people say that they don’t have the discipline to exercise or practice yoga frequently enough—this often bums me out. I see that it is something that bothers them enough that they verbalize it to me. If they are speaking outwardly it is probably a thought that dominates their mind throughout the day—a thought which probably brings a fair about of self loathing and suffering into their life—a real confidence crusher.

The science of neuroplasticity refers to the malleable nature of our brains and minds. Neuroplasticity (variously referred to brain re-mapping) refers to the changes that occur in the organization of the brain as a result of our experience. Decades ago neuroscientists thought the brain was relatively fixed around age two. We now know the brain can change and rewire up into old age. Wiring in the brain can also disappear if we no longer think a certain thought. We have the ability to prune our brain like we would the weeds in our garden.

When you begin to understand this science it is the beginning of true freedom within your life. You realize the way you think is nothing more then programming. The programming happens by the way you think, speak and act. Your direct experience is what is continually wiring your brain. For instance you start to notice the same thoughts that create excuses why you can’t exercise. You see the thought for what it is—just a thought. Next blog I will address working with thought.

Calmness

2008-10-24T11:39:00.000-04:00

During an Empowered yoga practice we implement a three-tier approach to synchronizing the mind and body—steadying the eyes in one spot, attention to respiration, and the awareness of the body. As you move from posture to posture the focus is on what is happening right now. You narrow your vision, deepen your breath and then drop into your body. A sense of calmness comes over you and you are now in the present moment—the zone. You are not there too long before you lose your attention and your focus shifts over to a thought. A thought leads into another thought and in essence you have left the room. Your body is there yet your mind is off somewhere else—daydreaming or strategizing your next move in life.

At some point you realize you are daydreaming and not present. You then label your experience by saying to yourself, “thinking” and then return back to an inhale. Once again you are back in the zone. Inevitably you will lose your focus and become preoccupied by thinking. You will catch yourself once again and label it thinking and return to the breath. This process of catching yourself lost in thought, labeling it and then returning back to the breath is the foundation for developing a yoga practice.

In the Pāli language this technique is called Samatha meditation often translated as calm abiding. Due to the speed at which our world is moving many of us are living in a perpetual state of anxiety and agitation. We are not sleeping enough, not using our bodies enough, thinking a lot, eating processed foods that create stress on our digestive systems, thus affecting the other eleven systems within the mind and body. The strange thing is that most of us are unaware of this. It is not until we sit still with no stimulus or entertainment that we can begin to feel what is driving our lives.

As we learn to make a commitment to a practice of calm abiding we can begin to have a shift in our lives perspective. Cultivating calmness creates clarity, and clarity leads to wisdom. Wisdom is becoming our experience of what we learn within the space that is created when we become calm and present. At first this might not mean sitting still in meditation. You can start off with driving without the radio on. You can walk or run without the iPod. The options are endless for creating calmness within your life.

Search for ways that you can create calmness throughout your day and notice how good you feel when you are calm. It is from this place that you can clearly start to navigate your life in the direction that promotes peace and happiness.

Face to Face

2008-10-22T09:55:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, I participated in the Shambhala Level One Sacred Warrior training at our Empowered Yoga Wilmington location. During discussion on Sunday, one participant wanted to know why we were not made aware of the schedule beyond when to arrive and depart. He was directly referring to the amount of time we spent in meditation on Saturday.

He said it would have been nice to know the schedule so he could have planned and prepared. I could not help but laugh with him because I was watching my mind numerous times as it kept asking “When is this going to be over?” The hilarious part of this all is that sitting in mediation, you are just working on relaxing and doing nothing—sounds easy right? Most of us have no idea how fast our minds are moving until we sit down and do nothing. No music, no TV, no cell phone, nothing. We begin making excuses as to why meditation is not for us. We rationalize how our minds are different than other people’s minds. It is our mind’s way of strategizing right out of what it is most afraid off—stillness.

Once we sit still and see our speedy minds we come face to face with our lives. It scares the heck out of us. We spend most of our adult life staying busy and strategizing our next move in life. Once we sit still, that perfectly oiled strategizing machine starts to strategize when we are going to get up and start moving again. As you sit longer, the strategizing loses its power and you start to drop in. Having more experience in mediation than he, I was aware of the process we were going through. It is much like a runner who has to break through the wall in order to get to the runners high. There is a build up of pressure within the mind and then finally it lets go. The feeling you are left with at the end of the process is……..well beyond words. Something you have to experience.

It is at this point that you begin to understand why we are called human beings and not human doings. Now I am no expert or master in meditation yet it is my experience that this process is an integral aspect of human life. Learning to come face to face with your life—what is it that makes us want to stay busy? Are there things we are avoiding—truths that we simply cannot face? Or is it just that our ambitious nature has taken us so far away from being human that we have lost the true essence of happiness which is beyond material possessions and accomplishment? There is a true joy that one can cultivate in learning to be still and realizing that this moment is enough – that we are alive and that this precious life is fleeting day by day.

When we come face to face with our minds; this is where you can begin to make friends with yourself. Getting in touch with our lives through mediation is truly one of the greatest acts we can do for those around us and the world. Getting in touch with our lives and the direction our lives are moving can help us refocus and become aware of our ability to steer our lives in certain directions that are going to reduce suffering and increase happiness and joy. For me this is truly part of being empowered.

Where is your attention?

2008-10-14T15:13:00.001-04:00

Just the other day a friend asked me how I was doing—I replied great! She said, really? I said yes really. I just finished giving two of my children a bath and I have a wonderful wife and a great life. She said what about business? I said business is the most challenging it has ever been, but I don’t think anyone in business is saying things are great. She said doesn’t that bring you down? If I let myself focus on what is wrong in my life I will not be so great—I am careful as to where I focus my attention.

In the practice of Hatha Yoga you are cultivating the ability to be still and pay attention to your internal environment. When you cultivate concentration and the ability to be still for prolonged periods of time, something really special happens—you begin seeing the fluxing nature of reality. Thoughts come in and thoughts go out—the breath comes in and the breath goes out. You begin developing a relationship with the awareness that is able to see the flux. You no longer get dragged around by ups and downs of life yet instead see the impermanent nature to all of it.

Pause throughout the day and notice how much your moods, thoughts, and attitude shift. The more often you see this truth the more space you will bring between your awareness and your mental and emotional states. You will cultivate the ability to discern and redirect your attention. Over time the awareness will grow. Now keep in mind this is a life practice —an integral part of being empowered.

Brought to you by Dave

2008-09-29T14:06:00.001-04:00

Just the other day I received a phone call from an old college friend. The last time I had spoken to him he had just gotten out of rehab for substance abuse. He experienced a relapse during his rehabilitation and got clean once again. He is doing amazing and this time he sounds much different then the last time he got clean. In college I knew Dave had a problem and the pattern continued until he hit rock bottom. Many of us are not fortunate enough to hit rock bottom. I’ll get to that later.

I asked him why this time was different—why will you stay clean? Dave said the first time he got sober he was so focused on himself and thought someday he would be able to drink and use again in a controlled fashion. He realized by focusing on his desires that he was suffocating within his own ego—it was only a matter of time before he went back using, which is what happened.

Finally, he hit rock bottom (first time didn’t count if it doesn’t stick—that is what I understand they say in AA) and this time he admitted he had no control over substance and surrendered to God—finally he felt the suffocating ego lift. He spoke with conviction when referring to his present commitment to his wife and family. He said that when he focuses on his family he feels invisible, not in an ego sense yet in an empowered sense.

He said he stopped maturing when he started abusing substances in college, so he still has so much to learn. He expressed interest in yoga. He said that he was on my website and referred to me as a scientist. I told Dave you are already doing yoga. The 12 Step Program, the Christian Church you go to on Sundays, the prayer you say throughout the day, the way you said you stop and pay attention to the little things in life developing gratitude. These are all yoga practices. Yoga means balance, union which comes through living the truth which is what you are doing right now. If you want to study Hatha Yoga (physical exercise system of yoga) I could most certainly help you with this form of yoga.

I told him about the Dharma and the path and ensured him that he was already on it. The destination is the process. Being present for the steps and learning to doubt your doubts and have faith in each step is the path. Because you hit rock bottom in this life you have been given a gift. You have turned your life 180 degrees in a different direction and now you are walking the other way. You are clean and present and living your truth. Dave is now walking the truth due to his rock bottom experience. Some people hit rock bottom in other ways like cancer, divorce, and other life changing events. I believe these people are lucky because they have to stop sleep walking like so many of us do. They have to stand up straight and begin paying attention to where they are causing suffering in their lives and the lives of those around them.

When I look back Dave and I always spoke the dharma with each other and this is why 13 years later we are still friends. Dave was always looking to live the truth yet had no direction or path to follow, so he went to the dark side. The Buddha used to say there are many paths that lead to the top of the mountain. Choose one and walk it—they all end up in the same place—the top of the mountain. We live in a world where too many people are on the fence—too much confusion and suffering. Having a path and a practice can bring so much meaning and fulfillment to one’s life. It can take the guess work out and help you develop unwavering presence. This is what sets us free.

Dave has made a choice and made a commitment to the 12 Step Program and his family—a commitment that is making a difference today and in many years from now will have made all the difference in the world. Just look at the analogy of Dave walking one way and then turning 180 degrees and walking the other. Two different directions, different landscapes traveled, different experiences along the way, different people, and ultimately different destinations. Big Bow to you Dave!

Motivation

2008-09-25T14:25:00.000-04:00

This exchange is probably the most famous in Zen lore. Bodhidharma met the emperor of the Liang Dynasty, Wu, a devout Buddhist renowned for his piety and charity, who was much given to endowing monasteries and orphanages. Wu said: "I have endowed temples and authorized ordinations--what is my merit?" Bodhidharma's answer was radical: "No merit at all." Wu had been doing good for the sake of accumulating merit. Bodhidharma cut through Wu's ideas about merit in the core of his teaching; that your practice isn't apart from you: when your mind is pure, you live in a pure universe; when you're caught up in ideas of gaining and losing, you live in a world of delusion.

I love this little story. It is a reminder for me to get in touch with my intentions and motivations. I often notice that people tend to do things in the hope of getting something in return. Well if I do this for her then that means she will do this for me. This kind of motivation often leaves us disappointed and judgmental if she does not reciprocate. If we have someone in our lives that constantly reciprocate our good deeds back to us we begin liking the person more and more because they give us our good deeds back. I believe this becomes friendship with a faulty foundation.

Without getting in touch with our own intentions behind our good deeds, we live in an unauthentic arena of life. When we practice giving freely and doing good without any expectations of anything in return it can be very freeing. I first started applying this concept a few years back. I began realizing I would get upset if I let someone in front of me in traffic and they did not wave as to signal, “thank you”. I began asking myself, “Is the only reason you are letting them in is so they will acknowledge your kindness?” Seems simple yet this helped me in gaining greater awareness behind my intentions in other areas of my life.

Start recognizing your motivations behind your generous and kind deeds. If you start note that they are not so pure, begin to laugh—yes laugh. You will see the silliness of these intentions. It is silly because you are simply taking yourself too seriously. You will see when you seek praise and recognition, it strengthens your ego. There is nothing wrong for being praised or recognized, but there is something wrong with having the motivation to do it because you want recognition. Beginning to live from this place of awareness is Being Empowered.

Dharma

2008-09-23T15:54:00.001-04:00

After his enlightenment, Siddhartha was uncertain as to whether he should share his experience. He could see how humans were overpowered by hatred, greed, and delusion – blinding them from seeing the true way to happiness. He was not sure if he could make a difference.

Dharma means “the path to the way”. The word 'dharma' literally translates as 'that which upholds or supports'. Legend says Siddhartha was visited after his awakening by a divine spirit and asked that he teach the dharma to the world. With enormous compassion he accepted his Dharma. 2500 years later, millions of people have been elevated from suffering into happiness because he said “Yes”.

The word Dharma takes on two important meanings. The first meaning is the highest truth or ultimate reality. The second is one’s righteous duty or virtuous path within this life. The dharma is an invitation to be the truth and base your life on living the truth. Notice I did not say seek the truth. The truth is not something outside of you. It is something you will intuitively know by cultivating the ability to pay attention. You will see truth outside of yourself yet it is always within yourself that you are experiencing this ultimate reality.

For simplistic purposes, the Dharma is your life. How you meet the moments of your life becomes your practice. Meeting these moments day to day is how our lives will unfold. The symbol for Dharma is a wheel. Our actions turn the wheel in certain ways and with repetition, speed occurs. There is an energy that we create from the moment we enter this world and things continue to unfold like a wheel that is turning. This is why it becomes more and more challenging to change as we age. Our wheels are spinning quickly.

Reminders

2008-09-13T13:54:00.001-04:00

Siddhartha taught throughout the countryside of India and surrounding areas for 45 years. He would end all of his talks by telling attendees to go back to your villages and teach these teachings in a language and understanding that is clear to your people. There was no ego or ownership to his teachings. Siddhartha viewed his teachings as something he discovered. They were not unique to him or something he created—he found them. He would tell people that there were Buddhas before me and there will be Buddhas after me and you too have Buddha nature inside of you just as I do.

He never put himself on a pedestal because he knew that this would make people look outside of themselves for enlightenment. Sometimes people will ask me why there are statures, shrines and images of Buddha all over the world? History tells us after Buddha had been dead for sometime, people began forgetting what he looked like so they started to create images to remind themselves of their nature and the origin of the teachings. I have images of the Buddha as well as Jesus in my house. I have them in my car and in my office. They serve as reminders to me to pause—be present and connect to my true nature.

In the Zen tradition they have an expression, “If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha.” This radical teaching is meant to remind people not to be looking outside for enlightenment. For many this can be scary. You mean I have to pull up my boot straps and get to work? You mean no one is going to save me? You mean I have to take responsibility for my own life? This is scary stuff! The God I believe in isn’t short of compassion, yet I believe you better be ready to meet halfway. We as human beings have an incredible ability to control our destiny to some degree. We can keep ourselves stuck or we can elevate ourselves to greatness. The choice is ours.

There are thousands of different interpretations of Siddhartha teachings just like there are thousands of interpretations of Jesus’ teachings. The teachings are the form and God is the formless. Words and images have been used for thousands of years to try to understand the formless—that which is beyond concept and thought. At some point for our world to evolve forward we must let go of the form. This is the only way the egotism that creates all suffering of the world will come to an end. When people ask me if I am a Buddhist or a Christian—I tell them I am a human being. For me, it is the only answer I can give.

Buddha

2008-09-10T09:51:00.003-04:00

Siddhārtha Gautama, often referred to as “the Buddha”, was a prince who lived around 500 BCE in modern-day India. His father, the King, sheltered Siddhartha and kept him largely confined to a royal life of luxury within the palace. At the age of 29 Siddhartha felt that material wealth was not the ultimate goal of life so one night he summoned his charioteer Channa and they snuck out of the palace. This is where his story begins.

The first man they came across was an old man, then a diseased man, and then a dead man. Disturbed by this, Siddhartha now knew that all people would eventually grow old, become diseased and die. The prince continued on his journey until coming upon an ascetic. He asked Channa who this was and he replied “Siddhartha, this is a man who has renounced all worldly possessions in the pursuit of enlightenment”. Siddhartha immediately disrobed from his royal garments and followed the ascetic into the woods in the pursuit of enlightenment. He goes from one polarity to the other extreme, thinking this is the way to create radical change. I find it so interesting to observe this within my own mind. It is the all or none mindset. It rarely works as Siddhartha eventually discovers.

Over the next six years Siddhartha studied with different yoga masters trying to find enlightenment through near total deprivation of worldly goods (including food) and practicing self-mortification. After nearly starving himself to death by restricting his food, he collapsed in a river while bathing and almost drowned. Siddhartha began to reconsider his path. After asceticism and concentrating on meditation, Siddhartha is said to have discovered what he called the Middle Way—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. He came to this realization while sitting under the Bodhi tree. Bodhi means enlightenment and Buddha means one who has achieved bodhi.

He found complete awakening and insight into the nature and cause of human suffering—ignorance. His awakening was simply categorized into the Four Noble Truths of Life. The four noble truths are: suffering, causes of suffering, happiness and causes of happiness. Many people whom I have come across who have studied and live Buddhist philosophy are very quick to say that this is the only teaching you ever need. They are also very quick to say the Buddha wasn’t a Buddhist. Siddhartha became enlightened. He woke up to the power that each and every one of us possesses. He saw the very nature of reality and the interdependence of the universe. Much of his insights have been proven over the last 50 years through research into quantum physics.

Siddhartha original mindset is a root cause of suffering for many. I see it all the time. I am quitting on Monday. I am going to lose 50 pounds. Someone who goes from sitting on the couch to saying they are going to run a marathon. Our minds think that radically going from one polarity to the other is somehow going to be the answer. What happens is that we fall flat on our face because our ego set the bar too high. When we approach something in a moderate fashion and understand that change and enlightenment is a gradual process which requires a larger mind-set. If you are attempting to make some changes within your life, keep moderation and the middle path within your awareness.

Rehabilitation

2008-09-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

I began lifting weights in my basement as a kid. It was the summer between sixth and seventh grade and my track coach said it would help me run faster. I was all about running faster—this is where my fascination with fitness began. My brother was into Kung Fu so we both trained in the basement. Not in my recollection can I ever remember stopping to pay attention to how good my body felt from exercise.

The word “rehabilitation” actually means to learn to live inside again (from the French habiter, which means to dwell, to inhabit). The Indo-European root is ghabe, meaning giving and receiving. I find these roots very poetic when viewing yoga as a form of rehabilitation. I now know why I never paid too much attention to my body until I began practicing yoga. I never focused on feeling sensations within my body—as an athlete I was mostly in my head thinking, thinking and thinking. Thinking about what was next, what to accomplish or what I could gain. That left no room for giving.

Without giving there is no receiving—this is just a simple truth. I never received the information my body was trying to send me. I remember the exact moment when I first truly felt my body in a giving and receiving way. After that experience I said to myself, “What have I been missing?” Through the practice of yoga we can expand and deepen our sense of what it means to inhabit our body. We can learn to inhabit our body with a sense of awareness that can be healing and in many ways, life altering.

Hatha Yoga (physical practice of Yoga) has taught me to pay attention to the senses. I now do this all the time. I do it at the gym, running, standing, driving my car; the list goes on and on. Yoga is something that for many of us is introduced through yoga postures, but this is just the beginning of the practice. Unfortunately for many, they never get beyond the physical postures. It is a way of living. It is a way of listening. It’s a way of giving and receiving the essence of life.

The rehabilitation begins when you understand the giving and receiving relationship. The moment you start to draw your attention within and then receive the multitude of sensations that are arising and falling away, something very special happens. You experience no mind and the fascination and focus on thought begins to dissipate. You are no longer focused on analyzing, judging, and compartmentalizing. You are just being--this is the gateway to Being Empowered.

Driving

2008-08-25T09:08:00.000-04:00

All the activities in my daily life have become part of my practice in developing a mindfulness practice. The act of pausing during a particular activity and bringing attention to my view has developed over the past several years of practice. This has brought a greater sense of stability and calmness into my life. Many times when I stop and pay attention, my mind is doing one of two things—leaning into the next moment or holding onto something that happened yesterday, a week ago or longer.

I have learned that my mind tends to lean more than to hold onto past memories. I believe this is because I am growing a business and a family and living in an accelerated and fast time in history. I have noticed that the leaning mind can create uneasiness and perpetuate unawareness. One of the major times I notice this is when driving to and from work. More recently I have begun driving without any music or podcasts on. I watch my speed, focus on driving and relax with my breathing. It is amazing to feel the difference once arrive at my destination.

Pausing and bringing attention to any activity with a non-judgmental state of awareness can really help you cultivate happiness. The more we give ourselves over to the activity at hand, the more the activity becomes a stabilizing exercise for your mind. The more we participate in activities physically and at the same time mentally perform something else, the more neurotic the mind can become.

For me, consciously driving and not speeding while talking on the cell phone every time I am in the car is a real practice. It is something I will be practicing for the rest of my life. For you this could be a practice. Maybe there is something else you inattentively tend to do with your body. Try giving yourself over to the activity and notice how you feel after you complete the task. It will certainly feel different. Notice there is a calming effect when doing something physically with your full attention. That calmness is the absence of a mind that leans and clings—it is a state of mental clarity and stability. It is Being Empowered.

Right

2008-08-19T15:51:00.002-04:00

In the Buddhist 8 Fold Path, this is the first Limb. In translating the Pali language, oftentimes the meaning can get lost in translation. The use of the word right does not indicate a world of duality like this is right and that is wrong. The use of the word right is saying this is effective and works. Right view is proper orientation within the present moment.

The Four Noble Truths make up the spiritual compass required to guide you on your life path. The first truth is the realization of suffering. Two is the identification of the root or causes of suffering. Three is the cessation of suffering. Four is the cultivation of a life that minimizes suffering and maximizes happiness. Realization, identification, cessation and cultivation—these are the four truths often referred to as The Lion’s Roar. I personally love that—it is intense and very strong.

If you stopped 100 people on the street and asked them if they were suffering the majority are going to say no. If you change the wording to “stressed out”, the majority are going to change their answer. I believe that human beings have an incredible ability to ignore our stress. That is why we need to become sensitive to where we are getting hung up or stuck in life. In our world today there are so many different kinds of stress. All stress originates in the mind and is created by the mind and manifested by the mind.

For instance, if you don’t eat right or exercise you are placing undo stress on your mind and body which is going to eventually lead to deeper levels of suffering as you get older. Poor self image, premature aging, type 2 diabetes (potentially), heart disease, and the list goes on and on. In this case, a poor orientation to the present moment has you inflicting stress on yourself. Moments build onto moments and the stress and suffering will compound with aging, leading to greater pain.

How often I get caught up in misconstrued views and react to life with a lack of understanding! Being empowered is constant application and inspection of your filters and views. It is becoming aware of the thoughts that inhabit your mind with a non-judgmental awareness. It is about coming to the realization that you are more than the thoughts that populate your head. You are the awareness that can see thoughts developing and fading. Being Empowered is developing unwavering attention and cultivating the ability to discern right view from views that are going to lead to stress and undo suffering.

6 Zen Masters

2008-08-11T16:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning, I was awakened by my daughter Leia at 6 am. Most mornings she wakes up in a good mood but not this morning. As I tended to her, I walked downstairs to our 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier “Candy” who was running to the door. If I don’t react fast enough, Candy will do her business right on the floor. I let her out as Liam was crying in the bedroom with Sara. It was Sunday morning and Sara wanted to sleep, so I went into the bedroom and picked up Liam. Sara could get a few more minutes of rest while I took both Leia and Liam into the kitchen to start the coffee. Of course, at this point, I had forgotten about Candy. I quickly remembered and went outside to find her in the street. I felt my temper rise as I heard the thoughts go through my head, “Candy, how many times have I told you about walking in the street?” As I am walked back into the house, Finny our 4-year-old and very protective Wheaten Terrier is barking at me because I am outside. That is what he does; barks! I went back inside and Leia and Liam are fighting over some toy. I quickly helped them resolve their dispute and put a cartoon on to calm them down. Sara and Jimmy are still sleeping.

At any given time, whether it is because one of my three kids, my wife, or the two dogs, life is challenging the moment. Life is not about eliminating the disturbances so you can find peace. Life is about finding peace amongst the disturbances. My 6 Zen Masters are constantly teaching me how to do this.

You Can't Step in the Same River Twice

2008-08-01T09:46:00.001-04:00

There is an old Zen saying that you can never step into the same river twice. This wisdom exemplifies the flowing nature of reality. This morning when you woke up you probably looked at the same walls in your house, same kitchen, same people who live in your house. It is all the same at first glance—but is it?

Today is a new day—this moment is a new moment and one you have never lived. You are a day older and the world is constantly evolving and changing. Life is like a river and every moment is different. For you to recognize this, you have to shift your perspective from overly thinking to feeling. You have to pay attention with the utmost alertness and relax around this attentiveness. Placing your attention first thing in the morning on those you live with, a pet, or nature can be an awakening experience. Really look without thinking—see clearly and feel the presence of whatever you are looking at. Take a walk outside first thing in the morning and notice nature. Feel the presence of the trees or an animal feeding. Some of these practices can make a difference in your mood and set the tempo for your day.

The mind can become like a broken record – thinking the same thing over and over again. Developing a concentration practice like mediation, yoga, or applying the art of paying attention while walking, running, gardening, etc can help stabilize your mind allow you to drop into deeper states of awareness. Being fully awake to this moment brings a freshness, sharpness, and aliveness to your life. Many of my mornings begin with my daughter Leia. She wakes up and I pull her into bed with me. As we lay together I look at her face and she gives me kisses. We tickle each other. Her presence is so pure and she always reminds me to pay attention. This time is so precious and every morning is truly new when I see her with fresh eyes. Other mornings I begin with a 6am yoga practice. I use my body and sensation as the focal point of my attention. Other mornings begin with a run. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as much as where you mind is when you are doing it.

Start to notice where your attention lies. I have learned a lot about myself by paying attention first thing in the morning. Developing some early morning practices to notice that this day is new and everything around you is new. This can become a life altering practice. It can lead to a life of “Being Empowered”.

Niagara Falls

2008-07-22T10:09:00.002-04:00

This past weekend my wife Sara, my 8 year old son Jimmy and I drove up to Buffalo for a family reunion for Sara’s side of the family—we were also to celebrate Sara’s Grandmother’s 95th birthday. Before things got going Saturday morning we went to see Niagara Falls. I had not been there since I was in college. I stood by the falls and was overtaken by the energy of the water. Sara commented that it felt like it pulls you in. I felt the same way. The metaphors of water are a big yogic concept. The falls are very powerful!

Later that morning we went to the nursing home. Sara’s grandmother worked until she was 89. The last time I saw her was at her 90th birthday and she was sharp and alert. She moved a lot and lived on her own. Shortly after my visit she broke her hip and things have gone down hill since. It was wonderful to see her yet hard not to notice the correlation between movement and life energy within the body. She was very sleepy and not very alert and her body has withered. After we left the nursing home there was not much talk about her grandmother. We headed off to the family reunion.

The next morning we went back to the nursing home and her grandmother was more alert. Although she is nearly blind her eyes were wide open and she was much more coherent. We had lunch and I could not help but look around and contemplate what I was seeing. Most of the people in the home where confined to wheel chairs and not very alert. Many showed signs of mentally not being there. What went first - movement or the mind’s alertness or movement of body?

I cannot help but correlate movement with brain function. When I take my arms overhead for a prolonged period of time or hold a yoga posture I am extending my range of motion strengthening the muscles and connective tissue while strengthening and opening up the joint capsule. When I release the posture I pause to feel the gush of blood flow into the body like Niagara Falls water rushing. If you have ever practiced yoga postures you know what I am talking about. If I don’t practice yoga for several days, which doesn’t happen often, I feel the energy of the body has slowed down—stagnation has set in. It is like water that is left in a glass—it starts forming mold and other yucky stuff. This is what happens inside of us when we stop moving.

Our bodies and minds are 70% water. They are ever changing and the mind and body requires continuous flow and movement. Replenishing the body throughout the day with water insures we don’t become dehydrated and brittle. Performing movement that allows us to maintain the range of motion in the joints is critical. I don’t think I can escape old age, disease or death yet I know how to do it gracefully. The nursing home was a beautiful place. A reminder that I too will grow old and eventually die—there is nothing that comes from this realization. Death comes to all of us and life is here and now. The question that I continually contemplate is, “What am I doing with this moment?” Am I using this body and mind to its fullest? A worthy contemplation on the path to Being Empowered.

Bruce Lee

2008-07-14T14:43:00.000-04:00

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times” - Bruce Lee

When I first started practicing yoga, I practiced the Bikram sequence with Joel Pier in Philadelphia. Bikram is a series of postures practiced in a heated room. I remember after several classes I noticed the sequence was always the same. So I asked Joel if the sequence ever changed. Joel tilted his head down, looked over his glasses and poetically stated, “So much confusion outside of the Yoga room. Please don't bring it here.” I will never forget his words and the profundity stills rings true today.

A mindset that is predicated by having to change the sequence of postures falls in line with the adage of a mile wide and an inch deep. I also like the analogy of digging lots of holes or focusing on digging one hole deep enough to strike water. The mind and body are programmed through repetition. Introduce a stimulus repeated and an imprint is left. In essence, you become the stimulus.

I have heard movement experts say it takes anywhere from 160 to as much as 500 repetitions before you create a new pattern within your mind-body connection. The number of times is not important as much as the power of repetition. I have applied this science within the movements we teach at Empowered Yoga with incredible results. Although my body has benefited incredibly, I believe the true benefactor has been my mind.

Repetition for many can create boredom. I know for me this was the case at the beginning of my yoga practice. I got sick of Bikram and moved onto another style and then another style, continuing to search. It was not until I learned the principles of mindfulness and discovered the ultimate goal of yoga—Beginner’s Mind. I will never forget standing in front of a mirror several years ago, looking at myself and it hit me. I am searching in the wrong places. I am looking outside of myself for something that is right here. This moment is new! As I paid attention to that moment, everything seemed to magnify and brighten. It was a bit of an awakening experience and one you can have right now for yourself. Just sit still and pay attention. Look around the room. Notice the paint color, the trim, the ceiling. I mean really look. I bet you will see and feel something you never have before.

Beginner’s Mind is to see each moment as it is—new! Today is July 14, 2008. It is 5:26am and I have never lived at this time. Can I be awake and alert for what this moment presents? Many times our minds are aimlessly wandering from thought to thought – waiting for something to happen before we can begin living. I will be happy when I get the promotion, when I get the new car, when my kid gets out of diapers, etc. This makes the mind dull. Our attention is continuously on thought and the future instead of what we are experiencing right now. We develop a hardened concept around life in general and it develops by placing too much attention on thinking and not enough of experiencing what is happening right now.

The day that I realized this, standing in front of my mirror, changed my life. I started to pay attention to my mind and body while I went through the yoga practice that day. I felt things in postures I had never felt before. I will never forget that day but somehow, I do forget that day a thousand times a day. I get lost in thought, judgment, or analyzing. Then I remember to stop and pay attention and my mind comes back to the here and now. Life brightens up and gratitude grows.

Bruce Lee taught the power of Beginner’s Mind and the importance of mindfully repeating tasks in the pursuit of developing a mind and body that is sharp and awake. A lesson I need reminding of every second of my life. I am alive and this moment is new. Can I be present to receive it?

Flexible Beliefs

2008-06-30T14:39:00.000-04:00

I spend a fair amount of time in the car driving and I listen to podcasts as I drive. Studying evolutionary science is a hobby of mine. I have recently been listening to a podcast titled Evolution 101. Although the lecturer, Dr. Zack, sometimes goes over my head, I enjoy learning about science and how organisms change.

Have you ever seen the fish symbol on the back of a car? What about the fish with feet symbol on a car? The fish symbolizes Christian beliefs. The fish with feet symbolizes belief in evolution in the conventional sense. Conventional – meaning that humans have evolved from micro-organisms in the water, to fish, to land animals, and eventually to what we are today through a process that took millions of years. Both of these symbols indicate a belief.

No matter what your belief is, you believe strongly enough to post a symbol to the back of your car so everyone can see what you believe. I am not talking specifically about evolution as much as having beliefs. I am fascinated to listen to someone speak when they feel so strongly about something they believe in. They seem educated, concerned, and passionate. When you oppose them, they typically become defensive and have some preplanned rebuttal. It is as if they were expecting you to question what they believe. At first, I am attracted by the passion, but ultimately, the inflexible mind bores me. They are unable to listen to your point of view because it goes against what they believe and threatens what they think.

When I look back at my youth, I realize I had some strong beliefs. As I have aged and matured, I have educated myself and realized day in and day out that I just don’t know. Not knowing is what keeps me open and fresh in the moment. Evolution, something that I read and study seems to make perfect sense, but I realize that there is so much more that I don’t know. To establish this firm and rigid belief around evolution in the conventional sense would be unintelligent. So when I study a subject like evolution, I am very careful not to become rigid around one way of thinking.

Ok, I can hear you now—“Great! You’re someone who doesn’t believe anything and is wish-washy?” Everyday I try to approach my life with an open way of thinking. An approach that is continually predicated by educating myself while remaining completely open to having my beliefs pulled out from underneath me. This way I allow my beliefs to be flexible—evolving as I evolve.

Iron Man

2008-06-23T15:46:00.001-04:00

On Saturday I took my son Jimmy to see the new superhero movie, Iron Man. Before going, I was really unsure about the movie, but in the end was pleasantly surprised. I don’t want to ruin the movie for you, but I’ll share the basic plot. Iron Man is played by Robert Downey Jr. He is a billionaire industrialist who is the world’s largest supplier of weapons. He is very egotistical and not very conscious of the destruction and evil his business brings to the world. He is captured by a group using his weapons for tyranny and mass murder. During his capture, he has an awakening. He begins realizing the pain he is bringing to the world. Like all superhero movies, the plot is pretty predictable and in the end, he escapes and saves the day.

Maya is a word in yoga philosophy which perpetuates illusion and duality in the universe. Maya means you are not seeing the big picture and indicates ignorance. In essence, you are suffocated by your own ego and fail to see that your thoughts, words, and actions affect everyone around you and from a quantum prospective, the entire universe. Duality means two—it is living in the mentality that there is me and then there is the rest of the world. Maya is often referred to as “the veil” and is symbolic for separation and not seeing the other side. For many of us, it may be very challenging to fathom this reality. For Iron Man the veil of illusion is lifted abruptly as his contribution to destruction, pain, and death becomes glaringly apparent. Once the veil is lifted, he comes to the realization that he has to change and do something to counter his previous contribution.

Most of us are not fortunate enough to have a powerful awakening experience like Iron Man. That’s right – I said fortunate – because if we could just see how responsible we are for the state of the world it would radically change our thoughts, actions, and words on a daily basis. We would realize change in our world truly begins with ourselves. I contemplate this often within my own life. I always stress in classes and in conversations about the importance of becoming aware of your contribution within your domestic relationships. For me, there has never been a more polished mirror then my wife Sara.

Can you help me with this? Can you change a diaper? Can you come home early? Can you watch the kids? Can you pick this up on your way home? Can you skip what you want to do to do this with our family? In these situations, Sara is continually asking me to put my needs in the back seat. She’s not nagging me. She’s reminding me of the responsibilities I have to my family right now. I hear the voice in my head to resist and I have gotten pretty good at not reacting to it. I realize that the primary reason for my existence now is to raise three conscious children. If I can do that, I have done my work in this life.

Keeping the veil of Maya lifted takes a serious commitment. It is a moment by moment practice. It is being aware of your thoughts and pausing before you speak and act. Being Empowered is realizing this truth and committing to the practice.

Passion

2008-06-17T10:17:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning I did what I normally do. I was awakened by my daughter Leia. I changed her diaper and then went downstairs where Sara was changing Liam’s diaper. I made the coffee and then turned on the morning show only to find that Tim Russert had suddenly died. It was a blow to me, as well as to thousands of others. I really loved to watch “Meet the Press”. There was something so special about Tim and his passion for his family, his career, and for life in general. I was really drawn to him because he exuded that passion and I love surrounding myself with passionate people. Just the other day Jimmy (8 year old son) asked me what passion meant.

Johnny: It is something that you feel strongly about. Jimmy what am I passionate about? (I held my breath for a moment realizing I am about to hear what he observes me getting excited about.)

Jimmy: Spending time with your family.

Johnny: OK Jimmy, you are right. What else am I passionate about?

Jimmy: Helping people get healthy and feel good.

Johnny: Jimmy what are you passionate about?

Jimmy: I am passionate about lacrosse. I like to practice lacrosse.

Johnny: Why do you think practice is important?

Jimmy: Practice makes you better and if I don’t practice I might lose my passion.

All of this from an eight year old!

Tim Russert aligned himself with something he enjoyed and practiced it over and over again, making a career and an exuberant life out of it. What puts a smile on your face? What pumps your blood? Are you aligning your life with your passion? Life is too short to wish and hope—you have to make things happen. I believe if you take one step towards your passion your passion will take two steps towards you. Today do something that brings you one step closer to something you love and see what happens. I bet you will be surprised!

Going with or against the flow?

2008-06-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

The other day I was talking to a colleague about alignment. I am not referring to physical alignment; I am referring to mental alignment. In the practice of Hatha Yoga, we place so much attention on being present and learning to address when you are "out to lunch"-day dreaming. It is important to realize that you can never be present all the time. The mind wanders and then something brings you back. If you do not meditate or you do not practice yoga, you are probably not aware of this, yet it happens thousands of times throughout the day. The practice of meditation or Hatha Yoga helps strengthen your mind to be stable and steady. A large majority of our thoughts, actions, and words are subconscious. The more we spend time in the present moment, the less we operate from a subconscious place and start living from a conscious place. This is a place where empowered living takes place. 

Many times I hear people say "Just go with the flow!" What happens when going with the flow is just a habit that is not really helping me be happy? I have been thinking this way and living this way for so long I will just go with the flow. It is cool to go with the flow, right? Well for me, I have really learned to stop and ask myself "Should I go with the flow?" Is this causing unhappiness or pain in my life? Maybe I need to not go with the flow and stop and go the other way. This can take a lot of courage, particularly when you have the momentum of your mind and emotions telling you to just go with it and do what you have always done; to just be in the flow. 

This is where meditation, Hatha Yoga or any concentration or conscious-deepening practice comes into play. It allows you to begin to understand the flowing nature of reality. Things are always changing and our minds are always changing. Thoughts come in and then they leave. Some thoughts come repeatedly throughout the day and others just show up occasionally. Conscious-deepening practice allows us to develop emotional and mental intelligence so we can begin to know when to go with the flow and when to stop and go the other direction. Without the ability to pause and be conscious of the present moment, we just wind up thinking, speaking, and acting the way we always did. The present becomes the past replayed and the future is nothing more than the same.

Being empowered is seeing the truth of this and learning to pause and bring skillful action into going with the flow or against it.

Inspired

2008-06-03T13:30:00.003-04:00

This past Friday, May 30th, Brad Bolding and Josh Stively, two personal trainers from our Plexus at Nemours location, ran around the Brandywine and Nemours buildings in downtown Wilmington as a fundraiser for the American Heart Association. They ran for a combined 8 hours, covering 56 miles, and raised close to $5,000. We had a race clock out front on the sidewalk, courtesy of Wayne Kursh from Races2Run. The University of Delaware Football Coach KC Keeler gave the official start of the run. A handful of Plexus employees were on the streets throughout the day talking to pedestrians about the event and raising awareness for heart disease.

Do you know that heart disease is the number one killer in the US? Over 800,000 people die annually from heart disease and the majority of deaths are linked to lifestyle choices. Brad and Josh wanted to do something radical to get people's attention so they came up with this idea. They wore Plexus green arms bands, head bands and socks that went up to their knees. Initially they got people's attention with their clothing – by the end of the day it was their spirits that had us paying attention!

Coach Keeler mentioned that these 2 men are more built like football players – neither of these guys are distance runners – what were they thinking? Brad and Josh began the day with injuries that I thought would prevent them from finishing. This added to the extreme message these guys were trying to send. I didn't give much thought to the event beyond the required planning prior to May 30th. I wasn’t really emotionally invested in what they were doing. This all changed during the second half of the day.

The day was a relay. Brad ran for the first two hours and then Josh ran the third and fourth hours. Josh hobbled across the line with a nagging hamstring injury. Brad ran the fifth and sixth hours and Josh the seventh and eighth. I never moved from the sidewalk for the second half of the day. I stood there, watching the clock count down towards eight hours, initially wondering whether these guys could actually do it. My doubt was quickly dissipated as I watched their faces. The volume of my cheers lessened and my emotions began to deepen. My inspiration from these two men grew lap by lap, as I saw their faces, full of focus and determination.

The word inspired comes from the Latin root, spiritus which means spirit. I was inspired because I knew that with each step Brad and Josh took, a voice in their head would say, "Stop! You’ve done enough! The pain is too much! It is too hot! My hamstrings hurt!” This is the voice of ego – the voice of fear and doubt and the voice that holds all of us back in all that we do in life. Every time we listen and invest our attention into this negative voice, our spirits grow dim and we shrink back. We stop saying YES to life.

As Josh crossed the line, the clock read exactly 8:00 hours. I was so proud of these two men for the valiant display of what the human spirit is possible of accomplishing. They made a loud statement to all of those who saw them that day. Heart disease – in fact the majority of disease – is largely preventable if we would just learn to work with our own minds and recognize what lies within each and every one of us.

Driving to School (part 2)

2008-06-02T14:33:00.000-04:00

The next day Jimmy and I got into the car and Jimmy asked if we could listen to another podcast. I was very happy to say yes. This particular podcast dealt with integrating practice into the work place. The teacher was using some words that Jimmy was unfamiliar with, so he had questions during the podcast which were very thought provoking

Jimmy: What does integration mean?

Johnny: An act of learning something and then applying it into an integral whole. The lecturer, Gil Fronsdal, was talking about taking what you learn from mediation practice and applying it into work. Jimmy, the goal of spiritual practice is to develop yourself so you can help those around you. By becoming your best, you will begin to positively affect everyone within your life. It is a win/win situation and osmosis is action.

Jimmy: That sounds good—what does Osmosis mean?

Johnny: Osmosis is—well—(he stumped me on how to describe this one so I used an example). If you throw a shirt into water, the shirt takes on the water so the water and shirt become one. When Gil uses the word osmosis he is referring to you becoming part of something by simply being around it. More recently, Jimmy has made comments about how I am beginning to say things and act like his Mom. I used this example so he would further understand osmosis. Because I am around Mom all the time, I will naturally by process of osmosis, take on her qualities and vice versa. I also told Jimmy that I would become like him because we spend a lot of time together. Jimmy, that is why we must pay attention to the company we keep. If we are around people who are not acting with loving kindness, we will eventually begin acting the same way by process of osmosis. We continued to listen and then the word ethical came up.

Jimmy: What does ethical mean?

Johnny: I had to think about this—let’s just say it is doing the right thing, not just for you but also those around you. Acting in an ethical manner means that you will act with loving kindness and if you are placed in situation where you cannot act with loving kindness you will remove yourself from the situation instead of potentially hurting someone else. Once removed from the situation, review the situation, bringing understanding to what happened.

Jimmy: That makes sense.

My children are my greatest teachers. Jimmy is at an age where he is asking lots of questions. Many times these questions are stopping me in my tracks and requiring that I contemplate words, ideas and thoughts.

We have teachers all around us if we would simply pay attention. Our teacher is the present moment and what the present moment presents and our reaction to this presentation. We can learn a lot about ourselves if we just stop and listen.

Driving to School

2008-05-30T14:53:00.001-04:00

The other morning Jimmy (my son) followed me out to the car. I was loading the car so that I could take him to school. I had a podcast playing from the night before that began playing once I turned the car on. Jimmy got in the car and began listening. I forgot something in the house and had to go back in leaving Jimmy in the car. When I came back, Jimmy was sitting there listening to the podcast. I apologized for leaving the podcast on and asked him what he wanted to listen to. Jimmy replied that this was just fine. WOW! My 8-year-old son wants to listen to a dharma (truth) talk. As we drove to school I kept looking back at Jimmy and was amazed that he was attentively listening. The podcast ended with 10 minutes to go before arriving at his school. Our conversation went like this:

Johnny: Did you like it?

Jimmy: Yes.

Johnny: What was the biggest thing you learned?

Jimmy: The importance of being present.

Johnny: Why is it important to be present?

Jimmy: You will miss stuff if you don’t pay attention .

Johnny: Does your mind act crazy sometimes?

Jimmy: Laughing at the question, he said, “Yes it does”

Johnny: So can you understand that you can watch your thoughts and sometimes see that they are crazy, not you?

Jimmy: Yes, I can see my thoughts.

Johnny: Ok Jimmy, this is the last thing I want to say. If you are able to watch your thoughts, then who are you?

Jimmy: I guess I am something more than what I think.

Johnny: Exactly Jimmy! Your potential in this life will come from developing a relationship with what can watch thought. Do you understand this Jimmy?

Jimmy: I think so

I am very conscious with those in my life to not be a preacher, but to still share the truth with them in a way that helps them live a happier and healthy life. At 8 Jimmy is beginning to understand the power he possesses as a human being. I was extremely proud of Jimmy this morning for listening and applying contemplation. Thoughts can very much be a problem—our problem can be found in our relationship to thought. If we invest in negative thinking, it will expand and grow, and eventually we will become those thoughts. If we learn to dismiss negative thinking and focus more on positive thoughts, our life will be much less stressful and much more enjoyable

Letting Be

2008-05-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Cultivating this ability to “let go” is an important aspect of learning to live a happy life. I have a lot of students who have told me how hard they find it to let go. I think the problem lies within their response. It goes back to concretizing.

Now I know I am focusing on linguistics but in 15 years of teaching, you begin to pick up on some commonalities when people experience a challenge. They say it is hard and they freeze up instead of rising to the challenge. The challenge lies in seeing a thought for what it is—just a thought. It weighs nothing, means nothing, and in an essence, has no power unless, and this is a big unless, we give our attention to it.

This is what happens when we freeze up around the thought. We have given our attention and power to the thought. We begin to mentally invest in this thought, emotions begin to arise, and finally, the concretizing happens. Given enough attention the thought gives birth to a belief. We begin believing the thought is real—in many ways, we become the thought. This is how thoughts can begin to shape our lives.

For these students facing particularly difficult challenges, I believe they are engaging the verb, letting go a little too strenuously. I encourage a shift to “letting be”. This is something that has worked greatly for me. It reduces pushing or being aggressive. It’s productive when we stop trying so hard to push away or rid ourselves of something and instead, apply a willingness to understand. Understanding is not analyzing or judging, as much as it is seeing the thoughts for what they are – just thoughts. As you apply awareness to your thoughts, your awareness shines light onto the very nature of thought which is empty space. This realization and understanding can bring a sense of peace and freedom into that moment.

Before you know it, the thought will be back. This is why you practice this technique. The ability to “letting be” strengthens with increased frequency of application. Your awareness will grow as will your ability to see that you are more then just thoughts.

You Are Not What You Think

2008-05-14T10:48:00.000-04:00

In the practice of Calm Abiding (Samatha) Meditation, the instructions are very clear. You pick a focus point to settle the eyes on, focus your attention on the breathing and the body. As you begin to gain your internal awareness, you can begin to work with the mind and the body on a much deeper and more profound level.

One of the first things you realize is that your mind is a mad, runaway train and in some ways you are crazy! This is a wonderful realization. Your mind is just like a gland; it is constantly secreting thoughts. Before I began practicing yoga and meditating, I thought that my thoughts defined who I was. Once I learned to recognize my thoughts and monitor them as they came and went, I began to realize I was something much vaster and greater then just my thoughts.

At some point in practice you come to the painstaking realization that you are the culprit. You create the stress in your life. That’s right. You can no longer be a victim and you have to grow up and stop blaming other people for your present situation. This comes from the realization that for most of your life, you have been identified by your thoughts. You believed your thoughts are who you were. You were wrong.

You become empowered when you realize you are not your thoughts, but are able to recognize and monitor your thoughts. This is the awakening to consciousness that can catapult you right out of clinging to your stress into a life of empowerment.

Now this all sounds rather wonderful, but it requires diligent practice. Your mind has been driving that runaway train your whole life and loves to convince you that you are your thoughts, that you are your stress. Your mind will perform all kinds of tricks to get you to cling and hang onto to your stress.

On a daily basis, I forget this and then I remember it again. I forget and then remember. This remembering is what allows me to let go, cultivating acceptance and happiness in my life. Every time you sit and meditate or practice at Empowered Yoga, you are constantly cultivating this ability to let go. In classes, teachers will instruct the students again and again to become ‘present’ through their breath and their body. Every time you become present and let go of thoughts, your ability to live from a more authentic and happy place becomes realized.

Suffering, an Inconvenient Truth

2008-05-13T16:06:00.003-04:00

The classical description to the first noble truth deals with birth, sickness, old age and death. These are four things that will most certainly happen to each and every one of us. It is a truth of human life.

If I were to ask people if they suffered on a daily basis, most of them would look at me funny. If I asked them instead if they experience stress, they would say “Of course I do". We will use the word stress instead of suffering.

At Plexus, before beginning our personal training relationships, new clients go through a health and fitness assessment. One of the questions we ask is “How would you rate your level of stress on a daily basis?” This allows us to know something about the individual’s lifestyle and how their mental fitness is.

Many people in 2008 live with a fair amount of stress. Where does stress come from? I like to break stress down into two categories: Physical Stress and Mental Stress. These two are interdependent and ultimately are affecting each other. Let’s take a closer look at some examples.

Physical Stress - We can inflict negative stress on our bodies by eating unhealthy foods, eating too much food at once, drinking too much caffeine and alcohol, sitting in the same position too long, not exercising, exercising too much (yes you can do this), poor posture, neglecting the feet, bathing in the sun too much, and the list goes on and on.

Mental Stress - The mind can experience stress when it internalizes things, takes things too personal, overworks and over thinks, clings onto the past like a broken record, fantasizes about the future, or meets the moment with preconceived notions of what they want to happen. And again I am sure we could go on and on.

Is there a way to learn to reduce stress? The cultivation of the present state of mind allows us to get in touch with the body and mind. I know when I get in touch with the present moment and I am experiencing stress, I typically discover that my mind is grasping or clinging onto something. This is the Second Truth of human life: We suffer because we grasp and cling to things trying to concretize them within our minds.

Ice cream Sandwich

2008-05-12T12:52:00.001-04:00

This morning my daughter Leia came into the living room with tears in her eyes holding an ice cream sandwich. Sara followed her in asking me to tell Leia that she could not have it. Sara asks me to do the dirty work because Leia will listen to me more than her. I told Leia now wasn’t the right time to be eating ice cream and redirected her attention to something else and in seconds Leia let go of the thoughts of eating the ice cream sandwich. A brilliant observation of the mind!

I paused for a moment and realized how cool that was. Leia was truly suffering when she realized that there was a possibility that her desire to eat the ice cream sandwich was not going to be fulfilled. When we look at Leia’s suffering it comes from grasping to a thought again and again eventually bringing tears. A simple parenting trick of redirecting your child’s attention helps teach them to “let go” of the thoughts and move on to the next thoughts or experience. This ability to let go of thought is an innate part of the human mind. Leia displayed it wonderfully this morning with the help of some trick parenting.

Letting go is the hinge within the Four Noble Truths of the Buddhist Philosophy. The four truths are: Suffering, Causes of Suffering, release from suffering and cultivation of non-suffering state. I will focus on this for the next few blogs

Concretize

2008-05-06T10:36:00.001-04:00

I had to look this one up. It is to make something hard like concrete. I was listening to a Dharma (truth) podcast the other day and the lecturer used this word. I really like it because it gives such a strong visualization of what happens within us when we hold on too tightly to something. I was a construction worker during high school and I was responsible for mixing concrete and pouring it. You add water to the concrete solution and then it hardens and becomes solid and non-porous.

The human body is roughly 75% water depending on your age and the amount of water you drink. It is common for people to become more and more dehydrated as they age. Did you know our brains are 75% water? Most headaches can be attributed to dehydration. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 83% water, body fat contains 25% water, and bone has 22% water. When the body is dehydrated it dries up and begins to concretize like concrete. Research has proven that severe dehydration creates havoc for our bodies in the long run.

Our minds work a lot like this: Just take a moment to sit back and watch your mind. A thought will come in and then it will turn into another thought and another, and so on, just like a story. You can think of the mind as flowing as water, moving from one thought to another. The mind can also latch onto a thought and concretize it. This means that this particular thought will come up again and again. It has hardened and becomes a repeat thought or part of your memory. This feature of the mind is what allows us to accomplish tasks and empower ourselves. Unfortunately, it can also keep us stuck in unhealthy and habitual patterns.

Here is a little exercise in awareness. The next time someone says to you “This is really hard,” look up and observe their facial expression. You will be surprised to see that their face is a face of anguish or stress. It is as if they are those negative thoughts and feelings and concretizing them. As they are pulled from their comfort zone, they freeze, like concrete. The mind tends to concretize around fear and the thought that produced that emotion. The more often we concretize around things we would categorize as difficult—the harder it is to deal with life’s ups and downs.

When you experience a task that requires you to sweat, think outside the box, or get your hands a little dirty, I refer to it as a challenge. Accepting a challenge requires courage. The word courage comes from the Latin root “cor” which means heart. It is within the moments that we are challenged that we need to stop and recognize the thoughts and emotions for what they are. It is a shift from identification to observation; the concretizing can subside with observation within minutes. Using identification however, we can many times become paralyzed like concrete for hours, days or even a lifetime.

This is something I am continually working on. I’m trying to recognize where I am hardening when I need to soften— lifetime contemplation for all those on the path to empowerment!

Seasonal Runner

2008-05-05T14:38:00.000-04:00

I am a seasonal runner. I start running in the spring and put the shoes away once fall arrives. I began running a month ago and it just seems to become more challenging each year to get going. I am starting to feel the rhythm with my breath and my stride and already thinking that maybe I just have to keep going throughout the winter. Aging often brings greater challenges!

For the last few weeks, I have been running first thing in the morning. The alarm goes off anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30, depending on my day. I don’t mind getting up early and it has been interesting to recognize my mind waking up. There are thoughts that pop up and say, “No! Stay in bed—run later,” or “Go check your e-mails first,” or “You have a long day today. Maybe running is not the thing to do right now”. It is pretty interesting to see the thoughts for what they are, just thoughts. There really is nothing to a thought until we invest our attention into it and start believing that it is real or solid.

The last few weeks those thoughts have not been real. I just see them for what they are. I notice them and even give the thoughts names like lazy thought, excuse thought, or complaining thought. I shift my awareness to my body, sit up in bed and place my feet on the ground. I pause for a moment and take a deep breath in and then begin moving. As I am getting dressed, I just pay attention to putting my pants on, lacing up my shoes, etc. I step outside and begin running. Once I finish my run, I acknowledge the fact that a simple thought almost held me back. Fortunately, I saw it for what it was: just a thought.

You can apply this exercise to any thought that might be holding you back. See it for what it is and shift your awareness to your body and/or your breath. The thought loses its power if it doesn’t produce action! This process takes practice, but once applied, it really works!

Basic Meditation Instructions

2008-04-24T14:06:00.006-04:00

Anyone who has ever sat down and meditated, has also come to the conclusion that the mind can be very erratic. The ancient yogis use the phrase “monkey mind” to describe the mind and how it jumps from thought to thought, like a monkey swinging from branch to branch. One of the biggest mistakes one can make is to think that you are going to be in wrestling match with yourself until you tame your damn mind. This kind of attitude will leave you frustrated and tense. It is very important to understand that you are not going to shut your mind off or attain some supernatural state. You are just going to sit and be with whatever it is that arises. The instructions are very clear within the basic meditation process. The ego wants to make the meditation process more complicated then it is. Here are some basic instructions to get you started:

Take a comfortable seat. You can be in a chair or sit on the floor. If you are sitting on the floor, ensure that your knees are not higher than your hips. Your spine should be aligned, with your shoulders dropped and relaxed. Your ears should be centered overtop of the shoulder.
Find a point that you can rest your eyes on.

If you are sitting on the floor, let that point be four feet in front of you. Make sure not to drop your chin when looking down at the floor.
If you are sitting in a chair, focus your eyes straight ahead. Again, make sure your spine is properly aligned and you are maintaining an S-curve with your vertebrae. Poor posture will cause mental laziness and affect your alertness.

There are many meditations that have you close your eyes, but for this one keep your eyes open. It will help you stay alert and reduce sleepiness.
Now bring your attention to your breathing. Keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nostrils.
Focus on the way the air comes through your nostrils and down your throat, filling the lungs. Follow the breath as it leaves your body in the reverse order.
When your attention wanders from observing the breath—you have fallen into focusing on a thought – maybe even a stream of thoughts.
No big deal. Just recognize that you have left the present moment—label the thinking as thought and come back to an inhale.
Repeating this process of losing your focus on the breath and coming back is what creates a stronger and more stable mind.
Judging yourself or being hard on yourself when you are lost in thought will only cause more thought. Learning to touch thought with your awareness and return to your breathing will cultivate the ability to let go.

The process of letting go of thought and coming back to the present moment can be viewed as a repetition. The more you catch yourself (repetitions) and come back to the present moment, the more your mind will become familiar with the present moment. This will create mental and emotional stability.

Begin with 10 minutes a day—optimally in the morning upon awaking. This is when your mind is the most placid. You will also begin noticing that your mornings are less rushed and you feel more peaceful. Work towards 15 minutes or more and meditation will surely change your life!

Pure Potential

2008-04-23T14:20:00.001-04:00

The word spiritual comes from the Latin prefix, spiritus, which translates as breath. The central theme of spiritual practice is coming back to the present moment. You develop a relationship with what you experience when your attention is focused on something other than thought. The breath is the anchor of this process and is intimately connected to your state of mind. Even using the word spiritual can get in the way for many people. Some of the most spiritually advanced people I have met in my life don’t actually consider themselves spiritual or care to think of it as such. They are just good people who see beyond concepts. I love these people because there is no pretentiousness in who they are.

We have all heard the statistic that the average human uses 7-9% of their brain. What is possible with the other 90%? Some say humans like Einstein, Jesus Christ and the Buddha tapped into the greater depths of their brains—explaining their superhuman feats. I am sure we could create a list of people who have been superhuman and all of them would tell us the same thing. Their feats, discoveries and superpowers came from a place beyond their own thought. If this is the case, why doesn’t every human being cultivate this power?

When we draw our attention away from our thoughts and onto the breath, we become anchored in the now. As our minds start to become more placid, paradoxically we become more alert and attentive. Meditation is an exercise that strengthens our ability to stay in this state of presence. That is right—meditation is an exercise that strengthens our ability to connect to our basic essence as human beings. View meditation as lifting weights for the mind. The more often you return to the present moment, the more connected you become to your pure potential. Your pure potential is beyond concepts, thoughts and words. In Zen they call this state, “No mind”

Research shows that when people are meditating, they tend to move from a mind dominated by Beta waves (Busy) to a mind of Alpha and Theta waves (creative and relaxed). Research has also shown that activity between the right and left hemispheres of the brain balances out, thus we begin using both sides of the brain. I’ve never met anyone who said “I just can’t seem to think enough.” I do meet people who tell me they just can’t seem to stop thinking so much. When the mind is flooded with too much thinking, stress and lack of clarity can become the theme for your life.

Another misconception is that you have to sit to meditate. Ideally, this would be best, but you don’t have to do this to start. I meditate all the time. Driving in the car, washing dishes, listening to someone talk in a conversation. I love to meditate when I run. I will bring my attention to my breath and when it wanders to a thought, I am aware of it and return to focusing on the breath. You can do it! Before you move onto another website or your next task, try it. Bring your attention to the breath. Breathe in through the nose and feel the air come through the nostrils, down the throat inflating the lungs. Pause at the top of the inhale, exhale slowly feel the air as it leaves the lungs. Notice how you feel after doing this just once. Congratulations! You have just meditated! Now try incorporating this into other activities and you will begin noticing settling changes throughout your day.

Repetition is Key

2008-04-22T12:57:00.000-04:00

I began rereading A New Earth because I wanted to be on the same page as everyone on the podcast. I am reading deeper into Tolle’s message this time around and the reason is simple—repetition. I read A New Earth two years ago and in the last two years my ability to be present and to not live so much in my head has matured. I am nothing special. It is just that practice and commitment creates depth.

Ryan Burnes, one of our teachers, is also rereading A New Earth. Just this morning I finished a 6am practice and I asked him, “How is it the second time around?” Ryan responded with “I’m wondering if I really read it the first time.” We both laughed because we know that the wisdom Tolle expresses is at such a depth and clarity that every time you read it, the teachings will absorb farther than before, leaving you with a feeling that it is new and fresh.

I believe many people get this feeling from reading any book containing truth. You are in a different place within your life everyday, so reading anything that speaks of truth can be applied and practiced. Ryan then made the following comment as he pointed to my office, which contains a lot of books; “You have lots of new books in there—you don’t need to buy more books. Just study the ones you have.”

There is an old Zen proverb that says “You can never step into the same river twice.” Truth needs to be explored again and again. The one thing Hatha Yoga practice has taught me is that you can never do the same pose twice. Each day your mind, emotions, and body are different. If you are locked in thought, you might convince yourself that you are doing the same pose as yesterday, yet this is truly impossible if you are in a present state of mind.

Eckhart Tolle

2008-04-21T12:11:00.001-04:00

Recently I have been all jazzed up over Eckhart Tolle and Oprah Winfrey joining forces on a podcast. Eckhart Tolle is a renowned spiritual teacher who has written books titled Power of Now, Stillness Speaks, and his latest, A New Earth. The podcast is a book review that takes callers and also answers e-mails pertaining to A New Earth. The podcast started off with over 700,000 listeners representing 190 countries. I know in the last 6 weeks, the number have grown but I can’t tell you what they are. During the first podcast, Oprah said this is the most exciting thing she has ever done. That statement took me back!

Tolle poetically and simplistically writes and teaches about the importance of understanding the difference between thought and what lies behind thought: our presence or consciousness. His message parallels Jesus and the Buddha and his delivery is digestible and non-dogmatic if you are ready to listen with your consciousness. In all his books and in the podcast, he has said there are people that are just not ready to understand that they are not their thoughts, and come to the realization that there is something vaster than their thinking mind residing within them. He goes onto say that unless you have observed your thoughts and realized there is something that can view your thoughts and emotions like a 3rd party observer, the book may not be for you.

I first read the book Power of Now in 2002 and have reread it several times over the years. The first time I read it I was at a yoga retreat in Utah, sitting 9600 feet above sea level with my legs kicked up. and I read the line, “You cannot think and feel at the same time”. This sentence has stayed within my awareness for the last six years. I don’t profess to be a spiritually advanced person and I continually get hung up in my thoughts and emotions. Over the last six weeks I have felt a deepening of his message and I have been talking with colleagues and friends about why this is happening.

Deeper understanding of a Banged up Jock

2008-04-14T15:28:00.001-04:00