Yoga Real Estate

I had a teacher once that moved his yoga mat to a different location for every class.  It always kept the students on their toes and made them explore their attachments to their yoga space.

I find it interesting how much we are creatures of habit.  How we move into our classes and place our mats in the exact same spot each week.  And the looks on students faces when someone is in 'their spot' as if it's going to change their experience.  I have even experienced some students tell others, "You can't go there that's so-and-so's place".

For awhile I encouraged people to come into the room and find a different spot to practice.  And found it equally interesting to watch my own reaction when the students weren't in 'their spot'.

Recently one mentioned how another always comes in and has to be in one particular place in the room.  I hadn't paid much attention to it; normally before classes I'm still deciding what I will teach or how to approach the asanas in a way that I haven't yet explored or presented.  But this week I saw it... the student put her mat down into 'her' place.  Students from the prior class hadn't even left yet.  I watched as she pushed her way into her space where two others were still talking.  I witnessed "she's not doing it right rudeness".  The two who were still talking didn't say anything, they didn't have to their faces said it all.  Apparently she thought the yoga real estate was ripe for harvest.

Isn't it odd how much in our heads we can be, how caught up in our own experiences that we are absent to what is going on around us?  And isn't this a portion of why we practice to become more present?  I encourage you to show up more fully and notice not only what is happening with self, but also others.  You may just find your connection to your space isn't as valuable as you had previously imagined specifically if your find your space has a sold sign on it.

Namaste,

Tammy

x

PS.  Have you seen My Mantra Colouring Book yet?  It offers 28 mantras and whimsical girls for you to colour. Use this colouring book to journal in, enchance your practice of mantra, chant and set clear intentions to help you along your journey.

   

Meditations & Colouring

Hey All!
Happy June!  I hope you are having a great day.

We are being reminded of the cycle of life in our fish tank these past days.  We have two tanks; a 30 and a 60 gallon.  It's the 60 gallon tank that is truly a teacher lately.

We've lost a few fish... Pretty died and we just had to put down Zeibs.  They were both our original fish in this tank which I believe is 7 years old.  Pretty was just old.   But Zeibs was being eaten by our pleco and beat up by the younger fish in the tank.  He did his best, but loss the battle and we didn't want to watch him suffer in his final hours.  It's always heart breaking to have to put down a fish.

Anyhow we've been thinking of getting 4 more fish for the tank to repopulate it.  Then yesterday I was watching my finned friends swim around and found two fry in there!  Our Electric Yellow Labs had babies!  It's so exciting.  Trouble is we can't get the fry out of the tank to protect them from the other cichlids.  Here's hoping the little guys make it and the other's don't decide to eat their young.

The ebb and flow of life in the tank, a reminder our own personal flow.

Remember I told you I'd let you know when my Totem Colouring Books would be updated with a meditation?  Well, they all set!  If you are interested in your animal totems go grab your copy today!   You can find them here at Amazon

Be well,
Tammy

PS.  Also featured on Amazon is This Stage of Grief, a book to support you through any grieving journey;  this was inspired by the loss of my brother and the challenges that accompany the grieving journey.  It's not an easy process as you may know.

And My Mantra Colouring Book - A Yogini's Journey... a fun whimsical girls book for you to colour and chant away with!

You can also have a look inside them there!

Peace begins with me meditation

I can't believe how fast this month has progressed.  I just realized I haven't made space to blog for so long.  I have had a nice time this month - been busy art journaling, writing and also teaching. 


This past week I was teaching meditation to my students and thought I'd share this one with you also.  This technique comes from Gabrielle (Gabby) Bernstein who has a Kundalini background.


Warning!  This will make you feel relaxed & enhance your wellbeing!!!


You begin by taking your thumb and touching each finger in turn.  As you do so you add in a mantra (japa) a silent repetition of the sentence, "Peace begins with me".


Take your thumb and touch your index finger and say "Peace"
Thumb to middle finger, "Begins"
Thumb to ring finger, "With"
Thumb to baby finger, "Me"


Here's how I taught it to my classes:
What I love about this is you can do it with eyes open or closed!  You can use it while waiting for a scheduled meeting, your turn in line or anywhere you choose.


1st time through spend several minutes connecting words with movement.


Next:
After several minutes change the timing according to your breath.  One repetition per inhale.  One repetition per exhale.


After several minutes change it again to two repetitions per inhale, followed by two repetitions per exhale.


Then lengthen it one more time to three repetitions of the phrase, "Peace begins with me" per inhale and three per exhale.


It feels simply amazing!


Have a great week.
Much love,
Tam
x


PS.  You normally do this with both hands but if your hands/fingers are feeling tender while doing this just skip the finger portion but keep the repetitions going mentally.

Shifting Gears

You may have noticed many of the changes that have occurred with reikiandyoga.com over the past few weeks. Today I added even more! Isn't technology wonderful?

I personally consider myself a techno junkie and love the latest and greatest things especially when I can figure out how to do them myself! No, I was never one of those people who could not programme their VCR. And infact, up until we signed on with Digital cable, my husband always came to me to program it for him! LOL

Please enjoy the new mantra page - before you listen to the .wav files know that I am NOT a seasoned chanter or singer...yet, you will get an introduction to mantra just the same.

You can find it hereat www.reikiandyoga.com/mantra.html

Speaking of updates, if there is something you'd like to mention about the website, be it positive or constructive critism please email me at:
reikiandyoga@yahoo.com

I'd love to hear from you!
Enjoy this Wednesday