Content to be back

Monday finds the Fall session beginning.  Although I enjoy being on holiday I equally enjoy being back to teaching.  I just got this wonderful message from a student:
"You have been missed, though!  I am all signed up for the new session.  You have made such a huge difference in my life.  Thank you"
I'm so very grateful for those who come to the mat to practice with me every week.  It's amazing to see those who are open to their own vulnerabilities, investigation and exploration.
"Santosha" which is a sanskrit word which can be defined as acceptance, satisfaction or contentment.   And it's not always something that occurs effortlessly.
This summer found me in a situation with a woman who said to me, "You're far too happy."
I had to laugh at that statement.  It hasn't always been that way.  I explained a portion of my journey to her and it surprised her to hear it.
It has taken years and a ton of work to find Santosha.  And the fact remains that I still struggle with it at times.  For the most part it has been Yoga, Reiki, Pranayama & Meditation practices which helped me to get there.  You know how challenging life can be.  I don't have to tell anyone that...yet what I can say is contentments can and will be found if you're willing to do a little work.
Here's a yoga sequence that may be of interest:  https://www.yogajournal.com/videos/niyamas-santosha-sequence
Om Shanti
Tammy
PS.  To view my schedule check out my site
PPS. Do you like to colour?  Check out my colouring books

White Light

So it seems I shouldn't wear white after Victoria Day.  And yesterday I learnt I should look in the mirror more often.  After I got home from teaching I went to put my hair up and when I finally did look into the mirror saw I had spilled my morning coffee all over my white shirt!

Not one of the 45 people I had contact with during classes (or the others I spoke to all day) told me.  New rule... no more white!  At least I didn't walk around all day with egg on my face - or did I?

I have a new obsession... Matt Kahn

Have you heard of him?  I just cyberly met him this past week and I have a serious soul crush on this guy!  He is an amazing spiritual teacher.  Here's one of his videos that really resonated with me...

What was interesting, among many other things, was the portion of the video where he discusses emptiness.

Years ago when I lived alone I would go to bed at night and feel empty - which at the time associated with loneliness and depression.  There was this void that would enter and feel overwhelming.  At the time I hated this feeling. Then if you had told me this was a connection to the divine I would have told you to F-O or similar words.

Years later, I enjoy this sensation when it arrives.  I embrace it.  This void is so expansive; comforting truly without pain, without peril. It was interesting to hear him explain this emptiness, this connection to source.

The space between the breaths can hold this sensation as well.  The gap where the inhale meets the exhale, or the exhale greets the inhale.  It was either Rod Stryker or Stephen Cope ( can't recall which one) who taught this during a meditation retreat.  This space or void is your connection to the soul.  Today I receive this idea with a new understanding.

I'll leave you with this for today.  And ask if you see me wearing white with a coffee stain please mention it!  I'll do the same so we have each other's backs... or front so it seems.

Keep shining your light.

Namaste,

Tammy

Eternally guided

I was first introduced to Rumi's poem "The Guest House" from a reading by Lilias Folan at a Yoga conference a few years ago.  It was so comforting and so applied to what I had learnt about myself over the years.

I have, in past, suffered from pretty severe depression (I was actually stuck there for years).  One day during this time of suffering a girlfriend said to me, "It's the best thing that could happen!  Depression is such a blessing!"

I thought she was nuts - dropped off the deep end... riding the short bus... loosing her shit.....

I wondered, "How the hell can depression be a blessing?"  It took me a few years, but I finally got it - without knowing or understanding true pain can we truly appreciate what the other side feels like. 

She was so right - you can not have up without down, right without left, incorrect and truth... it's relative.  For us to really appreciate living an abundant life we need to live it's flipside.

I've also learned that happiness takes work.  

This knowing took me so many years to understand. 

I think that's why "The Guest House" made such an impression on me like no other. 

May it do the same for you,
Namaste,
Tammy


THE GUEST HOUSE

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

~Rumi

My wish for you is eternal guidance

Self Compassion

It's really funny how connected everything is.  Be it the bunny showing up last week showing lessons to slow down or the zany dreams I've been having that are all about making more conscious choices. 

The dream I had last night reminded me of the years when feelings of depression won out over any other emotion.  The bottom of the barrel, the end of the line; you know these mind states.  We all have had them at some point.  Some of us have them more often than others.  To be honest I still have those days; gladly they don't last as long as they used to. 

During those years when depression won 95 % of the time I didn't know I had a choice.

I didn't realize it. 

Thankfully I got over those years alive (quite seriously).

So this morning when I read over on FB  "If your compassion doesn't include yourself, it is incomplete." ~Buddha

I had to laugh.  Yep.. there you go.  The messages are all over the place and I am not alone in the lessons.

People have to realize that for most it is our attitude that will shift or change our experience.  And once we turn off this suffering button we can reach heights we never imagined possible. 

We have to realize it.

We have to remind ourselves, "We are safe.  It is safe to show up more fully in my life."

It doesn't matter if no one else 'gets' it.  It only matters if you, yourself are willing to overcome your 'perceived' pain.  I say that because it really is all an illusion.

We can wake up today and make a different decision.  We can decide in this moment in time, in the here and now we can choose to be happy.  We can choose to be free from suffering. We can choose to allow the compassion we gift others to enter ourselves. 

We need it.  Come on, turn off your suffering button, deactivate the dang thing and let's stop the suffering together.

We are divinely loved & guided - all we need to do is remember.
Namaste,
Tammy

PS.  "We should learn to ask, "What's not wrong?" and be in touch with that. There are so many elements in the world and within our bodies, feelings, perceptions, and consciousness that are wholesome, refreshing, and healing. If we block ourselves, if we stay in the prison of our sorrow, we will not be in touch with these healing elements."
 ~Thich Nhat Hanh

 
 

 

A Place to be Free

When I was a kid we used to have a tree fort.  I loved that place as the magical center of the universe in those years.  Truth be told it was my brother's fort, but I used to love to climb up into it myself.

We lived on a hobby farm which had 4 acres of land.  Behind the house you would walk down a ginormous hill and at the bottom was the Dunford's rickety old fence which lead to where their dairy cattle grazed.  Just inside their fence was a huge Maple tree.  My Dad & brother built two platforms in the tree.  I remember how scared I was to climb to the top platform.

The memories of that tree always bring me such peace and happiness.  The years may have had challenges for other reasons, but for the moment in time it brought so much joy. 

We need to rekindle these feelings as adults. 

We need not be SO serious all the time.  And the places that bring these joys need not cost a lot of money, nor be far away.  (I mean, come on, I adore the Caribbean but I can't go there today.)

What places can you go to bring about the feelings of joy, playfulness in your life?  Where can you go back to basics where the simplest things made your heart sing?

If you don't have an answer, you're homework my friend is to find it.

You seriously need to.

Wishing you much more love & abundant play!
Tam
xo

PS.  Sending you the best eagle arms, warrior hug... ready.....

 

Loving yourself is the key

The Secret to life....

all you have to do is be happy.

Do you know how to do that?

Just be happy!

“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” ~Rumi

May you allow it to begin in this moment?

"Every leaf that grows will tell you: what you sow will bear fruit, so if you have any sense my friend, don’t plant anything but Love." ~Rumi

Understand my dear?

Love
Tam
xo

PS. And Rumi said, "If all you can do is crawl, start crawling."

Begin to use this key today!
Repeat after me, "I love you!"

Use your own name say, " _____________ I love you" Repeat it again and again until you really mean it.

Sometimes this process brings wonder-filled tears... let them flow as you let you, love you!

OM Shanti

Benefits of yoga

Read a very interesting article about cortisol (the stressor hormone) which talked about the fact that yoga lowers these levels by allowing the feel good hormones to be secreted. However, much like prozac won't work for depression if you only take it once a week, yoga will not affect cortisol levels if we do it once a week either.

Did you know that cortisol is secreted by the body when:
- we watch tv
- we hear negative news reports on the radio
- when we try to do more than one thing at a time ...even watching tv and blogging is bad for you health

....Or walking and chewing gum, I wonder if that counts?