We’ve all been there.  In the middle of a good class, concentrating on a challenging posture,  feeling completely focused, and then . . . . our eyes wander.  We notice the person beside us.  Maybe we take in her clothing, or his flexibility.  Or maybe it’s simply a sudden movement that’s caught our eye. Whatever the reason, whatever the source, the distraction has taken us.  We’ve moved out of the pose.  We’ve lost our moment of bliss.   Our senses have betrayed us.

The fifth of the eight limbs of yoga – pratyahara – is often translated as “withdrawal from the senses,” and its works as a panacea for those tough moments on the mat.  Pratyahara is the practice of turning away from the distractions of the outer world, whether sights, sensations, or memories, into our inner truth.  It requires recognizing that we don’t have to live in the realm of the external and that self-inflicted pain is not our birthright.  Most importantly, it allows us to put attachment aside and find answers from within. On the path of yoga, we begin by restraining and reshaping our actions and thoughts.  Later we move on to develop the body’s strength and flexibility with yoga poses and its spiritual energy, or prana, with breath control.  From there, a crucial step remains before the next level of mediation and liberation.  That step is pratyahara.  We cannot still our minds, we cannot reach bliss, we cannot become enlightened until we transcend the grip of the outer world.

We live in a world that glorifies the senses.  All around us are sights, smells, and all manner of sensations just waiting to draw us in.  But if we let our senses lead us, we miss out on something essential.  That essential thing is our true home, a home that exists within.  The outer world is a distraction – one that can keep us from coming back to where we belong.  But if we find a way to be courageous, to move away from drama and pain, to let go of the world of illusion, we can always find healing and truth inside.

The practice of pratyahara starts each time we roll out our mats.  Each day is a new chance to go inward, to resist distractions.  Instead of listening to the world, we can listen to ourselves. When we do, we find more than just bliss in our practice or harmony in our lives – we find ourselves one step closer to Truth.

Theresa, in addition to your yoga practice, what else do you enjoy?
I also enjoy running, hiking, dancing, eating and working out. I love and enjoyed every minute I spent with my family, friends and most especially with my kids.

Tell us about your yoga journey.
I’ve been taking different styles of yoga at the gym but not religiously.  I discovered Bikram by stumbling upon BY’s ‘30 for 30’ challenge. I remember coming out of my very first class, it felt like I was floating and calm, and since then I just couldn’t stop coming here. I’ve also started taking flow and yin yoga at BY.

What are the physical things you get from yoga?
My body has become stronger, flexible, toned and able to manage my chronic aches and pains. My mind is a little bit more in focus.  I’m learning to breathe better which I can also incorporate with my other workout like running and hiking. I used to get sick like every other week and since yoga and specially Bikram yoga, I’m rarely sick now. Yoga also helps me sleeps better at night.

How has yoga impacted your life?
I used to be always on the go always in a rush. I found my “me time” at yoga. Yoga had helped me to relax and it cultivates the serenity that I need when facing challenges in life, shifts my mindset and focus on what matters in life.

What advice do you have for the new students?
I encourage the new students to give time to adjust specially to the heat and stay in the room. Don’t give up right away. Keep breathing and just focus on you.

Meditation (as defined by The American Heritage Dictionary) is “a devotional exercise of contemplation.” Given this definition, anyone who has devoted any length of time to yoga knows that yoga itself is a form of meditation. As we practice yoga, our normally over-active minds begin to calm with the  contemplation of our bodies moving and stretching and holding the asanas (postures). We become more aware of our breath and the importance of deep, conscious breathing. Our focus shifts from “outside” to “inside” and from the past or future to the present When doing yoga, one begins to realize that it is possible to let go of otherwise annoying outward distractions (such as the studio’s temperature, wriggly neighbors, less-than-favorite teachers, etc, etc, etc) and stay grounded and peaceful within. In other words, we open ourselves up to a higher state and understanding of consciousness.

In order to accelerate this understanding and apply it outside of the yoga studio, the daily act of meditation is the perfect addition to yoga. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits of practicing yoga AND meditating are profound, bringing a person’s state of being to a higher level of health, happiness and inner peace.

That is why Being Yoga is continuing to offer after-class group meditation sessions (see schedule) and why we are offering Thursday night (8:30 pm to 9:30 pm), sessions with Arley, and Saturday night (6:30 to 7:00 pm) with Kevin.

Learn meditation techniques that will help us adopt this positive, very powerful practice into our lives. As the father of yoga, Pantanjali, said, “It is when fluctuations of mind are stilled that our essence is self-shining.” Come practice both yoga and meditation at Being Yoga and start shining!

Rosa, in addition to your yoga practice, what else do you enjoy?
Other things that I also enjoy is hanging out with my family in the weekends, walking on the beach, and watching movies.

Tell us about your yoga journey.
When I came to Being Yoga for the first time ,I was a little nervous because I’ve never done yoga before. I thought it wasn’t a good decision for me, after taking few classes I have been feeling better and more energetic. After two years of taking yoga classes I’ve been feeling very healthy and good. Nowadays I now have the physical abilities that I couldn’t do before. Thanks to BEING YOGA!

What are the physical things you get from yoga?
The abilities that I got from Yoga is being more flexible, my balance has increased, got healthy skin, weight loss, less stress, and get better sleep.

How has yoga impacted your life?
Yoga has impacted my life when I didn’t do appointments for my depression. After three months practicing Yoga, I stopped taking medications for my muscle pain that i have been taking for a year. Yoga has been the best decision in my life.

What advice do you have for the new students?
For all the new students, I recommend to continue Yoga classes. You’ll have a lot of good benefits, good concentration, get more energy, and a good long life. Thank you to all the BEING YOGA teachers for teaching me Yoga and supporting me. I’ve been really enjoying the classes.

Silence the Senses = Freedom

We’ve all been there.  In the middle of a goodclass, concentrating on a challenging posture, feeling completely focused, and then . . . our eyes wander.  We notice the person beside us.  Maybe wetake in her clothing, or his flexibility.  Or maybe it’s simply a sudden movement that’s caught our eye. Whatever the reason, whatever the source, the distraction has taken us.  We’ve moved out of the pose.  We’ve lost our moment of bliss.   Our senses have betrayed us.

The fifth of the eight limbs of yoga–pratyahara–is often translated as “withdrawal from the senses,” and it works as a panacea for those tough moments on the mat.  Pratyahara is the practice of turning away from the distractions of the outer world, whether sights, sensations, or memories, into our inner truth.  It requires recognizing that we don’t have to live in the realm of the external and that self-inflicted pain is not our birthright.  Most importantly, it allows us to put attachment aside and find answers from within.

On the path of yoga, we begin by restraining and reshaping our actions and thoughts.  Later we move on to develop the body’s strength and flexibility with yoga poses and its spiritual energy, or prana, with breath control.  From there, a crucial step remains before the next level of meditation and liberation.  That step is pratyahara.  We cannot still our minds, we cannot reach bliss, we cannot become enlightened until we transcend the grip of the outer world.

We live in a world that glorifies the senses.  All around us are sights, smells, and all manner of sensations just waiting to draw us in.  But if we let our senses lead us, we miss out on something essential.  That essential thing is our true home, a home that exists within.  The outer world is a distraction – one that can keep us from coming back to where we belong.  But if we find a way to be courageous, to move away from drama and pain, to let go of the world of illusion, we can always find healing and truth inside.

The practice of pratyahara starts each time we roll out our mats.  Each day is a new chance to go inward, to resist distractions.  Instead of listening to the world, we can listen to ourselves When we do, we find more than just bliss in our practice or harmony in our lives–we find ourselves one step closer to Truth.

Student of the Month for March 2013

Rosa, in addition to your yoga practice, what else do you enjoy?

Passion for Art in all its expressions! I love working in oil and watercolor. For the past 2 years, I became a professional textile designer. I love to travel and explore flea markets pulling my 2 young kids.

Tell us about your yoga journey.

I have never been a sport-oriented person but the first time I discovered yoga was years ago in my country, Argentina. I felt happy to know that there was something out there for me that I could enjoy practicing. Once I started Bikram Yoga, it was not only good for my body but empowered my soul.

What are the physical things you get from yoga? 

I spent many years of my life working in a sitting position writing reports and strained my lower back. Since I started doing yoga, my posture is improving every session.  About the pain in my lower back…. well, it’s still there but the pain is less severe and it doesn’t bother me like it use to. After 4 years practicing yoga, I am trying to focus more on my breathing.  I discovered that the breathing connection thru the poses makes me more energetic during and after class.

How has yoga impacted your life?

In general the main thing I learned doing yoga is that it is not only important to have a harmonious and healthy body, but also a flexible one. Being flexible makes you strong, and this reminds me the image of the bamboo, that bends but does not break. Flexible yet firmly rooted. An interesting attitude that is even good for dealing with everyday vagaries of life. For this reason, the first day that I walked into the studio and saw the bamboos painting on the wall, I felt that I was in the right place.

What advice do you have for the new students?

I love this studio. I love greeting fellow students that have been there all these years even when I don’t know their names or what they do in life besides yoga. To new students: “Just hang in there, the magic may not happen on the first class. Breathe…and keep calm.  With time you’ll forget about the heat and start enjoying what every pose has to offer.”

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill. ~ Buddha

Every single one of us who can speak carries with us a powerful tool for positive transformation or a sharp sword capable of creating chaos and destruction.  With just one word we can brighten someone’s day, make life more beautiful.   With just one word we can shred a heart or darken someone’s mood.  Like a paintbrush in an artist’s hand, we use words to color our experiences, to bring into life whatever we choose to express on the canvas of the moment.   Singers take us into new places with their songs.  We soothe a baby with our voice.  We hear the laughter of a child and our heart melts.  Through the power of the voice we have the capacity to make our world a better place – or not.

In yoga, the 5th chakra, or wheel of energy, located at the throat is called the Vishuddha, meaning “the purifier.”  This portal through which energy passes from us to cosmos and back, is considered to be where we bring our personal essence into the physical world, positively or negatively.  It is where we have the capacity to unite the compassion of the heart chakra, the 4th, with the wisdom of the third eye, the 6th.  How we communicate, ask for what we need, speak our truth, listen and actually hear what others say strongly shapes our life.  Think of those people you know who are the most unhappy, discontent, and in perpetual drama.  They speak without care for where their words fly, or they even purposefullychoose words meant to wound.  Since what we put out always comes back to us, those words return back to them in various negative ways.  Now, think of those you know who are at peace, who are content, and who are the most present and grounded, with themselves and with others.  The commonality they all share is that they guard their words carefully, filtering them through compassion for their impact and conscious clarity for their strength.   They use their voice for creating more good in the world.  And that good comes back to them, over and over again.

The invitation:  Yoga is so much more than a physical exercise.  It’s a doorway to a much better life in all levels of our being.  Every time we walk into the studio, we have an opportunity to connect to the higher Self while we leave the small self outside the door.  It’s our chance to practice whatever it is we need to practice, on and off the mat.   The way we interact with our fellow yogis/yoginis in the waiting room or dressing room, the staff behind the desk, the teacher and fellow practitioners while we are on the mat… all these interactions are perfect practice zones for bettering our lives.

Beginning February 1st, we invite you to commit to working with the power of the voice for good.  At the front desk you will find blue bracelets representing the 5th chakra.  Grab one and wear it for a minimum of 28 days with the commitment to speak only good with your voice.  Refrain from criticism, complaining, gossip, or disrespect in word or tone, while in the studio and outside.  Practice expressing gratitude, complimenting, using loving kindness in your words even as you practice speaking your truth or asking for what you need and desire from others.  If you make a mistake and revert to negative, start over again in counting the 28 days.  At the end of the 28 consecutive days, cut off the bracelet and notice how your world has magically transformed for the better.

“Listen with ears of tolerance! See through the eyes of compassion! Speak with the language of love” ~Rumi

Tell us a bit about yourself, Supathra.

I am from Thailand and have lived here 20 years. I’m married and have boy-girl twins 14 years old. I love to bicycle and walk through the neighborhood. I visit Thailand often but I also love Europe and other parts of Asia. My step-son and grand-daughter live in Hong Kong and I want to visit them there soon.

How did you discover yoga and what is your current practice?

I’ve been doing yoga for 13 years, starting when a good friend brought me to Being Yoga. I do only hot-room yoga, 5 days a week, more if possible. The heat lets me relax, and I feel great afterwards!

What does yoga give to you?

I feel relaxed and happy afterwards (repetitious, I know!) . How has Being Yoga helped you on your journey?

The atmosphere is very friendly and accepting, so I always want to go back. I also like meeting other students from all around the world. Going to Being Yoga gives me calmness and strength for the rest of the day. My body seems firmer and is definitely more flexible.

And your words of encouragement for the students?

Don’t give up, just do what you can, and you will be happy and proud of yourself!

Tell us a bit about yourself, Zake.

In additional to being a student of Yoga, I practice martial arts and am trying to learn Bonsai. We live in Burlingame for the school quality, but I really like the whole Bay Area in general, and hope to spend more years here.

How did you discover yoga and what is your current practice?

My first yoga teacher was Joel Pier in Philadelphia back in the mid/late 90′s.  I was introduced to him by a friend who was trying to help him build a school.  For years the only style of yoga I was familiar with and practiced was Bikram Yoga. Being Yoga has introduced me to Yin, Vinyasa and Kriya. I like the Thursday meditation a lot. The Sunday Yoga One class is amazing; it has opened my body and mind, and made the Bikram series look like the beginner’s series it is.  I can still only do half of it well, but I like it all. Bikram  was my “gateway yoga.”  Now I really feel like I’m doing Yoga. I practice on my own once, maybe twice a week. I do one or two classes a week at Being Yoga. I try to squeeze in a few minutes of stretching in the morning during work. I’d like to do more Yoga more regularly!

What do you like about each form you practice?

Bikram yoga I like because the heat allows me to actually stretch.  Kriya I like because it connects consciousness and is truly mysticism. Yin is wonderful for opening and increasing range of flexibility. Asthanga/Vinyasa because there’s not just the Bikram series, but a lot more variety to be experienced.

What does yoga give to you?

My Yoga practice keeps the pain at bay — and transforms life to not just worth living, but joyousness. It feels good, like a human should feel in their body and in the world. It’s an unfolding of self-discovery through the body.

How has Being Yoga helped you on your journey?

The physical studio is awesome. I love the mini foot massage via the pebble shower floor after a practice.  Mostly it’s the Yogis and Yoginis that are my journey: Robin’s endless Buddha smile; Kevin fielding my queries; Tone hipping me to so much knowledge; ALL the Yoga teachers dropping gems of wisdom and ideas while I’m holding a sweat-drenched pose, taking things from the mundane to subtle; Erin singing. I found that being able to see someone in the room with me doing a pose is a powerful catalyst for me – much more effective and real than pictures. AnnaK (occasional sub) is an amazing teacher from whom I have gained a lot, too.

Arley and Kriya Yoga have been a huge blessing for me. I now understand Yoga more as a complete system. Meditation has benefited me in ways I’m slowly discovering and is not something I can easily document. From this weekly session has come a lot of reading and audiobooks: Paramahansa Yogananda, Roy Eugene Davis, Richard Freeman, Pema Chödrön, Alan Finger, Alan Watts, Thaddeus Golas, and on and on. I’ve renewed relationships I’d abandoned, made progress on finding myself/passions, and see the Guru and subtleties in more people all around me.

And your words of encouragement for the students?

Keep breathing. Don’t slouch in your chair at work. Don’t get frustrated on a plateau. Paradox heralds the next breakthrough.  You already made the effort to come to class, paid your money, allocated the time, etc., now just submit to the yoga and breathing and postures and give it your all for the few seconds you’re in the pose – you really don’t have to pee or fix your hair.

Wow! It’s hard to believe that it’s the beginning of 2013—the beginning of another new year full of potential and opportunities! At Being Yoga, we have many goals set for this year—many desires that we intend to manifest. In general, our intention is to provide a supportive environment for each of you, an environment that will encourage the manifestation of your own positive goals. We would like to serve as a springboard for the whole community’s progression towards health and well being. It is for this reason we have chosen “yoga with intention” for the theme of the month. Please read on about our goals for 2013 and our intention to serve you and the community:

Let’s begin with a list of our studio’s goals for 2013:

1. To provide a safe, clean space to meditate and practice yoga, therefore helping to free mind and body.

2. To encourage and elevate meditation and yoga experiences with our positive, caring instructors and staff.

3. To expand our community’s physical, mental and spiritual horizons by providing inspiring workshops and group meditations (check out our “Creative Imagination” program coming this January, for example).

4. To celebrate the abundance of our community by providing philanthropic opportunities.

5. To continuously inspire by offering workshops, yoga challenges & a yoga retreat in paradise.

6. To attract a circle of like-minded friends to laugh and grow with.

7. To offer a peaceful oasis where students can let stress literally drip away.

8. To encourage our students to lead lives of deliberate intention.

By putting our goals into words and then actually printing them as we have above, we are taking them out of the mental sphere and putting them into the physical. By doing so, we are turning them into conscious intentions that are clear and focused. This, in turn, helps us to stay focused on them, and staying focused, of course, helps us to successfully align all the energy and details necessary to achieve or manifest them.

For this reason, we at Being Yoga encourage you to sit down right now and consciously select what you would like to focus on and achieve this upcoming year. We invite you to deliberately choose your intentions, big and small, and then put them into writing. The shear act of knowing what you want and then “putting it into the physical” will set you on the fast-track to accomplishing your desires. Then, by staying focused on them (it helps to regularly review what you have written down), you will find yourself moving steadily toward your goals until they are successfully achieved.

So, Happy New Year everyone! May it be a year full of focused intentions and, therefore, successful manifestations.