This little equation represents our Being Yoga (BY) Studio’s Theme of the Month. To spell it out, it means that by serving others at Being Yoga, you are sending out Valentines of “loving kindness” to everyone in the studio.

“But,” you might be asking yourself, “how do you ‘serve others’ at a yoga studio?” Please read on to have this question answered.

It is easy to serve others at Being Yoga. One way of serving is by practicing the “golden rule, “ or treating others the way you would like others to treat you! Simple courtesies such as arriving to class early, turning off cell phones and stowing away belongings outside of the practice room serve to keep distractions down to a minimum for fellow yogis. On the rare occasion when you find yourself late, you can serve others by entering the studio quietly in-between postures so as not to break anyone’s focus. (If being late isn’t such a “rare occasion,” you should examine the causes of your tardiness and make it your goal to be punctual. Chronic tardiness is generally caused by unexamined bad habits.) Even before heading to class, it’s extremely thoughtful and kind to practice good personal hygiene—especially in our heated Bikram’s classes!

Practicing “loving kindness” towards others in the room also includes setting up your mat and/or standing on your mat in such a way that you’re not directly blocking those in back of you. Staying on your mat throughout class (sitting down or lying down when you need a break) minimizes disruptions and sets a good example for others who might be struggling to stay on their own mats.

One of the kindest ways of serving your fellow yogis is to stay quiet and calm—before, during and after each posture. Wriggling, wiping, fanning yourself, making adjustments, whispering or talking compromises the meditative experience for the entire class. (Not to mention it creates more heat and agitation for you.)

Another way of exemplifying loving-kindness is by letting go of judgments. If someone around you is being discourteous, use that as an opportunity to focus more intently on your own practice and to cultivate your own calm state of mind.

Given how uncommon it is for life to be tailored to your own specifications, it’s important in the yoga studio to cultivate skillful responses to circumstances outside your control. Letting go of expectations and preferences and being “OK” with what IS (vs. what you WANT it to be) allows you to find peace given any experience. This peace, in turn, spreads good energy to everyone in the room. Allowing yourself to be upset if the environment isn’t “just so” (not hot enough, too hot, fan on too high, fan on too low, etc.) is unskillful and brings dissatisfaction that doesn’t have to be experienced.  Spiritual leader Anam Thubten has said, “When we accept the way things are we are able to love everything and everybody.”

Loving everything and everybody includes practicing loving-kindness for yourself. It’s quite impossible to love anyone else unless you have a healthy love for yourself. Listen to your body, respect it, and appreciate it for all the miraculous tasks it accomplishes on your own behalf. Comparing yourself to others or getting upset when you’re not doing as well as you think you should is unskillful thinking again. By practicing loving-kindness for yourself and being happy with who you are, you are serving others by spreading more positive energy.

So, keep up the good work practicing loving-kindness in order to serve others—as well as yourself. Happy Valentine’s all you BY Valentines!

Click here to read more about Yoga Etiquette.

 Student of the Month for February 2012

Tell us about yourself, Suzanne.
I studied dance in college, and performed and toured in a small modern dance company for 7 years.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, but eventually I decided to find a job with a stable paycheck and benefits.  I returned to school and  graduated with a Special Ed Teaching Credential.  I was a Special Ed. teacher and tutor until I had children.  Now, I’m a stay at home mom with a 13 year old daughter & 12 year old son.

How long have been practicing yoga?
I’ve been practicing Bikram yoga for about 10 years.

How were you introduced to yoga?
One of the mothers in my baby play group recommended Bikram yoga.  She told me the instructors are really good and that they spend the whole class time describing each posture.  I wasn’t able to keep up with my dance training, and I was ready to fill the void with something else.

What style do you practice?
I’ve taken a few random classes in Iyengar & Ashatanga, but I love to work up a sweat in Bikram yoga.  I wish the other styles of yoga were in a heated room, too.

Why do you practice yoga?
Yoga is a good escape for me and it helps me stay centered, calm and grounded.  It has been a good substitute from my dance training.

Any final words of wisdom for the students?
Make yoga a regular part of your routine.  On the days you’re unable to come, you’ll find that you miss it.

“In this new year I am a new person. And I shall change my consciousness again and again until I have driven away all the darkness of ignorance and manifested the shining light of Spirit…” So said Paramahansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi and revered spiritual leader.

True to his word, Yogananda lived his life as a beacon of light to the world—so much so that the Government of India issued this statement on a special commemorative stamp in his honor: “…[Paramahansa Yogananda’s] work continues to grow and shine ever more brightly, drawing people everywhere on the path of the pilgrimage of the spirit.”

At the dawn of 2012, we at Being Yoga wish to continue on that pilgrimage, and, in the spirit of Yogananda, strive to shine our own light and help others shine theirs. We have, therefore, chosen “Shine in 2012” as our Theme of the Month. Please read on:

By beginning to practice yoga, those looking for illumination start to open up to a new world of light, and by offering several different but complementary styles of yoga—Kriya, Bikram, Yin, Vinyasa, One Yoga and Gentle—our studio enables students to find a style that suits them best. Below is a brief description of each:

Kriya Yoga, or the study of the philosophical aspects of yoga, offers students many powerful spiritual tools that help to eliminate all that’s not useful in life and to shed light on all that is.

Bikram is a rigorous asana (physical posture) practice that mentally and physically challenges students to stay focused and discover the light within.

Yin Yoga, a relaxed practice, uses postures that stretch connective tissue and stimulate the meridians running through the body, thus allowing students to release tension and open positive channels of energy.

Vinyasa is an energetic yoga practice that connects the postures together with a flow of movement that integrates the body and mind and stimulates a positive connection.

Gentle Yoga offers a more gradual approach to yoga for those who, due to the vacillating nature of life, desire to ease into the asanas and continue enjoying their illuminating benefits.

One Yoga is a combination of different yoga styles that both challenges and relaxes the practitioner, thus bringing to light the “Yin” (feminine) and the “Yang” (masculine) aspects of yoga.

At Being Yoga, we have a team of experienced, passionate instructors—each who work to align with the individual student’s unique way of shining.

We are grateful for all of you who have started “on the path of the pilgrimage of the spirit,” and we look forward to sharing our yoga with you in 2012. Together we will continue “to grow and shine ever more brightly.”

Happy New Year!

Kula, like many words in Sanskrit, is layered with rich meaning.  Picture the image of circles within circles; each layer vibrating with life, identifiably distinct in characteristics of color and texture, yet interconnected, essential to the whole.  Kula means “totality.”  Think of the Kula of our own being – the koshas or layers of who we are – muscles, bones, organs interconnected with emotions, breath, mind and eternal self, all integral parts of this magical life manifest in physical form.

Then there is the larger circle or Kula of beings in community.  Most commonly, Kula means “community of the heart,” a gathering of separate individuals that have chosen to come together for a specific purpose.  Many students walk through the studio door, all for the purpose of taking a yoga class together, yet each of us has our own reason for being on the mat.  From reasons as diverse as simply wanting more flexible hamstrings, learning to relax or losing weight to the more esoteric quests of calming a chattering mind, coming back to center or using the mat for spiritual practice, the commonality we share is that we come to practice yoga in community.  The word yoga itself means “to join” or “to connect.”  We come together as a Kula, a chosen community, to Yoga, join or connect, whatever that connection be for each of us.

The Kula of Being Yoga has grown to be a strong community over the past 13+ years, and the essence of who we are is reflected in the name.  Robin, our founder and director, has held a strong vision of a safe, beautiful space for all of us to practice “being yoga”, being connected to our authentic nature at all levels of our being and to practice this in authentic community.  You can feel it when you walk in the door from the warm welcomes given by the staff, the laughter and chatter of yogis before and after class, and the way each teacher honestly sees each student as a person integral to the class, not just a body.  Being Yoga is a place we come home to in order to come home to ourselves.

As I write this while sitting on a deck overlooking a small forest of trees here in North Carolina, I hear the songs of birds and the play of the wind in the bare winter branches and evergreen pines, and observe the scampering of squirrels gathering seed gifts from the trees.   I am reminded of the larger Kula of our world.  I picture this circle of interconnected life, connecting to the many circles of interconnected life throughout our planet.  I am reminded of our Being Yoga Kula, connected to many other yoga Kulas, from our Bay Area and expanding outward, all practicing to make self and world a better place.  This remembering brings me home to center, to a state of contented peace and deep gratitude for the gifts of being alive and of being a part of many things.  We might each feel lonely at times, but we are never truly alone.

My wish for all of us as we end this year and enter into 2012:

May we all remember our authentic nature.
May we all remember we are more than our physical bodies, more than our minds, more than our personalities or roles we play.
May we remember we are each integral to the whole in this life, not alone but a part of beautiful Kula of yoga practitioners here at Being Yoga and the bigger Kula of all living things.
And from the Buddhist mantra of universal peace:  Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings, everywhere, be happy, healthy, peaceful and free.
Shanti (peace) and Namaste’

It’s ironic that the “Season of Peace” is generally anything but peaceful. In fact, each year a common dread ushers in the holiday season as it bears down upon us with—in addition to all of our normal daily responsibilities—demands of decorating, entertaining, attending parties, shopping, baking and gift giving.

As yogis, however, we know that we can face these additional obligations with genuinely peaceful feelings, as long as we observe a few simple yogic “rules.” Please read on about these rules and how they contribute to an authentic Season of Peace.

Rule #1:  Schedule yoga (including meditation) into your daily routine. Often yoga and meditation are the first things dropped as people become busier and busier throughout the holidays. Keeping up with a regular practice, or, better still, increasing your practice, not only helps to keep your head clear and your actions efficient, but it helps you to meet the demands of the season with optimal health and increased energy levels. As the Roman Catholic Saint Francis de Sales is quoted as saying, “Half an hour’s meditation is essential—except when you are very busy. Then a full hour is needed.

Rule #2:  Be conscious. When busy with holiday preparations, it’s easy to get stressed out by the endless lists of “things to do.” Instead, create a list of things you would like to accomplish, prioritize them, and then mindfully take care of each one. Don’t worry about things that need to get done in the future, but stay focused on the task at hand until it is completed. Rather than falling into “accidental behavior” and reacting to every push and pull, consciously set goals and execute them with a calm consciousness.

Rule #3:  Align with balance. Overeating, overdoing, overindulging during this season leads to sickness, exhaustion and regret, not peace. Practice moderation in all things, especially during this particular season generally fraught with excess.

Rule #4:  Make it a game. So much of the quality of your life boils down to how you choose to perceive it.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” And Paramahansa Yogananda said, “The material man takes life seriously and makes it full of worries, sorrow and tragedy. The divine man makes life an enjoyable game.” If you choose to look at this “Season of Peace,” as a burden, you will be burdened. If you choose to look at it as a game, you will have fun.

Rule #5:  Be grateful. Keep in mind that no matter what you think you lack in life, you still have many things to be grateful for. Staying focused on gratitude literally lowers blood pressure and contributes to feelings of relaxation and peace.

Rule #6:  As Kriya Yoga Master Roy Eugene Davis encourages, “Do what you know to be the right thing.” Adhering to your beliefs of compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility and forgiveness is essential if you are to find, maintain, and promote inner peace. Peace on earth truly begins with each individual.

Rule #7:  Stay in the present.  Peace cannot be found in the past or the future, only in the now. As Paramahansa Yogananda pointed out, “In the realization of everlasting divine joy, yesterdays that once seemed so important exist not; nor are there unborn future tomorrows hiding in mystery. All cause for past remorse or future worry dissolves in the perpetual, sweet contact of the ever-new….Eternal Present, the only Reality.”

With the help of Yoga in the Season of Peace, may each of you truly find peace right now and forever.

Student of the Month December 2011

Tell us about yourself, Carlos.
I’ve worked in technology for the last 11 years or so. I have a strong passion for fitness, and am always on the lookout for better ways to take care of myself. I’m an avid 49ers fan and enjoy spending Sundays with family/friends at Candlestick Park.

How did you discover yoga?
I have been practicing yoga for about 14 months. Several years ago, I injured my back in martial arts. I spent a lot of time with doctors trying things that didn’t really give me much relief. My friend Bryan, a fellow yogi here at BY, suggested that I try yoga. I dismissed his suggestions at first, thinking that yoga was something only for women. I was so very wrong. My first Bikram class was one of the most challenging and humbling experiences – a life changer!

What styles do you practice and what do you like about each?
I practice Bikram and Yin, and try to make it to classes at least 3 times a week. I love the structure and challenge of Bikram classes. The postures are the same, but the practice is always different. Nothing beats the feeling in final savasana after an intense 90 minutes. I think Yin is a great compliment to Bikram. It offers the opportunity to not only stretch more deeply, but also to disconnect from the world. Friday night Yin by candlelight is certainly one of my favorite ways to close the books on the week.

Why do you practice yoga?
At first I practiced strictly for the physical benefits. I was able to get a great sweat and take care of my body. But over time I’ve found the practice to be so much more than physical. It’s become a tool to quiet the mind and unite the spirit with the flesh.

How has Being Yoga helped you on your journey?
BY has become the place where I am able to lose myself and find myself. It’s become a sanctuary where I not only honor my health, but draw motivation from a community of extraordinary yogis and yoginis. I am grateful to have been introduced to BY, and am so thankful to Robin and her wonderful staff for their care, encouragement and wisdom.

Any final words of wisdom for the students?
~ Push your boundaries a tiny bit each class. Accept that ‘sensation’ comes before growth. “Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.”
~ Don’t be discouraged by the days where you feel as though you’ve never taken a class in your life. As Diana says, “Work with the body you brought to class today.”
~ Draw inspiration and strength from the practice of others, but don’t judge yourself against them. Everyone’s journey is different – the race is long — and in the end, it’s only with our selves.

There are numerous physical reasons people seek out yoga: to lose weight, to gain weight, to heal bad backs and joints, to get physically strong, to stretch tight muscles, to tone flabby muscles, to increase balance, to stay younger looking, etc. These are good and legitimate reasons for anyone to begin yoga, and certainly practicing yoga on a regular basis helps people reach these goals. However, it doesn’t take long before practitioners begin to notice an inward transformation taking place in tandem with their outward physical transformation.

It’s a subtle change in the beginning. Often yoga is the first physical activity people engage in that actually quiets their minds and encourages them to tune into the feelings of their heartbeats and muscles and joints. This “tuning in” alone has a strong impact on most people who are quite distracted from their bodies due to preoccupation with endless thoughts looping around in their heads.

Through “tuning in,” people begin to realize how stiff with tension their bodies are, and just by recognizing that stored-up tension, they start to let go and relax. Through “tuning in” people become aware of imbalances in the strength of their muscles and the alignment of their joints, and, therefore, start correcting them. Such correction leads to more freedom of movement and freedom from pain, which leads to more physical comfort and lightness of spirit. By tuning into their bodies, people naturally start eating what their bodies need, which, in turn gives them a healthier body weight and level of energy.

So, it is a natural progression that practicing yogis begin to experience emotional and mental healing and strengthening. Without even trying, they feel more relaxed, centered and energetic.

But the progress doesn’t stop there. More advanced practitioners begin to experience a whole new dimension of well being that is attained by becoming aware of the quality of their consciousness. Just as bodily awareness helps liberate many physical restrictions, consciousness awareness helps liberate mental restrictions, such as negative patterns of thinking or unskillful reactions to external circumstances.  Perhaps another way of putting it is that yogis begin to develop their own inner control so they can choose to respond to the physical phenomenon taken in through the senses in a skillful, productive and positive way.  Being Yoga’s Teacher Robin has said, “Being an active participant in the fine tuning of our consciousness unlocks the real treasures to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health”.  And, as the Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, Ellen Grace O’Brien has said, “True freedom is supported by…the ability to live in the soul—to choose thoughts, speech and actions that do not bring suffering.”

Yes, yoga appeals to our vanity and strengthens our sanity, but, most importantly, it eventually enhances our “ability to live in the soul,” an ability that opens up a greater dimension of joy and peace than most people realize is humanly possible.

Tell us about your yoga practice, Rick.
Hi.  First of all, I would like to express my gratitude and surprise to be nominated the Yogi student of the month. To be archived into the extraordinary list of previous Yogis is rewarding.   I try to practice yoga daily at Being Yoga.  What gets me here are a number of personal motivations.  First and foremost are the students who fill the studio daily.  Without you there would not be a community.  Sharing, motivating, exercising, learning, experiencing, pleasure, discipline, group meditation and much more.  You are all role models.  Thank you!

And you have a supportive family, I recall?
Of course my family is so supportive of my life style — it is reassuring. My wife Beth and our four children, all in their twenties, workout daily; from yoga, swimming, gyms, bicycling, running, water polo and soccer, they do it all.

What styles of yoga do you practice and why?
Bikram Yoga is my favorite yoga class.  The heat warms my muscles to that I get a deep stretch throughout my body.  I like Yin Yoga as well.  The experience of gravity stretching the body in a long quiet pose is rejuvenating.  Ninety minutes with a teacher, coach and mentor is a real plus to get the job done.  I know when I walk out of the studio after any class I feel terrific.

You have had an inspiring journey around your health.  Tell us your story.
We all have a journey.  Mine is still moving strong.  I am in the 65th year of  a 100 year voyage . I have been an athlete since I was six years old.  I played basketball, football, baseball and rugby in college.  I ran many marathons and road races.  I finished the Hawaiian Ironman triathlon.  Also I experienced many injuries and accidents along the way. At one time after an awful auto accident, I was told by my doctor and physical therapist I would never be able to run again. At that moment I told myself I would train and compete for the Ironman Championship in Hawaii.  I did.

Tell us about yourself, Rob.
I work as an electrician in San Francisco Local Union 6. I love to play my guitar and I also enjoy golfing.  I’ve been married to my wonderful wife Amy for a little over a year who also enjoys practicing here.

How did you discover yoga?
I’ve been practicing for about two and half years and I cannot imagine stopping.  I was introduced by chance one day when I saw Bikram being interviewed on TV.

What is your yoga practice now?
I’ve only practiced Bikram.  I love that we do the same poses every class but that each class is so different from the last.

Why do you practice yoga?
I practice because it makes me feel happy and makes me feel good.  There is no feeling like the feeling you get when you are in final savasana.  It is also a great way to dig deep and get to know yourself on a deeper level.

How has Being Yoga helped you on your journey?
Being Yoga has been my consistent rock as far as being the place that I can go to for peace of mind.  This place does nothing but positive things for me.

Any final words of wisdom or encouragement for the students?
Just be patient, enjoy the whole process, work hard and good things will follow.  This yoga gives back what you put in to it.  I’ve never gone to class and left feeling worse than I did when I walked in.  And listen to what the teachers say because you can always learn something new.  “Once in a while you’ll get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right” ~ Robert Hunter

Although the number thirteen has had the undeserved stigma of being “unlucky,” at Being Yoga, we see it symbolizing years of only blessings for our studio. Thirteen years ago, we were a small one-room studio offering a mere two classes a day, only six days a week—and we remember clearly how thrilled we were the first time we had the whopping number of ten students in one class!

Since that time, we have been blessed with the company of nearly 17,000 students attending classes several times larger than our first record-breaking class of ten. Such numbers of students have enabled us to relocate to a larger studio and nearly quadruple our class offerings from 12 to 46 per week. Our offerings have also expanded from only one style of yoga (Bikram) to include a variety of other yoga styles—Yin, Flow, Gentle and Kriya.

Thirteen years has brought us an increase in the number of individuals who have come for self-improvement and have stayed for the friendship and unity of our growing community. We have become friends united in the common pursuit of freedom in body and mind which, in turn, has had a positive “ripple effect” throughout each of our extended communities.

Thirteen years has also brought our studio a work force of teachers which has multiplied at least by a factor of 13 since the studio’s inception. And each new teacher has brought individual insights, strengths and blessings to offer our yoga community.

Thirteen years has brought to our studio an expansion not only of numbers, but of love and acceptance of ourselves and others—a better understanding of our true nature and of our interconnectedness.

On this birthday, we send our thanks to each one of you. Because of you, your dedication to yoga and your support of Being Yoga, we are feeling much more than lucky—we are undoubtedly blessed.

We look forward to celebrating with you on October 15!