Sunday night sign-off ...

What a lovely weekend up here in Sedona!  The weather the last few days has been heavenly and I've so enjoyed having time to myself. 

I explored a little bit today, went to an Art Show, and ended up at my favorite place ... GOODWILL.  They have a really big one here with some really nice clothes.  I bought 3 tops for only $10!!!  This will definitely be part of my ritual for my remaining two weekends.

I got about 2 hours of studying in this afternoon.  So cozy, all propped up on my bed with my newly discovered favorite mantra playing.  It's 22 minutes and SO SOOTHING to my soul.  If you click on the link below, you can download it to your computer and have it for yourself.  Please let me know what you think of it ~

Ong So Hung Mantra

The meaning of the mantra is Creative Consciousness I Am That. 


The culmination of my day was getting a massage from my roommate, right here in my own home.  She is a Licensed Massage Therapist who works at Mii Amo Spa, and she also has a massage room for private clients in her home.  IT WAS FANTASTIC.

She's instructed me to take a leisurely Epsom Salt Bath tonight, so I'm shutting my computer down for the week and heading to my bath now. 

I can't believe that two weeks of my training are already done.  The time here seems long, but also short at the same time.  I miss Dennis and Muggins very much, but I'm staying in the moment as "we may never pass this way again".

Carpe Momento ...

October = RESET

I was already in bed, getting very sleepy, when I remembered that I hadn't yet read the October Forecast from The Power Path.

I just now read it and WOW!  The theme of the month is ...

"There are two faces to this month's theme. The first one is the deconstruction, dissolving, taking offline, shutting down, turning off, letting go, letting down, and allowing things to fall apart.

The second is the re-booting, turning on, flipping the switch, restarting, reconstructing, solidifying, bringing online, resetting and refocus."



Speaking personally, Dennis and I are certainly in Reset mode, and I have a feeling that many of our friends are ready to be in the same mode themselves. 

I invite you to take just a few moments to click the link below and read about this very powerful time.  Reset yourself before it's done for you. 

http://www.thepowerpath.com/index.php/power-path-home/the-power-path/monthly-forecast

Diana

Two weeks completed!

What a joy to take a break today and tomorrow!  As much as I am loving the experience, being home and chillin' is a real treat!  Of course there are always chores and real life stuff to handle, but I see the value in the balance of having some time at home to myself. 

Yes, I do call this home.  I feel SO VERY FORTUNATE to have found Kim's home as my base to work from.  Having all of the creature comforts here (which is a BUNCH more than Dennis and Muggins have right now) gives me the space and energy to rejuvenate so I can keep going through the process. 

It has occurred to me that I haven't shared an image of WHERE I am everyday.  Hopefully these visuals will help ~

Our main yoga room where all of the practices

and most of the lectures take place. 

 

 

This small retail section

is connected to the yoga room.

 Here are all of our mats, blankets, blocks

boosters, and pillows

 

 

This is the Yurt and part of the garden

on the west side of the yoga building.

I love our sessions in the yurt ~

especially at night. 

 

 

We eat our meals on the east side

of the yoga building.

Breakfast is eaten in the dining area inside, and 

all of the lunches are served and eaten outside. 

 

 

Speaking of food, I have discovered that I LOVE Indian food (Shruthi is our Indian Ayurvedic chef) and it has all been delicious.  I've discovered all sorts of healthy food choices including herb coffee, Sunflower butter, ghee, hemp milk, coconut water ~ just to name a few.  I'm excited to experiment on my own WHEN we get our kitchen back. 

 

I talked to Dennis today.  The remodel is coming along beautifully, but the house will surely not be completed by the time I get home.  I'm actually happy about that as it will disallow me from falling right back into my comfort patterns.   

 

It's dark now and I just returned from a pedicure (it felt good, but it was not as good as my Tony in Sahuarita!).  What a pleasant surprise to walk into my door and find that Kim had lit this for me in my living area ....

 

 

It is chilly tonight, so I'm going to curl up with a bowl of popcorn and watch one of Kim's spiritual movies.

 

The only thing missing is Dennis and Mr. Muggins. 

 

Diana



 

 

 



New Moon Friday night

Today's New Moon according to The Power Path ~
 
New Moon is Friday, October 4 at 6:34PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) Even though it may be difficult to focus today and you may change your mind several times about what you are doing or what you wish to do, take some time today to stop everything and just be. Refrain from setting any kind of intentions or making to do lists.
 
This is a time for allowing at a deep level whatever it is that you need at this time whether it is healing, insight, clarity, rest, community, support, change, inspiration, clearing or movement. Be in the void and find a peaceful place to drop into where everything temporarily comes to a complete stop. From this place receive whatever it is you need. Be in gratitude.

 

And it was just that kind of day for me.  How about you?

 

 

Our day at the Center started at the regular time of 4:50AM, but after our cleansings, Jeff had a new practice for us.  This quote sums it up pretty well ~

 

“True meditation is about being fully present with everything that is–including discomfort and challenges. It is not an escape from life.” ~ Craig Hamilton

 

Our morning practice was quite uncomfortable and challenging as we did several expanding poses and HELD THEM for 10-15 minutes each.  My most challenging pose was holding cobra.  The practice was teaching us how to calm the mind and JUST BE with the discomfort (quite perfect for the New Moon).  We wrapped up the session with DANCING and I was crying by the end of it.  Quite a release for me personally. 

 

Our Friday picnic lunch by Oak Creek was lovely, and as sore as I was feeling, I could have stayed there all day.  But back we came for more classroom work and then a 25 minute seated meditation.  Today I discovered the meditation bench which made my right knee and hip VERY HAPPY. 

 

 

After a dinner break, we went back to the Center and had our evening class in the Yurt until after 8PM.  It is quite windy here tonight, and it was so cozy learning the backstory about the Bhagavad Gita while the wind whistled and the weeping willow whipped the soft sides of the yurt. 

Home now and ready for bed, I feel gratitude for this day and the lessons it provided. 

Sweet Dreams ~
Diana

 

 

 

Sunday night ~ and the Eve of Week Two

I just got out of my night shower and I'm all lubed up with a combo of sesame and sunflower oil.  Yes, Dennis, I tried to get most of it off of my hands before getting on the laptop!  hee hee  

The first week was so very diverse!  Long days, to be sure, but SO MUCH FUN TO LEARN!  This school is so incredible ~ we experienced Chakra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, 5 Elements Yoga, Vipassana Yoga, Karma Yoga, and of course hands-on Asana practice for Hatha Yoga.  And anatomy of the body. 

You may wonder what lineage I am learning.  For example, Debbie teaches Anusara Yoga.  The lineage of this school is from the Bihar School of Yoga in India ~

http://biharyoga.net/

I never realized there were so many  "styles" and  "types" of yoga.  It is truly fascinating!

We are also studying Vedic Astrology and we study the planet for each day of the week:  it's color, gemstone, deity, chant, and what the planet represents.  For example, Monday represents the Moon, so the color is white, gemstone is pearl, deities are Shakti/Paravati, the mantra is Om Som Somaya Namaha, and it represents the Mother.  Our charts have been prepared and presented to us and my head is swimming trying to understand it all.  The one thing I DO know is that Vedic astrology is different than the astrology we all know in the west.  It differs by 22 degrees due to the Procession of the Equinox.  So in Vedic astrology, I'm actually an Aries, not a Taurus.  So much to study and learn!

Last Tuesday I was in the Group of 5 that got to cook the Ayurvedic lunch for everyone.  How I love GHEE!  The food has been cleansing and delicious!  In fact, I made myself a Kitchari tonight for dinner by following this recipe.  CINDY, how can I not think of you?

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/05/my-favorite-kitchari-recipe/


We take a hike almost every day after lunch and that is a very nice break after so much intensity of learning.  After that we go into Yoga Nidra which is a practice like savasana but lasts much longer.  Its purpose is to train the mind to go into a deep state of relaxation without falling asleep.  No success for me yet, nor for anyone else in the class ~ we have ALL fallen asleep!  Here's more info on the practice ~

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1372/


And of course there is the chanting and the learning of Sanskrit.  I was really struggling with the chanting at the beginning of the week, but I'm getting the hang of it.  It IS very calming.  And my malas are being used ~

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_prayer_beads


This first weekend was also really nice.  My roommate, Kim, invited me to join her and some of her massage therapists friends to go to an Improv show last night at a very intimate theatre.  It was INCREDIBLY FUNNY (just like "Whose Line Is It Anyway") and now I can say I have done Laughing Yoga, too!  It was the perfect release for a very focused week. 

So I must go to bed.  It's almost 10PM and 3:45AM will come around pretty fast.  I'm shutting down the computer for the week, so I'll be in touch again next weekend.

Have a lovely week ~ stay in the moment ~ and enjoy the journey.

With Love,
Diana

What a perfect Sunday morning ...

... for a VOMIT.

Yes ~ that's how my day began.  Up at 6:15AM with a 7AM arrival for our Sadhana, which is a spiritual practice that includes the mind (meditation), body (cleansing and exercise), and spirit (chanting).  If you're interested, check out the link below ~  

http://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/sadhana


This was the only Sunday we will be at the Center as we needed to move to the next phase of  our cleansing.  Today was called Laghoo Shankhaprakshalana.  The procedure is outlined at the link below ~

http://www.yogawithanne.co.uk/index_files/intestinalwash.htm


We prepared a 2 liter bottle of warm salt water (4 teaspoons of salt).  I drank the first 1/3rd fairly well, and proceeded through the exercises.  The water tasted OK ~ it was simply my mind pushing against drinking that much water so fast.  I chugged the second 1/3 of the bottle with a little more difficulty.  The goal of this cleanse is to get the water all the way through the body, but I didn't quite make it.  I started my 2nd round of exercises and about half way through, I just had to vomit (thankfully I made it to the bathroom).   I finished the final third of the bottle and completed another round of exercises.  Many of the students felt the effects during the process, but my system processes more slowly.  After driving one of the students home (I'm aiding a wonderful young man, Citrus, with transportation), I made it home around 8:30 AND just in time.  Because here's the deal:  you drink salt water because the salt stops the absorption of the water into your cells so it literally washes directly through.  And boy did it!

It's 11:30AM now  and I'm fine and feel light.  I am quite thirsty and hungry so will go upstairs now and make a drink consisting of yogurt, coconut water, honey, cardamom, cumin, salt, and pepper.  The drink is called LASSI, and is good for aiding digestion, introducing probiotics, and repairing the flora of the gut. 

So even though today's cleanse did not call for vomiting, I'm sort of glad I did.  I have never been a fan of vomiting, and a memory has emerged of a thunderbird ring that my Mom gave me when I was a child.  She told me that as long as I wore that ring, I would not vomit.  I don't really remember being sick, but I do remember that ring.  And let's face it ~ through the last 40 years, when I have vomited, it's usually been from an excess of alcohol, so my mental connection is not a positive one.  So today was a good start of a disconnect from that mental connection. 

And good news ~ I have even more of an opportunity to reroute my brain!  Starting tomorrow morning, and through the week, we are adding Kunjala to our morning cleanse ~ the cleansing of the stomach.  And how is that accomplished?  By vomiting warm salt water. 

Welcome to my world. 

Friday night sharing

This week has been one of the most meaningful weeks of my life.  I am finding my inner joy again!

I couldn't have chosen a better school for me. Certainly the locale is beautiful, even though I've had very little chance to explore.  The instructors are deep, open and inviting, and there is no stupid question.  I feel very free to speak my mind and ask any question.  The school itself is the perfect size ~ not too big, and feels so much like home, even after only 5 days.

The other students are also a wonderful blend of flavors.  I did confirm today that I am the oldest, with Rick close behind me by 3 months.  Three women are just turning 50, and the balance are in their 20's and 30's.  Everyone is warming up so nicely and we are really moving into a family unit.  I think most of us have had our moments of tears, and there is great respect and quiet compassion from everyone as we all go through our process. 

I have always felt a deep sense of spirituality in my life, and we are being taught the true spiritual meaning of yoga.  I feel like I've been plugged in and my body, mind and spirit are coming alive again.  I'm in deep gratitude. 

We do get a little break tomorrow ~ instead of getting up at 3:45AM (which I LOVE, by the way), I don't have to get up until 5:45AM.  Our class tomorrow is only from 6:30 to 9:30, so I'll enjoy my first almost full day off.  Sunday will also be a short one ~ 7:00 to 8:30AM as we're doing another big cleanse.  That will certainly be the day to get my home chores done and relax, and my intent is to share more about my experience. 

I hope this week has been a good one for all.  Even though I have been unplugged from the Internet, my heart is full knowing I am loved.

Diana