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Kali, Tearing Down Time

This is the pretty roof of the room I call home these days. On Sunday, said room began to smell a little mousey. I cleared out all my things, shook out and then refolded each item of clothing and each bag and suitcase, yet did not find a mouse. My friend correctly guessed that some small animal must have crawled between the tiles on the roof and the bamboo on the ceiling before Spirit left the body behind. Unfortunately, there was nobody who could tear the roof apart for a day and a half, so the smell permeated the space I sleep and practice.

I can’t help but bring Kali to mind. Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction and time whose devotees dance in graveyards and spread themselves with the ashes of funeral pyres. Continue reading “Kali, Tearing Down Time”

Health and Wealth in the New Year

Feliz Ano Nuevo! The bombas exploded at midnight, lighting the night sky and filling the barrios with even more explosions than have been heard during the whole month of December. Nicaraguense set afire both fireworks that exploded individually and effigies of the old year — scarecrow men stuffed with firecrackers, newspapers, and messages of a happy new year. When the explosions quieted, the visiting began – house to house as neighbors visited neighbors and friends and families mingled. After 1 am, the crowds dispersed – either early to bed or out for late night fiestas celebrating until dawn broke the sky. Don’t ever let anyone tell you the Nicas don’t know how to party.

My 2013 in Nicaragua finds me working in a hotel mornings and teaching yoga afternoons and evenings. Continue reading “Health and Wealth in the New Year”

Finding the Thread of Yourself

It’s hard sticking to your spiritual and/or health routine during the holidays. Family comes to you or you travel to them. There are late night parties filled with tasty, tasty munchies and lots of opportunities to revel in wine-soaked smiles.

That’s all a good thing, and, I’d argue, just another dimension of your practice. Tantric philosophy says that each moment offers it’s own opportunity for waking up. Continue reading “Finding the Thread of Yourself”

Santosha

Santosha is one of the niyamas, or self restraints, recommended by Patanjali in the yoga sutras. Mastering the yamas and niyamas is an integral part of the practice of yoga, and so far, one that I find myself continually practicing time and again. I’ve written before about Santosha, the practice of being satisfied with what one has, in my very first post. Desire, though, is not an easy monkey to remove from one’s back nor one’s mind.

“I can resist everything but temptation”
~Oscar Wild

Continue reading “Santosha”

Vishuddhi – the Chakra of Communication

I am constantly pulled back to work with the chakras in my asana and meditation practice. I find that chakra work often comes off the mat, coloring food choices, what colors I incorporate into my outfits, and which essential oils I wear. Further, if I’m working with a particular chakra, I’ll keep work in the front of my conciousness as I’m having interactions with people throughout my day. I’ll notice if a person may trigger some of the lessons I need to practice to balance a particular chakra, or perhaps I’ll notice that the somebody has a complementary chakra issue – where mine is depleted, perhaps their is showing in excess.

Continue reading “Vishuddhi – the Chakra of Communication”

El Esclavo, The Slave

I did a card reading the other night to gain some clarity on issues of Abundance. I’ve been working hard with prosperity meditations for a few months now, both to increase the flow of that energy in my own life and to prepare for an upcoming workshop I have on the topic here in Nicaragua.

I’ve seen a real increase in the energy of abundance, prosperity, and creativity since I committed to actively working the combination of kriyas, meditations, and asana practice I’ve designed. I’ve also experienced an increase in feelings of gratitude as well as an ability to recognize the energy of abundance when it does enter my life. So often, I feel that this “plenty,” which really is a divine right for all, enters so stealthily into our lives that it’s very easy to take for granted unless you are practicing stillness, awareness, and gratitude. Continue reading “El Esclavo, The Slave”

At Home Yoga Retreat

Recently, I had an opportunity to attend a 10 day Vipassana retreat in Northern Nicaragua. For those unfamiliar with Vipassana, it is a form of silent meditation that is normally taught over a ten day silent retreat. The schedule for the days is long, with meditation beginning at 4:30 in the morning and lasting about 10 hours each day. Wow! On top of that, meals are sparse. As I’m still not feeling 100% myself, I opted to retreat at another time in the future when I am up to such a rigorous schedule.

However, I was inspired by the idea of a retreat, and opted instead to design and implement a yoga and meditation retreat right where I am. “Meet yourself where you are,” is one of the lessons that I continue to re-learn throughout my life. Continue reading “At Home Yoga Retreat”

Breath is the Pulse of the Universe.

I was a big quote collector when I was younger. I didn’t keep my favorite quotes just in my journals, although they were covered in quotes. I also wrote them in different fonts and colors all over my shoes, jeans, and backpacks. I still have one of those backpacks today, broken zipper and all, and the only quote that has survived the repeated washing is Freddie Mercury’s
“fat bottom girls, they make the rockin’ world go ’round.”

Continue reading “Breath is the Pulse of the Universe.”

Living in the Unknown

Spacious. That’s how I feel right now, as I spend time with a friend waiting to see what will be next.

A brief illness sent me packing from the island of Ometepe early, and I returned here to Granada to stay with a friend as I recovered. While here, I began searching for my next opportunity. I sent emails after leads I’d heard of, but all came up bust. So I’m in an interesting space of watching life unfold and bustle busily around me but standing in a space absent of movement.

My body has reflected the uncertainty of my mind as it’s forced me to physically stay still while recovering my strength and health. Continue reading “Living in the Unknown”

Una Oportunidad para el Silencio

When we want to dive into a deeper, more meditative practice of yoga and listening to the mind, our modern lives require that we consciously create that space. That might mean creating an area for meditation in your home – a room or corner dedicated to deep thought or introspection. It might mean that you find a group of people meeting regularly at your local yoga studio, zen buddha center, or something similar, and show up for class. Or, it might mean that you take a length of time to retreat, to an organized event like a 10 Vipassana Meditation Center, or simply to the wilderness. In my life, I have always, always, always found a deep heart connection simply by surrounding myself with trees. I have sweet memories from my childhood when I would trek off to the small woods behind my elementary school and spend hours taking in the loamy scent of decaying leaves and swampy mud and stare up at the tree tops and the sky beyond, feeling connected to all those trees growing tall over my head with roots intertwining under the earth beneath me. One of my favorite hiding spots as a young girl was a tremendous pine tree with boughs that spread out wide but a quiet, clear space in the center. I would soften enter that tree and stay under it’s cool, green protection for hours, and would seek it out specifically when I was upset about something. I always found that quiet space with the scent of time cooling and calming. That said, I find myself ready now to move on from Granada and towards the wilderness. As I prepare to make this change, I”m also finding my practice move away from a strongly physical practice and more towards a yin yoga, Kundalini yoga, pranayama, and meditative practice.

Granada has been the perfect place to transition to life in Central America. Being the wealthiest city in Nicaragua, it offers many niceties to extranjeros such as opportunities for western food, a lively and active Calzada where the cerveza flows and the conversation raps all night, and opportunities to escape the oppressive heat in cool blue pools. Continue reading “Una Oportunidad para el Silencio”