The Body

   Our body is the poetry of our lives. Within it is our story as it reacts to our choices and builds upon what is asked of it. It holds the rhythm of our history and moves with grace even when we are unaware. If you want to find the “now”, ask yourself, “What is the condition of my body? How am I standing? How am I breathing? Do I feel any warm sensations, or pain and where are they felt?”

   If you feel as though you have lost touch with the condition of your body, I suggest taking a class with a good yoga teacher. If yoga is not your thing, then go for a walk or run out doors. Spend time feeling the body in motion, feeling it push and pull. Feel your heart pump as it feeds the body prana (oxygen, vital life force). Bring your awareness into the fiber of your muscles as they work to fulfill your requests, or quite simply become more aware of your breath each moment as you sit or walk from one place to the next.

   Get to know your body again! Cultivating the awareness of the inner self will be difficult if the connection with the vehicle that navigates you through life is lost. The Divine is hidden within our very cells. We do not need to look far to see our truth; it is right under our nose. In fact, it is our nose.

Guidance of The Heart

     There is no risk in listening and following the guidance of the heart. I believe we risk much more when we ignore it. Each one of us has the ability to listen to the wisdom of our inner voice, each one of us is responding each day to it as it attempts to grab hold of our attention regardless of our level of consciousness. We are either responding ignorantly or consciously. Both responses shape our lives in their own unique ways.
   It is obvious how an ignorant relationship with our inner wisdom can impact the quality of our lives. There will always be a sense of lack that accompanies that choice, a sense of not being fulfilled or a feeling of incompleteness. The fluidity of life will be jammed and our sense of direction and accomplishment will be random.
   When you are listening though, when you are bringing your senses into alignment for the purpose of understanding the wisdom within, the light that spreads itself across the sky seems brighter. But also the darkness can seem darker and more frightening. This is why it seems risky to follow the heart, because in order to truly understand your truth you must know all of its ways of expressing itself which can often include facing fear and pain. But beneath turmoil stirs bliss and joy. It is the light of awareness that allows truth to emerge freely from dormancy to reach and spread itself across the open space of your life. To suppress truth, to ignore it is to stifle its ability to flourish. The flourishing of truth is the unfolding of purpose and life with purpose is abundant, joyful and fluid. What truth am I referring to? The deep well of love that we all drink from running freely through us like a powerful river.  

An Apple Seed

   Think of a seedling that has found its way into the soil. This seedling is from an apple tree. Even before it found itself wedged in the soil it always had within it the purpose of being an apple tree. That wisdom is never lost on this seedling. Finding itself in the ground, it instinctively begins to use the moisture and nutrients in the soil to begin effortlessly and patiently manifesting on the outside what it knows it is on the inside. Roots begin to emerge and very soon after, with graceful force it sprouts up from underneath its bed of earth knowing it needs the light of the sun to truly create what it knows it is. Harmoniously it uses the elements of earth, water and sun, as well as the powerful force of purpose to bring to life throughout the years a nearer representation of what it desires to become. All along though, even if most would not recognize it as an apple tree, it is and its purpose is to create apples that will be given to anyone who is hungry. It will give to give; it lives because it knows it is born to make delicious apples to be shared.
  We can live our whole lives without knowing what we are born to do, but as effortlessly as this seedling brings to life its purpose, we too were meant to do the same. This is the value in discovering what our purpose is and living it to its fullest. A thousand reasons can be made why we don’t want to, and we can go our whole life without knowing it or pursuing it if we choose. But still our spirit knows it and will reemerge from the soil of humanity until the most conscious body decides to listen and blossom as it should.
   Fear, excuses, stories, fascinations, latching on to the ego, dwelling in the past or being pulled away by thoughts about the future all block our view of this divine reason. Only a quiet and clean mind can clearly see the light of intention and the force of dharma. Just the same, only a quiet and clear mind can bring to life the light of intention and the force of dharma.  From stillness comes the grandest vigor. It is a deep knowing that seemingly without any movement moves mountains. From where do you think the seedling knows it is an apple tree? From within and this knowing from within aligns with what is all around it to penetrate the heart of creation. It is a divine dance; a body and a song swaying to the rhythms within each. It is an invisible melody born in the material. This melody is love.
   Being aware of your dharma is communicating with the Divine, and the Divine responds. The pulse of a seedling is its purpose, its dharma. Without question that is what it is to become. Keeping your awareness on purpose creates a pulse of waves that can be heard by the Divine, and it answers by giving that purpose a field in which to bring itself to life just like the soil, water and sun that is provided effortlessly for the apple seed.  

What's the Rush Yoga Studio

We are very excited to begin our dream of owning a yoga studio. The beauty in what we are sharing with the community is a yoga practice that is designed for all levels of experience. The use of props and the emphasis placed on alignment allows for the exploration of your body whether you are flexible or stiff, strong or working to build strength. This noncompetitive environment offers the freedom to enjoy the tremendous benefits of yoga without worry. So often I hear people say “I can’t do yoga. I am too stiff, I am not flexible.” That is like saying I can’t drink water because I am too thirsty. I also hear, “Those crazy yoga people tie themselves into knots”. Rest assured we do not tie people into knots in our studio. But we do offer the freedom of physical movement that you deserve. It is our right to live abundantly. Abundance can be joyfully realized with a happy and liberated body and mind. It is our pleasure to invite you to What’s the Rush Yoga Studio where you will find the hidden smile within you waiting to bloom.

  

  526 west Lancaster BLVD suite 105,
Lancaster CA 661-492-4011

Digging In

   If you are rooted in what you love and are filled with appreciation, could there ever be any concern in your life? The times in my life when I lack direction are the times when I have drifted from the practice that I love. It is only in those times that I feel my teaching is not clear for my students and that my life over all is out of balance. So life is simple for me, if I practice the yoga postures, if I meditate, if I am living consciously and gratefully, if I am writing and reading books that inspire me, then the gifts that I have to offer to my students are filled with love and clarity. This way I am never concerned about the quality of my teaching or the symmetry of my life.
   If we stay grounded in what we love and surround ourselves with all of the gifts in our lives, I can’t see what is impossible for us. Playing gracefully in what you adore, being grateful and joyful regardless of external circumstances and touching each thing with the greatest appreciation for it is a wonderful way to make the beauty in our lives lasting.
   There is so much magnificence that we miss by hurrying to life’s next thing. There is so much magnificence that fails to emerge from us because we fail to see what already is miraculous. Digging in to what we love and being grateful for the beauty that surrounds us is being rooted in our purest nature. Living this way, not only will we be free of our concern and fear, but we will also be free to enjoy life completely.    

Love, Action & Tattoos

Degree or No Degree? That is the Question.

  

   My good friend Steve Maher brought up a great point in conversation. He suggested that I get a degree in Psychology so that more doors will open in the field that I enjoy, which is empowering others to move beyond struggle so they may begin to live a wonderful life. I agree with him completely, doors would open up if a degree were in my hands; the value in a degree is immeasurable. But it inspired this question in me which I would like to pose to all of you. Do you feel that you need a degree to begin living your life’s passions? Should you wait for that degree to begin doing what you love?
   To be clear, Steve does believe that you should begin living your dreams regardless if you have a degree or not.  He simply feels that a degree may make that vocation easier to facilitate. This is quite true. A degree is not an easy thing to acquire though and the difficulty in getting one often scares people away from doing what they love. I am not saying that because a thing is difficult we should fear it, but it is often the case. The truth is, if you are compelled to do something it should be done by you whether it is challenging or not. But also for the thing to be done we should not wait for a piece of paper to permit our doing it. We can begin now by first imagining doing it, buying and reading as many books on the subject as we can, visiting and meeting people and going places where the thing we love is being done, and actually doing it if we feel ready. All the while we could be attending school if what we want requires it, but nothing of value requires waiting.
   I love writing! No I am not an English major, nor do I have a degree in English. Does this mean I don’t have the right to spill my guts on paper, or in my blogs? Blogs would never have been created if experts only were allowed to put pen to page. We can do whatever we want even if what we want doesn’t make logical sense to the examiners and critics out there waiting to judge. How much happiness can there be in life if everything you look at must meet a certain standard in order to be enjoyed?
   A piece of paper can never define the worth of a person. In three seconds a match can turn it into smoke and dust. It is from within that all the goodness comes. Begin being who you are now! This does not mean you shouldn’t go for the paper, but waiting for it to begin fueling the passion inside of you will extinguish that flame.
   I would enjoy your thoughts on this:  Do you feel that you need a degree to begin living your life’s passions? Should you wait for that degree to begin doing what you love? You know my opinion, I would love to hear yours!

Field of Joy

Within everything that is wonderful is some element of struggle and suffering. Even a grand and beautiful tree is rooted in soil composed of fallen trees and leaves, deceased animals and dead plants. Nothing that ever arose to become great in its expression of life has eluded pain and suffering. Knowing this, it is clear that it is how we see our suffering that defines how we allow it to shape our lives. That it is viewed as something to be avoided is where our mistakes come. In our effort to avoid our struggles, all we find are more struggles.
   We have not within us always the capacity to understand the turns and twists of the great plan for our lives. Only when we have the courage to surrender and trust that what is moving through our life is part of a Divine plan do we then lesson our resistance to it and begin to align with inner truth. Our question should not be, “Why do I struggle”, but “Where am I being led”. And that question can be asked with an open curiousness and faith.
   Growth reveals itself on the other side of difficulty. Being able to truly appreciate light only comes because we’ve experienced darkness. It is our will and love for life powering us through disharmony that becomes more robust and solid like the trunk of the same tree that roots itself in the soil of decomposition. Struggle is a test of our will and love for living. The more tests we pass, the less we face in the future as we graduate into the field of joy.

Removal of Fear

Fear vs Love, The Follow Up Video

   I’ll be doing the follow up video to Fear vs. Love today. In it I will discuss ways in which we can begin to remove ourselves for the entrapments of fear, and begin to walk gracefully through the field of life’s abundance.
    As I have said and have written about in the past, we deserve to live with love and joy in our hearts. If we could understand that the manifestation of disorder in our lives is created by ourselves, then very easily with the same effort that is put into the building of our present life, we can learn to build the life that harmonizes with our inner beauty. We can craft our life’s story the way it was meant to be crafted; with love, with delight and with wonder. I look forward to sharing this with you!

You Gotta Be Able To Laugh

   A very wise and great friend of mine said to me, “You’ve gotta be able to laugh at yourself”. That could not be more accurate for me and for many others who, like me, take themselves and their lives too seriously. Now of course I would consider myself a person who is capable of enjoying the humor in life. I have certainly been known to break out into gut wiggling laughter, but it is quite true that I am often guilty of taking life too seriously.

    At times if another person and I have opposing views, and from within me rumbles up the molten rock of seriousness, it may be quite helpful if I could cool that heat by laughing. Because from the barrel of laughter comes a tremendous degree of openness and love.  For those of us who press ourselves up against the force of life, it may be quite a splendid thing to smile at the many bloopers that accompany being human. 

   It is reasonable to say that laughter in times of struggle and difficulty could have a transformational effect. Laughing is so wonderfully liberating and intoxicating. Sharing moments of laughter with friends and family creates life lasting bonds and delightful moments stored in the banks of our memory. It has tremendous healing powers and colors the atmosphere with positivity. So in the future, if someone is angry or irritated with me, I will try to make them laugh. If I find myself hardening my views and becoming irritated and angry, I will look for the humor in the humanness. Because it is wonderful to remember the great importance of lightening up and laughing.

Fear vs Love

Wonderful Life?

 Would you believe that we were born to live a wonderful life? If you don’t, more than likely your life is much less than wonderful. The circumstances in which you find yourself are woven beautifully together, designed in a way that is meant to guide you toward the joy and the bliss that you are. It is only in our inability to see this beauty that we find around each corner something much less than the joy we deserve, yet we have experienced enough happiness so far that we continue to seek more of it.
   How do you make happiness a permanent thing? How do you create an ever increasing flow of peace in your life? By realizing that you are nothing else but love. You were conceived out of love regardless of the environment you were born into. Love is the gravity of all things and everything points toward the deep well of bliss that it is. Ignorance of this truth is the root of dysfunction and the fragmentation of pure delight. Click here to learn more….   

Unconsciousness

If I am afraid, it is usually the result of concerns that I have about something done in the past, a mistake for example, or I am worried about an event that is to come in the future like paying a bill or meeting a deadline. Another common concern I often experience is excessive thinking about how another person perceives me, what opinion they hold in regards to me.
   What I realize is that all of these things are irrelevant to what is happening in the moment. In the present there is no past or future, and certainly I can never think anyone else’s thoughts but my own. Also, in the present worry and fears do not exist so fear can only be a product of unconsciousness; when we are living consciously we are soundly rooted in the present moment.
   The fear that I am referring to, the same fear I wrote about in my previous blog, is the fear that we mill over in our minds and that manifests as stress in our lives and in our bodies blocking our otherwise smooth flowing of energy. I am not referring to the natural fight or flight instinct that happens at times of emergency. That fear is presence because there is no time to think or worry, there is only time to react and move. It is as pure as the present moment because it is an element of pure consciousness. At those times we are amazingly uncluttered.
   To be conscious is to be unafraid, to be joyful, to be happy. To be conscious is to know that what we deserve in life is the opposite of fear filled lack. We deserve to live abundantly!

Fear

   What a strange thing fear is. It can create disease in our bodies, bring imbalance to our ability to go confidently through life, can destroy relationships, and stiffen our ability to roam freely. But what is wonderful to know is that fear can only arrive in your life when you are living unconsciously. The space that surrounds awareness is filled with love only; our true nature is love. It is what we were born from; it is what we are now at this moment.
   It is helpful to think of fear as the voice of a stern mother asking us not to touch or do the things that are unhealthy or unsafe. Fear is born from our unconsciousness and is the sharp voice of our mother, the love that we are, warning us and asking that we return to the present moment. Only when we have removed ourselves from our truth by choosing to travel through life recklessly do we begin to shiver in the cold dark corners of fearfulness.
   So to listen to your fear and when it is felt remember to return to the love that you are is all that is needed. Say to yourself, "There is no fear, there is only love." Look deeply into your heart with a fresh smooth inhalation, and remove the black smoke that surrounds it with a peaceful exhalation. There is nothing for you to do but return to love, place your focus on it only. If fear is only unconsciousness, a lack of knowing that we are love, then all that we need to do to remove fear is return to the present moment by becoming aware of our breath and by reminding ourselves that our true nature is love and only love.