Why Yogis are OK with being naked

As yoga clothes start to resemble lingerie ads, nude yoga calendars are being printed, and I hear chatter of my students discussing their nude beach experience, I start to wonder what it is with naked yogis. Is it that they want to show off their “yoga buns”? I have bought into some of this myself (mostly the feminine looking yoga outfits) and although I consider myself a “free spirit,” the thought of baring all makes me a little flush in my cheeks. Am I a prude, and why are yogis so comfortable with this?
This brings me back to an interesting experience I encountered in my early twenties with a guitar teacher of mine. Let’s call him “Harry” to protect his identity. I began taking guitar lessons at the request of my then boyfriend (Chris) in hopes that we could form a rock band together. Although I was feeling “too old” and insecure to begin learning an instrument, I put my fear aside and went for it, getting the highest recommended yoga teacher in town. Each week when I showed up for my lesson, I felt anxious and exposed, due to my own lack of confidence. As the lessons progressed and I began feeling more comfortable, it seems harry was too. Yes it is true… I showed up for my lesson and Harry was the one who was exposed (naked)this week. After a moment, an apology for forgetting about my lesson, and a quick change we proceeded as usual. I thought to myself, “Wow, who would have known he was a nudist.” I went back the next week. Same thing. This time it was “laundry day”. I left vowing to never return, but being coaxed into it by my boyfriend, who didn’t fully believe me (and would have much rather had the Janice Joplin, than the Seane Corne type) went back a third time. Needless to say (since I am not a famous guitarist) I didn’t go back again. In fact, I quit playing guitar because in my avidya(illusion) I thought it was Harry’s way of telling me I was not a worthy guitar student, because I had NO rhythm. I have never been one to judge others, only myself. THANKFULLY Yoga has helped me turn away from this judging mind and feel more comfortable in my SKIN. Maybe not to the extent of sitting naked on the beach (although I would like to think I could) and the nude yoga classes, well they just seem like they would be as awkward as a naked guitar lesson.
Why are many yogis comfortable in the buff..well..I think it is this reason.
I have had students express to me the awkwardness they feel post savasana (deep relaxation) bliss. This is the point where we pause and look deep into each other’s eyes for a moment before bowing our heads in Namaste (light in me-honors the light in you). Here we sit much more exposed than when we are nude. Through the process of yoga, we shed the layers that we put on ourselves or others put on us that lead to our fears and insecurities. We come in to this world naked and pure, like a crystal clear wine glass, and then we get passed around and the imprints began to dim our sparkle. Yoga begins to wipe these smudges away and if we are lucky, we can catch the glimmer that is there…here we sit uncovered, natural, crystal clear. Namaste’

No ADD in Belize

On my recent trip to Belize I was finally forced out of my “comfort zone” that I have been reflecting on so much lately. I am able to cross things off a bucket list I never knew existed! One of them being the amazing Actun Tunichil Muknal tour, otherwise noted as ATM tour on our itinerary. When I signed up, I went with my intuition, trusting this would be the right choice, even though I had no idea what an ATM tour was. For all I knew this would be a place were we could go and pull out some much needed American cash, so I said SIGN ME UP. After all, I was most concerned about teaching some yoga in a beautiful place, and getting the heck out of snow-pocalypse and record lows in Indiana . I found out the night before our tour, at dinner, that this was a 6 hour Cave Tour that we would have to swim to enter the cave. Hmm, so 5 hours with no light, cold, and wet. Though not my usual idea of a good time, I smiled an uncomfortable smile, put my fears on the shelf, and surrendered to the whole experience. Just as you do when you realize that you have just entered a yoga class where the teacher can be likened to the dentist. As we arrived at our destination, we all left our waters, lunch and dry clothing at the picnic area, pulled up a bush for those of us that drank too much coffee, and than headed through the lake and into the cave. At first I thought I could make it in by hugging the wall, and not have to swim and get wet, but since a huge black wall spider had the same idea, needless to say; I dove in, doggy-paddled my way to shallow water, and began the journey into the underworld. I clung to our guide on the way, finding comfort from him. We all had to pass on messages to one another and if one of us failed to do so, someone could have gotten injured. We all became important messengers. There was a great amount of respect and reverence in the way the guide led us through the darkness. He pointed up to a beautiful opening in the cave where sunlight filtered down, and told us to say goodbye to the last bit of light for the next few hours….

Further down our path we came to a place in the cave where a plant grew, 6oo feet down, with no sunlight. “How was this possible?”, we wondered. It had soil, water, and seed from the fruit bat’s excrement. Where was the light it needed? The guide has us turn off our headlamps. It was completely black. We turned them back on, and he said “it is your light.” It made me think that it had to be more than just the artificial light that we wore on the top of our adorable read helmets (see photo). Out of the hundreds of tours here, if we all stop to pay attention to this plant, of course it will thrive.
I thought about the things that I have been paying attention to in my life. Do my thoughts line up with the things I want to flourish?
What we pay attention to, is what expands and grows. Are my thoughts supporting my intention and aim? Ask yourself this question, “Does my mind revolve around worry and fear, or do I focus positive energy on the areas I want to sprout new beginnings in my life?” Even if it begins with a pile of shit, there is possibility for growth…
We made it through the cave to the main area that looked like a Cathedral, saw the famous Mayan pottery and skeletons, and then sat in the Cathedral. There is something about meditation in blackness, opening your eyes, there is still nothing to entertain, nothing to excited the sense of sight, so inward we go…
As we headed back I was much more relaxed and in the moment after meditation, rather than grasping toward warmth, light, and my veggie sandwich. As we passed the plant on the way out, I leaned over and touched the leaves. Trying to give back a little “prana”, for the gratitude I felt, for the reminder to pay attention to what matters. The people in Belize do a great job of paying attention. The kids are happy, the environment is well cared for, the stray animals are plump with shinny coats, and there is vegetation and orange grooves lining every highway. Contrasting our society, where we lack attention as we are multitasking in our superhighway of technology. Attention Deficit Disorder is on the rise, eye contact is no longer the norm…
I take a breath in a country that has the attitude of slow and attentive, and feel peace and joy.
A few days later I am sitting at breakfast enjoying the fresh food and peaceful sounds, as we are preparing to leave the island to return to American soil. Suddenly I am startled by a sound coming from my purse. It was my cell phone (which didn’t have reception the whole week, until this moment) Time to go home…
A place of peace and joy.

Every moment can possess magic

“Power to manifest. Every moment can possess magic.” I heard someone talking about this the other day on Oprah radio. I instantly thought THAT’S YOGA. For many years now, I have been amazed how what I chose to focus on, shows up in my life. I know this to be true, yet it always stuns me. Imagining that we have this power is responsibility, when I use to leave everything up to, or blame everything on, “Destiny”.

Still this thought isn’t quite complete. There is so much more to happiness and peace than being a co-creator in our life. If we truly want happiness, everything we manifest should be for others, not ourselves. Switching from the idea that every moment can possess magic, to every moment IS magic, is a much more powerful way of thinking and being. Open up those eyelids to experience what is in front of you, NOW.

My 5 year old just learned the days of the week song at school and serenades me daily,Sunday Monday Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday Friday, Sat-uur-day, and then begins again. Although I am proud of her for learning the days of the week, I can’t help but get stressed out at the thought of a week going by so quickly, and then doing it all over again! It usually ends up being the same thing… always striving for something more, or something different… but the same week just begins again. This is our”week-ness”. This is our samskara (habitual patterns and unaware-ness in each day, that creates the karma of our life) If you have ever caught yourself wondering how in the heck you got to this place/mess, it is usually because this unconscious thought pattern was your tour guide. No matter how high of an intention we set for ourselves, if we are not present, we will never propel ourselves to where we need to be.
What do we do now, as many of us have already fallen off the wagon of our New Year intentions, because of life, or ourselves, getting in the way? We color outside of the lines! Do something that frightens you!! Something out of your comfort zone! Challenge yourself, without being attached to the outcome of whether you “succeed”, or “fail”. Discover that inner child that once knew it was OK to color outside the lines. Only you, have the power to change that week-ness into empowerment. As we get older, many times, our fear of failure keeps us from trying. I recently picked up the guitar AGAIN, because I really love to play, but I can get so discouraged when I do not sound like Jimmie Hendrix. I know I probably never will, but I am able to let go of needing to be perfect, or even good for that matter. What is important, is that I have surrendered any expectations and within that, have found myself fully enjoying being present, during my noisy meditation. Do something completely out of the ordinary, without fear of judgment, or looking/sounding a little dorky. Stop saying, “I should eat more mindfully, I am going to learn a new language, or play that instrument when I have more time, I am going to be with the people I love more, or more like the people I love.” Keep it simple. Open your eyelids and wake up to whatever life is presenting for you. Be a co-creator by being alive and of service now. As a great yogi tea bag once said. “If you are unconsciously living a conscious life, you will never be poor.”