The Great "Partnership"

It's not by chance that the word "Partner" is included in Restorative Partner Yoga; It's integral to the practice. From my earliest training, my mentor, Syl Carson, stressed the importance of mirroring the breath and finding the complementary yoga posture. What that looks like in action? Watching for the rising belly in your client, bringing in your own deep inhale simultaneously, then moving you and your partner into the posture when you see or feel the exhale. It's not enough to simply move someone around in a series of postures. That's Thai Massage. Restorative Partner Yoga happens when the person receiving the session is pulled into a heart-lifting cobra and the person giving the session releases the low back, lifts the heart, drops the shoulders and finds that sweet spot--a modified chair pose. All of this, mind you, at the same time. The roles, at some point, begin to merge. Who is giving? Who is receiving? That is the very heart and soul of this work--in order to give, meaningfully and effectively, you must be able to receive. Certainly this goes both ways. To receive the work, you must give it freely.

Never was this concept more powerfully illustrated for me than when I was wrapping up my certification hours. After twenty-eight hours of Giving, it was unavoidably time to Receive, for two hours of it were required before I could turn in my paperwork. One session. One beautiful, glorious, blissful session. That's when the understanding of reciprocity opened up within me. Had I forgotten what this work was all about? Had I realized how meaningful and deeply restorative this work truly was? I think I had. The secret to it all? Giving IS receiving.




Visit http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/utah-yoga-partner-training/ for more information

The Theory of Re-sensitivity

I've never had a huge tolerance for scary movies, and roller coasters have always seemed daunting and dangerous, but those realities were never enough to hold me back. I always managed to shush my common-sense, grit my teeth, bite off my nails and force myself to enjoy it. And then I would! That is, until recently. The strange phenomenon happened over seven years ago after the birth of my first child, a sweet, darling and somber daughter, which I mention as a side note. During the first few months of my postpartum I was emotional, volatile, and utterly useless. It was a rough adjustment, this thing called "motherhood". So when I sat down to watch a not-even-horror-level-but-mostly-just-morbid movie with my husband and I was haunted for weeks afterwards, I assumed it was just postpartum hormones. Then, several months later, when standing in the shadow of the park's tallest roller coaster, I knew there was no power strong enough on this Earth to make me ride that thing. What was wrong with people? Why was anyone riding it? Did they all have a death wish? No. No. And...no. Several children later, these experiences have been replaying themselves over and over again. I simply cannot do scary--not in the theatre, not in the amusement park. It completely overloads my system and I cannot separate reality from fiction, or thrills from near-death trauma. This is my conclusion: I have been re-sensitized. Children are this way, at first, anyway. It's only after years of exposure and repeated experiential training that children overcome their natural naivete, so to speak. We typically sum it by saying--they're desensitized. We're all desensitized! We can watch a show for the first time and have it shock and scandalize us, but by round two it's par for the course. But here I was, a grown woman, suddenly reverting back to my childlike ways. Something happened in me that undid all that hard work of growing callous and thick-skinned. I was raw and vulnerable. It's never been AS extreme as it was after my first baby, but it's still there. I've never reverted back to my pre-motherhood coaster-riding-scary-movie-watching-self.

So there it is, the theory of re-sensitivity...relatively speaking.

But it doesn't end there. I daresay, that was where it all began. What started as a growing sensitivity to "scary" has evolved into a growing sensitivity to "spirit". As a child, solely out of self-preservation, I consciously and willingly shut down. The method of abuse that my abuser chose to use on me, and my mom, and my sisters, and my girlfriends, and their moms, and the babysitter, and the secretary, etc. was the method of spiritual-ritualistic-manipulation. I don't actually know if such a thing technically exists, but it seems to do my childhood justice. I knew from a young age that God was not safe. If God spoke to men like my dad, then I didn't want Him to talking to me. So...I pulled in the antennae, I deferred to the memorized Mormon catechisms, and resolved to be a "good girl" with no help from anyone.

Then love came. And babies. Which brought more love, and awakening. And this wild dance of Earth and Sky took place in my heart, Shiva and Shakti shattered the glass. Mother Kundalini hissed her wrath and scorched her slithering trail of fury and redemption. Motherhood and Wifehood felt like an ill-fitted dress, or like the glass-slipper on the step-sisters foot...MY foot. But I danced the dance, I cried my buckets full, I let the forest fire burn off until the word sanctified flitted across my consciousness. And what was I left with? Sensitivity. It had been so long. But the work of motherhood and wifehood drew it up and out of me.

Still yet, the story deepens. From that sensitivity sprang up a call for God. I sought Him, finally. Yoga started me on the path of reconnecting to my physical body, because I had long since abandoned it. With that yoking stronger and surer ever day, it extends now to the mind and soul. It's no accident I felt led to RPY. With every session, I feel my antennae extending up and out, I feel the need to slow down and listen, I feel the urge to trust my instincts, I feel the subtle guidance and influence of "spirit". This is selfishly and whole-heartedly MY work, give it as I may.



Visit http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/utah-yoga-partner-training/ for more information

Organic, From-Scratch Recipe

It's hard to start a business from scratch, especially if you're not merely selling a product but having to promote yourself as an experienced professional in your field. The hands-on experience, the human contact, the healing touch--these are our greatest marketing tools. To have a solid and steady base of clients, businesses in the field of yoga and massage ought to grow organically and spread by word of mouth. That means we can look to nature for inspiration: plant a seed in good soil, nurture it with sunlight and water, meditate over it, then watch it grow and reproduce. Of course, it doesn't have to be approached this way. I know of many businesses that have thrived from the...shall we call it...fiscal method: find a sponsor with copious amounts of revenue, secure a pristine storefront, promote shamelessly on billboards and magazines, and bask in the bounty. I suppose my bias is being exposed here, I definitely lean toward the organic approach. Is that only because I don't have any rich sponsors wanting to thrust their money into my pockets? Undeniably. So to be fair, I don't think it's inherently wrong to start a business the top-down way, but this post I'm writing is for the masses, for the people, for the rest of us that dare to dream bigger than our means.

I'm where you are, just getting started. I can't say that I've arrived at any place of legitimate "success" or "prominence" yet. But my husband and I, in our few years of entrepreneurship in yoga and massage, have had some hard knocks, some "ah-ha" moments and a lot of  lessons in patience. Here's a brief exploration, based on the organic method:

• What is the seed?

I spoke earlier of the organic husbandry approach to business, where the first step is to plant the seed in good soil. Have you ever stopped to consider what that "seed" actually is? A few thoughts to consider: make sure it's non-GMO and definitely Heirloom. Translation: it has to be YOURS, as unique as your DNA, your fingerprint, your smile. You can't settle for someone else's imitation seed, one that will only yield crops for one or two seasons before it gives out. Heirloom seeds keep producing indefinitely. I can't tell you what your seed is. It's taken us years to discover ours. I'll share it with you. Most days it sounds like this: "Make me an instrument of your Peace."  Other days it's more along the lines of: "Thank You". 

• Now to the good soil. 

This speaks to your community. This speaks to your family-life. This speaks to your mind-flora. What is mind-flora? I made up the concept based off of gut-flora, which is definitely a real thing. Gut flora is the community of microorganisms that live in our intestinal tracts. There are recent, ground-breaking studies that show how critical the health and vitality of these microorganisms is to our overall health. When that community thrives, so do we. So mind-flora then? Perhaps the microorganisms that live there are purely and simply our thoughts. Are your thoughts thriving? When they're thriving, so will your seed. Identifying and planting your seed is the natural and critical first step, but it will avail you nothing if you plant that beautiful, perfect seed in terrible soil. I know this from personal experience. Take the time to clear away the weeds (you discover your own breed of noxious weeds through meditation and reflection...what are your limiting beliefs and lies?) and to till in soil from some outside sources if you must (for me, that means mantras and affirmations combined with RET, tapping and restorative yoga). There. Now the setting feels good.

• Sunlight & Water

This can be as physical or as ethereal as you need it to be. For us, it's been both. It's been paying bills, designing webpages, and shampooing carpets. It's been soul-searching, tear-shedding, hair-pulling patience. It's everything required of you physically, mentally and spiritually. Give it all. Pour out the energies of your soul into this seed. But then, realize, step four is next.

• Watch it Grow

Beautiful surrender. You can no sooner will your business to grow than you can will a flower to bloom. But flowers, in their season, do bloom, all of their own accord. Your business and mine will too. This step is all about letting go and letting God. You've done all you've been asked to do. You planted, and tilled, and nourished, but ultimately, whether that seed grows or doesn't grow is entirely out of your hands. It's stunningly and magnificently out of your control. And thank God. I mean it. You should thank Him for that.

• Harvest

Does this need any explanation? It's the juicy, dripping, perfect orange just plucked from the tree. It's the plump, delicate raspberry exploding with flavor in your mouth. It's the firm, fresh, crisp ear of corn. This is how fruit ought to be consumed, when it's truly ripe. It's always in season. It's always abundant. It's always larger than life.

Here's to organic success, for yours and mine!

What Non-Attachment is not

After a lifetime of faithful and diligent practice in the art of Attachment, I have inadvertently discovered what Non-Attachment isn't. These examples come from first-hand, tried and true personal experimentation.

Non-Attachment IS NOT:

• Denial. This is when we see or experience something that makes us feel uncomfortable. Because we feel uncomfortable, we naturally look for a way to feel comfortable again. One option presents itself--deny the very existence of your current reality. Just refuse to accept what you're experiencing. Pretend it's not real. Done. Warning: one may begin to exhibit delusional behavior.

• Numbness/Emotionless. Charles Swindoll once wrote, "Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it". But what if we just simply choose to NOT react to life? What if we see and comprehend the current state of affairs but choose to shut down any and every emotional uprising that attempts to manifest itself? In our attempts to be even-keeled, monotone, passionless and neutral we ultimately achieve it. I like to imagine the electrocardiogram that records the electrical activity of the heart. It's the ups and downs, the peaks and valleys, that imbue us with life. To smooth out those upheavals is to flat-line. We die, if not literally, then at least metaphorically.

• Isolation. To let go of all desire and all expectation must inevitably require one to live completely and utterly alone. We must detach ourselves from all relationships and sever all ties. We must cloister ourselves and escape the perils of modern society. Right? In reality, non-attachment is first and foremost an inner discipline of the mind and heart. If we try to approach non-attachment from the outside in, we end up with this kind of skewed interpretation. When approached from the inside out, everything falls into its proper place and context. We begin to realize that we are all intimately and intricately connected. Living in isolation is a fantasy. When we lose ourselves, then we are truly found.

It is safe to conclude that if Non-Attachment is not denial, then surely it is ACCEPTANCE. If it is not numbness or emotionless, then it is COMPASSION. If it is not isolation, then it is INTERCONNECTEDNESS. But my conclusions are unreliable, not peer-reviewed and just entering the fist stages of clinical trial. Only real-life experimentation can tell you for certain.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Crown

7th Chakra - The Crown

Western Anatomy:

The pituitary gland is a pea-shaped gland situated at the base of the brain behind the nasal cavity. It has been dubbed the "master gland", despite the fact that it only acts when the hypothalamus tells it to. But when the pituitary gland says "Go", the other endocrine glands obey by releasing or inhibiting their own specialized hormone production. Powerful hormones such as prolactin, oxytocin and cortosal are influenced by this important gland.

A fontanelle, or soft spot, is an anatomical feature of the infant human skull There are four membranous gaps between the cranial bones of an infant's skull. Fontanelles allow for rapid stretching and growth of the neurocranium as the brain expands faster than the surrounding bone can grow.

Eastern Energetics:

Conscious and present-moment living, awareness of higher consciousness and the sacred, connection with the formless, liberation from limiting patterns, transcendence of our limitations. This is the place of paradox, where opposites are one. This is the center for transcendence.

As we are immersed in the energy of the crown chakra, we feel a state of blissful union with all that is. It is a spiritual ecstasy. This chakra grants clarity and enlightened wisdom. Some describe this chakra as the gateway to the cosmic or divine self, and simultaneously a gateway to the universal consciousness.

East meets West:

It is fitting that the "master gland" is governed by the "master chakra". No chakra is of more importance than another, but it seems significant that transcendence is experienced here. That is no because the crown chakra itself is so "important" but because it occurs after the work in all the preceeding chakras has been done. It's the grand finale. It's the summation of the whole chakra system working together as one. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi's writings revealed to me for the first time the profound correlation between this seemingly inane label "fontanelle" and the experience of kundalini awakening. In her own words:

"Self-Realization is the awakening of the Kundalini through the central channel, as it pierces the six chakras above the sacrum bone and emerges at the top of the head (at the fontanel area) as a gentle "fountain" of coolness. (The word fontanel means "little fountain" which indicates again the ancient knowledge about this phenomenon of Self-Realization.)"

Chakra Anatomy Series - Third Eye

6th Chakra - The Third Eye

Western Anatomy:

The third-eye point governs the pineal gland. It's like this: light or dark is experienced through the retina of the eyes, which stimulates the visual cortex and the suprachiasmatic nuclei simultaneously (because they're both connected to the retinal nerve fibres). These nuclei are located deep within in the hypothalamus of the brain. When they are stimulated, a signal is sent to the pineal and pituitary glands.

The pineal is an almond-shaped gland situated immediately above the brainstem and directly behind and in line with the third-eye brow point. The pineal gland secretes melatonin in response to signals received from the retina (via the hypothalamus). In darkness, melatonin is secreted, inducing sleepiness and fatique, while the presence of light suppresses it. Melatonin directly influences the function of a number of endocrine glands and plays an important role in the regulation of the sleep cycle. The pineal glad is known as the "third eye", even in allopathic medicine, because of its response to light and dark.

Eastern Energetics:

The gate that leads to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness and awakening. Senses, intuition, telepathy, meditation, self-reflection, clairvoyance, envisioning.

East meets West:

There is a direct corollary found in the word "awakening". Melatonin is a physical hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycle. When the pineal gland is healthy and functioning and this chakra is activated, not only is our circadian rhythm in balance but our spiritual sleep/wake cycle begins to manifest. The third-eye (both the pineal gland and the chakra point) is affected and ruled by light and dark.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Throat

5th Chakra - The Throat

Western Anatomy:

The 5th chakra governs the throat, largely the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland situated low on the front of the neck. It lies below your Adam's apple, along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid is the production house for two major hormones that modulate metabolism and growth. Despite it's small size, it has a big influence on the function of many of the body's most important organs, including the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and skin. It is attached to the larynx, or the voice box, which not only aids in breathing, talking and swallowing, but also protects the lungs from inhaling foreign particles.

Eastern Energetics:

The place of communication, creativity, self-expression, sense of hearing, the voice of the body, speaking your truth, accepting your originality, honesty, saying "No" and "Yes" when you need to

East meets West:

There's a butterfly perched on your throat! God is truly an artist. It's made of human tissue, but no less magnificent. Butterflies have always been a symbol of renewal and metamorphosis and it's presence along the airway and voice box bespeaks the power of truth spoken and the ability for our words to create. That the thyroid gland governs metabolism in the body (the conversion of food into energy) also seems quite pertinent to the art of self-expression (converting words into life). Both processes take something dense (food/words) and break it down into something that gives life and vitality (energy/life). In the Hebrew language the word DABAR means "word" or "thing". In English those two things would seem very difficult to use interchangeably, but perhaps the ancients understood that words and things were essentially the same "stuff". Even more explicit is the origins of the hocus pocus word "abra-cadabra" wielded by magicians for ages, deriving from the Hebrew DABRA. The word "abra-cadabra" became a gibberish-imitation word to express the concept that "It came to pass as it was spoken". Here we have not East meets West, but Ancient meets Modern.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Heart

4th Chakra - The Heart

Western Anatomy:

The heart is a powerful muscular pump through which the blood flows in a forward direction only. Backflow is prevented by 4 valves which maintain proper circulation. Blood flowing into the heart travels through the body's vast system of veins, pouring first into the right atrium, then the right ventricle, and then passes into the lungs. It's there, in the lungs, that CO2 is deposited and fresh O2 is picked up. From there the blood then travels back into the heart, first into the left atrium, then into the left ventricle, and finally up and out through the aorta where the blood is pumped back out into the arteries of the body.

The thymus gland is positioned in the upper chest cavity. It is located above the heart, below the thyroid and between the lungs. The thymus has two lobes, each of which has smaller divisions known as lobules. Interestingly, the thymus grows larger in childhood until it reaches its peak function at puberty at which point it shrinks and turns into fat. Its main function is the production of a hormone that stimulates growth and maturation of T-cells which build the immune system and prevent dangerous infection.

Eastern Energetics:

This chakra governs the thymus, heart, lungs, arms, hands, shoulder blades and the body's circulation. It is the sacred place of free-flowing love, generosity, altruism, healing and compassion. It is here we experience the appreciation of beauty and deeply fulfilling relationships. It is the center-point, the melding and refining place for all of the chakras.

East meets West:

The cardiac and circulatory systems are interdependent. Without one the other ceases to function properly. When fully functioning, they keep you alive. This reminds us that we as humans must achieve interdependence with God and others. We need each other. Consider these verses from the Christian Biblical canon:

Romans 12:5
So in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

1 Corinthians 12:26 

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

In this area of circulation and cardiac activity, flow is essential. Flow is life. The moment that flow pools, or back flows, death ensues. These body systems in conjunction with the energies at play are about forward-moving, continuous flow, keeping things moving and processing.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Solar Plexus

3rd Chakra - Solar Plexus

Western Anatomy:

By definition, the solar plexus is: a complex of ganglia and radiating nerves of the sympathetic system at the pit of the stomach. It is located in the abdomen, where the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and renal arteries branch from the abdominal aorta. It is in back of the stomach and in front of the diaphragm, level with the first lumbar vertebra, L1.

One might go through life without paying any notice to their solar plexus, that is until receiving an unexpected blow to the stomach. This is the sensation commonly known as "getting the wind knocked out of you." In most cases, it isn't the solar plexus itself that is impacted, but the effects on the surrounding area which causes this to happen.

Medically speaking, a hard blow to the stomach area causes the diaphragm to spasm, which makes it difficult to breathe and results in the "wind knocked out of you" sensation. With that said, an accurate and powerful blow to this area could also affect the solar plexus directly, disrupting the function of the viscera and causing debilitating pain.

Eastern Energetics:

This Chakra is situated just below the sternum where your ribs attach in front. It is associated with the digestive and metabolic processes of the human body and corresponds with the feelings of fear, anxiety, introversion, personal power, opinion formation, and spiritual growth. In martial arts, this is known as the Dantain, the "sea of qi", "elixir field" or "energy point".

The Solar Plexus represents the core of our personality, the perception of who we are (the "ego") and the center of willpower. The gift of this chakra is sensing your personal power, being confident, responsible and reliable. The third chakra is the center of your self-esteem, self-discipline and the ability to transform inertia into action and movement. It allows you to meet challenges and move forward in your life. The main challenge for the third chakra is to use your personal power in a healthy and balanced way. 

East meets West: 

It's fascinating that "having the wind knocked out of you" is as debilitating energetically as it is emotionally, a lot like the idiom "having the wind knocked out of my sails". The reference to the word "wind" is not isolated to the breath alone, but also to Prana or Qi, which are ancient understandings of Life Force. To deflate someone energetically, to tear down their confidence and self-esteem, is to defeat them physically.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Sacral

2nd Chakra - Sacral

Western Anatomy:

Essentially, this chakra is located on the spinal cord of the vertebral column just above the pubic bone and below the navel and encompasses the genital region and hypogastric plexus.

The sacrum is a large wedge shaped vertebra at the base of the spine, just above the coccyx. It forms the solid base of the spinal column where it intersects with the hip bones to form the pelvis. The sacrum is a very strong bone that supports the weight of the upper body. Developmentally, the sacrum forms from five individual vertebrae that start to join during late adolescence and early adulthood to form a single bone by around the age of thirty.

At birth, the coccyx begins as a mass of cartilage attached to the end of the sacrum. Slowly, over time, this cartilage ossifies as individual bones. Each bone ossifies in order from superior to inferior until all are ossified by the end of puberty. The individual bones also fuse together to form a single coccyx throughout adulthood. In addition to its role in muscle attachment, the coccyx also plays an important role in support of the spinal cord, support of the body (especially while sitting), and in childbirth.

The male perineum includes the penis, scrotum, and the perineal muscles in the urogenital triangle, along with the anal triangle, which together form a diamond shape when the legs are abducted. The female perineum includes the external genitalia, orifices of the urethra and vagina, and the perineal muscles, which also makes a diamond shape.

Eastern Energetics:

Because this chakra is connected with the sense of taste and reproduction it is known as the chakra of creativity. When balanced, this chakra leads to feelings of wellness, abundance, pleasure and joy. When out of balance, one may experience emotional instability, fear of change, sexual dysfunction, depression or addictions.

East meets West:

The sacrum bone translates from the original Latin as "sacred bone" and from the old English "holy bone". What makes this bone sacred? This is where Kundalini sleeps. This is where the powers of procreation are contained. This is where babies crown, where creation happens. This is the seat for physical reproduction, and it's metaphysical counterpart, spiritual reproduction.

Chakra Anatomy Series - Root

1st Chakra - Root

Western Anatomy:

This chakra is loacted at the base of the spine, consisting mainly of the pelvic floor but extends as far up as the first three vertebrae. It includes the perineum, and extends down to the legs and feet. It's meaning can be translated as "Root-Support". The root chakra corresponds to our sense of smell. Smells, entering the nostrils, are directed to the olfactory bulb, the region of the brain that both analyzes smell AND handles memory and emotion. There is even a connection between the olfactory nerves and the amygdala, the "ancient" part of the brain that encases our most primal instincts of fear, survival and security.

Eastern Energetics:

This chakra governs our rootedness to mother Earth energetically holding us to the ground. This chakra encases our most primal instincts of fear, survival, security and belonging and develops in infancy and childhood. How safe you felt as a child directly impacts the functioning of this chakra. Our ability to accept abundance is directly affected by clearing the blockages within this chakra. "I have the right to exist simply because I was born."

East meets West:

The connection of smell to the root chakra brings everything into one flowing system: the root chakra--> smell--> memory/emotion--> primal instincts. The perineum physiologically houses the rectum and urethra, the orifices of elimination. Energetically, the root chakra serves the same function, allowing for the shedding of toxic energies.