Open up!

"Lift up your heart." That statement is part of the Christian Mass and it is excellent advice. Most yogis have heard someone talk about having a headlight on your chest. You want to keep it shining forward not down at your lap. Go ahead and feel long and open especially under your sternum. Give yourself room to breathe and your heart to open. Collapsing in on yourself is hard on your body and your psyche.

I've found that lifting my heart is a simple practice but very powerful. Do it while you are sitting, standing, and especially while you are practicing yoga.

The Heart Chakra is called Anahata and is the home of our decision maker. It is also associated with love and compassion. Lifting the heart opens this area and also Manipura, the navel chakra. Manipurna is the center of our self and the discipline to get things done. Open the front of your body, fill it with breath and face the world with confidence and love.

Namaste,

Dean

It's not what you do

Bryan Kest says, "It's not what you do, it's how you do what you do."

There are so many different styles of yoga, ways of doing poses, and approaches to teaching. What if none of that matters?

I try to see my practice as a reflection of my mind. Like life, it is all being played out there. Mind is the cause and everything else is effect. If I can hang out peacefully in my mind what is going on really doesn't matter. It all works.

Niki Stewart, incredible yogini and triathlete, told me I needed to stop saying I hated to run---I was in a deep state of whining about it---and start using the mantra "I love to run." It worked. Next time out, I went from a misery inducing 2 miles to 3.1 with a smile on my face.

Whether I'm lifting weights, running, or doing asana---what matters is what is going on at the level of mind.

What is going on in your mind today?

Namaste,

Dean

So Hum

SO HUM---Say it just like it is spelled---SO HUM. Now breathe in and silently say SO. On the exhale, silently say HUM. Close your eyes and keep going. You are using the mantra SO HUM to concentrate on your breath. This is basic meditation.

If you want, find a comfortable seated position with your feet flat on the floor. If your mind wanders, come back to your inspiration, your exhale and SO HUM. Start with 5 minutes and work your way up to 20-30.

SO can be translated as "I am" and HUM can be translated as "That". SO HUM can mean, "I am That"---that breathing through us all.

Namaste,


Dean