Sunset Meditations

Photo: Shell Beach cliffs on bench, Cali Love.

Over the last few weeks, I've been trying to watch
-to really sit and enjoy to STOP!- and
enjoy more sunsets from my dining room table.

I'm focusing on my breath, all that I see, that I feel, that I hear
and really try to be mindful in the moment.

One afternoon I found myself in a chair letting the afternoon sun
pour over me as it went down for a half hour.
It was nice and warm, the light was beautiful, I breathed.
I caught myself thinking about other things
and brought my awareness back to my breath
and all that I saw, felt, heard
and into the moment.

Another, I caught about a half hour before dark.
I sat and watched stars pop out.
There were none before and there they come, boy!
It was cool, quiet, still and I returned my thoughts
over and over to my breath.

I know the light isn't going to be there much longer
as the weeks bring earlier darkness with the fall sun.
I want to catch as many as I can.
It's becoming a new and loved meditation spot.
I'm even beginning to smile slightly on more and more exhales...

Give it a go.
Where's your pad relative to the sunsets?
Where's the most convenient, quiet spot to see one where you are?
I've used the beach, a backyard chair or towel,
a quiet spot looking out a car window, balcony, park,
the windows at every place I've ever lived,
smoking a cigarette (oooback in the day...),
even a moving bus window-
There's somewhere to see a sunset.
The Arc de Truimph or the Eiffel Tower in Paris,
mmm, perhaps on a bridge over the the River Seine...
Photo: Mariners Yankee game Safeco Field, Seattle, Wa.


Grab hold of the opportunity now while there's still light!
Just be present with your breath.
Watch your inhale and exhales.
Add full torso yoga breath with gentle extension, if you like.

As you think of other things, remind yourself
you're just here for a time.
Now is for you to refill your well.
Refocus on your breathing.
For more advanced practitioners- begin a faint smile on each exhale.
You may find yourself with a curious smile more often...

Lemme know what you try.
Where did this practice lead you?
The challenge in maintaining a personal practice is
in keeping it fresh.
Try this while the light is there.
You may just look forward to late July each year
or perhaps sun rises are more your taste...

Rock Your Practice!
^o^

Photo: The butt crack of dawn at a yoga training retreat.
Gorgeous.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Teaching Notes

There's a saying in Seattle that

you can't swing a cat without hitting a Yoga Instructor
(or Graphic Designer, or Person in a Band).

You also can't walk around a corner without
finding a coffee shop within a block, fyi.

There's many Yoga studios in Seattle,
many styles of Yoga,
many thoughts on Yoga and within this
many different ideas about
Yoga as a Business-
all over the world in fact, not just here.

As I navigate teaching in different studios,
for different populations and online.
I'm learning that I teach because
practicing Yoga is something
that enlivens me, empowers me and
encourages me to be my best self.
No material thing can do that for me.
No i-phone, no sweet pad and no rad pair of shoes can.
I don't do it for the money.
I don't do it for the fame.
I don't do it so I can model Lululemon gear or so
I can have a sweet ass!

I practice because it fulfills me.
I teach because it does the same for others
when they practice.

Yes, I want full classes but not because I want a fat wallet.
I want full classes because that means
all those people are practicing.

I teach 2 classes at a small donation based studio
specifically for this reason.
The max capacity is 10 students.
I can give them individualized instruction and
they get more out of each class as they learn
what's best suited for them.
We get to know each other and as time brings change,
the Practices we do together deepen and grow.
I tell my students, donation based means pay what you can.
If they want to practice and can't pay anything
then to bring me their favorite book to share
or their favorite recipe but to continue to come to class.
In over a years time, I've never felt
under appreciated or under paid.
I've felt loved and valued with amazing students
that work hard at growing and
at being the best version of themselves.

I also teach at 2 other studios with set rates.
Regardless of the inability to set rates for these classes,
I want to provide my students with a safe, welcoming
and encouraging environment to practice.
One is where I began practicing 5 years ago when I moved here.
The other is a Cooperative Studio with other vibrant,
enthusiastic and sincere instructors.
I value the spaces I teach in and the other instructors I teach with
as we work to support each other to share Yoga
with the community as best we can.

I've experienced the pressures from studio owners
in having to fill classes and it grosses me out.
I understand a business is being run but
I can't run mine that way.
I've experienced snobbery from other instructors.
I choose not to work with them.
I have a business license, I pay insurance,
I've earned training certifications and
I pay taxes on all income.
I don't want to look at the bottom line -
I want to consider my success as a Yoga teacher as
to how many of my students continue to thrive,
continue to grow and challenge themselves
by continuing to develop their own Practices.
They can do this at home, in my classroom or
in the studios I teach in.

Even though you may be able to swing a cat
and hit a Yoga Instructor in Seattle,
this one will smack you upside the head
for swingin a cat in the first place.
Once you've come to your senses,
we'd roll out our mats, howl in up dog 3X and move on.
If you can't move on- then I'll kindly ask you to move along
but I'm keeping the cat!

Not all Yoga Instructors are the same.
Nor should they be.
There may be many but there's a lot of a lot of things.
I have no intention of filling stereotypes.
I have no intention of showing off my bendiness.
I have no intention to live in a giant Yoga Palace.
If you want to learn to use Yoga tools to
empower your life-
let's chat...

Rock Your Practice!

^o^