And then the program ended…

We all wore white for the closing ceremony.
We had one last sharing session and received certificates and flowers.
We went out for a very nice dinner at “Nu” (and of course there was singing). But when I woke up the next morning, I still wasn’t sure what exactly had just happened.
This is my attempt to understand, process and share…
If it doesn’t come out neat and orderly, I will not be the least bit surprised.

From the beginning, I felt we were in more a sadhana (spiritual practice and/or exploration) than a “teacher training”. As I look back, we had to be. The program was based in “subtle body energy” and promoted as an exploration of the chakras, so let’s start there.

No one even knows for sure how many chakras there are. You can’t see them. You can’t have a chakra removed or transplanted. But they can be opened, closed, blocked, balanced and sometimes even spun. For sake of simplification, let’s call them energy centers within the body. Let’s say there are six (maybe seven) generally acknowledged chakras. I won’t get specific with locations, functions and associated emotions and health manifestations (there are plenty of books out there already doing just that). Suffice it to say, it would be impossible to effectively explore them without experiencing them. Thus our journey began.

We were in capable hands (which only later confessed the entire 4-week adventure was a bit of an experiment). Sequoia was the senior teacher. Part shaman, part musician, nature child and ceremonial mistress extraordinaire. If we accept that at least some of the vibrational/spiritual/energetic stuff is “real” but acknowledge that there is FAR too much of it to discern what is truth and what is tabloid then the world has a place (and a need) for teachers and masters like Sequoia.

Where books and lectures are poor teachers for emotions, sensations and vibrations, we had sessions dedicated to re-birthing, sun gazing, art therapy, kundalini awakening, earth bonding and sensual dance. I remember crying. I remember beating the crap out of an innocent bolster. Come to think of it, they occurred in brief succession with the crying coming latter.

Even though most sessions started and ended with chanting, the program wasn’t just energy flowing and emotions running wild. Susie (aka Sujie) was there to provide essential grounding with her unique ability to clearly and succinctly tie in what we were experiencing with the science of the central nervous system, endocrine glands and body parts. Susie as the tether to reality that we needed to keep our balloon from floundering aimlessly in the astral realms of koshas and kriyas. That worked pretty well until Susie found out she was pregnant (We all found out shortly after she did. Some even perceived it before she did).

As morning sickness and hormonal roller coasters eroded some of Susie’s ability to be our stabilizing rock, there were instances when organization/structure/function were challenged. Two examples that come to mind were when we hiked up the hill a tad bit late for sunrise and when never quite got around to the group photo we all wanted the one and only time we wore our “devotional whites”. There were other times when I have to admit thinking, “a guy would have done that differently.” But different is not always better and I am not complaining how it all turned out.

While all three teachers contributed in all aspects of the program, Roberta was our primary asana (physical yoga) guru. Her role held a unique challenge. While some of us didn’t know our mudras from our muladharas we all came with our own asana practices. It took some of us (i.e., me) longer than others to let go of our asana attachments and expectations. Resistance proved futile as we were all won over by Roberta’s understanding of the body and her amazingly deep adjustments. After experiencing her knowing sense of touch, most all of us sought her out for body work in our limited spare time.

As deep, effective and inspiring as Roberta’s adjustments were in our practice, I will sadly not be bringing many of them to my classes. Maybe her native Brazil is a little more tolerant of touch, but some of the adjustments were about as subtle and politically correct as a lap dance. While some students would surely enjoy them, others might slap me, sue me or add otherwise unnecessary difficulty to my blessed existence.

But wait, I haven’t even touched on the breathing yet. That will have to wait for a later post.

- Additional training could only help my teaching.
- The program sounded interesting
- Being “in retreat” would provide ideas and energy for hosting retreats
- A 500 hour certification will help in promoting Teacher Trainings (a not so subtle foreshadowing)
- The timing fit in my calendar
- The price fit in my budget
- I LOVE being in India
- Why not spend five winter weeks on the sunny beach in Goa?

Let’s go back to the program sounded interesting. The asana (physical movement aspect) style is, as I teach, a vinyasa flow. So, each new flow variation, creative sequence and adjustment technique is directly applicable to my teachings. But, the emphasis is NOT on the asana (just 2-3 hours a day). Cerebrally, I knew that. I also knew that the program was going to delve deeply into the subtle body with specific emphasis on the Chakras. What I did not know was that seemingly ALL of my weaknesses, aversions, demons, masks and past traumas were going to be called up, aired out and scrutinized.

There are only seven of us in the program. There is nowhere to hide. There are three teachers. There is nowhere to hide. I am the only male. There is nowhere to hide…

We chant. We sing. We dance. We open. There are rituals. There are tears. Let’s just say I am not in the sports bar anymore.

As painful as this might sound for any hot blooded Western male. I realized almost immediately (or at least as soon as the resistances faded), that I am exactly where I need to be.  Sure, it sounds airy-fairy and ungrounded. But it is incredibly grounding and well grounded in personal experience as well as practical science.

I recall asking Roberta (one of our teachers) to re-demonstrate a particular jerky/bouncy/thrusting motion at the beginning of a Kundalini meditation/exercise. As she did, I almost broke out laughing with the realization that I was even mildly hoping to move like a Brazilian woman in her 30s. So I gave up, gave in and twitched and shook like an American man in his late 40s. I am sure it wasn’t pretty, but it was perfect. I left the yoga shala (studio) that day on a peaceful cloud and hypnotic high.

Then there is the breathing. A person might live weeks without food and days without water but only minutes without breath. Why do food and drink get so much hype? Maybe breathing is under-promoted because there is no profit to be made there (yet). After a week of  active breathing 30-60 minutes a day, I am more than convinced my life has already been favorably altered. Yes, I will be bringing these practices back with me to share.

We are incredibly lucky to have both a small group and a caring, trusting one. We have known each other a week or less and we are already a family, a tribe. Our typical days start before the sun rises and conclude after the sun sets, with precious little free time in between (so please understand any lack of personal communication). Yet, even when we have free time, we choose to spend most of it together. We don’t have much alone time but our meditations, asana practices and pranayama (breathing) send us on deep interpersonal explorations. There is nowhere to hide.

Note: I am trying to figure out how to get pictures into future (and past) blog entries. So when you do start to see pictures, you might want to revisit past posts.

At the same time I am sad to be giving up classes that have inspired and supported me for many years. These changes are part of a geographic re-alignment of my teaching schedule. Having spent the last 8 years driving up and down Highway 101 (at least once a day) six days a week, I am looking forward to focusing my Monday, Wednesday and Fridays in or near Palo Alto (i.e., bike to class).

My schedule has been very stable and satisfying for years. I was not actively looking for change. But, when the universe opens a door this widely and the light from within is shining this brightly. The decision is obvious.

Many of you have been asking for drop-in/studio classes that do not require a membership. Your wishes have been answered.

Your continued support is greatly appreciated. Please come visit me and the other excellent teachers at BE YOGA. We gotcha vinyasa! GRAND OPENING THIS FRIDAY 5:30-8:30!

Most important, keep practicing!

It never ceases to amaze me that wonderful things happen whenever I challenge myself. Of course there were doubts (The winery was too far; The redwood grove wasn’t flat enough; There was a chance of rain; Yoga and wine?). That just made it more rewarding to look up and see 30+ people practicing yoga together in the beautiful redwoods!

Speaking of challenges…

You may have noticed I have been personally challenged when it comes to keeping up with my blog. This is the first entry in a long time. Who knows, it might be the start of a trend.

Speaking of trends…

Most of my blogging (and earlier chronicling) involved travels. Maybe there is travel news in the near future. Please stay tuned…

…Keith

The music I choose for my classes comes from an array of genres (new age, trance, world, alternative, electronica, rock…), but mostly new age. Trust me, there is a lot of bad new age music out there. There is so much bad music that it could not possibly all fit on all the bad CDs. Therefore, some of it had to be squeezed into the good CDs as well. Therefore, it is very difficult to find a purely “good” yoga CD. The CDs I have recommended on my website are (in my humble opinion) good enough to be played in entirety. From the website, you can listen to each song then choose to (1) have the entire CD mailed to you; (2) download the entire CD in MP3 format; or (3) download just the songs you want from any particular CD.

In the many cases where I kept only a song or two from a CD, those CDs are not recommended. Eventually, I hope to make most of those songs available via MP3 and/or class “playlists”. But we are not there yet (and some songs will never be available because the come from obscure artists or out of production albums).

I categorize all the music I play in class into either “yoga” music (which I play during most of the practice) or “meditation” music (which I play during our final relaxation “savasana”). Many artists/CDs overlap into both categories. For presentation purposes, I tried to include the CD in the category it best fits.

Every full moon brings extra energy (making it even harder to balance in yoga). Today’s full moon is no exception. What I want to discuss are my predictions about what will likely happen as the moon “wanes” over the next two weeks and that extra energy diminishes. Because this happens every moon cycle, it might easily be dismissed as no big deal. However, combining that lunar downer with the fact that the days are shorter (approaching the winter solstice on December 21st) and colder; People are likely to feel more tired, run down, even depressed. Throw in the stresses of the holidays (families, parties, money…) and it is easy to see where the Bah Humbugs comes from.

There are likely scientific studies to support this, but I am sticking with direct experience and simple observation. Equally as simple are my suggested remedies:

• Understand why you (or others) might be struggling.
• Be gentle and nice to yourself.
• Stick with your healthy habits (i.e., Yoga)
• Try to be more patient and understanding of others.
• Remember that the lunar energy starts to get better in two weeks and the days start to get longer in 3 weeks. Everything changes.

I had already dabbled into the quasi retail world by ordering yoga mats and props wholesale and distributing them from the trunk of my car. A nice service but not very elegant or scaleable. Amazon offers the same products (and much much more) at comparable prices. For argument sake, let’s just assume their distribution process is more refined. As an Amazon Associate, I can now offer a wider variety of products at their very competitive prices (often including free shipping and excluding sales tax) and receive a referral fee for each transaction that originates through yogakeith.com.

Still short of elegant, this first variation of Keith’s Yoga (& MORE) Store offers recommendations for yoga mats, yoga props and books (yoga and other). Yoga music is coming soon, but I wanted to launch this venture in time for holiday shopping (i.e., NOW!)

The beauty is that ANYTHING you buy from Amazon can help support this humble yoga instructor.

How does it work? Any time you want to shop on Amazon, just start by going to yogakeith.com. If you want to see what I have highlighted, click on Keith’s Yoga (& MORE) Store link. Or, if you want to just go directly to Amazon click on the Shop Amazon Now link. You will not notice anything different when you get to Amazon but burried deep in the cyber code Amazon will give me credit for referring you there. Your transactions are still completely secure. I will know what was ordered, but not who ordered it. As the volume of transactions increases, so will my modest referal percentage.

Please give it a try!

There were 13 of us on board. The boat was a surprise to most of the guests. They were just told to meet at a nice pub. We paraded them through a beautiful waterside park that would have served nicely as a wedding site. After a few pictures, we continued down to the pier and boarded the boat. Anna’s “procession” down the pier escorted by her sister Louise was perfectly impromptu. Then we headed out into the Sydney harbor.

We found a quiet spot in Neutral Bay and had a brief ceremony officiated by Subhana, a woman I had met at a meditation retreat in India 10 years earlier. Anna and I didn’t write many of the words, but we chose them all carefully from multiple sources. Why re-invent the wheel when someone else had already suggested: “Marriage is the joining of two lives, the mystical, physical, and emotional union of two human beings who have separate families and histories, separate tragedies and destinies. It is the merging and intermeshing not only of two bodies and two personalities, but also of two life stories. Two individuals, each of who has a unique and life-shaping past, willingly choose to set aside the solitary exploration of themselves to discover who they are in the presence of one another.”

After the ceremony, we headed back into the harbor for celebratory toasts and a magnificent sunset. The boat dropped us off near the famous opera house and we dined at Cafe Sydney overlooking the Bridge and the Opera House. The food and wine were magnificent, but the real joy for me was sharing the experience with close friends and family. That being said, Anna and I were both happy to fly off to New Zealand the next morning.

We had never had a week alone together. We knew we were appreciating it as it was happening, but like many of the magical pictures we took, the magnitude of what we were experiencing together took some time to fully understand.

 Wedding Slideshow

Honeymoon Slideshow

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

But even wise prevention sometimes yields to destiny…

If you are under the weather, listen to your body. Maybe taking a break from your yoga practice is a wise choice. If you do choose to practice thru a cold or the flu, please consider the following suggestions:

• Try to arrive early to class and find a corner away from your fellow practitioners.
• Bring your own mat and props.
• If you cough or sneeze, aim it to the bend of your elbow rather than your hand.
• Let your instructor know that you might be “contagious” and that hands-on adjustments might not be a good idea.

Be well.