Category: Uncategorized

Had been going to San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference for last few years but this year, I missed it because …I instead chose a more intensive week-long session with one of my dream teachers. Still debated going to take more of her sessions – Supposed to be festive tonight but honestly, I am SO exhausted from this intensive – lost 4 lbs over 25 hours. The funny thing is even though I am drained, I am energized – it’s a perplexing energy field I am swimming in. Maybe for that reason, do not miss the Conference’s party buzz atmosphere but miss a little the lineup that gives you the smorgasbord of teachers and styles to try out. To be inspired…So just studied the menu… & imagine my surprise to see this in the program guide this year:

Urban Zen Restorative Class
Rodney Yee & Colleen Saidman Yee
Saturday, January 17 — 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Therapeutic / Mixed Levels

Pablo Picasso wrote that if you can do ten things, do only five of them–for then, mastery is in your reserve. (I love Pablo !:)

Come experience the ultimate in restoration through the healing modalities of Urban Zen. We’ll put you in perfect restorative poses while Urban Zen integrative therapists do Reiki and apply essential oils. In addition, we’ll incorporate integrative movements, body scan meditations, and breath awareness techniques to integrate your mind and body. We all know that from a place of rest and integration we are able to access our authenticity and creativity. Come join us for your quintessential revitalization.

What a coincidence, it practically described my class and its intent/attempt but I had never learned the how-to’s… it just bubbled? Designing a class I want to drop into:) Something I arrived at intuitively as I fell in love with Mari Kato sensei’s year-long aromatherapy journey (escape?) along the way, the practice naturally unfolded to bring about more mindfulness off the mat for me & now, so weird and thrilled to see this in Yoga Journal Conference program guide – if anyone has been to my restorative class, THIS is essentially what I have been trying ever since I started “teaching” restorative with some variations … it’s not a package tour sort of a journey but a more individualized caring quality I rather offer…at least intentions-wise. While a bit conflicted to realize my idea is NOT SO original after all – validated to see that us yogis think alike. I think we are in tune to what we need because we listen to our body and mind more, given our training … after all, that’s why we love yoga. Anyway, feeling validated that even celebrity teachers like Rodney Yee also share the great value to be had in this juicy practice. What an endorsement coming from Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee:) Thank you Judith Lasater for bringing this whole idea to the forefront way before others recognized the need.

禅…The word Zen has become so popular -a Japanese word turned into kind of a household word nowadays…Someone even named their recent newborn baby “Zen”… it’s a good thing of course…even people in Japan might be a little puzzled with this American phenomenon … but … does anyone know what it really means? Thanks to late Shunryu Suzuki’s students, his practice has been compiled into a book but – since usually there’s not much talking, that must have been so hard for Suzuki sensei to get it out in English without an interpreter. Imagine, coming to America at age 55…with little English proficiency and still to have taught so much …It probably is one of those, you have to be there to really experience it – kind of a practice… yogic…in a way. Breath by breath… cultivating mindfulness. Disturbances and pain might be there… I recognize them & I accept them – there’s no suffering.

“If you think God’s there, He is. If you don’t, He isn’t. And if that’s what God’s like, I wouldn’t worry about it.”

― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Ah … I hear everyone talk about how many genres (she dabbles in) like classical, jazz and others, but personally, I don’t divide music by genre when creating. I don’t create by saying, ‘I must create a classical piece here,’ or ‘I must create a jazz piece here.’ When I create music, I don’t consider at all which genre I like best, but what the scene or the anime calls for, like a love (theme) or a mood. There isn’t one genre I like more than the others. I find all of them satisfying and all inspire me in different ways.

– Yoko Kanno (excerpt from wikipedia)

It’s unrelated but related in terms of embracing diversity – and that I appreciate all different styles of yoga … depending on where I am when I am off the mat. “All of them satisfying and all inspire me in different ways.” yes. It’s the vibration – of consciousness. I resist labeling but at the heart is the sun and the moon.

Most of us who love yoga came to yoga not purely for physical reasons – if you want the physical stuff – get sweaty and burn calories (yes, a slice of cheesecake is so rich…), there are plenty of other activities in many forms of exercise, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be yoga but then, why? There are whole hosts of other options – simply go out and walk, jog, hit balls, dance …some of us may even engage in a more extreme and challenging forms of fitness – climb Mt. Everest ? be a Triathlon, ski, golf, even, wrestle – whatever you love – it’s all good. What then, drew us to yoga?

Reflections at the year-end.

Hearts call, hearts fall
Swallowed in the rain
Who knows, life grows
Hollow and serene

Wandering in the winter light
The wind can act the same
They’re witness to salvation
And life starts over again

Now the clear sky is all around you
All around
Love’s shadow will surround you
All through the night

Star glowing in the twilight
Tell me true
Hope whispers and I will follow
Till you love me too

– Linda Ronstadt
*****************************************

Soft and earthy – breathy Teshima Aoi…

vs.

the spectacular & heavenly – crystal clear – wanted to say Sarah Brighten who hits the most amazing high notes but here’s another version by

Linda Ronstadt, also rich but deeper…

Same song – different style, delivery based on your range and what’s true to you … it’s like a yoga class – same sequence, same teachings but depending on who is teaching it, it can be completely different. We are lucky to have such diversity.