May 2023 Newsletter-Stretching Myself

Stretching Myself
Happy month of May! I sat down a few days ago to review my last newsletter and discovered that I haven’t sent one out since January 2023. Since I no longer own a studio and am not affiliated with a particular studio, I don’t have as many workshops to offer you. I still offer you my thoughts and musings on life and yoga.
 
Much of my life since returning from Mexico in March has revolved around my family, especially the grandnephew and grandniece. Here’s a photo of Davis and his sister Carter learning to play meditation bells. I think Carter may be chanting Om… Recently, my husband and I added a new furry family member to our household. We welcomed Bheka Belle, a Boykin Spaniel puppy. What a delight she is!

 
I also want to let you know that next week I’ll be attending the IYNAUS (Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States) Convention in San Diego, CA, which starts on Monday, May 15th. I’m thrilled to be attending along with Iyengar yogis from across the planet. I love connecting with long-time friends while immersing myself in the teachings. I usually return enthused and exhausted. This year there is an online option if you’re interested in joining. You can check out the details here:  https://iynaus.org/convention2023-home/
 
Because I haven’t yet perfected a way to be in two places at once, I will not be teaching any classes or private offerings this coming week. I know that I will be sharing much of what I learn at the Convention with my students when I resume teaching on May 22.
 
For those of you interested in both meditation and yoga, I urge you to attend Cheri Flake’s meditation retreat at Jekyll Island, GA, where I’ll be teaching yoga. Cheri and I have taught together before and find that yoga poses beautifully support the practice of meditation. The two offerings blend well to make a harmonious and enjoyable weekend. I’m excited to attend the workshop myself! (See the description below.) 

 
Dhyana, the seventh limb of yoga, is frequently translated as “meditation.” Simply put, the “limb of yoga” is the state of mind that comes from the practice of meditation. Any amount of any kind of meditation brings benefit. Cheri’s retreat gives you the opportunity to explore several different mediation practices and get feedback from two experienced practitioners.
 
Back to the puppy: Bheka is 9 weeks old and weighs 9 pounds. She and I wake up 
around 5 am. I take her outside to “do her business.” Afterwards, we come back inside, have coffee and a snack (no coffee for Bheka!), and then we go to the yoga studio. We play together until she settles down. Then we meditate together. Really! She comes to lie in my lap for 30 minutes. I’m sorry to tell you that puppy meditation won’t be offered at the June workshop. Maybe next time…
 
I’d love to see you any time in Zoom classes, for private lessons, or for a walk.
 
Love to all,
Cindy
 
Jekyll Island in the morning.


Jekyll Island Retreat


If you like the sound of the retreat described above, there’s still time and space to sign up for this extended weekend meditation and yoga retreat in Jekyll Island, GA August 17-20, 2023.
Here’s a little Info from Cheri:

Yoga and Meditation classes on the beach all weekend long!
Walk away from long beach weekend with a new meditation practice with benefits that last a lifetime. 
 
Spend a long weekend in one of the most beautiful beaches in the South. 
You can come solo to dive deep or you can bring a friendgroup or family…you can even bring your dog
While you enjoy your island vacation you will break away a few times a day for gentle yoga and meditation on the most amazing and breathtaking locations all around the island. This is a very laid back vibe. You’ll be in meditation classes and yoga each day, but we won’t be residing together so you’ll be on your own to enjoy the island quite a bit. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, at this retreat you will cultivate a new mindset for a spiritual practice and return home with mental claritymotivation and a peaceful vibe.
This is a 3 night, 4 day long weekend for those wanting to spice up a beach trip with a bit of movement alternating with stillness and silence.
Join us in the gorgeous Georgia barrier island for this amazing long weekend! 
Scroll down to learn more and register!
Price includes all meditation and yoga classes. Lodging and meals are not included. We will meditate all over the island so you are welcome to stay wherever you like!
I’ve stayed all over this island and still, my favorite place to stay is the retro Jekyll Island Holiday Inn. It is dog friendly, family friendly, has huge rooms seaside and the staff s so friendly. Since for this retreat, Meals are on your own Even better ~ all rooms have partial or full kitchens.
Don’t book without me though, because I got us an amazing rate right on the beach! I will send along a special code only for retreatants after you register.
Relax and take in all that the beach has to offer outside, while you cater to your true self, creator and meditator on the inside.
Bad timing? Dates don’t work? Check out our upcoming Mountain Retreats!

To book, click here!

Happy New Year, 2023! Now What??

Are you a resolution maker? A “resolutionist?”A friend of mine goes to the gym every morning. Yes, every morning. He gets up and goes. My husband swims every day. Both of these men report that in the first week of January the gym and pool are filled with resolutionists who resolve that this year they will work out, swim, eat better, or lose weight. Yoga studios fill with students. By the end of the January, or maybe in February, the gyms, pools, and studios have slowly emptied except for a few new regulars and the old regulars returning to their routines. What’s the deal?
 
Here we are in 2023. Each year that number changes and I do, too. I hardly remember any resolutions I made because I seldom made any. Did you? Do you?
 
I polled some friends about resolutions. Here are a few answers:
I don’t make resolutions any more. I’ve never lost those 20 pounds.I resolve every year to be kinder to my family.I sign up for a different new class every year. Sometimes I never go, but I love the process of looking. The New Year marks a place, a specific date that many of us recognize as a new beginning. For me it’s a bit like my birthday as a marker of time, a reflection of the past, and a glimpse into the possible future. In the reflection process, I consciously review the past in order to learn from it.  
 
Several years ago I started coming up with a phrase or word that I would carry around with me as a reminder of new or different habits or patterns I wanted to put into place. One year the word was “equanimity.” Another phrase I used was “I don’t know.” Those still come in handy.
 
I learned a new technique for that intention at a New Year’s meditation retreat at 
Jekyll Island, GA, with Cheri Flake, The Stress Therapist. We enjoyed several days of yoga and meditation before New Year’s Eve when we retreatants gathered in an outdoor pavilion near the beach. Cheri led us through some visualizations and meditations to guide us into 2023. In the first one, she passed around some rocks and asked us to hold one. Through kind words, she guided us to put whatever we wanted to leave behind in 2022, what we were finished with, into the rock. I found some events/memories/ideas that I felt I could leave behind. They had served their purpose like an old shirt. I infused them solidly into the rock. As a group, we walked silently in single-file to the beach where we tossed or heaved our rocks into Mother Ocean. Ahhh. Lighter already.

 
The next morning, New Year’s Day, we collected ourselves on the beach. After a short meditation, our intrepid leader encouraged us to consider how we would like to feel by the end of 2023. How did we want to feel? To me, that includes all of me—the physical body, emotional heart, intellectual mind/brain, and intuitive center of the belly.
 
Then…this is the best part…
Cheri asked us to stand up and feel all of that, and then to take the stance that represented that particular attitude. We could chose something like “I want to feel like a rock star” and walk in the manner of a rock star. Wow. We all assumed our postures of CEOs, acrobats, freedom fighters, firm decision makers, or soft bunnies, and scattered across the beach. I started grinning as I imagined what we looked like as we sauntered, sashayed, strode, and strutted across the beach.
 
That experience was much more fun than making a resolution. I did come up with a word. I’m not telling what word I chose. You’ll probably see it in my walk by the end of the year.
 
May you let go of what doesn’t serve you. May you embrace what does. Together, may we move into 2023 with love and compassion for all.
 
Namaste,
Cindy

It’s Mexico Time!!!

Cindy and her husband Randy are headed to Mexico for their annual February vacation. There will be no classes from January 30 through February 24. Classes will resume on Monday, February 27.
  

Wonder or Worry

On or off?

Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time with my two-year-old grandnephew, Davis. I’m astonished at his fascination with the world around him. He delights in turning a light on. And off. On! Off! Over and over. What a wondrous thing. I’ve taken that to heart. My intention this year is to stay in wonder as much as possible. When I am present with Davis without an agenda of my own, I’m able to join him in the experience of wonder over a light switch! You push a button and a light comes on! 

“Wonder” is defined as a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. What else am I in wonder of? The magic of mobile phones, the dawn of the day, the chittering of bluebirds. I bet you could list dozens of things you experience with wonder. 

Let’s practice wonder by turning our attention towards our remarkable body. Can you feel the breath as it enters and exits your lungs? Can you hear your heart beat? Feel the blood rushing through your arteries? Sit still. Soften your sense organs. Be curious. Can you stay in wonder about how your body works and how the mind works with it? How does that feel, to be still and quiet, even for a millisecond, when the mind is turned inward? I urge you to set aside some time every day if possible—10 minutes is fine—for this sitting, meditation, prayer, pranayama. Call it what you will. Find time to sit still. 

When I sit I experience mental and emotional settling. Sometimes I can stay there in serene observation. On other days, my mind slips from curious introspection to plain old worry. What is that tickle in my throat? Covid? What if Davis gets it? Blah, blah, blah. When I catch the worried thought, I turn the mind back to the quiet space and let it know that after this quiet time I will give some thought to whatever worry has arisen. If I can do something, I do it. Check my temperature. Take a test. If not, then I direct my mind to something more productive or wholesome. Fix a meal. Take a walk. Check emails. 

Perhaps worry arises about my health or someone else’s health. Whatever. The mind does what the mind does. It wanders—often into worry, anxiety, or fear. Don’t believe everything you think. 

If the mind wanders into the anxious agitation of worry or the dullness of depression, what can we do? Here’s what I do. First I focus on the physical sensation of worry. For me, this shows up as a knot in my stomach. I direct my attention to the feeling without judgment and without the “story.” I breathe into the knot and feel it loosen. In other instances, I can settle the mind by turning it to practical ways to solve the issue: perhaps I call a friend who has had a similar worry and ask for advice. Moving the stuck energy is another useful approach, especially if I’m feeling low. I get on the yoga mat, take a walk, or simply stand up and move around. It’s important that we take responsibility for our own well-being. When I’m calmer and clearer, I’m able to help myself and perhaps others as well. 

Which leads me back to wonder: it’s an emotion, just as transient as sadness and worry, anger or joy. What I feel when I experience wonder is an expansiveness of spirit and a visceral connection to the object of my wonder. I acknowledge that openness without clinging to it. There. That moment was wonder. Now I’m present to the next moment. And the next. I aspire to stay open to wonder. What’s that sound? Oh, it’s Davis coming in the door to spend time with Aunt Cindy. Lucky me. I’ll meet him at the light switch. 

New from Cindy: Adaptive Yoga Classes

[Cindy is not teaching classes in February. Her class will resume March 3, 2022.]

Cindy, a certified adaptive yoga instructor, is teaching a class on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 pm at Purna Yoga 828 geared for individuals with spinal cord injuries. The first class was held on November 18. The next three will be on December 2, 9, 16; these will be the only classes of 2021 due to the holidays. Classes will resume January 6. The classes are free thanks to a grant from the North Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association (NCSCIA).

If you know any folks who would benefit from these classes, either as a student or a helper, please have them email Cindy.

Participants must wear a mask inside the yoga studio. Mats and other props are provided by the studio at no charge, or participants can bring their own.

The studio is sanitized and air purified, following pandemic safety guidelines. Purna Yoga 828 is located in west Asheville at 697 D Haywood Road.

Attitude of Gratitude

Although it’s December and the official Thanksgiving month is in the past, thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation can be everyday opportunities. For me, this year’s Thanksgiving took second place to the birth of my grandniece on Saturday. She is healthy and robust at 8 pounds, 7 ounces. As of this writing, I haven’t met her. Her big brother had first dibs. I’ll get my turn. I’m willing to share. 

Baby girl wearing a pink knit hat with a big bow, swaddled in a striped blanket.
The new grandniece!

I’m a big fan of saying “Thank you” when I receive and of saying “You’re welcome” when thanked. Giving and receiving go together and we can experience both aspects at the same time. When both come from the heart, there is an exchange you can feel.

One definition of gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” As you might know from your own experience with gratitude, we can train in this practice like we train our bodies and minds on the yoga mat. 

Although I usually think of gratitude as an opportunity to be thankful for what I receive, I can also be grateful for the opportunity to serve and to give. Let’s start with receiving. What are you thankful for in these three areas: People in your life, experiences, and places? How does the memory of your gratitude feel—physically, mentally, and emotionally? For me, I’m thankful for my family; for the ability to walk; for my home and safe neighborhood; for the yoga students who show up for classes with me; for the sunsets I witness from my front deck. When I turn my attention to the feeling of gratitude, I experience my body and mind as spacious and free, without boundaries.

What about the opportunity to give? I’m thankful for the teachings of yoga that I’m able to pass along. I’m thankful for the medical education I received that helps me offer health insights to others. I’m grateful I can help my niece with childcare. I am thankful that I can direct my mind to appreciation instead of deprivation. The feelings that come with giving are similar to those of receiving—namely, open joyful expansiveness.

I was surprised to learn that some people’s ability to experience gratitude is blocked by feelings of obligation, deprivation, indebtedness, or even entitlement. Are there moments when your ability to receive or give is blocked? How does that feel? Go to the body for information. For me, the expansive joy of giving and receiving far outweighs the feeling of constriction from withholding.

The practice of gratitude, of both giving and receiving, can be cultivated. Simply put, when we give or receive with gratitude, we acknowledge the goodness in our lives and our interconnected with all beings. We can make the world a better place when we act from a thankful heart.     

Let’s practice together. It’s simple, although sometimes not easy. Neither is downward dog, yet we persevere. We practice. 

As soon as I am invited, I’m going to welcome a new baby girl. I’m grateful.

Navigating Turbulent Times

As the month draws to a close and autumn leaves remind us of the change of seasons, many are hoping that cooler temperatures might lower the heat, not just on the thermometer, but on the disturbances that seem all around us: the on-going pandemic, effects of climate change, social discord, and the rising cost of food and gasoline, to name a few. Mercury retrograde has caused other types of agitation. Yes, life can feel fraught for us humans these times.

Tree with yellow autumn leaves.
Autumn Yellow Tree © Pascale Parinda 2021

During these times, self care is a high priority for me. I look forward to my early morning walks with dear neighbors. I treasure delicious meals and conversations with family. I value my time on the yoga mat, both teaching and practicing. And massage—if you haven’t treated yourself to a massage in a while, schedule one now. Maybe dark chocolate is your thing. Or perhaps a hike in the mountains with a friend. Pet your dog. Snuggle with your cats. Cuddle with a beloved. Smile at strangers. Practice kindness to yourself and others. Yes, these are challenging times. And I take comfort in acknowledging that we are all connected.

As one translation of Namaste describes it, “The Divine in me honors the Divine in you.” Even with my mask on, I hope you see I am smiling at you. I see and honor you. Namaste.

In-Studio & Zoom Workshop — Sunrise Yoga, November 5-7, 2021

Stay Put to Open Up
 
If you have been feeling a little down and out or stressed and anxious recently, this is the workshop for you! Join us for a weekend filled with asana, pranayama and meditation to help settle the mind.  To achieve this, we will turn our attention into the body which can only be done by being present in the moment.  Asana helps to alleviate physical stress while pranayama and meditation draw the mind into quiet contemplation. You’ll leave with your mind and body feeling refreshed, renewed and revitalized. 
 
This workshop focuses on using asana, pranayama, and meditation to settle the mind by turning the attention into the body, which can only be in present time.  Asana helps to alleviate physical stress while pranayama and meditation draw the mind into quiet contemplation.
 
Friday 6-8 – Asana / pranayama/ meditation
 
Saturday 9:30 – 12:30 Asana
 
Saturday 2-4 –  Restorative + rejuvenative asana
 
Sunday 9:30 – 12:30  Asana / pranayama / meditation
 
Full workshop $210 (or $190 before 10/22)
Individual Sessions $45-$65. Members of Sunrise Yoga receive a 10% discount. 
 
Click HERE to register for this workshop.

Ground Down and Open Up

I recently read one of my journal entries from May 2021. I had written “The pandemic rules and regulations are changing, becoming less stringent. The world is opening up.” That didn’t last long. After a welcome time of freedom that invited travel, dining out, and other in-person gatherings, the pandemic numbers rose. The guidelines changed—again— reflecting the spread of the Delta variant. The masks we wear can camouflage our grief and disappointment, but there it is. 

Close up of dewy leaf on pavement
Photo © Pascale Parinda 2021

In addition to the pandemic, there are other local and global challenges that may cause us to be worried, depressed, anxious, or angry. Many students and friends tell me they feel lethargic and unfocused. One friend shared that she was avoiding her yoga practice because she was afraid it would open her up to emotions she was afraid to feel. Another told me she felt guilty about having such a joyful life when so many others were struggling. These are stressful times. I am concerned that we are shutting ourselves down, steeling ourselves for the next disappointment, afraid of feeling our very human emotions.  

Although we can work in ways to change external factors, it’s important that we turn our attention to managing our thoughts and accompanying emotions before they take root in our nervous system. Medical experts tell us that over time, continued strain on our body from stress may contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses.

Here, then is the medicine I’m prescribing—and it doesn’t come in a bottle: What if we could accept the physical, mental, and emotional predicament of living under stress without wishing it were different? Can we accept our own situation for now exactly as it is? Yes, that means being fully present to life as it is…right…now. For me, that means allowing each bodily feeling, and every thought and emotion to ride its course. According to Jill Bolte Taylor, brain scientist and author of My Stroke of Insight, the physiological effects of an emotion last 90 seconds. The thoughts replay the storyline (pandemic, global warming, family issues) and that starts us up again. 

If we accept this “medicine,” how do we proceed? One mental practice that helps me is to recognize that everything, including thoughts and emotions, comes into form and moves on. When I allow sensations to arise and subside, I release the storyline as well. A physical practice of mine is asana; as I move in and out of poses, I accept how the body feels, whether tight or loose. Taking a walk every day, even if I just venture up and down the driveway, can loosen the grip of dark emotions and thoughts. Outside, I plant my feet in the earth, and look up. I open up to a bigger view. How about that night sky?

My friend’s husband, Gene, decided that watching the news in the morning didn’t help his stress one bit. He now sings happy songs at the top of his lungs; “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” is one of his favorites. His wife goes along with this new behavior as long as it occurs after her first cup of coffee. Acceptance.

Adam, still in prison, uses prayer and gratitude. He cleans the bathrooms there for 40 cents a day. He is thankful to have something to occupy his time and mind. Acceptance. 

Rebecca reports that she can only contemplate one difficulty a day, whether the devastation caused by the hurricanes, the pandemic, or her own chronic pain. She allows herself a few moments to consider that situation and its accompanying distress, lets herself ride the emotions, and moves on by calling or texting a close friend. 

Angie, Paula, and Susan play word games and dance around the kitchen to cheer each other up. Me, too!

Little boy wearing a bright yellow rain jacket.

My grandnephew David, now two, finds joy in his yellow slicker and rain boots. He looks like a ray of sunshine to me!

 I’ll put in a plug for online social gatherings or classes when in-person ones aren’t available. Connection is vital. Please find a way to connect with others, whether you sing your heart out in the shower, wave at your neighbors, walk your dog, pet your cat, or write a letter. Reach out as well as in. Ultimately, we are each responsible for our own wellbeing. That may mean talking to a therapist, changing our habits, taking a prescribed drug, or a natural remedy. 

Yes, we can work for peace, show up for neighbors in need, and do what we can to alleviate another’s suffering. However, when we show up for ourselves, we show up for others by being a loving presence in the world. I think that’s a good start. Don’t you?