Week 6 and 7: Attachment and Aversion, Impermanence

Well what a week or two it has been!  I've been getting busier as I add on new clasess, mainly the Friday night class in Union Square and the classes I'm teaching for Joint Ventures aka Red Sox class and the class for Third Street Apartments location.
I am going to be taking a break from the blog as a teaching tool but continue to use it as a daily log for musings about yoga, health, inspiration, and poetry.
Last week we touched about Attachment and Aversion, asking ourselves what we hold onto and what we tend to push away.  Of course it is natural for the mind to seek more pleasure and to plan out how to avoid pain.  The teachings in yoga tell us that there is rest.  We do not have to constantly live in these two extreme modes of the mind, and with that comes true freedom.
Impermanence, the idea that nothing lasts forever is also very important in yoga.  When we let go of thinking that everything SHOULD be a certain way: permanent, we are heading towards trouble. The liberating thing about accepting impermanence is that we are no longer controlled by our circumstances.  For instance if we are going through a terrible time we dwell on it because it seems to be neverending but we can remind ourselves that just like happy times not lasting forever, hard times don't last forever either. It can be very comforting to  let go of assumptions that everything will always stay the same.
Where do you struggle with impermanence in your life?  Do you want circumstances to stay the same, different?  How much does this control you and your mind.  How does this thinking keep you stuck?
I'll see you all on the mat!!!
Natalie

Week 4 and 5: Compassion and Control

I'm going to start by saying, I am practicing Compassion for myself because I've been so busy with new yoga ventures that I've been unable to write as much as I'd like to.  I'm allowing life to flow and trying to not "control" so much the way that things happen.
Last week we touched upon Compassion being a nice "opposite" practice of self-judgment.  How do you use Compassion in your life?  Compassion come from the latin "Suffering With."  I think it's easy for me to have compassion for others but when it comes to myself I struggle.  Through my yoga practice I have learned that true compassion starts within.  If we can forgive ourselves, it's easier to offer forgiveness to others. If we judge ourselves, it's so much easier to judge others. Right?
A few words about Control.  This can come up frequently in our practice.  We want to control our bodies to do things it can't do perhaps, or we want others to act the way we want them to.  When things to don't out the way we set out for, we get disappointed or angry.  How are some ways you can let go of control and let the universe provide?

Take a moment to reflect upon Judgment, Control, Compassion.  What roles do these play in your life. Journal about this. Sip tea. Reflect.
Peace,
Natalie