Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Play of Light



Something traumatic has happened in the life of my best friend. I feel stuck in time and space, like I am living two lives. Who is in this body?

Someone has taken over and is dealing with the interfacing of this body and the tasks that need to be done.

Some of me is standing still, watching things whiz zoom and buzz by.

I completely embodied the still being today for a short time. For the first time in a few weeks I noticed the way that the light streams through the studio window and dances with the dust. It was almost like that moment lasted for an eternity. It was like the silence was an entire musical piece. There were so many layers upon layers of delicate sound that made a symphony of silence. I could feel the warmth of the sun. Bird sounding through the open window. Curtain blowing in the wind caught in the periphery.



Oh yeah. Enter here, I thought. This moment is all right.

Oh yeah. There doesn't have to be any meaningless meaning.

Oh yeah. I thought. Just love.

Lydia

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sirsasana Series

Here is a short sirsasana series sped up. Usually I take 5 long deep belly breaths in each asana. Please let me know if it is too fast. The standing series video is still a work in progress right now.



I like this headstand series so much. It is strong but calming. Stirha and sukha.
I am still working on many aspects of it.

Salamba Sirsasana 1 (headstand)

Parivritta sirsasana

Parivritta Eka Pada Sirsasana (I take my front leg a little too far forward in this one in the video, the heels are supposed to be the same height. I can get a good perspective on it when I do it in front of a full length mirror. Very helpful for shoudler alignment too!)

Parsva Eka Pada Sirsasana (one leg down and out to the side)

Eka Pada Sirsasana (one legged headstand)

Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana (lotus)

Parivritta Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana (twisted lotus)

Pindasana in Sirsasana

Prasarita Padottanasana in Sirsasana

Baddha Konasana in Sirsasana

Vajra Sirsasana (legs in thunderbolt)

Parivritta Vajra Sirsasana (twisted legs in thunderbolt)

Salamba Sirsasana 2 (tripod)

Mukta Hasta Sirsasana (straight arms on backs of hands)

(Variation on the thumbs)

Urdhva Dandasana (pike)


It is amazing to practice and feel and see where the body is holding and ever so gently... love it. Love is to let something be exactly as it is and to give open support for what ever arises for it. If the support is there the undoing of old habit patterns can start to happen.

Where is the body bright?

Dull?

Where does the grief hide in there... the pain?

Where do your parents live in your body?

Where do you store memory?

Where is the most liberated place?

Can you send the breath to all these places?

Can you trust your body?

Can you trust your life?

I have found that a profoundly intricate part of the physical practice is to observe how you treat yourself. This can be an amazing way to observe how you treat others. Also, how you trust yourself. Sometimes a teacher will give you advice on how to move your body, but do you check in and really ask yourself if that will work for you?

My ongoing question right now is - how do you trust your life?

Somehow and sometimes there is the feeling... when you are really quiet... of knowing how. It may not happen all the time, but with practice and the intention of self study, it starts to inform us.

Chidananada Rupa Sivo Ham Sivo Ham can be translated to -
I am the open spaciousness of the mind.

I hope you are all steadily on your way...

Love,
Lydia





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