My Good Friend

Since moving to Philadelphia, I've discovered a wonderful yoga community a brisk walk away. This morning in class, my favorite teacher introduced a great concept that I wanted to share. She said that most people take things way too personally. When a driver cuts us off on the highway we get extremely angry. When a person that is regularly friendly suddenly is a bit short, we think to ourselves, what did I do? But we can take a different approach by thinking of people that cross us as our "good friend." My good friend was in a hurry and had to change lanes. My good friend just had a bad day. My good friend is just tired and forgot to use her turn signal. Instead of reacting with ego, we exercise compassion because we gladly tolerate inappropriate behavior from the ones we love. Instead of boiling inside with anger, we can choose to see others as our dear friends who may be forgetful, tired, lonely, hungry or afraid.

Another Excerpt from Turtle Feet by Nikolai Grozni

"I had begun to notice the ramparts and fortifications of man-made dogma, at first elusive and obfuscated by abstract nouns and promises of transcendental states of perception, and then increasingly more visible and familiar. With so many people claiming ownership of the truth, it wasn't hard to conclude that it wasn't the truth being a plurality; rather, it was the human factor, the archetype of appropriation that was responsible for turning every piece of knowledge--profound or mundane--into a chewable, easily digestible entity that could be distributed to others like a pharmaceutical drug with a price tag and a dizzying array of side effects. That said, I was convinced that a trace of the Absolute, unspoiled by rules and categories, still remained out there, lurking in the background like an aftertaste from a distant memory without a shape, color or any descriptive characteristics."

The Angel named Sunny

I heard this story today. It reminds me of the "angel in running shorts" encounter...



"It was right after my breakup and I was out with some friends at Cecil's Pub feeling very depressed. All night they were trying to cheer me up. I felt a tap on the shoulder and this girl said to me, 'You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.' I told her, 'Thank you so much. I really needed a word of encouragement tonight!' She sat down next to me, pulled out some makeup and started applying eye shadow. 'I hope you feel better! My name is Sunny.' Of course her name was Sunny! 'Have a good night, ' she said when she finished. She gave me a hug and left. I didn't see her anywhere in bar after that. That's exactly what I needed at the moment. It made me feel like there was some process to life. That there was something bigger than myself at work here."

Thanks for sharing, Carrie!

Haiku for the Practice

Pose within a pose

Harmony blooms in chaos

Find the dance inside

Volunteering at the Yogathon

The Houston Yogathon and Health Fair began this past Saturday, January 24th at 9 AM in Sugarland at Eldridge Park. It was Houston's first comprehensive health extravaganza organized by SEWA International that provided a platform to the area's yoga and meditation groups to participate in a marathon of yoga. Other events and services such as yoga workshops, naturopathy, breathing and meditation were showcased to promote healthy, happy living.

The main attraction, a Yogathon, started at 9 AM in the cold morning. Over 500 enthusiastic Yoga lovers participated in a continuous flow of Sun Salutations, a series of breath and movement, to heat their bodies and the indoor space. We were lovingly guided through our Sun Salutations by a succession of experienced, local teachers including Jennifer Burgermeister from Jennyoga Studio in the River Oaks area and Roger Rippy from Yoga One Studio in Midtown. When practitioners needed a break, they could walk outside and visit over 20 booths from organizations such as SVYASA, Yoga for Peace, Memorial Hermann Sports medicine, HSS-USA, Lazuli Om, Yoga One, Healthy Mother Healthy Child, Spectra Cell, Jennyoga, Life Bliss Foundation and Yoga Teachers Association of America.

Patanjali Yoga Peeth and Jennyoga held workshops during the marathon. Jennifer Burgermeister of Jennyoga encouraged everyone to join together to create a yoga community in the Houston area. One participant, local Houstonian Cathal Keane said, “It is encouraging and empowering for every yoga practitioner and anyone who is thinking about practicing yoga to participate in such a unifying event. The day has truly captured the essence of yoga to unite, and it has inspired me to share my practice with friends.”

My favorite part of the Yogathon was the workshop by Ma Nithya Maneeshananda, a direct disciple of Nithyananda. Her presence was powerful and her energy was felt by everyone in the room. She instructed us in several breathing and meditation techniques to relax the mind and nervous system.

Another part of the Health Fair was a presentation from the therapists of Paths in Healing. They demontrated how their massage techniques aid in the natural healing processes of the body. A group from Healing Your Body Holistically gave a demonstration of reflexology treatments with their reflexology chair. Another organization, Bridge To Better Health, shared information about the benefits of Thermography, a medical scan without harmful radiation or compression and Spectracell Laboratories educated us about nutritional diagnostic tests.

Sandy’s Market, which is Houston’s premier food and organic market, had delicious food to share. Representatives from Yoga for Peace Radio were also present at the event. Roslyn Earle from Yoga for Peace Radio was the grand master of ceremonies throughout the morning portion of the Yogathon. She said about her organization, “Yoga is a sound, true, ethical, and moral path to peace. To promote yoga is to promote peace. Peace begins within and expands outward just as love opens the heart to compassion for all living beings. Yoga for Peace (www.yoga4peace.org) is eager to promote Yogic principle, practice, and philosophy through selfless acts of service.”

The event also included a free health check-up camp conducted by a team of doctors under the direction of Dr. Nikam.

This event is a part of continued efforts of SEWA International to help those affected by Hurricane Ike. SEWA International has been continuously engaged at the grass root level to support the victims of Ike. In the past four months, SEWA International has helped many families settle into their regular life after Hurricane Ike. A quick call for financial support was made after the event. People generously donated around $5000 for the cause of Ike rehabilitation. The benefits from the SEWA Yogathon and Health Fair will go towards the rehabilitation of Ike victims. SEWA USA is a Non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with international presence.

An L.A. Christmas...

Twelve Actors Serving
Eleven Cell Phones Ringing
Ten Tourists Swooning
Nine Commuters Cursing
Eight Earthquakes Shaking
Seven Surfers Surfing
Six Pools-a-Sparkling
Five Golden Rings
Four Hiding Agents
Three Yachting Surgeons
Two Mouse Ears
and a Seagull in a Palm Tree!

...Thanks Carolyn for the laughs!

Simple Formula for a Riveting Soap Opera Plot

Flipping back and forth between soap operas for two minutes yielded this simple formula:

"Go away. Wait! Come back. I must protect my baby. I promise I'll never change. That's what you did the second time I almost died and was in a coma. Don't leave me. I'm trusting you for the millionth time even though I know you'll just leave me for her. Why did you stab me? I'm doing this to protect you. You say you love me so it's ok. I'm very rich and attractive and still depressingly unsatisfied with life so I feel sorry for myself because I'm still completely helpless even though I'm the founder of a prestigious company that needs my attention right now so I can't begin to tell you how complicated it is to be so beautiful. You have to trust me. Look me in the eye and tell me you love my cleavage."

Excerpt from Turtle Feet by Nikolai Grozni

"I wish I could say that there had been some dramatic event--maybe lightning striking my piano, or an apparition of the Buddha floating out of my closet--that could explain my sudden loss of interest in the path I'd been pursuing up to that point in my life. But there'd been nothing dramatic: no visions, no brain-shattering spiritual insights, no guiding voices, no thunder and lightning. I woke up just as on any other day--preoccupied with the thoughts about classes, deadlines, bills, work and girls.......... Then somewhere between the bathroom and the living room, I lost my sense of purpose."

Yoga Implosion

After four days in Austin looking at mens' pink leotards, auras and convoluted yoga postures, I can think of one solid thing to extract---yoga contradicts itself. I was told to lock my knees before lunch and then after lunch instructed to never lock my knees. One instructor would smirk at another popular instructor's teaching style while showing us the "right way" to move into a posture. First, yoga asana, then pranayama, then meditation. No! Yoga asana is the meditation. No, wait! Yoga asana prepares the mind for meditation and pranayama during asana. Ahhhh!

My favorite part of the event was Mark Whitwell's workshops. His look was "European rock star" meets "wise, weathered sailor" but with intense, compassionate eyes. Stop struggling, he says. There is no place you need to go, there is nothing you need to attain, there is nothing to be realized because you are already a perfect expression of an unseen source. He was very direct about this. Yoga is the way to interact with this nurturing reality. Thank you, Mark. In the face of so much "spiritual materialism" your teachings resonated well.

Taste Troncones

For those of you feeling super jealous of my recent journey to Mexico, wipe the drool off your chin and check out these inexpensive places to stay in the lovely town of Troncones:

Present Moment Retreat (www.presentmomentretreat.com)
This is where I stayed and taught yoga for a month. Unbelievably beautiful and serene. Packages include eco-adventures, massages and food at the restaurant.

Casa Majahua (www.casamahajua.com)
I had the privilege to meet the owners and hang out at their place a few times. This is the tree house you've always wanted and it's right on the beach.

Sol y Luna Hostel (www.solylunahostel.com)
The chef at Present Moment Retreat just opened this hostel. For the price of $20 a night you get gorgeous rooms and a small breakfast in the morning. The best deal for your budget. And you can always walk over to Present Moment Retreat and take the yoga classes...

Back to Bike, Back to Reality

My life post-Mexico has been a fart in a whirlwind. I haven't stopped since my plane hit the tarmac. For example, the very next day my good friend, Katie, and I drove to San Antonio for the MS150. It's a 150 mile bike ride to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society for those not in the know and I was under the impression that we were doing one of the easier rides in Texas. Hahaha, says fate. Not so! First of all, it's actually 160 miles, but who's really counting. And then secondly, coming from a higher elevation and riding to sea level, we were naturally expecting to go downhill a few times. There was no "down hill." How is it that we traveled from the hill country to the beach on a constant incline? Also, at each rest stop, the lovely volunteers would repeatedly offer, oh it's all downhill from here and the ride is much easier from this point on. Of course, you want to believe them. After many uphill climbs, teeth clacking from the bumpy road surface, I asked Katie to kindly remind me about our pleasant experience before we sign up for another race. A few days ago, in a moment of excitement (oh! the registration is filling up soooo fast!), we signed up for the Houston to Austin MS 150. We will be older, wiser and more prepared for this one, I'm sure.

Tell me that you ate fresh gogi berries at base camp one!

The inappropriate yoga guy is in Troncones! Here's the youtube link for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtWcb0bcA-A

Excerpts from our conversation...

I'm watching TV and checking my email in the media room.

OGDEN: What are you watching?

ME: Planet Earth.

O: I love Planet Earth. Oh! Watch this part! Watch this part! This is great.

ME: I... am.

O: Watch this! Watch this! What are you doing?

ME: Checking email.

O: Oh watch this part! This is so great. So what are your goals in life, Jillian. What do you want to do?

ME: My goals? Ummm... travel around. Have a lot of experiences.

O: Experiences!? Whoa. How old are you?

ME: 26

O: Oh, I'm sorry.

ME: I'm... not. I'm doing just fine with it.

O: Oh I'm sure you are.

ME: It's not like I have much choice in the matter.

O: No, I guess you don't. Well, I just got back from hiking in Peru. Machu Picchu. I recommend you go.

ME: I know. You told me before.

(Silence)

O: Well, I'll let you get back to your emails.

(He leaves and comes back a few minutes later.)

O: I'm not done flirting with you yet.

ME: Great.

O: So what do your parents do?

ME: You mean their jobs? What are my parents jobs?

O: Yeah.

ME: Well my Mom works with the chamber of commerce in Northwest Houston and my...

O: Are they conservative? Are you going to vote?

ME: I don't know. I don't really like politics.

O: But this is the biggest election of our lives!

ME: I doubt that.

O: Why do you doubt that?!

ME: I don't really like talking about politics.

O: Are you going to you vote for someone that bans books from a school library?! Do you agree with that?

ME: I guess it depends on the book cause if it's like porn or something it shouldn't be in a school with kids.

O: But what if it's a book like Catcher in the Rye?

ME: I think that's stupid.

O: And Sarah Palin fired a librarian, what do you think about that?

ME: I really don't want to talk about politics.

O: I think that's stupid.

ME: I think this conversation is stupid.

O: Well... jeez! Sorry to bother you.

(He leaves. Finally.)