coincidence? I think not!

On Tuesday, I taught my regular all-levels class at Upward Dog Studio here in Ottawa. http://www.upwarddogyoga.ca/Upward_Dog_Yoga/Home.html. I taught a hip-opening class, with a focus on releasing, letting go, non-grasping. Which, if you've read the last couple of my blogs, you'll know is a little theme in my personal life - softening, letting go of the grasping, in our bodies, minds, attitudes, thoughts, etc. Based on the principle that grasping causes suffering and dis-ease, I am trying to soften the grasping in my life. Soften the grasping in my belly (a sure sign of when I'm feeling anxious!), soften the self-critical voices in my head, soften the need to get it right and be perfect all the time. So as our class progressed through various hip releasing poses, culminating in the delicious (and sometimes dreaded) pigeon, I reminded the class to come back to the idea of non-grasping, letting go of things that don't work for them anymore.

Letting go of ideas that keep us limited in how we live, letting go of thoughts that are self-destructive, letting go of holding in our bodies in ways that prevent us from softening into a pose. The breath is such a wonderful way to soften into a pose. By lengthening the exhalation as we breathe, our body softens, our mind softens, and we are able to release and sink into a pose a little more easily.

After I taught my class, I went to a class as a student. And guess what the theme of that class was?! Letting go! Releasing! We did many of the same poses I had just taught, including the pigeon, but leading to double pigeon, or fire log pose. This is a more intense hip opener. 

 What I loved was that I now got to experience, as a student, what I had just taught! I got to focus on my own softening, my own letting go. It was a wonderful treat, to have that right after I taught, in the same energy and same intention. I was delighted to know that the message I was inspired to share was the same message I received from my teacher.

And THEN, after that class, I spoke with another teacher friend who had been teaching a class at the same time as the one I was taking, and she was teaching about releasing and letting go too!!! WOW WOW! We were all in sync! Isn't that amazing? Three teachers, at the same studio, teaching at the same time, on the same theme or intention, having not discussed it at all! I don't believe in coincidences - I think we're all plugged into the same Source, the same Intelligence, the same Spirit! So very exciting!! When I start to doubt myself, when I start to feel fears and self-questioning arise, I can take a breath, and trust that I am on the right path; I am listening to the wisdom that resides in me. That resides in all of us. So I can soften that self-criticism and worry and fear, let go of it all, and just enjoy the ride! Wow! It's all such fun!

childlike wonder

I just saw the most precious thing. I took a walk on my lunch hour, and sat in the sun in a park, that had a little concrete water fountain that is empty for the fall. There were a few little steps in the fountain base, each about 2-3 inches high.  This precious little girl, who I would guess was about 18-months old, was toddling along, as only little people can do, exploring the amazingness of being able to walk with her wee, stubby, chubby legs. She toddled onto the concrete, and discovered the 2-3 inch step. She looked at it, smiled and giggled, and took a step down to get to the next level. She turned around and looked at what she had done, and giggled and giggled! She looked at her mommy, and started clapping her hands, smiling the brightest smile possible!! She took a breath, and stepped back up to the original step, looked at what she'd done, and giggled away again!! This was repeated over and over and over again, as she absolutely delighted in the fact that she could take wobbly steps and go up and down in the sunshine.


I loved this moment - this precious innocent one saw something a bit challenging, went for it, loved how it felt to go up and down and conquor a challenge, and then celebrated herself, laughing, giggling, and smiling like it was the best thing ever!! How lovely is that! She conquored it, and then did it again and again, to feel the joy, to maybe prove to herself that she could do it again, and oh how she rejoiced!!


I'm going to embrace that attitude today. If I see something that's a challenge, I'm going to do it. Then I'm going to look at what I did, and clap and giggle and smile like I'm the best thing since sliced bread :) Then I might do it again and again, to prove I can, and to rejoice and laugh over and over. What joy :) We can learn such wonderful lessons from these pure souls. I love it!!

Upward Dog!

I am dog-sitting for a friend. He's the cutest little fellow, part tea-cup terrier, part miniature Chihuahua. His bulgy eyes and underbite make him delightfully adorable, and I confess, I am in love. He's needy, wants to be on me or beside me every moment of the day and night. I forgot that kind of unconditional, over-the-top love you get from a dog when you come home from work!! He wiggles and giggles and jumps and smiles and moans the moment I walk in the door. Ahhh, to be loved that way, delightful!! :)

Yoga with a dog around is a different kind of experience! This morning, as I lifted up into Downward Dog, he came and curled under me on my mat. As I released onto the mat and went into salabasana (locust pose), he lay his wiggly body on the back of my outstretched legs. As I sat in seated twist pose, he made himself comfortable on my lap. When I lay in reclined twist, he curled into my right armpit. And when I lay, resting, in savasana (corpse pose), he felt the need to lie on my chest, tucked right under my chin.

Yes, he may have distracted me from focusing on my body and breath. But I certainly was very present in each moment, and his little wiggly lovey body brought me so much joy. It was really fun to laugh at this little creature, moving, adjusting, fitting into my postures. Delightful!

Do you have any fun yoga-animal stories? please share!