Happy Breath Yoga

July 2011

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Class Schedule July 2011

Wednesday
6:15-7:30pm Heated Power @ Blue Bamboo Yoga (Jackson Trails)
7:45-9:00pm Heated Yin @ Blue Bamboo Yoga (Jackson Trails)

Thursday
6:15-7:30pm Flow @ Blue Bamboo Yoga (Jackson Trails)
7:45-9:00pm Yin @ Blue Bamboo Yoga (Jackson Trails)

Friday
6:00-7:15pm Heated Yoga @ Blue Bamboo Yoga (Jackson Trails)

Sunday

9:15-10:45am Yin @ Rama Lotus

6:30-8:00pm Yin @ Rama Lotus

To view a regularly updated schedule go to www.zencowboy.ca

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RETREAT

-A period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a facilitator.

-A place of privacy or safety or refuge.

-The act of retiring or withdrawing one's self, especially from what is dangerous or disagreeable.

-A special season of solitude and silence to engage in stress relieving or meditative practices.

-A period of several days of withdrawal from society for exclusive duty to retreat.

-A temporary withdrawal from ordinary daily living to nourish ones inner spiritual longings.

-An active step toward embracing stillness of ones soul.

-A conscious move to open oneself to the inner workings of the mind and spirit.

-Time out to contemplate and meditate in peaceful surroundings.

-A choice to be solitary and still or in company of likeminded souls to grow spiritually.

- A time to enjoy a change in temperature(usually an increase), nourishing food and activities.

Yoga retreats often combine many of these elements, nutritious food, relaxing environment, physical activity, meditation, plenty of rest, time to reconnect and warmer temperatures (a welcome change from winter). All of which help to decrease stress and restore optimum health.

Home Retreat

Create some time and facilitate a retreat for yourself. Setting up time with your partner and kids that allows for this time in advance is best.

-Create space and a time to be solitary. This can be as little as fifteen minutes to several hours or days, enough time to recharge your inner spirit, to truly take a break for you.

-If you have an outdoor space, create your retreat in a quiet corner the yard with a blanket, your ipod or cd player in the summer.

-If indoors take your time in a room, close the door. Using headphones is often the easiest method of separating yourself, minimizing distractions. A meditation cd can help, a guided approach may work for you. Music or nature sounds, something that is soothing or relaxing for you. Ear plugs work well to quiet a space as well.

-The indoor retreat can be also taken in the bathroom as a soothing bath, candles, essential oils, possibly using the headphones.

-Your ipod and an arm strap can create a time for your yoga practice with a soundtrack or using an audio based asana/posture practice.

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Classes October 2010

Monday

645pm - 745pm ~ Yin Yang Abs @ Blue Bamboo

Wednesday
630pm - 745pm ~ Power @ Blue Bamboo
800pm - 915pm ~ Yin @ Blue Bamboo

Thursday
730pm - 900pm ~ Yin Yang @ Rama Lotus
(Begins Last Thursday of October)

Friday
600pm - 715pm ~ Hot @ Blue Bamboo

Sunday
630pm - 800pm ~ Yin @ Rama Lotus

Quotes : Rediscovered July 21/2009

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I began clearing out some old files today. For some reason these quotes are what I should share. The last four months have been unique. Spring/summer 2009.. I'm open to whatever happens next. Enjoy the simple.. beautiful quotes!

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast? said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.

-The Tao of Pooh

“Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends”

-unknown

“Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you I had no control over.”

-John Muir quote

"My own ambition, my deepest and truest ambition, is to find within myself someday, somehow, the ability to do likewise, to do nothing... and find it enough."

-Edward Abbey

Dwell not on the faults and shortcomings of others; instead, seek clarity about your own.

-Buddha

Niccaragua thoughts..

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I was looking at new pictures of our training in Nicaragua, I hadn't went through that album yet. Gorgeous, the view of the ocean flowing to the beach, the white caps, thatched roof on the top of floor of our Cabin and the hammocks blowing in the wind. So much joy and the beautiful smiles. An incredible physical environment doesn't hurt but the supportive and open environment from each person there was the key. In our regular lives we're often skeptical, leery of things that aren't tangible. Energy pfff... but when positivity and genuine caring people surround us. When we go just a little out of the way to trust beyond our normal limits the result is incredible. We truly create our reality, our thoughts shaping our experiences. If we act and think the same way .. why would our experience change. Why would most of the results change? Repeating the relationships, experiences and then the the cycles repeating. We actually have to change our approach to thinking, to being. Not masking challenges with simple positive thinking, but that may be a part of the solution. The chatter that occurs inside has to be changed or stop. It's a choice to see the positive or to find the joy. Allowing ourselves to have a new or different experience. This can occur with anyone or anything, old or new.

You can choose to believe that you create your experience. No longer using your mind to only reflect on the past, but making the choice to create. To be ahead of your experience. While in Nicaragua I remember a fellow student sharing her experience of being stung by a jelly fish. I genuinely thought this would be unique, incredible to feel. I clearly said to myself, I want to experience this. My conversation finished with her and it was roughly twenty minutes later, I felt the sensation of the jelly fish on my arm and my back. The chemical reaction taking place on my skin. Wow. There were several of us in the water in that area, during the same time frame. Coincidence?

The challenge is in putting this knowledge into practice rather than understanding it academically or just memorizing it. Try it - experience it first hand. I understand most of the theory, but I still have quite a way to go before I can say I use this knowledge ... I live this.

I started exploring some materials by Joe Dispenza after seeing the movie What the bleep do we know - If what I have written interests you I encourage you to seek out his books, dvds or seminars. Maybe watch what the bleep do we know. **Side note.. in the USA/North America Mr. Dispenza commented that 80-90% of the people that attend his programs and seminars are female, but in Australia its closer to half. As males in North America we often allow ourselves to be limited by societal norms and extreme skepticism. ( Guys don't do that ... WHY NOT? Ego... fear and a few other reasons?)

Happy Baby

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I was watching a good friend finish up a yoga class, we were kind of doing our own finishing sequence. Basically what poses our bodies or minds needed more of. It's so interesting to watch what people do when they have choice. A pose that I wasn't doing very often, happy baby was held for a few minutes. I started to experiment with it at the end of that practice and in the next few of my own. It really is a beautiful posture.

I have recently started to incorporate that into my classes and my personal practice more often. Kids almost fall into this posture by accident, babies giggling and making other random sounds in this posture. Clearly happy, just playing and enjoying themselves. I think as adults working back into some of this spontaneous play is important. Even if we have a scheduled time for it. This too may be incorporated into my classes.. a closing play option for students that are comfortable with "freestyle yoga".

I have had some wonderful experiences lately subbing for teachers and teaching very different classes. Yoga is beautiful and that beauty is unique for each person.

3. The Nicaragua Experience

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I have been having an interesting experience adjusting to life back in Ottawa. We were just outside of San Juan Del Sur, next to a beach called Marsella. Only a stones throw away from a few other beaches as well. The most popular was Madeira a great place to surf just up the road or the coast line. The group in Nicaragua was so diverse, the energy positive and encouraging. I was stung for the first time by a jelly fish while in the pacific ocean. I can't think of too many painful experiences that have been so invigorating, presence enforcing and beautiful. A wonderful soul was beside me just before it happened, sharing her jelly fish experience.

I could see the ocean clearly to the west from the top of our accommodations. There were two hammocks, a pool table and a Foosball table under a thatched roof. The hills or small mountains to the south and east. Our little mountain was to the north, we were on the side of it actually. The sound of the waves colliding with the beach. The whitecaps floating in.

The amount of personal work, the self study that took place for me was shocking. I think it was the environment where growth could occur organically, easily and did it ever! Day one through the last day and even today weeks later the growth is continuing. Why do I think the way I do, process thoughts, interpret actions, sometimes ignore my intuition, assume and stop myself from going with the flow. The number of questions that came to mind and frequently came with answers. Meditation and Yoga often clearing my perspective.

My ability to be present has increased, I'm very excited about the change. In the past I was often in 2 or 3 places at once, occasionally while having a conversation. I had this strange ability to sometimes focus on what was being shared, followed by my mind going into a whirlwind of activity. Thoughts of past, present and future... honestly rarely the present though. More often than not I was imagining the past or the future. The focus needed to be altered. The timing was great in so many ways, even though I had thought this training was too soon. I see now that the timing was correct - appropriate.

I have had the urge to share some of this for the last few weeks but haven't made it to the blog. More to come....

1. Classes

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Holistic, Yin, Yang, Hatha, Power, Vinyasa Flow,
or custom/specialized classes available.

I am currently teaching Corporate Classes in Ottawa
and Group Classes in Kanata.

For Corporate, Private or Group Class Info Please contact me:
hbyoga at gmail.com

2. Matthew and Yoga

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I began yoga over 10 years ago, immediately developing a connection to this incredible practice. Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow yoga were my class preferences in the beginning. I had been practicing martial arts since I was a teenager and wanted to cross train. I discovered more than simply cross training in yoga.

I became curious and started to explore different styles of yoga, other classes and various teachers. There were many beautiful interpretations of moving meditation(Physical Yoga). "Hatha" classes helped me to experience a softer yoga, a yoga that I had not practiced in the beginning. Slowly reading more about this art, this practice, I was slowly creating my home practice. The joy I felt in my practice combined with a love for teaching, lead me to sharing yoga with others.

Yoga has helped me to view pieces of my life clearer, to reduce stress, bring my body and mind into balance. Some months, weeks and days I am much more effective than others. This is an ongoing process, more clarity and balance gradually developing. A unique yoga practice that I began a few years ago was Yin Yoga. Yin helped to open me and my practice to different concepts and methods.

I eventually took the steps and completed two teacher trainings. One for a Holistic Yoga and the other for Yin Yoga. My Holistic teacher is Yogi Vishvketu ji (Vishva), having studied yoga since the age of 8. The co-creator with his wife Chetana of the World Conscious Yoga Family and Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh, India. My Yin Yoga Teacher is Bernie Clark. Bernie having trained with Sarah Powers, Paul Grilley, Paulie Zink, Saul David Raye and others. Yin yoga's current development is accredited to Sarah and Paul.

The teacher trainings were both wonderful experiences. Each training improved my patience, my understanding and my openness. The invitation for me to grow emotionally, physically, spiritually and intellectually was challenging to accept initially. I am grateful that I made this decision.

Physical yoga or asana (poses) are powerful tools that can help us reconnect with our bodies. Commonly the mind and the body are viewed as separate, this is not a holistic view. Through practice the connection becomes stronger, feeling the effects of thought or movement(s).

As my personal practice flows, I do my best to be present during my teaching and my practice. (Slowly realizing that it's all practice - every challenging and joy filled moment are opportunities for practice.) I offer myself what I need during the time I create, sometimes it's 15 minutes. An experienced teacher shared these thoughts with me; "A brief daily practice is more beneficial than a long practice once in a while" and " Happy Breath". There is more to yoga than just Asana, but this portion on its own is a great place to develop.

The physical poses often bring about emotions, reactions, and other challenges. Yoga is an effective tool. A practice that can help us through personal challenges, to clear our minds, recharge our bodies, open our hearts, heal us, understand our choices, our actions and reactions. Yoga is several paths different but paths. All are meant to be a practice. Tools that are best used on a regular basis.