A Birthday Wish for Love

Happy Birthday to ME and all other Aquarians born on January 26th. Happy Indian Republic Day too! While I am grateful for the outpouring of love from all my family, friends and students....I enjoy to joke that the entire nation of India likes to Celebrate my birthday as well....even though India is celebrating it's Republic Day...In my heart, I can believe that the glorious parades, dances, and fireworks are for my birthday right! (Just a joke). The republic day of India celebrates the power of love. This day when India became a sovereign nation, celebrates the dream, and amazing triumph of love and peace from the example of Gandhi, who lead the nation to freedom and liberation with non-violence.

So while everyone makes a wish on their birthday.....I too make a wish. A wish for love. May this new chapter in my life bring me and everyone I come across incredible experiences of love and kindness. In my life, I have found that when I fill my heart with love, when I give love in my thoughts, words, and actions, love is returned to me in so many ways. This love is something I am grateful to have learned from the amazing example of my beloved parents. I wish that myself and everyone who is my friend, my student, and my family is inspired to always act, speak, live, and think with love.

This wonderful practice of Yoga is more than just a physical exercise, and as teachers and students, it is important for us to go deeper into the practice. Yoga is, and always will be mind-body-spirit. At least abiding by the first Principal of Ahimsa (non harming to all living things) people will experience the power and depth of this practice. This act of non-harming is not just being a vegetarian, it is found by abstaining from gossip, boasting, grudges, and negative thoughts towards others. Forgiveness and learning from sorrows creates triumph and love in this Universe, while dwelling on the pains of the ego, only breeds further negative energy, that will karmically transpire in all areas of our life. Thus, love is my wish! My wish for this new year of life, is a wish for love, for myself and everyone! While you may believe that your grudge is valid, while you may have been a victim, challenge yourself to find freedom from this negative energy, to lose your ego, to detach, to forgive, to learn and grow, to overcome with love and find peace, and then and only then, life will bring you love and peace in return. After all, yoga is supposed to make us flexible, not just in our bodies, but in our hearts and minds as well. Our life is a reflection of our thoughts and our heart. If you mind and heart is filled with love, you will receive love in return, and it will reflect in your relationships as well as your yoga practice, however, if your mind and heart is filled with negative thoughts, your life, your relationships and your yoga practice will be a reflection of this energy. A heart is like a lovely tree, when nurtured with love, it grows and bears wonderful fruit. Choose love.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Photo: Ambria in Tree pose taken by David Blottner

The Power of Ideas

While Yoga is an ancient practice that teaches Mind Body Spirit connection, in the Western world, we need to utilize the Power of Ideas to enhance this connection. Whether it is as a student or teacher, approaching the yoga class with a fresh mindset, and free of body hang ups can be a challenge. If you live in NYC, you may be fresh from a crowded sub way, late on rent, dealing with drama at work, or various other colors of NYC living, therefore using the power of ideas is key. Ideas or thoughts inspire life. What you think, you become. If you approach your practice from a perspective of lack you will only gain little growth. If you approach your practice from a perspective of ego, you will never achieve the spiritual bliss that can be gained from a humble practice. These powerful ideas should be parallel in your life, meaning approach life with an abundance and humble mindset. When we are compassionate as teachers, we receive compassion from students, when we are inspiring, we wind up being inspired by our students. When we give from a loving thought process, we spread the vibration of love, and we in a karmic way receive love. The most powerful idea one can have is the idea of LOVE. Even when faced with a bully, or a negative situation, allow yourself to look from a perspective of compassion, gratitude for your own awareness of love, and behold how the energy shifts. When contemplating how to structure a yoga class, a play list, a private session, a workshop, a retreat, teacher training, or even setting a dedication/intention for your own personal practice, have the number one idea be LOVE, and allow the practice to unfold with the Power that it naturally is. Keep spreading the vibration with the awareness of the power of ideas. Whatever idea you have about your life, will translate into vibrational reality. This theory is Yogic, Spiritual (most religions agree), and Scientific. We all are vibration, mirror neurons, so be mindful who you associate with, and what you are focusing your mind on. Next time you are on your yoga mat doing tree pose with your mind on your Holiday Shopping List, you will experience the Power of Ideas. The Power of your ideas creates the melody of your life.

Photo taken by Jody Concepcion