Journey To the Heart

This week in Recovery Yoga we are continuing our journey through the energy centers of our being...the chakras. While the 3rd chakra focus is on our feelings about ourselves in relation to the physical world, the 4th chakra focuses on our feelings about our inner world. The heart chakra embodies the spiritual lesson that teaches how to act out of love and compassion and recognize that the most powerful energy we have is love. More than any other chakra, the fourth represents our capacity to “let go and let God.” By releasing our emotional pain, by letting go of our need to know why things have happened as they have, we reach a state of tranquility. In order to feel inner peace, we must embody the healing energy of forgiveness and release our need for justice. To quote Sooz, “Being happy does not mean you always get what you want. Happiness comes when you love what you have and when you are grateful for it.”

When we lose the connection and energy flow from our personal power and self esteem of the 3rd chakra to the compassion and acceptance of the heart we live in fear of loneliness, broken commitments and betrayal. We experience jealousy, anger, bitterness and the inability to forgive.

In recovery we regain our personal power so we can connect to our heart. The relationships we strive to heal, and the new friendships we form, are opportunities to open our hearts and discover that we’re all in this together. We learn that being self righteous and self serving behavior no longer bring us the serenity we long for.

An open heart is the fullest expression of our spirit; it is discovering the depths of our divine wisdom to express love, compassion, forgiveness and generosity. When we take a spiritual path we are driven to discover the greater purpose and meaning of our lives. We discover courage, self-confidence, and faith within ourselves. When we choose love over ego, we're on a never ending journey to the heart.

"The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment. There always is the potential to create an environment of blame -- or one that is conducive to loving-kindness." -Pema Chodron

Love, Julie

Surrender

Surrender 

 It prepares us for the rest of the path 

In recovery we practice surrendering over and over again.  Sometimes it is the same issue…sometimes it’s the same subject in a different form.  To“turn it over” we must first acknowledge the part that the ego plays in our struggles.  True surrender moves beyond the control of our addiction, to surrender of our unhealthy behavior patterns. The ego fights hard to be right… to control and to judge.  Our work with the steps is to acknowledge and identify our personal challenges.  It requires trust in a higher power…a higher self…our inner wisdom. (Serenity prayer!!)  It requires doing our best with right effort and keeping the ego out of the outcome.   

Our path is progress, not perfection.  It is a practice that can result in a beautiful unveiling of the true self. 

Deborah Adele writes “As we let go of what we cannot change, we are able to grow more and more into our unique gift and contribution to life.. it is an image of strength and softness at the same time…to be strong enough to engage each moment with integrity and at the same time to live soft enough to flow with the current of life.” 

In yoga we practice sukha and sthira..softness (surrender) and strength (action)…a moving through and beyond resistance to calm the mind and create the flow of energy through the body.  We give up the egotistical illusion that we know best, and instead accept that the way life unfolds may be part of a pattern too complex to understand.  In yoga, the practice of Ishvara Pranidhana ( final Niyama in the eight fold path of yoga) is a practice of surrender to our divine within and faith in a bigger purpose.  What if we surrendered to being here now, instead of asking the question why am I here and what is my future?  Can we trust that surrendering creates space for personal power and fulfillment instead of struggling to control the outcome? 

Surrender gives us peace and serenity in the present moment, preparing us for great things as we continue on our precious journey of life. 

Practice surrendering to the moment in Recovery Yoga with meditation, breath and gentle yoga.   

See you on your mat!

Thursdays at Namaspa, 7 pm

Namaste,  Julie

Re-Connection

This week I’ve been thinking and talking with others about the power of connection and how important it is in our recovery, so I’d like to share some of Brene Brown’s wisdom with you.

“Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was confirmed when the main concern about connection emerged as the fear of disconnection; the fear that something we have done or failed to do, something about who we are or where we come from, has made us unlovable and unworthy of connection.”

My addiction created disconnection within me on every level…spiritually, emotionally and physically. I became isolated, as many of us do, and and was a seeker of disconnection from the reality of life by numbing out. I felt unloveable, ashamed, and “not good enough.” In recovery, with the spiritual journey of the 12 Steps and yoga, I was able to restore connection and hope by awakening to my heart and opening up to raw vulnerability. I prayed for courage and continually set intentions to let go of defeating beliefs so I could align with my true nature…from the words of yoga master, Baron Baptiste...the experience of connection with all of life, where everything is perfectly imperfect as it is, with nothing to fix, nothing to change and nothing needing to be different or better, is True North Alignment. “In these moments we feel open, undefended, with no need to protect. There is no urge to hold on, consume or collect. We are aligned with and flowing from our greater purpose.” It’s found within doing the work and trusting the greater good. It is living wholeheartedly.

The stuff that gets in the way of being wholehearted can be released..if we allow it. Progress happens when we're committed to the process. Connection happens when we're willing to show up in our lives and be there for others, do the work, and open up to something new. That's the beauty of a new day. A fresh start is available to all of us whether you're in recovery or not. Like Brene, I believe we are here to love and connect with each other, show support and practice kindness for ourselves.

Yoga gives me a chance to create connection to the present moment and the life force of my breath. It allows me to release the mucky, yucky, buildup I've created in my mind and softens the jagged edges of life’s challenges.

I encourage you to join us Thursday for a gentle yoga practice and meditation to deepen connection within your beautiful self!

Every Thursday evening at Namaspa, 7 pm

Much Love, Julie

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