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8 fold path
November 2009 
Today's Yoga
Posted on Sep 14th, 2009
by 
Sanieh
Sanieh
Sometimes I see so clearly where I have grown in my spiritual practice and sometimes I am forced to see just where I need to take a little extra time and sit. These days, I am mostly trying to find compassion and forgiveness for my foul ups along the way while remembering that its all part of it.
Every so often I write about "a seekers mishaps" on this path that is not pleasing to myself and today is one of those days. I acted in a way that did not sit well with me, a few times actually, and in a way that made me feel shameful and defeated in spirit because of it...even if for a moment. I acted in a way that lacked my deepest and genuine ability to move from kindness and patience while walking into the situation without understanding and forgiveness up front despite how legit the issue at hand may have been. Whether or not anyone else viewed what I experienced *in myself* the same way or not, I am still left feeling "less than" because I acted in a way that was not aligned with my spiritual intentions. I could have easily moved from a different place had I paused and realized that everything was magnified due to the collective of things happening at once. Not necessarily bad, just the overwhelming aspect of it all.
My experience teaches me that we must free ourselves in voice, in guilt, in creativity, in pleasure, in love .. in all ways and when I'm teaching I often share why I am a fan of an open mouth exhalation. This is part of the reason why. I share this because I think its easy for yoga teachers to get wrapped up being raised up or put on a level that isn't real. The truth is, every one of us has to look at ourselves long and hard at some point. It's called Sva Yaya or self study and it's part of the 8 fold path. Yoga is my Dharma... it does ME; therefore I practice this often and it "ain't" always pretty! I realize that dissolution must happen before recreation though... OM Namah Shivaya!
Sengstan wrote "Do not seek perfection in a changing world. Instead, perfect your love."
I love this. It's perfect because we can use it as compassion for ourselves. Instead of seeking perfection, it's always about progress because perfection doesn't exist in that light. If we perfect our LOVE, which is all encompassing with compassion, grace, loyalty, forgiveness etc, then we learn to offer ourselves the "compassion mudra" and move on.
It's true that yoga teaches us to get in touch with our sensitivity. I came out of the womb that way so for me its really about turning on the intuitive side of that sensitivity and keeping aligned with it. Part of my development of this is that I am so very in touch with the biofeedback of my body, belly brain and heart teacher so the signals are there INSIDE when I don't "do well". Just as we can become addicted to the search for bliss on the mat or in life, sometimes we can hold onto the crud a little too long also.
This is my yoga for today... To let go of my attachment to what I didn't do well and to follow through with my resolution I posted on FB last night :
Tonight I resolve to love, light up, let go, live, laugh, love some more, *let* love, move intelligently and fluidly within my choices and the unchosen, brew, STEEP, become more and more potent in my SoUl, BreaK the bubble, bREAk the mold, driiiiip with fullness, ooooze with passion and tenacity, love the mystery, embrace my sensuality, own my dharma, and vow to do it all WELL and over and over and over...
To letting Go, finding forgiveness for ourselves, and moving on.
With Gratitude and an open, self-forgiving heart,
Sanieh
http://www.saniehyoga.com/
www.facebook.com/saniehyoga
www.twitter.com/saniehyoga (for real time updates/class substitutions and random musings)
Every so often I write about "a seekers mishaps" on this path that is not pleasing to myself and today is one of those days. I acted in a way that did not sit well with me, a few times actually, and in a way that made me feel shameful and defeated in spirit because of it...even if for a moment. I acted in a way that lacked my deepest and genuine ability to move from kindness and patience while walking into the situation without understanding and forgiveness up front despite how legit the issue at hand may have been. Whether or not anyone else viewed what I experienced *in myself* the same way or not, I am still left feeling "less than" because I acted in a way that was not aligned with my spiritual intentions. I could have easily moved from a different place had I paused and realized that everything was magnified due to the collective of things happening at once. Not necessarily bad, just the overwhelming aspect of it all.
My experience teaches me that we must free ourselves in voice, in guilt, in creativity, in pleasure, in love .. in all ways and when I'm teaching I often share why I am a fan of an open mouth exhalation. This is part of the reason why. I share this because I think its easy for yoga teachers to get wrapped up being raised up or put on a level that isn't real. The truth is, every one of us has to look at ourselves long and hard at some point. It's called Sva Yaya or self study and it's part of the 8 fold path. Yoga is my Dharma... it does ME; therefore I practice this often and it "ain't" always pretty! I realize that dissolution must happen before recreation though... OM Namah Shivaya!
Sengstan wrote "Do not seek perfection in a changing world. Instead, perfect your love."
I love this. It's perfect because we can use it as compassion for ourselves. Instead of seeking perfection, it's always about progress because perfection doesn't exist in that light. If we perfect our LOVE, which is all encompassing with compassion, grace, loyalty, forgiveness etc, then we learn to offer ourselves the "compassion mudra" and move on.
It's true that yoga teaches us to get in touch with our sensitivity. I came out of the womb that way so for me its really about turning on the intuitive side of that sensitivity and keeping aligned with it. Part of my development of this is that I am so very in touch with the biofeedback of my body, belly brain and heart teacher so the signals are there INSIDE when I don't "do well". Just as we can become addicted to the search for bliss on the mat or in life, sometimes we can hold onto the crud a little too long also.
This is my yoga for today... To let go of my attachment to what I didn't do well and to follow through with my resolution I posted on FB last night :
Tonight I resolve to love, light up, let go, live, laugh, love some more, *let* love, move intelligently and fluidly within my choices and the unchosen, brew, STEEP, become more and more potent in my SoUl, BreaK the bubble, bREAk the mold, driiiiip with fullness, ooooze with passion and tenacity, love the mystery, embrace my sensuality, own my dharma, and vow to do it all WELL and over and over and over...
To letting Go, finding forgiveness for ourselves, and moving on.
With Gratitude and an open, self-forgiving heart,
Sanieh
http://www.saniehyoga.com/
www.facebook.com/saniehyoga
www.twitter.com/saniehyoga (for real time updates/class substitutions and random musings)
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