Reflection

Theme/Setting the tone: We reflect our true self into our mats & so tonight’s theme is reflection so we can see what our spirit and mind look like.  Get to know your true self.  You without any apologies, excuses, judgements or labeling.  You who are guided by the divine through a journey we call life.  Your personality is just how you deal with this reality.  How far away or how close do you want to be from your highest true self?  I don’t know about you but I’d like to be kind of close to my highest capability.  So lets get to know ourselves tonight!

Reading:  Pema Chodron

“At the beginning of every day, reflect on the day ahead and aspire to use it to keep a wide-open heart and mind. At the end of the day before going to sleep, think over what you have done. If you fulfilled your aspiration even once, rejoice in that. If you went against your aspiration, rejoice that you are able to see what you did and are no longer living in ignorance. This way you will be inspired to go forward with increasing clarity, confidence and compassion in the days that follow.”

Pranayama: Unify the energies in the room with Pranayama, we all come in from such different environments.  That’s so beautiful.  We are like different threads weaving a tapestry  right now.  That’s so cool!

Mudra: Anjali (Adoration)

Mantra:  Talk about how long it took you into doing and teaching om.  You have to find your voice first.  When you do, like at the end of class, we’ll om again & we can notice our om more open as the throat relaxes and the jaw relaxed.  So lets om together, and surrender to it.  Just let her rip! Om kriyam namah: om (womb), kriya (action), namah (self reflecting self). “My actions are aligned with the universe.”

Kriya: cleansing technique, use Nauli kriya

Asana: “Ride the surge between the different levels you go through in class.  Physically, mentally & spiritually.  Move with grace towards the floor as you fall.”  Have them practice Iron Shirt Chi Gong/Panther style Kung Foo & do a lot of falling slowly & gracefully towards the floor:

fallen hero

falling utkatasana

falling standing split

falling dhanurasana

crow to navasana

fallen triangle

Practice forgiveness as you look at your yourself by falling & then having the courage to get back up again.

Meditation: Dawna Markova

“I will not die an unlived life.  I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.  i choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open to me, to make me less afraid, more accesible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing torch, a promise.  I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which came to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which came to me as blossom, goes on to fruit.” 

Poem:

Reflection

by Olivia

I am looking in a mirror, 

but all I can see is me, 

trying to be

what I want to be 

instead of what I really am.

Song: Lullaby