Dear Blog

I am now merging my blogs! I decided to drop the Yogatude and just move back to my name...emilyisthenewblog.blogspot.com

sorry to send y'all back and forth.

Happy Boxing Day!

Been thinking about going back to emilyisthenewblog.blogspot.com...yoga and yoga tude is so cliche in NYC, no?

Happy Holidays!

Make your body your temple!

The physicality of Yoga is often related to Asana, or the postures. Many people come to yoga looking for the physical. Its what opens us to the other aspects of Yoga. Whether it be for exercise, weight loss, relieving stress, or meditation...its all physical. This physicality also has a great deal to do with "being present". The cool part about this is that we've accomplished that as long as we've made it to class and made it onto the mat. On some days this part of asana is more challenging then others but that first step is always key.

Let's further look at this idea of "being present". The whole idea can sound kind of ambiguous especially after you've already made it to class and your Yoga teacher keeps using this catch phrase "being present" no? Sometimes its as simple as letting everything else go. Getting comfortable with your mat and letting go of anything and everything that exists outside of it. Just let it be you, your breathe, your mat, your practice. Its important to let go of the citta vritti -mind stuff so your practice is truly yours. This allows your practice to transform from just physical exercise into a moving meditation.

Life is humbling

We make mistakes all the time. Some are small and insignificant...others are big and really hurt people. How do we reconcile these mistakes? How do we make it ok within ourselves to know that we hurt someone? How do we make it ok in ourselves to admit we did something wrong? How do we move forward when the damage is already done?

One of my teachers once said "It's not about the mistakes we make in life, its about what we do to repair them."

The ultimate surrender is to do what we can to make things right in the world...the rest is up to the PTB.

Ways to say sorry.

Asana is a steady comfortable posture

Says Patanjali. Just remember that the next time you're making the scrunchy face in a difficult pose.

Let it Flow!

My theme lately is to reference things about my teachers. I have a teacher who always tells the class to shhhuuush. He is totally not afraid to treat a bunch of adults like kindergarten children and I think its seriously so awesome! He is also absolutely not afraid to lecture a person for showing up to class late. That is one of my most favorite thing to see him do. I just find it so great that he has no problem with doing this while other people are so afraid of offending people that they forget that people need to learn boundaries and respect. Either way...this is and old Shhhh sign I made when I used to teach Yoga behind a curtain while people were bouncing basketballs, playing loud video games, having loud conversations or just walking loudly through the space...reminded me of how he shussshes us. Shusshing is awesome, do it!