Empowered Yoga Challenge '08: Johnny's Thoughts

What are you gonna do?

2008-03-03T14:19:00.002-05:00

The Challenge just ended this past Sunday and I missed the required 45 classes by four. I came down with the flu last week. What an experience! I have never had the flu before. I made the mistake of mentioning to Sara that I thought I could finish the Challenge. The hammer-head voice inside of me was yelling, “Get back in there and finish the Challenge!” I knew if I tried to finish it would be foolish: the flu symptoms would most likely reappear and it would put me in the doghouse with Sara for not listening to her motherly instructions to stay home. I listened to the voice of reason and the hammer-head voice gradually quieted down.

So, in the infamous words of Tony Soprano, “What are you gonna do?” (You have to say it with the Tony Soprano voice and facial expression to get the full effect.). Sometimes in life there is nothing you can do about the situation at hand or the cards you have been dealt. In some religious traditions this is referred to as the practice of “surrender”, an unappealing word indicating a loss of control or power. It can be a real hit in the heart or a gentle reminder of our vulnerability as human beings. I prefer the latter of the two.

Human beings are very vulnerable. If we embrace our vulnerability, it allows us to develop a deep sense of appreciation for what we have. We can realize that at any given moment our life can change dramatically, or be over, and many times it is completely out of our control. The realization of this truth can bring a profound sense of preciousness and appreciation into our lives.

It is Monday and I am about 90% back to normal. I have decided to continue writing a blog. Congratulations to those of you who completed the Challenge. Namaste

Home Sick with the Flu

2008-02-27T12:20:00.000-05:00

Last week I practiced on Monday. After practice I didn’t feel right. One of the many benefits of practicing yoga is the increased level of sensitivity you develop with your body. I skipped Tuesday but practiced Wednesday. After Wednesday’s practice I really didn’t feel right.

As I said in my last blog, I decided to rest up for the three workshops I had to lead last weekend. Unfortunately, late Friday it hit me. By Saturday morning I had all the typical flu symptoms, along with a high fever. Needless to say, all three workshops had to be cancelled.

Today is Tuesday. I feel like the worst is over, but I have been cautioned to continue to take it easy or else the symptoms will come back and I’ll be sick all over again. With only four practices left and the Challenge ending this Sunday, I’m not sure what is going to happen. I want to finish the challenge but I don't want to be a hammer-head and wind up back in bed for a week. I can only take it day by day at this point. Back to bed.

Day 51

2008-02-22T11:06:00.002-05:00

Today is day 51. I haven’t written in six days. I have only practiced twice in the last six days because I have been under the weather. I am up to 41 practices and have only four more to go until the challenge is completed.

I’m often asked, “Should I practice when I’m sick?” For me, it has been an experiment of trial and error – sometimes it brings the sickness on with its full wrath – other times it knocks the sickness out of me.

This weekend I have to lead three workshops. I will need a lot of energy, so I have chosen to do some light asana practice throughout the week, conserving my energy for teaching. Depending on how I feel tomorrow I might take class in the morning. For now I am going to go rest and shut the computer down.

Inspired on Friday February 15th

2008-02-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

So the flow is now inspiring! Today is day 45 and I completed my 39th practice this morning. I intended to practice six times this week, but yesterday my life off the mat didn’t cooperate. So this week I will practice four times and next week I’ll get a little closer to completing the challenge.

I am feeling strong in body and clear in mind. Tonight we have a teachers gathering. All the teachers get together to practice and I'll share my vision of Empowered Yoga. The dedication of our teachers and their commitment always humbles me. When building a business, you work very closely with people. This ongoing process has taught me that the sum of the parts is always greater than the parts itself. When people come together for a common goal and support one another amazing things can happen. I have truly learned I am only as good as the people around me. Fortunately, I’m surrounded by some great people.

Uninspired On Tuesday, February 12th

2008-02-15T15:37:00.000-05:00

I have been feeling flat since Monday. I’ve felt flat since yesterday. Today I told Sara how I felt and she told me to “snap out of it” as only she can. I am lucky to have her as my wife.

We all experience ebbs and flows in life. Some mornings you wake up feeling great and some mornings you just want to stay in bed. The idea is to start seeing the constant flowing nature of life. When you truly embody this flow you begin to see that even though you are the flow –you are not. You can see the feelings and the thoughts. There is a dimension of awareness where you can become pretty comical about it. Learning to laugh at yourself can be better than taking yourself so seriously. Instead of saying I am feeling flat you can start saying that there are some flat feelings happening within me. I train myself to look at the feelings as “interesting”. This kind of awareness helps me in not identifying so much with the day to day emotions and thoughts because I know they are short lived. I will feel differently in 5 minutes, one hour, tomorrow morning and on and on. It is the permanent nature of living in an impermanent world.

Asleep at the Wheel

2008-02-11T12:37:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday morning and I am filling in at our Plexus Nemours Center. This is not my normal Sunday morning routine. Normally I am home playing with the kids and hanging out with Sara. I spent the morning grading papers for our Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program. Part of our curriculum involves homework where the participants share their insights. We have an amazing group of students this year in our YTT. I thoroughly enjoyed reading their thoughts and revelations. Sometimes I wonder who the teacher really is.

I have noticed that many people experience a special feeling along the yoga path called perpetual awakening. This feeling comes with consistent practice of yoga and meditation. I too experience this awakening. From time to time I feel like I have been asleep at the wheel while navigating through my life. Suddenly I’ll awaken with a jolt of adrenaline - my arms stiffen up and my eyes become twice their normal size. It is this "Holy Shit Experience". I then settle back into my life with a new found sense of alertness. Have you ever dozed off at the wheel?

The experience of awakening was a common theme in the YTT papers I graded. They’ve begun to understand their minds and their lives with a greater sense of clarity. It is through this experience that we gain greater insight into the life we are living and things we have attracted into our lives thus far.

We are energetic beings living in an energetic world. This is not “New Age Philosophy.” Quantum physics teaches that we are constantly sending energy into our environment through our thoughts and actions. We then attract the same energy we send out. When we are unconscious to our thoughts and actions many times we unskillfully create our future. As we become more aware of our energy we can better co-create our future. By thinking something over and over again we have to power to manifest that. This is a VERY powerful concept incredibly described in Dr. David R. Hawkins’ "Power vs. Force”.

Today is day 41 of the yoga challenge. I practiced four times this week which gives me a total of 36 practices. This week Jimmy is at his Dads so I am hoping to get in six practices. Namaste.

Brought to you by processed food

2008-02-05T16:18:00.000-05:00

I am so fortunate that my wife Sara cooks healthy food for our family. Sara’s cooking makes a huge difference not only on my waist line but also in the way I feel. Sunday I thought it would be okay to eat soft pretzels, pizza, cheese, soda, etc. I know you can eat anything in moderation, but unfortunately that’s not what I did. Right before the game I started to feel heavy and lethargic from eating white flour. So I did what anyone would do—I ate more crappy food.

Monday morning I took Nancy’s 90 minute SS class. By dancers pose I could feel the junk coming out of my body. My breathing was short. I felt weak and nauseous. I had been feeling so good while doing this yoga challenge until Monday morning when I experienced the negative effects of food. I didn’t even drink any beer! This feeling was completely induced via eating processed food. We truly are what we eat, drink and think. We are constantly recreating ourselves moment by moment. While in Costa Rica I ate so clean. Pura Vida doesn’t serve any processed food and they use no refined flour. By the end of my second week I was really feeling the effects of clean eating and yoga. I am a big believer in moderation and enjoy some processed food yet Sunday I lost moderation and felt the effects of it.

Today is day 35. I took off Saturday and Sunday so today was my 32nd practice. I am getting ready to teach two classes and I am feeling pretty good after my butt whipping this morning. Thank God for yoga and its ability to offer us a fresh start.

Broken Record

2008-02-04T10:57:00.000-05:00

I have observed through the years that there is a crucial point in one's yoga practice. I wish I could say this point is loud and clear within our attention leading to a conscious decision – yet for many it is not. Our choices in life are many times driven by our past conditioning, which when confronted with uncomfortable moments can leave us rather helpless in the moment. We respond the way we always did. The present moment becomes nothing more than a repeat performance of the past. Our reactions grow stronger with repetition and we become unconscious to them.

This may sound depressing, and yet it is the truth for many of us. We see obstacles in life as things that hold us back verses opportunities to grow and begin bridging the gap between the life we are living and the life we yearn for.

Journaling can be a very awakening experience because we can go back and see that the same things that are paining us today are the very same things that have been inflicting pain for years. This realization that our minds are like broken records can be the very "slap in the face" that wakes us up!

The broken record can be challenging to stop. I have found that if I bring present moment awareness to the intense reaction and watch it as an observer instead of identifying with the reaction that the intensity wanes quickly and disappears. There is a sense of peace and accomplishment once the feeling wanes. The second time the reaction comes back you follow the same instruction and something magical happens – the reaction subsides more quickly. After the second time you will begin to see the reaction for what it is – painful conditioning. Then lifting the pin off the broken record becomes easier.

Intention

2008-02-01T14:17:00.000-05:00

Intention deals with the present moment. It is the deepest root of why we do what we do. Our future can be traced back to moment by moment decisions and/or choices. The choices we make moment by moment paint the landscape of our future. By connecting to our intentions we can begin to orchestrate our future. We experience stimulus and then we respond. Between these two there can be a space—a conscious choice.

The practice of yoga and meditation can expand the space between stimulus and response. This space can allow us to see clearly our intention behind our response. We can catch ourselves in the process of inappropriate action and change our destiny. Moment by moment awareness and acting from right intention can lead to a more fulfilling and happier life—a life which we cause less harm to ourselves and to the world we live.

Today is day 31. I practiced this morning for the 29th time. My body is feeling pretty awesome, but what I’m enjoying even more is my clarity of thought.

Conditioning

2008-01-30T12:47:00.000-05:00

Towards the end of our second week Rolf had the group do a journaling exercise. We had to write down three things that we were going to take from the retreat. My three things were the power of conditioning, intention and attractor patterns. Today I will address conditioning.

How we meet the present moment of our lives is nothing more than the conditioning of our past. It involves anything we have experienced in our lives up to this point. Our conditioning is very powerful. Throughout the week I focused on the different aspects of my personality. I traced all of them back to pivotal moments in my life or people who shaped me. Some of this conditioning helps me greatly in day to day life while others cripple me and create pain.

Part of the practice of yoga is waking up this truth and beginning to work with the painful areas. Through our awareness, we shed light on the painful areas and begin to unwind and understand. It is important not to take this conditioning personal and see it for what it is—just conditioning. The willingness to work with the pain inducing conditioning is the recognition that these patterns cause pain in our lives. This recognition becomes the intelligent thing to do. It is from this intelligent action that we develop wisdom and gain true happiness.

It is day 30 of the Yoga Challenge. I have practiced 28 times in the last 30 days. I got back from Costa Rica on Saturday. I’m still enjoying the benefits of the amazing retreat. I feel super human in many ways but vulnerable in others. Every year the students in Costa Rica confirm my belief in the power of the human spirit as well as our innate ability to triumph over anything.

The Power of Thought and Intention

2008-01-24T16:06:00.000-05:00

Over the past two weeks in Costa Rica I have had some computer challenges. On several occasions I have spent hours writing blogs on my experiences only to have the computer shut down or log me off of our server. On numerous occasions hours of work was lost. Instead of getting frustrated I have laughed and said it was meant to be.

Last night Rolf gave a dharma talk, dharma in Sanskrit means truth or path on positive thinking and visualization. He balanced the talk with scientific research based in physics and his life experience. The talk was inspiring and motivating. After the talk I contemplated the question-- if I spend time painting the landscape of my future and focus on it-- what happens if my vision doesn't come to fruition? Will this leave me disappointed?

I spoke with Rolf and some fellow practitioners after the talk. My last thought before falling asleep was that I strongly believe that our intentions and thoughts have the power to manifest in the future. But sometimes other forces are working against those thoughts and intentions. Therefore, sometimes our thoughts manifest and sometimes they don't.

It is like my computer shutting down after hours of work. I guess these thoughts were not meant to be heard or read. Attaching ourselves to the outcome can be very painful while embracing the process and the possibilities is more the practice.

The science of yoga works in principles that go deeper and deeper with practice. The power of intention and thought is one concept that has greatly deepened this week for me. Today is day 24 of the Yoga Challenge and today will be practice 24 for me. Rolf is teaching a three hour asana class today. It should be juicy.

Gotta Have Faith

2008-01-22T13:28:00.000-05:00

Today is Saturday, and our first group has left Costa Rica. It was a powerful week for me and I had several realizations.

As I mentioned we began each day at 6:30 a.m. with meditation and yoga philosophy. Then we focused on our Stationary Sequence (SS), practicing the series of asanas in sequential order twice a day. Within the Empowered Yoga Path, the SS serves as the foundation. By practicing the same postures over and over again, the student begins to train the mind and the body in a way that creates balance between the right and left sides of the body. This leads to cohesiveness throughout the legs, pelvis, spine, shoulders, arms and head. Through practicing the asanas over and over it is only natural for students to develop an understanding of the landscape of their body. Unfortunately, some students also form an aversion to certain asanas. At this point the student has developed an orientation to their body and mind. For many, this can be scary and overwhelming – you can choose to ignore the imbalances and give a half-hearted effort or you can make the decision to take a step further in your life and work with what is.

By working with what is and embracing the areas within our bodies that need to be strengthened and balanced, you immediately begin working with your mind. The body is metaphorical for the mind is truly one in the same. My friend Rolf Gates says, “If I don’t want to work with my bodily imbalances then working in other areas off the mat is just not possible.” Our imbalances become the gateways into our learning and growth. Along the way we begin discovering who we really are.

This week at Costa Rica I witnessed a group of mature individuals become familiar with their landscape. They developed a right view by showing up and not shrinking back. They gave all they had and the results at the end of the week were amazing. I am very happy and humbled to have been with them to witness their greatest and to see the possibilities of the human spirit.

As for me, today is day 19 of the yoga challenge. I have practiced 19 times in the last 19 days. This past Wednesday I practiced twice in one day. On Wednesdays, I encourage people to go see the beautiful countryside of Costa Rica. For me, it was a day of practice and reflection.

From Costa Rica

2008-01-16T12:24:00.001-05:00

I am in Costa Rica facilitating transformational yoga retreats for the next few weeks. I have two different groups - one this week and one next week. We start each day with meditation and a yoga philosophy talk. We practice twice a day: once in the late morning and again in the late afternoon. Last night we finished our 7th practice since arriving Saturday afternoon. Our group is committed and strong. There are several repeat attendees which always strengthens the group. This is my sixth year of orchestrating this experience and the process people go through in one week simply amazes me.

Most people's normal everyday lives involve speed and a lengthy to-do-list. This can create a life that is lead without much contemplation. Our retreats in Costa Rica allow people to slow down and get in touch with the direction their life is headed. I am always amazed by the insights students share throughout this process. Many times people are not aware of the substitute life they are living until all distractions are taken away. Then they begin seeing a dichotomy between the life they are living and the life they are yearning for. Simply becoming aware of this separation is the first step towards a change.

As for me, today will be my 15th practice. I missed one day last week. Thursday, January 10, we had our ribbon cutting ceremony and party at our new fitness center, Plexus at Nemours. It was a late night (I celebrated with a few Twin Lakes beers!). When the alarm clock went off Friday at 6:00 am I could not answer the call. I didn't get too down on myself for missing practice. Instead I got back up, brushed myself off, and renewed my commitment to practice.

More insights to come from Costa Rica.

Excuses……Excuses…..Excuses

2008-01-10T15:03:00.000-05:00

Today was day 10! I have practiced ten days in a row before but for this stretch I have been very focused and diligent. It was tough to get to practice this morning. I got home from work at 8:30 p.m. and helped Sara around the house until 10:00 p.m. I got to bed around 10:30 p.m. and got up at 5:00 a.m. to make it to the 6:00 a.m. class. I felt stiff and lethargic during the first several asanas but halfway through practice I began to experience a rush of energy and clarity.

After practice I had to high tail it back home to take my son Jimmy to school. Round trip from my house to Episcopal and then back to Wilmington was 90 minutes. Plus, it took me 4 minutes for the early morning drive to the Wilmington Center for class. I don’t dread all this time in the car – I think of it as an opportunity. For the last several years I’ve listened faithfully to Zencast, which is a podcast directed by Gil Frosdal. Gil and his guest teachers have been enormously helpful in teaching me how to integrate what I learn on the mat into my life. For all intents and purposes this is truly the art of practice. Anyone can come in and work on developing strength, flexibility and balance within his or her body. Taking the principles and wisdom learned through the practice and incorporating them into your daily living is the true fruit of yoga.

This morning would have been one of those practices I would have skipped. I would have used two excuses: I have to take Jimmy to school and I worked late and need to sleep. Yet because of the challenge, I stuck to my commitment to wake up early and come to practice.

Honestly, I am writing this entry with so much energy and clarity because I simply said “Yes” this morning. Where in your life are you saying “No” when you really need to say yes? There’s an old saying: “Excuses are like a--holes, everyone’s got one.” What if you let go of your excuses? Could you take a step closer to happiness in your life? Would you feel more fulfilled if you stopped making excuses?

This morning has been a great lesson for me about excuses.

Day 7

2008-01-07T12:45:00.000-05:00

Liam is just under 10 months and he is sleeping for longer periods of time. Needless to say sleep has not been plentiful the past two years. Drinking coffee throughout the day to stay alert and awake had become the norm. When I committed to the yoga challenge I also stopped drinking coffee. I knew too much coffee was affecting my hydration as well as numerous other mental and bodily functions. This morning while practicing I felt calmer and more relaxed in my postures. A sense of confidence poured over me which translated into being able to still my eyes while going deeper into my breathing.

Today was day 7 for me. I have practiced 7 days in a row and I am feeling different in many ways. I got a lot of rest this weekend and ate a lot of fruits and vegetables. The consumption of water, fruits and vegetables and eliminating coffee is making a big impact on my strength level.

A snapshot of my life

2008-01-03T18:15:00.000-05:00

Just finished my third practice and I am feeling pretty awesome. My wife and I have Irish Twins. Liam is 10 months, Leia is 22 months and they both like to get up around 5:30am and begin playing. We also have a second grader named Jimmy. We live in West Chester which is 30 minutes from Wilmington. Wilmington is where our Plexus Central Offices and Wilmington Empowered Yoga are located and this is where I spend the majority of my work day.

Jimmy goes to Episcopal Academy located 40 minutes away from West Chester. He lives with us one week and his father the other week. Idrive Jimmy to school when he is with us. We leave the house at 7:20am and round trip it takes me around 90 minutes. My wife, Sara needs some help with the chaos the twins can create in the morning so our mornings begin pretty early. I teach several nights a week and my days are filled with operating and growing Plexus and Empowered Yoga.

I am creating a picture for you to see that my life is just as scheduled as yours. I refrain from using the word busy once I learned the Chinese meaning for busy is "broken heart". In the 21st century we are so over schedule, over caffeinated, over processed and over dramatic. The speed of life can leave us disconnected from our friends and family and most importantly from ourselves. We cannot offer what we do not have. This is why it is so important that we take care of ourselves and realize the importance of developing a practice or routine where we can rest, renew and reflect on the direction our life is taking. If we are not consciously checking in on a daily basis we can head in the wrong direction and make choices that are not authentic. For me this is where the practice of yoga steps in and guides me. To be continued.

Yoga Challenge 2008: the beginning

2007-12-28T09:30:00.001-05:00

I am asking you to practice yoga five days a week for two months. We call it the Empowered Yoga Challenge! Just the other day I stopped and asked myself, "hey Johnny why aren't you doing the challenge?" The answer I gave was the same one I hear from many of you; I am so busy and blah, blah, blah. It was in that moment that I realized my dilution. I am unwilling to rise to the challenge yet I expect you to.

There is a quote that sits on my desk by Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world". I know what yoga can do for you mentally, physically and spiritually. I also know there is no quicker way to make change in your life that through an immersion like this. I have accepted the challenge and I am asking you to do it with me! I will be recording my journey through this blog.

I know at this time in my life the challenge is going to be just that. I also know that anything of value in life requires that you give fully of yourself and make sacrifices. As an incentive for you to take the challenge with me, Empowered Yoga will award you a $50 gift certificate when you complete the challenge. Now is your time!