Try Really Hard

Okay- so I have been talking all week about resolutions and how to me, a resolution is a completely different thing than an intention. I think an intention has to be at the source of a resolution for a resolution to be something other than a "self-improvement project that is doomed to fail." I definitely think that the more clarity we have around what we most truly want and intend for ourselves then the better we off in terms of manifesting positive growth and change in our lives.

But when it comes to true change we need a lot more than intention, in my mind. We need resolve. We need resolution. We need strong disciplined action that is going to bring the intention to life. Think about how you might have the intention to eat moderately for the New Year and maybe lose some weight. If you do not have resolve, that intention is going to last about as long as it takes to drive to Starbucks for a double mocha with whipped cream and a cookie. (Or whatever your thing is.) Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against tasty treats, I am just pointing out the difference between intention and resolute, committed action. Both are super important but we should not kid ourselves that they are the same thing.

At the core of this for me is the daring position it is in the world to step forward and really go for something. To really commit ourselves fully to an idea, an act, a practice, an aim, a goal is a huge risk and takes great resolve to carry out. So often I hear people say, well, I can set a goal because if I fail then I will feel bad. (Or something equivalent to that.) And the thing is, we do not have to feel like shit about ourselves if we set a goal and fall short of it. We do not have to ride the downward spiral to the bottom of the chute just because we didn't realize our high aim.

The solution to that whole dilemma, in my opinion, is NOT don't set a goal or don't resolve. The solution to that whole crux is self-love in the face of failure and seeing the failure for what it is and only what it is. If we go off our food plan, for instance, it does not need to equate with "I am a bad person" it is simply "going off the plan." And sure there might be some unconscious patterns that are sabotaging our efforts that we need to examine but even those should be examined for what they are and only what they are.

Years ago I realized I was more addicted to shame than I was any substance out there. I had a psychological pattern going that no matter what I did I felt bad about it- stay on the plan, I would tell myself that I was too rigid. Go off the plan and I would tell myself I was lazy. And on and on the torture (at my own hands) went. I realized that under all that was a self-sabotage mechanism where I could not let myself feel good. Anyway, the thing is, when we really see something for what it is and only what it is, shame is not present, feeling bad is not required, we just require the willingness to be vulnerable in the stark clarity of self-observation.

So there is more that could be said about this but part of the dynamic also involves daring to really want something in this life. And sure, I know we are all yogi's and into this non-attachment idea and so forth. But I think that until we can really want something, until we can really allow ourselves to go for something in our life, we cannot really taste non-attachment. Renunciation is not "not caring" or "not giving a shit". Renunciation is about the deep recognition that when we give ourselves fully to Our Work, we can let go of our attachment to the result and trust the intelligent flow of Grace to take us to the next logical step on the Path.

I see it all the time in asana. People have stopped trying to get better and they call it "yogic." I am just not into that. I think we should try really hard. I really do. I had a few words to say on the subject in South Carolina. Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8CS2iDcv5w

So- perhaps as the week goes on I will add to the discussion a bit but for now, that's a wrap.

Off to Tucson. We have a packed house. Last I heard, 52 people from around the world will converge on Yoga Oasis for Part One Immersion with Darren Rhodes and Christina Sell. YAHOO!

It Is Going To Be Great

As a teacher I have developed a not-so-subtle brainwashing technique. Several times throughout class, particularly in the middle of demonstrating difficult poses or challenging instructions, I tell my students, "it is going to be great." So, the idea is if we look for what is great, we will be more likely to find what is great.

So last night was the first class of the Fall Session at The San Marcos School of Yoga. I thought it was going to be great. I said it was going to be great. I am reporting this morning that it was, indeed, great. I loved having so many returning students in class and also meeting some new folks who are new to The School. The Level 2 class began the foray into inverted postures with ardha halasana (Half plough posture done with a chair) and the Level One class, in addition, to reviewing the challenging work of trikonasana stepped into the one-legged balancing poses with Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose). And because we doubled our class offering this fall, we had a smaller class size, which many people said they enjoyed.

I personally have a great time teaching in that room and teaching a course that has a group of people who have signed up for a series of classes. Having a series means that I can teach the class sequentially and we can really build a body of knowledge and practice together in a methodical, logical way. I decided to organize my yoga school this way, after years of having a studio that was run the opposite way, where people just dropped into any class according to their schedule. And while I am aware that asking people to a session of classes up front is harder for the student and less convenient, I am convinced that in the long run it is the best way to learn yoga. Otherwise, as a teacher one is always having to skip the basics or always having to repeat the basics. And as a student it is harder to understand the grand order behind the practice and our method.

So- it is all a grand experiment so we shall see. At any rate, time for me to practice, eat lunch, teach a private and then two classes in Austin this evening. The advanced class this week is a back bending night, which is always fun! And since it is a back bending week in my personal practice, I will be "warmed up" for the class. YAHOO.