New Year's Intentions

Are you beginning the New Year with an intention (Sankalpa)?

I have been in the practice of setting a yearly intention for many years. At the end of each year, I spend time in reflection, taking inventory of my year and measuring my success of cultivating the year’s sankalpa. After my reflection, mindfulness practices like meditation and journaling help me connect with my deepest desires so that I can move forward into the New Year with a new sankalpa/intention.

2023 had been a year of suffering with unmanaged rheumatoid arthritis. Despite having two rheumatologists, the medicines I was prescribed were sadly ineffective, and the year was spent treating my pain with prednisone. At the end of 2023 after finding a new doctor, I set my intention for 2024. I chose to live the next year intentionally, cultivating HOPE. Though I had an idea of what that would look like, and feel like, I had no idea how difficult it would be, because life happens!

While it remained my soul’s desire to remain hopeful in 2024, I had many setbacks and challenges. One of my RA meds, a type of chemo pill, was wreaking havoc on my body, and I suffered from its side effects. In March I had shingles, shortly after starting a new injectable treatment for RA. While fighting shingles, and unable to take the RA injection, my RA flared, the inflammation went again to my eyes, and the joint pain overshadowed the discomfort from shingles. I was in agony, but never gave up hope, even after recovering from shingles and suddenly becoming allergic to my RA injection. Though I was back at square one searching again for an effective medicine for my disease, I lived with intention and cultivated HOPE.

Upon starting a new injection in the Spring, my husband and I took a dream vacation to Europe. The day we left for our 2-week cruise, while at the airport, I broke my foot, the third metatarsal. I didn’t know I broke it, and it wasn’t until we were stuck in Boston for an 11-hour layover that the discomfort set in, and as the day went on, it hurt worse by the hour and every step was terribly painful. In short, I walked 60 miles on a broken foot, a total fracture that was also angulated and displaced. After returning home, having x-rays and spending 6 long weeks in a boot, the broken bone healed.

Throughout shingles, RA flares, and a broken foot, I cultivated hope. Though I had pity parties and became discouraged at times, I refused to give up hope. I was hopeful that my new RA injection would work, which it has, mostly, and I was hopeful that my broken bone would heal without surgery and that I’d be back on my yoga mat doing what I love. Hope kept me from cancelling on my friends, family and students. I still got together with friends, even if I had to use a cane, pink of course. We still hosted a family pool party, even if I had to ask for help, which isn’t easy. And, I still taught yoga, even if I had to hobble around the studio in my boot. Hope allowed me to fly to Georgia and meet my new granddaughter the day after my boot came off!

And, my hope of becoming an author was realized this year, as my book, Journey to Joy, was published and well-received by my readers. Writing this inspirational memoir took a lot of courage and transparency, and getting it into your hands required hope.

Friends, if you aren’t living with intention, then you are just existing and reacting to life. When you look back upon 2024, what do you feel? Do you feel that you have lived in alignment with your purpose and passions? Have you spent more time in the passenger seat of your life, or have you taken the wheel?

Intention-setting is a powerful tool that can help us align our thoughts, feelings and actions with our deepest desires. When we set an intention, we create a clear and focused direction for our life, which can help us make conscious choices and cultivate a sense of purpose. Your sankalpa, or intention, is your will or determination, the why behind your why.

Setting intentions can profoundly impact our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. When we set intentions, we create a positive mindset that can help us overcome obstacles, stay motivated, and cultivate a sense of gratitude and joy in our daily lives. It can also help us develop greater self-awareness and mindfulness, leading to greater compassion and understanding toward ourselves and others.

If it helps after setting your intention, you can create a positive affirmation or mantra that encapsulates your intention. Your intention can be one word, like mine for 2024-hope, or an affirmation, “I am joy.” After creating your intention, cultivate it daily with mindfulness practices. Other ideas to help keep your intention in the forefront of your mind are vision boards, writing your intention at the top of your daily to-do lists or planner, or writing them on sticky notes and placing them in areas of your home where you spend most of your time. Have your word or affirmation/mantra at your work desk, or in your car, or on your bathroom mirror. Your intention/sankalpa has the power to color all aspects of your life, and it can help you develop greater clarity, purpose and joy in your life.

What are you waiting on? Let’s move forward together, living with intention!

*If you would like more information on my end of the year reflection practice, please feel free to reach out to me! I’m happy to share!

MaryBeth

 

Challenge Vs Struggle

These two words, challenge and struggle, are words we know and understand, but do you discern between the two or use them one in the same? I see them differently. I see challenges as tests and trials, inconveniences, uncomfortable situations, but also as opportunities to learn and grow. I see struggle as something I am resisting, opposing, in conflict with or wrangling over. Do see the difference?

I took a yoga class recently and she asked us, “Can you embrace the challenge and let go of the struggle?” I can’t remember what pose I was in the first time she said it because she said it a few times and in different ways. But what I do remember doing is smiling, because at that very moment I wanted out of the pose, I was resisting, and I was in the “struggle” mindset. The moment I let go of the struggle and embraced the challenge of it, I was empowered. It was an opportunity for me to explore my limits and doubts and to become stronger, mentally and physically.

Can you be open to approaching your yoga practice from a place of challenge vs struggle? What would that feel like? What would that look like? When I put this into practice on my own mat, using Drishti, my focus, helps me meet the challenge and end the struggle. I use my breath, breathing more fully and deeply and using ujjayi, that oceanic quality to the breath. By putting this concept into practice, I cultivate a growth mindset, both on and off my mat.

Think about a challenge you’re currently having in your life. Maybe it’s at work, or in a relationship, or your health. How can you shift your perspective and use it as an opportunity for growth rather than a struggle? What would that look like?

Lately I’ve been “struggling” with a relationship within our family. I chose to stay in that struggle for weeks because I believed that I was right. But, by remaining in the struggle, it felt like being stuck in mud, and the more time that passed, the more difficult it was to see a way out. Does this ring a bell with you? I realized that I had to make a choice. I could be right, or I could be happy. Was I going to stay stuck, or did I want to look for an opportunity for growth? It took courage to set my ego aside and have an open, honest conversation, but when you love someone, that’s what you do.

Life is full of challenges, but it’s how we respond to them that determine whether or not we struggle. Think about that a minute. Facing difficulty is a normal part of life, but getting stuck in that difficulty is something we choose.

This discernment between challenge and struggle is something I practiced on my mat, and it provided a different perspective in one of life’s circumstances off my mat. I looked at the situation with an open mind, with a commitment to growth, and later having to accept and let go of being right.

I leave you with this-in the face of life’s challenges-you have the power to choose growth over struggle. Can you embrace courage, have an open mind, a commitment for growth and come from a place of love instead of ego?

Namaste Friends,

MaryBeth 

Your Narratives Shape Your Yoga Practice and Your Life

Your narrative has the ability to shape your entire practice. How you show up, what you’re bringing with you to the mat, your mind’s story, has a profound effect on what happens both on your mat and in life. You create your experiences with what you choose to believe.

I can’t tell you how many times my narrative of “I’m not good enough” takes me out. It has taken me out on my mat, and it has exponentially taken me out in life. After years of work correcting my false beliefs, I can honestly say those false narratives take me out less and less. There are so many false narratives held by almost everyone you know, and yes, most likely, even yourself.

When it comes to your yoga practice, do these narratives sound familiar? “I’m tired.” “I’m too busy.” “I can’t do that.” “It’s too hard, too hot, too crowded.” Or do some of your false beliefs affect your mind’s story on your mat? Do you notice self-doubt showing up? Or perfectionism?

These narratives are disempowering. I invite you to choose a new narrative, one that would shape your experience, both on and off your mat, that is more empowering, more supportive and more aligned with how you want to show up and who you want to be.

Our yoga practice is an opportunity to get quiet, to move and breathe, and to find stillness at the very moment we want to come out of the pose. It is an opportunity to practice perseverance, and in those moments where we are growing more aware of what is happening on our mat, we create space between stimulus and response. It is in that space where we reclaim our power. It is also in that space where we continually re-create ourselves, with a better understanding of who we are and what we’re capable of. The work we do on our yoga mat requires all of us. We cannot practice the teachings of yoga and be consumed with self-doubt, judgment, and self-criticism.

What are you practicing on your mat? Because what you practice, you get good at. If you are practicing judgment and self-criticism, those things are what you strengthen, and they follow you off your mat and do not serve you well. Can you show up on your mat and practice qualities like patience, compassion, and acceptance? Notice how what you practice is fortified. Notice when you practice frustration, not just on your mat, but in your daily life. When you practice frustration, you will become so good at being frustrated that the least little thing will frustrate you. Complaining is another one. If you are a chronic complainer, then it is very likely that you’ve become so good at complaining that you will find fault with just about anything. Remember, what you practice you get good at. Put into practice what you want to strengthen and take this practice to your yoga mat.

This leads me to how we are being, and that HOW we are being is more important than what we are doing. When you notice you are not behaving in line with how you want to show up or how you create yourself, then you must continually let that way of being go. I, too, must re-align and re-create my way of being, and often, especially around those that get under my skin. Yoga finds its relevance when it can impact the way we are moving through life. You are reclaiming your power every time you let go, shift perspective, and recreate your way of being.

 -MaryBeth

Shift

Recently, I’ve been in the practice of “shifting,” less so on my yoga mat, and more so off my mat. I refer to this often as shifting perspective.

 

To shift means to change, substitute or exchange, to move, or to get along by indirect methods. On our mat, shifting could look like a small adjustment in our feet, or pelvic tilt, adding more length, dropping the shoulders, or releasing tension. We shift by setting our gaze to one point,  going from distraction to more focus and direction. We shift our breath by breathing more deeply or fully, or by adding a pause at the top of the inhale and/or bottom of the exhale, or by breathing into the chest or into the belly. We also have shifts in our thoughts, reactions, when we let go, persevere, or cultivate more empowering thoughts during class. We shift a lot on our yoga mats, creating more space, more depth, more sensation, and those small adjustments can completely change our experience in the poses.

 

But, what about off our yoga mat and in everyday life? Small shifts could look like smiling versus smirking, the way we speak or respond, when we pause, or letting go versus clinging. A shift could be in our time management or commitments, or a shift to be more forgiving, more positive, more grateful and complaining less. All these little shifts add up to who we are, how we show up for others and creates our way of being. Recently, I’ve had to create some shifts in my attitude and outlook, and how I talk to myself and see myself.

 

What small shifts can you make in your actions, speech and thoughts so that you are more in line with who you want to be, how you want to show up? Where can you create a shift in your yoga practice OFF your mat?

 

A small shift in perspective can change how we are received, can affect our relationships, and create a better way of being, not just for ourselves, but also an example for those around us. I’m encouraging you to notice where you can incorporate some small adjustments on your mat and some shifts in perspective in your relationships and daily life.

 

Things change, times change, we change. A shift in perspective will always help us navigate change.

Balance

What can we learn from balancing poses on our yoga mat, when we are holding airplane pose and we're wobbling and unstable? What is the lesson?

 

As you stand on one tired leg in balance poses, what are you practicing? Are you practicing patience, setting aside frustration when you fall out and getting back in the pose without drama or fuss? Do you give up, criticize or judge? Or do you accept the wobbly, shaky version of the pose, and when you feel unstable, do you flow with it, shake it off and move on?

 

What about off your yoga mat? Life can be uncertain, and we can feel off balance and unstable. Sometimes the easy answer is to quit or give up, feel defeated or deflated. Sometimes we’re impatient and want quick resolve. We might become quick to criticize or judge or become frustrated and agitated. Does any of this sound familiar?

 

We’ve all been there, both on and off our mats, and I’m there now. Somehow, I managed to break my foot the day we left on our 16-day European vacation. I didn’t know it was broken, though it hurt terribly and worsened with each day. A week into our cruise, I was misdiagnosed by the ship’s doctor with severe extensor tendonitis. Despite the prescriptions I was given, along with wrapping, elevating and icing, there was no improvement. I was in agony the entire trip and still walked 60 miles on what we later realized was a broken foot. X-rays after our return home revealed a “significant” fracture, and I’ve been wearing a boot and non-weight bearing since. It has been a struggle to adapt to this level of immobility, being reliant on others, and having to cancel plans, classes and events. I’m stubbornly independent, active and energetic, so this little setback has been a huge adjustment!

 

The lesson here is instability can be a powerful teacher. When life happens and we become off balance, disoriented, and disconnected from our center, we have a choice about how we show up and what we practice. (Remember, what we practice we get good at.) These times of instability are opportunities to learn and grow, IF we drop the drama and embrace what yoga teaches us, to re-center, re-connect and begin again.

 

We are going to get a little shaky and wobbly, not just on our yoga mat, but in life. Don't be too quick to give up or too quick to find resolve…give yourself some GRACE, to be willing to stay in the mess, to stay in the uncertainty, and find your power within by choosing what you practice. That's where we start to see the relevance and magic of yoga and how it affects us off our mat.

 

Once I allowed myself some grace, I was able to adjust my attitude, cultivate more patience and acceptance, and let go of frustration. Now from this space, I can better flow and move through my healing more aligned with my way of being, how I want to show up for myself and for others.

 

Namaste,

MaryBeth

 

 

Humility

Humility is a way of being and a quality within us that affects how we move through our days and how we relate to the world around us. Humility is about being humble, or modest, and not too proud or arrogant. Humility often accompanies respect and being courteous to others. Those that embrace humility tend to be more grounded, sensible, more self-aware, and emotional stable.

 

There are cultures where humility seems to be more innate because it is modeled within their homes and their families from birth. For example, in Buddhism, it is believed that in order for one to obtain spiritual liberation, they must be humble, with less regard for themselves and a higher regard for others. Buddhists create themselves as open to learn, like an empty bowl willing to be filled with knowledge from others. But we don’t have to relocate to another culture or change religions to practice and embrace humility.

 

Do you consider yourself to be a humble person? Do you notice both humility and lack of in others? Whether or not humility was modeled for you growing up, where did you learn it? Did you learn humility from books or television? When I think back to my earlier lessons on humility, I credit Little House on the Prairie. Nellie Oleson and her mother lacked humility, and the Ingalls family taught it to their family and all of us that watched. Later, I learned about being humble and modest from studying the Bible. As an adult, my understanding of humility grew from traveling abroad and studying other cultures and religions. And, let’s not discredit life’s lessons on humility-our own experiences and encounters, those both humbling and not.

 

I’ve learned a lot about humility on my yoga mat, both as a student and as a teacher. If you practice yoga, most likely in the beginning as a new student, you were unsure how and when to breathe, or how to enter or hold a pose, or how to be in the practice of yoga and not the achievement of it. Perhaps, the most challenging part of your practice was calming the mind, but over time, you gained experience and developed an inner listening, confidence and wisdom. If you showed up to my yoga classes, willing to learn with your ego checked at the door, then you were cultivating humility. When you followed my instruction, accepted my assists, and allowed yourself to get a little uncomfortable, you were cultivating humility. Humility is focusing on progress and not perfection.

 

Do we ever stop learning how to humble ourselves? I don’t think so. When we place ourselves in unfamiliar situations, or when we open ourselves up to learning something new, we cultivate humility. Recently, my husband and I have taken up bocce and have joined friends on a bocce team at our club. I was humbled rather quickly when I realized it wasn’t as easy as just tossing a wooden ball onto a court. We observed and learned, and we emphasized having fun and not just winning.

 

I feel that life itself is one opportunity after the next to continue learning, improving and transforming. Do you or can you view life as your continual teacher? Do you or can you allow yourself to make mistakes and to correct them? Do you or can you accept your imperfections, allow yourself to be a work in progress, and along the way, celebrate your successes, no matter how small they might be? Do you or can you shift your perspective to see yourself and those around you with more gratitude or more abundantly? Have you noticed when you put all these things into practice that one of the benefits or byproducts is peace and joy? And finally, have you been practicing humility on your yoga mat?

 

I hope you continue to strengthen and stretch your humility muscle, both on and off your yoga mat. I hope that your yoga practice helps you feel more grounded and more aligned with your greater intentions, and that you become more mindfully present and self-aware. And, as you witness your own humility, I hope that joy finds you. It is my wish that both humility and joy follow you off your mat and reaches all those around you, as you live your yoga practice.

 

Namaste,

MaryBeth

 

Self-Inquiry

Self-inquiry requires us to be open to discovering something we haven’t seen before, but we have to know where to look, and that place is within. There is always more to learn and more to discover about who you are-your strengths, flaws, fears, pain, habits and attachments. My yoga classes are an excellent opportunity to begin this journey or further your journey into self-inquiry and self-discovery. 

Can you become more curious? The next time you find yourself wanting to come out of a yoga pose because it seems too hard or frustrating, simply pause, re-center, and drop in with what's actually happening. If it’s a physical thing that needs attention or some modification, then take that action from a place of awareness. If it's a mental or emotional issue coming up, then don't act on that emotion right away. Just be with it because maybe it has something to teach you. When dealing with mental chatter that comes up on your mat, it can be empowering to ask yourself, "What if I just get curious about what I’m experiencing, and what could happen if I stayed in the pose instead of quitting?" By following your curiosity, you bring inquiry to the pose which adds another dimension to your yoga practice. Curiosity is a tool of inquiry that gives you access to discovery and to new possibilities.

Can you become more open? To be malleable is to be available for discovery. Do you move on your mat in default mode? Do you tune me out and move on autopilot doing the pose the way you already know how to do it? In those moments, open up and remember you showed up on your mat to learn something new, and that includes looking and listening in new ways. Try a new pose, try a new variation, and have a little fun with it.

As a student, I have witnessed how self-inquiry has further developed my yoga practice. Curiosity has always come easily for me, but being open and malleable has been a challenge. In my yoga practice, I found myself wanting to come out of poses, resisting, or having an opinion about a pose (or how many times I had to do it or how long I had to hold it), or simply just holding back. Once I started to open up to the process of simply being up to something bigger than myself, getting curious and open, my focus shifted. I noticed when personal preference was taking me out, and I found that I create my experiences on my mat. I put more attention on creating space within myself, listening to what was happening inside of me, and more importantly, not reacting and just being with it, as uncomfortable as it often was. I also got stronger, physically and mentally, with every practice.

The beauty of self-inquiry is that you always have much more to learn if you just remain curious and open. If you drop the ego, let go of personal preference and attachment, you will discover strengths you didn’t know existed, fears you denied, healing and many opportunities for growth.  
   
-MaryBeth

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is observing our life as it is happening, accepting our current situation without judgment or struggle, allowing feelings to exist without letting them drive our actions, noticing thoughts as they arise without the need to buy into them, taking action based on what we feel in our heart rather than old habits or short-term convenience.

When we are being mindful, we are living from the heart and soul, not our ego. We are open, embracing all moments in life for learning, seeking truth and acceptance, we are intentional, pro-active and not reactive, and we accept the imperfect, are kind and loving.

Living our yoga practice, living mindfully, isn’t easy. It is a daily practice; it is not an achievement. Some days we live mindfully and reap the benefits, other days we fall short, and that’s okay. I’ve recently struggled with acceptance, fear, uncertainty, and dealing with medical issues that have been difficult to navigate. I’ve had my pity parties, mood swings, and serious frustration. And sadly, I’ve been unable to fully practice yoga as I know and love. However, I’m grateful that I have the teachings of yoga and the Bible to help manage my new reality, and this includes mindfulness. My mat remains a therapeutic place for me despite not being able to do all the poses. If this is you, too, please know that I do understand, and am right there with you. And finally, the progress on my book has been slow through these detours and setbacks, but it will be completed, and it will be published. Currently, I’m adding the agonizing practice of patience to my daily routine

So where do we start and how do we incorporate more mindfulness into our lives? Forgive the past and let go of expectations. Sit quietly in meditation, even if it is just 5 minutes.

 Focus on your breath, breathing fully and deeply several times a day.

Engage your senses, mindfully tasting your food, noticing the scenery, listening to the sounds around you. Observe the present moment. Right here. Right now.

Release any judgment and release attachments. Practice gratitude. Reflect before responding.

Set intentions to create your way of being and to shape your daily experiences.

Make time to for self-care and self-love.

 Obstacles will always arise, and we will have to do the daily work to adapt to and overcome life’s challenges. We must move with freedom and joy in our lives, no matter what storms thunder on the horizon. We’re all like works of art under the hand of a scrupulous master, constantly in flux and always changing. We must continue to learn how to heal, accept, adapt, and flow through our perfectly imperfect lives. 

Namaste, MaryBeth

 

 

Flying

I love to fly, not just because I often jet between Ohio and Florida, but because there is something special about being up in the air, soaring to a destination, and being unreachable.

I often have the clearest thoughts at 30,000 feet. While suspended in the air, it feels like my problems and burdens, or anything that is pulling me down, loses their hold on me. They are all far below me, in better perspective. The higher I get in the sky, the more insignificant and smaller they become. I feel removed from them. When my head rests on the seat, I take it all in and enjoy a peaceful comfort, feeling weightless, and free.

 

This peaceful feeling that overcomes me while I’m suspended in flight time, reminds me that I’m not really anywhere, other than somewhere between Point A and Point B. I’m insulated in warmth, soaring through the sky at 500mph, while outside the plane it is approximately -70 degrees. I'm insignificant but privileged to afford the experience.

 

There is a world beneath me where everything is moving, breathing, living, and existing. But, my attention is on the soft, delicate white clouds, present against a blue backdrop. The sky is a color of blue that I've not yet discovered in the crayon box. A blue that is clean, radiant, comforting and calming. The closest blue I've ever seen in person was in a Michelangelo painting at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. I find myself captivated by its hue.

 

I am unreachable. I am unknown by everyone on the plane. I am alone with my thoughts, far removed from all that affects my daily life. It's as though there is a pause in life, a short period of time where I’m insulated from reality, temporarily unavailable for anyone else but myself. I’m silent and still. I experience “me.” “Ah, there you are. I’ve missed you.”

 

I recognize the fragility of my life as it rests in the hands of skilled pilots, and I'm grateful for them. Flying requires utter faith in someone you've never met, or really even care to meet. I thank the cockpit as I exit the plane, with gratitude that I was safely delivered from Point A to Point B, yet again. The only thing that might be better would be flying the plane myself.

-MaryBeth

Space

My word, or intention, for 2022 was Space. When I set “space” as my yearly intention, I wasn’t quite sure what that meant, what that would look like, or how it would play out. But the word kept coming to me during my meditations and reflections, so I went with it.

 

For 7 years, I have shown up on my yoga mat as a dedicated practitioner. Through my continual learning as both a student and teacher, I have discovered much more about the practice of yoga that happens OFF the mat. In the beginning, I built awareness and connection to Self on my mat, and then brought that awareness and connection off my mat and into my relationships and experiences. I began to better understand that what I practice on my mat, I get better at, on and off the mat. I would often bring to my mat what I lacked off my mat, setting intentions, cultivating, and practicing. My mat has been and is my safe space, and I have used my yoga mat like a therapy session often, showing up wanting something, needing something, using the asana to balance me, center me, help me be more patient and so on. I’ve realized that all too often, I have showed up lacking, wanting something from my practice, instead of bringing something to it. Have I been doing the same thing off my mat?

 

It has become abundantly clear, that the most important part of my yoga practice in 2022 took place off my mat. I made the effort to cultivate my intentions and practice yoga off my mat, in the space of the other 23 hours of the day. Too often, I’ve not been the dedicated practitioner off my mat as I have been on my mat. There is a lot of space, there is that word again, for my practice off the mat, and a lot of space for improvement!

 

The definition of space is the unlimited or incalculably great 3-dimensional realm or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur. It is a place available for a particular purpose. Example-a parking space. Space is an interval of time. It is freedom to express oneself, be alone, allowance, understanding, non-interference. As I contemplated the meanings of space, and what that might look like, I was reminded that there was an extraordinary amount of space for me to be in the practice of yoga OFF my mat this year.

 

So how well did I cultivate my intention of space? I brought my yoga practice into the space between action and reaction, and between stimulus and response. I wasn’t quick to respond to things that needed to be thought through, and I felt calmer and more confident when making important decisions. I wasn’t hot-headed or hasty. I brought space for my thoughts and feelings, space for purposeful pauses, space in silence and space between talking to God and listening while in prayer. I gave a lot of space to grief.  I simply tried to be in the space of being and less doing. It had a grounding and calming effect on me and a magnetic, contagious effect on others. I brought my yoga practice into the space between joyous moments, milestones, holidays, and vacations. I lived in the present, not just for the “big” events, and I approached each day as an opportunity to be in the practice of living according to how I wanted to show up for myself and others, aligned with my way of being. There was so much space to be in the practice of yoga! I created more space to listen, to understand, to be quiet and present, to acknowledge, to be grateful, to allow myself to feel spacious and free. This space was glorious because I witnessed the effects and affects that it had on those around me-family, friends, and yoga students. The feedback I have received this year from those sharing in my space has had a permanent impact on how I create my way of being moving forward! And of course, I made space to write my story and am nearing the end of completing my first manuscript and becoming a published author!

 

Before you applaud my efforts and success, know that I have also greatly failed this year in cultivating my intention of space. I lost a close friendship over a misunderstanding. I had days of self-righteousness and moments where I just wasn’t in line with who and how I wanted to be. I had challenges that resulted in self-pity and self-consumption. I had obstacles to overcome that shed light on my high expectations of self and others. I lashed out at the person that loves me the most when I was scared, worried and feeling helpless. I bit my tongue, because it was easier, during times when I should have used my voice. I took things personally, A LOT. Patience was not my virtue. I worked tirelessly on not being frustrated, disappointed and deflated, yet I often was still those very things. I created my own discontent more often than I am willing to admit.

 

Space. Such a great word, such a great intention. So, did I succeed or fail in 2022? I believe, if I grew, learned, and discovered, then I succeeded. So, 2022, cheers to my success, my growth, and my new-found wisdom. Thank you for the word, the intention, space. It will forever be part of who I am and my way of being. Space gave me opportunity this year to be a better me, to see where I needed more work, and to be abundantly grateful for my many, many blessings. Overall, my intention of “space” for 2022 was a success. Though I could have done better, I remain a student of living yoga…

 

What is my word, my intention, for 2023?  Well, I’ve been meditating on that this week and am still undecided. Sometimes they come to me early, and sometimes I need more time. Simplify has come up a few times, but I’m not sure if that is the word, or if that is leading me to the word…Stay tuned…I’m currently in the space of discovering my intention for 2023.

 

 MaryBeth

Soreness After Yoga

Have you been sore after your yoga practice?  

This could actually be a good thing!

Have you noticed the morning after a yoga practice that you are sore or a little stiff? This is more common than one might think, and not necessarily “bad.”

Soreness can happen after a re-entry into your yoga practice after some time away, and it can arise in a regular practitioner if they are trying different postures outside of their normal practice. Some yoga poses just stretch our muscles in unfamiliar ways. One of the reasons I love my yoga practice is that it accesses and stretches muscles that I’m not using in my everyday life.

According to a recent article in the Yoga Journal, soreness after yoga is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), which usually occurs 12–48 hours after exercising. “The level of soreness you might feel depends on what style you’re practicing, how intensely, and how frequently—as well as your individual body type.” Even experienced yogis might still feel sore from time to time. Disclaimer- Pain and swelling is different from muscle soreness and could signal a greater problem.

“Yoga is filled with eccentric contractions that cause microscopic injuries to the muscle and fascial tissues,” says Erica Yeary, MPH, RYT, an exercise physiologist and a Yoga Medicine registered therapeutic specialist. “Our bodies produce an inflammatory response to these micro-tears and this causes muscle soreness. Once your muscles recover, you’ll experience muscle growth and improved performance,” Ultimately, this makes us stronger.

Some things I’ve found helpful when I’ve experienced soreness after yoga practice:

1.     Hydrate! Drink plenty of water. Personally, I have found that water works best, not sports drinks, soda, or a visit to my favorite coffee shop.

2.     Get back on your yoga mat. I have found that chasing yoga soreness with more yoga has lessened the soreness and/or expedited the recovery process. Often revisiting some of the same poses that might have caused the initial soreness has helped. If it is too intense, I recommend holding them for a shorter amount of time or not to get as deep into the pose. This can actually help relax muscle spasms and allow muscles, connective tissue, and joints to find greater range of motion. Becoming inactive and avoiding further exercise is likely to leave you in even more discomfort the next time you practice. Eventually, those same yoga poses will no longer cause soreness if done regularly.

3.     Use a Foam Roller. Foam rolling can reduce tenderness, though at first it might feel uncomfortable. Take it slow and be gentle.

4.     Eat! Eat nutritious meals, enjoy healthy snacks and avoid fast food, soft drinks, foods high in sodium and/or sugar. Basically, eliminate the junk. It is recommended to eat protein after a yoga class or workout. It helps repair and build muscle.

5.     Enjoy a hot bath, a steam shower, or soak in a spa/hot tub.

6.     Sleep. We need to power down to allow for the parasympathetic nervous system to do its job. Get a good night’s rest!

7.     On the rare occasion that there is inflammation of a joint with soreness, I use an ice pack on the site for up to 20 minutes. However, ice does not generally help sore muscles, but does aid in reducing inflammation.

8.     Try some gentle stretching specific to the area affected. For example, sore quadriceps from several chairs, then follow up the next couple days with gentle quadricep stretches.

 

 

My Experience With Grief

I was recently overcome by another powerful wave of grief from the loss of my stepson, Larry Jr, to suicide 7 years ago. Describing this recent surge as a wave suddenly devalues its impact; it was more of a tsunami. It knocked me down and kept me there for nearly 2 days. At first, I felt submerged under deep, dark water, unable to catch my breath. Eventually, I found strength in my breath and floated up to the surface.

The waves of grief, large or small, remain as unpredictable as the length of my recovery from them. But this time, while treading in the pain of loss and deep sadness, it felt less scary and eerily more comfortable. Have I just become a stronger swimmer in the ocean of grief? Perhaps. It’s hard to explain, but I’ll do my best metaphorically. The recent category 4 hurricane that wrecked our community and brought with it 9 feet of storm surge, flooded our garage, and 80 of us residents lost our vehicles, among numerous other items from our storage units. The water left the space it filled through the very openings it came through. Its havoc was temporary in terms of its presence. My latest wave of grief reminded me of that storm surge, coming in, filling the container of my heart with murky water, creating panic and feelings of being overwhelmed. But I didn’t panic this time. I knew that the flood was only temporary, and that eventually the contents (grief) would leak out through the cracks of my broken heart. That knowing brought me comfort.

There is never a good time for this visitor named “Grief.” The visits are almost always inconvenient, and my first desire is often to run, to shelter, and avoid. The truth is, Grief is always present, always there, lurking and waiting. I cannot hide from Grief. Instead, I have learned that it is best to be with it, to be present to it, feel it. I’m no longer afraid of it. I’ve learned to hold space for my sadness and the spontaneous memories that emerge with it. I’ve learned that there are some things we just can’t fight. Grief is one of them. I allow it to be as it is, and me with it, knowing that like the flood, it will recede.

And like many times before, the flooding waters of grief left my chest and my eyes. Like the morning after a stormy night, the sun still rises, the birds still chirp, and life goes on. So do I. I envision a beautiful rainbow lingering in its wake, a reminder of God’s promise to never again flood the earth, and perhaps his promise to me, that he will not give me more than I can handle.

Today, as I put a pen to my recent experience with the visitor named Grief, I’m left with gratitude for making it through the visit and abundant gratitude for all that remains. I’m left with more clarity, feeling more deeply, and once again, seeing life through a visibly cleaner lens of compassion and love. I choose to believe that somehow, through my continual healing, I am improved from this tragedy. I admit that I cry more easily, but I still laugh uncontrollably. Grief has been a spiritual teacher, and I have learned powerful lessons from it. Grief (and Hurricane Ian’s) recent lesson: Accept the impermanence of all things. There is, however, but one exception, and that is grief itself. Grief never leaves us completely, therefore its residence in our hearts is permanent, and we must learn to live with it.

With that said, at any given moment, I might silently be weeping, and you have no idea.

 

 

Be Like Water

Water is strong, but soft. Water is not rigid, but fluid. It flows effortlessly. I encourage you to flow like water in your yoga practice, like a meditation in motion, moving and flowing, with seamless transitions. Our vinyasa flow classes help your busy, distracted mind return to a calm state, like a body of water that is like glass, placid at the surface, but still moving and changing, taking the shape of the earth that contains it. Weave into your yoga practices the patience and adaptability of water. As you flow like water, imagine you are in the ocean, moving with it, respecting it, flowing with it. Apply patience and acceptance as you let your body take shape like water takes the shape of what is holding it, relaxing into it, not forcing it, to find grace, ease and flow.

Water is adaptable. Think of the ocean and the wind, how the water surrenders to the wind and it creates waves. Think of a river as the water surrenders and flows around anything that is in its way. Think of a lake in the winter as the water surrenders to the freezing temps and becomes ice. Where can you be more like water? Where can you surrender and take a different shape, be more adaptable? Where in your life might you be resisting, being rigid and nonyielding and where can you surrender and flow more like water, patient, soft, yielding, yet strong? 

Water always finds a way, through rocks, barriers, blockades, walls…it always finds a way. And like water, you can, too. You are like water. 

Namaste,
MaryBeth

DRISHTI In Our Yoga Practice

As a yoga practitioner, we seek to view an inner reality, becoming more aware of how our brains only let us see what we want to see—a projection of our own limited ideas. Often our opinions, prejudices, and habits prevent us from seeing unity or seeing more clearly. I taught a class about seeing clearly earlier this year, and it is on the website as Avidya.

Our drishti, our gaze, our visual focus through our asana, is more than just about overcoming distractions. It is a technique for looking for the Divine everywhere—including within, and seeing more clearly the world around us. The practice of drishti can lead to Vidya, seeing clearly, thus allowing us to see God in everything.

In our yoga practice, allowing the eyes to wander creates distractions that lead us further away from yoga. To counteract these habits, control and focus of the attention are fundamental principles in the practice. When we control and direct the focus, first of the eyes and then of the attention, we are using the yogic technique called drishti. This continual re-focusing, re-directing of attention, strengthens the muscle of the mind, helping us not only in our practice, but off the mat as well.


When I did the Baptiste's drishti practice, the same class many of you have taken from me, I considered it one of the most powerful moving meditations I had ever done. At some point in the practice, my block became a mirror, my drishti shed a light within, and I saw things I had tucked away, and when I went down into half pigeon, I let them go. The release I felt brought me to tears.

Your focus determines your reality, and combined with yoga, your focus shines a light of awareness into the corners of your body and mind. When I went into the heart opening poses of the practice, I cried some more, because I fell a little bit more in love with me. The use of drishti with the block opened my heart, deepening those heart-opening poses. When I sat the block behind my head before pushing up into wheel pose, I couldn’t wait to get back up in wheel and put my gaze back on that block. I had more determination to do 6 wheels and hold them longer than I had before. It might be hard to believe that keeping your drishti on a block would motivate you to do 6 wheels, but it did me!

I can’t explain how much I enjoy sharing this beautiful gift of yoga with my students, but I can tell you that I am grateful that you show up, do the work, and allow me the opportunity to do what I love. Thank you for choosing me as your teacher. There will be a drishti class on the website for members access in late January, 2023!!

Namaste,
MaryBeth

Have You Ever Asked Yourself, "Who Am I?"

Do you journal?

Would you consider journaling after taking my yoga classes, or any yoga classes?


Personally, this year has been a year of a lot of introspection so far. I’ve been reviewing, reflecting, revising, receiving, and doing a lot of writing. I must admit, I feel a book coming together. It excites me and scares the shit out of me at the same time. But nonetheless, throughout this time of inquiry and discovery, I’m learning more about who I am and my purpose. And, if you know me, when I gain insight, I share it. Have you ever asked yourself, “Who am I?” Regardless of how many times you’ve answered this question, I encourage you to ask yourself again. This inquiry offers an opportunity to discover our purpose, to better understand our gifts and wisdom, and to ultimately help us serve something greater than ourselves.


So why not buy a journal, grab a pen and start journaling on some of these questions! That wasn’t a question; it was an emphatic recommendation. :) So in true MaryBeth fashion, “Do that!"


1. What did I hear during the class that resonated with me? Why?

2. What came up in class? What thought, judgment, feeling, label? Resistance? Discomfort? How did it make me feel? What did I do? How did I react? And how did my reaction or inaction make me feel?

3. What can I let go?

4. What can I accept, in life and on my mat?

5. What can I cultivate or manifest in my life and on my mat?

6. What am I grateful for today?


It doesn’t have to be a 300 word essay. It could be something so simple as this:

1. Today while on my mat, I heard MaryBeth say “You can do it. You’ve got this." It resonated with me because at that precise moment, I was doubting myself, and thought well if she believes in me, I should too.

2. While in our third chair pose, I noticed some resistance and a story around how I feel about this pose. I wanted to come out, but I stayed. I brought more focus to my breath and felt less discomfort in my legs just in time for another Sun A and onto another sequence. I felt stronger and more capable, proud for not quitting.

3. I want to let go of my self-doubt. I know my body is capable of more than I give it credit.

4. I accept that I have some limitations and sometimes take different variations of the poses. I am doing my best and that is enough. I accept that some days are going to be tough, no matter what, and I’m not exempt from pain and loss.

5. What I plan to cultivate on my mat is more self-compassion, meeting my practice where I am today, not where I once was or ultimately where I want to be. I plan to cultivate this same self-compassion off of my mat as I become more patient with myself, making time to better know myself so that I can better create the life I want.

6. I am grateful for this practice and that she only gave me 6 questions to answer.


I spend a lot of time creating themes for my yoga classes and working on my delivery so that it lands on my students with the best impact. I know I often fall short or could be a much better teacher, but each class I teach, I teach from my heart. Like you, I am doing my best, meeting this practice and my teaching where I am right now, not where I want to be in the future, and that has to be enough. It is enough. I’m not much different than any of you. I simply found something that has transformed my life, ignited a passion, and led me to a purpose. The gift of yoga, living my practice, both on and off the mat.

Namaste,

MaryBeth

It’s Official! I’m now an RYT 500, along with E-RYT 200 and YACEP through the Yoga Alliance

I am excited to share that I have recently graduated from a 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program! Upon the completion of this training, I now have the highest accreditation that the Yoga Alliance recognizes. This past year has been a year of tremendous growth for me as a yoga teacher. I am very grateful for all that yoga has brought into my life and for my students that allow me to be their teacher and share yoga’s many gifts. It is such an honor!

Finding Tadasana

I’ve left the house once since returning from Florida on Monday and that was only to go to the grocery store.

I’ve been on my meditation cushion and my yoga mat every day. More importantly, I’ve practiced silence, stillness and yoga OFF my cushion and OFF my mat. More than ever before, I’ve unplugged, ignored my phone and spent less time on my computer, and yet I have had MORE time to do so. I’ve finished reading 4 books and started a 5th, and obviously, I’ve picked up my pen and written.

Surprisingly, throughout this first week in quarantine or social distancing, whatever, I haven’t felt restless. I haven’t let fear overwhelm me. I’ve felt fear, but it hasn’t consumed me or paralyzed me. I’ve done more of nothing, which is itself a practice, and I have felt strangely peaceful.

Oh, I’ve had my pity parties; don’t get me wrong. I sobbed Monday, I recovered Tuesday, I digressed Wednesday and bounced back Thursday. But once I was done reacting to all the hysteria provided to me via the television, I found my tadasana, my mountain pose, and I encourage you to do the same.

I haven’t taught any yoga classes all week. The internet is currently flooded with Facebook Live classes, Online Live Streaming classes, and new You Tube channels, so there is no deficit in yoga class offerings. My email has blown up with emails from the several yoga studios marketing their online classes. I do miss my students, I miss the connection, hearing them breathe and watching my words land in their bodies. One thing I know for sure is that teaching and giving fills my cup just as much as being a student of yoga, and that I must do both to remain balanced. So with that, I’d like to teach you more about being yoga, living your practice, and finding your tadasana.

Tadasana, mountain pose, starts with finding your true north.

Ground down through all 4 corners of your feet, feel the connection to your mat, your flooring, beneath the floor all the way to the earth. Both feet face 12 o’clock. Lift and spread your toes then stretch them out on your mat.

Lift up, stand tall, lengthen through the crown of your head keeping the joints soft and pelvis neutral. Your arms at your sides and palms open and forward with fingers spread.

Feel strong in your center as you engage your legs, from the skin to the muscle to the bone, hug in.

Pull your naval up and in, integrate your shoulders, bring them down and back as the shoulder blades move toward the spine. Open your heart.

Press down, lift up, pull in.

Stand still, effortlessly. Allow yourself to feel calm and strong, with less emphasis on doing and more on being. Allow the mind to follow in alignment and you presence yourself to the here and now.

Breathe in and out through your nose, steady and relaxed, as your awareness of your breath keeps you present, in this moment.

Baron Baptiste teaches us that when we fall or lose our true north, when we get caught up in the storm and off center, to just come back and find our tadasana, again and again.

I encourage you to keep coming back to your mountain pose, to your alignment and to your breath. How you stand in tadasana is how you stand in life, so stand tall, steadfast, calm and strong, with an equanimous mind, and an open heart.

Continue your yoga practices including practicing more being and less doing, and I urge you to consider investing in yourself by spending time in meditation. I cannot stress enough how important it is to sit with yourself, being yourself, and letting go of expectations and how you think things should be.

I believe that all experience has something to teach us, and all obstacles have meaning. Our strength is built on adversity, so look at everything, challenges, failures and all, as opportunity to learn and potential to grow.

And finally, practicing being yoga, create some I am statements. Write them down or make a poster with them and hang it up somewhere you will see daily. Remember that what follows “I am” is what you are inviting into your life, what you give energy to. The purpose of your I am statements is to invite positive energy, to remind you to cultivate that in which you need more of in your life. For example, my I AM poster includes words like: Centered, Balanced, Soft, Strong, Creative, Calm and believe it or not, “A Fucking Ray of Sunshine.” Yes, that is one of my I am statements and those that know me often refer to me as that very thing. May peace be with you. Namaste

When Covid-19 ended our winter days in Florida

Yesterday I found myself sulking, then at the airport before flying home from Florida to Ohio, uncontrollably crying. I’m not sure it was classified as ugly crying, but nonetheless, I made a spectacle of myself.  Instead of the people around me looking at me as if I was some weirdo, their eyes instead seemed to hold compassion for me, which made me cry even more. No matter how much I told myself to get my shit together, I was compelled to sob.

Eventually I regained some composure, but I still allowed myself to FEEL, without judgment, without labeling what I was feeling as right or wrong. And, since I was about to spend 2 hours on an airplane, it was a good time to just sit and be with what I was feeling.  

At some point though, we must get up and get back to work, and the work begins with ourselves. During these difficult times of uncertainty and hysteria, I find myself sorting through my toolbox to find the tools I so desperately need.  These are the tools I’ve discovered through yoga and the very tools I’ve shared with my students in my teachings.

The chaos that we have worked through on our yoga mats has taught us valuable tools to use off our mats, tools to help us work through confusion, conflict, distraction and feeling unsettled or fearful.

First. We learn to Breathe, to Focus, and tap into and connect with our powerful Center. There is strength in our breath. Our focus gives us direction. And our center is the observer of self, our truth, where we respond to what’s happening with resolve, not reacting with fear, panic or drama.

When I started digging through my toolbox, I found Humor and Joy. I’m not making light of someone else’s crisis but finding lightness in my own.  It is much easier to criticize, find fault and feed panic and despair, but that isn’t me. It’s humor and joy that help sustain me and help me overcome life’s difficulties and challenges. I find that making someone smile or chuckle feeds my appetite for connection, and when I’m feeling connected, I obviously don’t feel alone. When I witness my zest and enthusiasm for living contagiously reaching those around me, it fuels me with more vitality and more desire to live fully, and joyfully, with intention.

In our toolboxes, another excellent tool is Gratitude. There is also Acceptance and Patience, the tools that often find their way to the bottom of my toolbox. I can assure you that the more we resist our current circumstances, using our energy to refute it instead of surrendering to it, we use up the needed reserves to be still and know, to drop what we think we know and to radically accept what is, receiving it, liking it or not, but moving forward from a place of acceptance and trust rather than resistance, skepticism or fear.

One thing I know for sure is that our challenges are opportunities for growth, and during this time, maybe even a spiritual awakening. I have a strong sense of knowing that everything will be okay, that all things work for the greater good and each of us are all just merely a small part of something much, much bigger than ourselves.

I encourage you to practice. To get on your yoga mat, to breathe, to focus, to re-center. Discover those tools and use them.

We have been so flooded with information about this virus and the hysteria around it, and we are like sponges soaking it all up. We are soaking up fear, anxiety, tension and so much more. And since what we focus on expands, we have to be careful not to stay saturated with those things. Use your yoga practice, like squeezing the sponge, to release those things that weigh you down.

With love, gratitude, joy and praying for all of my friends to remain in good health, Namaste.