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NEWSLETTERS:
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AWAKENING
SELF NEWSLETTER — Oct 2004
My husbanad, Michael,
and I are grateful and overjoyed to announce the birth of our darling
new daughter, MEERA LEIGH PUTZ!!! She arrived on Friday, October 1 (almost
a week early) at 5:18pm, weighed 7 lbs, 12oz, and is 19 inches long. Of
course, she is adorable and we are completely in love!!!
Anticipating her arrival, I have a wonderful guest writing this month's
main article - Sue Gannon (thanks, Sue!). Hope you enjoy, and I'll be
back next month to share with you some of my yogic insights to this whole
process of birth and motherhood
I'm going through.
Blessings,
Connie
1) Announcements
2) Yoga of the Seasons:
Nesting
3) Class, Workshop, and
Retreat Schedule
4) This month's article
- "Soothing the Mind" by Sue Gannon
5) Spiritual Quotes
SPECIAL THANKSGIVING MORNING CLASS:
"Yoga for Good Digestion - and Gratitude" from 9:30-11:30 at YIY in Mountian View on Thursday, November 25th.
$14 to drop-in, or part of your regular YIY series. Come prepare yourself in body & mind for the great Thanksgiving meal and celebration. :)INTRO TO YOGA WORKSHOP returns! Wanting to get back
into your yoga practice, or know someone who'd like to start?
I'll be offering my Introduction to Yoga workshop again in January,
on 2 Saturdays, 1/15 and 1/22 from 2-4:30pm at YIY in Mountain
View. $50 if registered by 1/8; $60 thereafter.
UPDATES TO WEBSITE!
Check out new photos in the Photo Gallery, from the last two years of the Women's Spring Renewal retreat and the recent Sanskrit Intensive!
http://www.awakeningself.com/photo.html
Also, I am in the process of adding articles (and will continue to for the months of Oct and Nov) from past newsletters that have now been revised and are easily accessible in the Articles section:
http://www.awakeningself.com/articles.html
Also, be on the lookout for photos of my new baby Meera to be posted soon! Enjoy while I am on maternity leave.
Next 108 SURYA NAMASKARS coming Tuesday, DECEMBER 21st for the Winter Solstice from 7-9am at YIY in Mountain View. Come early or late, do 1 or 108, meditate, chant, just come celebrate! I chant the 12 mantras to the Sun 108 times, while the Ashtanga yogis lead the Surya
Namskars. By donation.
2) Yoga of the Seasons: Nesting
Alright, this month's seasonal
reflections no doubt are being affected by my impending daughter's birth.
The nesting instinct is well-known among mothers as labor approaches.
The scurrying behavior of a very pregnant woman, cleaning every crevice
in the home and hustling to get the nursery ready is typically experienced
as one feels the imminent arrival of the newborn. But as the season turns
cooler again, and the leaves turn amber again, we all start to get a little
of that nesting instinct.
Animals are scurrying to gather nuts and
seeds to carry them through the Winter, and collecting the leaves and
twigs that are beginning to fall from branches to fluff up their dwellings.
Similarly, we may find ourselves at the store looking for new sweaters,
blankets, slippers, robes, and warm things to nestle into for the upcoming
chilly months. It's time to get the heater fixed, the chimney cleaned,
and make sure the insulation is up to snuff, especially for those who
live in snow-bound areas come the holidays.
We may find we're shoring up within as
well. Our internal energies can't help but be affected by the palpable
changes we are experiencing in nature and the world all around us. We
may be taking our own inventory at this time, looking inside at what is
working for us in our lives and what isn't, and thinking about habits,
activities, and ways of spending our time that we want to let go of.
As the trees are releasing their leaves,
we may be attempting to let go of old emotional baggage, long-held resentments,
or negative self-talk. What would you like to release inside yourself
that doesn't serve you anymore?
Then, it's time to put in the inner insulation,
get a soft and cozy security blanket and throw it around your heart, which
may be a little sensitive, nostalgic, and melancholy right now. Autumn
has a way of triggering the old stuff. When we let it
go, it can be helpful to find ways to comfort and support ourselves through
the process. This can include practicing positive affirmations, recognizing
where we're succeeding in life, completing projects we've put off to gain
a sense of success,
or seeking out cheery and inspirational company. It's an excellent time
to start a personal growth class, join a support group, or attend church
or a spiritual organization that helps fill us up during this time of
emptying out the old.
What kind of nest would you like to create
for yourself? Both physically in your house as well as within your heart
and soul, October hails the time when it's ideal to create a safe place
to call home. Imagine your inner and outer nest feeling as
good as a baby feels, snuggled lovingly against the softness of its mother.
Build it up so that it can not only protect you from the blizzards ahead,
but provide that safe and secure feeling of nuturance that we all love
coming home to.
copyright 2004 by Constance L. Habash
3) Class, Workshop, and Retreat Schedule: Summer & Fall 2004
RETREATS:
None scheduled until Spring 2005
WORKSHOPS:
Special THANKSGIVING MORNING CLASS coming in November: "Yoga for Good Digestion (and gratitude!)" at YIY 9:30-11:30am
$14 to drop-in, or on your regular series at YIY
INTRODUCTION TO YOGA! Never tried yoga before? Want to brush up on basics, or get back into a regular practice? Think you'll get lost in a regular class? This workshop is for you!
Two Saturdays: 1/15 and 1/22, 2-4:30pm
$50 if registered by 1/8: $60 thereafter
at Yoga is Youthfulness, Mountain View
CLASS SCHEDULE (PENINSULA & SOUTH BAY):Continuing Yoga Classes:
No regular classes until I'm back from maternity leave -
check out the great teachers subbing for me.
TUESDAYS
9:30 - 11am — Beginning Iyengar & Vinyas
Lynn-Marie Murphy substitues until end of December
YIY, Mountain View
THURSDAYS
9:15 - 10:45am — All Levels Vinyasa & Iyengar
Nicole Perkins takes over the class on 9/9
Devi Yoga, Menlo Park
FRIDAYS
9:30 - 11am — All levels Iyengar & Vinyasa
Setareh Moafi substitutes until end of December
YIY, Mountain View
4)
This month's article: "Soothing the Mind"
By Sue Gannon, MA, CCHT
If you've ever woken up from
a nightmare with your heart pounding, you have experienced the power that
the mind holds over the body. Sometimes it takes a
few minutes to realize that you are safe in your bed and not facing some
inescapable disaster. This is because the body believes what the mind
tells it and responds accordingly. If the mind says there is danger, the
body reacts with fear or anger to protect and defend.
In times of conflict or emergency,
this mechanism improves our chances of survival. Sometimes, however, a
past traumatic experience sets up a condition for constant alert.
This means that the mind misinterprets information
and keeps the body on edge and ready for quick action at all times. This
state of immediacy drains the body of
energy and puts it under stress which eventually can lead to illness and
disease.
Here is a scenario that may help explain
the connection between the mind and the body. Imagine a woman walking
down the street, engrossed in her thoughts:
Suddenly, she hears heavy feet pounding the sidewalk behind her. Her ears
take in the information and her brain absorbs it and sends it to the mind
to decide on a
plan of action. If she sees a bus pull in up ahead, she may interpret
this situation as a person running for the bus and her mind will tell
her to move aside.
However, if she has ever been mugged, the mind will draw on past experience
to interpret the data as danger and she will have to decide whether to
run away or to
turn and defend herself.
Because of the negative effects of continual
stress, there is a great deal of media focus on ways to disconnect the
mind from the body. If we look at the mind as a tool, we can value it
and engage it at will. When needed, the mind is a powerful tool. However,
when it is always on, it becomes intrusive and distracting.
In our technological times, society has
become accustomed to revering the mind and considering it to be superior
to the body, judging thinking to be on a
higher scale than feeling or sensing. So, to consider turning off the
mind even for a minute seems illogical and dangerous when, in fact, soothing
the mind can be healthful and enjoyable.
If we think of the mind and thinking as
a process rather than a tangible object, we can see the sense of giving
it a rest. To use a metaphor of the body as a computer, the mind can be
seen as a computer program to be used as needed.
Suspending thought puts the program on standby
to save energy and avoid overloading the computer. When a computer goes
on standby, it doesn't completely shut down, it just goes to sleep. All
that is needed is a gentle jog to bring it to attention when needed.
So after years of keeping the mind on active
mode, the question becomes how can we selectively turn off this habitual
activity There has been a lot of writing on the complexities of suspending
thought and so much of it sounds like hard work.
The truth is that most of us know how to
do this already and there are many ways, some easier than others. Several
methods are mentioned here, going from the most active to the most passive.
1. Exercise in any form can keep the body
so engaged that the mind acts in partnership to do what it does best -
processing information as needed. Running, walking, swimming are excellent
ways to keep the focus on the moment.
It is hard to fixate on a problem when the body needs to concentrate on
breathing! Even more moderate exercise, such as gentle yoga, emphasizes
a focus on the breath that facilitates letting go of active thinking.
2. Guided Imagery or visualization
is a distraction technique that engages the mind and allows it to use
its powers actively to get in touch with the body. First,
focus on the breath and allow it to draw you inward. Then imagine yourself
in a favorite place that you have visited in the past.
Concentrate on the details of that place - picture the scenery and the
colors, think about the sounds you would hear, the fragrances you would
smell, and the sensations on your skin. Fill in all of the details. In
this way, your mind can participate in the experience and the body joins
joyfully in.
This technique is a form of self-hypnosis and the process gets easier
with each time you use it. If you find it difficult to do at first, there
are many relaxation tapes available at the bookstore that can guide you.
3. Artwork, whether it is creating visual
art or playing an instrument, is an excellent way to get the system in
balance. Even listening to music or going to an art gallery can temporarily
suspend unnecessary thought.
4. Meditation is another means of calming
the mind and the body. It also uses the breath to help the mind focus
and slow down. In this practice, you sit or lie
down in a comfortable position and allow the breath to slow and deepen.
You just let the mind wander where it will without trying to force it
away. If a thought comes up, acknowledge it and let it flow through without
judgment. In this way, all thoughts are acceptable and treated equally.
Eventually, the mind quiets and allows silence. It is as if the mind feels
listened to and then
can relax.
Of course, this also takes practice and perseverance. You can begin slowly
by starting with 5 or 10 minutes and taking it longer as you become accustomed
to the
process. It is important to be kind and patient with yourself.
All of these methods can be used as needed,
depending on your state of mind and your needs. During moments of stress,
it will be harder to quiet the mind and you may need to use the more active
methods. At other times, the more passive forms will appeal to you. All
are valuable and all lead to the same path of awareness.
Sue Gannon is a Certified Hypnotherapist
and Career
Counselor in Lafayette, CA. For more information about
her services, visit her website at http://www.suegannon.com
"Youth is like Spring, an over-praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits."
~ Samuel Butler
"Generation upon generation has passed, my friend, but these meanings are constant and everlasting. The water in the stream may have changed many times, but the reflection of the moon and stars remains the same."
~ Rumi"It is only when you start a garden - probably after age 50 - that you realize something important happens everyday."
~ Geoffrey B. Charlesworth
Blessings,
Connie
