AWAKENING SELF NEWSLETTER — August 2005

1) Announcements
2) Yoga of the Seasons: Summer's Sweet Contentment
3) Class, Workshop, and Retreat Schedule
4) This month's article - "Receiving" by Connie Habash
5) Spiritual Quotes

1) Announcements

INTRO TO SANSKRIT comes to Moksha Yoga Shala in Walnut Creek on Saturday, Sept 17th, 2-5pm. Curious about Sanskrit, the sacred language of yoga? Love chanting mantras or the Sanskrit names of poses? Want to learn correct pronunciation? Want a review from a previous Intro to Sanskrit course? This workshop is for you! You can print the registration form HERE $40 by 9/10, $45 thereafter.

108 SURYA NAMASKARS (salutation the sun) for the Fall Equinox:
Thursday, Sept 22nd at YIY in Mountain View. Starts at 7am - come anytime in the first hour. You can do 1 or 108, chant the mantras to the sun, or just meditate. By donation, with refreshments afterwards.

FALL YOGA RETREAT: "Balancing Body and Mind: Ayurveda and Yoga"
will be at Mount Madonna Center again on Oct 14th-16th. Special yoga classes for each body-mind "dosha", plus evening programs exploring the basics of Ayurveda. I've already received some registrations for this retreat, so it's likely to sell out early.
Save $30 if you register by September 16th! Print the registration form HERE

TEACHING BEGINNERS: A continuing education workshop for yoga teachers, will be held at the Yoga & Movement Center in Walnut Creek on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH from 1-4pm. Beginners have different needs than more experienced students. Learn to think like a beginner and develop skills to work with the myriad of new students that can walk into your class.
$40 if paid by October 30th; $50 thereafter.

YOGA MAMMAS! Join us! If you're a mother of a baby or young child and you have interest in yoga, spirituality, holistic health and natural family living, this group is for you! If you're interested in our monthly gatherings or just want to share information on the path of conscious mothering, you can check out the group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoga_Mammas
We have a whole family gathering on August 27th and a talk with Naturopathic doctor Melody Wong on September 24th.

2) Yoga of the Seasons: Summer's Sweet Contentment

     Several years ago, I lived in Walnut Creek, a town inland of Oakland in Northern California, set back away from the coast in a valley. While the cities on the shores of the San Francisco Bay generally enjoyed mild temperatures from the fog and cooling effects of the ocean, we baked out in the hot, dry valley at the base of Mount Diablo. At that time I resided on the second floor of an almost 100 year old home with no air conditioning, and days inside were almost worse than outside, and nights weren't much better.

      Nevertheless, I had a small landing at the top of the stairs leading to my front door that faced to the west, and one of my favorite things was to sit in an old beach chair facing the hills and watch the sun set, cool juice in hand. As the sky darkened the stars slowly winked into existence from the eastern sky to the west, and the crickets, one by one, began their symphony to pronounce the next day's temperatures. Lots of sweet memories
from those years.

     Summer is like that. Don't we all have fond memories of our childhood or some other magical moment from summertime? The sweet taste of watermelon gushing from your mouth as you bite into a big slice at a family picnic. Camping in the mountains and sitting around a firepit while toasting marshmallows. Lying down in sleeping bags in the middle of the night out on a tennis court with a few buddies to watch the annual meteor showers send stars streaking through the otherwise still, dark night. Playing in the front yard with a stick from the olive tree and following an ant trail all the way to the source where they emerged from their nest. I was content to do so little, and found it so enriching and enjoyable.

     While the hot sun can turn up our inner heat, we really need to take the time to enjoy the sweetness in every moment. The more we run around during the year's hottest season impatiently trying to get stuff done, compete, "get ahead", or struggle with things that just aren't going smoothly, the more the inner heat builds up in anger, tension, and irritability. These are characteristics of Pitta, the Ayurvedic body-mind type (dosha) that tends to get overheated, when it's out of balance. During summer's height, that's easy to do. So coming back to the sweet simplicity of the moment helps to slow and cool us down.

     While Summer is hot, it also has a way of bringing us into the moment and finding the magic there. Especially on those exquisite evenings when the temperature outside is still warm enough to wear a tank top but the evening breeze has picked up to soothe us. We can look up at the stars, or down at the mild beads of sweat shining in the moonlight on our partner's neck. We can rise early with the sun while the coolness of the night remains to meet the clear light of a new day, watching the squirrels scurry about to prepare for Autumn. When we feel connected to the natural world around us, there is a sweet
contenment that is cooling, calming, and soothing to the soul.

     Sweetness and contentment are two qualities that are known to calm Pitta dosha. From the taste of a juicy nectarine to the watery deliciousness of a melon, sweet manifests in the many fruits of the season, but it's also an internal quality we can experience in our yoga practice and our lives. When we feel a deep release in a muscle, or we allow ourselves to just "be" in a pose or with our breath, it can be a sweet moment. Those sweet moments can lead to contentment, a inner experience of being at peace with exactly how this moment is. Every experience can be a meditation on what is unique, precious, and leads to this inner peace.

    Take time during this last half of summer to enjoy these sweet moments. Look for them throughout your day and evening, and seek an inner sense of contentment. These precious summer months won't last - the cold winds, shorter days, and dry leaves of Fall are just around the corner.

Copyright © 2005 by Constance L. Habash

RETREATS:

FALL YOGA RETREAT
Balancing Body and Mind: Yoga & Ayurveda
October 14-16 at Mt. Madonna Center
Early Bird Registration (by 9/16) : $260-350 after 9/16: add $30
Print the registration form at http://www.awakeningself.com/FallYoga05.htm


WORKSHOPS:

INTRODUCTION TO SANSKRIT WORKSHOP
Moksha Yoga Shala, Walnut Creek
Saturday, September 17th, 2-5pm
$40 if paid by Sept. 10th; $45 thereafter

108 SURYA NAMASKARS
YIY, Mountain View
Thursday, September 22nd
7-9am, by donation

TEACHING BEGINNERS
Yoga & Movement Center, Walnut Creek
Sunday, November 6th, 1-4pm
$40 if paid by October 30th: $50 thereafter

TUESDAYS
9:30-11AM Iyengar & Vinyasa, Beginning
YIY, Mountain View

FRIDAYS
9:30-11AM Iyengar & Vinyasa, All Levels
YIY, Mountain View

4) This month's article: "Receiving" by Connie Habash

    The group of women sat around the conference table looking expectantly. I had come to give a talk on "Receiving" - but what did that really mean? How do we perceiving of the idea of receiving in our lives?

    I asked the group what they felt receiving meant. Openness and taking in were some of the responses. I shared my findings of the definition in the dictionary, one of which was
stated by a woman in the group: to accept. The kind of receiving I wanted to talk about, which is important in creating what we desire, is a willingness to have - an acceptance of what is offered. This is different than the connotation of the word that implies involuntary reception, like "receiving a blow". We've all had those kind of unpleasant experiences, but we're talking about in this context as receiving is an embrace of what is possible and desirable in our lives.

     Another definition that the dictionary offers is "to admit, let in". This relates to openness: if we are closed to certain situations or energies, then we won't be able to receive them. We may say on one level that we'd like to have more prosperity in our lives, but when we don't allow ourselves to envision the increase in our bank account or living in a larger, more comfortable space, we may shut off the flow of energy to bring us those wishes."Letting in" involves opening a door with faith, not always knowing how our good may enter through it. When we allow abundance to enter from any direction of our lives, we can be pleasantly surprised at the results. If we are unwilling to receive, we may be blocking the possibilities.

     A third definition of receiving is "to have room for, to hold." In order to receive what we'd like, there needs to be space for it. Consider, on the physical level, the capacity of a closet. We can't buy new clothes or other items if it's stuffed full of old things we never wear or use. We need to make room by releasing, letting go of what is no longer needed or useful. A bowl filled with water cannot receive any more. If we let go of what is filling it only then can the water pour in again.

     Some of the things that we need to release in order to receive are negative beliefs about receiving. I asked the room of women if anyone felt uncomfortable with receiving. Several hands shot up in the air. What was it about receiving that was uncomfortable? One woman said it made her feel vulnerable, another mentioned the sense of being indebted to the other person, and another added it can bring up the feeling of unworthiness - the need to "do" something in order to feel worthy of receiving what is given. Heads nodded all around. These and many other issues can block our ability to receive.

     One of those attitudes is that "it's better to give than receive." Giving is big in our culture, from giving gifts to giving of time and energy. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to give something from the heart. However, we're also expected to give more of ourselves in our work than ever before, and then assumed we have time and resources to offer to volunteer organizations, hobbies, and social activities, let alone our loved ones. The role of giver is more familiar, allowing us to feel in control, generous, and perhaps a little superior to others. Giving is perceived as positive, whereas there are a lot of negative connotations about receiving. We don't want to be needy. We don't want to take advantage of others.
Giving makes us feel of worth, but what is the value in receiving?

    While giving is a beautiful thing, it's beautiful to receive as well. Without receiving, there can be no true giving. A gift is a joy to give because the other person appreciates the gesture. Who finds pleasure in offering something to someone else who refuses it or takes it grudgingly? We rob others of the fulfillment of being able to give when we refuse to receive.

     We also rob ourselves of positive new experiences when we shut ourselves down to receiving. Many of us are filled with attitudes that block our ability to receive. Ideas of "that can't happen" or "I haven't done anything to deserve that" can get in the way of taking in what we long for. We may resist a loving gesture of another for fear that we'd have to give something similar back. All of these things block our capacity to receive, filling that bowl with "shoulds", "shouldn'ts", "can'ts", and "gotta dos". Pour them out and open to the possibility that you are worthy of receiving, right now, just as you are. There's nothing you need to do or change in order to receive the love you deserve other than let go of the resistance to receiving it!

     An open receptacle, like wide-spread, loving arms, attracts something to enter it. A receptive attitude harmonizes with love, acknowledgement, peace, and abundance - anything that you would love to have more of. Mental or emotional blocks can repel the good coming into your life and cause discord. My tingshas teach me about this receptive attitude. Tingshas are Tibetan bells or chimes that I often ring at the end of my yoga classes. Over the many years that I've used them, I've learned a lot about how to make them chime most sweetly. One of the things that I discovered is that when I try to swing them both into each other, then tend to make a loud clang and usually hit each other twice, sounding awkward. The force of each of them trying to hit the other causes too much energy and they repell one another, causing disharmony. This is like pushing away the good that comes our way. But when I let one be still and receive the other one striking it, the sound is sweet and soft. One needs to give and the other needs to receive in order for there to be harmony and pureness to the tone. When we wish to receive, we must be in a receptive, open place. Take time to look at what is blocking you from receiving what you most desire.

     One way of self-exploration into your capacity to receive right now is through your breath. Sit comfortably, with the spine upright and long, and begin to notice your breath just as it is. Start with observing your inhalations. What is it like to breathe in? Does it feel spacious or constricted? Are there some spaces that don't receive the breath? Do you enjoy inhaling or find it uncomfortable? Then notice the pause between the inhalation and the exhalation, and how you feel about that. Is it short or long, pleasant or tense? Next, observe how the exhalation is for you. Are you eager to exhale or reticent to let go? Do you find it pleasant? Do you completely let the breath out, or do you hold on to some of it? Finally, notice the pause between the exhalation and the next breath in. Do you rush into the next exhalation, or is there a long pause? How do you feel about it?

     The inhalation is our capacity to receive in this moment. If you want to work on allowing something to enter into your life, imagine working on expanding the quality of your inhalation while breathing what you desire in. The pause can reveal how we feel about what we've taken in and our capacity to hold it.

      As we exhale, we can explore the process of letting go. If we're holding on to the exhalation, we're likely holding on to something that blocks our ability to take in. Certainly the quality and depth of the inhalation is directly related to the completeness of the exhalation. If we don't make space by emptying out, we cannot draw as much breath in. It thus reflects that same capacity to release, like emptying the bowl of water, in order to receive more in.

     Noticing how we feel in that emptiness after the exhalation will further reveal if we are truly letting go or if fear arises that there will not be enough on the next inhalation. That fear can block our abundance if we believe that the universe has a lack of love, prosperity, success, or whatever we'd like to manifest.

     Finally, rather than the perception that receiving is a powerless, needy position, a receiver is actually a potent manifestor. It is through the deep willingness to accept, take
in, and make space for our greatest good that magnetically attracts it into our lives as a vacuum draws air into it by emptying so powerfully that it must be filled.

     Changing your perception about this aspect of receiving can empower you in your day to day life. The group of women I spoke to that evening partnered up with someone and practiced being a conduit of whatever energy the receiving partner asked for (it could be happiness, peace, healing, etc) and allowing that energy to come through the giver's hands into the receiver's. After the process, one woman shared that she was really able to
receive a palpable feeling of healing into her body. This was a powerful statement, for instead of giving credit to the giver -"you healed me" - she owned that it was her ability to receive the energy that created the healing. Imagine if we could apply that to other areas of our lives. "I feel love in your presence", rather than "I feel OK because you love me." The source is within ourselves to be able to receive that. Rather than a promotion at work making us feel worthy, recognize that our faith in the quality and worthiness of our work merited a promotion and we opened to receive that. Refining our ability to receive empowers us to feel satisfied within and expands our capacity to receive more.

     Ultimately, allowing ourselves to receive brings us full circle to deepen our capacity to give. When we feel nourished, satisfied, and complete within ourselves, there is far more to give. We give more freely, without concern for lack or of not receiving back. We realize that when we empty ourselves out and open ourselves up, the universe can abundantly supply what we are willing to accept. Pour the water out of the bowl, set it out in the rain and drink it in. Be like a morning glory, opening to receive the light of the sun, and then look for what blooms in your life.

  Copyright ©2005 by Constance L. Habash

5) Spiritual Quotes

"It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you often get it."
~ W. Somerset Maugham

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
~ Mahatma Gandhi

"The most important part of prayer is what we feel, not what we say. We spend a great deal of time telling God what we think should be done, and not enough time waiting in the stillness for God to tell us what to do."
~ Peace Pilgrim

Blessings,
Connie

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