It may seem simple but the greatest act of kindness you can perform is to breathe. Not the everyday, not paying attention to it, kind of breath, but one that is long, slow and deep. Breathe in a way that invites you to slow down, releasing the tension in your body. Turn your awareness inward. Connect with yourself.

As you are breathing listen carefully. Close your eyes if it helps to focus your attention. Don’t force it. Allow the breath to naturally expand the lungs and rib cage, gently finding space. Be relaxed, yet alert. Quiet and still the mind. Allow it to drift with the inhalation and the exhalation like a toy boat floating along a stream. Let go. Tap into your true nature, the inner core of joy, serenity and creative potential which lies inside you. Smile gently from deep inside.

As you breathe deeply and slowly, the chatter in your head will quiet, the fluctuations of the mind still. You will clear your mind, increase healthy and vitality, realize greater understanding and focus, and discover a reservoir of peace.

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At a recent Teacher In-Service training which I taught one of the participants was looking to collect donated mats in order to have a set for her classroom. I encouraged her to do this as many people don’t know what to do with their gently used mats when they acquire a new one or may have an unused mat at home (gasp, horror!) One of the most important aspects of collecting donated mats is how to clean them. It was especially important in this case seeing as her students have a variety of special needs including compromised immune systems.

Regular yoga mat cleaning needs to be something on your yoga radar – odor, germs, bacteria…need I say more. Unfortunately, many people have no idea how to do this, or even that it needs to be done until the odor becomes rather offensive and child’s pose is no longer a pleasant experience. My favourite explanation is by Eco Yogini because it is eco-friendly and doesn’t involve compromising the yoga mats with detergent or the washing machine.

The recipe is simple.

• one part vinegar
• three parts water
• 10 drops tea tree oil (optional)
• a couple drops lavender oil (optional)

When I do this I simply toss the mat into the tub, just barely cover with warm water, add a couple glugs of vinegar and some dashes of tea tree oil. Swish vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Lift the mat from the resultant brackish water, shake off excess and hang outside on an overcast day.

In a school environment you’ll want to make cleaning yoga mats a regular occurrence as a general public health and wellness practice as well as to preserve the yoga mats for use during the years to come. The easiest way to do this is to have the students spray & wipe after use. Yes, this is an extra step at the end of yoga class, however it will teach respect for the supplies, instill basic cleanliness habits and demonstrate responsibility (you used it, you clean it). You could also make this part of the duties of the school’s Yoga Club which you’ll organize just to get out of having to clean 30 yoga mats all by your lonesome on Saturdays.

Yoga is much more than a number of poses done on a mat. Saucha (one of basic tenets of yoga known as yamas & niyamas) means cleanliness of body, heart, mind and environment. Practice saucha today and clean your yoga mat. Better yet, show a child or teenager how to clean their mat and share this knowledge with the next generation of yogis.

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This week was our first killing frost. In this part of the world the first frost is as inevitable as the sun set. However, exactly which morning will bring said frost is always an unknown. So gardeners in the area become expert gamblers, trying to coax one more day on the vine out of their tomatoes before harvesting their crop. Often leaving root vegetables to be dug after their tops lay wilted and dying.

I must admit, however, this year September was very kind with temperatures into the 20s & 30s (Celsius) until the last week. These extra days of heat helped ripen and sweeten the fresh produce until it was bursting with flavour. I swear my cherry tomatoes taste like candy and I’ve never had such huge beets or onions.

Each year in the spring my children help plant the garden. They each get their own plot where they can choose what to plant. Often it is a salsa garden with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and herbs as we love fresh salsa. Other top choices include spinach (a quick gratification seed), carrots (fresh from the garden taste so good), broccoli (always fun to harvest with a knife) and marigolds (so happy). We dig around in the earth, get dirty, find worms, as they make a row and carefully (or not so carefully) sprinkle the seeds, cover, and water. The kids are very diligent about keeping them watered and daily ask if they get to fill a bucket from the rain barrel to water their precious plot of dirt, at least for the first week. Then like all children, they become distracted, and move on to more pressing activities (ballgames, bike riding, play dates).

Their efforts, even though unseen to their young eyes, have begun to germinate and send out roots. Through a little diligence, some gentle reminders, watering, weeding & waiting soon those first green shoots of spring will burst through to the sun. That is my favourite time of year. Everything is fresh and new, full of potential waiting to be taped.

Then the hot lazy days of summer roll around: a time for growth, development, reaching deep into the earth, striving for the heat of the life giving sun. Now we get to care for our charges. Watering on hot days, pulling weeds when they threaten to take over, itching to pull a carrot top before it is ready. This is the waiting period. The plants are left to do what they do best, grow into their potential.

And now it is harvest. A beautiful time of year with its vibrant colours and invigorating temperatures, but one which always leaves me a little sad. The glory days are behind us and the cold, long winter ahead. April seems so far away, yes half a year of snow and cold. Why do I live here? (a topic for another day) The garden needs to be harvested, the bounty of the growing months eaten, enjoyed, put away into jars and freezer bags to be enjoyed later.

Life Lessons

I love teaching my children to garden because there are so many life lessons in this annual exercise. We are truly like the seeds we plant. With a little care and attention, some regular weeding and watering, we may also be able to reach our full potential and be truly useful, productive, flavourful, and beautiful. Also the lesson of planning a project, actually starting it, following through, and reaching a close over a period of months is indispensable in our day of instant gratification. Then, of course, come the lessons in hard work, diligence & patience. As well, the importance of taking care of the earth, connecting with its life giving force, and a responsibility to tend living things is reinforced in a very real manner. Finally, there is the payoff as we make salads, salsa, soups, chocolate chip zucchini bread, and all manner of delicious things out of what we have grown ourselves.

It’s sad to see the growing season come to a close. Now we get to dig out the scarves and mittens, put away shorts and summer dresses. I think I need to find a satisfying indoor project to get me through the coming winter. Scrap-booking? Organizing my disaster zones? Painting? A new yoga practice? Something to stimulate my mind and spirit while I hibernate. Let me see… What potential lies in these dormant months?

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The boys decided to play with it and switch places. Lead singer Matt takes the drums and has a great time pointing at the audience, bassist Chris finds himself at the keyboard & lead guitar, while drummer Dom picks up the bass/vocals and does the post performance interview. Even better the host has no idea the boys have pulled a fast one.

MUSE & Yoga

So what does this have to do with yoga?

I love how these young celebrities stay true to themsleves, putting in the performance for their publicity tour without selling out. They demonstrate great integrity, and a rocking sense of humor, by making the best of a difficult situaton. This follows along with the yogic philosophy of satya – honesty: being true and honest with yourself and those around you which develops trust, respect, and admiration.  I applaud MUSE, will be downloading their tunes for sure, and will encourage my kids to follow that type of example. Well done, gentlemen!

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worthwhile study and learning

As soon as I heard about this I thought “Hey, cool, Obama is teaching the kids the principle of Svadhyaya: worthwhile study & learning.”

WHAT! I can hear tons of people shouting. The president teaching yogic principles! So before you all freak out, let’s look at it for what it really is.

Svadhyayais one of five niyamas or observances and a tenant of yoga philosophy. Basically it means that study and contemplation are admirable. Engaging in lifelong learning and being open to new ideas and approaches is something we need to strive for.

The idea of worthwhile study and learning is nothing new. It’s as ancient as man inventing the wheel. The understanding of our innate quest to better ourselves and our mental, physical, emotional well being is standard human psychology. We know that as our basic needs are met, we search for more. Focusing this search on lifelong dreams, aspirations, and goals is what most adults try to teach children as a way to self fulfillment and happiness.

I think the idea of a video competition where 13+ yr olds can identify, explore, and be accountable for their educational goals and dreams is fantastic. I wish someone had gotten me to really think about who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do when I was in Jr High. I think at that point I was thinking of being a veterinarian until I learned how many years I’d have to be in school. (Kudos to all vets out there!)

So before we all accuse Obama and the Democrats of wanting to brain wash our children, let’s look at the content of the message. The words and the meaning of the message. Do you agree with it? I know of few parents and teachers who don’t want their kids to work hard, stay in school, and achieve their goals. So ya, Obama is teaching a yogic principle, one that resonates deeply within us all.

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The creators Matt Stone & Trey Parker have a inspiring (yes, really) video which uses the words of  Alan Watts (British philosopher) as he compares our life journey to music. He uses the analogy of the final note of a muscial score not being the point of the concert. So too, our life is not the final reward or success we attain. The goal is not the final note, but the harmony, rhythms, counterpoint, and joy which make up the entire song.

I had a great discussion about this topic with my kids after viewing this video. I encourage teachers to show it to their class in September and discuss the goals for the school year and how enjoying the learning process, instead of the final grade, is really the point of education. Enjoy your music: dance and sing along the way. Thanks to Share Yoga for their posts.

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