My grandfather recently took a sharp turn from function to malfunction. His process was an incredible mirror of how precious our physical existence is.   This gift of life is the gift of experience and expression that are shaped in time and space. As I clung onto his life, he peacefully let go, and in that moment of passing the miracle of life (and death) was more apparent than ever. It seemed clear that life is not meant to be wasted.  The urgency to make a difference NOW sprung forth with fury.

I want to make a difference. I want to be the best I can be. I want to taste life with all its sweetness and bitterness. I want to share my gifts with the world.

These things require the courageous act of journeying towards the heart- one’s truth. If this sounds airy-fairy, try it for one day. I dare you! This journey requires taking responsibility for your words, actions, reactions, commitments, sacrifices, and risks. The reward isn’t waiting at the other end- it is woven into each moment. So please, stop and taste the sweetness… wake up, shake off the acquired numbness, listen intensely to your deepest desires, and perhaps try something new.

I’ve made my declaration.  How about you? What action will you take today to feel alive? What disciplines and freedoms do you commit to? What do you really want in life? Stop a moment, don’t just read; reflect. I double dare you to answer these questions before continuing on;) Write them down. Then commit to an action today. It is in your hands to make it happen.

Consciousness (God) created itself (life) in order to experience itself, (Shiva Sutra I) so let the inquiry of life and all its oppositions begin NOW (roughly Patanjali I.I)! Why wait? Time is guaranteed to no one.

Be curious. Be courageous. Be honest.

With love and light,

Sarah

This post is dedicated to Papa (John) Tacy, a salt-of-the-earth man who lived with great love and humor.  (Waterskiing at 84)

g to check off everything on my wedding to do list while staying on top of my business and studies. Amongst all the wedding tasks my personal “to do” list sits heavily on my shoulders reminding me that ther

(This method is derived from Energy Kinesiology)

To be completely healthy is to feel nothing. If an organ or a muscle is under distress then I know where it is and can feel what it does. I don’t recognize on a daily basis the gift of freedom I have as a white female in the US (fought for by so many), and I can’t comprehend the suffering that goes on in so many parts of the world. Perhaps this is the gift of forgetfulness and ignorance. When Krishna opens his mouth to show Arjuna the world it is so overwhelming that the warrior begs Krishna to shut his mouth. It is too much to know it all. To recognize all process that support me, all of the gifts, or all the challenges and suffering of the world would be paralyzing and all-consuming. Nataraja balances/dances on the being of forgetfulness, as if to suggest that through awareness we can choose when to tune in and remember what is needed in each moment.

Breathe… In this moment as I cycle with the wind in my face I choose to recognize the millions of processes supporting me, things I can name and things that are beyond my recognition. My heart smiles in gratitude for all that is greater than me, all that is aiding me, and for the recognition of all that is unknown. The annoying wind is now my partner, making me stronger, supporting my growth through challenge.

Thank you ☺

Dare: Take 2 minutes every morning for one week to write down your support systems. Be basic, creative, broad, and specific and you’ll find that the list is endless. Say a “Thanks” and then think of one thing you can do to give back. As you close the book and walk away, how do you feel? Does your day shift?

I wanted to post quick workouts from the Animus Corpus Spiritus blog http://acsawareness.blogspot.com/.  I love to add a good workout but can’t always get to the gym.  These will get your heart rate up and work your body!  This one only takes 12 min (not including any warm up or cool down you do)

TABATA intervals (20s on 10s off x 8 rnds) of:
1. Air squat

2. Swiss ball hip extension knee flexion

3. Sit ups

4. ProneCobra (hold)

note: complete all four exercises 20 sec each, 10 second break, repeat

The Light and Shadow of My Light and Shadow

It was the early morning, 3:45 to be exact, when my father helped me to see the light of my shadow.  He was driving me to the airport as I was about to embark on my long anticipated adventure of teaching the first 100hr Teacher Training on “Experiential Yoga Anatomy for the Multi-Dimensional Being,” developed by yours truly.  No big task :0

As I stared out into the dark from the passenger seat of my father’s big, cold truck I began asking myself, “Who do I think I am to teach this course? What if I forget everything? What if I don’t know enough?  What if I fall on my face and the people who have come from all over the world think it is a waste? What were Don and Amba thinking when they asked me to do this?”  I then began speaking out loud, “I have a major ego problem dad!” I paused and then explained, “Part of me has the galls to think I am highly qualified to teach in the areas of mind/body.  I thought without a doubt I was the best one to work with the pro athletes, that I should travel and teach with John Frappier, and that Nike would benefit from my program. I thought without a doubt that I could create a completely unique approach to yoga anatomy- no problem! Now I’m thinking I’m out of my mind and potentially incapable! How could I have such conflicting thoughts? Why can’t I always believe in myself; in my potential?”  He laughed at me again and in his normal simplicity said, “Your doubts help you fulfill your perceived potential.  They push you to learn more and be more. They keep you from getting comfortable on false ego.” OH. Hmm.   Not bad for 4am dad.

Whether I bask in the rays of success or shiver in the shade of self-doubt, I am being stagnant, and as Michael Beckwith says, “Stagnation is Hell!!”  I guess this means I can say, “Thank you,” every time I hear my self-critic pointing out areas I can improve upon.  Then I can take a deep exhale and release the judgment that sits behind the suggestion, retain my breath and contemplate on this new idea, and inhale a sense of peace and love around it.   The point of that exercise being to take out the negative pressure and empower my action with love and light.

The Shadow= Unconscious Stagnation My Shadow= Self-Doubt

The Light= Conscious Movement         My Light= Belief in Unlimited Potential

• The Shadow of My Shadow

◦ Self-defeating self-abusive behavior

• The Light of My Shadow

◦ Naming my weakness & motivating toward improvement

• The Shadow of My Light

◦ Sitting on my past perceived success without caring to improve or grow

• The Light of My Light

◦ Recognizing my possibilities and consciously working towards them

My doubts, like my passions and desires,  me and help me to see where I am and where I want to go.

Nothing like a little am therapy ride with DOD (dear old dad).

December 7th-20th 2010

December 4th-17th 2011

Come joint us in Costa Rica to have a multi-dimensional experience of the body!  We will examine and have an experience with all of the muscles, their fascial lines, and their actions.  The drastic differences in the range of motion that occurs in each joint of different bodies will be addressed as well as the affects of bone proportions on our yoga practice.  This dissection and integration will help to clarify how to create optimal alignment through yoga asana and how “optimal alignment” changes depending on the person.  All these pieces will form a picture of the human body, a reflective piece of the human being, that is to say, being human affects our body.

Emotions and the breath reflect one another and then land right in the middle of how we stand in this world. Redirecting posture through physical movement is a step, but alone does unwind the complexity of our multi-dimensional state of being. We will discuss how ancient vedic passages help us understand what our posture means, as well as the shadow and light of habits that form both in our bodies and our psyche.

I hope you can join! It is an eye-opening journey with many “ah-ha” moments

With love,

Sarah

http://www.nosarayoga.com/anatomy-intro-table-of-contents

Wow! So I had my first official golf lesson today with Joe Lorentino (amazing coach-go see him!).  A client of mine comforted me before my golf lesson by saying, “Don’t worry, you’ll be terrible at first, every one is. But, with your flexibility and athletic ability you’ll catch on eventually and you’ll be able to use your awareness of your body in space to your advantage.” Another friend of mine who is a physical therapist and TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor said, “It’s a torturous games, and it only gets worse as you get better!” Tempting. I’m not sure why I decided to still pick up the club and play after such warnings, but I did, AND I loved it!

Having said all of the above, I wasn’t surprised at the humbling nature of learning something new- I was expecting it. Which brings me to EXPECTATIONS!

Expectations are a funny thing: You expect the most and get the least, you expect the least and get the most. I’m sure you’ve all heard the survey that ranks the Dutch as being the happiest people in the world.  The general conclusion is that because they have relatively low expectations for the coming year they’re never disappointed. It’s kind of a grim message, but one that leaves us something to think about. Professor Douglas Brooks wrote about Expectations.  My interpretation is that expectations motivate and enable progress; they show us what we need, want, and what the world is offering us and at the very same time they have a finite value; we may get so stuck in that one desire, that one goal, that we miss what else is being offered.  And, when expectations are unreasonable they can flat out disable the spirit.

What I take from the my experience as a beginner, a practiced athlete who’s had disheartening games, the Dutch, and Professor Brooks is this: Dream big, try new things and in the processes when we’re down on our luck or it’s not going how we “thought it should go,” step back, take a breath, put a wedge in the moment and see what other lesson is being offered. If we can release our grip on things going “as planned,” and be open to things going as they go- we might be as happy as the Dutch while still getting the opportunity to set goals and evolve with the world It’s not about releasing our desires, having no expectations, and becoming stagnant, Noooooo! It’s just the opposite- it’s about becoming so fluid that no matter what happens we find our most sacred gift of laugher, enjoy our serving of humble pie, and get back at it! It’s expectations without attachment to outcomes! Please feel free to remind me of this next time you see me failing in a sport I love! I have to Practice: “Breathe, put a wedge in there, perspective, hmmm… what opportunities are now opening?”!

I try to always remind myself that life is a reflection of the Tao, it is the Tao, therefore in everything we do, there will be ups and there will be downs. If we hold on too tightly to either, the midline of the curve will be dragged DOWN. This is called a slump! So then we have that moment to choose to hold on or let go and flow, you might want to ask yourself, “What height do I want my midline to sit at?”

Finding the flow in our swing,
Sarah T.

Read Geoff Hobson’s article: http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/JP-standing-for-Just-a-pro/e9bc24ac-a4eb-4de4-961e-60736661dede

Bill Guerin won his second Stanley Cup yesterday!!!!   Bill was not just a veteran player that the Penguins put out on the ice every now and then to please the crowd; he was in the starting line up next to Crosby and was a key component to their success (including his overtime winning goals against the Flyers).  Congratulations Bill!!!!

Every time I work with Bill I’m pleasantly surprised by his amazing mobility and balance throughout his body.  He says his combination of mobility and strength play a huge role in his longevity in the NHL.  He told me that there are many young players who can run through walls, but their careers won’t last long like that.  Bill is now entering his 18th season in the NHL and believes that now more than ever yoga and deep tissue massage are pivotal components of his conditioning program.

Congratulations on your success!