by Brianna | Jun 7, 2011 | Healing, practice, Yoga
First and foremost, I know that “efforting” is not a word. Lately though, I have found myself using it when I teach. At first I used air quotes to acknowledge its made-up status but I even dropped that. Full disclosure, when I read books and there are typos or grammatical errors I find a pen and circle them. So why am I using a fake word? I think we can all agree that word choice is powerful. For example the word “try” has a very different meaning and implies a very different energy than the word “effort”. So in all honesty I am hopeful that my students will forgive my bad grammar when I ask them to make sure that they are efforting. I wish instead that they use that cue as a reminder to take a breath, reconnect to themselves, become active participants in their pose and put forth some focused...
by Brianna | May 24, 2011 | practice
Recently I taught the teacher trainees in Charm City Yoga’s low residency program. My segment had to do with Protecting Yourself Energetically as Teacher. Many of you reading this may find it strange that you would need to be protected as a Yoga Instructor. After all, all Yoga teachers are happy, healthy, perfectly in-balance, they don’t even need coffee (biggest lie going). However, from the energetic perspective when you are holding the space for others to heal and let go (i.e. controlling the place where others are practicing) protective energetic boundaries for the teacher becomes important. I want to talk for a minute about the idea of boundary – boundary does not mean armor. Boundaries can be breached, they are permeable. I think of a boundary, when I am teaching like a force field, in fact I imagine myself radiating white light numerous times during the classes I instruct. I feel that that radiation makes me a creature of the light to my students – one they can trust and respect – but also protects and keeps my energetic boundaries safe. Okay, so what is this energy stuff all about? Eastern Philosophy teaches us that we are all interconnected; that we are all in fact one. Science for a long time pushed the idea of individuation but recently (and this is mind-blowing stuff) scientists have discovered a subset of our neurons known as “mirror neurons” , also called “Gandhi neurons”. These neurons hardwire us for empathy. So basically, if you see someone getting punched there is a part of your brain that says “ouch” and another part that hears...
by Brianna | May 2, 2011 | Breathing, Change
Yoga, Reiki and Hypnosis are each at their basis self-healing in nature. They certainly healed me and I am ever so grateful for the changes that my practice and effort have brought. I also love that through each of these tools I continue to learn and grow, that after more than a decades worth of practice, I am still both challenged and comforted by them. In December I resigned my full time position as a librarian for a local museum with international stature. As I had studied art history in college having a museum job was hugely meaningful to me – I got to hold works by Picasso actually in my hands. I worked there for four years and chafed at my role every step; it was during that time that I accepted that my dreams really had nothing to do with library science or art history. Instead, mine have everything to do with teaching others that they are in fact empowered and have the ability to heal their very own self. These past few months have been tremendously challenging and utterly rewarding. Holding the space for others to heal and transform is a remarkable day at the office. Quite frankly it is an honor. So to each of you out there who are struggling or unwell, I wish that you continue to try as many different pathways as possible. After all, there are thousands of different doorways to healing you just need to find the tools that work best for you. Because, and this is the truth, healing yourself and coming to a place of peace, is worth...
