by Brianna | Apr 6, 2011 | Healing
Allowing yourself to actually experience your emotions can be very intense. Because of that many times we begin to live on the surfaces of our being. We turn to one form of escapism or another; choose your “poison” for the list and style of escape in all actuality is endless. When we behave in this way, metaphorically we become a “neat” house with everything shoved in the closets. Without thinking we swallow our painful emotions. Tamping them down, not realizing that all we are doing is saving the emotion for later. We take an active hand in creating our personal field of Yuck. Emoting and how it can be appropriate has been a hot topic in my life lately. I have been known to do it exactly wrong. When you are releasing old stored emotions, patterns of pain, you don’t need to direct it at anyone. In fact, the “emotional vomiting” for lack of a better term should merely be for the purpose of release. Sometimes, I totally mess that up and direct my emotion at someone undeserving. After I apologize I try to recognize that it is okay to make mistakes in practice, just as it is okay to make mistakes in life. I have found personally that often those recognized and admitted mistakes unfurl into the most beautiful growth point. Anyway, lately I have been thinking about emoting so much because of my beautiful niece Alexandra finding her voice. Like all babies Alexandra makes no bones about showing you exactly how she feels. It’s pretty beautiful. When she is angry she is angry, when sad she is...
by Brianna | Mar 24, 2011 | Chanting, gratitude, Healing
Almost twenty years ago, when I was a teenager I became interested in psychic phenomenon. Because of that fascination my Mom arranged an appointment for me with an acclaimed medium. During my session, she said to me, “I don’t understand this but they say you will. They want you to know that: ‘We are all one. It is we who are the universe.’” At that time I really didn’t understand it either but I never forgot it. Although I had been raised Christian, and deeply respected my Reverend, I spent most of my late teens and very early twenties trying on other peoples beliefs like clothing. It is not all that rare after all, I was young and I was seeking. At different times I practiced being: Agnostic, Buddhist, Jewish, Sufi, and Wiccan – to name just a few. Where I landed is a very personal place as all belief is. From my experience if you put two people of any tradition together and ask them to define their belief, you best step back and simply watch those sparks fly. Debating faith, which is literally man’s ability to believe that which he knows not to be true, is fascinating. As years have passed, and my understandings have shifted through both trial and joy, I can summarize my belief like this: “We are all one. It is we who are the universe.” The Lamps are different, But the Light is the same One matter, one energy, one Light, one Light-Mind. ~Rumi This weekend at Charm City Yoga (www.charmcityyoga.com), I am teaching a Yoga Benefit for Japan with Kim Manfredi....
by Brianna | Mar 17, 2011 | Chanting, practice
Since my post last week the earth has literally shifted beyond comprehension. What has unfolded and continues to unfurl in Japan is simply overwhelming. My heart goes out to those who are actively undergoing these experiences and I wish them healing and light with every exhalation of my breath. Years ago on September 11th, when I was alone in a brand new city, I turned to Yoga as a way to have an immediate community. During times like these, when the world is more out of control then normal, I actively try to draw my students together – chanting as one voice palm to interconnected palm. It makes me uncomfortable, in fact it scares me to do it but at these moments I teach prayer anyway. I think at times like these, it is too important not to – basically it is worth being uncomfortable for. Last night, my beginning students stood in a circle. One palm to the next chanting with the intention of generating healing for those with them and those in Japan. We imagined filling the circle with light, filling ourselves with light, and then sending that energy we created over the water to Japan. After all, energy moves with intention: “May they be well, may they be free from suffering.” There is a feeling that comes over a room when it shifts into “like mind.” It is a beautiful and distinct energy and one that I recognize immediately in a group that I am leading. It happened last night, like I said – leading prayer, it is worth being uncomfortable...
