"I'll play my heart for you"—Laura's Wish for the New Year

Listen to your life. See it for the beautiful mystery that it is. Touch, taste, smell your way to the hidden heart of it. Life itself is grace.

However, when the intellect gets in the way, I spent too much time distracted and confused. I fall into a bias opinion that has been learned and accepted as my identity. So I must turn inward and de-link from that thought of fear and breathe life into my heart. I feel the pulse of my humanity. One beat at a time. I am more than that thought; I am more than that learned habit. I am the witness of the thought. I am pure essence of conscious awareness. I am love.
Stilling my mind is a challenge when my emotions start to stir in agitation. I turn off the news, unplug from the internet, and sit in the dark. And at times, I cry, moan, and shake. I let go into a vibration that has no meaning other than expansion and light. I let go and fall in love with life again. My aliveness is enough-just be present to my essence, my radiant heart of light.

When I was three years old, I fell in love with a song on the radio that whenever I heard it I had to smile. I hear it every holiday season, and its become my song: The Little Drummer Boy. As I listen it today, something still resonates as truth.

"I am a poor boy too
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gifts to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum...

Shall I play for you
Pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum..."

Today, the inner gift--I'll play my heart for you. Beat, beat, beat of my drum--is my heart beating for you.

I am not religious. I am only a yogi dedicated to each heart that beats. Every soul matters. Take off your labels, your identity of personality, and take away your doubts of being enough.

I don't teach exercise; I do not care if you can touch your toes. I care that you connect to community and that you are seen without your label. I am not perfect. I get tired and confused and overwhelmed with this world of doing and of running a business that is only a service for the soul to get nourished.

So I am renewing my commitment to sharing these tools of yoga. With a new, signed lease on our space, I plan to keep our doors open, and we will embrace the courage to walk into ourselves together. 

May this new year, 2017, bring us closer to that space of love. May we accept our differences. The place we meet is a place of acceptance where all beings everywhere can awaken their heart and quiet their mind's agitation. We are all on this earth together!  

with love,
Laura Jane

Be Connected to Your Soul

Being connected to our soul is to remember our true nature and yet when life presents the outer confusion of fear, we forget. This past month has been a practice of staying clear to what is the truth. When chaos abounds, we react in ways that begin to collude with panic and doubt. When the beauty of life and the essence of the spirit are pushed into confusion, we tend to move away from our hearts. We must be FEARLESS warriors of LOVE. How can we as a community not nurture the integrity of our intrinsic nature of kindness and compassion? We must strengthen our commitment to find peace within our own hearts and to extend it to our community as a refuge for love. 

Yoga is so much more than a physical exercise and when we use the tools together, we begin to feel the sweet safety of beauty calling forth our inner strength. Embrace all of life. Find a safe haven to share in this courageous journey of the heart. I want everyone to be filled with the grace of a loving Thanksgiving as we remember that life is a blessing. To be content is the wonder of living and the acceptance that grief is only a doorway into joy.

We extend our hearts this Holiday Season from all of us at Yoga Among Friends to our community. May you celebrate each day as a miracle of life and rejoice in being ALIVE for LOVE!

Blessings always,
Laura Jane

Discover Dharma–What supports us in our daily lives?

Yoga Among Friends has always been dedicated to the human spirit and to the healing of our community through yoga. Our mission continues to be fostering individual transformation as a means to encourage the authentic expression of the soul to thrive and to extend compassion and kindness in our lives. Everyone is welcome no matter their body type, their age, or their injuries. We are a helping center for the mind, body and soul. And only in meeting you where you are, can we respect and nourish our gifts of life.

Remember to take time to go inward and reconnect to the quiet, the sacred of everyday living. The human spirit is amazing and yet we forget to turn off that noise of the mind. We continue to rush after those roaming thoughts. This summer learn to quiet the chatter and connect to the wisdom of your soul. We all struggle with the hectic pace of life. The teachings of yoga are not just about getting a fit body, but it is also for the heart to open, the mind to quiet, and the full expression of your joy to be be revealed. Surrender the frustration of the worry, doubts and fear that is the habit of the roaming mind, and fall into the sweetness of peace, the gifts of coming back inward! Tap into the heart, your inner light and share this joy with friends!

Namaste,
Laura Jane

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DISCOVER    

DHARMA

What supports us in our daily lives? 

The word "Dharma" which comes from the root meaning "to support" or that which holds us together is the central law of our being according the ancient Hindu and Buddhist scriptures. It is the universal law inscribed on every cell of our being, and yet the little mind or our ego gets in the way of the listening to this inner wisdom. Our personal dharma in our present context, is both the gifts and challenges of ourselves.

On the spiritual path, we start from where we stand-where we are now. We support the soul by standing in our confidence to be ourselves, to root in our integrity in what is the highest good for all beings. The more we live this wisdom of knowing, the healthier our body becomes, the calmer our mind becomes, the deeper our love and wisdom become. We begin healing and nourishing our own light so that later on, as our capacities grow, our opportunities for service will become greater. As a yoga community, it is not about the outcome but the effort to be present to our dharma. This will be revealed with practice and patience, and consistency to be present. This is not easy when our busy lives keep our roaming minds looking always outward. Come inward this summer by practicing with us and be in the light always!!

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PRACTICE     

PASCHIMOTTASANA

Forward Bends   

Forward bends are deeply calming asanas that draw us into the inner mysteries and dynamics of our lives. Paschimottasana translates from Sanskrit as "west extending pose" signifying the sunset of a practice traditionally initiated facing the rising sun. As we fold into ourselves, the pose naturally lends to deeper self-refection, which can be emotionally nourishing or difficult depending on what comes up. Sometimes yoga is not a "feel good". In stimulating the pelvic and abdominal organs, the subtle energetic effects of forward bends are concentrated in the lower chakras. This often reveals base emotions held deep in our body.

Going inward can be a challenge. The eyes see the pose as trying to get to the feet or only to stretch the hamstrings; and hence, this asana can cause harm when not using the exhale breath focus. Taught correctly, the pose is not about "getting" to touch the feet. It is about extending the spine and moving the mind into the lower abdomen so as to strengthen the core and bring the focus into the Self.  
 

With practice and patience, the back side gradually releases and allows the graciousness of the forward bend to manifest. Before moving into the asana, one must develop the inner support of Dandasana, the foundation for all forward bending poses. Keep the sitting bones rooted, legs active, breath steady and the heart center lifted and spacious!