Rambling Yogi

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  • When you begin to love yourself

    When you begin to love yourself

    If you asked 10 people from completely different cultural backgrounds to define love you would probably get 10 different definitions. Yes of course there would be some common themes running through their definitions but love is going to mean something different to all of us which will mean that how we express that love will also vary.

    For this reason I think that self love is going to vary from person to person as well. There’s no set way to love yourself more. What one person needs to feel love another will see no value in.

    Cultivating self love starts with gaining a deeper understanding of yourself.  Start with asking yourself what beliefs or behaviors work against your definition of love. Maybe it’s negative self talk or abusing your body with excessive alcohol.  Without judgement make a list of things you do and think that are not coming from a place of love.  Can you then gradually begin to let go of these things to create more space for kindness towards yourself (it can feel super liberating to burn a list of things you’d like to let go of, I highly recommend letting this one burn).

    To keep things balanced also create a list of the things that you can do to practice self love. Ask yourself what makes you feel special,  at peace or exuberant. Maybe it’s getting a massage, being in nature or going for a run. Keep this list somewhere that you can see it and make it a priority to make time for the things that speak to your soul.

    This beautiful poem by Charlie Chaplin beautifully articulates the magic and realisation that can begin to happen when you love yourself.

    As I Began to Love Myself
    by Charlie Chaplin

    As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.

    As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody As I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.

    As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow. Today I call it “MATURITY”.

    As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm. Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.

    As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.

    As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.

    As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.

    As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.

    As I began to love myself I recognised that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.

    We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born. Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!

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  • Let Go

    Let Go

    What in your life can you let go of?

    Clinging to thoughts, ideas and material possessions that do not serve you will hold you back in life and make you suffer.

    When you are attached to your way of thinking you are not open to new ideas and opportunities for learning and growth. In the same way if you hold on to your good or bad memories too tight you miss out on the beauty of the present moment and perhaps bring yourself unnecessary suffering.

    While attachment to material possessions will take up your time and clutter your space. For some people material possessions can begin to make up their personal identity, which is a very scary concept when you stop to consider that everything material that you have today could be taken away from you tomorrow…

    So whether it’s in your head or in your home can you let it go.

    Sometimes you have to let go more than once but never be afraid to let go of the things you are attached to, because having space for new possibilities is what makes life exciting. And I truly believe that you should always have faith that something wonderful is about to happen.

    Below is a beautiful poem about letting go which I think perfectly articulates how simple and liberating letting go of attachments can be.

    She let go
    By Rev. Safire Rose

    Without a thought or a word, she let go.

    She let go of fear.

    She let go of judgments.

    She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.
    She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

    She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.
    Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

    She didn’t ask anyone for advice.

    She didn’t read a book on how to let go.
    She just let go.
    She let go of all the memories that held her back.

    She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

    She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

    She didn’t promise to let go.

    She didn’t journal about it.
    She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.

    She made no public announcement.

    She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.
    She just let go.

    She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.

    She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.

    She didn’t utter one word.
    She just let go.

    No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations.
    No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing.
    Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

    There was no effort. There was no struggle.

    It wasn’t good. It wasn’t bad.
    It was what it was, and it is just that.
    In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

    A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her.

    And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

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    Love and Blessings from Bail
    xxxx

  • My Favorite Savasana Poem

    My Favorite Savasana Poem

    You have to love a good savasana poem. This has been my favorites and if you’ve never read it before you’re in for a treat! It’s absolutely beautiful and there’s so much that you can take from it.

    Happy reading

    xx

    The Invitation
    By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

    It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

    It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

    It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

    I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

    I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

    It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

    I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

    I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, ‘Yes.’

    It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

    It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

    It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

    I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

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  • Yoga Teacher Training – week 1 Ahimsa – Nonviolence

    Yoga Teacher Training – week 1 Ahimsa – Nonviolence

    If I were to ask you how often you behaved violently what would be your answer?

    Violence is often associated with psychically hurting another person but what if I expanded the definition of violence to be behaving in a way that is not kind to others or yourself.

    Once you start exploring the ways that you are unkind you can start to become aware of your own personal patterns you can begin to treat yourself and others with more kindness and compassion.

    Here are some if the ways that we practice violence.

    Negative self talk – How often are you your biggest critic? Do you beat yourself up about mistakes or tell yourself you’re not good enough in same way? Our inner monolog can really set the tone for how we experience our lives. Be careful with how you talk to yourself. Stop and ask yourself am I coming from a place of kindness?

    Unkind words to others or about others – Do your words hurt others? Either directly (to their face) or indirectly (gossip) Always stop to consider what your intentions are before you speak. Your words should be kind and honest even when they are strong and direct.

    Your relationship with food – Do you stop to consider how the food you put in your body is nourishing you? It’s violence towards yourself to continually over indulge or starve yourself. Love yourself enough to really care about what you eat.

    Expecting too much from yourself – We like to set goals and challenges for ourselves which is great, it keeps us moving forward but when we only focus on the steps necessary to achieve the goal and stop being open and present to the journey we not only don’t get to experience the beauty of the journey but we may push beyond our tipping point. Pushing yourself without stopping to listen to your body is what causes sickness and injury. It’s our body’s way of forcing us to slow down.  Be mindful of the effect working too hard in the gym or the office has on your body.

    Lack of balance  –  When you over commit yourself and don’t allow enough time to recharge you may burnout or become short with others.  Balance is going to be different for everyone and so you will need to tune in and ask yourself what do I need to create balance in my life…maybe it’s having healthy meals,  spending in nature, getting “me” time, getting enough sleep, finding time for meditation,  having social media free days, getting a massage, making time for exercise or even clearing out the clutter in your life it’s important to know what you need and make time for it.

    We’re never going to be able to be completely nonviolent in all of our words and actions all of the time but we can be more conscious of our personal patterns and make small positive changes in our lives for the benefit of all.

    Namaste
    Xxxx

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    My soul honors your soul. I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the light, love, truth, beauty & peace within you, because it is also within me. In sharing these things we are united, we are the same, we are one.

  • Yoga Teacher Training Day 3

    Day 3 and we’re in to our proper schedule
    6.30am meditation
    7am breakfast
    7.50am theory
    10.30am asana practice
    1pm lunch
    1.50pm theory
    3pm study time
    6.30pm dinner
    7.30pm yoga documentary
    8.30 well and truly ready for bed

    Over the next 30 something days I’m sure there will be days that really push me to my limits but as they say that’s where your growth edges are.

    I’d like to share some of the guidelines we’ve been given for our yoga practice because they translate so nicely into every day life

    – Practice Daily – this doesn’t have to be yoga it can be anything but daily rituals are important to maintain.
    – Honor where you are now, do not force things, be mindful of challenges.
    – Learn to listen, to wait and to tune in.
    – Don’t rush.
    -Learn to perceive your intention and what is motivating you.
    – Learn to see subtle agendas and games you play with yourself.
    -Learn to control your approach,  intention and attitude.
    – Value silent time. Practice being still
    – Be attentive to the moment rather than a goal or idea of how it should be
    -Discover where you tend to over work and where you tend to under work

    May you take these little tips into your life to create a more beautiful experience of life

    Namaste

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  • Yoga Teacher Training – Day 1&2

    Yoga Teacher Training – Day 1&2

    The first thing that struck me from the first person I met is the insane amount of kindness and friendliness that emanates from everyone here. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such universal positivity in the one place. It’s truly beautiful and leaves wondering why it’s not a reality at home. There’s something brilliant about strangers embracing you in huge hugs like you’re their long lost best friend.

    I was nervous leaving melbourne not only was I thrown by forgetting my mat – who forgets their mat- but I had so many doubts about if I actually had what it takes to be the kind of yoga teacher I admire.

    The second I got here all of that changed immediately.  I felt empowered by all the love I was instantly surrounded by and I knew I was in completely the right place for me.

    I did 4 hrs of physical practice today and it was seriously though but amazing rewarding.

    The journey is definitely going to be the most challenging thing I’ve done to date and I know I will be tested time and time again and there will probably be tears but I know this is going to be transformational and life is going to open up in the most beautiful ways from here on.

    May you give unconditional kindness to all those you come across.

    Love and blessings

    Xxx

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