Day 35 0f 90: Moksha Yoga, “Karma, Sweat, and Music”

Day 35 0f 90: Moksha Yoga, “Karma, Sweat, and Music” August 14, 2013

I was excited to enter the studio today for day number 35 of 90 straight days of hot yoga at Moksha Yoga LA, today’s class had live music by Dalton and he rocked it.  It was a 75 minute class with teacher Joe and Dalton, it was wonderful. Such a vibrant community of people practicing to live music, wonderful guidance by Joe, and lots and lots of sweat.  Before class I laid on my mat and took in my day, I was filled with lots of gratitude for my day.  I have received such kind letters of support from people on this journey of 90 days, so thank you.  I love the support.

In class Joe our teacher talked about the importance of giving, the importance of the breath, and the importance of focus in our practice. Allowing us to become aware of our breath and the rise and fall in each pose.  Also, Joe talked about giving and getting.  What we give we get.  It reminds me of karma which means “comeback”. We judge and you will be judged, you criticize and you will be criticized, you love and you will be loved, you control and you will be controlled.  The funny thing about karma (action) is you can’t run from it, you have to deal with it now. So in our practice as we give ourselves kindness, gentleness, and compassion, then the pose gives us back kindness, gentleness, and compassion.  Forgiveness always erases karmic actions that hurt others. Because when we hurt others, we are hurting ourselves.  But the forgiveness has to be sincere and from the heart.  Just like our practice on the mat. We show up humbled, and sincere. And allow our breath to guide us in and out of the pose.  I noticed something very funny tonight. I learned somewhere and it doesn’t matter where, that when you work, you should look serious. So I caught myself breathing into a pose with a serious look and started giggling, “Good grief!” and how quickly the practice can humble us. How quickly we can be humbled by pride, by feeling right all the time, or by taking life to serious.

Life is experience, and experience on the mat is a great teacher. It teaches us as Joe said, “How to breath with the body on and off the mat.” The importance of breath in each pose, the importance of breath in life, and the importance of coming from our hearts in a sincere way.  Karma strikes when we least expect it, you may have harmed another life through lies, deceit, hate, unkindness, cheating, and think you got away, but nature teaches us, none us get away with it, nature balances things out.  So when others are unkind to us, observe how it feels, breath a couple of times, and respond from a different place. Sometimes it best to just walk away, and say nothing.  And send them good thoughts.  Because people who treat you unkindly are probably working through hurt and what looks like unkindness is a call for love. Most people who are hurting inside are calling out for love.  Life is not personal, the meaning we put on life makes it personal. So be gentle with your story, be gentle with yourself, and be gentle with people. Everyone is doing their best. At the end of your day, ask yourself, “How much did I love today? Did I love as much as I could? Did I hold back?” For yoga gives us the opportunity to express fully our love from the inside out.

Give love, give kindness, and give compassion…on to day 36…Namaste

 


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