Happy...Here....Now

Good morning,

First, take a moment to enjoy this beautiful blue sky. I took this pic on my last trip to Mexico. Oh...so sweet!

Yesterday & today my thoughts have been coming back to santosha, one of the niyamas. Typically you will find this translated to mean 'contentment'.

But what does it truly mean to be content? It sounds rather easy...but really, how often do you find yourself at a place of of contentment in your body, in your life, in your own mind? How often can you find your thoughts NOT racing to the next thing, or not worried about the future?

Seems in meditation this week a sense of peaceful contentment has been my experience. And realizing that peace makes me so much more aware of how other parts of my day are, well....to be completely honest, not so full of contentment.

Many of us can find ourselves at times looking to the past, looking to the future, spending lots of energy trying to makes sure we get what we think we want, looking to improve our 'now' experience. But really, in truth, doesn't all this serve to take us further away from the present?

If you are honest and ask yourself when thoughts come up for you, you may find that lots of your anxiety and frustration comes from the past or the future. If you really examine these thoughts, you might discover, like I do, that in the present most of the time the past and my experiences in the past are not really there for me in that moment. It's the thoughts about the past that are! And if I find myself dwelling on the future, I remember to remember that I've tried to make the future one way...and how did it turn out? The way it was going to anyway...with or without my effort. The control we have when it comes to our future experience is really limited. (Although our thinking minds would like to say WE have control!)


How much time are you really present in your life?



And if you aren't in the present living your life, who is??



All we really have control over are our thoughts and our reactions to them.


Become your own detective!!

In class I'll say "breathe" or "be aware of your breath". Truly these are hints to help bring folks back the present. And even on my own mat in my practice, I continue with these helpful hints to myself. And I think the more you examine your life, the more you can be your own guide to the gift that is the present.

So, if you're up for it...take some time to consider this post. Ask yourself and honestly see the answer to the question "How often are you truly present?" and see what you see. Don't ask yourself questions you think you already know the answer to. Be present.

Who knows, maybe you get a different experience today if you are open to the possibility.

May you find contentment and acceptance in every breath, with each moment, and with yourself.

Love & light,
Marianne

Mats!

Namaste! Today I wanted to post my recommendations for yoga mats. As a teacher, I get lots of questions from students about mats. So, to my dear students & friends: here ya go!

I spent YEARS looking for just the right mat for my practice. I can't tell you the number of mats I bought & slid around on. And most yoga mats (the sticky kind) are made of PVC. On those mats, they would flatten when my hands/feet where on them so much, it was like not even having a mat. Oh my poor hips in Dhanurasana!

After lots of different mats, I finally found my favorites. And, I gave away the mats I didn't like.

Here are my top two:

1) Harmony Yoga Mats by Jade Yoga. Find out more about them here:http://www.jadeyoga.com/store/home.php

My take: This mat holds a special place in my heart. It was the first one I can say worked! The first one I didn't slip on. I put my hands down, and they stay there! This is the one I use when I teach. I use it when I teach simple because it's not as heavy as the Manduka mat below. Although, after much use, it's started to show some wear. I still don't care, I love this mat...and will buy others in the future. I like it because I don't slide, and it's rubber...so it has more cushion than my old mats. It feels better because it doesn't "give" as much.
Costs: Around $50 retail

2) The Manduka mat, aka theTaj Mahal of yoga mats here: http://www.amazon.com/Manduka-71-Inch-Yoga-Mat-Black/dp/B0000DZFXZ

My take: This mat is great! It's the one I recently purchased after hearing from MANY yoga teachers that this was THE mat to have. It's heavy though; it weighs almost 7 pounds!! Because of the weight, this one stays home on my floor for home practice. I don't slide, it's SUPER thick, and it's supposed to last forever. And from the ones I've seen, I believe it will. Downside: you pay extra for the Taj Mahal of yoga mats. This one costs almost $80. But, if you consider all the mats I've bought, I'm more than paid for it in awful mats!

So, check them out & see what you think. The Harmony mat is now available in 3 thicknesses. :o) BOTH of these are better for the environment than the PVC mats. Since they last longer, they are less likely to end up in landfills. But yes, both of these are more expensive than the PVC mats. You pay for quality.

If you decide you want a Harmony mat, I am set up to purchase these wholesale. If I can get an minimun order of 4 mats, I can get them cheaper than the retail price listed above. All these prices are before shipping costs, of course. Email me if interested!

These 2 mats are the only mats that get the Yoga with Marianne stamp of approval currently. You can use PVC mats...some are better than others, but if you want a good mat, and you plan to stick with yoga and want your hands to stick in Downward Facing Dog, then go ahead & invest a little more.

Your wrists, hips and knees will thank you!

Happy Yogaing!

Quote for today...

"Meditation stirs up the dirt on the bottom of the pond. So at first the water seems murky, muddy, worse than it was. But over time, it clears and becomes a crystal pool."

Ahhh...don't you just love crystal pools?