Let Go of a Past Love & Find New Love Using Meditation

We all must learn to let go at some point in our lives, since nothing is permanent. Letting go of a certain past relationship has always been especially hard for me. I realized it was a problem when a couple years went by and I still had not found anyone, and was unable to move on. I was terribly unhappy because I was holding on to the hope that I would reunite with him in the future.  I realized my unhappiness was a result of my inability to live in the present moment.  I was so focused on the past and the future that I was not enjoying myself in day to day life. I was not creating or pursuing new relationships, which was really unhealthy for me.

One of my yoga instructors said during class that sometimes when we try to force ourselves into a certain pose, our body reacts by tensing up, making the pose more difficult. She said that sometimes we have to let go, and just let the body do what it wants. She said sometimes when we try to hold on to something really tightly, we chase it away even further from ourselves, on and off the mat.

When trying to let go of a past love, I've found that it helps to write down in a journal all the wonderful things you loved about this person, and all the things that were problematic and led to the demise of the relationship. After writing this, it helps to make a list of all the qualities of an ideal soulmate. I did these things at the suggestion of a book called "Love Will Find You: 9 Magnets to Bring You and Your Soulmate Together" by Kathryn Alice. The suggested exercises in the book are a form of meditation in my opinion, since you are first letting go of any past loves you are holding on to, and then focusing your energy on your future soulmate. Believe it or not, within a month of reading the book and doing the suggested exercises, I met a wonderful person who I am now dating! This is the first person I've really liked since the relationship I was unable to let go of and has all the qualities on the list I made!

Once you let go and open your heart to love, love really will find you!  :)  And what a wonderful feeling it is!!!  

Have you or are you having a similar experience?  I'd love to hear about it.  

Namaste.

How Yoga Taught Me to Accept Change

These are hard times for many people.  The global economic crisis has affected countless people, including myself.  I, like many others right now, am at a crossroads in my life right now.  I feel that this is my chance to make the changes in my life that would make me more in tune with my heart and spiritual calling.  Yoga and meditation has taught me that instead of seeing this as a negative, I can see it as a chance to re-assess my values, and an opportunity for amazing changes in the entire world.  

Some people are very resistant to change, but I believe that periods of change can also be considered periods of metamorphosis.  Just as the butterfly awaits in the dark cocoon until it's ready to fly out, sometimes we have to go through dark periods in our life until we grow and fully develop, at which point we are ready to fly out into the world changed.  Only then can we become who we wanted to be all along.

Also, in difficult times in our lives, sometimes we have to reach out to others and ask for help.  We have to let go of our pride and our ego, and surrender to the direction our hearts are taking us.  On the flip side, hard times also require us to help others - whether by volunteering, providing a shoulder to lean on, thinking of them during meditation, or just by giving someone a deep hug that energizes them.  I know my yoga practice was a way for me to reach out and ask for help during difficult times in my life, and I am so happy I did!

"Yoga" is sometimes defined as "to unite" and right now more than ever, we need to unite, and set our intentions to those less fortunate than us.  No matter what else changes, I am grateful for my health, my amazing family and friends, and the beautiful world I live in.   

What are you grateful for?  Send positive energy to these aspects of your life during your yoga practice.  

Namaste.    

 

Anusara Yoga Workshop in San Francisco this Weekend!

Ross Rayburn, of Yoga Tree, is having a three day workshop on the Universal Principles of Alignment focusing on the Three Primary Principles. The workshop is being held Friday March 6th, Saturday March 7th, and Sunday March 8th for a few hours each day.  This looks like a great workshop to work on a more focused Anusara practice.  

For more information, check out Yoga Tree's website by clicking here.  

Anyone attending this event?  

Mind Over Matter

While I was in Bali, I met a man who climbed the Mount Ugung volcano (about 20,000 feet) anywhere from 2-5 times a week. He would guide tourists up the mountain at night, carrying all the necessary supplies for a midnight hike, and he knows the hiking paths by heart. While hiking up the mountain, when we were near the top, I almost backed out. I told him I was too scared of heights to go any further. He simply said "Mind over matter. Man is stronger than rock, there's no reason to be afraid of the mountain. Just think about positive things."

Half an hour later, I was at the top of the mountain, eating breakfast and coffee with my friends and an amazing view in the background. Little did he know how powerful and meaningful these words would be for me.

That day on the mountain, I learned that my thoughts can truly liberate me from my own limiting fears. Sometimes the only thing stopping us is our own negativity, our own fears, and our own anxieties. Much of the time, we create unnecessary boundaries for ourselves in our friendships, careers, relationships, and our lives out of fear.

I have found that this can also be true in yoga practice. Sometimes a pose will look difficult or will be displeasing to me, and I will not put in the effort to overcome the limitations I set for myself. Just by setting my intention to do a pose that I find particularly difficult, I have been able to overcome these limitations. This has taught me that I can also overcome fears in other areas of my life by setting my intentions to do so. What a powerful thought!

Say no to fear, and say yes to life!

Namaste.

Welcome!

Welcome to ShantaYoga! This blog is all about yoga. Whether you are a teacher, a practitioner, or just curious, this blog will discuss yoga news, philosophy, poems, asanas, meditation, local events, as well as my own personal experiences with yoga - physical, mental, and spiritual.

My goal on this blog is to spread and share awareness of the joyful illumination that yoga can bring to a person’s life. I encourage thoughtful input and discussion by visitors.

Enjoy reading!

Namaste.