Last night was the first full moon of the new year.  In honor of this spectacular occasion I attended Kirtan, or a form of Bhakti Yoga (devtional yoga) at Exhale Yoga Studio on Venice.  The event was hosted by Shiva Rae and Jai Uttal and special guest David Stringer.  Kirtan is a form of Bhakti Yoga that involves call and response with it being a group effort.  There is Mantra, live music and lots of divine energy.  The vibe last night was amazing with an invocation meditation led by Shiva Rae for the new year.  I was beside myself with adulation.  I have been listening to Jai’s music as well as playing his music in my yoga classes and in my car for a number of years.  We began with easy mantra and then as the drum beat started the energy in the room was electric.  I only lasted a little while sitting on the floor.  Before I knew it the dance began.  I found my friend and fellow yogini Kamala dancing in the back of the room and joined her.  Before long Sammy, Marla and Simone were up and dancing.  Pretty soon the entire room was full of celebration, dance and sweat.  I like to call it “Nataranj” (The dancer).  You just can’t help but move.  Live music does something to you and you just can’t stop moving when the drum beat begins.  After each mantra/dance there was a calm that washed over the room.  Still with the energy, calm in the movement.  I cannot think of a better way to begin the new year.  Singing, dancing, playing…it’s good to be here.

I just returned from a vacation in sunny Puerto Rico.  It is a beautiful island, and if you’ve never been it’s part of the Caribbean.  Funny thing about Puerto Rico is there are many differing opinions on what it is.  If you go to Wikipedia it says it’s a Free Associated State.  What?? OK, basically what I was told by people that live there.  “Americans” and PRIcans is that it is associated with the U.S. It has a long history with that good old Christopher Columbus as well as Ponce De Leon. It was discovered, conquered, and then let be.  What?? Again, confusing in how does it relate to the U.S. Here’s the very abbreviated version.  Puerto Rico has it’s own flag, kids are taught English as a second language in schools…Spanish being first (or Spanglish), they do not have to pay federal taxes because they are not technically a state, remember we have 50 states, not 51.  They can vote in the Primary election for president but not the “real” election.  They get many of the benefits we have, they make almost all our pharmaceuticals, and they can claim Ricky Martin, and Benicio Del Toro (love him), Rita Moreno, Marc Anthony, J Lo…and on and on.

Still confused? Hope this helps…you do not need a passport.  Well that’s what they tell the tourists.  And there are a lot of tourists.  In the two weeks I was there I was able to see much of the island, with the exception of the Island of Culebra (a must see) and the Bio luminescent Bay (another big attraction).  There are historical places such as Old San Juan with it’s amazing forts that make you feel as though you stepped back in time.  These forts border the city and gives spectacular views.  Breathtaking actually, I tend to be a bit fearful of heights, with views of the city and of the Island of Bacardi…yes the rum factory is right there.  The only thing really disturbing this beautiful town is the presence of massive cruise ships.  This is a main port and tourist attraction of the Caribbean.  These ships are massive and tend to block much of the city’s quaint cobblestone streets and old buildings.  All in all there is a lot of history and fun people watching.

Another part of the island I visited is on the West Coast town of Rincon.  Yes, just like our Rincon just south of Carpenteria.  While in Puerto Rico I was able to brush up on my Spanish and was elated to be tested even just ordering coffee.  Not so in Rincon.  I don’t think anyone spoke Spanish at all.  I was told it’s a place where the Ex-Pats go to stay forever. (But wait are they ex-pats?)  It is a huge surf town with Maria’s being the place to be, with Steps being the place for scuba diving and everywhere else for those of of who like Sandy Bottom beaches.  It reminded me a lot of how Hawaii was 10 years ago when I was living there.  People fall in love with the idea of making their permanent home there and then realize there’s not much else going on.  Been there, done that.  Me, I like a city as long as there is a beach nearby.  I can always leave if it get’s to be to much.

Needless to say on this last minute vacation I met some amazing people, found a great yoga community headed by a David Kyle of “It’s Yoga, Peurto Rico”, met a great family from Kansas City, KS who made me wish I was a part of their family, swam in warm water, read a lot, ate even more…lots of fried food, yum!, and was able to relax.  This relaxing on vacation is a new concept to me and I found I was able to enjoy it fully and completely.  I will definitely be going back this time with a visit to the outer islands Viejas and Culebra.

Viva La Vida!!!

Having just moved to Santa Monica from Redondo Beach I am experiencing something new.  Yoga is alive and well on the westside.  Not that the South Bay doesn’t have it’s fair share of yoga studios.  But never have I seen so many people with sticky mats.  Everywhere people walk, ride bikes, skateboard, and sprint with their mats in tow.  All shapes, sizes, and ages on their way to or from a yoga class.  Maybe they are going to a studio, or the park or maybe the beach to have their practice alone or with a group.  Whatever it is, yoga has most definitely caught on.

Six years ago when I made the decision to take a yoga teacher training and learn more about what makes me feel so good, it was still a bit of a novelty.  People who know me, I am a bit of a tree hugger at heart, knew that this was my calling.  Still there were those who were doubtful.  What is this yoga thing, they asked, “you went to college, you have a degree.  Why don’t you get a real job?”  I would answer with, “well all I know is I love how I feel when I practice”, and I like to teach from that place.  I love how I feel when I take a class, whether it’s a meditation class or a challenging vinyasa class.  I love unrolling my mat and come to my practice.  I love the ritual of creating and on this mat for 90 minutes I am able to experience joy, pain, elation, excitement, deflation, vocalization, utter defeat and complete calm.  I don’t know any other way to have this experience other than my yoga practice.  This is why I teach.  I teach because I know the experience and love to be a voice there for others have their own experience.  With gentle guidance or assisting in a pose it’s all there to experience.

As I make the transition to teaching on the Westside I feel all the emotions of when I first began as a brand new teacher.  I feel a bit nervous but excited to share my knowledge.  I feel that my mind is open to having a new experience and am able to share as well as learn from students who are new to me.  I look forward to my new teachers and those students who will be new to me.  I look forward to embracing the new and I look forward to learning from my mistakes.

“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is the truth that we share with one another when we are being uncool”-Phillip Semour Hoffman, line from the movie Almost Famous

During the calender school year for the last four years I have had the fortune of being a part of the P.E. Department at Vistamar High School in El Segundo.  At this Independent High School the teenagers are able to choose Yoga as their P.E. elective.  For one hour 3 times a week they come in and we meditate, practice pranayama (breathing), and move through different sequences of asanas (postures).  I think back to my high school and remember dreading P.E. and having to dress out in green and white, our school colors.  It wasn’t that bad, really, it’s just that I didn’t gel so much with Tennis or Track or volleyball, which I actually came to love as an adult.  Being anywhere between the ages of 13-18 is an emotional time with hormones and the pressures of test, peers, and trying to get into the the right school to determine your future.  I do remember my mother trying to get me to meditate as a teenager to help me relax and take things in stride and I would just look at her funny.  Now as an adult I look at these kids and think how far we have come and how lucky they are.  They come into the classroom, unroll their mats, sit still in a circle, eyes closed in complete silence for the first 5 minutes.  Do you ever remember doing that in 9th or 10th grade?  Especially in front of your peers?  Times have definitely changed.  These 12 teenagers, boys and girls, look forward to coming to yoga.  Most of the time they want to just have savasana (final relaxation).  So last week one of the boys, Noah, asked if he could pick our savasana music.  He had his ipod so he plugged it into the speakers.  His choice…”Comfotably Numb” by Pink Floyd.  I couldn’t help but smile.