Author: Shelley Lowther

In yogic philosophy, the Fifth Chakra, or energy center in the body, is the Vishuddha Chakra, or Throat Chakra.  It is located in the area of the throat and neck and is associated with knowledge and communication.     The word Vishuddha translates as  “The Pure Place.”  When we look at the idea of communication as “speaking our truth,” we have to qualify that speech.  We should always speak our truth, our satya, but we should also make an effort to speak that truth with wisdom and compassion.

As I was preparing for a workshop on the chakras, or the subtle energy centers of the body, I was struck by the meaning behind the Anahata Chakra, or the Heart Chakra.  Perhaps it was the proximity to Valentine’s Day, or maybe just the feeling in my heart that this chakra is the most important of all, but I found myself dwelling here.

We yogis often talk about Seva, or service, and the Yoga Community.   When we think of our yogic community, we envision something larger than ourselves as individuals.  We are a unified body of individuals, spectacularly unique, yet collectively in this life together, bound by more commonality than difference.  The yogic ideal is that all people in our community can benefit from and enjoy yoga in some form or fashion.  While true in our heart, in reality we often exclude a large portion of our geographic community from our Yoga Community on economic grounds.

  With the tragedy in Arizona monopolizing the air waves, I’ve been thinking a lot about ahimsa.  In yogic philosophy ahimsa, literally the avoidance of violence, is part of the Yamas, or restraints, that make up part of Ashtanga, or the eight-limbed path.  It is a philosophy that will seem very familiar to Christians and Western society, even if you have never heard of it before in the sense of a yogic tradition.

The New Year is symbolic of new beginnings, and as we shake off the holiday hangover, many of us are looking for a new perspective.  The practice of yoga can offer that fresh perspective to those who are searching for it. Over the last week, I have told my students that if we set an intention to approach things in our lives from a different perspective, we can achieve subtle, though often powerful, transformation in our lives.  By looking at things from a different angle, be it upside down or sideways, we can find a fresh approach.  Sometimes the same old linear model of pushing from Point A to Point B simply does not work, and the creative solution may lie on your yoga mat.

It’s resolution time, that time of year when we set often unattainable goals for ourselves, resulting in frustrating broken resolutions before the warmth of spring.  Most of the time, we don’t whisper these resolutions, but we shout them from the rooftops, creating a cacophony of broken promises to ourselves, and leaving a din of frustrating echoes that haunt us through the year.  This year, throw out the traditional resolutions of fad diets and binge exercise and come at things from a different perspective.  It’s okay to set goals, but also promise a few important things to yourself.  Be reasonable.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and real change is gradual.  You can, however, make small resolutions with big results.

As you wrap up the gifts for under the tree, does it ever feel like the holidays come pre-packaged with stress, making you unbalanced and irritable?  Even the excitement and anticipation of the holidays can cause undue stress on the body and mind, and believe it or not, our bodies don’t know the difference between good stress and bad stress.   The holidays often bring extraordinary stress to our lives such as dealing with difficult family members (can you say in-laws?), a higher than usual alcohol or food intake and just the need to get it all done.  How can we approach the holiday season in a yogic way, to make ourselves healthier and happier?

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.  – Henry Ward Beecher   Of the many lessons that I have learned on the mat, gratitude is perhaps among the most empowering.  Through a mindful yoga practice, we go through a gamut of emotions, including humility, acceptance, and the cultivation of gratitude. Gratitude is the sweetest way to live your yoga; when you are struggling or becoming self-defeating in your practice, gratitude can pull you through. It is the realization that each of us has been given an amazing gift; our bodies, minds, and hearts are unique and amazing, and we can instigate change, as Gandhi hoped, first within ourselves, then in the world.

Earlier this month, I read an article in the Associated Press about Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler,who is calling for Christians to abandon the practice of yoga.  Mohler poses (no pun intended) that yoga is incompatible with the teachings of Jesus, and that those who practice yoga are either denying what yoga is about, or they are ignoring the tenants of Christianity itself.

Last week at YogaFest, I was lucky to have my first formal Reiki experience.  Under the capable hands of Reiki Master Ifetayo White and practitioner Lisa Lowther, the healing power of Reiki swept into my life like a holistic tsunami. Reiki is an ancient hands-on healing method originating in Japan and Tibet that has been passed down from master to practitioner for centuries.  At a cellular level, we know that hands can be healing.  The soft touch of a friendly hand on your shoulder, the healing hands of a mother on her child— even if we cannot give words to the feeling that we get from a reassuring touch, there is no doubt that it can be powerful.