A yogi with implants December 18, 2008
Posted by admin in : Health Tags:8 Limbs, awareness, breast augmentation, breast implants, ethical guidelines, insecure, integrity, judgments, non-injury, Pantanjali, self-conscious, yoga philosophy, yoga teacher , 4commentsThere seems to be a lot of controversy in the yoga community as to whether or not a yogi should undergo breast augmentation, but who is to say what is right or wrong when it comes to someone else’s body? We all have the freedom to do as we choose, but yogis tend to be judged more harshly because having something artificial surgically implanted in the body does not fall in line with the basic core principals of the traditional yogic lifestyle, as described in the Yoga Sutra of Pantanjali.
I found myself at a crossroad about a year ago when I went in for a consultation to speak to a plastic surgeon about getting implants. I spent hours on the internet researching everything there was to know and there was a ton of comprehensive information on what type of implants to get, what size, risks, costs, sensitivity, side effects, types of incisions, saline vs. silicone, complications, testimonials, and how to choose the right plastic surgeon, but nothing made mention to the fact that my body would spend the rest of its life trying to break down the silicone-rubber shells because the body’s ego-system would never accept the implants as part of the natural order of life within the body.
No matter which way I looked at it or how I tried to rationalize it in my mind, the bottom line was I was going to pay thousands of dollars for something I wasn’t even sure my body would accept. Had it been a year sooner, I probably would have done it, but I was being pulled towards a more holistic way of living and my conscience would no longer allow me to go through with it. It seemed hypocritical for me to preach about how bad partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and paraben chemicals were for the body and then turn around and have artificial breasts implanted in mine. It seemed to go against everything I believed in as a yogi so I had to consider my reasoning for wanting to get it done and what the implications would be if I went through with it.
Yoga wasn’t just about the physical asana practice…it was about every aspect of my being. It was about making an effort to live up to a certain standard that supported an overall healthy disposition because yoga wasn’t just an age-old sacred practice, but a healing art and highly respected philosophy. The Eight Limbs of Yoga, as described by Pantanjali, seemed to endorse an overall healthy lifestyle and a more fulfilling and meaningful life so I could easily see how following the 10 steps could lead to virtuous transformation and self-realization. I wanted to uphold the core values as closely as possible and getting implants didn’t seem to be in integrity with the values I was trying to uphold as a yogi.
I really wanted to go through with the surgery, but I also wanted to embody the art of right living and the sacred union between the mind, body, and spirit as much as possible so I realized I needed to look at the root of why I was feeling self-conscious and heal whatever insecurities I had before making the decision to move forward.
Through a committed yoga practice, I got more in touch with my body and in the process, I learned how to love myself and build confidence I never had growing up. I finally felt good in my body for the first time in years and although I still wanted the surgery, I made the decision not to go through with it, but that’s not to say others should do the same, as we are all walking along different spiritual paths. We need to make decisions based on what’s best for our own bodies and it’s not for anyone else to judge.
We live in a world where beautiful models and porn stars are idolized, but even they are not perfect. We all have insecurities or hang-ups and we can’t compare ourselves to the celebrities we see on television. Our world is so judgmental; it’s no wonder we never feel good enough. It was important for me to be able to love myself and be happy in my own body so I had to let go of the self-defeating thought patterns I had grown accustomed to as a child.
Everybody has the right to feel beautiful and if that means undergoing surgery than so be it. It’s just important to think long and hard about what’s right for you because breast augmentation is a big decision and you might be judged as a yogi, but it’s your body so it’s your decision…just make sure you’re making an informed decision so there are no regrets later.
Yoga Teacher Training June 25, 2008
Posted by admin in : Yoga Tags:balance, Eight Limbs of Yoga, meditate, Pantanjali, pranayama, purification, transformation, yoga teacher training , 3comments
Yoga Teacher Training is a remarkable journey! I graduated the 200 hour course at Peachtree Yoga Center in February 2008 and then went directly in to the Advanced Teacher Training program. Combined, these courses literally revolutionized the way I live. At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to get out of it, but I knew intuitively it was something I needed to do.
I went in thinking I knew who I was, but found out there was a completely different person beneath all the layers of memories, experiences and influences programmed from the past. I spent my whole life reacting to life and then suffering from the consequences of my reactions. My mind defined me according to my career, material possessions, relationships, social status, and other things that lived outside of me (having nothing to do with “me”).
Teaching Training explored not just the physical, but the emotional, the mental, and the energetic body. We were given the proper tools to get in and change old self-defeating thought patterns and emotional programming. This purification led me to a place of stillness and balance. I didn’t realize the importance of Pantanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga until I took the course and was taught the value of incorporating these principals of moral conduct in to my everyday life. It wasn’t just about the physical practice or learning how to teach the poses. It was about being ethical and having integrity and living life from a place of authenticity. It was about having self-discipline and detaching from the external world and the roles we play . It was about breathing and cultivating a sense of internal awareness of who we are beyond the labels and material possessions. It was about concentration and meditation. It was about enlightenment being a journey and not a destination.
It was about finding a delicate balance of effort and inertia. I spent years trying to achieve a place of equanimity where the lows weren’t so low and the highs weren’t so high, but it wasn’t until teacher training that I learned how to achieve a place of stillness amongst the activity of every day life. I didn’t want to become a monk and go live in the mountains and meditate. I wanted to live every day life with every day people without being attached or having expectations or letting the world’s suffering affect me. I wanted to experience life from a place of peace. I wanted to dance with life and breathe in to existence without feeling fear or anger for all the ignorance.
The 8 limbs helped me understand why balance was so important and why asanas on their own couldn’t bring a state of equanimity. It was an enriching and profound discovery that led me to adopt these principals personally and professionally. The mediation and pranayama played a huge component in my transformation. By use of a mantra I was able to empower myself to go beyond the ensuing thoughts. I was able to drop in to a place of silence where I experienced an eternal freedom. I found a place of stillness where there was infinite possibilities and untold wisdom. Once you know who you are the world opens up to you…the sky’s the limit. The world becomes yours because you realize you are the world and the world is you…there is no separation of self and the whole…there is no longer an ”I.” It’s about union…the divine whole of all the individual counterparts that make up the universe.
When you reach this place, which is your true essential nature, everything in your life changes. Your relationships improve because you finally have the ability to communicate from a place of truth and truth is always about love…loving yourself and the world in which we live. It makes you a better teacher because you are practicing what you teach.
I will be forever in debt and utterly grateful to my divine teachers at Peachtree. Teacher Training gave me a safe space to do the work I needed to grow and open my eyes to something far greater than anything I ever expected. I weaved myself a little cocoon where I went deep within myself and flew out a beautiful radiant butterfly who was finally free. Peachtree is the Mother Tree and Graham and Ursula are the inner being of that tree. They are the soul of the studio and they speak the truth…they live the truth…they are the truth. They truly get it and they dedicate their lives unselfishly to helping others find their own truth…their internal light…the light that shines out from within.