Category Archives: bhakti

Patience Pays…Wait.

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Yogi Bhajan, the great master of Kundalini Yoga, was a man of many wise aphorisms. You know them if you drink Yogi Tea undoubtedly.

One of my favorite lessons from Yogi Bhajan comes in his words about patience. This affirmation, or prayer, is sometimes used in Kundalini meditations and kriyas. It is mesmerizing and soothing to me. It is a comforting reminder, an order even, to trust in Grace, to embody myself fully, connect in with my best self and be receptive to the blessings. This requires surrender and pure faith.

Recently I’ve not been feeling so embodied, patient or happy with my day-to-day life. The process of looking for work has been challenging. Dealing with all the rejection from different shops and companies has been frustrating, to say the least. I really want to work, to be a part of a creative group environment, but it’s taking time to get there.

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Essential Oil of the Week: Tulsi

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Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a very powerful and sacred plant. Indiginous to India, parts of northern and eastern Africa as well as Taiwan, it is cultivated today all over Southeast Asia. It is also grown and venerated in Hindu temples around the world. If you’ve ever been to a Vaishnava temple, you will see the beautiful Tulsi-devi plant being lovingly cared for. Next to the lotus, tulsi is the most sacred plant in India. Tulsi-devi is regarded as a goddess and a consort to Lord Vishnu. Pujas and prayers are performed to her and the tulsi leaves are taken as a sacrament.

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Pain – Practice – Gratitude

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The past few days in my Ashtanga Yoga practice I’ve been struck with awe at the returned ease and joyful simplicity in my asanas. Since October I’ve been struggling with a very painful SI joint injury.  There were days when the spasms in my low back were so sharp and debilitating that I could barely make the shapes of any basic pose. It hurt to sit in the car, to stand up, to bend forward, to bend backwards….my back pretty much hurt constantly.

It was really frustrating and discouraging. Sometimes I could surrender to it and find patience and focus on other things. But often that catastrophe mindset would set in and I would begin to lament that my asana practice would never recover, would never be the same, would certainly never improve, that I would be stuck with this pesky pain for the rest of my life! I didn’t trust the practice, I didn’t trust my teachers and I was falling into fear.

But I kept practicing. I took a few extra days off here and there. I stopped trying to do dropbacks or leg behind the head stuff, I moved cautiously and slowly. I worked really hard with my teacher David while I was in India to build strength and to adapt my Second Series poses to bring more stability into my sacrum. Somedays it felt better, somedays it felt worse – there was no linear trajectory of healing with this injury. But I kept practicing….

And over the past few weeks, the pain is less and less noticeable. And now it’s gone, much to my surprise and relief. My practice is moving forward and even with these months of injury, it has improved in many ways. I have a new sense of awareness about my bandhas, the orientation and rotations of my legs in poses and of my own limits and needs in my personal practice.

I could have taken these past 6 months off practice. I could have fallen prey to my fears that the practice is just too hard, too dangerous, too much. But instead, I let the practice, in modified forms, heal me. My body is stronger for the work that I’ve put in during this time of injury. My faith is strengthened as well. My trust in the power of this tradition and this practice has been bolstered by this experience.

For all this I am so grateful.

I am grateful for my teacher David Garrigues for his amazing support and asana mastery.

I am grateful for my teachers Joan and Eric of Ashtanga Yoga Denver for their patience and open hearts.

And I’m so grateful for Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and the lineage of teachers who have shared this profound practice throughout the ages.

Blessings and Love.

Frances

PS – Today is the last day to enter into the Kharma Khare free yoga mat giveaway! DO it!

Attention, Intention and the Ultimate Drishti

Posted in bhakti, reflections, yoga by

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I’m home now from a truly fantastic weekend in San Diego at the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence. The whole thing was even better than I expected. It was delightful to see a few yoga friends and be surrounded by the energy and passion of all these dedicated practitioners and teachers. Having the focus of Ashtanga made it quite different from other yoga festivals and conferences I’ve attended before.

I practiced Mysore on Saturday and Sunday. The Mysore room was incredible with 4 of the main teachers adjusting with at least 4 other assisting teachers – super duper shakti! I got some great adjustments, including a kapotasana B adjustment with a towel around my upper back that offered so much space in my shoulder joints that I didn’t want it to stop – it felt so good! I’m never felt that way in kapo before.

The stories shared by the teachers were truly inspiring. I loved hearing all about Guruji, but it also made me a bit sad that I never got the chance to meet him. I kind of feel like I missed out! But the teachers each shared beautifully that Guruji’s energy is alive today in the practice and carried through in the lineage of the teaching. They each spoke sincerely about how his wisdom and love remains present in their own lives through the daily experience of practicing his teachings.

I loved David Swenson’s analogy of Guruji as a stately grandfather tree in the forest. When the tree falls, a huge space is left and nothing can fill in that hole. But, with the new opening in the canopy, all the little baby trees have room to shoot up and are fortified by the fertile ground created by the grandfather tree’s remnants. So sweet.

One other theme that was clear throughout all the workshops and panel discussions was the essential nature of yoga as a practice of attention and concentration. This is clear straight off the bat in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In Ashtanga we must pay attention to the tristana of breath, bandha and drishti and to the sensations in our bodies to ensure longevity and safety in asanas and cultivate self-awareness.

By learning to pay attention on the mat, we can begin to cultivate more attention in other aspects of our life. One day these bodies will crack and asana won’t be available anymore so it’s imperative to extend the practice of yoga beyond the physical shapes into the practices of conscious living, parenting, partnering and working in a positive and meaningful way in the world.

Eddie shared this by saying, “Through attention, we can live with intention.” From an intentional and conscious stance in our life, we can turn our focus to what really matters – to the ultimate drishti, the polestar for life – for as Guruji, “to see God everywhere.”

 

For more coverage and reflections on this wonderful event, check out the recent posts from Maria at Serene Flavorful and Bobbie Jo and Steve of The Confluence Countdown.

 

Love and Blessings,

Frances

The Ashtanga Yoga Confluence Ganesha Puja

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We are here in San Diego for the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence. It’s such a lovely place and I feel so grateful for this opportunity to practice with these gifted and devoted teachers. It all kicked off with a Ganesha puja led by Eddie Stern. Our amazing friend Sarah is here, among other awesome Ashtangis. Tomorrow we begin with a Led Primary Series with Dena Kinsberg!

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Love and Blessings,

Frances

The India Chronicles

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Anushree – the daughter of our landlord in India

Home at last! Our journey back to Denver was long and tiresome. We ended up stuck in Dubai for 26 hours. Luckily Emirates put us up in a hotel so we were able to rest, but I sure was happy to take off those traveling clothes last night! Our heater broke when we were gone, so we are bundled up in our down booties and jackets in our drafty 47 degree home right now. Quite different from the humid sweaty days in Kovalam.

Give me a few days to get back on my feet, but for now, here is a list of all my posts about being in India practicing Ashtanga Yoga with David Garrigues.

One week from today, we will be on another plane – this time to San Diego for the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence!

Stay tuned…

 

In the meantime, check out….

Ashtanga Adventures

Greetings from Kovalam

Our Kovalam ‘Hood

Thali Tuesday and Coconut Party Time

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Sand and Sea

Ashtanga Maniac

A Day in the Life

Working with my Inner Brat

Patience is a Virtue…I’m Working On It

Indian Snapshots

Pain, Sunburn, Laughter and a Sobfest

Italy in India

Are You Looking For Me?

Tips to Improve Your Ujjayi Breathing

Health-Changing Reads

I’m Digging This…

Unseasonal Rain

A Trivandrum Trip

How to Deal with the Inner Voices of Self-Criticism

And That’s A Wrap!

 

Hope you enjoy catching up on all the posts from India – Thanks for reading!

Blessings,

Frances

Are You Looking For Me?

Posted in beauty, bhakti, reflections, yoga by

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Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.

My shoulder is against yours.

You will not find me in the stupas, not in Indian shrine

rooms, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals:

not in masses, nor kirtans, not in legs winding

around your own neck, nor in eating nothing but

vegetables.

When you really look for me, you will see me

instantly –

you will find me in the tiniest house of time.

Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God?

He is the breath inside the breath.

 

-Kabir

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Italy in India.

Posted in bhajans, bhakti, nourishment, photography, reflections, travel, yoga by

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Last night was one of the most delightful experiences of our Indian adventure so far.

We gathered together to celebrate the birthday of our dear friend and fellow Ashtanga yoga student Lauren.

She has an awesome yoga blog as well – check it out: Western Mind Eastern Thinking.

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L kicking back birthday-girl style

I commandeered the ship somehow and had the honor of pulling together a little party for her.

We gathered at the Paradesh Inn here in Kovalam, Kerala. Paradesh is a magical spot and and a very well-kept secret. They don’t have a website and are not easy to get in touch with, but nevertheless, the power of word of mouth keeps this lovely inn booked straight for months. And when you get the chance to spend a little time there, it’s no surprise why.

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Arriving at Paradesh is like stepping into another land. It is distinctly not Indian. The large white house sits on the edge of a hill, overlooking the ocean with a wide-angle view, perfect for watching the sunset. It is breezy, all white and blue like a house on Mykonos. The proprietors are an Italian couple who have lived in India off and on for 30 years. They are Gaudiya Vaishnavas, devotees of Radha-Krishna. They are the most welcoming and kind people.

We began our evening on the rooftop terrace, chanting the Mahamantra and other beautiful bhajans led by one of our hosts, Madhava Narsimha Das. Kirtan with friends is always a great way to start off Friday night in my opinion!

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After we sang our little hearts out, including a rendition of George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” (one of my all-time favorite songs), we gathered at a long table to begin our feast. Homemade, super fresh lasagna. It was such a treat!

I wish I had photos of dinner, but I was too wrapped up in the party to pull my camera out, and even if I had, the photos would have been a bit shoddy. Although we felt like we on the Mediterranean Sea, the power cuts of India were still active.

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Channeling my mother, I had everyone go around the table, one by one, and share with the group one thing for which they were grateful for about this trip in India and one thing in particular they love and admire about Lauren. You have to shower the birthday girl with love!

More courses arrived – beautiful fresh vegetarian food all made by hand by our Italian hostess. The salad with peppers, brocoli, avocado and grilled eggplant roulades was like heaven on earth after weeks of masala spiced gravies and cooked vegetables. To top it off, a birthday tiramisu and tisanes. The best part of this feast is that each dish is Lord Jagannath’s prasadam – blessed food.

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All in all, a beautiful and laughter-filled evening in honor of a dear friend.

Very grateful for these bonding experiences with our yoga community here in Kovalam.

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Love Frances

Introducing: Bhakti Chai

Posted in bhakti, health by

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Hi dear readers.

Super exciting news today.

Lila has a new sponsor – Bhakti Chai! 

Bhakti Chai is a Boulder, CO based company that microbrews, you guessed it, kick-ass chai with an awesome message.

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I’ve been a major fan of this fiery and delicious elixir for a number of years now. When I was doing my Kundalini Yoga TT in Boulder in 2008, we would rush over to Whole Foods after our early morning sadhana for a cup of Bhakti Chai. At this time, it was only available in certain areas of Colorado. Then, when I was living on the East Coast for 2 years, my husband would order a box of Bhakti to be sent from CO for my birthday and Christmas. This was always one of my favorite gifts.

Bhakti Chai is, without a doubt, bomb-diggity – the absolute perfect blend of sweet and spicy.

Bhakti Chai has grown in a sustainable and grass-roots manner into a successful business, staying true to the original mission of responsible social action and high-quality products made with love. Bhakti Chai is alway brewed using Fair Trade, non-GMO and certified organic ingredients. As a company they have prioritized zero waste manufacturing and dedicated part of their profits to supporting various nonprofit organizations serving women, girls and the environment.

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The founder of Bhakti Chai, Brook Eddy, was inspired to start making this delicious drink from her experiences in Northern India studying the devotional and service-oriented path of Bhakti Yoga in the early oughts. Home-brewing chai began as a way for her to remember the evocative scents of India but quickly grew into a small industry once her friends and family got a hold of the delicious tea. To read more about the story of this wonderful business, click HERE.

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The kick that gives Bhakti Chai its distinct and authentic taste comes from a perfect blend of health-enriching and antioxidant- supercharged spices such as cardamon, black pepper, fennel, clove and fresh ginger juice. These spices fuel the digestive fires – agni – warming you from the inside to keep your digestion strong and healthy. This spicy blend mixed with Fair-Trade, organic black tea packs a punch when it comes to cancer-fighting antioxidants.

025Unlike many common chai blends found in America, it is not loaded with refined sugars, syrups or preservatives. Personally, I find many of these types of chai, like the kind you would get at Starbucks, too sicky-sweet and totally unlike any chai I’ve ever tasted in India.

Bhakti Chai is authentic – it lets the taste of the tea and spices do the talking.

Bhakti Chai can be bought in concentrate or in small bottles pre-blended with soy milk for an on-the-go pick me up. There is an unsweetened option available in the concentrate (my preference) as well as a de-caffeinated version (Thad’s choice) and there’s even a coffee-chai blend for those who want to fly to the moon and back. :)

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I love to whisk together, on the stove-top, unsweetened almond milk and unsweetened BC with a spoonful of coconut sugar as my morning treat. I also adore tossing a splash of Bhakti into my vegan pancakes and french toast batter. So yummy! Check out all these other fun recipes you can make with Bhakti Chai.

When Thaddeus and I decided to move back to CO last year, I asked him, “What are you most looking forward to about being back out west?”

To which he replied, “Snow and Bhakti Chai.”

It’s that good.

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Thad enjoying his morning Bhakti…this photo still cracks me up! 

Check to see where you can find Bhakti Chai locally

Or shop online!

products_GROWLERS_1Thanks Bhakti Chai for supporting Lila blog!

Blessings to all,

Frances

(all images from Bhaktichai.com, except the pic of my hubby’s butt – that’s mine and mine alone..hehe)

What’s Inspiring Me Today…

Posted in bhajans, bhakti, music!, reflections, yoga by

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Remembering Shyam Das – a true Bhakta so full of love, devotion and a real gift for sharing this with others. His kirtans at Bhakti Fest were always some of the best. He left his body in India yesterday and he will be very missed. He opened the hearts of so many people with his hilarious yet deep stories and perfectly bhav-bubbling-over kirtans. There are many beautiful words and stories floating around today about Shyam-ji. This post from Krishna Das is especially moving. Haribol!

This video of B.K.S. Iyengar as a young man practicing awe-inducing asana. I find these old silent films of the Krishnamacharya’s devoted students absolutely awesome – way more cool than the groovy tuned, scantily-clad yoga-girl videos so prevalent on the web today.

David Garrigues talking about pain and injury in Ashtanga Yoga. I needed to hear this today. My SI pain has been acting up a bit, so it’s good to have this reminder….still trying to figure out what the lesson inherent is….but no doubt about it, pain is real.

I’ve been into digging through fanciful assorted images of dancers, actresses, antique prints and other oddities on the web recently. I’ve been compiling a board on Pinterest of some of my favorites.

 

What’s been inspiring you recently?

Love and Blessings,

Frances

 

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