Live passionately; hold nothing back.

And when the moment is over,

And our work is done,

We step back and let go.”

~ Rolf Gates

With continued yoga practice, one typically learns several types of breath ranging in style, length and type. Some are heating; others are cooling. Some amp you up and some slow you down. Most beginner yoga classes teach fairly simple pranayamas like three part breath and Ujjayi, for focus and control. Since taking that first yoga class, and continuing my studies over the years, I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve come back to my breath OFF the mat.

My breath helps me get to sleep at night.

My breath calms me down when I’m upset.

My breath centers and re-energizes me when working.

My breath brings me into the now.

My breath is one of the biggest blessings in my life.

I am completely annoyed when I’m sick and cannot breathe. I am off balance, un-centered and aggravated, in addition to not feeling well.

And yet, as much as I know how much I am blessed with the ability to take long, deep breaths, I know I also sometimes take that gift for granted.

I know that because I know someone who struggles to breathe ON A DAILY BASIS because she only has 30 to 40 percent of her lung’s capacity available to her.

Her name is Jessica and she is a beautiful 33 year old mother of two who was born with Cystic Fibrosis. This terrible disease, along with the medicine she’s taken over the course of her life have caused other health issues such as a gastro intestinal disorder, the most severe case of diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver. Yet, she never complains and has an amazing outlook on life. Her condition has worsened over the years and will continue to do so unless she gets a double lung transplant.

Jessica and her husband Chris (who I work with) have been making trips to the Cleveland Clinic over the past year for a number of assessments to determine the immediate need. One of the qualifications they must meet for the lung transplant is the ability to raise $60,000 for living and medical expenses during the 2 to 12 months they’ll be required to live in Cleveland during and after the transplant. They’ve formed a foundation called Hope for Jessica and have partnered with COTA (Children’s Organ Transplant Association) to accomplish this goal. A benefit is organized and scheduled for this Saturday at Woodward Avenue Brewers in Ferndale, Michigan. Several other events are scheduled to raise money for Jessica, including yoga classes, bowling, massage and more.

To date, they’ve raised almost $18,000, but they have a long way to go.

I write this post as an appeal to you. If you are a yogi, you know the value of breath. You know the blessing it continually gives to your life. Value and cherish it, and in an act of kindness, please help me help Jessica with the opportunity to have the same. A double lung transplant will give her the ability to do so many things she’s never been able to do in her lifetime.

If you’ve found this post, ANY AMOUNT you can give will get them one step closer to their goal. Please give today and share this post, along with the Hope for Jessica site and Facebook page with all of your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Spread the word. Dedicate your yoga practice to Jessica, sending love and good thoughts her way. All she’s already gone through, and will have to endure in the coming months are more than most of us could ever imagine.

Easily take your next full breath, retain it, let it out slowly and enjoy the immediate sensation and profound effect.

Help Jessica do the same.

There is no gift more precious than breath.

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you would know that I had some super trying times in 2010. Without going into great detail, the times were life changing. Luckily more positives than negatives prevailed.

One “birth” that occurred was my new found faith in God. I began attending church after a long absent stint, and started to grow in unfathomable ways. Instead of constantly returning to the turmoil and strife that I’d felt in the situation, I realized I didn’t need it. I realized that it wasn’t what God intended for me. I became happy, for no apparent reason – or so I thought. I realized I only need to surrender my life – instead of forcing it the way I’d done so many times before. After months of deep soul searching, more devastation when I thought the worst was over, and not knowing where to turn, my faith became even more sealed. Often times a death must occur before true birth can take place. God was doing that to me, little by little, day by day.

Truth is truth and anything less falls short for me now.

Yoga teaches us to ground, but on and in what? I wasn’t feeling very grounded with ONLY yoga and the yoga philosophy that soothed me in the past. I still turn to it. It still resonates and feels true when digested and integrated with the Word.

At the end of last year, I began to dive deeper not only in the church but in my own experience of the Word. I needed more. I needed to learn and understand what I had been missing for the majority of my life. I found a church home that finally fit (after attending many that were just wrong for me) and started to GET REAL about my faith, my writing and my journey. I finally narrowed down a book topic that excited me and began doing some research, only to find that so much was already written. I was – and still am so energized by it all. I am energized again the way I was when I first discovered yogic philosophy. So much has been written. There is so much to learn. One could never “arrive” and master an understanding of it all in a lifetime. I didn’t realize how true that was about God as well. I love that I will be learning and growing for the rest of my life. It enthralls me like nothing else.

In October of 2011, I enrolled in a Holy Yoga Teacher Training and for the first time in a long time felt at home – in my body, with my soul. I found what I’d been searching for, for so long. At the same time, I started a new website without making it public, and began to put the pieces together. NOW IS THE TIME. This post is to introduce you to my new baby . . .  my Holy Yoga Immersion will be ending next week and I’ll be attending a retreat in May, after which time I’ll be offering Holy Yoga classes. Visit the HY website (linked above) to learn more.

Most importantly, please visit my new website, Yoga Prayer to follow me on this journey, and “like” my Facebook page to stay up-to-date. Thank you for your love, encouragement and support. I am ever grateful!

On January 5th, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body was published by NYT. In it the author describes how harmful yoga can be on the body and sites different examples of such. While I did find some truth in the article, inaccuracies also abound.

As a yoga teacher, safety is my utmost concern. Yoga (or asana to be more exact) practice is as vast and diverse as the philosophy that accompanies it. The most important instruction I impart to students is to listen to their bodies. Competition has no place in class and we are all different – in so many ways. In a competitive ego-driven society, the practice of yoga should be used to remove ourselves from the need to judge ourselves and others. Ego gives us a false sense of self and yoga (asana, breathwork and practicing the yamas and niyamas) makes space for us to create different paths in our brain as we practice.

As a follow up to that article, one of my teachers, Leslie Kaminoff recorded a response. Leslie is a yoga anatomy genius and highly respected in the industry. It’s well worth the watch. Check out the full article here.

What say ye?

First, I’d like to thank you for your votes on the essay contest I entered last month. I did not win, but the comments were so kind and humbling! Thank you SO much! My journey continues . . .

Second, I received the following email in my inbox last week asking if I’d announce a contest on my blog – and it’s for a chance to win conference passes to the YJ Fall Conference! Of course, I thought! I entered myself. Here is the email that was sent, which provides instructions for entering. Good luck!

Hi Heather,

Meet Somersault Snacks, the easiest and tastiest way to get the nutritional benefits of sunflower seeds, a little known superfood with the same protein as almonds and half the fat.

It’s resolution season so we are inviting both newbies and yoga lovers to take to the mat and enjoy one of the fastest growing activities in America.  Yogis ourselves, we are promoting a healthy mind and body through sponsoring the Yoga Journal conference in SF for the first time this month and giving away a trip for two to the Yoga Journal Estes Park Conference September 30th-October 7th.

We’d love to offer your readers the chance to enhance their practice and discover new styles of yoga in a beautiful setting by sending one lucky grand prize winner and a friend on a trip to Estes Park, CO. The grand prize includes two Estes Park Main Weekend Conference Passes, airfare, lodging, meal tickets and shuttle transport. Here’s how it works:

1.       Like us on Facebook and direct your readers to http://www.facebook.com/SomersaultSnacks to enter the contest following the on-screen instructions

2.       Post information on the Yoga Journal Conference on your site: http://www.yjevents.com/ep12/

3.      Tweet about the contest referencing @SomersaultSnack in your tweets!

There is no limit on entries. If you have any questions about Somersault Snacks, feel free to contact me.

Best,

Alix, On Behalf of Somersault Snack Co.

Now, I need your vote! Please go to this link:

http://yogatrainingguide.com/yoga-teacher-training/live-love-serve-teach-yoga/

All you have to do is read the essay and comment ON THAT PAGE for 1 vote.

For two more, post the link on your Facebook wall and tweet to your followers!

Each person can “vote” 3 times if they do all three!

I would greatly appreciate your support!

Namaste . . .

This weekend marked my 2 year BLOG-O-VERSARY, and at the same time I hit 200 “Likes” on my Facebook page.

WOW! Amazing! Thank you! Grateful . . .

In honor of these milestones and Thanksgiving, I’m offering a GIVEAWAY! You may have noticed the new banners on my site. I’m now an affiliate for Energy Muse jewelry and this is the giveaway I’m holding . . . a piece of Energy Muse jewelry!

I received my Love Bracelet from them over a month ago and have been wearing it nearly every day since! I chose this piece specifically because of the deep work I’m doing these days on myself. Searching, learning, and opening to the greater forces at work in my life have been the ongoing theme and this bracelet has been a constant reminder to love myself, be patient, and stay the course.

Energy Muse is an eco-conscious company. Each gift is wrapped in recycled paper. Mine also arrived in a lovely burlap gift bag with Energy Muse stamped on the outside. A scroll came with the piece that detailed the intention, explained  the healing energy of the crystal, the significance/symbolism of the charm, directions for activating the intention and care instructions.

Attention to detail is impeccable and the jewelry is breathtaking!

To learn more about Energy Muse’s Wearable Crystal Energy, take a look here!

I give thanks to the lovely yoginis at Energy Muse who blessed me with this giveaway. To enter do any number of the following and comment in the notes so I’ll know how many to count. Complete 1, 2 or all 3  . . .

• Like Energy Muse on Facebook.
• Like my Facebook page and leave a comment there about the things you’re currently thankful for!
• Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. Copy and paste this link in your status to do so: http://www.namasteheather.com/blog/being-thankful-and-a-giveaway/

Good luck! One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from all entries. I’m not certain what they’ll send but KNOW it will be a beautiful addition to your jewelry wardrobe or a wonderful gift for someone special.

Contest closes Sunday, November 27th at 3 p.m. E.S.T. Go now!

I generally go through the basics of breathing and alignment for each pose and then allow them to just have some fun experiencing the poses together. I had such a class yesterday and we had so much fun. The poses are so lovely, I always feel compelled to take shots. I asked the class if they would be willing to allow me to do that and post them on my site and they emphatically said “yes”. Without further ado, I give you my wonderful yoga students at Ohio U – Lancaster for Fall Quarter 2011:

Catelin and Sara ~ Extended Lateral Angle

Thea and Lynn ~ Tree

Jessica and Sara ~ Child’s Pose and Supported Backbend

Natalie and Samantha ~ Double Seated Twist

Trent and Allison ~ Warrior II x 2!

Christian and Tonia ~ Tree Pose

I am continually reminded of how much I love yoga for simple reasons like this. Having a student experience yoga for the first time and want more is always such a gift. If you are in one of the pics above, THANK YOU! This quarter was an absolute joy and I am grateful to each one of you!

Finally, a few passages from my book The Joy of Partner Yoga by Mishabae:

“Yoga is something you must do to understand. It comes from inside, slowly, taking you into it’s own embrace. No teaching, idea, word or philosophy, will ever be as wholly profound as your own experience of it.”

“Your attitude is as important as your alignment; the posture of your heart is more beautiful than a complex pose.”

Entrants can win a full paid scholarship to a Yoga Teacher Training of their choice – and there are 21 schools to choose from. These programs include 100, 200, 300 and even 500 Hour Programs! Click here to learn more!

What are you waiting for? Enter to win now. I think I will too. I’ve been wanting to expand my 200 Hour certification to a 500 Hour!

Good luck!

When Jeff originally contacted me a few weeks ago, he asked me to try out their new website, Yoga Stage.

This is what he wrote about it,

“YogaStage is a vibrant online resource for instructors, students, and studios. Simply put, this is where practitioners will find one another, and will also discover yoga festivals, excursions and much more in our shared yoga world.”

If you are a yogi, I urge you to check it out and join! Look for me there!