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| Yoga
From The Heart |
September 2007 |
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Hello
yogis and yoginis,
I'm so thrilled to announce my second annual yoga retreat in
Dominica! Slip back into your yoga practice with the sounds
of the waves and the rustling palm trees as your guides.
Space is limited so reserve your treehouse in paradise before
they sell out!
February 2nd-9th...see you there!
Love,
Chrissy
www.yogachrissy.com
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I
still remember exactly where I was the day it happened.
Completely unsuspecting at the time (as it was, perhaps the
key
to my success), I was utterly unaware of what I had accomplished.
Now, as I gaze forward from downward dog towards that small
space between my hands, I try to imagine how I must've
felt all those years ago with no expectations, no fear and no
attachments. Wrapped up in the drama of my incapability,
today feels so much different. I spring off my feet and
already I can tell that I won't make it through my hands to sit.
Indeed, this has become an obsession.
It's a curious thing, this obsession of mine, because in the fitting
irony of yoga and the delivery of its message, I'm faced again with the
challenge of letting go. The audible groans of defeat as I
practice jumping forward at the end of a sun salutation reveal quite a
lot about the drama I've created for myself. I experience so
much pressure to
land with my feet directly between my hands (let alone through
my hands, good Lord) that when I fall a few inches short, it's as if
the world is ending all over again. With every failed attempt I
plant a new seed, or samskara, which haunts (and thus foils)
every future effort.
As proud as I am of my attention to the necessary work involved in
reaching my goal, it appears that it's also responsible for my
downfall. In yoga, we're asked to let go of the achievement
and focus instead on
what's illuminated through the process (vairagya). And yet,
in a statement of
complete contradiction, yoga also asks us to strive beyond what we
think we know in order to evolve as a spiritual being (abhyasa).
Through my own experience I've found a deeper layer of this
contradiction that asks us to surrender not only the goal, but also our
attachment to the work itself. After the therapy and the
acupuncture and the long sleepless nights in deep contemplation over
said drama, when do we let go and trust that we're ready to take the
leap?
I do believe that when you ask the universe for help, the answers will
reveal themselves, so as I work to keep my groans to a bare minimum,
I've managed to open myself to receiving new wisdom on this
topic.
In what's clearly meant to be applied to all areas of my life, I've
found the
way out of my drama through my drishti, or gaze. As one of my
friends
and teachers, Jenny, has been instructing, the body will
follow
the focus of your eyes - if you look down, your body will collapse in
that direction, whereas if you look towards your goal, the body will
align with your vision.
When put into practice, my new attention has revealed that the only
thing between my "grounded" practice and my goal is a leap of faith.
My eyes now fixed
on a point well forward of my hands, I'm unable to watch the drama
unfold beneath me. I can no longer see my hands or the small
space I'm required to slide through and, therefore, can no
longer
add to the momentum of my samskara. Instead, I must
see the
goal (literally and figuratively) and trust in my abilities to get
there. To me, this is groundbreaking and yet so simple, as if
I've known it all along.
As we strive towards our goals, be they asana or an aspect of our lives
off the mat, we have to be willing to acknowledge that drama only ties
us to where we already are. While abhyasa provides the
resistence we need to move through our samskara, at some point we just
have to let go - to surrender to a deeply rooted faith in our own
abilities. To take that leap of faith is to know that one of
two things will happen; we will either arrive safely at our
destination or trust that our earnest and consistent efforts will, at
the very least, cushion our fall. As I gaze forward through
my hands, I'm sure of one thing - this time, I'm ready.
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New Moon - September 11th
Full Moon - September 26th |
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A Healthier Obsession
As a true, self-proclaimed gourmand, it's only fitting that I recommend
my favorite go-to restaurant in Manhattan, Souen. You're sure
to run
into your favorite NYC yoga teachers at this amazing macrobiotic
eatery, located on 13th Street between 5th and University.
I'm
addicted to their lunch special, which for something like $9 provides
you with your choice of the healthiest food New York has to offer.
Not to miss - the curried fish stew. Bon appetit.
Fall Playlist
Baba
Hanuman - Krishna Das
Sadra
- Ashla Bhosle
The Only Living Boy In New York
- Simon & Garfunkel
Blackbird - Sarah
McLachlan
Amsterdam
- Coldplay
Five
Elements - Cyril Morin
Autumn
- Paolo Nutini
Guru
Rinpoche Mantra - Deva Premal
Golden Slumbers -
Ben Folds
Fall Teaching Schedule
I'm
back from DC and can't wait for fall in New York! My beloved
schedule is still the same, so I hope to see you in class soon!
http://www.yogachrissy.com/group-classes |
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 Caribbean
Yoga Retreat
February 2nd - 9th
http://www.yogachrissy.com/retreats
Join
me February 2nd-9th for an amazing tropical adventure on the beautiful
Caribbean island of Dominica. Luxurious tree-houses, cliffside spa
treatments and two daily yoga classes will set the backdrop
for our retreat.
We'll dive into the practice in either the 2400 sq ft yoga studio or on
our open-air yoga deck, both overlooking the ocean. Swim in the
volcanic rock pool, hike to the natural sulphur springs or practice
yoga on the beach deck to the sounds of the crashing waves.
Rates
include 7 nights' accommodations at this eco-conscious resort,
acclaimed by Conde Nast, The New York Times and Body&Soul
Magazine.
Breakfast and lunch are included as well as two daily yoga
classes, three adventure excursions and ground transportation to and
from the resort. This retreat will sell out quickly so please
contact chrissy@yogachrissy.com to reserve your spot!
$1445 double occupancy/$1995 single occupancy
$300 non-refundable deposit due November 15th with the trip paid in
full by January 15th.
Global
Mala Project
Saturday, September 22nd
http://yogachrissy.publishpath.com/global-mala-project
hosted by Devotion Yoga
Pier A, Hoboken
Join
us for 108 sun salutations in the park and support a great cause.
The Global Mala Project, inspired and organized by Shiva Rea,
is
a worldwide celebration in honor of the Fall Equinox and the United
Nations International Day of Peace, raising money and awareness for
some of the most important issues facing the world today.
Yoga
studios, teachers and organizations acorss the globe will choose their
own charitable organization and unite the yoga community through
collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108, creating a
global "mala around the earth".
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It's sometimes shocking to count all of the plastic bags we seem to
acquire after a Saturday
of running errands in the city. Choose instead to bring your own
carry-all (chic, of course) and say no to plastic bags.
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