Santosha- Unconditional Happiness

Santosha is the yoga word for contentment, unconditional happiness.   Contentment is a happiness emanating from the inside out, not determined by outside circumstances.
In the last two weeks, I have had the opportunity to enjoy Burlington during Jazz fest.  One Saturday I was at the Burlington farmer's market.  There was awesome food and craft vendors, live music playing, and people of all ages hanging out on the lawn or walking around the booths.  I was loving the community feeling, music, good food, warm weather, and then....I scanned the faces of everyone there and I was shocked!  Not ONE person was smiling.  I looked more closely at every face in my field of vision.  There was no sign of happiness.  I was really confused.
This past Saturday my friend treated me to a VIP pass for the reggae show under the World Tent on the waterfront.  I was telling my friend about my observations at the farmer's market the Saturday before and so we did a scan of the folks in the VIP tent listening to live music and eating and drinking for free.  Again, there was not a smile or even a glint of happiness in any face.  In fact, we both agreed that everyone looked really serious and most had a furrowed brow. 
What's going on?  I am guessing people are stressed out and are out of touch with the beauty and blessings that surround them all day, every day.
These observations have moved me.  Although stress is ever present, we can choose to see the beauty, love, and blessings in our lives, in our families and friends, nature, in service to others and on and on.....we may need to practice this, diligently, every day.  And gently remind one another.  Life is too short and too precious to let slip by.....

Life is a Practice in Being Human

Life is a Practice in Being Human
Relax in the knowledge of your inherent goodness.
Relax in the knowledge that no person or supreme being expects you to be perfect.
Practice gentleness and compassion towards yourself and others.
Appreciate the ordinary of every day living.
Accept the reality of what is- not what you would prefer or what didn't happen.
Forgive your mistakes and the mistakes of others.
Acknowledge your deep connection to all beings.
Open to all possibilities.
Love, be kind, be of service.
Practice life- that's all there is.

A few ideas on self-acceptance

Here's a list of ideas I came across that were meaningful to me in my exploration of self-acceptance in the month of March.
1. Accept I am whole, as is, not broken.
2. Accept my imperfections.
3. "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change." Carl Rogers
4. Cultivate Maitri- unconditional friendliness or loving kindness- to help self acceptance.
5. Realize that people everywhere experience joy and suffering and everything in between just like me.

The Guest House by Rumi
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

Awesome Workshop- Anatomy of Yoga

I am really excited about this 2 hour workshop I am doing Sunday March 13 from 10am-noon.  We are going to take a closer look at three of the eight limbs of yoga to get a deeper understanding of the structure  of asanas(postures), pranayama(breathing) and dharana(concentration leading to meditation).  We will focus on some of my favorite yoga postures like Half Moon, Triangle, Tree, Downward Dog, etc.; get to know the three dimensional structure and action of breathing and check out the basic anatomy of mindfulness meditation.  All in 2 hours!
You can expect some yoga flow practice to warm up and then we will  delve in to the beautiful  geometry of a few poses.  We will learn to visualize and feel how the body breathes and practice a few pranayama exercises.  And then, I'll take you on a tour of inner space according to the map of basic mindfulness.
Ambitious beginners are welcome as well as anyone with an interest!
Please register with me at indystewald@comcast.net.  The cost is $25/person.

Self Acceptance

What if you wholeheartedly accepted yourself right now as good enough, not broken, as is....including all your neurosis, talents, fears, accomplishments and those extra pounds?
Does this seem like an unfamiliar mind set?  I realized that for me it is.  Underneath my "feel pretty good about myself most of the time.... except when I yell at my children, don't complete a project on time, spend over budget,  blah, blah, blah"....that I have never really considered, forget embraced, that I am good enough as is.  That perhaps I do not have to constantly pursue self improvement because I am lacking or fall short.

I am very curious about this idea of self acceptance and for the month of March I have collected a few books to help me look at this idea from various angles.  I am learning, through my relatively new meditation practice and study, that the lessons of Buddhism have a strong message of acceptance in general.





Perhaps, then, it is not so surprising that 3 out of 4 of these books have a mindfulness meditation/Buddhist background.
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth

Pocket Pema Chodron by Pema Chodron

The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron 





Relax and breathe in the goodness that you are....

Free Mindfulness Meditation Training

This is a special opportunity to explore mindfulness meditation with a world renowned teacher and scholar.
Shinzen Young leads a free Saturday retreat once a month at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.

This Saturday, March 5th from 9am-1pm and 2-6pm at the Engineering Offices 81 Demeritt Place Waterbury, VT.
The next free retreat is Sat. April 2nd.  All you have to do is show up!
Link to Shinzen's retreat schedule
Link to Shinzen's info on mindfulness meditation

My favorite stretch ever

Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
Interlace your fingers behind your back or hold a strap/belt/scarf.
Roll your shoulders back and down.  Squeeze shoulder blades toward each other.

Bend forward, knees slightly bent.  Continue to lift arms away from back and shoulders away from ears.  Breathe deeply and feel the lower back and back of legs lengthen while you open the chest and shoulders.