Surprise Yourself and Dance Under the Moonlight

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Surprise Yourself and Dance Under the Moonlight

Cairo, Egypt.

Each day here seems to be ripe with inner exploration these days. I cannot help but feel gratefulness to the community of yoga practitioners and seekers who I have met here. Over the two trips to Egypt, I have shared from the ashtanga tradition and by facilitating inner dances in various studios around the city, in Aswan, in Sinai, in the White Desert and in Gouna. And I feel very blessed and thankful for those who have joined me in classes, workshops and retreats.

I have also made some amazing friends here, who do not practice, but have on occasion–with a certain curiosity and at times bafflement–expressed interest in the work that I do. Being able to share the inner dance with a small group of them just this last Tuesday has made the time here all the more richer. Not just for me, but for many of those that joined our impromptu gathering.

There are so many amazing things, incredible methods of self-discovery and healing that is often around us. So many teachers, so many gifts waiting to be opened. We often fail to see what is right underneath our noses. Sometimes, we are just too busy. Life–what we perceive as the loops we must circle in our lives–gets in the way. We find it impossible to take precious time out of our schedules. We fail to see the value in them. Other times, we are simply hesitant. It’s easy to put off or dismiss the new or the strange, that which is not so easy to grasp. But when we do, we are often surprised. There is so much we don’t know, so much that awaits us.

But when we surrender to these moments, we are blessed. And such simple miracles like dancing under the moonlight, letting go of our concepts, allowing the body to move, the spirit to shift is able to happen.

PHOTO: The Full Moon shining over our Inner Dance last Tuesday night.

The Practice of Moon Days; Full Moon Tomorrow

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Full Moon Tomorrow

The dot of light in the darkish sky above Cairo is the Moon. Tomorrow early morning, the moon will be at its fullest. For us ashtanga practitioners, this is a time of rest; we take a break from the usual 6-day practice, allowing the process of yoga to subtly integrate into the body one extra day. But do we really take a break from practice?

The moon days are as much a part of practice. It tests our attachment to the practice itself, it tests our ability to actually observe this time with presence and awareness. It teaches us about the pull of the moon in our lives–and when we notice this, how we feel deeply connected to more than just our individual body but to something infinitely greater.

PHOTO: The full-ish moon last night above the streets of downtown Cairo. Enjoy Moon Day, Everyone!

Full-ness

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Full-ness

This is a time to fill your cup and drink.
Drink as much as you want,
feel free to quench your thirst.
Like the moon, this cup is
is always full,
is never empty.
PHOTO: 14 Febrero 2014, Full Moon & Valentine’s Day. Fitting for a day of fullness to come during a celebration of love. Full on, full power Mysore-class schedule this week. Mornings are Monday-Friday 7am-9:30am. Evenings Monday/Wednesday 6-8pm; Tuesday/Thursday 6:30-8:30pm.

The empty room

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The empty room

An empty place is a space of great potential. It waits for filling. It has room for it. When we empty out, when we create space in our bodies, in our minds, in our lives, we invite the remarkable new. It inevitably comes. And fills the room until it is time to be emptied out once again.

Spirit Yoga Studio on September 19, Harvest Full Moon Day. The satsang circle waits for students to arrive for today’s Yogic Warrior lecture class.

Photo by Akemi Hakuto

Harvest Full Moon

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Harvest Full Moon

Happy moon day! Grateful for those who came to the lecture class today on the yogic warrior. I also want to applaud the students who decided to honor moon day as a day of rest.

So today’s full moon is closest to the fall equinox and was used by farmers as a light to harvest their crops during this time of the year.

With that in mind, I want to ask this question: what have you been growing and cultivating that now needs harvesting? What is now ripe for the picking?