30 Day Vira Sadhana

Last night was a full moon and I have decided that I am feeling the pull of strength and power. This vibrational energy is perfect for a Vira Sadhana, a practice of strong asanas.  My 30 day mantra is one to Ganesh, may any obstacles in my path be removed.

The feeling of strength I am experiencing could be coming from my 40th birthday that happen last Friday, May 17th.  What a great weekend!  It started on a Thursday night with my mom and my longest and dearest friend Christine.  We spent the night at Eric's family lakehouse.  Three strong and vivacious women talking about life.  I learned that I want these women at any future childbirth that happens in my future.  It was so supportive to have two women that I love deeply with me on the eve of my 40th.  It filled me with love and strength.  Their stories let me know that everything ahead of me is just a beginning to each new chapter that has yet to be told and they would be there to give me love, support and strength!

This Sadhana is for you Mom and Christine!  I love you both so much.

Side note:  Sorry if you saw this blog already, but I wrote the above on my iphone blog app while at the lakehouse.  It dated it wrong so I wanted to do it again.

Spring Renewal

Wow! It has been a year since I have written anything on The Floating Lotus blog.  It seems that with the expansion of the business I have been super busy.  Then Eric, my fiance, sells his house of 13 years so we may build our own new home together.  He is so giving and loving and I feel blessed to have him in my life!  With the house sold we had to move into his parents home.  We have been living there since August of 2012.  Since living in his parents house there has been a lot of transition for me.  I have been growing a business, living with my soon to be in-laws and working on finishing my 300 hour teacher training with Shiva Rea.  I finished my final test with Shiva Rea and I can check that off my list!  I was certified with her Prana Flow style last month.  It was a three year journey and I have this sense of accomplishment to have finally finished.

Eric and I will be moving into our new home in a few weeks and I couldn't be happier.  I have learned so much about patience and letting go.  It has been an eye opening experience and I am grateful for every new lesson.  I look forward to Spring and the opportunity to Renew.  Living with the in-laws, Eric and I have been eating restaurant food more than I am comfortable with.  As soon as we move into the new house I will be starting a cleanse.  I need to purge my body of unwanted toxic food.  I have found that my stress fall back food is sugar.  Not good for the cells that support my overall health. 

Third Backbend

Today was a really nice day.  The time I spent at the studio was refreshing and I got some paperwork done.  However, sitting in a chair for six hours straight was something I am not use to doing.  My body was screaming for some movement. When Kenley our massage therapist arrived I was ready to do a backbend!  She was the lucky photographer today.  Thank you, Kenley!

 

Day Two

It felt great to groove to a few of my favorite beats today.  It was a hour before the 6:00 o'clock yoga class and I used my time wisely by warming up the shoulders and hips so that I could take my second picture.  Thank you, Hannah!  She took the picture you see below of the standing backbend.  I forgot to thank Theo who took my first backbend picture.  Enjoy!

Vision Quest

Vision quest - a rite of passage in some Native American cultures. 

I had a vision today about a little journey I would like to embark upon.  For those who know me I have had a really unsettling 2011.  It completely knocked me off balance.  I haven't judged myself for the new waves of habits that have come my way, I have just sat back and observed.  Hum, that's interesting when I was doing or eating in a new way that has been foreign to me for many years.

Today started out no differently but I had this vision.  It was very powerful and motivating and I decided to go with it and see where it takes me.  One thing is for sure I am totally someone who loves new illuminating paths.

I am not sure anyone reads these blogs but it really doesn't matter I have decided to but my vision into action and I wanted to document everything as I go forward.

Here is my vision to do a backbend everyday.  Pretty simple for someone who does yoga but even the most discipline yogi/yogini has the flow of life that sometimes calls them away from their practice,especially if you are a householder.

I will try to blog everyday about my experience as this unfolds over the next year but I will most definitely be taking a picture of each heart opening backbend that unfolds for me each day.  Below is the first one.

Love is flowing.....

Nataraja

Today my sadhana was blessed with Nataraja, lord of the dance!  An incarnate of Shiva representing all movement of the cosmos.  The reason for the dance is to free humans from the illusion.  The biggest fire in our Universe is the Sun and the sunlight from my window created a Nataraja on my yoga mat.  You can see the picture here.

 I felt the fire of my practice melting away the illusions and I rejoiced knowing that my heartfire is being stoked!  Powerful movement was present today and I feel blessed.

New Sadhana/New Moon

Welcome, New Moon!  In honor of the New Moon I started a new sadhana today.  What is sadhana, you ask?  Sadhana is a sankrit word for "practice".  In Shiva Rea's teachings there are six sadhanas: Vira, Hatha, Shanti, Creativity, Health/Regeneration and Bhakti.

My sadhana is a blend of Bhakti and Vira.  In Vira I am working on fire.  Stoking the tapas(fire) within myself.  I am feeling I need some fire for purification.   Fire is cleansing and Vira sadhana will provide me with strength, flexibility, stamina and courage to change.  In Bhakti sadhana I will be working on heartfire.  This sadhana is all about the love!  My yoga today was agni namaskar and then I sat with my Love ALL Ways mala and chanted 108 OMs.  Pretty powerful stuff!  My sankalpa(intent) is to be loving and patient as I stay with this practice for the next thirty days.  I look forward to what my arise in the next month.

It was interesting how I felt after the first go around.  I felt lighter and more centered.  Let you know more as this journey continues!

Love All Ways!
cassandra