Free Yoga!

The concept of the “Jivan Mhukta” describes a state of no-otherness. The Jivan Mhukta is a liberated being who lives soulfully on earth, engaged in the realm of human realities. They are here, now. There is no need to escape from life, because life becomes an experience of presence, curiosity, and harmony.
For the Jivan Mhukta, yoga is freedom.

How To Keep Living When You Feel Like Dying. Period.

So just how have I kept living despite wanting to die? Through all these years and all the attempts and all these failures and all these ups and downs? After all, I did start by saying that the thought still arises, even after so much work, healing, growth, and change.
For me, the key is asking for and being willing to accept help.

The Suicide Blog (Or, How To Keep Living, When You Feel Like Dying)

If you met me today, you wouldn’t guess that I tried to kill myself one year ago. You would see me teaching trauma-sensitive yoga, playing percussion at concerts, loving my Metro commutes, inhaling deeply under flowering trees. You would see my near constant smile and note my “spark of life,” my “inner light” and “glowing beauty.” You would ask about the “.02%” tattoo on my forearm and overlook the telling scar on that same wrist. You would listen to my story and call me “resilient.”

Remember When I Quit Teaching Yoga?

Forgive me WordPress readers, it’s been…10 months since my last confession. I mean, since my last blog. “Fearless” was a rather brief, mid-winter explosion that came just one month after – in the previous blog and all over social media – I announced that I’d quit teaching yoga. “Fearless” disclosed how unsafe I’d been feeling in…

My Mother is My Guru

Mom’s been on my mind a lot lately. And y’know, it makes sense.  I’ve been singing a lot (my mother taught me to sing).  It’s Autumn (October 2nd would have been her 81st birthday).  Thanksgiving is approaching (my family celebrated our last holiday season with Mom 10 years ago).  And I recently celebrated my 9th…

Gratitude!

We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand. – C. Day Lewis, The Poetic Image Over the past few months, a number of new people have subscribed to the blog, have “Liked” certain posts, commented on posts, and/or, have “Liked” the Urban Yoga Den page on Facebook.  I…

The Happy Heart Project: The Halfway Mark

“Hey, I’m trying to hard to see the light, to see the light – to see it burn thru.”  – Abigail Washburn When it comes to maintaining and manifesting an intention over 100 days – and that intention is to overcome a nagging internal darkness and move deliberately toward joy – it is imperative to…

The Happy Heart Project: Days 1-31

I’ve read that we replace 1% of our cells daily. Every 100 days we have a new body. What that new body consists of is the food we eat, air we breathe, water we drink, exercise we take and thoughts we think.  – A friend Three-plus boxes of incense and 31 days ago, I launched…

The Happy Heart Project: 100 Days Toward Joy

“The Happy Heart Project: 100 Days Toward Joy” launches this Sun., 8/28.  Curious?  See below, then “Like” Urban Yoga Den on Facebook or subscribe to UrbanYogaDen.wordpress.com to stay informed, join in, and/or, share your efforts! Under the new moon of Sunday, August 28, 2011 I will launch “The Happy Heart Project: 100 Days Toward Joy,”…

Be A Yogi

When I graduated from my Yoga Teacher Training at the Integral Yoga Academy, I heard a lot of advice. Make a list of all the potential places you could teach – not just studios, but other spaces. Market your classes in this way or that way. Remember that not all yoga instructors can make a…