|
|
|
|
1. An act of kindness for others, without expectation of reward. Can be for an individual or for the community (toys for tots, local food pantry, volunteering at the soup kitchen or animal shelter, etc.). Great ideas for things yogis have done this week will be posted! 2. Appreciate the holiday season and winter solstice. Let go of the stress of chores and tasks, and enjoy the season as if you were a child. Alternatively, try to laugh for 1 or 2 minutes straight every day! 3. practice social silence for at least 1 morning or afternoon this week. Do not speak unless absolutely necessary. Just listen, and be. 4. put down your fork or other utensil between bites, and breathe OR chew each bite of food at least 20 times. Begin practicing mindfulness eating. 5. walk in nature at least 5 minutes per day, 4 days this week (not just walking to your car in the parking lot be outside and savor the experience) Great if you experience S.A.D., depression, or need an uplift to spirit 6: 7:
Lifestyle Homework: 8. Physical Homework: 9: 10: Physical Homework: When you sit in a chair, cross your legs - put your right ankle on your left need, then bend forward to try to touch the floor. Then change legs. If you have upper back pain, do the seated spinal twist - left arm on the back of your chair, look over your left shoulder, and right arm on the left arm rest or on the back of chair also. then switch. 11: Lifestyle Homework: think of 5 Souls in your life, with whom you can be your truest, most authentic self. The friend that can come over your house and you don't need to clean it up first. The person who can see you when you are sick, or not at your best, the person who you can talk to about your less than beautiful qualities and habits. These souls are the ones who can know the FULL you. They are also not usually "yes men" - surround yourself with those who will be supportive of you in your growth and development. The friends who will tell you things that may be hard to hear, but you KNOW they have your best interest at heart. Be a friend to those 5 souls also. Why 5? Like the Chinese 5 Elements: air, water, earth (or wood), fire, and metal. We need a balanced community of friends and with 5 you have the balance maintained. As those friends are supportive to you, be willing to be supportive to them also. This is a yoga support community. Write the 5 names down on a piece of paper (you can write it in pencil and there are things called erasers - the names may change in your life, and that is OKAY). If you do not have 5 names, then write down the names of some people you would like to draw closer to you. We sometimes lead lives that get out of balance, and these 5 will help you develop a supportive community with whom you can be your true self without hiding or denying any aspect of yourself, you can be your authentic self, and they will help understand and guide you back to the path of self-realization and liberation. Remember to be friends with people who don't always tell us what we LIKE to hear, but what we NEED to hear. That is the UNSELFISH friend, who will risk upsetting someone in order to help them. 12: Physical Homework: when you sit in a chair, if you cross your legs, notice which leg you cross over the other. Cross your NON-HABITUAL LEG on top. That is generally your tighter hip! 13. Lifestyle Homework: before you speak, ask yourself 3 questions: 1) is it true? 2) is it kind? 3) is it necessary. You should be able to say yes to at least 2 out of the 3 before you say it, otherwise, keep it to yourself. 14: Philosophical Homework: we chant "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu" in class, meaning, "may all beings everywhere be happy and free". When we chant this, we also add in the intention "may my thoughts, words, and deeds contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all beings." Where do happiness and freedom come from? 15: Give a 3 Breath hug to at least one person that you do not usually hug. You can avoid lawsuits and misunderstandings by simply asking first "may I give you a hug?" and waiting for a positive response, and also by having a pure intent to share connection and compassion with another. Your intent goes a LONG way in how a hug is perceived (although people will also include their perceptions too) 16: Do one small act of kindness for another person, without that person knowing it was you who did it. 17: When you awaken, look in the mirror, gaze into your own eyes, and ask yourself "what can I do to love YOU better today?" 18: Self-observation without criticism is one of the highest spiritual practices (Swami Kripaluvanandi). Observe yourself with compassion, and love! When you hear the voices of self-criticism, know they are social conditioning and not inherent. If you are being self-critical, take a moment to think of something you LOVE about yourself. 19: If someone cuts you off in traffic or is driving in a manner which creates negative emotions in you, take a breathe and wish them well on their journey. Perhaps they are racing to see a dying relative, or are in fear of losing their job if they are late one more time, etc. - send them your compassion rather than your criticism. 20: Send lovingkindness and even contact in a compassionate way, someone you feel has done you harm. Wish them well in your heart and feel compassion. 21: Do not allow anyone else's opinion of you to affect you. What gives another person the right to judge you in any way? Do your best, and if you do your best, love yourself and ignore the negativity of others. Only the weak are judgmental of others, rather than focusing on bringing peace and joy to themselves and others. 22: Bring peace into your heart. Let it flow into every aspect of your life. As your life touches others, you become a source of peace and healing. Those who do harm to others are too weak to be this way - you are stronger for sending out lovingkindness and healing to others! Honor your strength and beauty, and pity the ones who lack this capability. 23: Tantric exercise - if/when you are with a partner, see in them all men you have ever known, or all women you have ever known. See them as beautiful and let love flow. You may not love this person, but if you can feel love for all the divine qualities of both sexes, you will grow and have deeper and more satisfying experiences. Honor the divine in one another, and gaze directly into each others eyes, with your hands on each others' hearts. Form a bond and connection, and deepen your experience. This is not permanent, it is to deepen YOUR experience and to grow. 24: Be playful and live fully! Buy bubbles to blow, play! Live! 25: do something new every day, and be fully alive! Jivan Mukta - our yoga - means a soul liberated in this lifetime. Be happy and free. Your presence frees others then.
Contact Us: NOSPAMelenayoga@mac.com (remove the words NO SPAM from the email address please!) |
THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK