Simple versus Easy

"Mom! My elbow hurts when I bend it," cried the child.
"Then don't bend it," replied his mother.

"I don't like my job," complained his wife.
"Then quit," replied her partner.

"I've become overweight and unhealthy," lamented the patient.
"Eat less and move more," replied the doctor.

One thing that all of these scenarios have in common is a simple answer. Some might say too simple.

The response that the child, the wife and the patient might likely offer is, "It's not that easy." And I would say they are absolutely right - these solutions are not easy. But they are simple.

I don't mean to minimize the complexity of these issues; rather, I mean to point out the complexity of the problem as well as indicating the simplicity of the solution. And implementing the solution may be easier than you think. It all begins with a single action.

The mind will attach to any number of distracting details in order to avoid a challenging change - to avoid taking action. These distractions can also be called excuses and they are a dime a dozen. They range in validity from "not enough time" and "not enough money" (among the most common) to "I am too old" or "I don't know how." I've used all of these excuses at one time or another. The trick is to recognize them as excuses as opposed to realities.

We get mired down in the details of how we would go back to school in order to make a positive job shift: how we would pay for that education, what would our new schedule look like and is there a job for me when I finish - I'll be too old. We are overwhelmed with the advice from experts on what or how to eat: juicing, veganism, vegetarianism, elimination diets, organic, non-GMO - who has that kind of money? We balk at the prospect of moving for 60 minutes a day, five days each week or that taking the stairs rather than the elevator will actually make a difference (yes, it will!) - who has that kind of time? And we settle on a course of inaction.

Action is challenging. Action is difficult. Action is scarey. But to actually act is a simple and effective solution. Again, it is not easy. So how do we motivate action?

I had the opportunity to teach a health and wellness course this past semester. The first assignment required the students to create three goals to work towards throughout the semester. Goals are a way to focus your efforts in a specific direction. We do this at the beginning of each session on our mats when we set our intention for our practice. And then, we practice. We move energy in the direction of our intention. We take action.

They wrote these goals down. They created a step-by-step process for achieving these goals. Then, for the remainder of the semester they wrote journal entries reflecting on their progress and modifying any unrealistic expectations based on their progress (this is analogous to how we modify our poses on our mat!). By the end of the semester they were motivated, inspired and proud of their progress. They felt better about themselves and their lives. They successfully created positive change for themselves. It was not easy, but it was a simple answer to some of their most pressing problems. They simply took action.

What I learned from these students and throughout this course (yes, teachers are continuous learners!) is how to create effective goals and how to work in a positive way towards these goals. What follows is a simple way to create your own goals and motivation to act.

1. Consider some areas in your life that you would like to see improvement (physical health; mental health; emotional health; diet; exercise; personal relationships; etc). Write them down.
2. Choose 1-3 of these areas that you are most interested in improving and most likely to complete. Write them down.
3. Create a process for achieving each goal. The following is a process that my students implemented, called the SMART plan:

Specific: be specific about what you would like to achieve. If this is a large goal, consider breaking this goal up into smaller steps in order to give yourself motivational boosts along the way. (This is your opening meditation and setting of intention.)

Measurable: be able to measure this goal in order to manage it. For example, if your goal is to exercise more, plan the amount of time you will exercise each day or each week and keep track of your progress. For example, 30 minutes on 3 days each week. (We often count breaths as we hold a pose or even set a timer as we release into a Yin pose.)

Attainable: set goals that you can achieve over a few weeks or perhaps 2-3 months in order to recognize progress and maintain motivation. This may mean reducing a very large goal into progressive steps. (We do this on our mats when we break down an advanced posture into preparatory poses.)

Reward: honor yourself with accolades upon achieving your goal in order to recognize your efforts. (Ahhhh, Savasana!)

Timeline: set a start date and a finish date for your goal and then work towards it! (This is akin to practicing towards a feeling tone on your mat.)

You see, we've taken these steps on our mats with each practice. We can take these lessons off of our mat and into the flow of our lives.

Remember, when we move our energy towards a specific intention or goal, there is nothing stronger. We cannot help but be successful. It is just that simple.

Goldilocks Was On To Something

First published by a British poet in 1837, the story of Goldilocks is over 175 years old! Easy to dismiss because of its age as well as its status as a children's fairytale, the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears has a lot to offer. Did you know that the Goldilocks Principle is a metaphor used by astro-biologists to explain the narrow margins of acceptable climatology required to sustain life as we know it? Cognitive scientist and developmental psychologists use it to explain the cognitive capacity of infants. Even economists use this principle to explain economic growth patterns of moderation and inflation. Yes, all of these situations require a climate that is "just right" for optimal, sustainable results.

One of the more interesting aspects of the Goldilocks perplexity is that we are not privy to the experience of her choice (or anyone else's for that matter!). We know that she found a bowl of porridge that was not too hot and not too cold. She found a bowl of porridge that was just right...for her. We know the bed she chose was not too hard and not too soft. She found a bed that was just right...for her. I'd say Goldilocks was a self-actualized woman who knew what she wanted! And this is the heart of the story for me.

Imagine a yoga class filled with different shapes, sizes and abilities. It is an evening class and all participants have come to class carrying various aspects of their day and their life with them onto their mats. The woman in the corner has a shoulder injury from playing a sport in high school. The shoulder healed well enough, but still bothers her in certain positions. The man in the front of the room is a runner with a self-limiting knee problem that only hurts when he kneels for too long, which he is willing to do to maintain the perfect pose. And the student on the mat by the door walked in late because she stayed a few minutes later at work trying to tie up loose ends and then decided to try to make yoga class instead and then sat at an extra long light on her way to the studio. Distracted and flustered, she tries to become present. She usually takes advanced positions in every pose but today she feels tired, overworked and preoccupied.

The instructor invites the class into triangle pose. What does this pose look like with a shoulder injury? What does this pose mean for a knee issue? How does this pose feel for an overworked and distracted student? This is the moment when Goldilocks guides the way.

The instructor guides your practice but is not privy to your experience as you flow into and out of each pose. You must decide on the expression of a pose that is just right...for you.  Not too much effort, yet not too little effort, either. We are searching for what feels just right physically, mentally and emotionally. This changes from day to day and from pose to pose. What felt good yesterday or last year may not be the answer for today's practice. We are dynamic individuals. We flow in and out of circumstances just like our practice flows in and out of poses. Each position offers an opportunity to realize what we need right now as opposed to what we "usually do" or what we "should do."

If we are too rigid in our practice we become rigid with ourselves or with others. If we are too flexible in our practice we may become too flexible with ourselves or with others. Neither of these situations is optimal or sustainable. Both can lead to injury. There is a middle ground - that sweet spot that is "just right." The practice is to find what is just right for you, in  your practice and in your life.

The Blame Game

You know those  people? The ones that bug you with their…habits? The ones that really get under your skin? The ones that you just wish would go away? Would the world be a better place without them? Would your blood pressure be lower if they weren't around? Would your day be brighter without having to deal with that other guy? If everyone else wasn't in your way?


When you point your finger away from yourself, you'd better be looking in a mirror.

What we see surrounding us, what we see in the actions of others is a direct reflection of what we see and feel about ourselves. This can be a tough pill to swallow sometimes. How can the rude woman on her phone in the checkout line reflect how I feel about myself? Well, we could begin by looking at the assumptions we are making as to why she is using her phone. Perhaps her child is sick. Maybe her dog just got hit by a car. This call could be urgent.

"No,"comes your retort,"I've just heard her talking about what happened last night on the latest episode of (insert reality tv show here)." Again, question your assumptions. How are you judging her choice of entertainment? Why does it matter to you how a complete stranger spends their free time? And why are you listening to her conversation so closely? What do the answers to these questions say about you? Growth happens one question at a time.

Are you getting the hang of this? Let's look at another common scenario; well, common to me: dinner time.

You've planned all of the meals for the week. You've made a list of the needed ingredients. You've inconveniently hiked the kids through the grocery store on a weekday evening out of necessity to fill an empty fridge. You've had to promise them to look at toys or purchase treats to reward their good behavior as you trudge under glaring fluorescent lights, amongst rows of sugary, salty snacks that leave your kids begging for their purchase. Your "No, honey. Lets keep going" grows sharper and less accommodating with each plea for Go-Gurt and Goldfish crackers. And you haven't even gotten to the milk. Or the bread. Or the eggs. Stuck in the middle somewhere, you head towards the toy aisle early because the hour is getting late. And the subsequent meal - tacos again because they are a family favorite - is the result of this previous drudgery.

Planned, prepared and placed on the table. Getting cold. Waiting for your partner to get home. Even though your agreed-upon schedule suggests an ETA around 5pm, even though this tardiness is commonplace in your home, even though you've planned dinner for 5:30 "just in case," you are still surprised, shocked and hurt when he arrives at 5:40.

How can a partner's inconsiderate attitude towards timeliness be a fault of your own?

The situations in which we find ourselves are the result of the choices we've made up to this moment. Have you set aside time to tell your partner about your struggle with their lack of time management skills? Or have you only expressed your animosity with a sharp look and a sharp tongue? Do they know that behind your resentful stare is a well of tears? And digging deeper still, we find the strength to ask why we accept this treatment from the one we love. What does this say about our compassion and understanding for ourselves and for what we need? Why have you placed yourself in the center of someone else's life rather than at the center of your own?

I stuggle with this oscillation of looking out in order to look within. When I stare into the mirror I come face to face with all that I am. The reflections are a compass pointing to a road map for growth. Those who I meet along the way are reminders of where I am going, where I have been and where I find myself now. We truly are one.

So the question is, "where do you want to go?" and "how are your experiences affecting your journey to get there?"

 Happy hiking.

Celebrate Spring!

New Yoga Class in Grand Forks!

It is always exciting when more yoga is offered. Here is information about a new yoga class to begin in March. It is a FREE event with a good will offering encouraged. Here is what you need to know:

Blue Door Gallery Presents: 

Vinyasa Yoga Levels 1 & 2

Instructed by Shylah Schauer 

Presented by Blue Door Gallery & Studio at Blue Door Gallery

March 9, 2014

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We're proud to announce a series of yoga classes to be taking place at the Blue Door Gallery and Studio, instructed by Shylah Schauer.

There is no charge for this event, although a donation is encouraged. Session size is limited to a maximum size of 12, so please RSVP on the Blue Door Gallery Facebook page or email esc.artist.collective@gmail.com 

Sankalpa

Ahhh, the new year - a time for change. As we usher in the first day of the new calendar year the slate is clean and opportunities abound. A fresh start with resolve. What resolutions are you making at the start of this new year? Join a gym (and use it)? Drink less alcohol? Lose some weight? Eat less fast food? Here is another question: What do these resolutions say about you? What is the focus of each one?

If you are like most people who are making resolutions, the focus is on what is wrong and, hence, what you resolve to "fix" about yourself over the next 12 months. How is that for a fresh start? It is like saying,"Hello fresh, clean slate! Here is a list of all of the things that are wrong with me that I intend to change." Hmmm…lets think about that for a moment.

One of the mantras that I hold dear goes like this:

Begin as you intend to go on.

When we make a list of resolutions that point out what is wrong with us we begin negatively. The negativity placed behind a list of resolutions starts us on an uphill battle with ourselves. No wonder we are crabby when we finally make it to the gym. What if we began by believing that there is nothing wrong with us? What if rather than making a list of things that we want to change because they are wrong, we recognized the excellent qualities that we already possess? Then we can intend to use these qualities by setting a positive intention. It goes something like this:

"I possess the strength and discipline to go to the gym." 
"I love myself enough to let go of what is unnecessary in my life."
"I have the support of others who will help to soothe my sorrows."

We begin our new year with positive intentions that recognize the strength in ourselves. Could we be stronger? Perhaps. But reminding yourself of your weaknesses will not strengthen you. We grow stronger by using what we have with the best intentions. We practice being positive, intending to help ourselves grow in order for our strength to be in service to others. Sankalpa.

So to start the new year, here is a practice to set positive intentions:

1. Ask yourself what you want more of and write it down.
2. Ask yourself what you are willing to relinquish and write it down.
3. Ask yourself what you have to offer towards this intention and write it down. 

Then, practice. On your mat and off of your mat. Move your energy in the direction of these intentions. With each step, intention. With each breath, intention. There is nothing more powerful than moving your energy in a specific direction with intention.

Breathe in what you want more of. 
Breathe out what your wish to relinquish - what is not in service to your intention. 
Breath in what you want more of.
Breath out what you have to offer towards this intention. 

Breath by breath, we grow in our intention. We grow in our strengths. We grow in our service to ourselves. We grow in service to others.

Christmas Tree

May joy and abundance light your life and shine upon all those that surround you.