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Listen to your soul

February 2, 2015 in Blog

Listen to your soul

by Jill Sockman

I’m not sure who coined the phrase “you teach what you need to learn,” but I know that even while words are spilling out of my mouth, I am often aware the message coming forth applies to me at least as much as it applies to anyone else in the room. So it shouldn’t be a big surprise to me that I’ve been talking a lot lately about how necessary it is to cultivate an awareness — a relationship — with the part inside of us that Knows. It’s a gentle nudge for me to take a closer look: am I practicing what I preach?… Read the rest

What do I do now?

January 14, 2015 in Blog

What do I do now?

by Kathleen Yount

A while ago I started listening to an audiobook. Out of its 12 hours, the only segment of the book I stopped to re-listen to and write down word-for-word was simple, and not really mind-blowing:

next stepWhen seeking guidance, ask for guidance on just the next step of your life. When you do this, be prepared for unexpected possibilities. Have the faith and humility to open yourself up to a variety of paths toward solutions.

Now, I’m purposefully not including the title or topic of this book, because it doesn’t matter—I think we all have different ways of naming and connecting to our source of guidance.… Read the rest

Welcome a New Year

January 1, 2015 in Blog

Welcome a New Year

by Jill Sockman

And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

May we welcome the new year with anticipation instead of expectation.
May we fully open our hearts to what is next, by letting go of what came before.
May we broaden our minds as we step into unknown territory and uncharted lands inside and outside of ourselves.
May we expand our lives, taking risks fearlessly, courageously, and without hesitation.
May we embrace the light of Spirit we find inside and recognize that light in every person we meet as a reminder that we are all connected.… Read the rest

Awake Your Soul

December 31, 2014 in Blog

Awake Your Soul

by Carrington Jackson

There is a line in the Mumford and Sons song,  Awake My Soul, that says:

“Where you invest your love, you invest your life.”

I came across a picture recently of someone who had this line tattooed on his arm. It struck me still and quiet for moments after I saw it. Not because it was a new idea or concept. It was so impactful because the meaning of the song was already inside me. And the reading of it on that person’s arm was the remembrance of it for my own life.

How much of your day is invested in what you truly love?… Read the rest

‘Tis the Season to Slow Down

December 17, 2014 in Blog

‘Tis the Season to Slow Down

by Sandy Scherer

The language of our lives can oftentimes resemble that of a racetrack — especially this time of year. How many times a day do you find yourself uttering something that sounds like: I’ve got to run to the grocery store. I’m just going to jump in the shower. I’m going to grab something to eat. Do you have time for a quick call? I’ve got to squeeze in a workout. I’m running late. Hurry up!

Overcommitted schedules and distracted lives driven by checklists can stress us out like nobody’s business. We rush through our days, from one task to the next, and feel like, no matter how good we are at multitasking, there’s just never enough time.… Read the rest

Hardening against the uncomfortable

December 2, 2014 in Blog

Hardening against the uncomfortable

by Jill Sockman

This morning I suited up to take Padma for a walk just as I have for the past week or so: sevevteen layers, complete with ski socks and a hat. By the time I got back to the house, I was sweating (profusely) and cursing my inability to gauge the outdoor temperature with more — or any — skill. It made me realize just how much I’ve been bracing against the cold.

I grew up on the north shore of Ohio. (I know, you didn’t realize Ohio had a shore, right?) For all of the things you might or might not know about that part of the country, perhaps you’ve heard of something called Lake Effect Snow.… Read the rest

Fear or Faith?

November 21, 2014 in Blog

Fear or Faith?

by Jill Sockman

As you start each new part of your ongoing journey, (om gum ganapatayei namaha!) consider the road before you. Ultimately, I’d say there are only two options: The Path of Fear and The Path of Faith.two paths

The Path of Fear is haunted by our regrets and worries. It is laden with the obstacles of indecision and doubt. Its winding way distracts us, and leaves us with feelings of unworthiness and discontent. The Path of Faith is no less haunted. There are no fewer obstacles. It is every bit as windy and steep. The paths, I believe, look exactly the same.… Read the rest

Unplug to Connect

October 31, 2014 in Blog

Unplug to Connect

by Jill Sockman

As I’m writing this, I’m in the process of getting ready to leave for Pinehurst for a weekend of teaching some of my favorite material. I love Pinehurst, our host, the deep-diving nature of the work I’ll share there, getting away, great food, intimate community… But one of the things I am looking forward to the most is getting unplugged.

We live in a world where we can “stay connected” not only in bustling urban centers, but in tiny villages, beaches and jungles in most distant places. Our “staying connected” to news, to home, to work and to all the many distractions of a smartphone or computer often gets very much in the way of being connected to what is in the here and now, of every moment, wherever we are.… Read the rest

Ahimsa on the Inside

October 2, 2014 in Blog

Ahimsa on the Inside

by Jill Sockman

If you’ve hung around a yoga studio with any regularity, you’ve probably heard the word ahimsa before — usually translated as non-violence or non-harming. Seems pretty simple, as the “thou shalt not kill” of the yoga world. And that’s not incorrect, of course. Killing is pretty much off the menu for any spiritual tradition that I know of, and the notion of doing the least amount of harm seems to fall right in line with a kindly “love thy neighbor” approach to life.

Unlike the Niyamas (observances), which are more personal and address how you treat yourself and till the inner soil, ahimsa is one of the Yamas (social restraints) in the Yoga Sutras. … Read the rest

Create your reality

September 2, 2014 in Blog

Create your reality

by Jill Sockman

I change my mind about as much as the next person. At least as far as I know. Sometimes my opinion or viewpoint shifts from experience or new information, but other times it is a random change of perspective that feels as unmanaged as the weather.

A number of years ago, I wrote about this idea in regard to a student in class. She was a long-time student of mine, and one evening I watched her struggling with her body (mind) in a pose, and I offered the question, “What would happen if you decided that you liked it?”Read the rest