Invest wisely in your health!

Early this morning I heard on the radio that OHIP announced that many changes are coming to how physiotherapy services will be funded. The story focused on a 104 year old woman; however, my thoughts quickly turned to our youth and to the baby boomer population and I thought about how yoga is also such a valuable asset in one’s life. As a long-term practitioner of yoga, I understand first hand the multifaceted benefits of a sustained yoga practise over time. I have also been privy to how quickly new students derive the immediate benefits of the practise as well as seeing the ongoing effects and positive changes for students who have remained on the path for many years.

Canada is an incredible country and we have much to be proud of and thankful for. For example, with governmental support we are encouraged to begin making payments towards RESPs when our children are very young. These are worthwhile investments. Similarly, by investing time and payment towards one’s well being and acquiring the life skills that yoga teaches and reaping its many benefits, we are better equipped to maintain good health (mentally, physically and emotionally) while also engaging in preventative measures against future adverse potentialities. When we consistently practise yoga, we experience how it enhances our life today while also arming ourselves with invaluable tools in preparation for whatever future challenges we may have to face.

I often joke that my youngest student is five years old and my eldest student is 86 years young. Yoga is for all ages and stages and I have been blessed to be able to share this discipline with thousands of students over the years. Having entered my fourth decade of practise, I have observed how the yoga process has continually demonstrated its immense meaning and value for me. I can only hope and believe that for my own aging process, like good aged wine, the richness and rewards of the sustained yoga practise will improve becoming even more pleasing, developed and multi-layered because of the significant amount of time and investment that I have put in.

Don’t wait. Don’t search elsewhere because Iyengar Yoga is the finest system of yoga available today. It is highly refined, safe and thorough, and its certified teachers are the most knowledgeable and well trained in the world. Don’t go to yoga for simply a fitness class or settle for less! Forget the drop-ins; make the commitment to a full session of yoga and sign up your kids, self and loved ones to classes or private sessions at YogaBuds this fall. Surely what you put in to your yoga practise will come back in spades, and your investment towards good health will return excellent dividends. Awaken your wellness at YogaBuds today. Now is the time to invest.

Embracing the two pillars: Silence and Stillness

Chitta vritti nirodha “Stilling the fluctuations of consciousness” Yoga Sutra I.2

Driving home from the hospital one evening in April, my cousin asked me in a mildly suggestive tone if I would be taking the summer off. My father had just survived his third heart attack in nine months. My answer was very quick and the decision was made without any conscious thought. Lacking any censorship, I spontaneously replied, “I guess so. Yes. I will take the time off.” My cousin wisely intuited - before I did - that I would soon need to seek the balance that I value so much in my life.

If I am to teach yoga with integrity, I have to implement the teachings in my life. Yogis are committed to consciously and regularly harmonizing their nervous systems. So I packed up, and headed north, longing for moments of silence and stillness. Arriving at the lake, I was as excited as a child opening up birthday presents. Home again, in the family cottage of my childhood. Here, the prana, or life force from the lake and the sky is intense. The changing light, the fresh air, the beavers and Canadian geese… this is truly abundance. Having chosen to disconnect from the usual bombardment of technology in order to reconnect, music plays occasionally but the television and computer remain off almost all of the time. The rhythm of the days is slow. Most importantly, in those special moments of silence and stillness, I feel peace, contentment and joy.

Each day as I kayak, and practise my yoga, I surrender to stillness. The many lessons of almost three decades of yoga studies arise in my awareness. In those perfect moments of unity between my body, mind and emotions, I feel my connection to the Divine spirit, and gratitude for the understanding that all that is really needed is found within. Objects may be beautiful and we do derive pleasure from them but to seek anything more from those sources is to miss the truth. For example, an old dining room table has recently been passed on to us. It has been interesting to observe others feedback (and even judgment) over our decision to leave the table uncovered in order to enjoy the luster of the wood and to appreciate the inlaid handwork. For some, the desire to protect the table for the future takes precedence over appreciating it in the present moment. Experiencing an open heart, appreciating beauty and creativity, living simply, and accessing and sharing all the love that is within, is what creates lasting fulfillment.

Absorbing the silence of the lake, the stilling of the fluctuations of my mind begins to unfold and to reign over the usual distractions. I begin to achieve inner stillness. I feel calm. These changes occur whether I am kayaking, meditating, or practicing yoga. Yesterday, I observed the same gradual relaxation in my son as I guided him through a yoga practise. The sun was soon to set, and the lake was quiet. We were on the deck. His first pose was a relaxation one, and as soon as he lay down on the mat and saw where he was, he liked it. In one of the final poses, he was lying perpendicular to the stairs, and right at the edge of them. He had a blanket roller under his neck and his head dangled freely, resting very lightly on a step. His view was inverted, his perspective changed, and he spoke of his pleasure. The time spent together was really lovely. He said “thank you” at the end of the practise; yet the gratitude was mine, and I felt incredibly blessed.

Silence. Stillness. These are magic words and they are my path to tranquility, harmony and balance. At most times they are a challenge to find for they are elusive. When found, they can be difficult to stay with or to experience. When I recognize that I need to step back, to honour the gift of life that I have been given, and to reconnect with all that is important, I pursue experiences that can provide me with both silence and stillness. In my pursuit of balance and well-being, silence and stillness are the two pillars.

Temmi Ungerman Sears

“Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen, and absorb.” – Pythagorus

Your Journey to Wellness in the New Year

As the holidays approach, we begin to wind down and gear up for extended time spent with family and friends. The holidays can be a time of many temptations and potential indulgence; therefore, it is imperative that we continue to embrace the idea of balance and moderation. Make sure to incorporate techniques for self-care and an awareness of mindful eating and drinking! It is easy to "let everything go" in ways that aren't always health-promoting! Remaining active, and staying consistent in your yoga practise over the holidays will help to maintain your health and keep you well.

During a recent peer supervision meeting of therapists, I realized that "Mindfulness" has become a popular concept, even in the psychotherapy field. This is a very positive thing. Yoga trains us to attend mindfully to our habits, to awaken to our selves "moment by moment, breath to breath", and to remain present-focussed in mind, body and spirit. The holidays provide us with ample opportunity to practise remaining present and mindful in many situations.

As we approach the New Year, many are drawn towards the idea of making New Year's Resolutions in order to try to change or improve aspects of their life. For some, this can be self-defeating as often there is the tendency to make too many promises and set the bar too high. So as 2010 approaches, if you are keen on making a commitment to something that is a positive change in your life, use the idea of a New Year's Resolution only as a starting point to try to initiate the change, and think long term. Perhaps the change that you commit to will be something that starts from the inside. Yoga can be the change in your life, and it can actually change your life! However, it is important to recognize that yoga is not goal-oriented so enter the practise (or continue to remain true to it) but do so with commitment but without ambition. Change is not instant but if you stay true to your intention; consistent to your practise; patient in your approach; and firm in your resolve, your yoga journey will create profound change over time. Honour your efforts and recognize that change happens in small increments and successes along the way. Try to implement small endeavors or "yoga bits and bites" each and every day, and the positive results in turn will inspire ongoing attention and become habit. Make 2010 the year to commit to your Self and to come to YogaBuds, an oasis in the middle of the city.

In 2010 I look forward to continuously being a part of your transformation and personal renewal through the yoga process. Thank you again for trusting me to be such an intrinsic part of your healing journey. Happy Chanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Have a wonderful holiday season and Happy Holidays!

Temmi Ungerman Sears, Director of YogaBuds

Celebrate yourself everyday...

During the past week we have felt that first bite in the air. The new sharp crispness combined with diminished daylight hours means that fall is upon us, and that the winter months will soon be here. Putting aside our sandals for boots, summer harvest for more dense root vegetables, and preparing to mentally and physically slow down and become more introspective in the coming months are some of the ways that the transition into fall occurs.

Whatever your pleasures are, assess which ones take precedence and try to ensure that these include healthful and wellness promoting activities. Put these on your "to-do" list. Tune into your heart, listen to its messages, and to your body (it sends you messages for what it needs to be in balance and to function well), and commit to self-nurturing activities every day. Occasionally, I am challenged when someone questions me on whether those fifteen-minute blocks of time for oneself can really make the difference. I invite you to make the commitment to create time for your Self each day by choosing something that really speaks to you - a small yoga practise, a walk in the fresh autumn air, sipping a cut of hot tea or coffee, or just simply relaxing. Discover how this commitment to taking care of yourself on a daily basis will transform your health and well being.