Kindness

“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”

Amelia Earhart

After finding this amazing quote from Amelia Earhart, I was thinking how great it would be if there were a kindness month. Lo and behold, a google search revealed that February is National Random Acts of Kindness month. I missed it, darn it! But because it is better late than never, here’s my challenge for April: to practice at least one act of kindness daily. Does it have to be elaborately planned for every day of the month? Goodness no! Something as simple as holding the door open for someone or being polite when we speak to people during the day or inviting a person to go in front of us in a check-out line just might brighten their day. And there are acts of kindness that others don’t see, but are just as meaningful, such as donating clothes and food to a charity or picking up trash in the park.

A few months ago at Starbucks, the person ahead of me, a complete stranger,paid for my cup of coffee. It was such a treat and I would have paid it forward except I was the only one in the cafe, so I placed the money I was holding to pay for my coffee into the tip jar. The young woman behind the counter asked me if I wanted some change back but I told her to keep it and left with my coffee, both of us smiling!

Enjoy this month of April, spreading roots of kindness.

Warmly,

Jan

The Yamas - Ethical principals for interacting with others

Working on our spiritual life is an ongoing practice that will take many different twists and turns because life is always changing. The yamas give us a guide to live more consciously. They are not always easy to practice and may require some soul searching on our part, but that’s the point. They help us to approach life with awareness, compassion and personal growth. A nice way to practice the yamas is to take one and work with it over a certain time frame, say a week or a month, longer if necessary, and then be open to, and aware of, the transformations that take place, whether that is speaking kinder words, letting go of a past resentment or watching less TV!

Here are brief descriptions of the five yamas:

1. Ahimsa – nonviolence; not causing pain

“When nonviolence in speech, thought and action is established, one’s aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one’s presence.” –Yoga Sutras

Ahimsa is derived from two words: a, “not,” and himsa, “harm,” meaning “nonharming.”

This goes beyond physical harm of a person or thing. Our words, thoughts and actions can cause pain to others and we can act violently to ourselves by our negative thoughts. The Yoga Sutras states, “Causing pain can be even more harmful than killing.

Even by your words, even by your thoughts, you can cause pain.” Practice compassion, love, and peacefulness and creating a positive self-dialogue. Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Martin Luther King, Jr all dedicated their lives to ahimsa.

2. Satya – truthfulness

“When the practitioner is firmly established in the practice of the truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization.” –Yoga Sutras

Satya is derived from sat, referring to the truth of God or the universe and ya, an activating prefix in Sanskrit; therefore satya means, “actively becoming the truth of the universe or God.” Ahimsa needs to be practiced with satya. Letting love direct our truthfulness, not using harmful words, and letting go of judgment towards others are other ways of practicing satya. Judith Lasater, an internationally known yoga teacher, in her book Living Your Yoga, suggests asking yourself three questions before speaking: Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it nonharming? If you can answer “yes” to all these questions, it may be okay to proceed. If not, you must weigh what is the right action in the situation.

She also goes on to write about another aspect of satya, which is inner truth and integrity.

“Honesty is what we do when others are around…but to have integrity is to act in an honest manner when others are not around and will never know about our actions.”

3. Asteya – non-stealing

“When abstention from stealing is firmly established, precious jewels come.” –Yoga Sutras

Steya means “to steal”; asteya is the opposite. Besides the obvious of taking something that belongs to another, there are other, deeper meanings to this yama. Jealousy can be a form of stealing, such as taking credit for another person’s work or stealing someone’s reputation by spreading gossip about that person. We steal from ourselves all the time by

being too focused on the future and not enjoying the present moment. There are some who interpret this yama to also mean not taking more than what we need; not sharing our talents; or not giving to others less fortunate when we have an abundance of “stuff” to give. In his book Meditations from the Mat, Rolf Gates writes, “Each theft, each time we ‘forget’ to return something we’ve borrowed, each moment we give in to the impulse to covet or to be jealous, we are saying, ‘My God is not.’ To practice asteya, we must abandon ourselves to the care of the universe. We must say in each moment, with each thought, word and deed, ‘My God is’.”

4. Brahmacharya – moderation

“When the practitioner is firmly established in continence, knowledge, vigor, valor, and energy flow to him.” –Yoga Sutras

The literal translation of brahmacharya is “walking with God” or “to remain connected to Source.” This is the hardest of the yamas to understand, as the classical meaning is “celibacy.” But if we dig deeper we will find that this yama is about finding moderation in our life, whether that is our sexual energy, food, alcohol, watching television, etc. Brahmacharya is about personal responsibility and creating balance in our life. In one of my teacher training manuals this quote sums up this yama beautifully, “This day I am moderate, centered and complete. I use my energy in ways that lead me closer to my Source. I treat others and myself with respect, recognizing the inherent Divinity of all people. I’m connected to my true self.”

5. Aparigraha – nonpossessiveness

“If we are completely free from stealing and greed, contented with what we have, and if we keep serene minds, all wealth comes to us.” –Yoga Sutras

The root word of aparigraha is parigraha, which means to reach for something and claim it for yourself. By adding the “a” in front of the word, it takes on the opposite definition. Aparigraha, therefore, is the act of letting go. Practicing this yama may mean consuming less and living more or practicing nonattachment to possessions and people. People are ours to be with, not to have or to own. It’s okay to have a lot but not attach who we are to it. Aparigraha also means letting go of past resentments, anger and fear, or the obstacles preventing us from living a productive and happy life. At its deepest level, aparigraha is about forgiveness.

Ultimately the yamas are about practicing love, both toward others and oneself.

A Holiday Wish

Greetings!

How can such a magical time of year, with all the lights, decorations, and cheer, be one of the most stressful, too? I wish I had a good answer, but I don't. I think we put so much pressure on ourselves - or feel pressured by outside sources - for everything to be perfect during the holiday season, that we end up tired and stressed out. Let's be honest, who hasn't hit the "Holiday Wall" at one time or another? I can remember standing in Toys R Us at midnight, blurry eyed, frustrated, and downright angry because they were sold out of some special toy one of my daughters wanted. Or how about the time I had this brilliant idea of making pans and pans of cinnamon rolls by scratch for all my family and friends. I ended up sitting in a heap on our kitchen floor in tears! I will have to say, though, that I came away from that fiasco with a tremendous respect for professional bakers!

This year will be different. Our two daughters are grown and on their own. Honestly, I am looking forward to a very simple Christmas this year with a small tree, a few gifts under it, and spending time with loved ones. And that's my wish for all of you: that in the midst of all the busy-ness, you will find a glimmer of simplicity. A moment to sit with a cup of tea and a good book; a nice dinner and conversation with a loved one; a walk in the woods; quiet time for prayer or meditation; or simply taking several deep breaths.

Taking the time to stop occasionally throughout the season and to jump off the holiday treadmill is oh-so-important for our self-care. Please take care of yourself during the next few weeks and end the year on a healthy note.*

Peace to all,
Jan
www.bodygrace.com

Giving Thanks at Body Grace

Here is the Thanksgiving weekend line-up of class offerings.

Teachers are donating their time and talents and ALL classes are donation-based.
Warm apple cider will be served in our beautiful lounge after each class.

Donations for classes will go to a different charity each day. You are welcome to give a cash or check donation or simply click your class-pass and place it in the donation basket and Body Grace will make the donation.

Friends and family are always welcome to our classes!

Visit www.bodygrace.com

Wednesday Evening, November 24

6:45 - 8:00 pm, Flow Yoga 1 – 2 with Jan
"Count Your Blessings"

A candlelit class (okay fake candles) centered around the heart with gentle backbendsand shoulder openers, ending with a relaxing restorative pose.

Donations to Committee for Helping Others - A local nonprofit providing simple, loving charity to those in need of goods and services which they are unable to provide for themselves.

Please bring canned goods or donate your class.

Thanksgiving Morning

10:00 - 11:00 am, Slow Flow Yoga with Kathy
"Turkey Day Tranquility"

A morning meditation and movement class--pause before the food and football--to give thanks for life's many gifts and to stoke digestive fires in preparation for the day's indulgences. A gentle sequence, suitable for any friends and family new to yoga.

Donations to Our Military Kids
A nonprofit group offering grants for after-school activities to preschool through high-school aged children of active duty or injured National Guard service men and women.

Friday Morning, November 26

A Day to De-Turkefy or Tofu-kefy

9:15 - 10:15 am, Yoga Strength with Jan

Let the world of yoga and traditional strength training collide!
After a yoga-inspired warm-up, we'll grab tubes and weights, as well as use our own body weight to build strength and then end with deep stretches and reward ourselves with relaxation.
This class requires athletic shoes.

10:30 - 11:45 am, Yoga Flow 1 – 2 with Jan

Detox with a flowing practice emphasizing strong core work and twists.

Noon - 1:00 pm, Slow Flow with Jan

Take a break from shopping and enjoy a relaxing, slower paced yoga practice that will help you feel refreshed.

Donations to Committee for Helping Others for all classes - Please bring canned goods or donate your class.

Saturday Morning, November 27

9:30 - 10:30 am, Pilates with Julie Moore
An all-levels class. Participants will be encouraged to work at their own level.

Donations to Committee for Helping Others - Please bring canned goods or donate your class.

10:45 am – Noon, Flow Yoga 1 - 2 with Diane
"A Gratitude Practice"
Lots of Sun Salutations and flow to continue the detox process.

Donations to Global Giving
A nonprofit that connects donors with grassroots projects around the world to make a high impact.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jan Crerie

www.bodygrace.com

How to Create a B.A.D attitude

“By paying attention and by listening to yourself, you can begin to get to the root of your attitudes and feelings. And from there it is easy to see what needs to change.” – Deb Shapiro

“The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” – Albert Schweitzer

One of the most important components of my job as a group fitness/yoga instructor is to know what is going on with class participant’s bodies. Having that information helps me with cueing and allows me to show modifications where needed. Within the last several weeks I’ve heard this statement more times than I would like to count, “I’ve got a bad (insert body part here).” To be honest, we don’t have “bad” body parts. However what can be bad and quite unhealthy is the self-dialogue we use to describe our body.

Suppose a loved one came to you and said, “Gosh, I’m going through a rough time.” How would you respond? Hopefully, if you really cared for that person, you would engage them in a meaningful conversation to find out how you might be of some help. The last thing you would say to them would be, “That’s right, you’re going through this because you’re bad.” I’m not a psychic, but I do believe the conversation would come to a screeching halt. So why is it that when our bodies are going through some challenges we label them “bad”? Shouldn’t we show our bodies just as much love and respect as we would our friend going through a difficult time?

Creating an affirming language allows more healing to take place and self-acceptance to begin. These “hot spots” or “sweet spots” in our bodies are challenges that can be overcome with patience and respect. Let’s look at “sensitive” body parts as places to honor and see all bodily “issues,” “tweaks,” and “crankiness” as little conflicts that can be dealt with if we are willing to invest the time. We need to accept the fact that not one of us is put together in the same way. Let’s celebrate that uniqueness, instead of comparing ourselves with others and feeling negative about what our bodies cannot do. Take a moment and congratulate yourself on what you can do!

Creating a Better-Affirming-Dialogue or “B.A.D.” attitude won’t always be easy. In fact, changing our negative thought processes to positive ones may be difficult at times, especially when we face some of life’s challenges. Deb Shapiro in her book “Your Body Speaks Your Mind” has this to say, “…affirmations may feel very superficial at first, as if you are just repeating platitudes in order to keep reality at bay…Remember, your body does hear you, so trust that it will work. It just may take time.” She goes on to write, “The body hears and responds to your thoughts and words. Developing a loving relationship with yourself that supports an acceptance of life, no matter what happens, encourages greater resilience.”

So how can we create a B.A.D. attitude? How might we change those negative words, thoughts and feelings into more loving ones?. We can begin by bringing more awareness into how our bodies are feeling and tuning into our inner dialogue. For example, let’s say you feel you have a “bad” back. What really may be going on in your back is “weakness” or “tightness” and your back needs to be strengthened or stretched to become healthier. Maybe your back feels “stiff” from lack of movement, especially if we are a “professional sitter,” so getting off the couch or chair and moving more may be what is needed. These descriptions are more affirming because they open the door to the healing process, giving us a starting place to work from. Constantly labeling our body as “bad” closes the door on that process.

The more we can tune in and practice a Better-Affirming-Dialogue about ourselves, the more we may see that positive way of thinking spilling out into other areas of our life. By letting that overflow to happen, we create a contagious B.A.D. attitude that will affect all those we have contact with, generating a healthier and more loving atmosphere.

Wholeness

“Which do you want: perfection or wholeness? Often we strive for perfection. But perfection is unattainable, and striving for it limits us. Today sit quietly for a few minutes. As you breathe, imagine becoming a large container within which to hold your perfection and imperfection. When you can hold both, then you experience your wholeness.”
Judith Hanson Lasater (from A Year of Living Your Yoga)


A few weeks ago I randomly chose this passage to use as our opening meditation for the yoga classes. I would have never guessed then, that these few sentences would come back to mean so much to me right now.

I have a confession to make: I am a recovering perfectionist. And just when I think I have it under control, something will trigger those perfectionist tendencies. What snaps me out of it is usually a big dose of reality.

Take, for example, the studio. Back in May I had it in my head that when September rolled in, the place would be perfectly painted and decorated; the retail space would be stocked and ready; we’d have a new computer system and software installed; there would be a beautiful sign over the door; a new website and a full class schedule on the roster. We had three months to accomplish all of this, no problem; this was going to be a piece of cake, right? Wrong!

What’s funny about all of this is that our mantra throughout the construction phase has been, “Letting go of perfectionism.” The building is old, which I love, but that comes with imperfections, which can create some challenges in the construction phase. But was I really letting go of perfectionism or was it still there all along, hiding in my idea of opening the “perfect” studio in September.

And then, wait for it…a big dose of reality hits!

My mission is to promote healthy living in an encouraging, welcoming and beautiful environment that is also affordable. That meant a tight budget and lots of work done by us. Oh sure, I could have hired the pros to come in and do the job in half the time and, in a few instances, I did, but that would have increased our budget and moved me away from my mission of affordability.
You guessed it. September’s here and the studio is not yet complete.

But wait, there’s more! As if one dose of reality wasn’t enough, round two hits, even harder, the recent death of my father-in-law.

His passing was not unexpected. How quickly he left this earth was a surprise. I think God showed great mercy in taking Dad Crerie as He did. My husband, Bob, made it just in time to say good-bye. He reassured him that the family would take care of Mom Crerie, which had been a huge concern and stress for his father. Bob expressed his love to his father and told him it was okay to let go. Dad Crerie passed shortly afterward.

And that, my dear friends, has put everything in perspective.

Okay, so there’s still no carpet on the stairs and the retail space is not open and my office is unpainted and full of construction trash! All of that is superficial. The studio will get done slowly and surely. What really matters in the end is the deep inner connection we establish with our loved ones, our friends, and with each other.

So what do we have? Even with all of its imperfections right now, we have a beautiful, light-filled studio in which to find connection with each other and a place to take care of our health and well being.

Judith Lasater is absolutely right perfection is simply unattainable. She asks us to become containers in which to hold our perfections and imperfections and when we can do that, we experience wholeness. Which do we want perfection or wholeness? My prayer is that Body Grace becomes an amazing studio of wholeness.

Warmly,
Jan Crerie

It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

I turned 50 a couple weeks ago. I felt pretty good about turning 50 or so I thought.

For months my family had asked me what I wanted for my birthday, an exotic trip or a party or perhaps a night out on the town, all great options. What I wanted, I told them was to have a lease signed on a studio. That would be the best present in the world. But over two years of looking was beginning to weigh heavily on me. If I was barking up the wrong tree and having my own place just wasn’t in the stars, then I needed a sign to let it go. That would be a gift also.

The stars did align and on April 30 I signed a lease. Happy Birthday To Me!

So why on May 16, when I woke up to the big 5-0, did I start the day with uncontrollable weeping? Why, dear God why, if anyone said Happy Birthday to me, I started crying? If I read a birthday wish on my computer…tears. Out for a walk with my husband on a spectacular spring day, a day I should have been enjoying, all I could do was cry. We had planned to go out for a wonderful dinner, but I couldn’t even do that. My family ended up cooking a delicious meal here at our house.

Then guilt crept into the whole, ugly mess. Why? Because I have so much in my life to be thankful for like an amazing, supportive family and friends; a strong, loving marriage; an exciting new chapter beginning in my career. I had no right to cry. I was just having myself a “pity party” as my mom use to call them. SNAP OUT OF IT!

But I couldn’t. So, my friends, I had to practice what I teach. Honoring my body, mind and spirit on this particular day, feeling and letting go of judgment. For whatever reason, my 50^th birthday was a catalyst for a big, fat, huge release of emotions that had been building for many months and I needed to let it all out in order to move forward.

I felt better towards the end of the day. Though I will have to say a nice glass of wine and an enormous piece of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles helped a bit too!

Cheers to turning 50!