(Picture from the new True Yoga DVD, click it to enlarge.)
I'm writing this post today from the Cleveland, OH airport. I came up here over the Holiday Weekend to attend my 10 year reunion from high school. It was an incredible weekend filled with many great friends and fun memories. It seems so strange that this event is already over and I'm heading back to Dallas today.

I'm so excited, though, because the True Yoga DVD Release Party is this weekend. It's going to be a wonderful evening with over 100 people in attendance. I am so blessed and aware of all the incredible gifts I have in my life.

I was thinking about this when I was here in Ohio this weekend. I went for a jog and in Ohio there are a lot of hills (unlike Texas.) As I was running up the hill I was thinking about Yoga and the gift it's been in my life. I was thinking about how popular opinion is often that "life is a roller coaster" and if we go up then we must come down. I believe the path of Yoga is an infinite upward ascent. That with each breath and each moment, our lives continue to open up and expand in the direction of our highest Good, and we become aware of the Infinite Goodness which is ever-present, everwhere. Every moment we awaken to greater peace, love, joy, gratitude, and ultimately, as the teachings of Yoga prescribe, Bliss....

"If a yogi has perfect control over his mind, and struggles continually in this way to unite himself with Brahman (God), he will come at last to the crowning peace of Nirvana, the peace that is in me.
Yoga is not for the man who overeats, or for him who fasts excessively. It is not for him who sleeps to0 much, or for the keeper of exaggerated vigils. Let a man be moderate in his eating and his recreation, moderately active, moderate in sleep and in wakefulness. He will find that yoga takes away all his unhappiness." - Bhagavad-Gita

Here's to the journey of Yoga, the love of God, taking us Higher every breath of the way.

"Utterly quiet,
Made clean of passion,
The mind of the yogi
Knows that Brahman,
His bliss is the highest.

Released from evil
His mind is constant
in contemplation:
The way is easy,
Brahman has touched him
That bliss is boundless.

His heart is with Brahman,
His eye in all things
Sees only Brahman
Equally present,
Knows his own Atman
In every creature,
And all creation
Within that Atman."
-Bhagavad-GitaRead more

I've never really been a morning person. I've always enjoyed "sleeping in" at least until 7:30 or 8:00 am. Because of my work, the earliest I have to get up is 6:45 once a week. All the other mornings, I'm usually up by 7:15 or 7:30 as the classes I teach are not until 9:30 or later.

I've always wished I could find it within myself to rise bright and early with the start of each new day. There is a certain energy I've found morning people to have that I've always admired. I often hear morning people say they spend the early hours of the day in meditation or simply getting their mind in a positive place for the day...

"Each golden sunrise ushers in new opportunities for those who retain faith in themselves, and keep their chins up...Meet the sunrise with confidence. Fill every golden minute with right thinking and worthwhile endeavor. Do this and there will be joy for you in each golden sunset." -Alonzo Newton Benn

So, I'm opening up to the possibilitiy of being a morning person. What could be better than the beginning of a new day and being fully awake to experience the fullness of its gift each morning?

"Morning is the time of day following the wake-up of an individual, regardless of the current time of day. This part of day includes mostly menial tasks, needed to regain full productivity and ability for group socializing (i.e. shower, a morning meal, usually breakfast, dressing, etc.). The period end is vaguely defined when the individuals reach their full productivity level and are involved in any constructive social or otherwise activity." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning

It only makes sense the earlier we rise, the more we are able to experience the fullness of each day. That being said, it's essential for me to be up bright and early right now as I'm busy getting ready for many upcoming events. In a couple of weeks, will be the True Yoga DVD Release Party and I'm anticipating there will be over 100 people attending from all over the Dallas area. I've had the tremendous blessng of being able to meet so many incredible people through my work and I'm looking forward to having them all there to celebrate this wonderful event.

I'm really excited about the DVD. It's been a lot of work, but so worth it. The journey of creating this DVD and the vision for it has really helped me to clarify my vision for myself. It's been so rewarding and enlightening.

"Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it." - Anne De Lenclos

Over Memorial Day Weekend I will be travelig to Chagrin Falls, OH to attend my 10 year high school reunion. Annother turning point I'm looking forward to experiencing. I've had so many dreams already about old friends and the people I will see there. I really do believe our sleeping state holds the potential for deep insight into ourself and the potential for prophecy. Many times I have dreamed of something only to have awakened the next day to experience the reality of what my dream was revealing to me. More on this on another post...

Until the DVD Party on June 3rd, I will be blogging as much as possible over the next few weeks.

Here's to rising with the dawning of each new day and experiencing each day to the fullest!

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return." - Mary Jean Iron

Read more

Nobody knows, so just go with the Flow.

I never realized when I started practicing Vinyasa, or Flow Yoga, 5 years ago it would transform my life on every level.

The most profound impact, intially, was on the physical level. I began experiencing health and wellness at a new level of awareness. I started to take care of myself in a way I never had before and care about my body to a new degree. This journey has taken me down many paths of studying physical wellness, including intensive workshops with Anthony Robbins, in particular, one called Life Mastery, where I learned the benefits of nutritional cleansing, colon therapy, and healthy eating. At Life Mastery, I was introduced to an incredible and life-changing teacher by the name of David Wolfe, who is one of the foremost authorities on Raw Food Nutrition. Over the past few years, my diet has transformed and changed to become ever-increasingly healthier, and now raw foods consist of about 80% of my diet. This journey manifested because of an intention and a vision for physical wellness which I discovered at a depth of my Being when I began the practice of Yoga...

"Vinyasa Yoga is the sequencing of moments in time together to realize a specific intention one sets for oneself." - Patanjali

Not to mention the journey I've been on mentally and emotionally. Peace of mind and an overall sense of well-being make up most moments of my life. There was a time where true peace was an unknown and most days I felt an uneasy sense of anxiousness. So much so, I had breathing problems since the age of 15 and would struggle with stress regularly. My stressful episodes would manifest themselves in the form of cysts on my face, breakouts, etc. I am grateful to say that although I experience some moments of anxiety from time-to-time, I see an ever-expanding peace growing from within my heart and mind.

Emotionally, I have known intense anger, depression, sadness and insecurity at depths I never dreamed were possible. I often think of myself as being somewhat numb and unfeeling to Life before I began Yoga. I could cry, but it would normally take a sad movie to evoke this emotion in me. I felt a sense of disconnection from my Self and from the world around me. The path of Yoga has opened me up to feeling my Being in every cell of my body. One of my teachers often says that sometimes we have to get sick or things have to get worse before they can get better. For me, Yoga helped me to move into the places of my Self which were not well emotionally, so that I could feel the discomfort and pain which I had been avoiding for so many years, since the time I was a child. Everyday I grow and awaken to feeling the Awesomeness of Life on every level and its incredible intensity. It's a lot to take in but it's worth feeling every moment of it.

Spiritually, I had always needed to know the plan, the meaning, of everything. I would literally look for meaning in signs around me to help me feel better about Life. Going with the flow was not even in my vocabulary and anything happening contrary to the way I had planned it was an awful and uncomfortable thought. I wanted to control Life because I was afraid of what I might get if I didn't. In the past few years I've realized the joy of living is in the Unknown. This is where we feel the true miracle of what it means to be Alive. Sure, we can have our intentions and visions for what we would like to awaken to, but the joy is in the surrendering, in the letting go and letting God not just with the overall plan of our Life, but in each moment and breath we breathe. The path of Yoga has transformed my mind and continues to awaken this state of ease within me with every breath I breathe.

Life is a miracle unfolding, and all It wants to do is guide us into the fullness of its gift. I rejoice in the ability to trust God, myself and the Life Force that's moving my sails with every moment, every breath that breathes me.

Here's to the ever-expanding miracle of Life and the awakening to Absolute Well-Being as we unfold one moment at a time.Read more

I will be leaving for Cancun tomorrow for my older brother's wedding. My brother, Randy, is 32 and is marrying an awesome woman, Jennifer, who I'm so happy is going to be a part of my family.

Things have been pretty busy in preparing for this wonderful event and vacation, so I haven't had the opportunity to blog as much recently.

When I return, I will be back to my regular weekly posts with many great insights and experiences to share with you.

Until then, I will leave you with these words:

Place your burden
at the feet of the Lord of the Universe
who accomplishes everything.
Remain all the time steadfast in the heart,
in the Transcendental Absolute.
God knows the past, present and future.
He will determine the future for you
and accomplish the work.
What is to be done will be done
at the proper time. Don't worry.
Abide in the heart and surrender your acts
to the divine.

-Raman Maharshi

Love,

LeanneRead more