Hello True Yoga Blog friends,

How is everyone feeling post Thanksgiving?  I had a wonderful and healing time with family.  I allowed myself to eat, any and all of, the foods that found their way onto my plate.  I have realized, in recent years, I feel best when I go with the flow with everything in life, even eating.  Most of the time I live a very healthy lifestyle, pretty much drinking smoothies for breakfast and lunch, although today I had soup, too…but…it’s nourishing to let our bodies be fed with the food Life is bringing to the table.  So many people, especially on the Yoga path, can become so picky and restrictive about their diets.  Everything in moderation is best I believe…always…

Did you see this?  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stewart-j-lawrence/when-yogis-kill-the-grisl_b_1077457.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false I don’t like having to share information like that, but, it’s unbelievable something like that could happen with a company whose practices are supposedly so positive. I honestly don’t know the truth of everything that article said, but, I do know I am very conscious of the people I choose to align myself with these days.  I will not sell myself for money any longer.  For many years I did…I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing…but I did.  I’m sure many of us have done that at one point in our life.  Maybe not sell our soul…but certainly do things we didn’t believe in fully with our heart. 

But, that certainly isn’t good publicity for the company.  I can only imagine how troubled they are by that event, nonetheless, very Black Swanish.  Apparently, that stuff does happen in the real world.  It’s probably best for companies to encourage teamwork more than competition, always. 

I gotta tell you, I am a little turned off by everything the Yoga world has become.  Yoga has become like a popularity contest in a lot of ways.  I decided, pretty much over the past year, to respectfully bow out of competing with any or all of my peers.  I have no interest to compete with anyone.  The idea of that is really nauseating to me.  But, to each their own.  It’s just surreal when Yoga, a spiritual practice, becomes competitive.  That’s too much for me.  There are a billion things I’d rather do than to compete with someone in the Yoga world to be the best Yogi…get a life people.  I know there are a lot of teachers out there doing a lot of good, but, a lot of them are also seeking recognition for their acts.  That’s wherein the issue lies.  Yoga is about selfless service…not fame and recognition.  If fame and recognition comes as a result of one’s selfless actions, that’s great…but don’t seek it.  Fame is a double edged sword.  If you want to be famous, you better be comfortable with everything about you being known…I mean everything…every booger you ever picked…all of it. 

That being said, I’m thinking of writing an anonymous column for a magazine.  I’m looking forward to this opportunity.  I will not discuss the details of this, but the subject matter is something I’m incredibly passionate about…sexuality and healing.  I am also very conscious about what I give my name to these days.  But, I would be willing to write this article because I believe this topic is something that is so essential for our culture and world.  If I am able to write this column, I hope it will be something that will be enlightening and transformational for all of us, individually and collectively.

I’ve also been really inspired by MyLifeYoga.  I just liked their facebook page.  I love the quotes they share like this one with this pic I posted on the True Yoga Blog.  I’ve been reflecting, a lot, about love recently and that was something I realized in my reflections.  Love does not seek to posses, but to free.  Amen.  As I was searching online for that quote, I came across these ones, as well.  These are all powerful so I will share them with you here.

“Love does not claim possession, but gives freedom.”

- Rabindranath Tagore, was a Bengali poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright who reshaped Bengali literature and music.

“It is only when we no longer compulsively need someone that we can have a real relationship with them.”

- Anthony Storr, was an English psychiatrist and author.

“It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.”

- Anonymous

“An intimate relationship does not banish loneliness. Only when we are comfortable with who we are can we truly function independently in a healthy way, can we truly function within a relationship. Two halves do not make a whole when it comes to a healthy relationship: it takes two wholes.”

- Patricia Fry, is an author and publisher.

One of my friends was wearing a sweatshirt the other night that said Christmas is for Friends.  I loved that.  Also true.  And, this is also the time of realizing who our true friends really are.  Just because you let certain people into your life doesn’t mean you have to continue to keep them close to you.  You can find the healthy space and boundaries you need, at any time, for yourself and others.  Sometimes when we are establishing these boundaries in our friendships and relationships, it doesn’t always feel great for yourself or others.  But, trust that if you do what’s best for you, and not worry about other people liking you, you will really be doing what’s best for everyone.  The spiritual teaching is that you don’t have to like everyone, but you must learn to love them as a soul.  Paramahansa Yogananda said that…so did Jesus in so many words.  Sometimes the most powerful way to love someone is from afar.  Find a way to create the healthy space and boundaries you need in your life this holiday.  Do it in a loving way, but, do it nonetheless and you’ll feel better.  Winter season, and the great Winter Solstice on December 22nd, is almost here.  This is the time to let go of the past and to be reborn into a new year aligning with the people and things that are best for your life.  Don’t be afraid to make the changes you need to make.  Life is not a popularity contest.  It’s about being true to yourself.  If you do that, you will find you always have true friends in life.

Love and light to you and I will be back more to share on the True Yoga Blogs soon.  You can also read the most recent post on the Fresh Fruit Cleanse blog here.