
More to Explore

Go Ahead – Push My Buttons
push (one’s) buttons verb • Make one react, or react unfavorably; to aggravate; to show off another’s character faults; to taunt. She knows how to push all his buttons. Unfortunately, most “button pushers” get a bad rap. They’re considered rude and inconsiderate. They are the difficult people in life. Teachers send them to the principals…

Reflections after teaching Step 1 Training – See It From My Side
Written by Amy Haysman It’s Monday after 3 days of grounding 17 grown ups in the art and design of teaching kids yoga Grounded style. I lean back in my chair at lunch, unable to carry on a conversation, and say to Sedef “I’m drained.” Instantly, my body recognized this as untrue.
Namaste
Said my young friend who wants a connection:
“I wave. I shake hands, with no objection.
No pain, no remorse, no one intervening
a choice I make without much thought or meaning~”“…Is there a gesture that honors each other?
That celebrates greeting sisters and brothers?
Can you show me HOW to express happiness
with social and spiritual significance?”YES, my dear friend, I can show you a mudra~
a gesture of sorts, for kings, friends and sudras.
Place hands together from fingers to wrists~
like a knife, cut through difference that may exist.This immediately gets you to the shared ground~
of ALL people, of all cultures, of all sound.
It’s a recognition, a united force~
that honors equality of all from the Source.Close your eyes and tune into your own inner light;
your divine spark that forever burns bright.
That’s the key, my dear friend, you must see your OWN
in order to recognize others’ light shown.BLEND your five fingers of action on the left~
with five fingers of knowledge on the right~
to achieve the symbol of perfection
the union of opposites; interconnection.
FInd the Connection of your brain and your heart;
your sun and your moon; your stop and your start.
Marry together reason and emotion~
unite thoughts and feelings, stillness and motion.Join positive and negative; hot and cold~
theory with practice, silver with gold~
Wisdom with Method, intellect with instinct~
talent with genius, and feelings with think!Exhalation and inhalation, ,brain and heart~
Align in harmony, right from the start!
There is indeed no sphere of our existence
untouched by the symbolic significance~of Namaste~
Namaste

Roadmap to Lucidity
Or
The map to LUCIDITY
Inspired by Yoga Sutra 1.33 which reads:maitri karuna mudita upeksanam sukha duhkha punya apunya
visayanam bhavanatah cittaprasadanamThe map to LUCIDITY?
YES! Have you heard?
Takes four states to get there~
Not that absurd.The first is of FRIENDSHIP
toward those who are happy.
Even when you feel distant,
resistance and slappy.The second is of COMPASSION
toward those in distress.
Tough when annoyed,
imposed on and stressed.The third is of JOY
toward those who are good
through roadblocks of useless
and misunderstood.The fourth is of EQUANIMITY
toward those who are foul
who are lacking in virtue,
and react with a growl.Here in our mapping
Four residents are mentioned.
How we perceive them
Is our fierce contention.Our attitudes we go for
From composure to kind~
Get us closer to LUCIDITY
Where we STABILIZE our mind.Memorize these four~
And observe in daily life.
During times of quiet,
Noise, and even strife.So buckle up~
And prepare for a ride~
To align your attitude,
And try the untried.Close your eyes~
Feel the state you are in~
Soften your heart~
your throat, and your skin.Drop your breath
right into your heart~
It’s made up of LOVE~
And that’s where you start.Inhale with the thought~
May I be friendly~
Exhale with the thought~
May I give friendship.
.May I be COMPASSIONATE
with your next inhale
May I give COMPASSION
with your next exhale.Inhale with the thought~
May I have JOY~
Exhale with the thought~
May I give JOY.May I have EQUANIMITY
with your inhale.
May I give CALMNESS
with your exhale.When someone comes to mind
Offer these prayers
No matter their issues,
Their stains, or their stares.May you be LOVING~
May you be LOVED ~
May you be PEACEFUL~
May you give PEACE~Your states of envy and mean
Get smaller each time~
Intolerance is removed
You get closer to SUBLIME.Once your mind is CLEAR,
And you’re CENTERED and FREE
Skillfulness in ACTION
Will be … Will be~Living My Yoga
In 2006 I arrived on my first yoga mat during my pregnancy of my daughter. A year later I was teaching preschool and fitness classes to children as way to continue to be with her on a daily basis. Last January I showed up to my first Grounded Yoga experience with Level 1, and I…

A fifth grader practices yoga at a Men’s Night Shelter
Community yoga at Central Night Shelter invites Atlanta neighbors, families, and guests to move, breathe, and connect. Sunday sessions from 5 to 6 pm build calm, compassion, and strength through accessible partner poses and simple breath cues. Come practice together and share what you experience.







