New Years Promise

During these first few days of the New Year many of us will make resolutions to add something new, give something up, or change something in our lives that we know is not serving us. 

What if instead we decided to build upon the gifts and strengths we cultivated in 2013?  What if we resolve to continue the soul work we've been gifted this lifetime rather than this year? What if we resolve to simplify and create more space in 2014 so we can continue to do the work we're here to do, continue the practices and work we love, and do it with the people we love the most?

"The superior man perseveres long in his course, adapts to the times, but remains firm in his direction and correct in his goals." ~ I Ching 

 

This teaching from the I Ching is a beautiful reminder to re-solve and re-commit ourselves to our long term goals and visions. It is also a reminder to make sure our goals are 'correct' and to explore the intention behind them.

 

For me, my spiritual practices keep me committed to my path and more importantly it keeps me honest. Whether it is yoga, meditation, communing with nature, breath work, prayer, studying the stars, or community service, each of us can find a practice that steadies our resolve. These practices when done with mindfulness can be powerful tools to help you adapt to the times, stay firm in your direction, and correct in your goals. 

 

Meditation and prayer in particular are wonderful ways we can tap into our inner truth and attune ourselves to our larger goals. This New Year Sky House is adding two new meditation classes (one on Wednesday nights and another on Thursday mornings) and are offering Seva Sundays where all of our classes and herbal services have no minimum donation and all proceeds are given to charity.

 

We hope you enjoy these new offerings and look forward to seeing you around Sky House as we practice this mindful and steady growth together!

Wishing you a wonderful 2014!
~Ashley

On Being A Good Student

Lately the subject of studentship has been on my mind.  What does it mean to be a good student? And who gets to decide? 

Several months ago I hit a slump in my personal practices. My yoga practices had fallen off and the only herbal medicines I was making were for other people. I would spend hours preparing classes for my training programs and because I was flipping though books and writing questions, I'd think to myself, "this is how teachers study." What I didn't realize was that my inspiration for my work was slipping away because I was not making the time for myself and the subjects that I so deeply love.

It was around  Day 5 of a 40-Day Yoga Challenge in October when the first switch flipped. I had organized a 40-Day practice group to help people get back on their mats. This was something I wanted for myself too but to be honest, I wasn't sure if I had the time to do it.

On Day 5 I found myself doing a handstand without the aid of the wall and for the first time in a long time, the fire was re-lit. I thought to myself, "I love yoga! Why haven't I been doing this all along? I teach other people how to do the practice but somewhere along the line I stopped teaching myself!" This was the start of some big changes in my life. I wanted 'it', and wanted 'it' bad.  I wanted to learn more about yoga, myself, and plant medicines. I realized that no one was going to teach me unless I really wanted to learn. I saw that unless I really dedicated myself to these fields that time was just passing by and I would simply be left maintaining the knowledge I already had. And I wanted to grow.

"I saw that unless I really dedicated myself to these fields that time was just passing by and I would simply be left maintaining the knowledge I already had. And I wanted to grow."

As a child, being a good student meant getting good grades and staying out of trouble. In graduate school being a good student meant asking smart questions and turning in thick papers with references in the correct APA format. Now being a good student has a whole new meaning.

Being a good student these days means studying myself, my motives, and keeping myself engaged in the things I love. It means paying attention to the flow of Tao, or of nature itself and never working against it, since that would mean working against myself. Being a good student means that I AM IN CHARGE OF MY LEARNING.  No one can make me learn or can take me away from the subjects I am committed to studying.

"Being a good student means that I AM IN CHARGE OF MY LEARNING."

Most importantly, being a good student requires self-discipline. It requires that I choose wisely in every moment of my life. I can play on my phone/computer or I can pick up a book. I can  fill my schedule with things to keep myself busy, or I can keep my time open for walks in nature and gardening. As a student of life I can choose to be a victim of time or an artist of creation. It has never been so clear to me as it is right now, life is short, and there is so much to learn.

As a lifelong student of yoga, herbal medicine, and ethical business practices, I am happy to say that I am now practicing and studying in a way that is very nourishing and supportive.  I've continued on with my daily yoga practice and will be signing up for a 500-hour yoga training course in 2014. I've started drinking daily herbal infusions and am reading herbal books every morning with my tea. It is incredible how the plants are already providing me with so much support.  I went out in the rain and started planting bulbs at our new house and am envisioning an herbal oasis here where I can deepen my connection with the plants and share them with my students. I also plan to attend more herbal webinars with the teachers who inspire me most, Matthew Wood, Julia Graves, Susun Weed, Isla Burgess, among others. And last week I started a one year astrology course with the best learners I've ever met, Adam Elenbaas.

"It is incredible how the plants are already providing me with so much support."

On the business front, the opening of our new Sky House location next month will feature Seva Sundays, where all Sunday yoga classes, workshops, and consultations are free! Any donations that come in from these free classes and workshops will go toward charities who are aligned with our spiritual, social, environmental, and ethical beliefs.

Lastly, being a good student means knowing who your teachers are and acknowledging them. This week I sent out thank you cards to my teachers thanking them for their time and dedication to their craft. I don't think it's a mistake that my favorite teachers are also some of the best students in their fields.

"I don't think it's a mistake that my favorite teachers are also some of the best students in their fields."

Being a good student can be fun! What do you want to study? What is one small step you can take in that direction? You can challenge yourself in the areas where you know you need work and then you can congratulate yourself with a big smile and high-five! Start somewhere, and you might be surprised at where your learning takes you!

Studying my yoga from the mat, to the books, to the garden, and to the community,~Ashley

Practicing Happiness

Everyday I get a little better at being happy. It is a practice that I consciously choose. I know there are opportunities to be happy in every moment. The breeze blowing through the trees outside my window and the squirrel running along the power lines makes me smile, and I choose to be happy.  Today is a good day to practice mindful happiness :)

Dreams & Reality: Meditating Next to Scat

Dreams and reality....can they be synthesized? How do we maintain our inner landscape filled with visions of our ideal future and at the same time stay in touch with the actuality of what is here now? I'm not sure I have the answer, but the other day in the woods, I was taught a good lesson by mother nature herself.   Read on to learn more....

So there I was (see the photo above), meditating on a log deep in the woods on a beautiful overcast day, surrounded by beautiful birds singing and plants waving in the breeze. As I settled into my seat, I could feel the tension in my shoulders dissipate and my mind relax. I started to look at the present uncertainties in my life. As I sat on the smooth flat log I began to envision my life unfolding exactly how I wanted it to.

And that's when it hit me, the wretched smell of feces.

At first I ignored it. I went back to my serene inner space. I envisioned the perfect home, the large garden I've always wanted, the sound of feet pattering through our new studio space, and that feeling of happiness that comes over me when I start to relax in the arms of nature.

And then I smelled it again. Carried on the wind, undeniable like an ugly billboard. I couldn't ignore it. I was definitely meditating next to animal scat.

As I looked around it didn't take long to spot the culprit. It was right next to me, a nice palm-sized mound of animal poop covered in flies.  My first instinct was to move, to escape it's awful smell and get back to a pure, clean, and serene place in nature where I could go back to my important work of figuring out my future.

But I didn't. I decided to stay.

So I sat there, next to the poop and flies, took deep breaths, and let the wafting smells of decay, death, and life's waste materials, wash over me. That was when I understood.  Poop is a part of life. I could see how my visions of the 'ideal future' did not account for the messy reality of life. When we run away from the 'poop' and the challenges that inevitably come up when we are pursing our dreams we are missing out on reality. 

My willingness to stay in a place that was less than ideal taught me a great lesson about dreams and reality. When I made friends with poop, I made friends with uncertainty, messiness, and hardship.  Each of these are becoming my allies on my spiritual path rather than things I fear or reject.

So the next time you find yourself sitting next to something, someone, or some thought you find repulsive, stay.  Sit there and meditate with them, even try to become their friend. You may be surprised to find that they are an integral part of making your dreams come true.

Cheers to All Things Fragrant and Stinky,

Ashley