Testing Times....

Apparently Mars is squaring Pluto opposing Uranus in Aries this week which could mean if you have anger issues its akin to walking around with a big red button on your forehead saying "Go on..Press Me"! The relief of the subsequent explosion and release of pent up tension may though, be short lived. You may rant and rave, blame the button presser but still have to deal with the nuclear fallout and guilt of the destruction you have caused to your relationships, career or possessions. Or maybe (and I have to confess this has been more my natural style) at the slightest hint of anger, you deny it, swallow it back down, pretend you are alright with things that clearly you are not, may even feel slightly smug by your martyrdom and superior to those that vent externally, but that fiery bomb eventually explodes within you destroying your confidence, self respect, self worth and ability to express your feelings at all. 
Whichever end of the spectrum you naturally fall, this planetary alignment gives you the opportunity to do anger differently, to transform it into something powerful and life enhancing. There may be a pendulum swing initially from one extreme to the other but with awareness it is very possible to transform anger, with love and compassion, into self respect, confidence and healthy assertiveness. From the initial spark of anger we can set healthy boundaries, define what is acceptable and what is not. To stop the pendulum swinging we need to  stay balanced, with our roots firmly connected to the earth and our awareness in our hearts. As Mars transits through Libra (depicted by scales) this ability to stay balanced will be our saving Grace.
Anger is a signpost that should neither be ignored or followed, yet it is a call to act. Awareness and acceptance or acknowledgment of anger brings us to a crossroads where we then have choice. In the light of awareness we see things differently, we can view our situation from other angles that in the smoke of the fire were originally obscured. Thich Nhat Hanh quotes in Taming the Tiger Within, "If you allow compassion to spring from your heart, the fire of anger will die right away." Allowing is the key word here. Allowing is moving into a state of Grace. Infuse your anger with compassion and as it dies from its original form it will transform into something much more powerful...LOVE.

Amazing Grace

When you encounter a perceived problem, do you ask yourself in bewilderment, "Why is this happening to me?" or do you ask "What can I do to help/heal/rectify this situation?. What can I learn from this?".

When we truly learn to Open to Grace (the first principle of Anusara yoga), our perception shifts from the "I" to the "I AM" presence (for a better understanding you may read this as "I AM the presence of Grace" or even "I AM LOVE/GRACE"). Through this expanded awareness we can access the bigger picture and obtain a better idea of the truth of a situation. It may be that in the light of the "problem" we are being asked to learn qualities of Grace such as Patience, Tolerance or Compassion, or we may be given the opportunity to bring LOVE into a place where it has been forgotten. If LOVE is not received in a person or situation, sometimes we have to let go, walk away. We do not necessarily have to remove our LOVE but sometimes we need to remove ourselves from situations that may lead to us back into a state of forgetfulness! LOVE is our essence...if you don't believe me look into the eyes of any newborn child. Remember who you are, and when you forget (which you will and me too), surround yourselves with good friends that will remind you, and reflect to you, your own essence of LOVE.

Next time you perceive a problem view it through the eyes of Grace, letting LOVE (and just so we are clear, I'm referring to unconditional love from the heart here, not the attaching kind that arises in the loins!) decide which actions and words are needed (if any) in response to any seemingly challenging situation and you may be pleasantly surprised by the results. Keep in your mind only LOVE and what it is that you wish to achieve, open your heart, listen with all your senses then be amazed by the wisdom that arises within you. Grace will provide you with the answers...whether you like those answers and have the courage to act on them (which often involves a change of behaviour), is a whole other topic.

Learning to live in LOVE takes practice...practicing Yoga helps you to remember to live in LOVE.

Wishing you all a day filled with Amazing Grace xxx

Silence is golden but sharing is good too :)

As many students have been asking for it, here is the link to the OM Deeksha album with the mantra, "Invocation of Bliss" by Annette Carlstrom. I often use this track in classes for Savasana. Using sound (in this case mantra) to create silence may seem a paradox, but as many of my students will attest, this mantra can take you to a place where thought surrenders to the silent bliss of the present moment.

Since my last blog I have attended Parts 1 & 2 of the Anusara teacher training program where I had a realisation that I have a huge fear of writing! I'm not talking about facts here, or writing about stuff I have learned. I mean really committing to sharing my own thoughts, ideas, inspirations and opinions to paper (or blog for that matter!) petrifies me. This may explain my own silence and why it has taken me 6 months to write my second blog! I am however transformed by the experience and feeling rather brave, as here I am sharing feelings on my blog and I haven't died yet, lol! True courage comes from overcoming fear and without fear we cannot learn courage. We can try to dodge fear, procrastinate and make excuses about whatever it is that we fear doing, or we may try to stupefy the fear with drugs and alcohol that only serve to create a false courage, but when our heart wishes to speak who are we really to argue. I am learning that authentic expression, from the heart, can make us feel vulnerable but is well worth the effort. Not only does it make us more authentic but in fact requires far less effort than it does to procrastinate and make excuses. So if you here me procrastinating about writing or you don't see another blog within the next week or two, please do give me a gentle kick up the bottom!!!