Bridget Stacey Luff

“You are all the characters in the story” – something the philosophy scholar Douglas Brooks teaches. I love myths and telling stories (as most of my students will attest to!) Often we over-identify with a particular character in a story and forget that we actually have the potential to be all the characters in the story. We hold all of human nature within us. Our potential is vast.

All the Characters in the Story

When we discover different aspects of ourselves, we find life gets fuller. We understand others better, we are more open – open to opportunities and different ways of doing and seeing things. We then can experience more freedom in our lives.

When we become too attached to certain ways of seeing things and doing things, we create labels for ourselves and others and these can restrict us.

This is easily relevant in the yoga room. For example, if I walk in a yoga class and I think of myself as ‘yoga teacher’ I feel a pressure to perform and impress. If I let go of the label, and just be , just be my self (whatever the hell that is, I can’t explain it with words!) I am free to play, be bold, make mistakes, be open, be vulnerable and just have a much better time of it all. And everyone around me probably feels more comfortable too.

So often we worry about the what should we be doing or what we think others think we should be doing and sometimes it feels so good to just LET IT GO.

So … today just play with not constantly defining and pigeon holing yourself and those around you. Just be, in every moment, and be bold! You may find you do things a bit differently. It’s not easy, you have to take a few little risks and leaps of faith, but take it in baby steps. Trust not knowing. It’s ok to not know things! It’s fun to let your hair loose.

We are not a label, we are not any one thing. We are all the characters in the story.

[A meditation practice for 'letting go of your labels': the mantra 'ham-sa', means I am that, that I am, I am that. A let go of the need to identify yourself. On the inhale think 'ham' on the exhale think 'sa'. Continue this cycle for 5 -15  minutes. Keep the breath steady and full. Be mindful of the breath as you repeat the mantra in your head. If you like it, stick with it as a daily practice, see how it resonates with you.]

“Stoking the Fire of the Heart”
Sat., 11 February 2012, 2.30pm – 5pm, Yoga Place, £30. Join Sarah Slyne and I for part 2 of our ‘Inner Fire’ winter workshops – where we warm up from the inside out! This playful workshop will warm the cockles of your heart, and open up your shoulders that are often hunched over in the harsh weather. You’ll spend time on the back-bends that befuddle, grasping them with grace and integrity.  Join us for sweet treats and tea afters.  Contact info@yogaplace.co.uk or 020 7739 5195 to book.

I love this time of year, when we can make plans, set intentions and have a renewed vigour for looking after ourselves.  Everyone around us is doing the same and it gives us the impetus to try new things, let go of a few old habits.  Which yoga is pretty good for.  My inspiration for this month is Saraswati – the goddess of music, flow, voice, science and art.  Come to class to explore traditional poses and philosophies with a modern approach; hone and tone alignment allowing the body to be and find it’s natural harmony.

Once again we step into winter, and the festivities. As the parties increase I’m a little tempted to hibernate.  But as I gear up I thought, what do I really want?  And that is to keep clear, clear as the crisp sky.  Why? Because this is good!  It is great to celebrate with my friends and family, share delicious food and drink and practice the yoga of just being present and open to what is.  My teaching plate is fairly full too.  And for that I am incredibly grateful.  I am grateful to my friends, students and teachers. Thank you. What a year it has been! Time to celebrate. I look forward to 2012.  Lots of exciting stuff getting lined up…watch this space…

Capturing the moment - low sun over London Bridge

The final two classes on 3 & 10 December at Urdang Academy are going to be a “Christmas Celebration”. Open to all with music, creative flowing and playful practice, a warming, rejuvenating potpourri of back-bends, twists, hand balances, inversions, hearts and hips openers. It will be “The Practice” style class where I will be moving alongside you but leading the way – a bit like a trekking guide. Dialogue, requests and hangovers are welcome. 10AM – 11.30AM. Afters we can wander onto Exmouth market for a coffee / tea / pastry to treat ourselves a little more. If you are keen to come contact me or click attending on the facebook event.  It’s only £10 and all profit (above rent) will go to a charity of our choice.

Like a ... yogi!

Kali is the cycle of darkness and chaos. Which sounds scary. But it’s where we need to step into to learn, grow and develop. When we play the edge of our internal rules and regulations, challenging our identification with who we are and what we think we can do, we can grow even more ‘soft strong’ and graceful.  So! When we are brought into chaos we line up our heart’s desires and our head’s wisdom. Then we play, we keep it light. We trust the support of those we love, and we let loose our inner Kali. She is the one that teaches us we always can grow stronger and softer, our nature is to constantly expand, constantly grow.

Jackson Pollock

Melt – to make what is solid liquid.  The heart – emotional epicentre of love and compassion.  I.e. Fill up with and spread the love!

On the mat:  explore this by playing with arm balances and working with the ‘melting of the heart’ key action, dedicate your practice to someone you love and notice how your body feels when you do so. 

Here is my interpretation of why it exists and how it goes.  It’s not always easy to teach, because it requires exposing your baseline belief as well as opening up your heart in song. It is a stripping bare of the soul. The invocation underpins the fundamental teaching of Anusara Yoga and Shiva-Shakti Tantra (the philosophy that Anusara Yoga is based on). The beautiful kirtan singer Nikki Slade once taught me that chanting is the yoga of the heart. So it seems appropriate to chant this text. And it’s in Sanskrit, an ancient sacred language whose rich sounds have deep resonance.

The invocation is a dedication to the innate essence of being,  that which is intrinsically good. Shiva represents this essence found in yourself, your loved ones, nature, the world around you.  Sometimes the goodness is cloaked and harder to see but we Anusara yogis believe that this intrinsic goodness is running through everything. In basic terms, we ‘look for the good’. And the chant goes a little something like this…

Symbolic mythical figure of Shiva

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave (I honour Shiva, the essence of being, the guru, teacher within and without)

Saccidananda Murtaye (Truth, consciousness, bliss)

Nisprapancaya Shantaya (Omnipresent and peaceful)

Niralambaya Tejase (Ultimately free and luminiscent)

Om, Om, Om (universal sound connects us to the essence)

[An aside:  repeating Om Namah Shivaya alone is a powerful seed mantra used alot in yoga meditation.

A very soothing sound and concept to repeat to oneself.  Give it a bash if you dare stepping down the rabbit hole... see you on the other side!]

“Join world-renowned Anusara yoga wizard Chris Chavez for a festive, candle-lit evening of practice and play. With down to earth instruction you’ll build a stronger foundation and with high-energy asana you’ll be inspired to new levels. Chris’s charismatic teaching style reaches out to everyone who practices with him.”

I’m going! Are you? Book here