March is often known as the month of rebirth and renewal. As the snow fades away, flowers and grass are slowly emerging showing us that spring has arrived. Okay, well I may be getting ahead of myself a little bit, as we still have three weeks until it is officially spring, but the energy of renewal and hope has arrived! With this in mind, perhaps notice how each time you do a pose (or any activity for that matter), the moment you are in has never happened before. Since life is always changing, so is your experience. This keen awareness of the present moment can also be applied to your relationships and responsibilities. The rebirth of springtime, the Liberation of Passover, the Resurrection of Easter can all be seen as metaphors for our own ability to transform. This could be from the bondage of the past and the limiting beliefs you’ve held about what is or is not possible. Through the practice of yoga and other mindful activities, we can plant seeds of intention in the fertile landscapes of our consciousness. So, no matter what has happened in the past, you can relate to the present moment with freshness and curiosity.

It seems fitting with this season of change and renewal that Balance Studios has also moved to a new location just around the corner. The studio is now on Main Street next door to the liquor store and upstairs by Roots Hair Salon.

Beginning tomorrow, March 1st, another candlelit yoga session on Wednesday evenings at Balance Studios will also begin at the new location. This will be a 5-week yoga session from Wednesday, March 2-March 30th.

Please register in-advance if you plan on joining us. Class information and pricing is here.
 
New Wednesday evening yoga session starts March 2nd:
Wednesdays All-Levels Candlelit Flow Yoga at Balance Studios in Victor from 6:30-7:45pm. This class series and accompanying poses will focus on renewal, alignment, and core strength. You'll gain flexibility and stamina and help to unwind from the day. This is a flowing, alignment-based class, and is suitable for all levels, from beginners to seasoned practitioners.
 
As always, if you have any questions about the changes, schedules, class requests, etc., please contact me by phone, email, or message me on Facebook. Have a great day!

Om shanti, shanti, shanti (peace, peace, peace),

Jen

Photo taken by yoga student, Carolyn Caputo, 1-27-16.

Well, I finally have done it. For awhile, I have been on the fence about starting a blog. I wanted to share my thoughts, but have not had, or rather, made the time to start writing. You see, I am the type of person who volunteers and signs up for a lot. I don't like to say no, and when I do, I often feel like I am missing out on all the fun or not doing enough. So, since I tend to fill up all of my free time trying to do everything, I end up not having free time at all or time for activities for myself. This feeling of "not enough" is part of the three "malas."

What are the malas you ask? Malas are the veils or cloaks in life that prevent us from seeing our true nature, our intrinsic goodness and divine self. It can result in us not thinking that we are good enough, a disconnection from others, and preoccupation with ourself or our "ego." These feelings are summed up into Anava Mala, Maiya Mala, and Karma Mala.

Anava Mala:
The malas begin with Anava Mala, the mala that causes low self-esteem. It is the mala that prevents us from seeing how great we really are. It is the mala that makes us feel like we are small and alone. We forget that we have all the tools within ourselves to be happy and good, or rather that we are good just the way we are. It's the mala of impurity and inadequacy. 

Maiya Mala:
The Anava Mala then usually leads one into the Maiya Mala- the mala that causes us to think that we are different and separate from others. It can lead to one being overly critical of oneself, resulting in us feeling all alone. We worry about what other people will think of us. It's the comparison mala. Have you ever been envious of another student in yoga class who can do a pose that you struggle with, then you end up feeling bad about yourself?

Karma Mala:
Last, the Karma Mala is the mala that causes a sense of hopelessness- that your self worth is measured by how much you can do. This mala has led me to be a perfectionist in life, to try to overachieve, and the feeling that I have to do everything by myself. It's the mala that causes the fear that if I say no, then I am not doing enough- that I am lacking, and if I don't do it, then no one will. So, what do I usually do? I tend to compensate by trying to be perfect, by signing up and volunteering whenever I can, by trying to be super woman, and not trusting that there are others who can also do the work at hand, or that if it isn't done, that it's okay. My compensation for this usually results in burn out and the feeling that I do not have enough time or resources. Or worse, that people will disapprove and not like me, which is essentially all the malas wrapped into one. So, the malas cycle back and forth with one another. Dang those terrible feedback mala loops!

My 2013 Intentions:
So, with that in mind, I have set my 2013 intentions on combating the malas. (I no longer make New Year's Resolutions, as I think resolutions often set people up for failure. The difference between an intention and a resolution is that an intention is focused on small actions that you can do daily. Rather than having a resolution that is dependent on a particular outcome, an intention is more about the process and mindful actions you can take. Intentions are also much more forgiving.)

The mala that I most identify with is the Karma Mala. I have always been very busy in life and have lived by the phrase, "if not me, than who?"- a great phrase, but not so much in my case. So, the past few months, I have been trying to slow down. I've begun to meditate more regularly and have learned to say "no" more often. I realize that I do not have to do everything. So, for 2013, I am going to continue on this path. I have stopped over-volunteering so that I can have more free and down time. Before, I volunteered because I thought no one else would. That if I didn't, then bad things would happen, so I said yes and then resented not having any free time. I will choose my activities mindfully and will be much more present and engaged when I do volunteer. It will no longer be a chore, but rather an uplifting experience from the heart and not part of my long "to do list."

In addition, I also intend to be more kind and patient with myself and others. I am generally pretty empathetic with others and would like to say much more patient than I ever was as a kid- although more patience in life is always worth striving towards. Yet, with myself, I tend to lack the patience and care that I show towards others. I, once again, am hard on myself. My intention is to recognize when I am judging myself and when I am rushing.To pause and exhale completely. To give myself a break every now and then, to take care of myself and to forgive myself when I forget. It doesn't mean that I am complacent or not responsible for my actions. But, when I do mess up, to acknowledge it, do what I can to own up to my mistakes, and then to forgive and move on. To not beat myself up about it and to move forward, while recognizing the lessons I may have learned.

Thanks for reading. I am curious, what are your New Year's intentions or resolutions? I'd love to hear your feedback.

Here's to a fabulous and healthy 2013! Happy New Year!