Two Years and Lots of Memories
Two years ago Krista Shirley opened The Yoga Shala in
Over the past 2 years it has grown to become an elite yoga studio with the main focus on the practice Mysore style Ashtanga, an authentic, traditional style of yoga handed down by K. Pattabhi Jois, or as we know him simply as Guruji. It has not always been a smooth ride down this path, but as a family grows and prospers through the thick and thin, so does The Shala and the family that it has become.
There was a time, not too long ago when I wanted to cut out the negative people in my life. At the same time, I didn’t want to hurt them by telling them that I was cutting them out of my life. I turned my focus to The Shala and to the people like me who were spending their time there, searching and finding peace in their lives. Within a matter of a few months, those negative people, whom I was hoping to cut ties, just moved away. This just wasn’t one person, but several people, who just decided to change their lives, far away from mine. So, without any hurt feelings or arguments, the negative people left and I was surrounded by positive people, wanting a better life, physically, spiritually and mentally. That is what The Shala helped me to be a part of.
When you enter The Shala, on a busy day or night or even on a slow one, a sense of relief comes over you and you know at that moment, everything is going to be alright. You just roll out your mat and see what happens, letting the world outside exist for a short while without you. During your practice you may laugh, you may cry, or you may be just going through the motions. Either way, it is always something that you are glad that you did for yourself and grateful that you have a place to do it.
Not everyone understands the emotional attachment we feel to The Shala. To many of us, it’s more than a yoga studio. It’s a place to see your friends regularly, it’s a place to find healing, it’s a place to feel safe, and a place to grow and change, no matter how difficult it may seem that day.
So today, I am grateful to have a place where I can grow and change. I am grateful to have a place where I can see my friends. I am grateful to be able to share what I know about Ashtanga yoga with anyone who comes in and wants to learn about it. But most of all I am grateful for Krista, who followed her dreams to make The Shala possible for anyone who wants to participate in this amazing community of people who make it such a wonderful place to be.
- Maureen Hanusek
Director of Evening Mysore Program at The Yoga Shala
Facing Your Fears, and Letting Go
There are some days when I get up, drag myself to the mat and dread every second of it. There are days when I leap out of bed and float to my mat and want it to go on for hours. But it’s those days when I really don’t want to practice when I need to do it the most.
There are many reasons we don’t want to practice, we are tired, stressed out, feeling ill or just being lazy. But there are other reasons, and it may be that we don’t want to face our fears. Facing our fears is probably the best reason to do your yoga practice, but is for sure the hardest.
The fears that we may have can range from not wanting to push outside our comfort zone, to not wanting to face our true self, to feeling inadequate, to having to let go of what you thought you were.
The fear of dealing with the physical discomfort is a natural human behavior, so the lesson in this is easy. We must work through the discomfort to move forward. If we always did things that made us feel comfortable in life, we would probably not have many life experiences or feel very successful. On the other hand, if the lesson to learn is easy, making it happen is the actual challenge.
Attachment to fear may be one of the factors that are preventing us from moving forward. Think about it, we have lived so long with this idea of who we are, that we have this fear, so much so that we have no idea how to let it go. It’s ingrained in our being and letting it go could leave an empty space in our lives.
The other day, while watching others do their practice, I felt a sense of loss to the person I once was. It was a feeling I had never had before. I knew that I had changed, that I had become more dedicated to my yoga practice and have changed my lifestyle, but what I hadn’t realized until that moment, was that I was no longer the person I thought I was.
Over the past few years, I have given up habits and behaviors that would not be conducive to a yogic lifestyle. While giving up those things was not difficult, realizing who I have committed myself to becoming shocked me in a way that was never even conceivable until now. What came to light, at that moment was a sense of loss. I was attached to who I had been for so many years and had a fear of embracing who I had become, of whom I have wanted to become and of whom I would like to evolve into. Fear overtook my entire being at that moment and I just wanted time to stop so I could put the brakes on for a moment to analyze the situation.
Since that moment, I have been mourning the loss of my former self. A flood of emotions overwhelm me on and off the mat, and the physical discomfort of daily practice feels more like agony. The more I try to hold on, the more painful the process becomes. So the lesson is easy, “let go”. But the action of doing so is very difficult.
Non-attachment is part of the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. I believe it is one of the most difficult practices, for sometimes we don’t even realize what our attachments are. I for one had no idea that I was attached to my former self. Now that I know, the process of letting go can begin. I know that when I am ready to embrace my “new” self, I will eagerly float to my mat knowing I have overcome yet another obstacle in this day to day operation we call life. I will have pushed myself out of my comfort zone and will feel really successful. Until then, I must experience and enjoy the journey ahead. Ready or not, here I come.
Maureen Hanusek
What has happened to this idea called commitment? I am sure you have heard about it. It's when you decide to do something and stick with it, through the good and the bad.
But when was the last time you made a commitment to yourself? How many of us have really made a commitment to ourselves? If you can't do that, then can you really commit to anyone else?
It's obvious our society has left this idea by the wayside. You can see it in the physical health of our countrymen and women. Health is the number one commitment you must make to yourself, and if you don't have that, then all else adds up to very little. You are just existing while taking up too much space on this diminishing planet.
Commitment is saying to yourself EVERYDAY that you will do the best you possibly can to treat your body, mind and soul like a temple. Do we do that every minute of everyday? No, of course not. But it's obvious, with the amount of sick and obese in this country that few even try to do it the majority of the time.
If your body is sick, then your mind is not clear. If you mind is not clear, then your priorities are misaligned. When your priorities are misaligned, your stress levels increase and the whole cycle continues. Is there any amount of commitment in that?
Making a commitment to your yoga practice, is the first step in creating a better life for yourself so that you can continue you be a positive role model for your children, family and friends.
With commitment comes the good and the bad. Some days I don't feel like working through the discomfort of my yoga practice. I wish my mind would be clear without the daily practice of meditation and I wish I could be physically fit and internally healthy by eating potato chips and pizza at every meal.
But through the good days and bad days we get up out of bed and make it to the mat. Through the good days and bad days we take the time to quiet the mind. And through the good days and bad we choose to eat our vegetables.
It saddens me to see what has become of our society. The loss of hope that Americans once prided themselves on. To come back to a commitment to ourselves is to rebuild a stronger society one man, woman and child at a time.
Maybe that in the past, breaking your commitment to someone or something did not have consequences, but isn't it apparent that that philosophy has led us to where we are now? Which direction do you want to go? Figure it out and commit to it, through the good and the bad.
As a yogi, get on your mat regularly. Do it often and with frequency and don't give up on yourself. There will be days when it's probably the most difficult thing you will have to do and others when it is not. When you make this commitment to yourself, and do not break it, great things can occur for you and the ones who rely on you.
Maureen Hanusek
Right Here, Right Now
by Maureen Hanusek
Chances are, if you’re sitting here, reading this, you are in no immediate danger. And if you are in fact, sitting here, reading this, life is pretty good. So, at this very moment, right here, right now, all is perfect. How miniscule the present moment can seem compared to a lifetime. How infinite the present moment can be at this very second.
I am reading the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. A friend let me borrow it. And it’s really got me thinking about how to stay present in this moment. So far, it’s amazing. When I truly cut out the mind chatter and things past and future, life seems so beautiful.
But every moment can’t be beautiful, can it? I wish every moment could be beautiful, but things aren’t always beautiful, like our yoga practice, for example. Some days you feel as if you could float on your mat easily from posture to posture. While other days you feel like a lead brick, flopping around on the mat like a poor dying fish out of water. Thus the Power of Now begins.
Your yoga practice is the best place to start your attention to the present moment. This is where your day begins or ends and comes full circle, on your mat. There’s no hiding from it, it’s there, waiting for you to “check in.” It’s where you peel away the layers of your external self and actually have to be with who you really are. And it’s happening every moment you dedicate to your practice. Don’t like yourself so much one day; what’s your practice going to look like? Love yourself another day; how does your practice feel? What is every moment like being you?
Being fully alive in this present moment can be a daunting task when we first realize how much effort it may take, but noticing how wonderful life is, right here, right now can fill us with gratitude and compassion. With practice, living in the present moment becomes more natural and all the chatter and pains that we seem to live with go away, if only for a fleeting moment. Soon these fleeting moments become strung together and longer lapses of clarity exist in our lives.
Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? How do I get this clarity? Where do I begin? Begin on your mat. Whilst practicing asana, feel what the body is doing, feel the breath, the bandhas and refuse to listen to what the mind is telling you about the past or the future. Know that this very moment of your day will only exist for a very short time and that noticing it will not only make it a more enjoyable experience, but allow you to connect with a deeper inner self that may need acknowledgement. In these fleeting minutes, is where we can truly listen for that “Ah-ha” moment. It’s where breakthroughs occur and where those questions we keep asking become answered.
Now is an incredible time to be alive. Now is a powerful tool for self discovery. Now is the time to enjoy the life you have been given. Now is your opportunity to live you best life.
Boundaries and Knowledge Yoga Workshop
with Brian Friedman
Saturday, September 24th
2:00-4:00pm.
$35.00 early registration, $50.00 thereafter.
Join us for a powerful workshop facilitated by Brian Friedman on Saturday, September 24, 2011 where we’ll explore the ideas of boundaries and knowledge.
What are boundaries?
What is Knowledge?
These ideas will help you establish good habits during every yoga practice and Brian will share with you the single most important idea of them all.
It’s time to take your yoga experience to the next level! Part discussion, part demonstration, and part led class, this personalized, highly interactive workshop will give you the tools you need to develop great yoga habits and to receive outstanding yoga results!
If I Had My Life to Live Over
a letter written by Nadine Stair at age 85
If I had my life to live over, I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax; I'd limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I'm one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after the other, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had it to do over again, I would travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over again, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances; I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.
Thank you for a peaceful day. Also, I just found my Sutras of Patanjali book under my computer desk. Have a great night! My little ducks just got home so the fun begins. :)
This four week beginner Yoga course is designed for students with little or no yoga experience. Students are introduced to Ashtanga yoga in a slow, safe and comprehensive manner. This beginner Yoga course is progressive, in order that each class will allow students to build from the previous. At the end this course, students will be equipped with the knowledge of the history of the Ashtanga Yoga method, a physical foundation of the sun salutations, standing postures and breath work required to advance in the Ashtanga practice, and the self-assurance to enter into the Mysore program. All classes are held at our Orlando Yoga Shala location. This course requires pre-registration, call 407-506-4626 for more information.
Please select the course you wish to enroll. You may come five days per week during the month beginner course (unless you register for the evening class, which is four nights per week); please keep in mind that it is most ideal to come four-five days per week but please be sure you can come at least three days per week in order to receive maximum benefit from the program.
Beginner Course Timings
6:30-7:30am
8:30-9:30am
9:30-10:30am
12:00-1:00pm
7:00-8:00pm
Beginner Course Dates - You must call to register
September 13 - October 7
October 10 - November 4
November 7 - December 2
December 5 - December 30
Please Join The Yoga Shala on Saturday mornings from 11:00-12:00pm for our DONATION Guided Ashtanga Yoga class
The Yoga Shala is located in Winter Park, Florida (in the orlando area). 927 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Winter Park, Florida 32789. We are close to the Winter Park Village, downtown Winter Park, Park Avenue, and Lee Road.
Guided Ashtanga Yoga class will present the sun salutations, standing postures and finishing asanas from the Ashtanga Yoga tradition in a one hour class led by one of The Yoga Shala's teachers. All levels are welcome!
Donation class (any dollar amount): The month of September all proceeds will benefit New Hope For Kids in Central Florida.
Instructors at The Yoga Shala will be donating their time each Saturday to teach this class. Please come join us each weekend to raise monies for a wonderful cause!
New Hope for Kids provides services to Central Florida children during some of the most difficult and challenging times of their lives. At our Center for Grieving Children in Maitland we offer support to children ages 3 to 18 who are grieving the death of a loved one. These children come to us during a moment of extreme vulnerability - because of a death caused by illness, accident, murder or suicide - suddenly unsure of what the future holds for them. New Hope for Kids Grief Program teaches them that they are not alone and that there is hope.
Our Wishes for Kids Program improves the quality of life for children who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. These kids face isolation and educational stagnation resulting from long-term hospital or home care. Physical disabilities may also limit their mobility and access to normal learning and social opportunities. New Hope for Kids provides one very important wish as well as a long-term series of family activities for special needs kids. This gives these children hope for the future and strength to go on striving.
Click here for more information about New Hope For Kids
If you would like more information about The Yoga Shala, please visit our website.
♥ Open Your Heart ♥
By Maureen Hanusek - Director of Evening Mysore program at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida
Back bends are probably the scariest yoga poses most yogis have ever had to accomplish. And it doesn't matter whether you are binding ankles or simple pushing through a bridge pose; at any stage of the back bend it can be a difficult challenge to move into.
Why do back bends seem like such a struggle? Well I believe that the art of back bending is directly correlated to the amount of love you have in your life. Now that is not to say that someone who can bind their ankles with their hands has more love in their life than someone just learning to push their head up off the floor. What I am saying is that your ability to open your heart and to push through the physical discomfort of breaking that protective barrier around the heart is directly correlated to the way we give and receive love.
Have you ever seen someone hunched over from the shoulders, head stretched forward? Now picture their face. What does it look like? Do they seem like that they have a lot of love in their life? Probably not, as they actively protect their heart.
Picture a couple on their wedding day; the groom standing at the altar, the bride walking up the isle. What do they look like? Shoulders back, chest lifting, crown of their heads reaching to the sky. This couple is full of love, and it's obvious.
Wouldn't we rather look like the couple on their wedding day, everyday? This is what back bends teach us, to open our hearts to people, living and new experiences. But life can be disheartening. Of course it can, this is why we repeat back bends in every yoga practice. Not to mention they help wake up the central nervous system.
Our many experiences with love in our lives may have led us to heartache, and it shows in our posture and our practice. So many reasons to protect the heart, love lost whether it was a child, sibling, parent, friend, spouse or grandparent. Maybe a loved one let us down in the past. As a result we still hold on to these pieces for whatever reason.
Back bending will teach you to let go of these pieces so that we can make space for MORE love in our lives. Being able to receive infinite amounts of love into our lives, and more importantly for us to be able to give infinitely more love to everyone, especially the people who really need it. Like that hunched over acquaintance that has very little room in their heart for love. Creating this space in our hearts though back bending is difficult, but so well worth it.
Isn't this what we all live for? Isn't this what we are meant to do? Isn't LOVE the reason we were all put here on this Earth together? To LOVE one another? So don't you want to do more back bending right now? I though so. ♥
Maureen Hanusek is a dedicated Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and teacher. She runs the evening mysore program at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida. For more information about classes with Maureen click here.
Awesome Clip from Oprah Show!
Madonna educates Oprah about Ashtanga Yoga.
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is Madonna's choice for yoga asana, and it is the only physical exercise routine she does nowadays :)
If you live in Orlando, Florida you can come practice the kind of yoga Madonna loves to do at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida. The Yoga Shala is the only traditional Ashtanga Yoga school in Central Florida and we are here to help you start or deepen your yoga practice! Come join us! Click here for our current class schedule or here for how to get started as a brand new student.
Experience an Inner Transformation…
with Lourdes Cordero, RYT
Saturday, August 20, 2011
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The Yoga Shala
927 N. Pennsylvania Ave.
Winter Park, FL 32789
407-506-4626
Learn to naturally overcome the barriers of every day challenges by becoming more attuned to your body’s intelligence and being established in the immovable Bliss within… Life Bliss Meditation is a simple, natural, effortless and easily learned technique practiced for 35 minutes. This meditation helps to release stress, reduces anxiety, creates inner peace, improves your relations, and reawakens your intuition.
Please bring a pillow and/or blanket. $10 Suggested Donation (100% Proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Association). Please Bring a Dish to Share (Optional) for Satsang (Discussion, reflection and/or just enjoying each other’s company).
