October 2013

YOGA BULLETIN

Do not confuse peace of mind with spaced-out insensitivity. A truly peaceful mind is very sensitive, very aware.
Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama

What is, and where do we find peace?

There are many ways and many of us are ambivalent about peace and where to find it ...
Dear friends, Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. - Unknown First of all, I have the pleasure of welcoming our dear friend Gen Pagpa back again. Monday 21 October we will swop the normal session to a mindful evening. This time I will try to make something extra for the occasion, so look out for a special invitation! As for the topic of the month, it fascinates me how much easier it is to see when others, friends, are looking for peace in the wrong places. I think I also have looked at peace and happiness differently than I do now, but it is only when I say it out loud, advising a friend, that I really understand it myself. Then I know I believe it. Even if I would love to nd a peaceful place like the one in the picture, I know it recides inside me. So when I read the enclosed tips for inner peace, I felt I must share it. It also leaves me with the reason for doing yoga the Hatha way. Because the purpose of Hatha Yoga is to use the breath to create a link between body and mind. Hatha classes build exibility and strength whilst minimizing the risk of injury. It is a well-rounded style that balances and opens your body. At the same time you will learn and have a chance to still the mind and be present in the moment, in this very moment. Peaceful regards - namaste,

www.yogamarie.com | twitter @meyogamarie |

YOGA BULLETIN October 2013

Tips for inner peace

(To clear up some misconceptions about peace)

Myth: Peace is boring. Reality: Many people become attached to the surge of hormones accompanying anxiety and may even initiate conict in relationships in order to stay pumped up. True, peace does not give you the adrenalin rush (and eventual crash) that short-term or chronic stress does. However, stress hormones break us down physically, emotionally, and mentally over time. The better choice is to seek inner harmony or equilibrium, which can provide you with a steady supply of energy. Myth: Peace is passive. Reality: Actually, doing nothing when action is called for often leads to anxiety, rather than peace. Our minds can conjure up numerous dire scenarios, whereas simply doing the next right thing, as guided by our inner wisdom, tends to bolster our inner peace over time. Myth: Peace is the absence of difculty. Reality: As long as were alive, well be dealing with challenges, both around us and within us. Change is part of life, and dealing successfully with change can be difcult however, doing so helps us develop character. As Carroll Bryant said, Getting old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. When we try to manage our external affairs and our emotions with an attitude of acceptance, we foster our growth process. We can believe that the difculty is working for our good, however uncomfortable we may feel at the time, as long as we work for the good of all involved. Myth: Peace is found only in a gorgeous natural surroundings. Reality: While spending time in a forest, at the beach, or on a mountain can be soothing, the key is to bring a sense of serenity into our everyday lives. Rather than seeking to satiate our senses through taking in endless information in the form of TV, the Internet, radio, gossip, etc., we can remind ourselves to take a few deep breaths and enter into our own personal silence. Myth: Peace needs to wait until I get everything done. Reality: There will always be something left to do. If its not ofcial work, its the milk we need to pick up at the store, the dog we need to feed, the car we need to wash it will always be something. In our achievement-oriented society, we have become human doings rather than human beings. However, its possible to set some of the items on our to-do list aside temporarily, or continue with our activities while maintaining our intention to stay in peace internally. Myth: Peace needs to wait until I gure everything out. Reality: This line of reasoning is often an excuse for procrastination. Try as we might, we cant map out our entire lives without practical experimentation. As we take constructive action, we gain clarity, generally not the other way around.

Myth: Ingesting some substance will bring me peace. Reality: Nope. While alcohol, drugs, nicotine, caffeine, or excess food can denitely alter our mood in the short Myth: Peace takes place only in solitude. run, in the long run well still need to deal with our Reality: Its possible to remain internally calm while in a uncomfortable emotions. Facing and accepting our sea of people. As you have undoubtedly already feelings, and learning that we will live to tell the tale, experienced, its also possible to feel extremely anxious are key to genuine peace. while alone. One component of peace is the by Rachel Fintzy, MA, MFT willingness to become empty to let go of our whirling thoughts, preconceived notions, and powerful emotions, in order to become receptive to what the current situation is asking of us. This is possible no matter who were with or where we are. This is the opposite of being full of ourselves.

www.yogamarie.com | twitter @meyogamarie |