This week, I sat down with Yoga teacher extraordinaire Rachel LaBarre, who leads our weekly Yoga Philosophy class, Thursdays at 7 p.m in Normal Heights. I was curious about what goes on in this weekly discussion. I lured Rachel into chatting with me by presenting her with a stack of vegan pancakes, and promises of deep and meaningful conversation.

Meghan: Hi Rachel! What the Om Shanti is a Yoga Philosophy class anyway?
Rachel: It is an opportunity for us to take time to talk about the teachings of yoga. We examine how we can incorporate and identify these teachings in our daily lives.

What can one expect in class?
Good times, laughter, an open forum for questions and discussion, and a space for curiosity to be sparked and satisfied.

In what ways can we apply Yoga Philosophy to our Yoga practice? To our lives?
That is for each individual to discover for oneself!

What is your favorite aspect of teaching POTH’s Yoga Philosophy class?
I come to class with a certain idea of what we might discuss, but am always blown away by what others bring to the discussions. It is so exciting to meet in a group to explore these teachings together.

Can you recommend some philosophical texts for those interested in learning more about these teachings?
The Bhagavad Gita, Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and all work by poet Mary Oliver.

Lastly Rachel, what would you like the Easter Bunny to bring you this Sunday?
Chocolate, please.

Yoga Philosophy discussions take place Thursdays in the East Room lounge, from 7:00-7:45 p.m.

A very warm Thank You to Rachel LaBarre for her time and enthusiasm, and a very special Thank You to Jyoti Bihanga restaurant for providing the vegan pancakes!

I’m Meghan! I recently graduated from Pilgrimage’s Fall 2011 Yoga Teacher Training, and am enjoying my new gig working at the front desk. If we haven’t met already, I can’t wait to meet you!

One of my favorite nights to work is Mondays in North Park. I love seeing all the relaxed faces emerging from our guided meditation class, which starts at 6 pm. Have you been to one of our meditation classes? Have you ever wondered what it’s all about? I put on my investigative reporter hat (it’s actually an entire outfit) and sat down with Papaha Gosline to get some answers. But first, a little background on Papaha.
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Papaha Gosline has studied meditation with Sri Chinmoy since 1982 and has been teaching meditation classes free of charge for over 25 years. He helped build Jyoti-Bihanga vegetarian restaurant and was one of their chefs for over a decade. Papaha now owns a gallery and art studio across the street from the yoga studio in Normal Heights that focuses on showing spiritual contemporary art and producing commercial design.

Inspired by the example of Sri Chinmoy he also lives a very athletic lifestyle teaching tennis part time, along with enjoying many other sports activities in sunny San Diego. “Learning about spirituality with Sri Chinmoy has revealed paths with heart, creativity and fulfillment. Meditating and working with the Sri Chinmoy Centre has been the most powerful and enlightening experience of my life.”

Meghan: Hi Papaha! How did you begin meditating?
Papaha: Reading spiritual books in high school, studying different teachers and masters…My parents had some close friends who followed a teacher in India, and I found them to be such peaceful, calming, beautiful people. I was inspired, and I saw you can be more spiritual through meditation and having a meditation teacher.

What can a new student expect in your class?
Almost all new students are able to feel a deeper sense of calm in the body and in the bodies energy. From that, they are able to begin to calm the mind.

What are the techniques used in class?
Breathing and relaxation exercises for the body and its energy and using visualization for the heart and bringing spiritual energy to the. The most fulfilling experience is when the peace of the heart becomes warm and expansive. This inner feeling clears the mind without any effort.

What are some of the benefits of a regular meditation practice?
Certainly there are health benefits such as reducing stress, anxiety, and agitated mental energy, but far beyond the physical attributes of meditation is discovering deeper sources of inner peace, inner beauty, and divine energy. 

Besides attending our weekly classes at the studio, what advice can you recommend for to those who want to cultivate a home practice?
Its best to have a special spot at home for your practice. I especially like to meditate in the morning. Spend five minutes or so meditating daily and work towards making this a regular habit. I have take home sheets with different exercises available at every class. A truly fulfilling practice begins with the individual learning to find the source of the heart and inner light within. With practice, your own unique spiritual qualities begin to manifest out into the world.

Thank You Papaha!

I hope we answered some questions for those interested in learning a little more about our meditation classes. Until next time—Meghan the newbie!

There is one idea that I’d really like to focus on here. . . the difference between weight loss and health. Weight loss is a numbers game, whereas health is a state of being. First of all, if you are “out of shape” and you commit to a steady, challenging yoga practice (3 or more times a week), you will lose weight. Here’s the thing though. . . weight loss, like anything else, is simply another way of changing your external condition. It’s like getting a new haircut, buying new clothes, or driving a fancy car. As much as we all know on an intellectual level that these things won’t truly make us happy, we still buy into it. And it’s the same thing with our physical shape. With yoga, we learn to love and accept ourselves right now, in this moment. No matter what we look like on the outside. And once you get a taste of that self-love and acceptance, you begin to let go of the critical voice that cares so much about outer appearances.

I like to look at yoga as a way to become healthier. If you take the emphasis of weight loss away from appearance and place that emphasis on health, then it’s a whole new ballgame. Working towards the goal of getting “thinner” is a constant form of self-criticism. It’s re-enforcing the false belief that there is something wrong with you and if you change, then you will be enough. Weight loss with the goal of health is an active choice to love yourself enough to take care of your body. And that begins to happen naturally as you practice yoga. The self-acceptance you cultivate on your mat is often the very important first step towards making healthy choices in your life.

So, while weight loss is most definitely a side effect of a consistent yoga practice, that is just a small part of the overall healthy state of being you can achieve.

North Park – Class Change
Friday – Hot Flowing Yoga I – 8:00 – 9:00a

Normal Heights – Class Change
Thursday – Hot Flowing Yoga I – 6:45 – 7:45p

New Class Description:
Hot Flowing I: Explore the dynamic, athletic side of yoga. This class is a perfect stepping-stone to our Flowing II and Hot Flowing II classes or a great yoga experience in itself. Room is heated to a pleasant 85-90 degrees.

Perhaps you’re sore from being sedentary too much? Sitting all day, hunching over a keyboard, performing the same repetitive motions over and over; all of these can lead to calcium buildup and achy shoulders, backs, hips.

Yoga is a great way to reduce or even eliminate many types of muscle pain. The combination of gentle stretching and deep breathing will get nutrient rich blood flowing to your muscles which helps to flush out the toxins that are causing pain. Taking the time to relax and connect can leave you feeling centered and more comfortable in your body.

Now, some muscle pain can be from simple over-exertion; tiny tears in your muscle fibers leave you feeling very painful. This type of acute muscle damage is different. Be careful not to over-use these muscles in any way while they heal. The opinions vary on whether or not yoga is recommended for this type of pain. One thing is for sure; if you are sore, gentle gentle gentle is the way to go. Just taking the time to breath and delicately stretch over worked muscles can provide relief, but you have to listen to your own body and see for yourself what works best.

For myself, I practice yoga BEFORE I feel pain. Whether it’s a grueling 12 mile mountain hike or a long day of rock climbing, I find that if I take a class that same day, I do not get nearly as sore the next. Often I don’t get sore at all. This is just one way that yoga so wonderfully compliments my active lifestyle.

What do you love most about yoga?
I love how yoga transformed me inside and out. My body is different and my mind is different. I am stronger, happier, calmer and more myself. The true me shines. Yoga truly provides Balance and Strength both physically and emotionally. Even if I feel pain, I know I can breath through it. This means on the mat or off the mat. Sometimes, we feel discomfort when we reach our edge in a certain pose but if we breath into it and relax soon enough we open into a new deepness and if feels better afterwards. There is more space. It is like that in life. Whenever I feel pain or discomfort, I breathe through it and I realize it is not permanent and it is over, I am a better person for having maintained a steady breath through the chaos. It is a hard thing to describe. It is something you have to feel for yourself.

What is your favorite pose and why?
My favorite pose is Savasana. I always feel most at peace here. All of my stress, tension and pain has been completely squeezed out and I am laying fresh, a new person. My second favorite pose is Half-Moon. It is fun and it feels good. I am balancing while opening my entire body sideways. I feel a stretch on that entire side and it usually feels amazing and I am balancing on one leg all at the same time. It still amazes me that I am able to do that pose. Half-Moon can be challenging. Now, I find it is a very expressive pose for me. I open myself up and shine!

What do you do to stay inspired?
It is not hard to stay motivated or inspired to go to yoga. I am hooked. And if I don’t go, I feel tense in my shoulders, hips, butt, jaw, everywhere and I usually go a little crazy. So, I go to yoga to feel like a human being. I go to yoga so I can stay comfortable in my own skin. I am blessed to have been lucky enough to discover this beautiful practice which as changed my entire life.

With rare exceptions (of which a few were mentioned in the Times article) almost every yoga injury is caused by one of 3 things. 1. Straining and struggling to get deeper into a pose. 2. Pushing into an advanced pose that your body is not ready for. 3. Performing the same motion (ie: chaturangas) over and over with incorrect alignment.

In my opinion (remember, I’m not a doctor!) almost all injuries (with those same rare exceptions) can be prevented in one simple way. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If it hurts or just doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. I hear stories of instructors who cue their students to push harder and it makes my heart hurt. Teachers who encourage people to “stick it out” in a hot class, to not drink water, to not take breaks. All of these actions do nothing to serve your body; they are serving your ego.

Ego is a funny thing. I watch people struggle in classes. (We’ve all been guilty of this at one time or another!) Trying to do it “right”. As if doing a pose to its fullest will serve us somehow. Pushing, struggling, straining; this is how injuries happen. Yoga is about uniting mind and body. Just because the person on the mat next to you can do headstand doesn’t mean you can; or should. You have to take responsibility for yourself and go at your own pace. If a pose feels funny, back out! Talk to the instructor after class. They have a wealth of knowledge that can’t all be passed on in one hour. Every body is different, and maybe your instructor can help you find modifications to make a pose work. Or maybe, you just don’t do that pose. It’s alright. You don’t have to do it all. Yoga is about connection, not competition.

There is a difference between discomfort and pain. Hip openers, like pigeon, can be very uncomfortable. Same thing with holding chair pose for 10 breaths. Discomfort is ok. That’s one way yoga teaches us not to run away from uncomfortable situations off the mat. You find your “comfort-edge” and breathe there. That place is different for each person. No instructor can tell you where your edge lies. You have to explore that for yourself. But let me be clear. . . repeat after me. . . No pain, NO PAIN!!! A yoga pose should NEVER hurt. Period.

Yoga, as with any form of physical activity, comes with inherent risks. Heck, my best friend broke her foot while walking across a parking lot! There are no 100% guarantees in life. When approached with mindfulness, however, it can be a very safe way to explore what your physical body can do while connecting with yourself on a deeper level.

You will gain flexibility. You don’t need to be flexible to do yoga; that will come with time. As you bend, stretch, and breathe, you will open up tight muscles. Practicing asanas (yoga postures) will aid you in all forms of movement. Whether you run, swim, surf, or bike, yoga compliments all other types of physical activity. Repetitive movements can leave certain joints and muscles tight; yoga is a complete practice that will open your body and improve your overall performance. Not an athlete? Sit at a desk all day? Great! Hip openers will reverse the effects of 8 hour chair-sitting marathons and backbends will counter-act the results of hunching over a computer keyboard.

You will get strong. Let’s say you’re a tough guy who really wants a workout. (And I love me some tough guys!) Many men think yoga is girly. I invite you to come to one of my classes. Or Leela’s, Jen’s, Carolina’s (the list goes on!). Many asanas require a type of strength that you cannot achieve from, oh, let’s say lifting weights. Sure, your arms and chest get strong from bench presses, but to execute a chaturanga or hold an inversion you need to be strong from your head to your toes. You can’t “muscle” your way through it. As you hold various poses, not only are you isometrically contracting and strengthening your major muscle groups, but also igniting your stabilizer muscles. This provides an unparalleled total body workout.

You will get calmer. Many men shy away from yoga because they think it’s too “New Age-y”. (Are you going to let a little “om-ing” scare you away?) Yoga itself is an 8 limbed path of which the poses and breathing are merely two parts. For thousands of years, yoga was practiced solely by men. The breath focus and inner awareness that you gain from a steady yoga practice will help you in all aspects of your life. You may find that you become less reactive to stressful situations. Also, unlike us girls who typically verbalize our emotions, men tend to internalize theirs. The mindfulness gained from yoga can help you process those emotions; many men find they are better able to communicate in both professional and personal relationships.

You will meet people. Whether you’re looking for a partner or just looking to make new friends, yoga people form communities. I truly believe that the sense of community here at Pilgrimage is why so many people keep coming back. Yeah, the yoga itself is pretty fantastic, but it’s the people that make it so darn special. Also, yoga can help you get to know yourself better, which in turn will help you form closer relationships. So, if you’re looking for that special someone, getting to know yourself can often be the most important first step.

You will feel better. A good yoga class leaves you feeling open, alive, and connected in a way that no other single workout can. There are many different styles and levels, so try them and see which one works for you. As a teacher, I’ve never once had a student leave saying “I feel like crap after that class.” On the contrary, everyone pretty much feels better! With a steady practice, many people often find that they have more energy, are naturally making healthier life choices, and even get sick less.

This isn’t magic… it’s logic. If you stretch more, you will become flexible. If you challenge yourself physically, you will become stronger. If you cultivate inner awareness, you will get calmer. If you surround yourself with open, caring people, you will make friends. If you do all of these things, you will feel better. And, male or female, who doesn’t want that?

Intensity. By heating a room, you automatically take what could normally be considered a mildly challenging class and turn it into something really, for lack of a better synonym, intense. I have found that most people who practice hot yoga are drawn to the challenge. After all of the sweating and exertion, you feel like you just had a really good workout. There are, of course, people like my best friend. She is what I like to call a “Freeze Baby”… a term I use with heaps of love. She wears a down coat almost year round. She sleeps with 3 (yup, I said 3) comforters on her bed in the SUMMER, in San Diego. She practices hot yoga because it is almost painful for her to be in a “cold”, 75 degree room. But, Freeze Babies aside, I think it’s the intensity that keeps people coming back to the heat.

I used to hate heat. Air conditioning was a good friend of mine. Then I started hot yoga. I didn’t like it much at first. But I kept going. It was a way to push myself. I was trying to become accepting of my environment; I used hot classes as a way to practice equanimity. It worked. Whether for physiological or spiritual reasons, I am now able to be hot and not miserable. But that’s just me.

Here’s the deal. . . hot yoga is not any better or worse than “cold” yoga. I am not a doctor or a scientist, but there is no evidence I can find that says you actually sweat out toxins in a hot class. I’m not going to delve into the pros and cons. . . that is a lengthy discussion for another time. What it comes down to is this. . .what feels good to YOU? Yoga is an inward journey, and the temperature of the room isn’t going to change that. If anything, yoga is about letting go of our attachment to our physical surroundings. In the end, we are drawn to what we like for a myriad of reasons. One of my good friends, Mike Page, says it best. . . there’s chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry for a reason. We all like different things.

So, if you’ve been thinking of trying out a hot yoga class, why not? If you find yourself feeling miserable in the heat, maybe use it as a way to be ok with discomfort. And then go back to your regular classes! If you are “addicted” to hot yoga, like many of us, take a cold class every now and again to remind yourself that yoga comes in all forms.

If you do decide to give the heat a go, first make sure it’s ok with your doctor (enter legal disclaimer here). Then, grab your towel and lots of water, and try to have some fun. Here at Pilgrimage our hot classes are in the 90-95 degree range, so it’s a great place to get your first taste. You never know. . . you just might love it!

I couldn’t even tell you exactly what ancient text we were reading from in the philosophy discussion. However, the main point being made was this . . . Life (or the universe, or God — put in your entity of choice) will ALWAYS give you what you ask for. However, many times it will be presented to you in a way you don’t recognize at first, and often in a form which is scary. So, do you run away from what you want because it scares you, or do you accept what life/the universe/God is offering?

This idea stuck with me as I shuffled my way into the east room for music meditation. I was expecting an hour of gentle music as I breathed in inner silence. Ha! Instead, I got an hour of chanting. Drums, harmoniums, a guitar? It was fantastic. And kind of weird. A whole room full of people shaking noisemakers and chanting “Hare Krishna!” This was pretty far outside my comfort zone. I mean, come on. . . what would all the non-yoga people in my life think if they saw me now? And then it hit me. I had been looking for a place to sing for a long time. I love to sing. I mean, this is a love the runs deep to the core of my being. It’s a visceral love that I’ve felt my whole life. For a while I had toyed with the idea of joining a church choir, even though I don’t follow any particular religion, just to sing with a group. And there I was. Singing with a group. I felt a joy I hadn’t experienced in years. And it was scary.

I almost cried when I realized how immediately this lesson was being presented to me. It was a big moment. I decided then and there that I would keep going to music meditation. I got to keep singing, and I also got to investigate why I was so scared of such an amazing group of people. Why was I so concerned with what others thought? Where had I picked up all of these judgments, and why the heck would I keep holding on to them?

That lesson has come back to me many times; guiding me to make decisions that have clearly changed my life. Each time I actively choose to take what life has to offer, no matter what it looks like, I find myself deeply grateful for the way things unfold. It’s funny how sometimes we think life just isn’t working out the way we want it to, but it always seems to end up exactly how it should be.