Yogarosa Blog

I just got my first Ipod, and as I listen to the music, I am amazed at the memories that have surfaced and the feelings that have been provoked. Being swayed by Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, I recall my father's hands gently bringing alive a piano. I can see his body moving along with each note, and can feel the hypnotic power of the melody. I am transported to another time, where my life was simple, but I didn't know it. The comforting feelings of spending time with my father, seemingly doing nothing. Those are my most vivid memories. Seeing him in complete illumination as his fingers conquered any piano. The memories evoke my love for him and also the sadness of not spending enough time with him. My guilt wishes I gave him those hugs that he wanted, but as a bratty teenager, I rejected. The advice I didn't follow, and wish I had. The time I didn't have for him. The appreciation of classical music that I inherited from him. The work ethic. The values. The passion f...

The ocean is calm, the waves are smooth. The crow eats processed cheese. Another beautiful morning on Hollywood Beach....

So now I have been practicing Iyengar Yoga for almost 16 years. I feel so lucky! When I started, I thought it was all about alignment. In the beginning it was for me. I was stiff and I was weak. I used to suffer from back pain, and in this yoga I found relief. I also found myself. The postures were difficult in the beginning, but something kept me coming back again and again. When I decided to go to India in 1998, and saw Mr. Iyengar in action, I think I really started to understand this work. It was during his 80th Birthday Celebration in Pune, India, when he said that in Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2) we had to feel our soul all the way to the fingertips. I felt somethingwarm vibrating from my chest into my arms, and ultimately into my fingertips. I had never experienced that before. It left me quiet, and at peace. (Even tough we were holding the pose for a while.) I continued on my path of learning, and along the way I found myself getting stronger, but I also found myself growing c...

This is the month best known for Valentine's Day. This could have two main effects on you. Either you love it, or you hate it. If you're in a relationship, there may be expectations built up, and if you're not, there may be some sadness, or loneliness. So how can we celebrate the month of love? First, let's define the word, LOVE. After all, we love our grandmother, and our puppy. We love pizza and chocolate. What is love really? According to the Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of love is, "strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties." Dictionary.com says,"a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person." They both also define love as an attraction based on sexual desire. Webster's goes on to define it as "a person's adoration of God." There are other definitions, which vary on these three basic themes. But does love always have to be directed towards someone else? T...

I arrived as usual on a Tuesday to teach a yoga class at Harbor Towers Condominium in Aventura. I had no idea this day would mark a historic day. The date was Sept. 11, 2001. I noticed two students in their car listening to the news. They told me they'd be in the class in a few minutes, as a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers, and they were trying to talk to their family, as a cousin worked there. I don't know why I thought it was not possible, and maybe they had wrong information. They came in, but warned me that they were leaving their phone on during the yoga class. I normally don;t allow cell phones on in class, but they were distraught and it seemed to be the right thing to do. Everyone else agreed. I started teaching the class with prayers and blessings to those who may suffer, and for us not to worry until we had more information. The air seemed heavy. Is it selfish for us to be doing yoga when it seems that a tragedy just occurred? Halfway through the class, th...

Our Yoga practice is much more than physical. When we are feeling whole, our practice can support us in dealing with difficult situations or people. It's easy being peaceful in the studio, where the energy is quiet. (usually!) But how do we react with a driver who cuts us off? How do we react with difficult family members or business associates? This is the true yoga practice: off the mat. This is why it's called a yoga "practice". For example, each time we practice Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), we are training our muscles to find a better position, and as we progress, there is growth. Similarly, when we are faced with a difficult situation, we can encounter it as another Triangle Pose: an opportunity for growth. So each time you are faced with a challenge, think of your teacher when she says: "Come watch". Don't judge it, but look at it from the outside. Be a witness, and you'll find peace in on observing rather than in reacting. It's pr...