p a u s e

This blog has been suffering for a while now.
I started writing my weekly themes for my yogaclasses and a wish to share my thoughts about life in both text and pictures here.
Right now I`m writing less. And mostly I share my pictures at Instagram.
Please follow if u want to stay in touch and enjoy some goodies from my percpective of life and yoga.
I will still share and post here. Maybe with more intensity and fire soon again.
Thanks for reading.



Much Love Maria

Tuscany Love

www.rommelyoga.no

Beyond - "Holy Men of India"

I´ve seen this film many times and everytime I´m as facinated like the first time I ever saw it.
Altough I´ve been studying the concept of sadhus and it`s a lot of different meanings around their purpose out there.

I encourage you to watch this. 43 minutes. And then meditate :)
And here is a link to the photoserie ( and also the video ) :
Beyond

"BEYOND"
is an exclusive documentary featuring photographer Joey L. Set in Varanasi, India. The documentary by filmmaker Cale Glendening follows Joey and his assistant Ryan as they complete their latest photo series- "Holy Men."

Almost every major religion breeds ascetics; wandering monks who have renounced all earthly possessions, dedicating their lives to the pursuit of spiritual liberation.Their reality is dictated only by the mind, not material objects. Even death is not a fearsome concept, but a passing from the world of illusion.

The photographer largely focused on the Aghori, an intense sect of Sadhu who overcome all things that are considered taboo. “They may meditate on corpses, eat human flesh as part of a sacred ritual, or keep a skull as a reminder of the impermanence of life,”

Time for Tuscany

It´s a privilige to teach, breathe and share my yoga in this beautiful area once again.
Blessed be the Universe

Restore & Revitalize 2013

Going into Silence

s t i l l n e s s

“There can be no rebirth without a dark night of the soul, a total annihilation of all that you believed in and thought that you were.”

 ~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

this beauty made my day -thank you

Always Time for Abhyanga

Abhyanga अभ्यंग or अभ्यङ्ग in Sanskrit,
(ayurvedic self oil massage)  is a wonderful way to show yourself some sweet love.
Makes you glow from the inside.

Benefits:

• Cleansing your body (detoxify)  
• Nourishes mind and body
• Rejuvenates the whole body
• Increases longevity
• Delays aging
• Relives fatigue
• Builds stamina
• Increased circulation
• Toning of the muscles
• Calming for the nerves
• Lubrication of the joints
• Increased mental alertness
• Softer, smoother skin
• Better, deeper sleep at night
•  Pacifies vata and pitta

How to Do Abhyanga, a Self Massage with Warm Oil ( Banyan Botanicals )

Empathy is Sexy

Goodbye 2013

 ( ( ( ♥ ) ) )

2013 - A year with lots of love, change, growth, grief, illness and new insights.

And the most inportant - it`s been guiding me right back into my heart, over and over again.

A couple of memorable moments in 2013:
 

Celebrating my way into the 40`s in Tulum Mexico.

My beloved brother moved to Oslo- I can`t decribe how grateful I am.
Zen Coaching Training completed at Beautiful Ängsbacka.
The yearly Celebrate retreat at Crete with my companion Surya.

Spending a month on the wild and energetic Island of Crete is such a blessing.
Almost 3 weeks holiday in New York celebrating life. As it is.
My yogaretreat Restore And Revitalize were held for the first time in Tuscany late Sept.
And all everyday moments and meetings in- between with amazing people.
The best x-mas and ending of the year happend. In a cabin at the countryside in Värmland Sweden.


And the best and scariest of everything. Having a pause from teaching.
Doing "nothing".
Working fulltime on healing my body inside out.

Thanks to my loved ones for being there.
To all my teachers.
And thanks to all my students for going this path with me.

I bow to you.

2013, thanks for holding me. For guiding me in right direction.
 

2014, I meet you in silence

 

 ♥ ♥ ♥ Namaste.

Magic in New York 2013

 

Ganesh

I bow to Ganesh with the beautiful potbelly.
Thanks for always guiding me.

Ganesha ( also spelled Ganesa, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka)
is immediately recognizable as the elephant-headed god.

Ganesh is the master of wisdom and knowledge.
He is the remover of obstacles, and guardian of beauty, prosperity, grace and compassion.
Ganesh is the first deity to be reverenced in Hindu rites and a guardian of doors of houses and temples.
He is the God that removes the internal and external obstacles of our success, and he is the one that grants the opening of our spiritual gifts.
Ganesh is the Lord of Beginnings and also the protector of all beings.

His mantra is Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. 
This particular mantra which can be loosely translated to :
Yo! Wake up the energy of transformation so I can move through any obstacles in my life. Hooray!
Most importantly, we are calling upon the powerful energy of Ganesh.
  
Click to listen:  Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. 


A very loose translation might be:
Om = Salutations! Everyone wake up!
Gam = The secret power sound of Ganesh. It is his “seed syllable” or bija mantra.
Ganapataye = Another name of Ganesh, the breaker of obstacles.
Namaha = Yo! Ganesh! You da God!
 

Ganesh - India 2011

This view

Imagine see this magnificant view over Mount Amiata every morning?
And meditate with the energy of Her.
So precious.

I recognize how easy it is to get used to daily impressions.
I see the same woman smoking her cigarettes in the window across the street every day.
The sky from my bedroom in early mornings.
The roses in the backyard.
And so on.
While teaching a retreat in Tuscany a couple of weeks ago I could indulge in this amazing view over sacred Monte Amiata every day.
I just couldn`t get enough of "her". I could drink this view throughout the day and night.
I´m quite sure I get used to it if I lived there. Maybe.
Or maybe I would indulge and merge with her as often and amazed as I did the ten days I had there.
Who know?

I will remind myself to look around and see my usual  surroundings with even more curiousity.
With childlike wonder.
With presence.
And allow myself to be moved and touched by the everydays Beauty.

“{You} will find new strength. {You} will soar high on wings like eagles. {You} will run and not grow weary. {You} will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 

Inhale - Exhale

Breathing is one of the simplest things in the world, we breathe in and we breathe out.
Our first inhale as newborn and our last exhale when we leave this life.

Yoga breathing, or Pranayama, is the science of breath control.
Pranayama comes from the following words:
Prana: life force" or "life energy"
Yama - "discipline" or "control"

By practicing deep and systematic breathing through Pranayama, we reenergize our body.

In our daily lifes it isn`t always easy remember to breathe consciously.
Often we tend to ignore our breathing. Especially during stressful times when we actually
need it as most.
To practice mindful breathing it doesen`t need to be in a yoga class.
Take 5 minutes at home lying down ( maybe in bed) and explore your own breath.
Put your hands on the belly and let the breathing be soft, deep and gentle.
Just stay there and feel. Let the belly rise and fall.

I broke my hand 3 years ago in 2010.
Something like a 5 metacarpal spiral fracture
A milestone, both in my spiritual journey and in my career as a yoga teacher.
A big fat slap to my ego.
I cant`t say I did it all right with the breathing by then.
I did my best with the tools I had at that point.
(For instance: I went to Costa Rica and teached a retretat ;)
And I learned a lot.
I had to slow down. Change my approach to yoga.
Patience.
After 2 surgeries and a titaniumplate in my hand I did two new tatooes on my wrists.
Inhale - Exhale


It is a journey. And we can always learn more. Grow.
These days I remind myself to breathe more consciously again.
Slowing down.
Snuggle into my nest.
Not what I wanted this spring - but what I truly need.


When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still.

 Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Love this picture go here for more 

P I C T U R E  from : www.huebucket.bigcartel.com



If u wanna read more this is a great article: 

Just Breathe
The Simplest Means of Managing Stress

Our bodies aren’t shy about telling us that we are stressed out! Muscle tension, backaches, stomach upset, headaches, burnout and other illness states are ways in which the body signals to us the need to relax. Rather than run for that anti-anxiety medication, we can utilize our easiest, natural defense against stress: our breathing. The way we breathe can affect our emotions and mental states as well as determine how we physically respond to stress.

Fight or Flight Response vs. Relaxation Response

The general physiological response to stress is called the stress response or “fight or flight” response. When we experience stress, hormones activated by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system flood our bloodstream to signal a state of readiness against potential threats to our well being. While these hormones serve to help us act quickly and with great strength during emergency situations, they exemplify the concept that there can be “too much of a good thing.” Chronic stress results in excess release of stress hormones, which can cause immune-system malfunction, gastrointestinal issues, and blood vessel deterioration, among other health complications. Over time, such symptoms can evolve into degenerative diseases like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

We can help preserve and enhance our health, though, by refusing to fall victim to chronic release of stress hormones, even if we are not able to control when or how stressful situations challenge us. We can learn to effectively manage our physiological reaction to stressors by teaching the body to induce a relaxation response. A relaxation response counteracts the effects of the fight or flight response by helping to boost immune system function, reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels, and protect tissues from damage caused by stress-hormones.

Breathing and Relaxation Response

The way we breathe affects our autonomic nervous system (ANS), the branches of which signal automatic physiological reactions in the body, like the fight or flight and relaxation responses. ANS activity is outside of our conscious control. The ANS is responsible for managing our breathing, heart rate, body temperature, digestion, and other basic processes necessary for survival. While the sympathetic branch of the ANS initiates the stress response, the parasympathetic branch induces a relaxation response. Our somatic nervous system, over which we do have conscious control, makes possible the movements of our eyes, limbs, and mouths, for example, as well as how (not whether) we breathe. Thus, we can, through somatic manipulation of our breath, affect which ANS branch remains active, especially during moments of stress.

One of the best means of inducing a relaxation response is through diaphragmatic breathing: inhaling deeply through the chest and virtually into the stomach. Engaging the diaphragm may be the key to inducing a relaxation response through deep breathing because the diaphragm’s close proximity to the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve which supplies approximately 75% of all parasympathetic fibers to the rest of the body, and may be stimulated through diaphragmatic movement. Conversely, thoracic breathing that is limited to the chest cavity is associated with the sympathetic branch stress response.

Self-Empowerment through Breathing

Situations may catalyze stress for us when we are uncertain about them or unable to control their outcome. We may feel helpless, overwhelmed, fearful, or forced into stifling our true feelings, and may experience additional anxiety over our inability to control the resulting hormonal fight or flight response. The key to stress management is recognition that while we may not be able to control the stressor, we can always control our reaction to it. We have choices: whether to relax through diaphragmatic breathing techniques until we feel ready to make beneficial decisions, or to just react while on sympathetic branch automatic pilot. Even if we don’t find a solution to the stressful situation, choosing to take time out to breathe protects our bodies from detrimental effects of stress.

Upon experiencing fear or anxiety, our diaphragm involuntarily flattens and we breathe in a shallow manner as our body prepares for action. Armed with the knowledge that we can create a counter-response by breathing deeply, we can change any automatic course of action. When a stressor engages us, we can consciously control the speed and fullness with which we inhale, trusting that a relaxation response will happen as long as we keep breathing in this manner and do not lose patience. Recognizing the need to breathe diaphragmatically is half the battle; actually doing it is what empowers and frees us.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Techniques

To practice diaphragmatic breathing, lie down on your back or sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with your back as straight as possible (maybe against a wall) and close your eyes. Place your hands on your abdomen. Slowly inhale, filling your lungs and what seems like your stomach, to the point where your hands rise with the breath. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then slowly exhale completely. Repeat this process for many breaths, savoring the recognition that you are sending life-sustaining oxygen to all the cells of your body.

One of the keys to creating a relaxation response is to “be the breath.” Focusing on the breath helps you be present. When thoughts enter your mind, acknowledge them, let them go, then refocus the mind on the sound of your breath. Perhaps visualize a relaxing scene or imagine continuous ocean waves slowly rolling into the shoreline. Maybe listening to peaceful music or repeating a mantra in your head that brings you serenity will help you free your mind of distracting thoughts. Your memory is another tool you have to facilitate relaxation. Recalling a time of great happiness can help you replace negative feelings with pleasant ones. Tapping into your particular spiritual belief system at this time might also help you relax; some people find that saying a prayer while breathing deeply can help decrease stress.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Offers Multidimensional Benefits

Bridging the mind and body through deep breathing is a multidimensional experience. Because the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the ANS are regulated by chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, rather than neural impulses from the brain, brain stem and spinal cord, these branches are influenced by our emotional responses to environmental stimuli. Neurotransmitters create physiological reactions by relaying information based upon our feelings to various cells within the body. The digestive tract is especially rich with neurotransmitter receptor sites, which may explain “gut feelings."

Fear, for example, initiates thoracic breathing associated with sympathetic branch activity. When we breathe in a shallow manner, we utilize only half of the alveoli (air filled sacs) in our lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing employs all the alveoli in our lungs while helping the body and mind relax. By repeatedly expanding our lungs to full capacity, we improve our metabolism by increasing oxygen supply to the rest of the body, promoting detoxification in the lungs, and enhancing digestion.

We may also be able to change the emotions which engendered the stress response by releasing their power over us through the breath. Clear thinking and creative decision-making may follow and lead to more positive emotions. The multidimensional effects of deep breathing illustrate the complex connections between the mind and the body and enhance our understanding of stress-related disease prevention and treatment.

When It Comes to Stress, Be Your Breath

The solution to stress lies within us. Nature has given us a defense mechanism with which to combat the physical effects of stress: parasympathetic nervous system activity catalyzed by diaphragmatic breathing. While breathing alone may not resolve the issue stressing us, it can empower us to healthfully adapt on mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual levels.

Consciously breathing is a core element of mind-body philosophies such as yoga, meditation and Tai Chi (diaphragmatic breathing as described in this article most closely resembles meditation). Mind-body disciplines, such as Yoga and Tai Chi, which embrace specific postures and/or fluid movements offer added benefits of improved balance, flexibility and circulation. Regularly practicing diaphragmatic breathing through any mind-body technique can help us establish a relaxation routine. When something is routine, we can “just do it” (i.e. let our thoughts go because we don’t need to think so much about what we are doing). A movement –based breathing practice may be the best means of relaxation for more physically active people, and can be a great way for less-active folks to get some exercise.

For some, spirituality may permeate the mind-body breathing practice. The role of spirituality in stress management may relate to how we perceive situations beyond our control. Wayne Dyer, an inspiration guru, lectures and writes that we are eternal spiritual beings who are having temporary human experiences, which seems like another way of saying “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Believing in a higher power (whatever that means to us individually) can relieve us of the perceived burden of always having to handle things on our own.

Learning to cultivate a relaxation response may involve trying various methods until you discover the one that works for you. Finding a technique that you enjoy is the key to making it a lifestyle habit. When you feel the effects of stress… just breathe.

References and Resources:

Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Autonomic Nervous System: Introduction

Sinatra, S. Heartbreak and Heart Disease. Keats Publishing, 1999.

Stockdale B. You Can Beat the Odds: Surprising Factors Behind Chronic Illness and Cancer. Sentient Publications, 2009.

Found here:http://www.heartmdinstitute.com/v1/heart-healthy-lifestyles/mindbody-connection/just-breathe

The art of quiet

In this never-ending multitasking world, my need for rest and quiet gets more and more visible and clear. I long for these moments of tranquility.
I`m not alone. For sure.
The world needs more being. Not only doing.
More Yin. To balance out Yang.
In our culture most people suffers by over stimulation of the senses. The result of a constant noise of impressions from television, radio, computers, newspapers, magazines, books, etc .
We are always reachable and always online.


When I long for quiet it`s not necessarily silence. It is not the same.
I long for peace on the inside.
To retreat from all that overwhelming and absorbing noise.
I need to connect with my inside world.
Maybe study another chatter.
Stay with it.
Be there.
Make peace.

The fifth limb of Patanjalis Ashtanga yoga is pratyahara (sense withdrawal) 

Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
(drawing back or retreat. The word ahara means "nourishment"; pratyahara translates as "to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses." )

By drawing attention away from the external environment and turn it inward,
focusing on our breathing and inner sensations we become more aware of our body.
To let your attention draw back from the external world to the internal world.
Becoming one with the inner experience.

Give yourself a gift: balance your art of productivity with the art of quiet .
Contemplate.


R E S T  

peace tree january 2013

Where is your focus?

The main source for our sensory input are our eyesight.

We enjoy sunsets and sunrises. We read. We look into other beings eyes.
On our yogamat we are likely to study our toenails. The neighbours outfit. Cracks in the roofs.
The other students asana moves.
Eyes wandering....
Our attention will stay where we choose to fix our gaze.
On our yogamat. Or in our daily life.

Drishti, the Sanskrit term for sight, direction or focused gaze, is a tool used in asana practice, traditionally Ashtanga, to bring you closer to dharana (concentration)
It`s actually 9 options of dristhi.
To use drishti in our practice, it will be a good reminder to stay focused.
To turn inward.
Concentrate.
Balance.
Drishti is a soft-focus gaze, not a piercing stare, with relaxed, even gently blurred eyes.
A gift to the heart to remain steady and soft.

Give it a try.

A t t e n t i o n .

Now.

friend with focus - treetophut 2012

Avidya and a tip of an iceberg

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 2:5 you can read about Avidya which means spiritual ignorance.
Or ignorance of the truth of what we are.
Avidya is all our belief structures, a deep habit of consciousness.

I read an article by Sally Kempton -
Who do you think you are? (click and read)
where she discusses the yogic concept of avidya. "vidya" means "seeing" or "wisdom" or "knowledge" in Sanskrit;
The prefix "a" indicates a lack or absence.
Avidya then, means lack of wisdom/knowledge, or the inability to see.

Asana (the yoga postures) is a tiny piece of our yoga.
A tip of The Yoga Iceberg
It is easy to crave and indulge in all the brilliant asanas.
Or to reach for that last flexibility. Or believe that I am this or I am that = avidya.
You can´t be good at yoga.
But maybe you can live as a good yogi or yogini. Your way.
When the fact is that´s so much more to explore. To study. To be part of. To feel.
It doesn`t mean we stop practice asana.
But maybe reach a deeper level of our practice.
Our consciousness.
How can we stop clinging?
The body today is not the same as yesterday. Or a year ago.
It is only now.
Maybe we learn from an injury. Or something else.
It´s an ocean down there and it is so darn beautiful.

Asana is one of the pieces in the Yoga Puzzle.
You can build more,

Love and Peace and  S t r a w b e r r i e s

iceberg from google

Guru Purnima गुरु पूर्णिमा

Oct 29th and a powerful full moon. In sanskrit Guru Purnima.


The word guru is coming from two words, 'Gu' and 'Ru' .
The Sanskrit root "Gu" means darkness or ignorance.
"Ru" represents the remover of that darkness. Light.
Therefore one who removes darkness of our ignorance is called a Guru.

 
The Full Moon brings light to the dark.
It helps us transform and see what we can change.
This is a good time of cleansing and healing.
Invite this illuminating full moon to transform darkness into light and fear into love.

And contemplate about:

What in my life moves me from darkness into light?

 

 

bali light 2012

 

 

 

What If...

What if.....

What if religion was each other
If our practice was our life
If prayer was our words

What if the temple was the Earth
If forests were our church
If holy water - the rivers, lakes, and oceans

What if meditation was our relationships
If the Teacher was life
If wisdom was self-knowledge
If love was the center of our being.

Ganga White




horses and nature - summer in skåne 2012
click for larger view

Prisoners in paradise

I`ve only been in Bali a little longer than 2 weeks and it feels like I`ve been around here for at least year.

In some kind of strange way.

Everyday is a blessing. And the blessings are not always sweet but depending on how you see it it is truly a blessing.

The first week were all about getting prepared and treating my jet lag with care.

This week at beautiful Bambu Indah I`ve discovered that I really like to eat indonesian rice porridge with garlic, chili and peanuts for breakfast. In a banana leaf of course.

I`ve been diving deeper into my asana and meditation practice.

I`ve met new amazing people who share the same passion for life affirming practices like me.

I´ve explored my inner organs. And for sure making friends with my kidneys.

I`ve felt a quite strong earthquake in the middle of the night.

I`ve been making intentions.

Blessings.

Bali is truly the Land Of Blessings and Offerings.

Only in Bali you get an offering at your doorstep every single day.

Only in Bali you wake up at 5 in the morning, listening to the sound of a pig who gets sacrificed to the ceremony of Galungan. 

Only in Bali you have this amazing wiew of the ricefields while having your bath in the bathtube.

And only here in Bali you are waking up to the sweet smell of insence mixed with rice and frangipani from these daily offerings.

These little carafes of flowers and piles of petals are placed on your house, doorstep, on the street, everywhere in Bali. Some appearing in the early morning hours and others replacing the trampled petals of late afternoon.

The daily gift of offerings are meant to appease and please the various gods and demons of Balinese Hinduism.

Immersion 1 completed.

I`m ready for number 2.

I love being a prisoner in this paradise.

Bali Bird

bali blessing