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The Yoga of Yoga - December 2003

So much has happened and not happened since last August. For me, this fall has been a wonderous time of growing simple, a process of shedding. Amidst a tremendous furor of expansive energy to grow The Yoga Barn’s Wellness Center and move to a larger facility, I realized I was losing what I love best: Time and energy to teach yoga, build community, practice and study. I began to dread the morning and the next long list of ‘to dos’ that I could never complete. I felt brittle, becoming resentful of friends who got together for tea, visited with family, and took vacations. As I nursed my growing anger and exhaustion while pushing myself through the next task at hand, I simultaneously counseled students to bring their lives into balance, to listen to their hearts, and tend to themselves.

One afternoon, as I complained about my fatigue and the sense of Mission Impossible that loomed before me, my husband asked, So what does this bigger vision do for you and your life? How does it take you in the direction you ultimately want to go? I realized then, that rather than expanding me, this bigger, fancier version of The Yoga Barn had, in fact, clipped my wings. Sometimes more is simply more, not better.

The concept sva dharma originates from the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most ancient and beloved yoga texts. Dharma refers to the greater purpose or order of the manifest universe. It refers to our responsibilities or place in the world, like a mother’s ‘dharma’ to tend her child. Sva, meaning self, makes the dharma personal. Sva dharma refers to our own individual purpose, the unique path that only ‘I’ can walk. The teaching from the Gita, is that it is better to live one day true to our own sva dharma, than to spend a lifetime following someone else’s dreams or expectations.

When I awoke from the dream of believing that I needed to keep building more, I began to tell the truth. I just wanted to rest and play. I was tired of working so hard. I began to say No, and found each invitation I declined was accompanied by an incredible feeling of exhilaration. I was clearing space, creating openings which I could step into and fulfill my ‘dharmic’ duty as a Human Being. In reclaiming my life, I was aligning myself with the yogic principle of moderation (brahmacharya), which counsels us to live within our energetic means.

Since making the decision to simplify, the opportunities that have come my way are feeding my soul, as well as giving me the chance to grow professionally. Collaborating with leaders in the field of spirituality like Kathryn Collis, and energy healer, Jozef Dominguez, has enriched my practice and informed my teaching. My growing investment in the community at Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue and the work of Rabbi Ted Falcon, has deepened my connection to my own spiritual roots, while providing me with a network of people who are committed to personal transformation. It’s another way I feel I’m coming home.

This quarter, the program at The Yoga Barn directly reflects the abundance I’m experiencing in my own life, with lots of offerings which nourish heart and soul, and bring us together as a community. I realize in so many ways, the most important work I have to do, is to be the best ‘me’ I can be, which means meeting my potential and also accepting my limitations. The fruit of compassion which results, is a just and sweet dessert.

As the New Year beckons, it’s a great opportunity to access how much is enough and to shed the excess. In light of my awakening, a dear friend shared this wisdom, Saying ‘ ’No’ is a creative process.

Wishing you all ample room to grow, in simplicity.

Blessings,

The Yoga Barn, Inc.
Robin Rothenberg, Certified Yoga Instructor
660 NW Gilman Blvd., Suite C6, Issaquah, WA  98027
Studios located in both Issaquah and Fall City
Phone: 425.427.0038  -  Fax: 425.427.0613
E-mail: info@yogabarn.com  -  Web: www.yogabarn.com

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