transform blog

Today is a new day. I am newly on the other side of a huge life change that I've planned for and anticipated for a long time. It's a dream come true. But the process of moving through the change brings the big question: "Now what?" Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not short on answers to this question. I started my day with so many things filling my head, so many things to do, so many options that I was all at once overwhelmed. So I stopped. I think we sometimes are so consumed with the planning that we not only miss the moment right now, but we forget to pause. I returned to gratitude. I need roots in this new place. I just planted new flowers in my garden over the weekend. Today I was so excited to go outside and enjoy their beauty. That's the way I feel about this new phase of my life. I am so excited for the new growth that I can't wait for the blooms. The seeds I have been planting for so long are finally beginning to bloom. So now what? Enjoy. 
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We previously discussed the Yamas and found them to be ethical disciplines for the yoga practioner. The Niyamas are the Yama's counterpart and are the rules of conduct the yoga student follows to build personal character. There are five Niyamas, which are:

* Saucha - purity of body/cleanliness
* Santosa - contentment
* Tapas - austerity/religious zeal
* Svadhyaha - self study
* Isvara pranidhana - total surrender to God 
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Spring Cleaning
Spring is a traditional time of renewal. In our personal lives we can use this time to become renewed by cleaning out the old stuff. Like in fall when we rake up leaves and clean our yard in preparation for the arrival of new flowers and plants in spring, this is a time when we can remove the old and make way for a refreshed sense of well-being. Following are three ways to clean the body, mind, the space around us. 
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As mentioned last month, the first limb of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is Yama. The yamas are moral and ethical principles which transcend time, place, race, gender, and social position. They are:

* Ahimsa (non-violence)
* Satya (truthfulness)
* Asteya (non-stealing)
* Brahmacharya (continence)
* Aparigraha (non-coveting)

In this chapter we'll look at each part of the Yamas, discuss basic concepts of the individual principles, and provide suggestions for integrating this part of your yoga practice into your daily life. 
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While in LA, Shiva played this song I had not heard before and I was just struck with a wave of exhilaration and internal ecstasy that was both uplifting and calming simultaneously. I didn't know what the name of the song was and I didn't have a chance to inquire. Then when we arrived home, a package had been sent to us with two CDs enclosed. I pulled them out and read the note from the marketing dude and thought, great more CDs that probably won't be music we can use or even like. 
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