As human beings, we have all come to a point where we feel like a prisoner in our mind. To find freedom, it’s important to be aware which thoughts are dictating your life. It won't do you any good to start labeling your thoughts "good" or "bad." I use the words positive and negative to help me stay on track. Positive thinking energizes me, creates joy, and brings out the best in me.

Here are examples of positive thoughts:
"I am smart and I will get that job."
"I will have a good day today."
"I am a thoughtful person and a good friend."

 Unfortunately, most of us don't say these positive things to ourselves. We spend most of our time lost in negative thoughts. Negative thinking leaves me fearful, tired, angry, lonely and paranoid.

Here are some examples of negative thoughts:
"I'm going to be late again, I'm such an idiot."
"I look horrible and fat in this outfit."
"No one likes me and I'm going to end up alone."

Negative thoughts can be very strong, sticky and itchy. The chatter is earsplitting as though you’re at a heavy metal rock concert; no matter where you move, you still feel like you’re standing right next to the speaker.

Right now try this exercise: sit in a quiet space and set your timer for 1 minute.  For 60 seconds just notice what’s passing through your mind. Without analyzing or trying to ignore, just notice your thoughts. Was it easy to sit with your thoughts, look at them without scratching and obssesing? As we practice the art of silence and stillness, we learn how to wake up. Meditation does not require you fasting and sitting in a cave for 21 days straight, it simply requires your full attention and awareness. Now try sitting for 5 minutes. Take a few deep cleansing breaths in and out to begin. As you sit here allow your thoughts to pass by like clouds; acknowledging, noticing and coming back to the breath.  Meditation allows us to slow down and be conscious of what it is we are thinking. Awareness is the key that opens up our prison door and sets us free. That key has been inside of you all this time.

It is important to know that you have a choice to separate yourself from that thought. You are not your thoughts. When you feel that your negative thoughts are taking over you, use this mantra: “I am not my thoughts.” This mantra was powerful in my healing process, it makes space in my mind and brings me back to reality. It took time and practice to learn how to make peace with my mind. The inner struggle and victim mentality was something I had become used to. When stress came up in my life I would quickly get trapped in negative thought patterns. Even the feeling of letting go of my thoughts was something I had to bring awareness to. This is how meditation
works, sitting still, watching your thoughts and coming back to what is real. 

So next time you are feeling like a victim, pay attention and bring awareness to your thoughts. Remember that you can always change them. You always
have a choice.

To learn more about awareness come to an Intro. to Meditation class with Emily. Next class will run April 11, 2012 8:30-9:00pm. Email to reserve your spot!
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How does a philosophy from thousands of years ago have anything to do with your life in 2012? I used to live life always looking outside to find the answers. Constantly I comforted myself with quick fixes. I was caught in a cycle of highs and lows as I reached towards: food, drinking, poor relationships and numbing out for hours in front of the TV or computer. My life started to shift once I started to practice Yoga; I realized the key to feeling better wasn’t about running away from myself, but rather sitting with myself.
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As some of you know I been taking this year off from teaching in the classroom to explore my passion for yoga and healing. Even when a change is good, the journey from the familiar to the unknown is unsettling to say the least. Transitions were always very difficult for me, change triggered a lot of anxiety and fear. Because life transitions can feel uncomfortable, confusing and scary I often tried to move as fast as possible to get to a stable place. My
understanding about transitions didn't change until I was in a yoga class one
day and I started to feel my transitions inbetween my postures. Awareness of
feelings I had toward transitions allowed me to see the truth: The space
inbetween is just as meaningful and important as any other moment on our timeline. The time inbetween your poses, the transition from Warrior I to Warrior II is a powerful space. That space between the poses is what makes our practice. It brings in a whole new connection of our mind, body and spirit. 
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As the new year approaches we start to reflect on the past year or life thus far. We might consider how we want to change our life and, or what we want to improve. Most of us spend time after our holidays in limbo, waiting for the new year to arrive for a new beginning; a clean slate. Once January 1st arrives we finally feel ready to tackle on our resolutions to eat better, get to yoga more regularly, kick a habit, etc. So what happens to our resolutions in February, March or even a week after New Year's day? We burn out. The excitment of a fresh start begins to fade away. Problems arise as they always do and we slip back into our old patterns.

How does our yoga practice help us reach our resolutions? We begin to understand that the world isn't black or white. We let go of the idea of perfection and find what works. We begin to witness that our practice, much like life is different from one day to the next. Some days we feel light as a feather, the next we feel heavy as a hippo. The key is to accept what is, rather than fight what is. If we can just learn trust the process before giving up. It is important to bring mindfulness to our decisions and know why we are choosing what we are choosing  on and off the mat. Are we skipping our yoga practice because we need to restore in other healthy ways or are we getting caught up in negative stories that deplete our energy?

This year perhaps we can commit to our goals, knowing that there will be highs and lows. By trusting, understanding and believing in ourselves along the path we can achieve anything.
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