Authenticity and Indy Rubio

Reading from Tuesday, January 22, 2013 yoga class

I went to a weekend workshop at Yoga East this past weekend with Francois Raoult.  He is delightful, wise and SO authentic.  I always learn lots when I attend his workshops.  Some words of wisdom from him: 

The shape you make your body affects the inside of you.

The worse addiction you can have is to YOURSELF.

The past is in the Present.

Your spine is precious...don't compromise the spine if your hips and shoulders are not open enough. 

Standing poses will help your standing, sitting poses will help your sitting and inversions: the anti-gravity plan which is GOOD!! 

Don't wait until you're deeply troubled to chill on your bolster.   Restorative poses: more support, more time in the pose= more benefits.

Being authentic... being real... I have been reading about this a lot lately.  I think all this is trying to tell me to be more authentic.  Everyday I TRY to practice being more authentic and real.  The following is from Bren'e Brown, who wrote a book called "The Gifts of Imperfection" which you will be hearing more about in this blog.  SO.... 
"Authenticity is a daily practice.  Choosing authenticity means: cultivalting the COURAGE to be emotionally honest, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable; exercising the compassion that comes from knowing that we are all made of strength and struggle and connected to each other through a loving and resilient human spirit; nurturing the connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we let go of what we are supposed to be and embrace who we are.  Authenticity demands wholehearted living and loving--even when it's hard, even when we're wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we're afraid to let ourselves feel it.  Mindfully practicing authenticity during our most soul-searching struggles is how we invite GRACE, JOY, and GRATITUDE into our lives."

I cultivated courage on January 11, 2013.  My husband and I took our beloved siamese cat, Indy, and had him put down.  Indy was just shy of his 20th year.   He was a little prince.  He had heart disease, irritable bowel, but he was a trooper, but he was struggling and had a hard time walking, and with breathing, but right up to the very end, he always LOVED to eat.  :)  We were both there with our hands on him as he took his last breath... it really was quite peaceful.   We cried and cried.  Everyone was crying, even Dr. Tandy... bless her heart.   So... I dedicated this class to the memory of Indy Rubio, rest his soul. He will live in our hearts forever.  AND... come March 1st we have two siamese kittens coming to join Yoda our other siamese cat.  We have named the kittens: Ziggy and Chewie.  We can't wait.