By VITALITY co-founder Mike Eck . . .

What do you see ….

Some of us see the forest
Some of us see the trees
Some of us see the flowers
Some of us see the bees
Some of us see the dirt
Some of us see the seeds
When we all feel the Water
When we all feel the Breath
When we all see the root
When we all see the weeds
When we all see the Vine
When we all see the Fruit
We all sea the Divine

 

By VITALITY yoga teacher Liz Wu . . .

Yoga is the practice of deepening one’s awareness of the connection of body, mind, spirit & all creation, and flourishing within that connection.

 

 

By VITALITY yoga teacher Amelia Herold . . .

“Pinch Me – It’s Yoga”

A yearning for the Divine, a gift of amore,
An invitation to a sacred oneness,
A wellspring for wisdom and wonder,
A pause, a moment that morphs into a lifetime…
Of bliss and reverence,
Out of nothing -the All,
The breath,
Is the way.
Pinch me – It’s Yoga!

 

By VITALITY yoga teacher Jamie Thaxton . . . 

In yoga today, we discussed “noise.” My definition – Noise: the static that resides in your body, induced by stress, exacerbating tension, creating a constant strain, and draining energy. I rarely notice the noise, unless I am quiet; my body relaxed, my brain stil l- but it takes it’s toll, and its effects are very apparent. However, once I am aware, the noise is so obvious it become visible. To me, the noise can be seen in a dance of bright colors behind my eyelids. Much like a technicolor TV static, it bumps around into the colors next to it, creating friction and building tension. The colors are mostly shades of reds, both bright and dark – but yellows, blues, and deep greens are there too. Yoga doesn’t quiet the noise. It doesn’t go away. Instead, yoga brings order.

In the Gentle Series, after constructive rest we begin by working our right leg. We pull it into our chest, breathe, release. Stretch the edges of our feet, and move our leg in circles, helping the hip release. We cycle back and pull our leg into our chest once more, then release it to the ground. It is in this moment my awareness of noise is most prevalent. My right leg feels longer, stronger, in alignment. But more than that, the dance of noise behind my eyelids changes. My left eye can still see the colors jostling, an exhausting, chaotic movement. My right eye, however, sees only order. The noise is no longer moving – the colors remain but their forms have been stretched, elongated into thin stripe of color. Similar to a solid metal rod, the colors are next to each other in a row, their tops stretching to the crown of my head, and the bottom of the colors reach my toes. The colors do not move – rather they keep this formation. So while the noise is not silenced, it is managed and it now creates a visualization of strength. Once we complete stretching our left side, the new ordered pattern in my mind’s eye is complete. And its calming and strengthening effects last throughout the rest of my practice.
I enjoy this visualization. It helps me deeply feel yoga’s positive outcomes. It calms my mind so that I can focus on my intention and brings me into a state of deep relaxation. The noise also provides a lesson that I needed to learn – Life can be stressful and the events that cause stress may not go away, but finding a way to create calm, to organize the noise, can provide stability and even vitality to the body.

 

From VITALITY yoga teacher Liz Wu . . . 

These days I find myself watching the watcher.

Like a kaleidoscope, awareness

Reflects experiences in all dimensions

Colorful fractals spilled out in all directions

Side by side, flipped around, and upside down.

Sensations bubbling like so much eye candy

With each breath, less need to react, and more desire to relax.

Discomfort becomes simply one more color against the glass.

Who, one may ask, is hot?

Who is it that looks up and finds a seahorse in the shape of a cloud?

Who is it that quietly listens, calmly observes, slowly records every action and thought,

who stares up from the bottom of the well?

With each twist of these questions the kaleidoscope spins.

Sensations jumble together and then separate into geometric patterns of meaning.

Looking through the small spy hole, the universe distills into colorful fragments that

dance on a rotating, reflective canvass.

With each breath the canvass shifts, and I begin to recognize small patterns.

The placement of the shoulders.

The set of the jaw.

The habits that seek comfort, familiarity, and a path of least resistance.

In that moment of recognition, before the kaleidoscope turns with the following breath, there is a moment, a window, a space to choose something different.

To change the objects in the kaleidoscope and the images they cast.

With each breath comes opportunity.

And so, I have begun to watch the watcher.