Yoga: Join Me on a Journey

2012, The Beginning of the End

2011-12-30T22:27:00.000-06:00

Here we are at the beginning of a new year, 2012. By many accounts this is The year. 12/21/2012, the end of the world. ( just heard "Twilight Zone," theme music in my head.) It's true, just ask any Mayan you happen to meet on the street to open their day planner and penciled in right next to, "Human Sacrifice Palooza" is "End of the World Festival 2012".
Okay, I don't know a lot about the Mayan Calendar but, as for me, 2012, is the beginning of the end of me treating my body like a human garbage dump. Stop trying to check and see if you've got the right name associated with this blog! It's me, Deb Janosko, vegetarian, yoga teacher, promoter of mind, body, & spiritual health, and closet junky!
Hello, my name is Debra J. Janosko, and I am a substance abuser. Crack? Heroin? No, but the substance I'm abusing is processed in much the same way. It's just as potent, addictive, and destructive to the body. A strange white crystal, C12H220, a.k.a. SUGAR! While you wouldn't catch me within a city block of willingly sticking a needle in my arm, you're likely, on any given day, to find me sucking the life out of a lemon drop or a Hershey's Kiss. I am not discriminate at all when it comes to sugar. Never found a sweet I wouldn't eat!
Alas, I have hit rock bottom. Sugar is taking it's toll on my body and I can no longer tolerate the symptoms. Migraines, chronic fatigue, irritability, bloating, anxiety, depression, not to mention the tooth decay or premature aging of the skin. (Tell me crack has anything on sugar....) There's also the constantly high insulin levels which causes my body to store excess carbs as fat! That's just what's going on today. Sugar damage is slow and insidious. After years of abuse, sugar destroys the pancreas, adrenals, throws the entire endocrine system out of whack causing a long list of damages. STOP THE TRAIN, I WANNA GET OFF!!!!!! I am going cold turkey and that doesn't mean I'll be gnawing on that left-over turkey leg, YUCK! I'm starting a 21 day green juice fast, system reboot on 01/01/2012. The beginning of the end.....of my sugar addiction.
Statistics show that the average American man, woman, boy, or girl, consumes 115lbs. of sugar per year. In our country, you're locked up, and rightly so, if you throw your babies in a rattlesnake pit but it's perfectly acceptable to pop Twinkies in their mouths all day. Why is that? We are criminal if we choice to destroy of own bodies with alcohol, meth, heroin, etc... but it's quite alright to choose to kill yourself with sugar. Really?
One way or the other, the Mayans were right, 2012, is the beginning of the end. We get to choose which end we are beginning.

Nifty Nuggets of Knowledge

2011-05-08T23:02:00.000-05:00

Those of you who are familiar with my running know that I always start a race asking God to give me a bit of wisdom for my efforts. It never fails. I always walk away having gleaned some nifty nugget of knowledge. Yesterday was no exception. Before I'd cross the finish line, I had been gifted with two humdingers.

We enjoyed fine weather and had a record number of participants for the 30th Anniversary of the Coca Cola Classic 10k, 2011. This was my 10th year to run this event. Last year in this event my finishing time was 63minutes (10min. mile). Over the past months I had trained hard to shave off some of my finishing time and I was quite confident in consistantly running a 9minute mile.  Making my finishing time somewhere short of 55minutes. (Okay, I realize that isn't a fast run for most runners but I am proudly a member of the "Waddler Pack", accolades to John "The Penguin" Bingham, our fearless leader.)  During training I'd pushed so hard that I had severely weakened my left achilles tendon.

Bouncing on my toes waiting for the starting gun, I made my request and then we were off.    The gun fired me off to a good start.   Everything was clicking. Then, somewhere along the second mile I felt it. It was like someone had struck a match in my left achilles. I gritted my teeth and adjusted my gait. Struggled, but finished the run in 66minutes averaging a 10minute mile throughout the event. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, "Forcing anything is a step backwards."  Lesson number 1, under my belt! I got it! Forcing doesn't make you powerful, it makes you late! I will start all over.    I'll train right.  Come September, I'll run my marathon, and walk away feeling right and ready to boogie at the post-race party.

Now, on to nifty nugget number 2. (ew! that didn't sound right.) You understand I'm speaking of life lessons, yes?  (Made ya giggle!) Seriously now. I've ran many races during the past 10 years and all but one I have been alone at the finish line. Never bothered me.  Yesterday as I ran through the shoot, I smacked right into an emotional wall. Barely got away from the croud before I crumpled into a heap of tears. At that moment, I felt completely alone. Not just alone at the race but alone in my life. I gathered myself up and wandered down a few blocks. Whirling around in my pity-pot, unable to see the forest for the trees. Tears streamed down my face.  My heart was in my throat.  And Then... Then my phone rang.  It was Nelda, my life long friend of 38 years. She had ran a midnight event the night before and yet rousted early to come and take finish line photos of me. To be with me. Lesson #2? The most rare and precious commodity in this life is a true friend. It has been well said, "...a friend loves at all times...."

I finished. Walked away with two golden bits of wisdom, nifty nuggets, if you will; 1- forcing anything just hinders the flow and 2- no one is ever truly alone.

In the Now with the Tao, Day-7, Verse-7

2010-05-13T02:06:00.001-05:00

Tao Te Ching vs. 7- "Heaven is eternal--the earth endures. Why do heaven and earth last forever? They do not live for themselves only. This is the secret of their durability. For this reason the sage puts himself last and so ends up ahead. He stays a witness to life, so he endures. Serve the needs of others, and all your own needs will be fulfilled. Through selfless action, fulfillment is attained."

Wow, this verse so clearly speaks for itself. There is a verse I recall from the Bible that says, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:35-38 (New International Version)

Looking at the two scripture texts can you see the same message? If you hear a loud voice screaming, "What about me?" That is EGO! The ego is interested only in self unless, of course, it is pointing fingers and finding the faults in others. Dr. Dyer say, "E.G.O. stands for Edging God Out." The ego is ever desiring more everything and yet can not be satisfied with anything. The ego is like a busy chatty hamster on a wheel; never still, never quiet, and never actually getting anywhere. This is not how we are supposed to exist. Rather we are to live by yielding to our God centered self quietly seeking the good of others without seeking a return, in this all our own needs and/or desires are met.

In the Now with the Tao, Day 6, Verse 6

2010-04-26T19:03:00.000-05:00

"What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" That's one of the many quotes I found when reading Peter McWilliams book, "DO IT! Let's Get Off Our Buts." The universe brought that book to me a few years ago. I had seen some light, so to speak, about a path I was on that was not in line with my own heart and consciousness. I was seeking. In the library one day I came across a book, "Life 101 Everything You Wished You Had Learned About Life In School, But Didn't." That looked like as good a place to start as any so I grabbed it. The book made sense and went down easy. I found more of Peter McWilliams work and continue to enjoy them to this day. Last week I picked up the, "DO IT!" book. Anytime I want to do something new, new projects, new accomplishments, even new ways of understanding my own life, I reach for the "DO IT" book. Too many times I dragged my "but" around and wouldn't even approach a new thing. The 6th Verse of the Tao echos the same encouragement as the "Do It" book. Which is; All the creativity you need is already alive and working in you and through you.

Tao, vs.6 "The spirit that never dies is called the mysterious feminine. Although she becomes the whole universe, her immaculate purity is never lost. Although she assumes countless forms, her true identity remains intact. The gateway to the mysterious female is called the root of creation. Listen to her voice, hear it echo through creation. Without fail, she reveals her presence. Without fail, she brings us to our own perfection. Although it is invisible, it endures; it will never end."

One of my best friends, an agnostic, refers to God as, "she." Her motivation is purely entertainment, of course. She finds those downward glances the reference induces quite amusing. But she isn't wrong. God is as much female as male. God, this creative cosmic energy source of all things is master Creator and because that source flows through us we are co-creators. Absolutely anything you can dream to do or be, you have an unlimited source of creative power and ability to-- "DO IT!"

I will experience the 6th vs. of the Tao this way; I will tap into the creative source that flows within me, get off my "but," and "DO IT!" Whatever "IT" is for me today.

In the Now with the Tao, Day Five, Verse Five

2010-04-20T00:04:00.001-05:00

There are things in our daily life that ring so true and so loudly in our spirits that we can not deny them. This 5th verse of the Tao resounds in my spirit in just such a way.

Tao, Vs. 5: "Heaven and earth are impartial; they see the 10,000 things as straw dogs. The sage is not sentimental; he treats all his people as staw dogs. The sage is like heaven and earth; To him none are especially dear, nor is there anyone he disfavors. He gives and gives, without condition, offering his treasures to everyone. Between heaven and earth is a space like a bellows; empty and inexhaustible, the more it is used, the more it produces. Hold on to the center. Man was made to sit quietly and find the truth within." (In Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Tao Te Ching, he explains that "straw dogs were ritual objects, venerated before the ceremony but afterward abandoned and trampled underfoot.")

We must see ourselves in others. Love them as we do ourselves without conditions or judgements. Not esteeming one above another. No partialities, no matter what. I believe that so strongly that whether or not you agree with me...I love you and respect your right to be different.

Allow me to share something about myself, something I'm not very proud of. I lived a huge part of my life standing on my soapbox declaring how "right" I was. There is one enormous problem with that. In my declaration of my preceived "rightness," I very loudly proclaimed someone else as "wrong." I don't believe that anyone has the authority to do that for or to another person.

I want to practice this 5th verse this way; I want to stop judging others. They may look, act, and view the world totally different than I. I will squint if I have to but I will look until I see "God" in us both. No criticisms. No labels. Only love. God is Love.

"Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." (Acts 10:34,35 NIV Bible)

In the Now with the Tao, Day Four/ Verse Four;

2010-04-17T12:58:00.001-05:00

"Two things in life are certain, death and taxes." Ben Franklin had that right, ay? Had to side step from daily Tao journaling to finish my taxes. But she's put to bed and can rest for another year.

Tao, vs.4: "The tao is empty but inexhaustible, bottomless, the ancestor of it all. The sharp edges become smooth; the twisted knots loosen; the sun is softened by a cloud; the dust settles into place. It is hidden but always present. I do not know who gave birth to it. It seems to be the common ancestor of all, the father of things."

In this lifes journey, no matter where you are or what you want to do, you will come across obstacles. When there are sharp edges that need smoothing or twisted knots that need loosening, turn your attention away from the need and toward the Source of all things, then all that is required for your indeavor will appear.

"And I will take the blind by a way of which they had no knowledge, guiding them by roads strange to them: I will make the dark places light before them, and the rough places smooth. These things will I do and will not give them up. "(Bible Basic English Is.42:16)

In the Now with the Tao, Day Three/ Verse Three;

2010-04-12T17:21:00.002-05:00

When Vin and I got our first appartment we bought a hamster, Hapford, and a cat, Alexis. Hap had it made. He had plenty food and water. He had a nice home, he had tonnels, and even a wheel. All that stuff, but Hap was never content. He wanted one more thing...he wanted OUT! And the little escape artist got out many times. Alexis, on the other hand, seemed very contented. She'd sleek around, eat her fantsy feast, and lay in sunny spots on the carpet. I came home from work one afternoon to find my discontented hamsters, or what was left of him, a tiny heap on odd parts. Alexis, in a fine state of contented bliss. She had waited in stillness until opportunity could not be denied.

This brings us to the Tao, Vs.3;
"Putting a value on status will create contentiousness. If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal. By not displaying what is desirable, you will cause the people's hearts to remain undisturbed. The sage governs by emptying minds and hearts, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones. Practice not doing.... When action is pure and selfless, everthing settles into its own perfect place.

Lao-tzu isn't telling us to be lazy or inactive; rather to trust our path to be directed by the Source of your creation and not by our ego-driven desires. "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." (Bible: The New Living Translation,1Tim.6:6)

Excerpt from, "Change your Thoughts, Change Your Life," by Dr. Wayne Dyer: "Inventory your desires and then turn them over to the unnameable. Yes, Turn them over and do nothing but trust. At the same time, listen and watch for guidance, and then connect yourself to the perfect energy that sends whatever is necessary into your life."

I will be content and greatful for this day and all that has been placed in it for me. I will be present in this moment rather than lose it to some flimsy fleeting feeling of want. In this moment of "Now" there is no lack or want of anything. I am content.

In the Now with the Tao, Day Two/ Verse Two

2010-04-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

This verse is especially interesting to me today. Because of it, I am allowing myself to feel the texture of "misunderstanding" without trying to explain or defend myself. I'm choosing instead, just to go inward and become truely intimate with these feelings without judging whether they are good or bad. Right or wrong. What does it feel like? It kinda feels like my heart is pounding in my throat. Like I've swallowed something that won't quite go down. Tears are streaming down my cheeks. I'm not falling apart. I'm simply experiencing this feeling of misunderstanding. Somewhere underneath it all there is the settling ease of peace and stillness. Doing this is neither the right or the wrong the to do. It's merely a state of being.

Tao Vs. 2: "Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty, only because there is ugliness. All can know good and good only because there is evil. Being and nonbeing produce each other. The difficult is born in the easy. Long is defined by short. the high by the low. Before and after go along with each other. So the sage lives openly with apparent duality and paradoxical unity. The sage can act without effort and teach without words. Nurturing things without possessing them, he works, but not for rewards; he competes, but not for results. When the work is done, it is forgottend. That is why it lasts forever."

Our perception of the world seemed to be based completely on opposites and contrasts. Duality. Although there is the yin and the yang, one is not better than the other. The reality is, there isn't a duality at all. Yin and yang are one.

Excerpt from "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life," by Dr. Wayne Dyer; "...imagine yourself as an otter just living your "otterness." You're not good or bad, beautiful or ugly, a hard worker or a slacker...you're simply an otter, moving through the water or on land freely, peacefully, playfully, and without judgments. When it's time to leave your body, you do so, reclaiming your place in the pure mystery of oneness. This is what Lao-tzo means when he says, "When the work is done, it is forgotten. That is why it lasts forever."

When I am inclined to see two separate and seemingly conflicting sides of anything, I will remember that in reality they are one.

In the Now with the Tao, Day One/ Verse One;

2010-04-10T14:25:00.002-05:00

Reread the 1st verse of the Tao and going down to the water with my dogs. When it's at all possible that's where I go to meditate.

Here I am back to record the experience. Let me interject here...this is my experience. It is not to be taken as some univeral truth. I believe that each of us are our own teacher and whatever wisdom that is to be gained in this physical body will come from God within us. You can beilve it however you want. You can call it whatever you want. This is just where my life experience has led me. Try not get hung up on naming the nameless. Which leads us back to the Tao vs.1

"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The Tao is both named and nameless. As nameless it is the origin of all things; as named it is the Mother of 10,000 things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery; ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations. And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding."

As I'm walking down to the water my big old yard dog, Buddy, is doing his own thing. He's so carefree. He knows exactly where we're going. He chases a few rabbits along the way and still manages to get there before me and little house dog, Annie. Annie is on a leash because she is small and barky, a combination that makes the other dogs in the neighborhood want to eat her. She is pulling so hard on the leash that she is choking herself. I have to stop at intervals, make her stand still for a moment so she doesn't injure herself. A constant state of pressing forward. HMMM~
vs.1- I've spent alot of my life in that state of "hard press." Name it. Define it. How do I do it? Get it right! Where am I? Am I there yet? Am I doing it right? Hurry up and slow down! HARDER!

I saw myself in Annie today, thought about vs.1, and decided to just let go of the "trying so hard" and allow! Just saying it makes my shoulders sink down away from my ears. I believe in the Great Mystery, a Devine Source, God. That's enough for me. I know God only by experience not by definition. I embrace the mystery. The Universal Source will bring me to all things and all things to me. I've decided it isn't necessary for me to bag, tag, and label everything. In fact anything that you can bag, tag, or label isn't big enough for me. I choose greater, wider, deeper, infinate, eternal! (OH Heck! I almost exploded!) I promised a Bible verse too; (Message Bible Eph.3:20-21"God can do anything, you know— far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." WOWEEWOW! MORE than I can IMAGINE, GUESS, OR ASK in my WILDEST Dreams? Sold! I'll take it!

Wait! Back at the water; I looked across the water at the trees on the bank. The colors were not just green but some reds, golds, browns, and even purples. Those that were green were every shade of green. No grouping up or sectioning off, just sprinkled lavishly across the expanse. So beautiful. I noticed how they all, each and every one made the landscape. Side-by-side they stood all different and all reaching toward the same light. What do you have to "DO" to make such things happen? Don't "DO" anything. Just "BE!" "Let Go and let God." Allow~~~

In the Now with the Tao, By Debra Janosko

2010-04-09T10:28:00.003-05:00

I've been enjoying a book by Dr. Wayne Dyer, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" for a few years now. This book was written after Dr. Dyer's yearlong research, contemplation, and application of the Tao Te Ching. In it Dr. Dyer takes each of the 81 verses of the "Tao Te Ching," records the verse for you, and offers his commentary. Most Definitely worth a read. Oh, this might be helpful.... What is the "Tao Te Ching"? The words literally mean, "living the great way." A book of wisdom writen by Lao Tzu, a prophet who was keeper of the imperial archives in the ancient capital of Luoyang. It is a Chinese classic. A valuable resource for achieving integrity, joy, peace, and balance. What I find interesting about the Tao (pronounced Dow De Ching), is that it was written 500 years before the birth of Christ. Yet the Tao and Chirst's teachings are so parallel. In my copy I have penciled in the margins coordinating verses from the Bible. There are other ancient writings that share this same wisdom. Such profound wisdom unmistakably comes from one Devine Source. A thought that should serve to unite us. When you find other spiritual texts that echo the wisdom of the ones you embrace, it should only help you to embrace and love yours more. A word from many witnesses must be true.

I will be attempting, for the next 81 days, to incorporate these 81 verses of the Tao into my day-to-day. One verse at a time, one day at a time. My hope is to inspire you alittle and make you laugh alot. I will also be sharing coordinating verses from the Bible. This should be interesting. Comments always welcomed.

Many Members, One Body, One Source (my meanderings)

2010-04-08T22:58:00.000-05:00

Went down to the water today with my dogs. A beautiful sunny day. While the dogs played, I slipped my mala off my wrist and began a "so hum" meditation. As I came to my guru bead, I began to contimplate God. God in everything and everyone. How the one source joins us everyone and everything. I recalled a prayer Jesus had prayed, "Father make them one even as we are one."(John 17:20-23) Another scripture says, "the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. (ICor.12:12) Thinking on this my mind turned to conversations I'd had recently about the differences we have one from another. Politics. Religion. Whether or not white is appropriate after Labor Day. There are ideas and viewpoints I strongly disagree with. But to hate or be hateful toward someone you disagree with?... Lao Tzu says, "To attact another is to attact oneself." We are all one. Separation is only an illusion. When I look across a room at someone I seem to be in conflict with, I'm looking at myself. "Love your neighbor as yourself," that's only possible when you realize that you and your neighbor are one. Many members, one body, one source.

The Simple Truth...Love

2010-02-01T17:34:00.008-06:00

"All You Need Is Love", John Lennon said it well. That simple truth is so profound. It truely is the answer to any question. If I can wrap my mind around that truth and align any decisions I have to make with it... I can't go wrong. God is Love/Love is God.

There is no fear in Love. What can separate you from the Love of God? According to scripture...nothing. (Rom.8:31-39) It's insane then to fret and worry over any perceived storm, whatever that is to you. If God/Love is in you, He is for you. Would you agree? So what then can destroy God. What foe is formidable against God? Against you, if God/Love is in you? If you believe that, there is no fear, no worry, no dread.

We are instructed to filter every thought through the Phil. 4:8 filter. "Think on things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--best, not the worst, the beautiful, not ugly, things to praise, not things to curse." (phil. 4;8) All that can be summed up in one word, "Love." If what's going on inside your head doesn't meet this criteria, let it go! To focus on anything else is insanity. God can not be threatened. God can not be in danger. God has no lack or need of anything. God knows no fear. God is perfect Love. God is total Peace. God is complete Joy. God/Love offers nothing less to the sons of God. In God/Love we are complete and entire, wanting nothing. Love is the only truth.

Love, that's it? That's THE answer? It's that simple. Be careful not to trip over it's simplicity though. I have done that. So blinded by illusions of self-importance and whatever delimma I thought was looming, I tripped and stumbled over the simple truth that is Love. Everything we experience in this physical body is a kind and loving teacher, a guide to bring us back to this simple truth, Love.

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump, and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere.
So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.... Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love." (I Cor. 13)

Yoga and Back Pain

2009-08-28T12:34:00.002-05:00

Nearly everyone either has or will have experienced back pain at some point in their life. Back pain is the second most common reason for visiting MDs. The number one reason for seeing a chiropractor. Back pain is the leading cause for disability for people under forty-five.

Back pain can be triggered by something as trivial as sneezing or getting out of a chair. However, the problem usually stems from years of subtle injuries and trauma to the back. The most common malady is low back strain. That covers minor muscle, ligament, and joint problems in the lumbar spine and surrounding tissues. Sciatica, generally a more severe condition, caused when the shock-absorbing disk that separates two spinal vertebrae bulges out and compresses a nerve root exiting the spinal cord, causing pain which radiates down the leg, and sometimes into the foot.

When you are evaluating your therapeutic options, consider a yoga therapist. A yoga therapist is a certified, experienced yoga teacher who has undertaken further yoga therapy courses and certifications. They will examine factors like posture, your emotions, and your work and living environment to help figure out what set you up for back trouble in the first place.

Tension in muscles increase when the bodies stress-response system is activated. This by itself can cause pain. Mental tension can cause the back muscles to spasm also resulting in pain. Find the root of the tension and the pain disappears. Relaxation and breathing exercises help shift the balance from the autonomic nervous system to the restorative parasympathetic side causing deep muscles that may be the source of pain, to let go.

Of course back pain is also linked to posture, muscle tightness, and muscle weakness, as well as a lack of body awareness-- yoga effectively addresses all of these issues.

Meet Me In the Middle, "The Middle Way"

2009-08-13T11:45:00.016-05:00

It has been said that the best way to learn anything is to teach it. I believe that but I've also had some might valuable lessons slip up on me as I was teaching something, I thought, totally unrelated. "The Middle Way" is one such lesson.

Teaching has been a part of my life all of my life. I'm a natural teacher. I love it. The drive I have to share knowledge and insight has been in me since long before I had much of either to offer. Just a whip of a girl, I'd line my stuffed animals up on my bed and teach them everything I knew about ABC's, 123's, don't talk to strangers, and look both ways before crossing the street. I hear some of you chiming in, "Me too."

I went to Sunday school and learned to sing, "Yes Jesus Loves Me." I quickly added that to my stuffed animal's curriculum. I taught my first "real live" class at the jolly green age of 15. I was over-the-moon to be commissioned to teach a Sunday School class. A bunch of lively five year olds that were just as willing to have fun as I was. Having sat in a class or two that was so boring and dry that you could watch the paint peel off the walls, I was determined that mine would be the most exciting class in the history of the world. I wanted my young charges to be thrilled about coming to class and sad to leave. And they were... until....

The Sunday School lesson was about the three Hebrew children being thrown into the fiery furnace. I wanted to bring the subject to life with an object lesson. I soaked a white cloth in water (representative of the Hebrew boys in the story), dipped the same cloth in alcohol (God's love and protection), and lit it on fire (trial of faith). I practiced the trick at home to make sure it worked. It was perfect. The alcohol burned off the wet cloth without the slightest singe. I imagined the oohs and aahs that would come from my young-ins on Sunday morning.

Sunday morning: It was all going according to plan. I lit the wet cloth and the children squealed with delight! Then I bumped over the bottle of alcohol spilling it out and the entire desktop went up in flames. I managed to quickly put the fire out but by that time the children were screaming and crying for their mommies. I didn't blame them, I wanted to do the same thing. Believe it or not, the powers that be did not take my class away from me. I guess they figured I was the one who learned from the object lesson that day. And I did. Excitement is a wild and wonderful thing but there's a lot to be said for order and quietness. Too much of one extreme or the other is not the best way. "The Middle Way," is the sure way. Learning to live in balance, for me, is an on going lesson. As I veer too far left or right, I feel God's nudge goading me back to the middle. The Middle Way. A place of sure footing where calm quiet confidence and wild exuberance meet, merge, and make sense.

While my ideas about traditional religion have changed a bit, this lesson still rings true. Meet me in the middle and we'll learn balance as we journey together one yoga class at a time.

Yoga and Weight Loss

2009-06-08T05:35:00.008-05:00

Yoga and Weight Loss
As a yoga instructor, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "Can yoga help you lose weight?" The short answer is yes, for many reasons. Yoga goes along way in promoting a healthy weight loss. Yoga asana is excellent for burning calories while stretching, toning, and strengthening muscles but that is only one piece of the puzzle. We have to look at diet as well. What, how much, and even why we are eating is an important part of the "weight loss" picture. First, let's look at what we are eating. A diet high in fats and sugars will, not only pack on the pounds, but wreck havoc on the systems of the body. Mom was right, eat your fruits and veggies! If you want to feel your best, look your best and be at your best... eat your best. It's that simple. Mother nature has a delicious bounty of whole foods to choose from, eat up! For optimal health, there's no better choice.

Next, let's look at why and how much we are eating. Stress plays a huge role in overeating. It also determines how and where fat is stored in the body. Yoga asanas, breathing exercises, and meditation reduces stress and lowers cortisol levels which will aid in weight loss. Habitual eating or eating mindlessly as though auto pilot has been switched on without thinking or even tasting what we are putting in our mouth will pack on pounds. Then there's emotional eating. Eating when we feel hurt, anger, or depression. Ever hear the expression, "It's not what you're eating but what's eating you," that is emotional eating. Yoga practice helps you to become mindful in the moment. You become connected and aware of your body and emotions. You will learn to discerne true hunger from habitual or emotional eating. When you are hungry, you'll make healthier choices, taste, and enjoy your food. Yoga offers effective methods for emotional healing and balance.

A yoga practice that includes dietary modifications, breathing techniques, and meditation can help you lose weight. Think of the process as a journey of transformation and self-discovery. It will take time and patience. But these positive changes are sustainable, unlike those quick-fix fades that feed the cycles of bad habits and ill health. There is a fresh start, a new beginning in everyday. Don't get hung up on where you were or what you did five minutes ago. Don't waste time thinking about what you will do five minutes from now. In this moment, make the choice to be your best right here, right now. Be Well!

Meaningful Notable Moments, or MnMs

2009-05-07T22:32:00.007-05:00

Meaningful Notable Moments, or (MnMs)
By: Debra Janosko

Unlike another sound-a-like treat that melts in your mouth and not in your hand, these "MnMs" are like hard candies to be savored, rolled around on the proverbial tongue until all the goody is sucked out of 'em. Meaningful notable moments fill our days. If we are too tethered to the past, tied up in the present, or tensed about the future, those meaningful moments can slip by unnoticed. A good yoga practice can help you enjoy your MnMs.

On the yoga mat in our daily practice we work hard to strengthen, stretch, and tone our bodies and our minds. Being fully present in the moment cultivating awareness that can capture the subtle nuances of the breath through the body. Somewhere in the process the mind chatter stops and we bask in a quiet stillness. It is from that stillness God emerges. We are awakened with consciousness and clarity that adds meaning to the moment. The practice continues as we roll up our mats, start the laundry, and feed the pooch. Yoga practice brings a sense of purpose and fulfilment into everyday life. Even the most mundane chores become meaningful when done consciously. I spent years going through my days in, not so quiet, desperation asking, "what is my purpose?" "What is God's divine will for my life?" Turns out it was right in front of me all along. If the dog needs to be fed, it's God's will that you feed the dog. If your laundry is piling up, you guested it, Divinity would have you wash your undies. There is a precious verse found in the Holy Bible, "Whatever you do, do it hearty as to the Lord," (Col.3:24). Feed the hungry you have around you today, (Bowzer gets hungry too) and who knows tomorrow you might be in Kolkata. It's not the "what" you are doing but the "how" you are doing it that can make the task meaningful. With a heart of gratitude and mindfulness everything you do can be chock full of divine purpose.

The mindfulness that yoga is developing in me flows into everything I do. Because of that, everything I do has become meaningful to me. This weekend I ran my first 10k running event of the season. It was great!!! I shaved five minutes off of last years time in this event. Still at that, I'll be the first one to tell you that I'm not a fast runner. I just get a thrill doing it. I've been running for seven years now and it has become routine to have a quiet prayerful meditation before each race to ask God to help me be fully present in the moment, so as not to miss my MnMs during the event. Every year I walk away with a participants medal and a few MnMs. This year was no exception. With a gun-shot start, we were off. As the race progressed, the runners thinned out according to their pace. I noticed a young lady just ahead of me that had a good pace going. I fell in behind her. Watching the white soles of her shoes, my pace was set. It all became mechanical after that. My feet just followed her feet. This went on for the the first three miles and then she started to slow a bit. I sidled up to her, told her what I'd been up to, and thanked her for getting me through the race thus far. She smiled and said, that made her feel like she was doing something right. I went on ahead hoping my feet could help her feet for a while. I turned on my mp3 radio and heard, "you gotta pay your dues if you wanta sing the blues cause you know it don't come easy...." Don't know what happened after that. My 10 minute mile morphed into an 8 minute mile and I was running through the shoots before I knew it. Not long after I'd crossed the finished line someone tapped me on my shoulder. It was the young lady that helped set my pace during the race. She said, when I had passed her that she started watching my feet and followed my pace on in to the finish. With tears in our eyes, we hugged and said our heartfelt thank yous. We may never see each other again, but in the moment we were vital to each other. This MnM taught me that being a pace setter is a humbling thing. There is no room for ego. The runners behind you today may well be the ones setting your finish line pace tomorrow. That's a pretty sweet MnM if you ask me.

You have your own MnMs. Share 'em. Savor 'em. Suck all the goody out of 'em.

Tomato/Tomoto, More the Same than Different!

2009-04-23T04:53:00.009-05:00

Tomato/Tomoto. We've went back and forth for years but we all know that we're talking about the yummy red fruit. (Yes, a tomato is a fruit.) In the South, we kind of lean toward tomata. We also favor the, "Our way Is Best," philosophy. While we can be tolerant, you'd be hard pressed to change our minds. It's not that we're hard-headed. We're Passionate! I love living in the south. We truely are a passionate bunch of folks. If we like it, we're going to celebrate it. Chances are if we like to eat it, look at it, or dance to it, we'll have a festival for it. Just to name a few, there's the Gourd, Sweet Potato, Strawberry, Jazz In the Garden, Art By the Lake, and Great Texas Mosquito festivals. All glorious events to be held and attended with much pride and gusto. When we love it, we love it right-down-to-our-socks! If however we do not, you'll know it by our raised eyebrows, cold shoulders, and disparaging remarks.

A little more than a year ago I opened up a yoga studio in our beloved little southern town in Northeast Mississippi. As to the opinion of the members of our community, let me just say that the verdict is still out. I have the most wonderful group of students who are both loving and benefiting from their practice. They are a constant encouragement to me. I adore each and every one of them. Being in the "Bible Belt", there are still those that consider the practice of yoga a contradiction and a threat to their Christianity. I am reaching out to them through this article.

You may call it by another name but in many ways you are already practicing yoga in one form or another. For instance; If you believe in the Biblical law of sewing and reaping (Gal. 6:7), do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matt.7:12), or even Christ's teaching in Luke 6:27-36 "love your enemies, do good to them that hate you...", you are practicing a form of Karma Yoga. Karma yoga is the path of selfless action and service. If you attend a worship service or have personal daily devotions, you are practicing a form of Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti yoga is the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion to God. If you study spiritual text to gain insight, knowledge, and understanding for a better way of living you are practicing a form of Jnana Yoga. Jnana yoga is the quest for wisdom and truth through knowledge. If you practice Phil. 4:8, "Think on these things...", you practicing a form of Raja yoga. Raja yoga is meditation. If you practice meditation, you are in good company. King David writes much about his meditation practice. Jesus Christ himself practiced a morning prayerful meditation. In the Holy Bible meditation is more than a suggested practice it is taught as part of your daily devotion. What should you meditate on? Allow Phil. 4:8, to guide you. If you come to my studio, you will practice Hatha Yoga the physical postures and breathing techniques to help bring your body to a natural state of health. I believe that it is God's will for us to enjoy good healthy minds, bodies, and spirits.

You see Yoga isn't a religion. You can however, apply it to enhance whatever religious faith you embrace. Occasionally someone, motivated by their concern for me, will send me a link to a website that is teaching that you can't be a practicing Christian and practice yoga. I say, if you are practicing Christ's teachings, you are practicing yoga in one form or another already.

You say Tomato I say Tomoto but we all know that we are talking about that yummy red fruit! We are really more the same than different. By-the-way, what do y'all think about a yoga festival?

Yoga Pudding

2009-04-07T09:19:00.003-05:00

Yoga Pudding
By: Debra Janosko

"The proof is in the pudding." I've heard that saying all my life and never has it proved more true than when pertaining to my personal Yoga experience.
Remember the good old days when the folks worked their 9 to 5's and had plenty of time for family, friends, and even hobbies. Ahh! Life was good and the livin' was easy. Today the economy is taking a beating and so are we. Those of us who still have our jobs are having to work harder to almost make ends meet. Our work week is getting longer. Family? Oh yea, those strangers I bump into around my house from time-to-time. Sound familuiar? This hectic pace is leaving many of us feeling spent and wondering how to manage the stress of it all. Our physical, mental, and even spiritual health and well being is suffering. Thankfully some of us are realizing that an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. We've started exercising and even eating better. While that is certainly a huge step in the right direction, it is not the complete answer.
Enter--Yoga. Yoga has entered the mainstream. It isn't correct to say that yoga has come along way, seeing as how it is thousands of years old. Yoga is what it has always been. A Life Science. (Not a religion.) Yoga practice has the capibility to help bring an individual back to a natural state of health both mentally and physically. The medical field, now more than ever, is lauding the mind, body, and even spiritual benefits of yoga practice. The proof is in the pudding!
I was first introduced to yoga in the mid 1970's through a T.V. program called "Lillias Yoga and You". I'd rise early to practice with Mrs. Lillias Folan every morning before school. Of course, I was completely unaware of all the benefits of my new found passion. I just knew I felt good doing it. I'd breathe when Lillias said breathe. Move into postures with strange sounding names with Lillias as my guide. I loved it! I was hooked. I didn't get alot of positive feedback from other people. Here in the so-called, "Bible Belt", I was told I was practicing a weird eastern religion and that I should not dabbable in such things. Here it is 30 years later and while some people may still have that limited notion, thankfully more and more people are becoming educated to what yoga is and isn't. People are beginning to understanding that this ancient practice can not only help deal with stress but restore mental and physical health. Today there are more than six million Americans praticing yoga in one form or another. Health care providers are endorsing it and even prescribing it to their patients. Yoga has been proven helpful in treating headaches, high blood pressure, heart trouble, anxiety, and much much more. Dr. Dean Ornish, who is widely known for his work with heart patients, prescribes yoga excerises, breathing and relaxation techniques to reverse symptoms of heart disease. Research proves that stress-related diseases respond favorably to this approach. Renouned physicians Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. proclaim the limitless benefits of yoga practice in their books and television documentories.
Cutting back to my personal yoga experience. I had let go of my yoga practice for a time. I believed the bad press that I had received concerning yoga. I finished high school, went to college, got married, had two wonderful boys, and jumped on the fast track in pursuit of the "American Dream" just like my parents before me. Oh, I should interject here that my dad had his first of three heart attacks at the age of 42. My mom died of collan cancer after suffering with heart disease for many years. She was only 62 years old when she passed. Looking at my parents medical history, I've realized that I have to take responsibility for my health. Yoga has become a huge part of that decision. I want to be whole mind, body, and spirit. The more I read and study yoga, the more I practice. The more I practice, the more I learn that yoga is so much more than just a physical exercise. 15 minute sessions of Yogic breathing, (pranayama), brings such a sense of allertness and sharpness of mind. Prayerful meditation has awakened me spiritually. Just sitting quiet and still focusing on my breath, tears begin to flow. In the deepest part of me God is helping me work through issues I've never dealt with or in some cases didn't even know exsisted. I feel a spiritual and physical healing taking place from the inside out. I've stopped trying to confine God to some preconceived traditional idea I once had. I find God to be so BIG that he fills every atom in the universe around me and inside of me. My body is stronger and healthier. I am convinced that I will never know the illnesses that plagued my parents. Yoga has yielded such great rewards in my life. Yoga practice introduced me to myself. I am learning to love and accept myself and in doing so, love and accept others without judgements. The mental, physical, and spiritual benefits of that alone are huge. It's amazing. My first introduction to yoga was thirty years ago. I never could have imagined what was in store. I have found proof of health and wellness in yoga practice. I have found a lifes purpose in sharing yoga's health benefits with others. There's proof in the pudding. MMM, Sweet Yoga Pudding. Come to The #1 yoga studio in Northeast Mississippi and taste for yourself. I'll have a mat waiting for you.
Mineral Springs Yoga and Health Center
Debra Janosko, RYT, CYT-500
Owner/Instructor
Iuka, MS 38852
Phone: 662-213-9405