Feeling that it'd be a shame not to share their insights with you, I reached out to a couple of them, asking if they'd like to write guests features for yoga junkie. My dearest Gretchen was first to respond with a post about intentions. We've taken longer than we anticipated in getting her words to you, because, well, she had a beautiful baby girl and was slightly distracted, hehe.
I felt lucky to attend her class when visiting Key West, where she resides and teaches. I've also been on a sailboat ride at sunset and captured sight of her writing in her journal. You know what? I witnessed the same smile and contentment of being in both instances. What follows is her writing.
“Close your eyes, bring your palms together in front of your heart, and take a moment to set an intention for your practice, for your body.”
Yoga classes offer the unique opportunity to set intentions for your physical body, your spiritual being, whatever it is that is calling for attention or nurturing in a particular moment in time. For many, this sounds wonderful, soothing, opportunistic, personal...and quite possibly, impossible. You are not alone if you think everyone around you in class is in a “zenned out” trance and that you are definitely the only yogi who is monkey mind flip flops between:
“Okay, I have 1 hour and 13 minutes before Sally needs to be picked up from school.”And, there's your intention. Set, despite distraction. You've put it out there to the universe and that specific job is done for the beginning of class. Following this mindful exercise, the yoga teacher then leads you into sun salutations, various sequences filled with forward and backward movements, deep breathing, and plenty of opportunity to forget entirely about your personal intention.
“I wonder why Courtney left me two messages on my phone.”
“Could this seated meditation be any more uncomfortable?”
"Now, I HAVE to focus. I only have a few seconds to come up with an intention for this class. Crap, I don’t know! Hurry up! Think of one! Okay, to calm my mind and try to remain peaceful for the rest of class."
"Now, relax, let go, observe your body in savasana. How does it feel? Connect again to your intention..."
"Shoot! I forgot all about my intention for the entire practice! I do feel calmer, more peaceful. So did I achieve my intention? I wonder what time it is. I'm going to have to change as quickly as possible to get out of here on time. Ok relax, aahhhhh. This is nice. What should I wear to dinner tonight? I wonder if I'll feel any slimmer in my black dress after practicing yoga today. How many months have I been practicing? 1, 2, 3....stop! Just relax! Ahhhhh. This is so peaceful."
One of the glorious reasons for attending a yoga class is to allow the yoga teacher to lead you to a deeper state of focus and connection to your intentions. These constant reminders to "breathe" or to "come back to your intentions" can aide in maintaining a connection to your bodies, minds, and the present moment. A class entirely "intended" towards opening and activating the heart chakra (anahata chakra) offers the students various poses (asanas) to stay connected to this part of their bodies, both physically and mindfully, for nearly an hour of their day.
"As you continue on with your day, post yoga class, continue to notice and observe any changes or alterations. Without building on these observations, just notice the results. Now, make your way up to a comfortable seated position."
You allow your asanas to be an outward expression of your internal practice and intentions. During one particular class, Glen, a student in the front row, opened his eyes from the closing rounds of OM and a shape appeared around the heart chakra...Now, that's an impressive representation of outward expression of intention!
As you gain insight through practice, meditation, reflection, and your knowledge of the ability to carry your practice off of your mat and into your everyday lives, your intentions aren't easily forgotten; you live them every day. Meaningful intention is about finding home in yourself. This is all a practice of gaining knowledge about yourself while accepting, or surrendering to the reality that you will often lose your focus in your fluctuating mind.
As you gain insight through practice, meditation, reflection, and your knowledge of the ability to carry your practice off of your mat and into your everyday lives, your intentions aren't easily forgotten; you live them every day. Meaningful intention is about finding home in yourself. This is all a practice of gaining knowledge about yourself while accepting, or surrendering to the reality that you will often lose your focus in your fluctuating mind.
Let’s close with a quote from the Buddha's teachings:
"There are only two things you are responsible for in this practice of yoga: Throughout each day, check in with yourself to see if you are being true to your most heartfelt intentions. If you are not, start doing so immediately, as best as you're able. The outcome of your effort may seem modest at first, but be assured, each time you start over by reconnecting to your intention, you are taking one more step toward finding your own authenticity and freedom. In that moment, you are remembering yourself and grounding your life in your heart's intention. You are living the noble life of the Buddha's teachings."-- Phillip Moffit
A little bit more about Gretchen...
I have spent much of my adult life traveling around the world experiencing the cultural, religious, and healing ways of many different people and their countries. My travels have not solely focused on humanity studies, but on ecological and environmental education as well. I have always felt that the more we can learn about eachother and our planet, the more respect we will have for our own bodies, the people around us, and our environment.
I began teaching yoga on the beautiful island of St. John, in the center of a biological field station. I looked forward to my personal daily practice but wanted to share what I was learning and experiencing with anyone who wanted to listen or give it a try. So, I began offering classes each morning for those who were interested, all ages, all types. I continued to do this on the beaches in the Bahamas, the rainforests of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and bungalows in Thailand.
With each yoga class, I am honored to have the opportunity to create a space where people can come learn about themselves, exercise, heal, and grow together with a positive community. I have been teaching Hatha based yoga classes, infused with Vinyasa and Ashtanga influences since 2005. My personal studies include yoga of all types, yoga therapy, Ayurvedic medicine, and acupressure. In 2009, I began a travel based company called Ananda Ventures (meaning true happiness) focused on yoga and conservation and the strong connection between our bodies and environments. The greatest reward as a teacher is found when students' lives are enriched as they reach deeper levels of themselves through their experiences both on and off the mat.
