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June, ’19 Intention

01 Saturday Jun 2019

Posted by in #nothingforgranted, Bad Yogi, Dragon, Gratitude, Intention setting, Intentions, Life Lessons, Mending the Hoop, Truth

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It’s been entirely too long since I’ve written.  I’d really like to work on that.  I’m taking a “public reset” of sorts though and committing to sharing my journey through the month of June here.  Before I share what I’m working on, a quick catch up.

  • I bought a yoga studio in DC last year – Dragon’s Breath Yoga is located in Columbia Heights and it’s been amazing!
  • I adopted a bulldog puppy in April – Beatrix.  She’s amazing.

Enough of that.

I’m bringing back an old intention or two.  Who do I want to be on June 30?  And the better question, HOW do I want to be?  It’s the how I’m working on – and I think the who will fall into place on its own.

I want to be kinder, both to myself and to others.  I want to discover more about what love is to me and to others.  I want to build community in ways that create space for everyone, challenge each of us to break out of our old patterns, and help us each to step into our own greatness.

I’m questing for healing – myself, my friends, my community – and part of that quest is to dive deeper into those areas I’m still broken, lost, confused, detached.  I’m also going to attempt to blog about my adventures here daily and share videos on Instagram daily (@badyogidc) as well.  If there’s a topic you want my two cents on, let me know.

D

Berlin update

12 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Bad Yogi, Beauty Reports, Dragon, Forrest Yoga, Yoga

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If you think I’ve been quiet this month, you’re partly right.  I’m currently in Berlin assisting the Forrest Yoga Foundation Training with Ana, Jose, and some of my best friends/mentors/family/yogi’s on the planet as fellow assistants.  It’s been an incredible month so far, with over 70 trainees learning to become Forrest Yoga teachers.  It’s humbling to be part of their journeys.

While the focus is on helping the trainees step into their own power, we assistants have regular feedback from Ana (and each other) to become stronger versions of ourselves.  The focus for my month has been around my heart and all of the stupid shields I put up as protection, the patterns and habits I developed around those shields, and pretty much shaking them all up.

IT’S BEEN AMAZING!  Working with such a strong team is inspiring and I’ll be heading home with a few ideas to work on and develop.  So much more to say about this but there’s a time and place for everything.  So stay tuned.

If you want to really see what I’m up to, follow me on social media — @badyogidc.

Intention setting

01 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by in #nothingforgranted, Bad Yogi, Gratitude, Intention setting, Intentions

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It’s September 1.  And a new moon.  And a lunar eclipse apparently.  Basically, a really powerful time to set a really strong, really life-changing intention.  But why?  Aren’t intentions reserved for the yoga mat or New Year’s?  And don’t they normally relate to tapping into inner strength that we didn’t know we had?  Maybe.

I set a monthly intention.  That intention may or may not include an on the mat time intention.  The first of every month, I pause and I reflect/feel my way – where have I come?  and where do I want to go?  A monthly intent is literally the opportunity for me to become or step closer to becoming the person I think I should be.  Some months, the steps are small.  Others, they’re a bit bigger.

This month, I want to work with gratitude.  Not taking for granted moments of Beauty.  Understanding every day that I am one lucky man – my career is what I love and I know I’m lucky.  I’ve had the jobs previously that I did because they paid the bills or I liked my co-workers.  This one, this teaching yoga, everything about it I love.  So I’m stepping into a version of myself that sees.  That understands.  And that feels.

I’m surrounded every day by people that choose to take class with me.  I get to pull my own mat out and work on poses or issues that have been coming up for me.  And I get to call myself a yogi.  To be honest, I don’t know exactly what it means most days but I get that it means I’m going to treat myself respectfully and treat you the same.  If you follow me on any social media, expect a lot of thankful posts.  If you don’t follow me, um,,,,,@badyogidc on Twitter and Instagram.  And I encourage you to play along…what are you thankful for? Every. Fucking. Day.  As in, look for things that make you light up.  That’s my month ahead.  Consider this – challenge thrown.  Will you accept?

Ceremony is connection

05 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in #nothingforgranted, Bad Yogi, Beauty Reports, Dragon, Forrest Yoga, Life Lessons, Uncategorized

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In Forrest Yoga, we hold ceremony as pretty important and getting on your mat, setting an intention for the practice, is the most common ceremony we all enter.  More “formal” ceremonies include burning of sage, calling in of the Four Directions.  Tonight, after a really great day, I had my first ever end of day thanking ceremony.  While what I spoke of to each direction is on my instagram account (@badyogidc), it was after that I realized just how much we humans desire to connect.

Facing West, I thanked my ancestors for connection to them.  I then tied the connection to the people I interacted with today face to face and via text.  Each moment, when held in passing without thought, was just a moment.  But when I think of connection, they grow much more strong and deep.

I texted a friend and student of mine.  At one point, she said she was looking for her community.  I replied that I felt that being human, being honest, seeking goodness, being a strong woman (among other things) put her into so many groups.  And each of those groups should hold a different connection for her.

I remembered as I was fixing dinner – I’ve been looking for my place in this world.  The “who am I?” question of the ages.  Quite happily, that text came rushing back to me.  I’m human.  I’m a yoga teacher.  I’m a yogi.  I seek Beauty in my days.  I stand in my truth.  I’m a dragon.  A gay male.  Each layer of who we are is just that – a layer.  At the end of the day, we are human.  That human connection is stronger than anything else.  And it should be.

We treat others with little to no regard and it’s hard for me to stomach any news story.  It’s sad.  Humanity.  We all are.  Call it my rose colored glasses but I think we’re better than how we’ve been treating each other.