DAY 10

"Today I embrace my 'enough' without adding anything new to my plate, so I can invest more deeply in what I know, do, and feel." Cheryl Richardson

This is what I am going to live by today, trying to minimise distractions to get in touch with my inner knowing. Might be diffifult with a bub and toddler, but will give it a go and try to stay centred and grounded. Am feeling better, although I have a pinching sensation in the left side of my back, I think it is from rushing the poses yesterday morning. Going to go to an evening class tonight, even though I find it hard to wind down after it.

DAY 9

Franz Kafka “You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quite still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked. It has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

Went to the morning class today and am really glad I did. I saw the sun just rising over the water as I entered the studio and admired the intensity of the waves as I left. The class had a bit of a frenzied feel to it as no doubt people were pondering their day ahead. I was also aware of getting back quickly so Chris could go to work.

Am more aware of the food I am eating today and trying not to just grab what is handy. Just had some mixed nuts and going to have a green tea now. I think the above quote sums up perfectly what this process is about. I am slowly letting go both physically and emotionally and limbering up for what is ahead. Although does that mean I am not living in the present?

DAY 8

Not such a good day today. Today was my rest day and struggled to eat well and nurture myself. Ended up eating crap and just being irritable and fed up! Trundled through the day and went to the communtiy meeting tonight which was really good. Have come to the relisation that I know so little about the actual practice of yoga and meditation, although for all this time I thought I knew more than most. That has been a humbling revelation to me.

DAY 7

Had a great day today, started with an early morning class and got alot out of it.

DAY 6

Went to a morning class today and found it pretty frustrating, but glad I went. For half the class I could not concentrate as I thought I was next to my obstretician, but realised it was someone who looked remarkably like him! I found some of the moves pretty hard, although I did successfully concentrate on my core for most of the class. I think I am doing it right and have found myself standing taller throughout the day.

Have had a calm and peaceful day and feel like the 40 days is really helping me be clearer and more patient. Made cookies with my two year old which he loved, he had his own mini rolling pin and cookie cutters.

I think this quote by Robin Sharma is very apt:

"People who feel superb about themselves generate superb results."

That is what I am aiming for.

Love to all.

DAY 5

Today was where I did a home practice and dug out a yoga dvd which I have had for sometime, once I put the kids down for their nap. The remote control would not work and I could not get it on, ordinarilary I would have thought oh well forget it, but no I found some other batteries and pressed play. I found the practice really good and it was nice that it was only 30 minutes! I seem to understand what the teacher was saying in it far more than I ever have before. I am getting it, yoga is a gift to yourself and everyone else.

I have also been reading from a course in miracles and it complements this revolution perfectly. I can see how God is energy and if he can care for the cosmos he can surely mind me.

The sun is shining and I can see what needs to be done. I can see my path unfolding but I am not grasping. The same is true with my diet over the past few days. I have found myself favouring natural yoghurt and seeds over crisps and chocolate.

I am also sleeping deeper although am pretty tired. I think my skin looks better already. I love what Baron says about weight will leave you where it does not belong and I can see how that will happen.

Am finding my core strength very weak and it is something I really need to focus on in order to avoid injuries and also perform the postures correctly.

Breathing is getting easier.

x

DAY 4

Oh what a rush to get to class tonight. Did alot in the house today and made dinner for today and tomorrow. Then met a friend who has been away for a quick drink. Was lovely to get out of the house without the little ones. Didn't manage to wash my hair as I figured it would get wet at yoga anyway! Had a headache before I went and I think it is dehydration, so grabbed a sachet thing at the front desk which may have helped.

The class tonight was exhausting, exhilirating, powerful, furstrating and emotional all at the same time. Found myself letting out a little sob when the teacher Jackie played 100,000 angels by your side by Bliss. Think it was a sense of release. Do feel like there has been a shift and although I am finding it hard to commit, I know it is so profoundly good for me.

It was the 7th anniversary of my Nana's passing today so I was mindful of her when I meditated tonight and felt that she was happy for me. The meditation is very powerful and it has suddenly dawned on me that we play the same stories and excuses over and over again which keeps us stuck and justifying our ways. I don't want to stay stuck.

DAY 3

Went to an earlier class at 4.15 today and it was good. Am finding it hard to get organised and out the door, but as Baron says just do it! So am out of my comfort zone and being present.

Did the meditation when I got back and apart from being distracted from the noise of the tv in the other room, managed to not fidget for a whole 5 mins!

DAY 1

Went to the group discussion tonight and found out a bit more about the course and the other people doing it. Am really glad I signed up and even though I have had a headache all day it dissipated once I was there. All girls, apart from one guy. Felt like one of the biggest and oldest there, not sure if that was the case or if it was just my dodgey body image playing tricks on me again. Alex the teacher just oozes yoganess and is very good at leading a group, allowing for silence for us to gather our thoughts.

We did a lovely meditation, although the woman beside me leg was leaning on mine, which was annoying, but I tried to ignore it and stay in the moment.

I feel like this is the perfect time for me to throw myself into this and fully commit. I know the rewards will be worht it.

Love this quote that I read in the introdution of the book 40 days to revolution "Like the great masters, you will come to understand that all health and vitality is the outward reflection of a pure heart and right intent."

DAY 2

Today I did things that have needed doing for ages, decluttered, threw out 3 bags of rubbish and a bag ready to go to the charity shop, cleaned down sides, re-arranged funriture and closets and generally tidied up. Even managed to make dinner, which doesn't normally happen! This was in between feeding, playing with, changing Lily.

Also lit a candle and got the incensce going whilst I cleaned. Listened to a crash course in miracles on  my ipod and listened to a Ronan Keating CD my sis had sent me for my birthday which I thoroughly enjoyed. Also managed to enjoy the wonderful weather and the gorgeous sunshine streaming through the open windows and doors.

Was tempting after the busy, but productive day that I had not to go to yoga, but I knew that was not really the spirit of things considering this is only day two.. Walked down the hill to class and really enjoyed it, but since attending the basics workshop on the weekend I now feel that there is so much that I don't know. Am scared that I might injure myself, particulalry wary of my lower back. We were supposed to be gliding into the moves, but my legs were clunky and heavy and as for my core.. hmmm, less said about that the better!

Decided to focus on my breath during the class to try and get it right. Not sure if I succeeded, but it did feel a little bit better. I did not have my watch on me and I found myself thinking many times, that must be nearly it. My hopes were really high when the teacher turned down the lights, but alas another pose that I can't remember the name of was soon upon us!

With regards to my diet, had chocolate and diet coke today, but only had a light dinner of vegetables and a little bit of herb chicken breast. When I came back I had a yoghurt and some seeds which I really enjoyed. Normally I would reach for icecream of chocolate, but I did not want that.

Read the first week from the book, really interesting stuff and the philosophy is right up my street. Realised what foods I need to eat in order to cleanse and shed this excess weight. Have only got up to law two, but will read the rest tomorrow.

Was about to go to bed when I remembered the meditation... actually did it and am very pleased. I got a fright as I was visualising seeing out of my thrid eye and had read that you might see things when the sensor light outside sprung on. I could feel my heartbeat quicken and I gently opened my eyes and realised that our resident bandicoot no doubt had sauntered past completing his various noctural adventures. So no vision tonight.. It is now close to midnight and am thinking that I should be sleeping peacefully, but am typing away.

Am contemplating publishing this, but I can here my ego saying wait, proofread it change it..., but what the heck I am going to press publish.

A bit about the 40 day program

40 Days to Personal Revolution


From "40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul" by Baron Baptiste


Let the Revolution Begin Now. In 40 Days to Personal Revolution, Baron Baptiste -- one of the world's most beloved master yoga teachers -- inspires us to transform more than body and mind: He gives us the tools we need to set ourselves free to live the healthful life we've always imagined. In the next 40 days you will create a whole new way of being and living. Tapping ancient wisdom and his own personal experience, Baron has created a relevant and completely practical program that will lead you to the clarity of mind, body, and spirit that awaits on the other side of your revolution.



Each week includes:



A yoga practice to do every morning



Principles to cleanse your diet along with eating plan



Instructions to begin and deepen a meditation practice



Excavation questions to root out limiting beliefs and patterns





Excerpt:



Many of us are searching without knowing exactly what we are looking for. Some of us go on a diet to lose weight and try all kinds of programs and workshops to make ourselves feel better, or perhaps we throw ourselves into our work and seek wealth and status to fill the void, but underneath, an emotional emptiness remains. No matter how much we try to gloss over that yearning with temporary fixes, it is still there, whispering the truth: that what we need isn't another quick fix, but a rather a rebirth -- a whole-life revolution.



When I was born, my parents' Yoga and Health Center -- the first of its kind in San Francisco -- was already well established. Famous yogis would come and stay at our home, and we would go to India often for research. Because I was always around yoga, I just kind of picked it up by osmosis. As an adult, it became a natural way of life for me, and for years it seemed as though I was either studying under a guru, practicing yoga, or teaching.



But as I acknowledged in Journey into Power, at a certain point I felt as though the yoga process was failing me. What was supposed to produce miracles in my life just wasn't. Without realizing it, I had bought into the notion that something outside myself could "fix" me. The practices were calming me down a bit on the surface, but they were not enough. Something deep down was still missing. Perhaps my body was healthy, but my soul felt empty. My relationships weren't really working, and in many ways, my life felt futile. I knew I needed something more.



Many of us reach this point, yet somehow we get good at masking it. When someone asks us how we are doing, we automatically say, "Really great...things are so good...no complaints," but the truth underneath says differently. Eventually we can't fake being healthy or spiritual or pretend that "everything is just fine" any longer, and we either land in an emotional fetal position, ask for help, or both.



In my most desperate moment, from somewhere deep in my soul, I asked God for help. I had heard the phrase "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and the door of your mind will open," but it took a humbling emotional pain to understand what that really meant. I asked and I knocked, and as promised, a door was opened. It didn't swing open, as I had hoped; it barely cracked an inch. However, it was as though I were living in a dark room and that tiny crack in the door provided me with the light I needed to see the truth. I finally started to see that real health means wholeness on all levels and a deep and true connection to what is most sacred: the truth within our hearts. I realized that in order for my life to really change, I needed to be willing to surrender all the parts of myself for transformation. It wasn't enough to just work my body and my life on the surface; I needed to look within, take responsibility for my own path, and completely overhaul everything from the inside out.



Once I woke up and really got it that I couldn't just throw myself into the mechanics of the practice without also seeking wholeness and expect to feel better, I began to see the real gifts yoga can offer. In the end, yoga is not a magic cure-all, but the way it challenges our bodies, moves our stuck emotional energy, clears our mind, and inspires us to seek and live in truth can be a catalyst for amazing growth. The style of yoga I practice and teach, which I call Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga, is ultimately a system of physical, mental, and spiritual awakening that integrates the whole person, on every level.



Ultimately, the yoga program found in this book is about developing a soulful perspective to the question that I hear nearly every day in my classroom: "How did I get myself into this state, and how can I get out?" The Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga method offers us the understanding of our condition and the road map to get ourselves out into a more sculpted and awakened life -- whether that be a stronger, more powerful, or pain-free body, a heightened emotional intelligence, or a spiritually deeper experience of life.



The word yoga, in fact, means "to join one point to another," "to leave one place, space, condition and move toward a better one." We can use the practices to move us forward, but we will see the results we seek only if we are wholly willing to be fully present and accountable for the reality we have created in our bodies and our lives and to take full ownership of the revolution we know we need. Taking responsibility for the self means taking action, and this program is about taking action.



This program is designed to challenge your personal philosophy and your body so that you can tap unknown resources within yourself. Very often after someone or something challenges us we say, "I learned a lot from that experience, but I wouldn't have chosen it." It could be some physical challenge that came our way, a failed relationship, or a career decision. When something pushes back at us and bumps us against the fabric of our own being, it forces us to examine who we are and how we see things. In those moments, we can see and start to live in truth, which is the beginning and real basis for any lasting transformation.



A rock climber resting on a safe spot on a cliff must face her ingrained patterns and fears in order to move forward toward the next scary spot. After completing the journey, the climber looks back and feels good about what she's done, because she met a challenge and as a result developed self-respect and a new view of life. This program is meant to challenge your ingrained patterns and propel you to radically move forward and up, away from the plateau where you currently rest.



Once we accept responsibility for ourselves, we can become our own teachers, healers, and motivators. I can promise you that once you take full responsibility and spark your inner revolution with full consciousness, the practices you learn in this program will never fail you. Never. You won't need drugs, surgery, machines, or miracles to transform. All you will need is yourself and your new understanding of what it really means to live an awakened and truthful life.



The Great Masters



My good friend Krishna Das tells a story about how when he and his friend Ram Das were younger, they went to India expecting to leave the Western world and all its beliefs behind. They saved their money and journeyed on this huge pilgrimage to cash in on the exotic enlightenment that Indian mysticism seemed to offer. They believed there was something out there -- over there -- that would give them the insight and tools they needed to transform their lives, to fill in the missing piece of their existence. When Krishna Das and his friend finally sat at the great guru's feet, they heard him simply giggle and offer, "Be like Jesus!"



This wasn't what they were expecting. But like so many westerners who came after them, they believed they needed to look elsewhere for the answers, when much of the ancient wisdom and timeless guidance we need is right here, within our own heritage and our own hearts.



You might expect that I would base the majority of my teachings on the ancient yogic texts and philosophy, but after spending a lifetime immersed in it, I can honestly say that much of the teachings of the East don't make sense for us here in the West. It has become very popular to dress things up with Hindu mysticism, but all the flowery language and talk about peace, chakras, samadhi, and grand promises of spiritual enlightenment can easily become distractions. I've seen so many enthusiastic people sincerely seeking a better way get sucked into the black hole of yogic promise. Blindly worship a guru, contort into strange poses, control your breathing...it all fits perfectly into the dark side of what is wrong with American culture. It appeals to our Madison Avenue-fed belief that happiness is found on the outside.



In this book, I attempt to bridge the gap between the wisdom of the East that can and does apply to us here and the teachings of great masters such as Jesus and Moses. We forget that what these masters taught lies at the heart of what we seek in yoga, and they stand as perhaps some of the greatest yogis who have ever lived. Many of us have rejected these teachers in favor of what we perceive as the more mysterious and fascinating ones from faraway cultures, but the teachings of one can enrich the teachings of the others.



Forty Days



The purpose of this forty-day program is to lead you into your own personal revolution. Like the great masters, you will come to understand that all health and vitality is the outward reflection of a pure heart and right intent. As you start to align your mind with the Laws of Transformation in Part One, you will start to see that the transformation happens naturally. You will lose weight, if that is what needs to happen; you will become less reactive and more calm; your bad habits will start to release their grip on you. You will discover, as I did, that external changes happen when we adjust the inner workings of our minds -- when we adopt a philosophical foundation that gives our growth greater purpose and meaning.



Why forty days? Because the number 40 holds tremendous spiritual significance in the realm of transformation. Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days in order to experience purification and come to a greater understanding of himself and his mission. Moses and his people traveled through the desert for forty years before arriving at their home in the holy land. Noah preserved the sacredness of life by sailing his ark for forty days and forty nights. According to the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical text, it takes forty days to ingrain any new way of being into our system, and that is what we are aiming to do here: wipe out the old and welcome the new. In forty days, you can shift into a whole new way of living and being.



Here in these pages, I hope to tap ancient wisdom to address the Western world's desperate need for real health, and create a relevant and practical program to spark radical changes within you. Allow these forty days to be a chance to use the tools here to stir things up and see what you are made of. You're not here by accident -- you opened this book at the right time, in the right space. If you honor the inner voice that says you are ready to let go of the past and create a new reality, I am confident you will find your way home to the mental clarity, lightness of body, and illumination of spirit that comes with whole-life health.

Copyright © 2004 by Baptiste Power Yoga Institute, Inc.