Embracing Fear

"The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure" ~Sven Goran Eriksson

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. My mom would go all out. The whole house would be decorated with pumpkins, ghosts, and other frightful decorations. We even had the fake tombstones in the front yard. Her costume of choice was usually a witch - complete with a fake big warty nose. I used to love scary movies and Goosebumps were some of my favorite books. As a child, I embraced fear. I think we all do. As children, we are so willing to take that jump or risk without a second thought. Some may call this naive, but there is a part of it that is our pure nature.

Fear is something that is conditioned - we actually learn to be afraid! The amygdala is the part of the brain that processes fear and anxiety. It is also this part of the brain that is responsible for the formation and storage of memories associated with emotional events. So you see, our brain is wired to hold on to these fears and they are stored in our subconscious.

One of the five afflictions in the yoga sutras is fear. Fear does have an evolutionary purpose, it's meant to ramp up our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and alert us to potential threats to keep us alive. However, the fears we face today are generally not survival based, but imagined. They are scenarios we create in our mind. We have anxiety about completing a task, a new job, or being accepted. Our fear is based in the future, not the present. Yoga can help ease our fears because it teaches us to stay present with what is and not worry about what will be. Yoga can also help us to calm our bodies responses to fear by teaching us pranayama. By controlling your breath, you can control your body and mind and reduce the physiological and psychological effects of fear.

I think Halloween is a great time of year where we all can embrace our fears. There are so many things we avoid or put off in life because we are afraid of what could happen.What is something you have been putting off and why? Is it because of fear? Ask yourself "what is the worst thing that could happen?" Chances are it is not that serious.

Saluting the Sun

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."  ~Anthony J. D'Angelo


Throughout history and across many cultures, light is symbolic of consciousness, enlightenment, and truth. One of the greatest sources of light and the creator of life itself is the sun! In yogic tradition, the asanas known as sun salutations or surya namaskar are a way of honoring the sun. Not only the worldly sun that warms and lights the earth and life on it, but also the eternal sun or light within ourselves. Surya means sun in sanskrit and namaskar stems from namas meaning "to bow" or to "adore".  The common salutation Namaste ("te" meaning you) often said at the end of class has the same root. By practicing sun salutations, we help cultivate gratitude not only for ourselves but for the world around us.


Sometimes when moving through a vinyasa practice, I see students flop through sun salutations out of fatique or a lack of presence - heck I've done it myself. I invite you to try practicing your sun salutations with the devotion and intention around which they were created. When practiced mindfully and with the proper breath, they are a very powerful way to feel connected to yourself and the world around you.


On days when you feel like you don't have time for yoga, a quick 10 minute sun salutation repetition (3 -5 rounds) moving with your breath and followed by a short savasana can act as an entire practice. This is because sun salutations both strengthen and lengthen most of the main muscle groups of the body. No excuses!


There are many sun salutation varieties out there, so feel free to experiment to see what you like best.  Below is one of my favorite and a more accessible variation, which I teach in class. I prefer the step-back sun salutation because it is more effective in opening the front line of the body, especially the hip flexors. One of the major hip flexors, the psoas major, is a muscle that connects directly to the lumbar spine. Sitting (which most of us with a desk job do all day) shortens the psoas and pulls the lumbar spine forward. This can cause back pain. This version of sun salutation will help lengthen this muscle. 


The white dot indicates inhale and the black dot indicates exhale. Starting with the inner circle do one round alternating legs (once around with the right leg, once around with the left leg) moving with your breath. Repeat as many times as you like, then move to the outer circle. Same idea here, one round is twice around the circle - once with the right leg, once with the left leg. 


Tips for beginners to avoid injury - drop your knees in plank when lowering through chaturanga to upward dog until you build strength in your arms, legs, and belly to lower without collapsing to the mat.

All of the light in me, bows to all of the light in you - Namaste!