How You Show Up

People ask me all the time, “How can you have such a positive outlook on life? You’re always so happy!” I usually am laughing inside because they haven’t seen me in every moment of every day, that’s for sure!

What I can say is, it’s NOT about putting on rose colored glasses and looking at life as a Polyanna Princess story. And it’s not about turning the other cheek when times get tough. It’s definitely not about saying “I’m FINE!" (frickin’ incapable of normal emotion) when you’re NOT fine! And for sure, it’s not about being so tough that you “suck it up” every time things get hard.

Nope, my belief is that it’s about facing your life … dead on … with a knowingness that it’s all FOR you.

It’s about embracing your strength when life seemingly kicks you in the ass. It’s about how you react in tough situations. It's about falling deep, deep down into your fears and examining them for what they are… illusions.

It’s about loving those people and situations that hurt you so badly instead of SCREAMING at the top of your lungs and lashing out at someone or something just to make you feel better. It’s about falling to your knees in complete surrender … asking for help in your deepest, darkest hours … knowing it will come; even if it comes in a form that you don’t expect or understand. It’s about following that call with a blind faith that is solid.

With all of that though … it’s about letting go with compassion, gratitude and true love for what is showing up… KNOWING it’s for you.

I first heard this concept from Michael Beckwith and I thought it was ridiculous to be honest.

However, in the past two years I have closed a business, filed bankruptcy, gave up my home that I loved and cherished, got a divorce, went from being a stay at home to working full time, moved my business twice (only to end up next door to my very first yoga studio which by the way they tore down..wall by wall!), moved to the other side of town with my two young daughters and finally changed my name….to something brand new that means the world to me.

It hasn’t been easy. But I also don’t think that life is hard.

This is what I know:

• Connection to others, to Self and to Source is the key to flowing with your life.
• Movement with breath actually moves stuck energy helping you to heal on all levels.
• Knowing that YOU created every single event in your life will give you the space you need to fall into those challenging times and understand WHY you created them and WHAT you are meant to birth from that situation.
• Being vulnerable and humble to what shows up for you REGARDLESS of how hurt you were in the past, heals the heart.
• Feeling every single emotion as it’s happening and then allowing it to move through you with breath gives the body freedom from those emotions so you don’t carry them around.
• Letting go with love, compassion and SINCERE gratitude allows those magical moments to show up for you after the hurt, after the pain and after the challenges. Holding onto them only brings more of the same…

When I talk to people sometimes, especially in our Teacher Training program, I get asked, what does inner peace feel like? I can only share what I know … which is always evolving by the way! But this has been ringing in my ears so loudly I can’t help but share….

Inner peace for me means being able to look at my ex-husband and feel pure gratitude and grace for every minute we spent together. Even the ones when I saw red and wanted to kick and scream like a little kid.

Inner peace means knowing that the “other side” brings truth and joy but truly… equanimity in all situations will allow truth and joy to shine on BOTH sides.

In order to move forward, we must understand how to let go with love and grace …TRULY feeling that love and grace on ALL LEVELS of our being… it can’t be fake … not even one bit. Otherwise it will kick you again and again. After that true release happens you are able to bear witness to complete equanimity without attachment.

What a gift...what a ride.

Whoosh….

I don’t know about you, but so far, 2012 is proving to be quite an INCREDIBLE year! It’s like the dust has settled and the mission for us all is so very clear. It’s time to wake up to our purpose and finally, USE our gifts! It’s time to share what we came here to do…without fear or doubt.

For me personally, I feel like I just woke up from a very deep and intoxicating sleep. I kept pressing the snooze button, hoping to get more sleep, more guidance, more understanding. But that understanding and direction didn’t come completely until last year. 2011 was a year of shedding all that did not serve my higher purpose. Job change, relocation, divorce….all shook my world to it’s core. At times that shedding was very traumatic and scary. But the other side, the next “phase”, already is like waking up in Oz. My life is full of vibrant color and some seriously quick manifestation of joy and abundance.

We have the power to create that which we truly desire. And we do that through our thoughts first, then our speech and then our actions. But how do we know what we want? How do we make an authentic, soul-based decision about what we desire if we are in constant motion, trying to “keep up” with the world?

The answer is we don’t.

However, my firm and steadfast belief is that we CAN make soul-based decisions. IF we breathe, move and awaken to our power and really begin listening to that internal guidance. Our answers come from within…you all know that…I KNOW you do! For me, it starts with the power, art and science of yoga. YOGA mean to yoke, to unite, to marry together. So to marry our thoughts, words and deeds …that come from a place of love, authenticity and spiritual guidance is the ONLY way to transform and heal ourselves and then our world.

It’s all starts with YOGA… moving on your mat. Sure, the postures are fun. It’s great to “master” something you couldn’t even consider doing yesterday. However, it’s truly about quieting the mind so you can hear what to do next; whether it’s in a posture or in an uncomfortable, stressful situation. I’m telling you, it starts with yoga.

And to be able to not only DO yoga, but SHARE yoga is the way this world will shift. But it HAS to start with you.

The Zen Flow Yoga Teacher Training program, takes you on a journey to the center of yourSelf. It’s the gentlest way I know how to get to the root of your purpose so you can truly share that which you came here to do. At the end of the training, not only are you spiritually alive and connected, but you have a certificate to teach yoga! Which is a powerful gift in and of itself.

The training begins February 6, 2012 and goes for three months. It’s going to be AmAzIng and I would love for you to join us. We have 5 spots left as of today. If you are interested …. call or email me if you need more information or want to register. I am capping this one out at 10 people.

My email is dana@danadamara.com or you can also email info@zenflowyoga.com

The site, for all the information is www.danalayon.com/tt.aspx

Time to wake up and play...full out!