Tag: hope

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Always looking, never seeing

by: Jessica Lynne Trese
What would it mean to stop looking and actually SEE?

I have spent the majority of my life looking for something. Looking for approval, looking for love, looking for validation, looking for happiness, looking everywhere for what was missing in my heart, for what was missing in my life. I looked to others, I looked to money, I looked to partners, I looked to material possessions…basically, I looked outward.

This constant LOOKING finally led me to a yoga mat.

I was looking for peace of mind, looking for something more in my life, looking for a healthier body. As I began practicing yoga regularly, my pattern of looking outward for validation and happiness continued. I would look for approval, look for new poses, look for the next accomplishment.

All of this looking was to fill something that was missing in my life.

And where did this get me? I found pain, suffering, frustration, loneliness and isolation.

But, with the help of some really amazing teachers along the way, I was led to turn inward and observe. I finally learned to calm down my monkey mind enough to start to see and witness my inner landscape.

Instead of looking outward to receive what I needed, I found a path to turn inward.

And there it was revealed, everything I was seeking was inside me all along. Like the tearful moment when Dorothy realizes she could have been swept back to Kansas at any moment, I found myself rushed with the overwhelming knowledge that I had everything I was looking for me inside me already.

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥३॥
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe-‘vasthānaṃ ॥1.3॥

And then, the seer abides in His own nature.

By practicing yoga, you can lead your self toward bliss and supreme connectivity. Or, you can also be led toward more suffering.

The intention beneath your practice is what matters the most.

What are you looking for on your mat?

What do you SEE when you look within?


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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What’s the deal with the drishti (dṛṣṭi)?

by: Jessica Lynne Trese

We hear it a lot from our teachers: ‘gaze hear, gaze there.’

But why?

Our yoga practice is meant to focus the mind, while healing the body and increasing our overall vital energy.

A combined concentration on these three practices opens the doorway to a moving meditation and allows our yoga practice to transform into a comprehensive healing system.

The poses are there for the health of the body. The breath allows us to connect to and increase our vital energy. And the dṛṣṭi (gazing point) is how we focus the mind.

Wherever your gaze goes, so does your mind. So, if your gaze is dancing all around the room, watching other practitioners, and/or watching yourself in the mirror; then your mind is also bouncing around, unfocused and distracted.

Give your mind the gift of focus and keep your gaze steady. When the suggested gaze is not possible, keep your gaze focused close by, either on your own mat or somewhere on your body.

focused gaze = focused mind


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Returning the Mat

by: Jessica Lynne Trese
Samasthiti Feet
I hadn’t practiced in 18 weeks and the idea of stepping back on my mat was a little overwhelming. I started practicing Ashtanga Yoga in 2007 and since then, I’ve never taken this much time away from my practice.

There are so many reasons we can get pulled away from our mat: injury, pregnancy, depression, illness and sometimes laziness. For me, it happens to be a joyous reason, but the idea of trying to ‘rebuild’ my practice after four and a half months off still brought up all of my old patterns of perfectionism and avoidance (if I can’t get it ‘perfect’ I have a history of just avoiding it).

Baby TreseIt is recommended that women rest from their Ashtanga practice during the first trimester of pregnancy. This is a very delicate time in the gestational process and most women are guided to let their bodies lead the process without adding a strong practice to the mix. For me, this hiatus began with standard first trimester rest, and then some complications led me from voluntary rest to limited activity as ordered by my Doctor. We also had a few more bumps in the road which kept me away from my mat for another month.

And then, it was time, little bundle was safe and healthy, and I was cleared to resume normal pregnant activity.

The first week back was tougher than I could have ever imagined. I tried, but all I seemed to be able to pull out of myself were sun salutations. And it wasn’t easy, most days I wanted to just quit practicing. My mind was distracted and disconnected, my body was stiff and resistant and my heart was unrestful as I moved through these familiar motions.

But after the first week of struggling, I finally started to feel excitement as I stepped on my mat each day, and with it along came some additional physical strength and stamina to practice more than only sun salutations. I’m in the process of reconnecting to my practice, and the moments of interconnectedness are beginning to grow again, slowly I’m seeing more frequent peacefulness in my practice.

19weeks Baby BumpI know I will never ‘get back to where I was,’ because that moment has passed and this moment is an entirely new experience. And I also know I will once again find ease and grace on my mat, a brand new and also familiar experience in each fresh moment, and in each familiar pose. I will once again grab my heels in kapotasana, and find lightness as I drop back, it will come.

But it won’t come as a RE-creation of what was. It will come as a simultaneously familiar and entirely brand new experience as I move through my practice each day.

General guidelines for practicing Ashtanga Yoga during Pregnancy




* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Yoga Doesn’t Really Mean Union

by: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

yoga-patanjaliYoga is often times defined as union. To me, this is not completely accurate.

Students always hear, yoga means uniting our body, mind and soul. Which sounds awesome! But, I feel this definition is missing something.

I interpret yoga to mean RE-UNION. Yoga is a tool to help students return to place of inner peace through connection, a place we have been before, the place from which we came but have since forgotten. Yoga opens the door to once again, reside in complete unity within our own divine Self.

So, I like to define yoga as REUNION, returning to the place of complete connection, which life has led us to forget about.


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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What does it really mean to practice non-attachment?

by: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

Vairagya, non-attachment, gets thrown around a lot during yoga classes and discussions on yoga philosophy. But what does it really mean to practice non-attachment?

Often times, non-attachment gets interpreted as indifference. As students we hear ‘practice non-attachment’ and we think, ‘ok, I just need to stop caring about everything.’ WRONG.

To me, non-attachment can only be practiced in the presence of pure connection. Non-attachment means connecting to the present moment, without trying to control it.

Connection is the key to non-attachment.

In order to practice non-attachment, we must reside within the exchange of energy in each and every moment without trying to control it. We must give our energy freely, with kind and honest intentions, and genuinely experience what each moment has to offer.

We Are All ConnectedIt’s possible the whole reason we are here on this earth is to CONNECT. Maybe our purpose is solely to connect to our Self, to connect to each other, to connect to the Divine, which is present in and around all of us. Connection could possibly be the goal of our entire journey. Honest connection, without trying to control what comes back to us, but accepting what comes for exactly what it is.

And when we roll out our mat everyday, the goal is not to preform asanas but to connect to the Divine within our hearts even when our situation seems impossible.

Live This MomentAnd when we fail, when we are faced with a task which appears unfeasible we find the strength to continue wholeheartedly, and without attachment to the outcome of our efforts.

We practice the poses to feel and experience the present moment within each pose, and when we don’t catch the bind or stick the landing, we accept the outcome without remorse, judgment or anger. And when we do manage to accomplish the impossible, we accept it graciously, and then move on to the next moment with joy in our heart.



* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Yoga To Sleep Better At Night

sleepy-kitten
SLEEP BETTER

A restful night’s sleep is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. Here are a few yoga practices that can help you sleep as soundly a tired out kitten!

All of these practices can be preformed either in your bed or on the floor of your bedroom. I suggest doing this sequence when you are ready to go to sleep, after all the household tasks are completed and you can turn in for the night. If any part of this routine makes you feel overwhelmed or if it feels unsafe at any time, please stop immediately and find a comfortable place to breathe deeply while the sensations dissipate.

Keep in mind the most important aspect of ANY yoga practice is the breath. Try for deep, steady breathing where the inhales are the same length as the exhales.

Breathe your way to more restful sleep!

Alternate Nostril Breath:

    *Take three deep breaths in and out through the nose
    *Use the thumb to block off the right nostril and breathe in through the left
    *Use the third finger to block off the left nostril and breathe out through the right
    *Repeat 9-12 times total
    *Use the third finger to block off the left nostril and breathe in through the right
    *Use the thumb to block off the right nostril and breathe out through the left
    *Repeat 9-12 times (the same number of rounds each side)
    *Take three deep breaths in and out through the nose

Legs Up the Wall:

    *Sit down right next to the wall
    *Keeping your hips as close to the wall as possible, lay down on your back
    *Lift your legs up the wall
    *Rest your hands on either side of the body or let them rest on your belly
    *Remain here for five minutes breathing through the nose as possible

Reclining Twist:

    *Bend your knees to your chest and catch the outside of the left knee with your right hand
    *Use the right hand to guide both knees to the right
    *Breathe 15 times through the nose as possible
    *Draw both knees back to the center
    *Catch the outside of the right knee with your left hand
    *Use the left hand to guide both knees to the left
    *Breathe 15 times
    *Draw both knees back to center

Seated Bound Angle Pose:

    *Sitting on the floor or the bed, connect the bottoms of the feet and make the legs shaped into a large diamond
    *Rest a pillow or two between your legs
    *Gently fold forward so your upper body can rest on the pillows with your head turned comfortably to one side
    *Stay here for 20+ long breaths

Final Resting Pose:

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Yoga Brings Out The Worst In Me…

By: Jessica Lynne Trese
Hate, fear, anxiety, anger, doubt, judgement – they all come flooding to the surface and they bring up all of my buried crap along the way. The more I practice yoga, the more I find my personal pain coming to the surface – and I LOVE it!!!

I went to my first yoga class after the um-teenth friend suggested I just try it. The suggestions always came up during discussions of spirituality and the meaning of life. Inevitably, the conversation would lead to this recurring phrase: ‘You know, you should really try yoga.’

So one day I did. And it was awesome! I felt great! All of the sudden, I had never felt better in my body. I was calmer, more present and had more energy. I was hooked! Yoga would be in my life forever.

I had no idea how choosing to include yoga in my life would transform my heart and soul. Yoga has allowed me to experience the peace of truly being comfortable with who I am.

This experience of yoga has not always been pleasant, and it doesn’t always feel good. There has been pain. There has been anger, fear, doubt, frustration and more. At the same time, it has been the most wonderful addition to my my life and has brought me more overall health, happiness and joy than anything I’ve ever tried before!

This practice of yoga continues to dredge the lake of my soul and shines light into the darkest corners of my heart, revealing all the shadows I have buried away, and had hoped to never see again. Having to re-experience this past pain is not easy.

My regular Ashtanga practice teaches me to observe my internal fluctuations. I’ve learned to watch the emotions and feelings as they come to the surface and instead of allowing myself to get wrapped up in all the pain and suffering I’ve buried, I am able to remain neutral… well neutral-ish.

Before yoga, neutral wasn’t possible for me. I was easily weighed down by experiences of sadness and grief. I would look for ways to burry and numb these feelings so I could just go back to feeling happy.

But because of the work I do on my yoga mat each day, I now realize when these feelings come up, it’s more than just a time to be reminded of the pain, it’s also an opportunity to release the pain once and for all.

If I can watch the emotions and pain as they come up, without holding onto them, they can finally be released. I can finally let them go, one at a time. And all of the sudden I am no longer weighted down by that pain and my heart is lighter.

Yoga has given me freedom. Freedom to be happy. Freedom to be who I am without the weight of past suffering. Freedom to experience and receive pure LOVE from the world around me. Freedom to give love to the world around me. Freedom.


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Surrendering to love

It seems simple enough. Giving yourself up to possibly the most powerful experience in life… Love.

BUT, it’s just not that easy.

It can be tough to move past the walls we’ve built, to move away from the pain, or hurt or fear. Sometimes it can be hard to let yourself experience love. To let yourself be vulnerable enough to really experience L-O-V-E. Life can leave its scars on us, scars we sometimes can’t even see. Scars that can keep us from following our heart, from taking that risk, from following that dream. But there is HOPE!

It is possible to move beyond the pain, it’s possible to open your heart again, no matter how closed off it might be.

It starts by surrendering. Letting go of expectations. Accepting each moment for all that it is, even when it’s not what you want it to be. Letting yourself be vulnerable. Letting yourself open. It will probably be hard at first; actually it will probably be REALLY hard at first. But one moment of surrendering can lead to another, and another, and then one day, another. And then, almost divinely, you find yourself experiencing love in each and every moment. Suddenly, love can fill your actions and fill your thoughts. You may find yourself looking up to the trees and experiencing love as the leaves dance and play in the breeze. You’ll start seeing love in the faces of strangers. Hearing it in the raindrops. You’ll feel love EVERYWHERE, and that is SUCH an amazing feeling!

Let yourself surrender to love, surrender to the rhythm of life.

About Jessica

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