Wholistic Fitness

� HP Yoga Teacher Ananda feeling the Chi Squeeze between Noble HP Yogic Warriors Steve Mackel (left) and Brandon at the Malibu Triathlon. Faith in ones Practice is not true until tested on the battlefield. These guys are faith-full. photo/coach ilg�

Steve Ilg’s

HIGH PERFORMANCE YOGA�

OCTOBER, 2004

SANGHA NOTE

“Change and Impermanence are essential for Higher growth in all things and all beings.

Seek small changes, not big end points.

Enjoy the process of change or you will leave the best part behind; yourself.

A drunk should remain a drunk until change becomes a better high than alcohol.

A yogi should not do the splits if he can’t touch his toes, he should reach his edge,

breathe and wait for change to arise from within.

Change and Impermanence are only difficult for those with preferences;

prefer nothing and all things Dance before you.

Expect nothing, and you shall never be disappointed.”

– Steve Ilg, The Wholistic Fitness Sutras (#23)

page 307, TOTAL BODY TRANSFORMATION

�

some mornings, during my BrahmaMuhurta meditations, as the edge of night

softens into the mist of dawn,

i hear the whoosh of Herons lifting away from Martinez Creek,

i hear the chirping of Mountain Nuthatches pestering a large Ponderosa beneath Pagosa Peak

my early morning reverie jolts into a smile…i still live in LA

those sounds

are not sounds of wildlife

but of the 405 Freeway

yawning beneath its growing traffic for the day.

�

Last night, Tuesday, our packed Cave was filled with Tapas…heated effort and willpower

and Love…

What a Blessing to know Yoga as a lifestyle choice… professionally or personally does not matter.

What matters, of course, is to do the Practice.

As our Practice slowly saturates our daily life actions over the years

Change occurs

Impermanence is realized

And the scariest component of Transformation of Self

is mistaking sounds of a freeway for that of birds of flight.

It all becomes okay

just to live, breathe, and flow with What Is

instead of What We Think Things Should Be.



�”Just to live, breathe, and flow with What Is.”…HP Yogini MG at the Malibu Triathlon

�

HP Yoga is special stuff.

That is not arrogance, it’s confidence.

Confidence comes from Knowledge.

You and i KNOW that HP Yoga works.

It changes us for the better, the stronger, the healthier.

I like to think of HP Yoga Practice as the Sharpening Of The Warrior’s Sword…

where inner Spirit is empowered by Sweat

and Truth dances with union of Willpower, Bravery, and Acceptance.

�

HP Yogini Kai yesterday bought a bicycle to use for commuting.

One less car, baby; THAT is Engaged HP Yoga!

She rode her new bicycle to our Cave last night, her little girl smile

far more luminous than the street and car lights along Ventura Boulevard.

HP Yogins Steve M, Brandon, Rebecca, MG, and others used their Yoga Practice

to swim, bike, and run their own unique Higher Paths into themselves during the Malibu Triathlon.

HP Yogini Karen first came to my Cave a few months ago,

her very flexible limbs quivered through HPY’s unique strength-first

approach to suppleness.

Last night, Yogini K looked – in deed – like a graceful bird in flight herself;

muscled arms stretched like a Hawk’s wingspan, her now powerful legs rippling with strength,

her ice blue eyes riveted on the only sight that matters; in-sight!

all spiritual work must be grounded before it can soar

HP Yogins like those mentioned above realize this

because they CHOOSE,

they DO WHAT IT TAKES,

to make it to class and Practice Steadily (Abhayasa).

�

i notice something else about my early morning meditations;

a quivering candlelight can still ignite my stick of incense.

Today, Noble HP Yogin,

whoever you are,

whatever you do

even if you have falsely been conditioned

to live a quivering Light

instead of your natural magnificent Light,

i want you to feel very,

very

pleased about Who You Are Choosing To Be

because

i have seen you sweat in my humble studio

i have watched Self-Doubt tempt you time again not to be brave and bend your knee or straighten your arms

i have seen you grow strong

i have seen your restrictions melt and become Open through your skillful use of Ujjayi breathing

(remember, even rocks breathe; they contract and expand..

if rocks can move and dance,

so can your pain, your restrictions, your dis-eases).

perhaps most importantly,

i have felt your sincerity

particularly during Corpse Pose

the growing quietude of your mind

the calming of the inner chaos.

you see, Noble Warrior,

i

know just how beautiful

you

truly are.

�

thank you for all the well – wishes for my race this weekend.

i bow as deep as possible to YOUR FAITHFUL PRACTICE

and strength of spirit.

i shall soar on my bicycle through the Death Valley night and day

just in-Joying

the endless Dharmic Blessing

of

sweat

and

breath.

that is Yoga.

that is all.



�Confidence comes from Knowledge, yet to Know Yourself you must be willing

to test yourself. An ageless Warrior nears the Finish Line at Malibu.�

�

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in Service of Higher Sweat and Spirit,

coach ilg

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