Faith

What is faith?

My journey into answering this question started with the observation that for most of my life, I was living in fear. Fear of not being loved, fear of not being good enough, fear of not being pretty, fear of speaking my mind, fear of heights... the list goes on. So if I am living in fear, I need to understand how to turn the other way. What is the opposite of fear?

I sought counsel from one of my teachers who said, “There is a net beneath you. Let go. You will be caught.” I don't know how much I believed her but I wanted to go straight into feeling my fear to see what is on the other side. I needed a goal to bring me face to face with fear, so I decided to conquer my fear of heights by flying on a circus trapeze.

I stood there at the bottom of the rig, analyzing every detail of how this whole thing could go wrong. The ladder could break. The net could be poorly attached to the bars and I could fall to my death. The person catching me could drop me, sending me head-first into a tree (I have flown from a trampoline head-first into a tree so this one wasn't so irrational). Just thinking about the experience is making my palms sweat. I climbed 32 feet up this wobbly ladder onto a platform, and as I held the bar, ready to jump off the ledge, I realized, "I have to have faith in order to jump." Faith that everyone who put the rig together did it properly.... faith that my trapeze partner will catch me. Then I looked down and saw the net. Funny how life works.

I flew through the air and when I landed safely in the net, I exhaled and thought of all the agony I put myself through by listening to my fear.

What fears am I listening to in my life? I wanted to share my passion for yoga but I was afraid I wasn't good enough to be a teacher. When I got home from the trapeze experience, I signed up for a yoga teacher training program. If I had not acknowledged my fear, I never would have had the faith in myself to sign up for the training.

Faith is mysterious and sometimes elusive. Faith is knowing there is a net. Faith is knowing we are exactly where we need to be.

Are you ready to jump?

Trina

Check out Trina's leap of faith by clicking here.

Have a question for Trina? Email her at trina@treenuh.com. You can find Trina teaching at The Mat on Tuesdays at 12:00 noon, 6:30pm, and 7:35pm meditation, as well as on Thursday evenings for Mat Explorative at 6:30pm.

You can also find Trina at The Mat teaching Advanced Yoga Studies on Saturdays and Sundays beginning February 4. Join us for the AYS 2012 journey!

Temporary Schedule Changes

Friday, February 17th - No Mat Restorative class - join us for Yoga for the Heart with Shari Friedrichsen!

Last Chance for Advanced Yoga Studies - Level 1!

Advanced Yoga Studies
February 4 - April 28, 2012

Do you want to strengthen your connection to your yoga practice on an emotional, intellectual and spiritual level? Do you want to go on an enlightening journey of self-discovery? If you've been called to deepen your practice, Advanced Yoga Studies is the right path for you. Learn the ancient techniques that make yoga a science and tap into the source that makes yoga an art.

The second session of Advanced Yoga Studies with The Mat Yoga Studio and Treenuh Yoga is about to begin! The AYS program is designed for:

Individuals who want to take their yoga practice more seriously
Yoga students interested in learning more about alignment
Yoga professionals who want to refresh and refine their teaching skills
Students who wish to deepen their understanding of yoga
Therapists who wish to incorporate yoga into their practice
Yoga teachers who want to integrate a creative dimension to their teaching
Artists seeking a new way to uncover their creative process
Athletes who desire a safe, effective way to stretch and tone their bodies and minds
Nurses, physicians, hospice workers, and medical personnel looking for a closer connection to the spiritual dimension of healing
Persons who wish to make teaching yoga their vocation

Join us for 5 weeks of study to get a taste, or go deeper with the full 10-week program, culminating in a 5-day retreat to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. You can find all the details on our website by clicking right here.

Level 3 is here!

Our full teacher training program will complete this year with the introduction of AYS Level 3 this August! This course is for graduates of Level 1 and Level 2 who want to learn how to teach yoga as well as current yoga professionals who want to develop their personal teaching style. All details are now available online right here. Sign up before March 24 for a $300 savings!

Be sure to check out what some of the 2011 AYS students have to say about their experience in our inaugural session. You can read their stories by clicking here.

Upcoming Workshops and Events!

Satsang with Blair Lewis
Sunday, February 5th, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Don't miss our next Satsang with Blair! This is a chance to get your questions answered about yoga, yoga philosophy, meditation, ayurveda, and a host of other yoga related topics. This two hour interactive discussion is always informative, enlightening and entertaining. Cost is by donation.

This month we will also have a special treat! The Mat's own Eileen Birnbaum will be making her world-famous cake balls to share with us during and after the Satsang. So join us for great food, fellowship and inspiration!

Please pre-register if possible, so we know how many people to expect, either online or in the studio.

Yoga for the Heart with Shari Friedrichsen
Friday & Saturday, February 17 & 18, 2012

In the collective world as well as our personal life we are faced with grief, losses, heartaches, brokenness and misunderstandings about the heart. Our hearts are hurting and we need to find a way to listen, find the wisdom and compassion that is inherently ours, and allow our hearts to heal. In these workshops, we will use postures and breathing that specifically address the heart itself as well as those structures within us that support the heart.

Don't miss this opportunity to practice with a senior faculty member of the Himalayan Institute. Click here for all the details about these transformational workshops or pickup a flyer in the studio.

Yoga teachers: this workshop will provide you with six continuing education contact hours. Please contact Katie Morgan at katie@thematyogastudio.com for details and to order your certificate.

Pre-registration is required, either online or in the studio.

New Weekly Classes!

Senior/Chair Yoga
Mondays, 10:30am-11:30am

Check out our brand new class: Senior/Chair Yoga! This class provides adults, 55 and up, an opportunity to become active in their community while improving their strength, flexibility and overall mobility. It is designed to meet the specific needs of senior adults and is structured to benefit everyone at any level of health and fitness.

Click here for all the details about these brand new classes. Cost is only $5.00!

Free Yoga Classes at Whole Foods Market!
Thursday evenings, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

The Mat is proud to partner with Whole Foods Market to bring free yoga to the Dallas area every Thursday evening. Join us at the Whole Foods Park Lane location for an all level Mat Open Flow class led by a different Mat instructor each week. Meet at concierge at 6:15pm to walk to the recreation room, as classes will be inside during the cold weather months.

Afterwards, hang around for some free smoothie shots, or do a little grocery shopping.

Click here for all the details!

Mat Restorative Yoga
Fridays, 6:30pm-7:45pm

Mat Restorative is here to stay! This class was so popular during the holiday months, we've decided to add it to our permanent schedule! Please join us to de-stress and pamper yourself with Restorative Yoga every Friday evening from 6:30pm-7:45pm. We will have one break in the regular schedule and there will be no restorative class on Friday, February 17, as we host Shari Friedrichsen and her incredible Yoga for the Heart workshop. Come do something wonderful for yourself!

My Yoga Story - Trang Kang

Trang and her husband, Ben, have been practicing with us at The Mat since January, 2010. We are so grateful that Trang is sharing her Yoga story with us this month!

Why do you practice Yoga?
Yoga helps me remain rooted in the center of my authentic self so I may bear witness to the beautiful love affair breathed between my mind, body and heart.

How were you first introduced to Yoga? And, when did you begin your practice?
In January 2009, I stumbled upon Namaste Yoga on tv and went to a local gym by myself to try a class. I left that first class with such a deep tingling feeling of joy. It was as if all my chakras had awakened and were now wildly spinning and vibrating in unison. My sleeping yogi had awakened from slumber.

How often do you practice?
5-6 times a week at the moment. I am so grateful to my husband for making time for me to come to The Mat as often as I can and for coming with me from time to time to share in my passion for yoga.

What are a few of the benefits that you have experienced? How does your practice help you in your daily life?
How does your practice help you in your daily life? Being very cerebral, I struggle to honor the wisdom of my body and trust my intuition. For me, each yoga pose is a balancing act between the will of the mind and the state of the breath, each taking turn dominating over the other and sometimes resting in blissful balance. With yoga, I find myself being more present in the simple moments of my life that unravel like snapshots: the crunch of burned sugar on buttered brioche, the briny taste of salt from my tears, the stillness of the world before sunrise, the softness of my husband's lips on my forehead,... Breath by breath, yoga quiets my mind so I may embody my authentic self and experience each sacred moment of my life through the heart.

What is one tip you would give to a new practitioner of Yoga?
Come. Be. The rest will unfold and fall into place.

Why do you practice with us, at The Mat?
The Mat has the most wonderful staff, amazing instructors and is full of life giving energy from fellow yogis. I am grateful for each instructor sharing their wisdom, whimsy personalities, raw emotions and grace. From a cheerful welcome, to a soothing touch when surrendering into child's pose, or a fellow yogi’s willingness to make a space for my mat, The Mat Yoga Studio is such a nurturing place. I love to come practice, be myself, and let the rest just fall into place.

What others are saying about Trina's classes...

"Trina's depth of yogic knowledge is extensive, and she filled the entire learning experience with joy, insight, and a great sense of humor. She emanates love in her teaching, love for the practice, and love for all her students." -Carlos

"I learned so much from Trina. She is a knowledgeable, caring, and passionate instructor." -Melissa

"Trina, you're a great teacher. You really created a welcoming environment. You also expected me to be my inner teacher. I have a lot to learn from within and from others, and I am more able to listen and reflect because of you. You rock." -Reema

Click Here to read what the 2011 AYS inaugural students are saying about Advanced Yoga Studies and Trina.

Do you have feedback about Trina or any other teacher at The Mat? Email Becky at becky@thematyogastudio.com.

Visit us at www.thematyogastudio.com for studio information. We look forward to seeing you on The Mat!

The Mat Yoga Studio
670 N. Coit Road, Suite 2381
Richardson, Texas 75080