well, there's the weather, it's cold, it's hot, it was raining, now it's not... it's changing all the time and it affects me (which is true). 

Well, I've been reading a lot lately about the recession and the wars, the health care debate and I feel sad for the world (true also). 

Well, there's this personal challenge that I am dealing with in my life right now, something that is private and it makes me sad when I think about it (true).

Well, I miss my boyfriend, he is away (True!).

And all in all,

the thing is,

I'm sad! 

And the great thing of this yoga is that it allows me to not be afraid of the play of my feelings. To embrace whatever emotion is present without feeling like I'm going to be that emotion for the rest of my life. To be okay being sad, being angry, being anxious, being depressed, being weird...

To somehow embody the energy of the Great Mother and embrace any and every emotion that shows up on my palette.

And know that soon enough it's going to change into something else.

And know that however deep I might be feeling something, that I am not my emotion, but the spaciousness that holds it.

Sometimes I feel that for us yoga teachers there's an easy trap to fall into which is the trap of feeling like you always have to be in a great mood all the time. And that's not realistic for some of us, nor do I wish that upon myself.

I enjoy the play of the emotions, the rasas as it is called in Sanskrit.

The theory of the Rasas was first put forth by the 10th-century philosopher and Tantric genius Abhinava Gupta. He posited it as an aesthetic theory, as a map on which to gauge works of art.

Rasa literally means taste, essence, savor or juice. It comes from the root ras which means: "to feel, be sensible of."

There are 8 rasas or flavors:

1) sringara=love     4) vira= courage                     7) raudra= anger

2) hasya= joy          5) adbhuta= wonderment     8) bibhatsa= fear

3) shanti=peace     6) karuna= compassion        9) bhayanaka=sadness

Usually, we feel a combination of several of the flavors. 

So, instead of judging the feelings or being afraid of them, how about embracing them just like a painter embraces colors? Or a poet embraces words? How about noticing exactly what is the texture of the sadness right now? 

For me, right now, I'm feeling sadness with a hint of wonderment and a generous helping of peace. 

We can become connoisseurs to our own essence and distill just exactly what we are feeling.

And perhaps, we can even enjoy the flavor!

I will teach class tomorrow about the Rasas. And I will let you know how it goes...