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Alchemy on the Yoga Mat

Aug 24, 2012 ● By Lisa Faremouth Weber

An alchemist is an empowered soul with the capacity to turn base metals into noble metals like gold or silver. Alchemy can also be thought of as an elixir of life, conferring youth and immortality. As we breathe into our hearts, drawing in prana, or life force, and activating our energy centers, we become alchemists.

Breathing out allows us to radiate this light or energy out all around us and onto others, creating transformation. Our exhalation stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, releasing oxytocin, a hormone that can boost the immune system and relaxation responses. All of this happens in the practice of yoga and meditation—alchemy can be experienced on the yoga mat.

People can walk onto the mat feeling anxious and depressed and leave feeling alive and rejuvenated. Yoga is a “toothbrush” for the body and mind, allowing us to clean off and connect with our shiny self and experience infinite potential and unlimited possibility.

Annie MacCarthy, a yoga teacher and resident of Winnetka who is currently attending Eckerd College, in Florida, explains her relationship with yoga. “I have been thinking about how yoga has changed my life. It’s hard to put into words. It has changed how I look at and approach life. It has helped me seek balance, work through obstacles and hard times and find happiness within myself and others. The philosophies and poses of the practice have led me to peace.”

Yoga is an embodied practice that is life-changing. Some people feel that a daily yoga and meditation practice is a must for living in our world today and going forward. According to astrological texts, we have left the Piscean age, the time of Jesus, and are now living in the Aquarian Age. Each age lasts 2,000 years. In this Aquarian Age, we face a new paradigm. Before, the world was said to have worked from a masculine paradigm that embodied the notion of winning and losing, survival, greed, power, control and competition. Now the way we relate includes oneness, cooperation, community, win/win, kindness, gentleness, respect and play, which is considered a feminine paradigm by many.

For some, moving out of our ingrained behavior patterns to relate in this new way is difficult. Many people are experiencing extreme crisis and confusion, which presents itself as anxiety and depression, and they don’t know how to function in this new paradigm. The stress of life is affecting our immune systems and causing series health issues. Our youth are experiencing the effects of too much technology and the overuse of television, computers, iPods and cell phones.Yoga-Outdoors-Park

Welcome to the yoga mat, a personal altar in the midst of the chaos where we can connect inside with our inner voice. This is where we clear our minds of the thoughts of others, such as critical parental voices, and hear the voice of truth; where we gain clarity, intuitive awareness and the power to make uplifting choices. When we can look beyond petty grievances and see our own light, we see the light in others and become less reactive and more empowered to choose the best way to proceed in our lives for the highest good of all.

“Yoga has transformed my body and my spirit,” says Jen Bosworth, a social worker and yoga student in Evanston. “I was the primary caregiver for my mother, who had cancer. As she got sicker, I realized that I too, needed taking care of. I was totally stressed, out of shape and unhappy. I decided to dive full force into a yoga practice.

“Since my mother’s death, I have dedicated a large part of my life to my yoga practice. This June I challenged myself to take a yoga class every day for 30 days. It was very challenging at first, but I began to feel stronger, more serene and happier. By the end of my '30 in 30' I could feel the difference in my body, as well as my mind. For the first time in my life I am honoring my body and my spirit by being committed to a yoga practice.”

How do we serve humanity? What is our purpose? What are our soulful gifts? Our value is not in how much money we make, but in how we add value to the lives of others. Now, go walk someone’s dog, open the door for someone, cook someone dinner or go create something. Experience joy and inner bliss. Grow, evolve, change!


Lisa Faremouth Weber is a certified yoga teacher, body worker and BeMoved instructor. She owns Heaven Meets Earth Yoga, in Evanston. For more information, call 847-475-1500 or visit HeavenMeetsEarthYoga.com.