My Yogi Lifestyle: Manifesting Your Dreams

After kids yoga the other day, my daughter Maggie asked to throw a penny in the fountain so she could make a wish. Her wish was that she could listen to her mom and dad every single day (Wait, what?? Who is this kid?!) She asked me when her wish would come true and I told her that she already had the power to make her wish come true. We all do, for that matter. The greatest obstacle we face in pursuing our dreams is our own self - our own doubts, fears, and reservations are what really get in the way. The trick, of course, is finding the balance between going after what we dream of and at the same time stepping back to allow things to fall into place. Sometimes, in our efforts to achieve something, we try force the circumstances. But the timing might not be right or we may not fully be ready in mind or spirit, though we usually don't recognize this. The same is true when we do our asana practice. We may be working towards an advanced pose or working to build strength and flexibility and we can do this by believing that we can, but we must also respect our limits.

When I did my yoga teacher training a few years ago, I became very familiar with the term "manifestation." I have to admit that at first, I didn't entirely buy into it. How can we make what we want happen just by deciding that it will happen? Eventually, I came to realize that there is more to it than that. We don't just sit around thinking and saying that our wildest dreams will come true, we actually do have to get up and take steps to make them happen. But then what about all this "accept the way things are," "go with the flow," "be content with what is" stuff?  The truth is, again, its both. Its a delicate balance between taking steps to make our dreams come true and being able to accept the way things actually unfold. We manifest our dreams by shifting our energy from "this could never happen" to "I'm going to work to make this happen." We transform our energy from negative feelings of doubt or fear to positive feelings. 

Our yoga practice helps us to release some of the stagnant energy that we hold onto, that energy that harbors negative emotions and feelings. When we move through the postures in yoga, we open up our bodies to allow energy to move and flow, bringing in the good and releasing the negative. We do our part, but we also realize that we must practice patience as events unfold in the way in which the Universe, not our own mind, intends.

My Yogi Lifestyle: Daily Yoga

A daily yoga practice is about how we are living life every day, moment to moment. On the mat, the yoga postures move our bodies in ways that open up energy channels and move us in ways that allow things like gratitude, presence, mindfulness, love, and clarity to bubble up from our core to the surface of our being. Yoga teaches us perspective. Life happens, and not always in the way that we want it to happen. But what yoga shows us is that by tuning in to what is happening right now, we can find peace in the way things are. Instead of being anxious or worried about the future or the past, we appreciate the beautiful subtlety of right now. We can take it all in, or we can let it all slip away.

My Yogi Lifestyle: The Search for the Authentic Self

Yoga can bring a lot of clarity to our lives; showing us what is truly important, offering us a new perspective, teaching us acceptance and respect towards ourselves and those around us. Yoga encourages us to get in touch with our authentic selves and to live in a way that expresses our best possible self.  And while I stand by all of these things, I do find one part a bit confusing. Or maybe not confusing, but more challenging to put into every day practice and worth addressing. How does one live their authentic self?
It raises the question, "Who am I?" When we try to answer this question, we tend to place labels on ourselves: writer, parent, athlete, nurse, stay-at-home mom or dad, etc. But these labels are no more than an activity that we do. We can be many of these things at once and we can become an entirely new thing at any given time. Our authentic self has nothing to do with the labels we attach to ourselves, although what we do from day to day does help to shape our beliefs, behaviors, energy levels, and so forth, and so they do, in some respects, shape who we are. But what we do on the outside can never define who we are on the inside.
Throughout our life we go through different stages, making transitions from one exterior self to another. For the past 15 years or so I've given myself the label of "runner." I ran marathons, half marathons, and put in 30-40 miles a week. When I was expecting my second baby, life changed and I barely ran for almost two years. I focused intensely on my yoga practice and considered myself a yogi, setting aside the runner label. One week ago today I told a friend that I wanted to start running more again, but maybe just 3 or 4 miles. "I'm not interested in training for another half marathon or trying to put in 5 miles with the jogging stroller!" I had said. Today I ran 5 miles with the jogging stroller and over the weekend I put "run half marathon" on my calendar for Labor Day weekend. So life changes, our energy shifts, we float back and forth between one exterior self and another, now and then adding a new self to the mix. But even with all of these shifts and changes, we don't become a fundamentally different person, we are just one (or two or three) version of ourselves in that particular moment. Today I might call myself a runner, a yogi, a stay-at-home mom, and a teacher, but deep down, I'm the same on the inside, at the very center of my heart, as I have always been. And there is no label for that.

My Yogi Lifestyle: The Power of OM

At the end of the yoga class I taught this weekend, I led everyone in one Om. The sound of Om always gives me goosebumps (in the good way!). It is said to be the sound of the Universe. But it is so much more than a sound. Its a feeling; a powerful vibration of all our shared energy. When chanted together in a group, our energies become one. At the end of practice this weekend, it felt as if the entire room shifted - rising and falling with the sound. Its evidence of how our energy, our souls, are connected. We are separated only by our physical bodies. Our very consciousness is part of the entire Universe. Skin and bone may shape what we look like on the outside but it is our energy and our spirit that defines who we are.

I try everyday to teach this to my daughter, to my students, and to remind myself to live by this. Its this understanding that gives me joy, faith, and peace. Its what reminds me that having faith is realizing that there is something more powerful, something bigger, and something greater beyond this life experience.

My Yogi Lifestyle: Shedding Our Skin

I was at the river museum not to long ago with my daughter and we saw a snake that had shed its skin. My daughter asked why it did that, and I explained that snakes shed their skin so that they can grow. She asked if people can do the same, and I said no, our skin grows with us. 

This conversation got me thinking about how we as humans change, grow, and evolve. The snake shedding its skin is very symbolic to me in that humans too must learn how to shed or let go of the past so that we can grow and transition through life. 

Just as everything in nature is constantly changing and evolving we must do the same so that we can move fluidly with life, dissolving our expectations of how things "should" be and moving with the unexpected transitions that inevitably occur in life. 

Just as our skin stretches and grows as we do, so too must our spirit have the freedom to do the same. In order to emerge from this life in our most true and pure form, we must allow for change and welcome it with open arms.

My Yogi Lifestyle: Faith in Things Unseen

Have faith. Whether or not you consider yourself religious or spiritual, faith is something that exists within each and everyone one of us, though we might not always be able to access it. Faith, I read recently, is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Why do we so often think that we need to see to believe? Can we ever learn to rest in the knowledge that sight only goes so far?  That there is something bigger, grander, and more powerful than our human mind and physical senses? Can we continue to set intentions and work towards goals while also being open to letting go of our plan, realizing that it might not be the best one? 

Consider a time when something happened that didn't go the way you anticipated. Maybe you didn't get the job you thought you wanted, or a relationship ended badly, or you had to move across the country for a new job. We tend to plan out our lives, deciding what we see for ourselves and determining in our heads how our lives will look. But in the end, its not really for us to decide. This is where the following explanation of faith, written by Matt Emerson in the Wall Street Journal recently, resonates strongly - faith is "nurtured by patient trust, open to revision." We want things to happen in a certain way and we want them to happen in the time we've determined for them. But again, its not really for us to decide. Not only must we be patient, trusting that all is unfolding with purpose, we must also be open to revision, open to change, open to a different perspective. Things may not always look the we'd like them to but that doesn't mean they are wrong. Whether we can see it or not, each moment of our existence happens just as it should. We must learn to trust and have faith in this understanding and let go of our egoic mind that thinks it knows best. 

We might not always be able to see the good or the light at the end of the tunnel, but we must have faith that its there. Good things come to us in ways unexpected and life evolves and unfolds in ways that we often don't understand. But when all things seem to be falling apart, remember, all things will come together. They will come together exactly as they should, exactly as you need them to, whether you ever fully understand why or how. Eckhart Tolle holds one of my favorite quotes, which I've used many times but use over and over because it is so relevant to all of us at so many points in our lives: “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.”

My Yogi Lifestyle_The Unrelenting Urgency

For the past several weeks I've made it my intention to separate myself from my Smartphone as much as possible. I've cheated a few times but for the most part, I've found that this separation has brought me a great deal of peace and presence and has reduced my anxiety and sense of urgency. We live in a world where we are expected to be doing a hundred different things at once. We are expected to be accessible at all times. We are pulled in so many different directions that we are constantly stretching ourselves thin until we snap - harming ourselves either mentally and emotionally, spiritually, or physically, or all of the above. We are not meant to live this way.

There's a sense of freedom that comes with slowing down and letting go of the urgency. We can only be in one place at one time and we can only truly be doing one thing at one time. Our mind tries to pull us in different directions at all times of the day, but if we could just take a moment to clear away those thoughts, to pause and breathe, we would realize that where we are is the most important place we can be. It's the most important place because it is exactly where we are. When we are fully present to where we are and what we are doing, the urgency falls away. I've found that when this happens, life has a tendency to very naturally fall right into place.  Its almost as though life works itself out the moment we stop pushing and demanding that it happen "our way." When we free ourselves from our controlling nature, we free life's energetic flow as well. 

There's no sense in rushing from one thing to the next, simply because life will unfold in the manner and at the pace at which it was intended. Free yourself from the perceived need to be doing 10 things at one time and from the urgency of getting on to the next thing. Have patience with this moment. Feel it, embrace it, absorb every last ounce of the moment into your life, because before you know it, that moment will be gone. Life is not made up of major events, it is made up of every tiny little moments built one on top of another.

The Breakup

I'm in an unhealthy relationship and I've decided to get out of it. I'm breaking up with my Smartphone.

We haven't been getting along well lately. I'm finding that its very clingy. It insists on being carried around everywhere - the car, the bed, the kitchen table, the playroom, the movies, the restaurants, even the bathroom for crying out loud. I've started to notice that my 8 month old son really hates it too. If he can't throw it or chew on it then he's constantly swatting it away if I'm holding the phone and playing with or feeding him. It, along with most other screens at my house, is turning my daughter into a zombie. Not the brain-eating gross-looking kind but the I-can't-be-bothered-with-anything-you're-saying-right-now kind.

My Smartphone is very demanding of my attention. When I put it down and step away, it sits there, staring at me. I can almost hear it saying, "Just take a quick look at Facebook. I bet someone liked your post...Don't you want to see if you have a new email...OMG! 10 people just liked your Instagram photo...I bet you want to check the weather, I have an app for that..." And on and on and on. And then it just has to buzz and blink and light up whenever anyone anywhere makes contact with me in some way, shape, or form. And if I don't acknowledge its notification quickly enough, it buzzes, blinks, and lights up again.

To be fair, it does have some redeeming qualities. I love the camera, Google Maps, and Clock. All useful tools condensed into one device. And while I'm very grateful for the ease it provided this past year during my project, My Year of Yoga, one thing my daily yoga practice has brought to my awareness is the absolute necessity of being present. Its taken over a year for me to truly and honestly realize what it means, what it feels like, and how my life is different when I am really, honestly, present. And I cannot be fully, honestly present as long as my Smartphone dictates as much of my life as I'm ashamed to admit that it currently does. Its distracting nature has affected my relationships, my patience, my stress levels, and my overall quality of life. So we're breaking up.

My intention, moving forward, is to practice and live in the present moment. To actively listen to what the people right in front of me are saying. To be fully engaged with the actual, tangible things in life and with the people around me, rather than with what and who is behind the screen. I intend to stay present to what is happening right now instead of scrambling to get a photo so I can post it on all my social media accounts. A memory is not really a memory when its only lived through a screen.

To make this all possible, my Smartphone is now just a Phone with special talents. It has a camera, a clock, a map, and text messaging. All my other apps are gone. I have to check email from an actual computer which means I won't be checking my email during every possible moment of downtime. I won't be checking anything for that matter, while I'm waiting around for an appointment, riding the elevator, or standing in line. I might be the weirdo just standing there, staring into space. But really, how is that any weirder than the two people I saw this weekend sitting across from one another at a restaurant both tapping away on their Smartphones and checking their Facebook pages? You won't see me on my social media sites much, with the exception of my blog posts, my periodic My Yogi Lifestyle posts (the continuation of My Year of Yoga), and the occasional special post I deem worthy of taking the time to share. My phone sits in the kitchen in a designated spot (like those crazy land line phones from the olden days), and when I walk by it, I'll see if I've missed a call or a message.  I'm not accessible 24/7 so if you need me, just call or text and if I miss you, I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

One Lucky Mama

Today I decided to set myself free. 

It occurred to me, rather suddenly, that I've been making myself anxious and putting all sorts of unnecessary stress on myself ever since I became a stay-at-home mom. With good intention, I turned it into a job. And it is a job, but by its very unique nature, it isn't your typical job. I didn't make this distinction at first though. For the last 8 months, since my son was born, I've insisted that I need to be constantly doing things. There is always house work to be done, errands to run, meals to cook, and drawers to organize after all, right? I worked unrelentingly at these tasks and, for whatever reason, made sure not to get too much enjoyment from the outings and activities I planned with my kids. Even an afternoon at the pool or a trip to the park or museum had to be viewed as part of the "job" instead of what it was: fun. Playtime was part of Worktime so it couldn't really be quite as fun.  I hardly even allowed myself time to read the newspaper or flip through a magazine, or God forbid, sit down and read a book. 

So today, while driving through the nature preserve near our house to lull my sick baby to sleep, I decided to change my perspective. Instead of viewing it as an inconvenience keeping me from sweeping the kitchen floor, it was a fun little drive with my daughter. We sipped our latte/hot chocolate, listened to classical music (very calming for my mom-brain), and talked about the trees, the frozen rivers we passed by, and what the animals were doing to keep warm. 

What was shown to me today is that I've given myself more work than I really need to do. I've made myself believe that no matter how much I do in a day, it will never be enough. But the truth is, all that I do is enough. I am enough. I've put undue stress on myself in order to prove to others (and probably to prove to myself how hard I work) how challenging it is to be a stay-at-home mom. I don't need to prove that to anyone, nor does any other stay-at-home parent. Its a hard job, no doubt. As a stay-at-home parent, we are on-call 24/7. We are responsible for the safety and well-being of the most important people in our lives. Even my daughter said to me earlier this week, "Mom, being a mom is super important! You have to keep your kids alive!" So today I let go of this insistence on making myself unhappy just so I can hold my stress up for all to see while rattling off all the things I have to do in a day. 

I'm very lucky to be where am, doing what I'm doing. That's all there is to it. I'm lucky and I'm grateful. I can still share that which I am passionate about with others through my teaching some yoga on the side, and I can also be a stay-at-home mom who has the flexibility in her schedule to sit down and enjoy herself. I'm not lazy or unmotivated because I stay home and I get to do things like watch Frozen and drink hot chocolate in the middle of the afternoon, lounge around the pool in the summer, or snuggle on the bed and read books and color pictures. I'm just lucky. And that's nothing to feel guilty about. I've awoken today to this amazing life that has been handed to me and today I am beyond grateful for and I invite all the fun, pleasure, and joy that can fill my day. 

My Yogi Lifestyle (Day 359)

‪#‎myyogilifestyle‬ is a continuation of ‪#‎myyearofyoga‬, picking up where I left off when the year came to an end. One of my intentions for the new year is to be mindful of where I channel my energy and I've come to realize that means spending less time in front of my telephone or computer screen and more time focusing on the Real that's right in front of me. I also, however, feel that my energy is well spent in sharing what I learn and how I live my yoga, and so, these posts will continue indefinitely but not daily. Here is what inspired me today...

My intention for today is to practice Santosha, or contentment. As humans, we seem to always be looking for the next thing, striving for more, and believing that what we have right now just isn't enough. As soon as we get what we want, we want something more. We push ourselves to hard, we are impatient with ourselves and our lives, and we end up breaking ourselves down, becoming less productive, less happy, and less at peace with the way things are. There is, no doubt, a great deal of good that comes from looking forward, setting goals, and working hard to achieve our dreams. The disconnect, though, is when we become disillusioned by this imagined future self or this imagined future life. We disconnect completely with the present and when we are not living in the present, we are not really living at all. We must continue to work toward our goals and intentions while at the same time, letting go of our attachment to some expected outcome. We must be content with and find peace with where we are now and with each step that we take along our journey. Each step is as significant, if not more so, than any final outcome. "Allow yourself to savor the sweetness of Santosha, and you'll find yourself deeply satisfied with much of what life has to offer." ~Constance L. Habash

Oh So Grateful: A Gratitude Practice

This busy holiday season has kept me away from much of my blog writing but I thought I'd share my gratitude practice here for the next 20 days. Each day through Christmas I'm posting one thing for which I'm grateful. I've been thinking a lot about gratitude and being thankful over the last few months and one thing I've come to realize is that the best way to a happy and fulfilling life is through gratitude. Instead of focusing on what we don't have, we must focus on what we do have. There is so much to be grateful for in each and every moment.

One of my yoga instructors recently said that while we can't control what happens around us - our life situation, the people in our lives, or the events that transpire - we can control 3 things: our thoughts, our words, and our actions. This has really stuck with me as a reminder that we have more control, more power, over our lives than we realize. Its so easy to let the ego take over and place blame on external circumstances and other people as the source of our unhappiness, stress, or sadness. The truth, though, is that no one outside of ourselves can control how we think about, how we feel about, and how we live our lives. Instead of dwelling on all the things that aren't the way we want them to be, instead of focusing on all the things we don't have, we can find peace and contentment through the practice of gratitude. Being grateful for even the littlest things, or the things we take for granted, like food on the table or a roof over our head, can bring us great joy. The more we think about and embrace the good in our lives, letting go of our wants and our sense of lack, the more at peace we will be.

Life is good. Its a gift that is filled with an abundance of things tok be grateful for. Choose happiness, choose joy, choose gratitude, and choose to be at peace within.

Oh So Grateful Day 1: 

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about #gratitude. As part of #myyearofyoga I thought I would add one post each day from now through Christmas of something for which I am #grateful. Today I'm grateful for these little angels and all the heartwarming smiles they bring to my life.

Oh So Grateful Day 2: 

Today I'm #grateful for this generous little spirit who picked out and wrapped her brother's and daddy's Christmas gifts.

Letting the Fog Clear; Put Down the List and Make Space for You

I'm a planner and list-checker-offer. I'm continuously going through my head to sort out and plan my day.  For the most part, this allows me to be organized, efficient, and punctual (or pretty close to it.) But on the other hand, it also means that my mind is like a lake dumping its waters and flooding the land because of too much rain. There is so much information coming into my head, that I've run out of room to put it. 

My yoga practice has helped in turning my torrential downpour into more of a light drizzle but the rain continues. Finding stillness and quiet in my very active mind may very well be one of my greatest struggles. I've always replayed troublesome situations over and over in my head, analyzed and thought about tasks that I wasn't looking forward to, and carried on lengthy, imagined conversations over things that could happen or that already took place. This has only served to keep my mind on overdrive. 

What I've learned this past year through a regular yoga practice, is that when those thoughts cease, even momentarily, I find myself completely present - present to what my children are saying or doing, present to my relationship with my husband, present to myself, and present to the world around me. I see and notice the littlest, most beautiful things. I hear the most amazing sounds, and I see the light of those around me. I really and truly appreciate the moment that I'm in. But then the thoughts return, the rain falls, and fog sets in. Even so, those moments of clarity are what keep me practicing and what keep me truly alive. 

With our never ending to do lists and our culture of busy-ness and multitasking, we must find a way to put something down. To stop the rain and allow our cloudy minds to clear, even briefly.  I was given the idea recently to let one hour a day be completely unplanned, and once that hour arrives, not to fill it with tasks but to simply allow it to unfold. Whatever happens to fill that space is very likely something that you need that perhaps you weren't even aware of. I began this practice yesterday and found myself reading and writing during my kids' nap time. Normally, this time of day is very planned out (chores, prep dinner, squeeze in an at home workout) but that day I cast aside any plans and found that what I needed was some time for peace, quiet, and creativity. The next day my unplanned hour was playing games with my kids.  What will today bring? I have no idea. But I'm excited to find out!

(Not) Being Super Woman

With Halloween just around the corner, I've been trying to decide what I should dress up as. The other day, after running the kids from place to place, grocery shopping, preparing dinner, and getting my early morning workout in, I practically fell into bed and sarcastically declared that I was going as Super Woman because that way I wouldn't need a costume. Only I don't really see myself as Super Woman, just as a woman trying to be inordinately Super. And honestly, I really can't justify this need to do it all, and it takes every ounce of what I've learned from my yoga practice to let go of perfection and accept that I'm enough just the way I am. 

I recently transitioned from nearly full time yoga instructor to stay-at-home mom. This has been a huge shift for me with my biggest challenge being my battle against self doubt and guilt about whether I'm doing enough and whether I'm doing it all well enough. The guilt usually comes in the form of not being able to do it all. I stay home. I don't have to be in the studio most of the day like I used to or in the office all day like most of my friends. So how is it that I don't have a perfectly put together house? Why are mac n' cheese, pizza, and leftovers regulars on my dinner menu rotation? How am I not able to make all the made-from-scratch creative meals I thought I would when I decided to stay home? Why do my floors always look a little gross (the dog has something to do with it) and why does it take me an entire week to get even a few errands run? I've asked myself, "Am I being lazy? Am I being selfish?" After all, a chuck of my time is taken up with my yoga practice, running, and, like right now, sitting down to write. 

What I have to remind myself is that doing things I enjoy and taking care of myself to stay healthy and fit are not selfish. They are, actually, quite selfless. I've used this analogy before and it came to me in an article I read the other day: if you're on an airplane and the oxygen masks drop down, you put yours on first then help others. It makes so much sense. If we can't breathe, how can we take care of anyone else? Women are often considered the nurturers, givers, and caretakers, and so we often give ourselves to others to the point where we have nothing left for ourselves. If we could just let go of something and allow time to nurture our own selves, to let ourselves be enough without guilt or shame, then and only then can we truly help and nurture others.

The question is, can we ever just be enough for ourselves? Women today are told that they can have it all. We are remarkable multi-taskers. We are, it seems, expected to be attentive moms, doting wives, and work full time. We can be the breadwinner and the housewife and still spend time with our friends. We can stay fit and healthy and keep ourselves put together. And I suppose that we can do all of this…if we want to sacrifice sleep (because there really are just not that many hours in the day), and drive ourselves (and everyone around us) completely crazy. The truth is, we can't do it all, and when we do manage to squeeze it all in, much of it is done half heartedly and without presence. I completely believe that its ridiculous and unhealthy to try to convince ourselves otherwise. Presence, not perfection, is the intention.

I've always been a people pleaser. I'd say yes to just about anything in order to help out someone else. And while wanting to help others is a wonderful and admirable quality, I learned pretty quickly that when you say yes to one thing, you're saying no to another. When I started having children, I kept saying yes to everyone and everything outside of my family. Then I'd be resentful of how busy I was and how little time I had with my husband and baby daughter. I sometimes look back and struggle to remember fully my daughter's infancy. I was there for it, but I wasn't present. As my yoga practice progressed, I began to realize this.  When my son was born this past spring, I made the conscious choice to be present for him and for my daughter and husband as well. For me, this meant choosing to stay home. I know plenty of incredible women, nearly all of my friends as a matter fact, who work full time and are attentive, loving mothers and wives at the same time. Its not about choosing one or the other, its about making conscious choices that keep you happy and healthy.  For me , the decision to stay home wasn't an easy one but I know it has been the right one. And while it's not always easy, while the guilt still creeps in and the self doubt ebbs and flows, I'm finally learning that I have nothing to prove to anyone. I'm no Super Woman and I can't do it all. I do need time for me, and that's perfectly ok. When I'm good on the inside, I'm good on the outside. And as Maya Angelou reminds us: "You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody." Take care of you so that you can be your best self for others.

The HIIT Mama

Holy smokes! All you yoga/fitness mamas out there - need a quick, at home, intense calorie burning, make you sweat workout? I just did this workout and it was amazing. I had to modify a few things to fit my needs and accommodate my space (I don't do plyo-push ups for example, nor do I have hanging rings at my house) but I'm exhausted now and I loved it. The best part? I got it done while baby was napping and I didn't have to leave the house.

To begin, I warmed up with some jogging in place, side stepping, jumping jacks and Sun Salutations (about 10 minutes total).

Next, the WORKOUT!

To cool down, I did the following surrender series (hold each for about 30 seconds):

Seated Wide Leg side stretch
Seated Wide Leg Forward Fold
Seated Forward Fold
Baddha Konasanah
Gomukasana
Eka Bhuga Swastikasana I
Bridge
Happy Baby
Savasana (Final resting pose)

Good luck mamas!

An Athlete's Dilemma; The Body Connection

"One would think athletes are connected to their bodies, but it's actually quite the opposite..If they were, they wouldn't put themselves in harm's way." (Keith Mitchell, former NFL linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars)

Keith Mitchell, former NFL linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, sustained a spinal cord injury and found himself paralyzed after a devastating tackle in 2003. Yoga, which was introduced to him in the hospital, now has him not only walking but practicing and teaching yoga as well. An article about his experience was passed along to me today and is such an amazing reminder of how important it is for all people, and especially athletes, who tend to put their bodies through the ringer, to learn to tune in to, respond to, and honor what their bodies need to keep them strong, healthy, and most importantly, safe. 

When I was running at least 30+ miles a week and training for marathons, I really thought I was connected to, in tune with, and had compassion for my body. The truth, I've come to realize, was that I was quite the opposite for the very reason Mitchell states above - I put my body in harm's way over and over again. I ran when my body was tired and begged for rest. I ran through pain and illness.  I ran through just about everything until I started practicing yoga on a regular basis. Suddenly my body began to feel different. It felt better, it was happier, it even looked and felt stronger. For the first time, I could actually hear and respond to what my body needed each day. Now I know that some days it needs rest, other days a nice long run is what its craving. But yoga has been the key to opening up my eyes and ears to what is important for me and for my body each day.  

Running is great exercise, there's no arguing that. But if we're not careful, it can have the opposite effect, causing excess stress to our skeletal and muscular system and increasing our risk for injury. We're often led to believe that more is better - run faster, run longer, run harder. But when we do this without listening to our bodies when they beg for rest, when we ignore the pain and push through, we are abusing our body. The body is something to be cherished, not abused. It is the vessel that carries us through life, creates and sustains new life, and harbors our soul. Yoga can help us to find balance within ourselves so that we can also find balance in what we demand from our physical selves. 

Day 262 of #MyYearOfYoga

"Laughter is such a healthy exercise. Somebody is laughing -- that's perfectly good exercise, join him. Somebody is being playful -- if you have time, join him." ~Osho

Yesterday I had a chakra reading done and based on the results I put together a short yoga sequence to rebalance my out-of-balance chakras. As I began my practice, I anticipated and very serious and meditative practice. About halfway through, though, the baby started fussing and eventually ended my practice early. Before going to attend to him, I was laying on my mat feeling frustrated when this thought passed through my mind: "Its ok, you're exactly where you need to be." It can be so hard to remember, but in each moment of our lives we truly are exactly where we are meant to be. It may not be the place or situation that you had planned for yourself, but because you are experiencing it, it is right. Realizing this makes life remarkably easier because it teaches us to let down our guard, to stop resisting, fighting, and trying to get away from our life as it is. Our plan is nothing more than that - OUR plan. But because everything in the Universe is connected - you, me, nature, the animals, the sounds, feelings, and energies that encompass what it means to exist - because of this, our plan must be let go as needed for the connectivity of the bigger picture, our Universal alignment. In the end, my practice turned silly and playful. Baby and I finished my practice together laughing and giggling. They say laughter is the best medicine, so perhaps the sound of my baby giggling helped bring some balance back into my heart chakra, my own laughter balance my throat chakra, and listening to that voice telling me it was ok, was my third eye chakra working out its imbalance.

‪#‎laughter‬ ‪#‎yogababy‬ ‪#‎oshoquotes‬ ‪#‎chakrabalancing‬ ‪#‎chakra‬ ‪#‎yoga‬‪#‎yogapractice‬ ‪#‎yogamama‬ ‪#‎letgo‬ ‪#‎beherenow‬ ‪#‎bewhereyouare‬ ‪#‎universe‬‪#‎playfulyoga‬ ‪#‎balance‬ ‪#‎yogapose‬ #yoga ‪#‎yogi‬ ‪#‎yogini‬ ‪#‎liveyouryoga‬‪#‎bridgepose‬

Yoga for Runners Pose for the Day...Figure 4

As a runner, there are several reasons why I love this pose. To begin, its a balance pose so it requires concentration, breath awareness, and strength. Its challenging, yet calming, teaching us to quiet our mind, be still, and breathe when we just want to come out of the pose. Not only does Figure 4 offer these mental benefits, but it also opens the hip and knee and strengthens the standing leg and ankle.

Begin in Mountain pose.

Inhale, raise your arms overhead.

Exhale, bend both knees and sit your hips down into chair pose. Keep your weight in your heels and your core strong. You should be able to see your toes in front of your knees.

Bring your right leg up and place your right ankle above your left knee on your thigh.

Bring hands to heart center. You can stay here or sink down further, bringing your arms to rest on your right leg and deepening the stretch in your right hip.

Hold and breathe 8-10 breaths.

Repeat on other side.

Day 255 of My Year of Yoga

"I still love today" said my 4 year old when I commented on the overcast sky. I know I write about my kids a lot and especially my daughter (since she's been around longer than my 4 month old son) but that little girl is simply my greatest inspiration. I never realized, until I began the practice of living my yoga, the positive, uplifting, and wise words and actions thatso often come from her. Children can truly be our greatest teachers. Their light has not yet dimmed, the veil of experience has not been pulled over their eyes, their genuine intuition and connection to their spirit has not been tarnished. My greatest wish would be for the children of this world to remain forever in that state and for the rest of us to return to it. Namaste.

#yoga #yogi #yogini #yogamama #treepose #wisdom#lovetoday #namaste #liveyouryoga #dailyyoga#yogadaily #yogapractice #yogateacher #spirit#connection #shineyourlight #inspiration#yogainspiration #yogagirl #iowayogi#yogaeverydamnday #yogalife #om #hollyfloodyoga

Day 253 of My Year of Yoga

"Ong namo guru dev namo" means "I bow to the Divine Teacher within." In a lot of my writing I talk about my teachers, the people outside of myself from whom I learn, especially my children. But my own inner teacher must be acknowledged because without that, I would not have the ability to see what is before me. We are all our own teachers. We all have the knowledge, theunderstanding, the light, and the spirit within us to show us the way. We do have the answers we need, we just haven't all learned to open ourselves up to our innate wisdom. Yoga poses, pranayama, or breathing exercises, and meditation unlock our energy blockages, quiet our overactive minds, and cultivate balance, concentration and awareness. It's with this practice that we begin to know ourselves, recognize the answers, and live a more joyful life. Trust yourself, trust the process, and trust your journey, for you are Divine and you know the way.

#Divine #trust #faith #trusttheprocess #yogapractice#knowyourself #meditation #wisdom #balance#awareness #yogapose #pranayama #spirit #innerlight#shineyourlight #liveyouryoga #yoga #yogagirl#yogamama #yogaeverydamnday #namaste#yogainspiration #yogajourney

Day 251 of My Year of Yoga

"People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, all life for happiness." ~Unknown
We always seem to be waiting for something, looking for the end result or the big reward. We have a hard time being content with whatever we are doing or wherever we are in the moment. We go so far as to make ourselves unhappy now in anticipation of some great joy that awaits us down the road. But what I've found as I've brought a daily yoga practice into my life, is that joy can only be found in the present. It's not something that we can work towards or that we are entitled to, it's something that we already have. We just have to stop waiting for it and let it in, right now, in this moment.