Gratitude

New Year, Same me

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New year, new me…right?

Wrong!

Much like the beginning of 2022, this year is all about going back to the beginning. Returning to the start of my yoga practice has been tough. Unlearning a lot of asana focused aspects of western yoga while still trying to get some movement into my body has been a real struggle in 2022. The movement focused health mentality has really become deeply ingrained in my mind. Luckily, with so many programs focusing on rest, I’m reminded that rest is also a self-care, healthy habit.

So here I am, starting 2023 relearning ancient yogic practices not related exclusively to movement. I’m also trying to start each day by doing something for myself. Lately it’s been doing some mild stretches and making sure I make breakfast before starting work. During the days, I walk as much as I can, slowly building up to a daily mileage goal that is realistic and achievable.

Small steps…it’s all about small steps back to wellness.

Mental Health Awareness Month

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Over the last few months, I’ve really gotten deeper into my own personal yoga practice. Perhaps this is why I’ve neglected my writing. I’ve become engrossed in my morning meditation, asana, and pranayama as well as the evening journaling and recapitulation. While my stress and anxiety has not gone away completely, I do feel much more capable of handling triggers as they arise.

Hence I want to talk about Mental Health Awareness Month. Throughout the month of May, social media, healthcare centers, and many other entities will be sharing information on how we can better improve our mental health. There are some really great resources out there.

What does yoga have to do with mental health? Yoga, in its full form, can be a great asset when managing mental health triggers. While yoga itself is not a complete solution, it can be an asset when finding oneself in situations where stress, anxiety, or other needs surface.

Yoga asana, pranayama, and especially meditation can be tools we use on a regular basis to help us make it through tough situations. This, paired with regular therapy or visits with medical professionals, can truly turn the tide and improve mental health.

Resources:

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Mental Health Resources for Children

Detachment

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Detachment is not that you own nothing, but that nothing should own you. {Alī}

Fear, anxiety, sadness…these are all emotions I’ve felt so deeply. It’s often felt as if they’ve owned me, they were how I defined myself.

Practicing detachment and grounding myself to the present has helped me release the hold these feelings have had on me. This doesn’t mean I don’t feel them. I do. Often. But they no longer own me. They no longer permeate my being. I am able to let these feelings go, using my yoga. And my Sangha.

How can we continue to practice detachment throughout our lives?

Here are some tips on how to embrace detachment:

  1. First and foremost, understand and accept that you can not control everything. This will take some time, but continue to remind yourself of this. Daily if necessary.
  2. Try to stop making your happiness or gratitude conditional on something outside of yourself. Don’t just say you’re happy because you’ve hit a goal, got a promotion, or got the thing you’ve been after. Express gratitude for the daily things in your life. Express happiness and joy for moments you’re experiencing daily.
  3. Recognize the difference between a need and a want. You need water. You want a fancy car.
  4. Try to reframe your experiences, your work responsibilities, everything you do as blessings.
  5. Try to practice compassion and empathy. Try to see the world from another’s point of view. Observe your surroundings rather than trying to constantly experience or control them.
  6. Don’t focus on the outcome or goal of a situation, focus on the experience of getting there. Whether it’s a trip or a project. Try to embrace the experience of it rather than just getting to the end of it.
  7. Before doing anything, pause. Take a deep breath. Proceed with clarity of mind and thought as much as possible.

Yoga & Social Media

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It took me a great deal of time and thought to decide on what I wanted to write about for my first 2020 post. Usually I try to start the year off with intention setting or invite you all as readers to join in on a new year reset yoga challenge. While these things are still happening in the background of my own personal life (Adrienne came out with another 30 day yoga playlist, if you haven’t checked it out, here it is: Home) I thought I would start this year with a different intention. I want to write about more challenging topics. Similar to my recent post about cultural appropriation, I was to discuss issues that matter to me that readers might relate to. Of course, I will keep bringing in posts about specific poses or yoga props, but I also want to dig a little deeper.

So for my first post in 2020, I want to discuss yoga and social media…

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Many of you might scroll through your favorite social media feed and find someone doing a yoga pose. Maybe it’s a celebrity sponsor of a yoga clothing company, maybe it’s your favorite yoga celebrity, or maybe it’s simply a local yoga instructor. Maybe you yourself have posted photos of yourself in yoga poses.

That is great!

Let me state very clearly, I’m not here to judge anyone for anything you have or will do on social media. If you post pictures of yourself regularly in yoga poses…great. If you don’t, that’s great too. What I want to discuss is what the intention is behind these posts.

I have noticed a trend in yoga instructors and yoga celebrities posting photos of themselves in advanced poses. I find accounts online called “Yoga Inspiration” highlighting a very specific type of yoga student or teacher showing off their skills in handstands, scorpion pose, and other advanced poses. So again, I ask, what’s the intention behind these? Is it truly to send inspiration to students around the social media world that they too can get there? If so, that’s great! If it’s to show off a skill you’ve worked hard to achieve, that’s great too! More often than not, I get the sense that this type of imagery creates an unrealistic idea of what yoga is. I also think that these images might actually discourage students because they may not be able to achieve certain advanced poses yet or at the same time as their peers and they may give up. Unlike many other activities, yoga isn’t just about achievement in the physical sense, it’s more (to me) about achieving alignment with yourself, mind, body and spirit. So I think to myself, what is the point of posting these images to show others what poses you can get into when the practice itself is about getting more in tune with yourself? I worry about the long term impact on yoga students as well as the yoga practice itself. I believe that yoga in the western society has already become warped and appropriated in certain ways and I don’t think social media is really helping.

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Now, don’t get me wrong, I myself have posted many pictures in yoga poses. My true intention is not only to inspire students and friends, but also to educate on what yoga might be good for or help with. Part of my recent journey has been to create more awareness and intention around my words and actions. So I’ve toned down on my yoga pose photos and tried to highlight life, the reality of it. I don’t want to promote myself and only my achievements. I want to promote the world and it’s beauty. Especially in these times.

So, I challenge you…the next time you want to post a picture of yourself in a yoga pose, pause. Ask yourself why…then decide whether you want to or not. The choice is yours and yours alone. No judgement, no foul.

Be well!

Giving Thanks

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As Thanksgiving approaches. I can’t help but ride the wave of gratitude I see all over social media (hopefully this wave translates to real life). Usually, this time of year, I send out practices of gratitude or I feather asanas that will help with the post-feast fullness. This year, I thought I’d change it up a little. I want to express my gratitude to YOU!

First, I want to thank you for taking the time to read my posts. So much of my writing is based on my opinion and the reading I do on yoga. I appreciate your interest and you taking the time to read and share.

Second, I want to thank you for your interest in yoga. I truly believe yoga is a healing practice, a holistic practice, and it can save humanity. I appreciate your interest, at whatever level it is, in learning more about this practice.

Finally, I want to thank you for trying. Whether its only been once a year, once a month, or once in your lifetime, thank you for trying to do something that is positive and helpful for yourself.

So now, I open the door for you. Share with me or with whoever…what or who are you grateful for?

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Accessible Yoga – Yoga for EVERY BODY

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When you think of yoga, what images come to mind? You might see a very specific type of person. You might see a specific race, size, shape, and ability of that person. Imagine you’re walking into a yoga studio, who do you see?

As I’ve started to discuss in my last post, the Westernization of yoga has created this image of yoga that strays very far from the roots of yoga. While there are stories of yoga being restricted to men in India, there are stories and there is a history of people of all shapes, sizes, and genders practicing yoga. Now, as yoga has become a financial commodity, it seems that the population practicing yoga has narrowed. This brings me to my topic today, accessible yoga.

We live in a world where there is potential for variety. Depending on where you live, there may be a variety of foods available, a variety of leisure activities, and a variety of people. So why has yoga in the west seemed to cater to one type of person? Accessibility is a huge issue…not just in yoga but in many realms of life. Access to healthy, fresh foods. Access to transportation. Access to healthcare. So why aren’t we talking about access to yoga? This is a multi-billion dollar company in the west and yet somehow we are limiting it to a very specific type of person for a very specific price point.

We all know the benefits of yoga. We all know that it can help with physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing. So why is this only available to certain people? Even studios and classes that are low-cost or promoted to “everyone” seem to only be taught or attended by specific people. Why? Simply put…accessibility. This doesn’t just mean being able to get to the yoga studio or being able to pay for the class. This means being able to do the poses comfortably, being able to do the breath and meditation practices comfortably. This lack of accessibility affects many populations, including but not limited to people of color (POC), larger bodies individuals, people who identify within the LGBTQIA community, people living with differently abled bodies, and people who may not speak or understand English well.

So what do we do? What do we, as yoga teachers and students do to make sure EVERYONE has access, in every way, to the wonderful practice of yoga? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Here are just a few of my tips to make your studios and classes more accessible (in no specific order):

  • Hire POC teachers
  • Hire larger bodies teachers
  • Hire teachers who identify as LGBTQIA
  • Provide classes in different languages
  • Promote chair yoga or accessible classes
  • Use props
  • Provide a variety of mat sizes and thicknesses
  • Do not use words like “full expression of pose” or “more difficult version”
  • Use words like “modification” or “adjustment”
  • Use invitational language
  • As a teacher, model these modifications and adjustments
  • Incorporate pauses
  • Allow students to decide what feels good for them
  • Use consent cards for hands on adjustments
  • Ask permission before using essential oils or scents
  • Attend/offer trainings for accessible yoga
  • Provide all-gender or gender neutral restrooms

This is not an exhaustive list. There are many more ways to make classes more accessible. Let’s start by being open and welcoming to EVERYONE.

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Flow Breakdown – Moon Salutation

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Surya Namaskar, or sun salutations, are common in most yoga classes. Not so common in our yoga classes is the Chandra Namaskar, or moon salutation. The moon salutation flow was designed to honor the feminine qualities we all carry. No matter what gender identity you hold, there are masculine and feminine qualities in all of us. The moon salutation is a great way to ignite that feminine energy.

Here’s the flow breakdown:

  • Mountain Pose
  • Crescent Moon Pose
  • Goddess Pose
  • Star Pose
  • Triangle Pose
  • Pyramid Pose
  • Low Lunge
  • Half Split
  • Full Squat/Malasana Pose
  • Half Split
  • Low Lunge
  • Pyramid Pose
  • Triangle Pose
  • Star Pose
  • Goddess Pose
  • Crescent Moon Pose
  • Mountain Pose

Not only does this sequence open up the feminine energy within, it’s also great for women to do during menstruation or pregnancy. This is a great flow to honor intuition, nurturance, and receptivity…all feminine qualities that bring up our community.

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International Yoga Day

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It’s that time of year again…summer sun and International Yoga Day! Mark your calendars…June 21st is International Yoga Day. What does that mean? Well…basically various cities and countries around the world take the day to honor and practice yoga! There will be plenty of events around the world, large and small.

International Yoga Day Top Events and Things to Do

Start your own at home yoga practice. Use International Yoga Day as an excuse to get a mat and start your own practice.

Find a studio near you! There will be plenty of events happening that day, so check out the schedules at your local studios. This is a great way to find a studio and teacher that’s right for you.

Meditate. Remember yoga isn’t just about the asana practice. Find a quiet moment and meditate on what you really want to get out of your yoga practice.

Go on a yoga retreat! Summer is a great time to travel, so find a destination yoga retreat and sign up!

 

international-yoga-day

Yoga for Women (and everyone really)

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March hosts International Women’s Day. In order to honor this, I thought I’d write about how yoga can benefit women and female identifying persons.

It seems fairly clear and straightforward, to be honest. Why do we think there are usually so many more women than men in yoga classes? Because women get it! They get the power of yoga. Maybe it’s because women are generally more in tune with their feelings (physically and mentally), but it seems like the power of yoga is felt right away. And since women are generally the ones taking care of children and the household, it makes sense that their self-care involves yoga, an activity that helps us deal with the madness that life can bring.

So let’s lay it out…why is yoga so amazing for women?

Well, here are just a few reasons:

  1. It reduces stress.
  2. It helps combat anxiety and depression.
  3. It increases positive endorphins.
  4. It eases pain and makes the body physically stronger.
  5. It empowers us to try new things and take risks.
  6. It allows us to remain calm in stressful situations.

So these are great things about yoga and guess what, they aren’t just benefits for women. Spoiler alert!!!!! Yoga is for everybody. AND YES – YOGA IS GOOD FOR EVERYBODY TOO!

So while March is all about empowering and expressing gratitude to the women in your life…yoga doesn’t have to be for women only.

February – Let’s Promote Self-Care

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Often, during the month of February, we find ourselves surrounded by messages of romantic love. We see candies and cards meant to express how we love our romantic partners. Sometimes we can find the candies and cards to express non-romantic love for others…family and friends. But what about ourselves?

Where are the candies and cards that we are allowed to give ourselves to say thank you, I love you.

Often we forget that the most important person in our lives is us. Me…I…these are important too. It’s not selfish to say “I love myself”. It’s not selfish to want to spend time by yourself doing what you want to do instead of making room to do whatever your partner, friends, or family wants. It’s not selfish to take care of YOU!

 

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Many people work in fields of service. From nursing, teaching, to therapy and social work…these are all fields where we give a little bit of ourselves to the people, communities we serve. How can we do this if we are not taking care of ourselves first? We are like buckets, if you will. We are happy when we are full energetically. So if we keep taking a cup here, a cup there…all these cups for others…we end up emptying out our own energy store. We need to replenish. That’s where self-care comes in.

Here are a few good self-care items that might help you replenish that energy you might be losing:

  1. Take a bubble bath.
  2. Meditate.
  3. Do some yoga.
  4. Go for a walk outside.
  5. Read a book.
  6. Take a nap.
  7. Watch your favorite movie alone.
  8. Make yourself your favorite meal.
  9. Ask for help or space.

These are just a few tips. Generally self-care is doing something you like that’s good for you. So it’s not eating an entire cake or bag of candy. It’s not ignoring things that are piling up on your to-do list. It’s doing something that you love that helps you replenish your own energy store so that you can go out and tackle that class of rowdy teens or that huge to-do list.