Lesley Hobbs Yoga

Yoga Day 271 - restorative yoga off the mat

When I teach I always tell students to listen to their own bodies first and foremost and ignore the teacher (me) if I suggest something that does not work well for them at that time. For some of us it takes years to hear what our bodies are saying and years more to actually listen to those messages.

In the past 2 months my life has become busier and busier and I find it hard to listen to my body over the roar of the chaos that surrounds me. I swear, the only things that have kept me sane are my yoga practice and my daily walk with the dogs.

It is time to take a restorative approach off the mat.

When we practice restorative yoga, we breathe more consciously than usual, we spend longer in poses, connecting more deeply and finding that intimacy within ourselves. We do not push our bodies, but rather, we use props and supports to move into poses, allowing the pose to unfold from within. We work to let go of everything, and in doing so create the ultimate space for healing to occur.

So how can this approach translate to my life???

I plan to slow down, to make more conscious choices over the next week, to ask for (and accept) support from those around me. I want to ride my bike and hike in the mountains; both activities connect me deeply to my spirit, to my soul. I want to let go of those things which serve no higher purpose and commit once again to nurturing myself at every level of my being - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.

All is truly well in my world, I simply need to breathe more deeply in the coming days, find my way back to balance and that may well mean I will not be blogging until the time is right. I must heed my own advice...it is time to listen to my body and ignore the suggestions of others (business coaches, my own inner critic etc...)

Until we meet again,dear reader,  be well.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 270 - the rhythm of yoga (and life)

I tend to like a slow, deep yoga practice; spending 2-4 minutes in each pose, really exploring how my body feels, how the breath is moving etc... and I quite like that rhythm off the mat also.

Today, however, was more of a vinyasa day!! The day has flowed beautifully with each part moving gently and easily into the next. What a blessing it is to feel such ease. Life becomes more of a dance when this happens and it works well for the soul.

It is worth exploring several types of yoga; each one will offer a new experience, a new way of looking at life and the world, a new way of getting to know yourself.

I am not sure I have much more to share other than to wish you harmony in your days and joy in your soul.

It is now time for me to flow on to the next part of my day...an evening with loved ones.

Namaste.

Yoga Days 268, 269 - getting to know your body leads to optimum health

There are days I go to my mat in need of emotional sustenance, other times I go to help my brain function optimally. Sometimes it is a much more spirit centered practice and other days the yoga is purely physical.

Today was a purely physical day. The convention and travel last weekend left me with an unhappy left leg and I have been gently working with it all week, creating space to heal and choosing poses that will bring my body back to balance. This morning I woke up with what feels like a pinched nerve in my left upper back which meant turning my head was a tad uncomfortable!! Not sure how I did it and that is not important, what is more important is regaining mobility and moving out of discomfort.

To address my lower body I am working with balance poses, slow, deep leg releases, hip openers and twists. What surprised me most today was how flexible my body has remained through the challenge of this leg injury. I have heard the term "failing forward" in reference to life and work but have never thought to apply it to my yoga practice. This morning I understood that my commitment to the practice above all has allowed me to move forward in terms of health and wellbeing, even while carefully addressing an injury.

An acute injury requires a different sort of yoga and as I moved I found myself wincing several times as I learned how I could and could not move today. I used lots of props, including a mini-basketball, the wall, and a foam roll to support myself and will probably squeeze in a gentle restorative practice this evening before bed. When you hurt yourself, it is important to keep moving but to work in a space that does not exacerbate the injury, getting to know your body well enough that you understand when it is time to ask for help from others.

I may well find myself seeking support through other healing modalities this week; my choices will include massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and nutritional supplements.

I have not always taken responsibility for my own wellbeing, I have wavered between doing nothing when I should have been doing something (ended up in emergency surgery!!) and accepting medical advice when I should have listened to my body and intuition (10 months of useless, time consuming, costly therapies).

Wishing you, dear reader, a healthy body, today and always.

Namaste.

Yoga Days 266, 267 - tool of the day creates life of your dreams

Every day we wake up we are given another opportunity to create the life of our dreams. I wish I could promise that after a certain number of years practicing yoga you would be inspired to always make great choices but the truth is any day can be a challenge.

This morning I met with a wonderful friend who shared a phrase I had not heard before and it made me sad ... apparently many people today live in "quiet desperation". Do you know someone who fits this description? After I thought about it, I realized I do, and now I am wondering what I can do to support these friends.

As a parent I get so frustrated with my children; they say they want abc but they are completely unwilling to put effort into those activities that would manifest abc in their lives. It is hard because I love them and yet, I cannot live their lives for them. Our oldest recently admitted he had misjudged his own capabilities and wished he had listened to his dad and prepared more. We were sad to hear this and know we will likely hear it again and again and again.

So what is the answer? The old adage - you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink - is heart-breakingly true. I tell the kids I made mistakes so they don't have to, I share my own journey freely and none of it seems to help others. Ultimately I am in charge of my own happiness and you are in charge of yours; all I can do is share some tools that have worked for me in the hopes that even one person will find solace or hope.

Tool of the day:

For a long time I had a list of 10 things that helped me feel better about myself. I hung the list on my bathroom wall where I saw it often. On that list were some big things, like "I ran today" but most of the items were insignificant ... "I showered today", I got dressed today", "I ate an apple today". There were days I went to bed and had not done 2 things on the list and I usually felt wretched even before I checked the list. Other times, I felt strong, healthy, connected and when I looked at the list I saw I had done 7 or more items on it.

If you need a list, write one, post it and remember to be kind to yourself on those days when you do nothing on it. Become the observer of your life, passing no judgment, accepting what is.

May you never (again) know the feeling of "quiet desperation"

Namaste.

Yoga Day 265 - no blog today!!

I have decided not to blog today!!

I had a wonderful practice and am working and focused and cannot think of much that would add to the universe or to the lives of my readers and so I will not waste your time or mine.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 264 - desperation makes strange bed fellows

We are swamped with information, everywhere, from everyone and at times, it is a bit much!!

It is easy to see having information is not what we need, so what is it that motivates us to try a new way of being? For me, it is my own personal experience and that is what I try to share here but, honestly, until you have your own personal experience, none of what I say will matter.

I have no clue why I started yoga; my sister gave me a book, I opened it, then found a video or 2 and for some reason stuck with. At some level, I must have been getting benefit from it without any awareness of said benefit. Today, I know why I practice yoga. I can tell a difference physically; my back is rarely a cause of any pain. I notice mental benefits including focus and will. Emotionally, I feel strong and supported, better able to deal with life's ups and downs. Spiritually, I am deeply connected and walking the right path for me.

If you try yoga, you too may experience benefits on all 4 realms, or you may not. Each of us gets to test the waters of different ways of being and doing, then we get to decide which ones we want to continue experiencing.

Desperation does indeed make strange bed fellows... Most of what I use today would have been completely alien to the me of 1995!! Yoga arrived at a time when I was in physical and emotional despair and it soothed me greatly. Aromatherapy was completely new to me when the same sister (thank you Pat!!) told me it might help me physically. It did and 10 years later it is part of my business. The right nutritional products came into my life when I had hit rock bottom with a physical issue and I have never looked back.

It is all timing and personal experience; if you have tried something before and saw no real need for it, try it again, keep an open mind...who knows? Now may be a better time for you.

It can be tough to break down the walls of our box, to move beyond our comfort zone but in doing so, we might experience a whole new way of being and that is worth the risk.

Namaste.

Yoga Days 262, 263 - committing to more

Having spent a weekend surrounded by the best of the best, I feel inspired to be better myself.

I chose the work I do because I feel I make a difference in the world, I believe I can help others achieve their potential and I know how important vibrant health is to a full life. (No amount of money can replace vibrant health, though having some money certainly makes attaining great health easier.) 

I have long wanted to "be the change", to walk my talk and serve as an example and there have been days when I feel I have succeeded in this purpose. That said, I can be/do better. I am not here to berate myself and my efforts but rather to share how challenging it can be to stay the path.

When I was at the ashram doing my yoga training, life was so simple; I turned up at the meal line and ate what was offered (vegan, healthy food), I practiced yoga 3-6 hours daily, meditated 2-4 hours daily. I definitely walked my talk there but that was no challenge at all. It was almost impossible to make poor choices given the limitations. (I call this life living up the mountain)

For those of use who live "down the mountain" most days are filled with difficult choices...should I walk the dogs? what will I eat? how about time to read/meditate/listen? will I ride my bike or drive my car? The list is endless and can be stressful.

I have long told the kids when they use the line "well, everyone else does it" that in our family we do not strive for mediocrity. I truly believe we each need to be/do our very best on a daily basis in order to live a full life. That does not mean better than, it simply means we need to show up, ready to be and do our best. Only you know if you are doing/being your highest and best; looking in the mirror is the toughest task.

I have been coasting along doing pretty damn well, in fact, according to all the recommended guidelines I am doing "better than" normal. BUT... I am not showing up and doing my best. So, here I am committing to more. I want to be/do my highest and best on a daily basis and only I can decide what that looks like.

I am ready to fall flat on my face as I face fears and self-imposed limitations, I am prepared to pick myself one time more than I fall and I am planning to ask for support and guidance.

Wishing you peace and the causes of peace, happiness and the causes of happiness.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 261 - I love that I can love

Every morning before I put my feet on the floor, I set intentions for the day that include how I want to show up, the actions I want to take and the path I choose to walk.

Last week I heard a man speak who suggested that before we sit to our work each day we write out our core values and decide how we will manifest each one in our life that day. That may be a tough one if we don't know what our core values are!!

I heard a wonderful question today (it comes from a Mary Oliver poem):

what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Together, these three things can support me to bring my best and highest to every day. And you know what I love about this? I love that we each have different answers; different intentions, different core values, different plans for our one precious life. I love that we can each show up to make each day the most wonderful manifestation of who we are and what we want to be.

I love that there are simple ways to support a full life, I love that I have the freedom to create the life of my dreams, I love that I can love.

What do you love? How do you create the life of your dreams?

Namaste.

Yoga Day 260 - lending a hand teaches a powerful lesson

I assisted at a huge yoga class today and it was such a wonderful experience, I wanted to share it here with you.

This is the first time I have ever done this and I was not quite sure what to expect. There was easily 70 people in the group and many of them had never taken a yoga class before. As the teacher led the class, I was able to offer support and guidance to many people, helping them have a better experience of the class.

Today was the perfect blend of guidance and support with none of the responsibilities of being the leader. Now, I will not be giving up teaching to assist as I truly love what I do but I discovered something in myself I had not noticed before.

I am okay with not being in charge!!

I have spent the last 5 years helping others reach their potential but I often find it hard to let go. I have had to learn that I cannot care more about my clients or customers than they care about themselves but I have to admit that I am comfortable sitting in the driver's seat. Today I realized I have grown and am able to "ride shotgun" and that is a big step for me.

I admit to floundering this morning when the alarm went off, to get up and help at the class or to doze... I now know what pushed me out of the bed. Thank you universe for a powerful lesson; I truly appreciate it.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 259 - try this at home

I love when my schedule allows for an early morning yoga and meditation session. What a wonderful way to start any day but especially a day filled with activities, meetings and more.

It can be tough to get the body moving so early which is why it helped that I fell out of bed and straight into my yoga clothes. (I use this same motivation at home to walk the dogs each morning!!) I needed no convincing to go back to sleep but once I was dressed it seemed a little silly to not practice before an early nap. Try this at home for 21 days to cultivate a new healthy habit for yourself.

Starting with cat/cow always helps; the spine moves, the lungs fill deeply and all of a sudden, my body steps out from behind the clouds. From there it is easy to move to other poses, I always like to open my hips and release front and back of the legs, some twisting, back bends, meditation and I am ready for anything!!

This morning, that meant no early nap needed!!

As I sat through several presentations today, I was grateful to yoga; physically I felt better able to sit in uncomfortable chairs, mentally I felt focused despite 5 hours of sleep last night and emotionally I was better able to accept what is and keep an open heart.

from Denver, Colorado,

Namaste.

Yoga Day 258 - yoga on the road

We are heading off on a long weekend to Denver for a fabulous convention/experience for part of my work. I am looking forward to the energy, reconnecting with those I know, meeting new friends. The one thing I always find challenging is to maintain a healthy lifestyle while away from home.

It is harder to go out walking because I do not know the area, nor do I have my dogs. No matter what I choose to eat (even if it is what I would eat at home) I seem to pay some price. I am surrounded by people and activities and sometimes that wonderful energy knocks me sideways!! The one thing I have managed to figure out is how to keep daily yoga part of the away-routine.

I splurged a couple of years ago on Yoga Pawsand they have proven to be well worth the money. It does not matter the size of the hotel room and I have tried them in the smallest one possible in Paris!! They feel a little funny but the ability to practice without a mat is well worth it.

I love to do yoga at airports; it is always easy to find a quiet gate and do a very basic series of poses, feel free to find suggestions in the at-home practices offered on my site.

I use the long travel delays to meditate or chant (if I have my Zune) which makes me less likely to care about the time and I can remain kind to people around me :)

One of the things I find most wonderful about travel yoga is that I can squeeze in short practices more often. Instead of setting aside an hour each day, I will grab 10 minutes here, 15 there, making for a centered and balanced experience whether I am on holidays or away for work.

Another option would be to find a local class and I may look at that once I get there and see my schedule.

All I know is that just because my mat stays at home does not mean there is no yoga for me. I'll do my best to stay on top of the blog.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 257 - finding vs creating time

I met a woman this morning who was very interested in learning all about yoga, we discussed various types, what might work best for her body etc... and then, she laughingly told me she just had to find the time for it.

I disagreed.

I find time for things like cleaning, ironing, cutting my toenails. When it comes to self nurturing activities, I create the time. I can tell (and my husband assures me he can also) when I choose not to walk the dogs, practice yoga, meditate.

A little later another woman passed comment on how busy her life was and how all our lives were so busy. Not to be ornery but, again, I disagreed.

We create our own reality, if I feel my life is too busy, I have no one to blame but myself. We buy into the notion that the busier we are the more meaning our lives must have...what rubbish!!

What if we decided to create the space for the activities that fill our souls? What if we chose to slow down, read a book, have a cup of tea, connect deeply with a friend? How would your life be different?

Namaste.

Yoga Day 256 - yoga supports change

There are many things in life that will change the course you are on; I have met several people recently who have shared their stories with me where a single experience was the primary motivating factor in a dramatic shift.

Often, it will be a health scare and for those fortunate enough to live through the life-threatening health scares, life is never the same again. I have heard of top level executives quitting their jobs to teach in under-funded schools or returning to school to pursue a more "noble" profession.

Sometimes it can be the birth or graduation of a child, a divorce or the loss of a parent that spurs us to reevaluate our lives and realize something is missing, that this life is not what we had envisioned when we used to dream about our life.

Why do we wait for these big events to happen? We know for sure that death is a guaranteed event; even if we live to 150 it will have been too short.

Is the path you are on the same path you would choose if some life changing event were to happen to you? If not, perhaps it is time to look more deeply, if you don't know where you are going with your life, that is probably where you will arrive...(k)no(w) where!!

It can be tough to make the big changes, yoga can offer stability and grounding through the process. As we root down in Tadasana (standing pose), we can connect to our own core values and strength; when we lift up into Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3), we feel the joy that comes with taking a risk; tipping over into Sirsasana (headstand) allows us to see things from all angles and accepting the full support of the ground under us as we melt into Savasana (corpse) reminds us that support is there if we just remember to ask for it.

I remember someone telling me that a pilot's primary job is not to fly the plane but rather (s)he spends 95% of the time in the air doing course corrections. That blew my mind but it also helps me to understand that maybe every now and again I could use a little course correction myself.

Wishing you peace and the causes of peace; happiness and the causes of happiness.

Namaste.

Yoga Days 254, 255 - with pleasure I admit to being wrong

My family often teases me that I call it camping when we stay in a cheap hotel!! And they have a point. For many years I used my back as the excuse - sleeping on hard ground was just not worth the price I paid in pain the following week.

In many ways it is a valid excuse, I do indeed have back concerns but I have realized more and more over the past year how we each choose to live in our box. I am working to expand my own box and this weekend I pushed out on several frontiers. I am pleased to share my experiences in the hopes that you too will push on the sides of your box just a little and discover wonderful things about yourself.

We went camping and my back is just fine. Yoga has made a huge difference to the health of my spine and I also use a few other tools that are proving invaluable. I admit to being freezing and uncomfortable most of the night but the one big reason I had been using is no longer valid.

My other excuse for not camping is that I am a really fussy eater and find camp food more than I can bear. Because we were car camping, we were able to bring good food, several cooking options and we ate as well as we could at home. Another excuse up in smoke and I am thrilled. I am not ready to commit to freeze-dried anything but I am definitely on to figure out car camping.

I got to test my food concerns again yesterday when we were given a picnic lunch; normally, you would not catch me eating the bread that was offered or making myself the sandwich I ended up eating. Did it taste good? Heavens no!! Did it kill me? Apparently not. Was it satisfying? Yes, indeed.

The picnic was offered during a day of river rafting, another chance for me to push on my box. I am afraid of speed and any daring-do activity. I love to ski the bunny slopes but as soon as I gain any momentum, I panic and apparently do a great impression of a break dancer face plowing the runs!!

I was nervous about river rafting for 2 reasons; firstly, my back (see above) and secondly, because of the speed and turbulence of the activity. Well, again, wrong and wrong!! My back was great, I used those core muscles yoga has helped me discover and even did some yoga on the raft. The turbulence actually turned out to be exhilarating, thrilling and at the end of the day my cheeks were sore from spending the day smiling and laughing.

It is with pleasure I admit to being wrong, to underestimating what I could do, to making assumptions based on no current reality. I have opened doors to options and that is exciting to me.

It is hard to point to scientific data that would credit my yoga practice with my experiences this weekend, but I believe in my heart that trying new poses, falling flat on my face on the mat, exploring my physical edge has allowed me to take that sense of strength and fun off the mat and into a more exciting life.

I invite you to give it a try, who knows, we may meet each other bungee jumping in years to come!!!

Namaste.

Yoga Day 253 - exploring new frontiers

In yoga, it is always fun to take a class from a new teacher, explore a new way of practicing, try a new meditation or pranayama. I find these new experiences keep life (and yoga) exciting and challenging.

Today I am taking that idea off the mat as we head out to camp and then go river rafting tomorrow. Any of you who know me know that I consider cheap hotels camping so this should be interesting. My biggest challenge is always the food and I hope we have managed to cover that area of concern. At least I will have my breath with me.

By some wonderful gift from the universe there is 0% chance of rain and the sun should be lovely and warm, in mid 80s!!

I'll let you know how it goes...

Namaste.

Yoga Day 252 - I need your input, please

I need help... I would love this to be a more interactive blog, with you asking questions, sharing ideas and more so that we can create a community where we come together to share yoga and other tools that allow us to build a better life for ourselves and others. The problem is I am not sure how to do that.

Perhaps this is the only yoga site you visit, if so, you might visit this link to check out others:

http://yoga.alltop.com/

Do you have great ideas for what you want to read, see, learn in a blog? I would love to hear all of them, even the ones you consider "out there"!!

As I practiced today, I had this overwhelming feeling of "enough is enough"; I do not want to write about me all the time!! The reason I am in business at all is to help others reach their potential. What does that mean to you? How can I fulfill this goal and serve you properly?

Thank you in advance for your feedback, you can comment here or send an email to info@FourBlooms.com

Namaste.

Yoga Day 251 - a poem

Today I want to share a poem I found a while ago in O Magazine, I have kept it at my desk and it reminds me of the yoga path I try to walk daily. I hope you like it...

To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy, not respectable;

and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly...

to listen to stars and buds, to babes and sages, with open heart;

await occasions, hurry never...

this is my symphony.

- William Henry Channing    

Namaste.

Yoga Day 250 - Wow!! Half way there...

When I came up with the idea to do this 500 day yoga challenge and to blog about my experience I had some ulterior motives...

1. I wanted to deepen my own practice. After 13 years, I know how much I need yoga; my body craves it and is healthier for it, my mind and my spirit have healed greatly thanks to yoga but I also knew there was another level and I wanted to move into it. When I chose to do teacher training I had the same goal - to deepen my own practice and that was an incredible month which led to a new career and business.

I am grateful to share that halfway into this phenomenal experiment, I see the gifts and the growth and knowing there are another 250 days left to explore excites me very much. What wonders await in the coming 8 months?

2. I needed someone to hold me accountable and for that I turn to you, dear reader. There are days when my page gets no hits and others when 30+ people visit and I never know when either will happen. This uncertainty has encouraged me to write here as often as possible. I have not managed to write daily as I had originally hoped; life happens and I am learning to cut myself some slack.

3. I wanted to practice my writing. I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember and for the last 2+ years I have been talking about the yoga book I am working on. That said, I am also rather scared to put myself out there, to bare my soul, to risk criticism and judgment. Having this safe place has allowed me to find my voice, to share my point of view and to practice the art of writing often.

This blog is about yoga AND about life; we all face challenges, those voices in our heads that tell us we are not good/pretty/smart/rich enough to do/be whatever it is we dream of doing/being. Yoga has given me freedom and strength and I find the voices becoming dim memories.

I wish the same for you.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 249 - living on the edge - why you have to do it?

Please pass this along to people you know and love...we all could use a little more life in our life!!

In life we call them ruts, in yoga we call them samskaras; they are those patterns we fall into, the habits we have, the things we do without conscious choice or thought. I know I am guilty of this, I drive the same route to the store, walk the dogs along the same path, can you believe I even eat the same breakfast most week days!?!?

I think there is value to be gained from some of this repetition. I spent the first 7 years of my yoga practice using 3 videos, 1 of which was my choice at least 60% of the time. This repetition was invaluable in teaching me how yoga meets us where we are, that we are a different person every time we go to the mat, that there is much to be experienced and learned even when it feels same-old-same-old.

That said, I am a firm believer in exploring the edge, on my mat and in the world. We spend most of our life living in our comfort zone; we eat foods we know, we go on vacation with friends and family, we work in familiar environments etc... Occasionally, we may go mad and do something reckless, like bungee jumping, quit our job, scream at our mother :) The space between the every day and the radical is where you will find your edge.

And the edge is different for every person.

Let's talk yoga for a moment. For me, my comfort zone consists of certain pose sequences that I love. I experienced the radical last year when I did a drop back into bridge (Urdhva Dhanurasana) and it was scary. Somewhere in between is my edge on the mat.

I have started taking ideas from magazines and I am listening to my body less and divine guidance more (does that make sense? - My body tends to err on the side of caution and laziness, divine guidance gives me exactly what my body, mind, spirit need in that moment.)

Off the mat, my comfort zone is where you will find me reading with a cuppa, teaching a class, connecting with my usual group of acquaintances. I realized recently how I had been playing it safe and life reflected that. Radical is not something I do often, I am a bit of a 'fraidy cat, if the truth be told. The edge is where I like to play and I have been purposely going there more often in the past few months.

I am meeting more people, owning and sharing life-long dreams, exploring new activities (we are going river rafting this weekend!!) and in general, having more fun than I remember. Could it be that the edge is where we learn to be fully alive? Could it be the space where we feel more vibrant and connected?

So, I am setting forth a challenge, dear reader ... Go out and discover your edge, play there as often as possible, at least once a day and get back to me in a month to share your experience.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 248 -

You know, 248 days of practicing has done something to me!! I found myself squeezing in a practice this morning, a deep, moving experience, all in 20 minutes or so.

Funny how things change in our lives; I would never have created the space for this to happen last year, 20 minutes is such a short amount of time; why would I even bother "wasting" my time to fit yoga in there?. I admit to some indecision as I looked at my watch, figured out our afternoon schedule and realized how little space there was. And then, just as we swan dive forward at the start of a Sun Salutation, I dressed and ran to my mat.

Why do we not do that which supports and nurtures us, even if we only have a small window? Surely a 20 minute yoga practice is better than putzing around. Same with dog walking - I cannot always fit in the 45-50 minutes I love but a 10-20 minute walk is better than nothing. Eat a donut in the morning and follow it up with a better choice at dinner.

I spoke with someone a while back who said that once they make a bad choice in a day, they feel that the whole day is shot. Well, that's just our minds playing small, holding us back from "manifesting the glory of God".

From now on, I challenge myself and you, dear reader, to stand back up when we fall, to use those small pockets of time to nurture our bodies, our minds, our spirits and in that challenge we may just discover our light.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 247 - trust

I had decided not to worry about posting after the Saturday market but I feel compelled to share my experience today.

The day started slowly, in fact, I had no browsers, and certainly no customers throughout the morning and I was a little frustrated. By 1.15pm, I had made one sale for $12. 

I know enough to know that me getting frustrated would only serve as a deterrent to any customer who might walk past and I wanted to change my attitude.I began practicing yoga in my head, I could feel my body moving through certain surrender poses, lengthening my neck and releasing my shoulders helped bring this imagined practice more into my body.

I prayed for acceptance, to believe completely that all is as it should be. In the last 90 minutes of the market I saw a steady stream of people, some asking questions, others buying. The day's sales was higher than last year's average and all I did was yoga in my head!!

"Today belongs to love; Let me not fear"

Namaste.

Yoga Day 246 - contentment (santosha)

One of the things I am most grateful to yoga for is a growing awareness of that which is good in my life. Every day when I wake up I am grateful to have done so - it's pretty wonderful, wouldn't you agree, to be given another day to live this life?

Today was a day with many blessings and much quiet contentment. Santosha is one of the core values of yoga; we work to cultivate contentment with what is. I love that my practice on the mat teaches me to appreciate the truly miraculous body I have been given and that appreciation spills over into my life off the mat.

I hope today is a day when you feel quiet contentment flowing through your life, I hope that today has been filled with appreciation for all things in life.

Namaste.

Yoga Days 244, 245 - the universe always knows better than me

The last two days have been long and busy, and all today I was looking forward to mat time. I was not sure what to expect when I finally arrived there but what I experienced was deliciously perfect.

I often use cat/cow to get started, especially when I my spine feels tight. As I started moving, I was drawn to some poses I really did not want to do. I managed to find others to engage and challenge but the pull grew stronger. I try very hard to listen to the guidance I am given, on the mat and in life in general, so I found myself doing a much more physically challenging practice than I would have suggested for my poor, tired body!!

I did the vinyasa (flowing) version of Anjaneasana, which always asks me to be fully present to my body and breath. I also did the prep work for, and my version of Visvamitrasana, a quintessential yoga pose - wide straddle, one foot and opposite hand down, the other hand reaching over the head to hold the lifted foot so you're almost in a flying splits. Yes, a very difficult pose to master but one I have decided to play with for a while :)

My body tingled, my mind calmed and I found that wonderful bliss that comes on my mat. Sometimes, I try to avoid the tough things, justifying this by saying I am nurturing myself. Today, I went with my intuition (reluctantly!!) and pushed through the barrier of fatigue into that sweet spot where body meets mind meets spirit.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying we should always push ourselves hard. There has to be balance and self-nurturing is the most important thing we can do each day. My point is simply that what I think is best for me is not always in alignment with what the universe has planned and in my experience, the universe always knows better than me.

Namaste.

Yoga Day 243 - 21 reasons I love yoga (for our anniversary)

Today is my 21st wedding anniversary and I wondered how I could bring this into my blog about yoga so here are 21 ways yoga has changed my life and could change yours... Ready?

1. I am a happier person than I was before yoga.
2. My back rarely gives me trouble and I have not been floor-bound for years.
3. My body feels stronger than it ever has.
4. Perfect is no longer the only option in life.
5. I can do the splits!!
6. I feel deeply connected to the divine/universe/spirit.
7. I am not ashamed of who I am, or am not.
8. My mental energies can actually turn off.
9. I am learning to open my heart to new ideas.
10. Sex is better in oh-so-many ways.
11. I know where I am going and I have a compass to guide me.
12. Holding myself to outside goals is not as helpful as allowing abundance to manifest.
13. I will never not be able to tie my shoes.
14. I am becoming less judgmental which helps with #1 above.
15. Accepting what is does not mean accepting the status quo.
16. My breath has grown really long and deep - I may be able to dive now!!
17. What happened yesterday does not determine what will happen tomorrow.
18. I can balance for ages, on one foot, one a hand/foot, on my head. Pretty cool feeling.
19. I see how I can "be the change" and inspire others to greater health and abundance.
20. I'm not so afraid to fall flat on my face.
21. I want to be here, I love being alive and I want to suck the marrow out of all life has to offer me.

I can hardly believe we have been married 21 years, so much has happened and yet it feels like just a few breaths. I am blessed to have chosen a partner who allows me to grow and change; I am grateful to have this man in my life, he uplifts me every moment of every day.

Namaste.