A Much Needed Reprieve...

The hectic pace of life finally caught up with me and my body told me that I simply was due for a much needed break. I took the time to listen to my body and my soul and decided to put my blog on a hiatus to catch up with issues that I needed to address, both personal and physical. I am happy to say that I think my anemia situation has finally been addressed after months of struggling with it and I'm in a better place now. I just needed a space to deal and to take a deep breathe and let it out. I was able to center myself with EFT and now I'm ready to take up my yoga practice with renewed vigor. After my respite I am complete refreshed and more eager then ever to begin. So here's a mental toast to all the practice time ahead. I feel that my body, soul, and spirit are fully regenerated. It's time.

Photo Credits: Graur Codrin

Looking To Yoga When I'm Down

Today more then ever I need to gather the strength from my yoga practice. Personal problems have me down, but this is the time I need to delve into my practice that much deeper in order to find the will to persevere. More then ever I need the courage of the Warrior poses to see me through and give me the fighting spirit I need, coupled with the calm to move ahead with reason. And more then ever I'm incorporated the ancient Hawaiian prayer of Ho'oponopono and saying to myself, " I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you. This has helped me more then I can say. They are best words in the human language. They help me to go through the process of healing myself and others. Namaste.

The Importance Of Breath

Proper breathing is probably the single most vital element to a regular yoga practice. I not only keeps you grounded and focused, but it moderates your heart rate, drives oxygen to the muscles and ligaments for greater extension, and to the brain to increase it's cellular activity, but it also calms the spirit and energizes all the chakras and meridians of your body. Oxygen is literally your life-force. Without it you cannot survive and increasing your ability to take it in and your control over it will help you in many other areas besides your yoga practice. It's essential that you don't forget to breath during transitions from asana to asana. Try if at all possible to abstain from inhaling through the mouth, and instead take in air through the nose. It's OK to let it out through the mouth however. This takes repetition to master and can be a challenge, especially if you are a shallow breather. Don't be discouraged, as with yoga and with everything else, practice makes imperfect. Happy breathing!

Photo Credits: Nuttakit

A Refresh From Over-Work

Dealing with the hectic pace of running my own business is exhausting and overwhelming... well, most of the time. I am often forced to fit my yoga into 30 minutes during lunch or after the day as ended. This is all the more reason for me to make sure that I do dedicate time to my yoga practice. The end of the day can be a time when I just want to collapse on the couch and just chill. That would be the easy solution, but I know that after 30 minutes of yoga, my feet that are swollen from standing on them for 12 hours and my joints which are stiff from over-use could take the pampering of a Downward Facing Dog or a Cobra Pose. And my mind could calm to the sounds of my measured and even breathing. My soul and spirit could take time to unwind and heal just as much as the vessel I dwell within and my weary psyche. And somewhere in the middle of my practice, usually between Warrior 2 and Standing Forward Bend, I have found the reason why I keep dedicating myself day after day and re-affirm its purpose.

Photo Credits: Exsodus

Back On The Wagon

It's the truth that for a while there I fell off the yogic wagon. But I dusted myself off again; a little worse for wear, and got back in the saddle again. And boy have I missed it. Now that I've know what it's like to relax into Child's Pose or stretch out luxuriantly in Reclined Cobbler's Pose, I can't give it up and feel completely whole. If this is what an addiction feels like, then I am hands down a yoga-head. The more I practice, the more I feel like yoga is a part of my existence. I was off my game without it, when I let the mundane get in the way of my personal and spiritual growth. Now I'm back online and ready for action.

Visualization

Meditation not only lowers your stress level and gives you perspective on our life, but it also enriches your imagination. It's sort of like constructive daydreaming in the sense that you envision how your life is going to be as if it's already a reality. This sort mental exercise heals you at the core and nourishes your soul. When times look particularly tough, you now have a picture in mind to see you through, and when things are going great, you push that much harder to achieve your goal. In my yoga practice I see myself as infinitely graceful, limber, agile as a cat and strong of mind and purpose. And that is what I am becoming, because I can feel it as if the hope has already been attained. I'm keeping this state of mind in my head because in doing so there's no limit to what I can accomplish!

Photo Credits: M. Bartosch

Singular Mind

Sometimes during my meditations I find it hard to get to that space where I am of one mind. That peace of mind that comes from existing only in the here and now with an ultimate focus. If I push too hard to realize this mindset it seems to vanish. The key I've found is to let go all of my expectations and just let my thinking flow until my concentration becomes effortless. If relax and let my mind wander it discovers its only point of reference without any mental pushing or shoving. At this place I learn the most about myself and my relationship the people in my life comes sharply into my vision, my imagination soars to where all things are possible and I start to experience bliss. Every time I meditate I come closer to this place where nothing external can touch my serenity. It's taken a while, but I'm learning that such a destination does exist and it's right inside of your own mind. It's called my Nirvana.