We have been ending our yoga practices with time for being thankful. After svasana I have offered time to "think of those things you are thankful for today from the small and the not so small." I hope this has been helpful for everyone. To find things to be thankful for can make the difference between a down day and a day with joy. When clouds loom or tiredness settles in, it is hard to feel or see the joy. Taking some time to sit and breath and focus opens our hearts to even the smallest amounts of joy in our day. These small amounts of joy or thanks can be the cat sitting in your lap, having a good breakfast, the smile or conversation wth a friend or coworker or even the sun shinning into your car as you drive. Times for breath and thanks can happen throughout a day. It only takes a few minutes to sit, close your eyes or focus away, take some breaths and think about moments in your day, or things in your day that you are thankful for. These quiet times can be spontaneous or scheduled say on the hour or done on your breaks. I have been finding they work best for me as I become tired or frustrated to just quiet myself and be thankful. I feel joy like the sunlight coming into my body and spirit.
The devotional I read this morning reminded me that "thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity." Giving thanks opens our hearts to God's presence. It also opens our minds to the Spirit working inside us. Some good scripture related to giving thanks: Ephesians 5:20 Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. We sing a song at church: "Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the holy one, give thanks because he's give Jesus Christ his Son..." I pray for all of you as you discover you "thanks" each day. Happy Thanksgiving!
0 Comments
Students have asked what to wear to yoga practice. Usually we wear something that is comfortable, loose enough to move but not too loose to fall off as we move. T shirts and tank tops are comfortable except sometimes the neck of the T shirt blocks the face/mouth during downward facing poses. Bigger shirts may also ride up during practice. Depending on where you practice, having a sweater or sweatshirt to start and finish your practice, before you warm up and during Savasana, may prevent chilling. Yoga pants come in 3 lengths, shorts, 3/4 length or full length. I prefer cotton blend with spandex as it is softer, but I do have polyester/spandex blend pants. I find the pants with the fold over tops do not stay up as well. The fold-over tops come in great patterns, but there is not enough tightness/conforming fit on the hips to hold them up. Leggings also work well for yoga but make sure they are not see-through! Leggings come in a variety of qualities. Some are snugger than others and stay up better. I bought a cotton blend pair at Walmart that are comfortable, not see-through, but not as snug and are thinner and shorter than other higher end pairs. Online you can find yoga pants that are very loose and wide. I have seen them called elephant pants. My favorite place to by yoga pants is Old Navy (in store or online). They have cotton blends and polyester blends in most styles. I have Old Navy yoga pants that are 4 years old! The prices are reasonable and the quality is great. I recently bought a pair of 3/4 length cotton blend yoga pants at Walmart and so far love them. Men can where shorts and pants that are comfortable. Make sure your backside is covered during bending poses! Some of my male students have shown parts that should not be shown!! Some folks like to wear socks. I tried some toe socks with made for yoga that had none slip material on the bottom. This pair came in general S-M-L sizes. The small fit, but I would have liked the socks be a bit snugger some my foot would not slide inside it. Someone gave me "maryjanes" made of lycra/polyester cloth with the no-slip bottom. They fit my feet better. In the end, it is what you find comfortable! What do you find comfortable for yoga practice? In my last blog I talked about mindfulness. I encourage you to try a Walking Meditation.
Find a place you can walk safely. It can be outside in a spot special to you or in your yard. Slowly walk, focusing on your walk a few steps for every in-breath and out-breath. As you walk you can add a "gatha"... a breath phrase. Plum Village suggests using one of the following: Breathing in “I have arrived”; Breathing out “I am home” Breathing in “In the here”; Breathing out “In the now” Breathing in “I am solid”; Breathing out “I am free” Breathing in “In the ultimate”; Breathing out “I dwell” Repeat one of the phrases listed above as you walk and breath. Also try a 3-beat phrase from a favorite poem or song or prayer or Biblical passage. Example: Breathing in: "Jesus loves me" breathing out: "this I know: Here is a longer gatha from Stillwater: The mind can go in a thousand directions. But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, a gentle wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms Hope you enjoy practicing walking meditation! Please share your thoughts and experiences on this blog or on Facebook at YWGrace. Mindfulness is being in the moment, being present in what you are doing. For example, grab your favorite food. Sit at the table without the TV and phone and other distractions. Take a few breaths and then look at your favorite food. What does it look like? (colors, textures) Take a bite and slowly eat it: move the food around your mouth hitting the different taste buds that line your tongue. Notice what your food feels like. Continue to slowly eat your food focusing totally on the process.
Recently I had finished some yoga out on my deck and was seated on my mat on my deck. I began to focus on my breath and found my eyes closing. I found myself hearing all the noises around me the obvious and the subtle. It was beautiful and so rich! I praised God for that special time. Taking time out of our day to be mindful helps us be more focused and at ease. Did you know there are Mindfulness apps? (I should not have been surprised! This proves there are apps for everything!) Check out the page from Plum Village that describes some apps: http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/mindfulness-software/ Some of the apps give you mindfulness techniques others just ring a bell on a random basis throughout the day to signal its time to be mindful. Here is a video about mindfulness by Plum Village. It takes a few minutes and tells the story about mindfulness. http://wakeup.pageflow.io/the-miracle-of-mindfulness The Gleason Family YMCA and Yoga Light Studios will be closed next week for cleaning. So I will highlight a few previous blog posts of youtube videos and such that can be used to fill the yoga void!
Youtube Videos: - Chair Yoga - January 2015 - Yoga Video for Blizzard Boredom floor yoga video - Chair Yoga - May 2014 Other: - Foot Massage - Moving Palm Trees Enjoy your week! The Plank has been used across the exercise spectrum in various forms. Obvious benefits of practicing planks include strengthening the core and our arms. Diane from our morning class at the Gleason YMCA sent the following article/slideshow about the benefits of planks. 5 Benefits of Plank Pose Here is a great article on plank pose from Yoga Journal that includes step by step instructions, video, modifications and more! Plank Pose Here are similar articles from Yoga Journal: Side Plank Pose Reverse Plank Enjoy your planks! Its been 3 years since graduated from Kind Yoga and began teaching yoga. I have been teaching at the Gleason Family YMCA. I have enjoyed teaching Chair as well as Floor yoga. Even after some 100 hours of teaching, I still find myself checking to make sure I am teaching effectively, tweeking my teaching here and there. There are always places to grow, just like in our yoga practice. Where do I go from here? I will start teaching with the Marion Council on Aging starting in August. I have also begun teaching at Yoga Light Studio in Wareham. I also hope to start some classes of Yoga with Grace. I have been finding myself wanting to get more training. I would like to learn how to help my students with their special needs. Learn how yoga can benefit these special needs and how I can best adapt yoga and help my students. I am also looking to delve more deeply into yoga, not just the asanas, but other parts like the Chakras. I would also like to get more into meditation and its practices and some Yoga Nidra. I am looking forward to the upcoming year of teaching. Mostly I am looking forward to be with my students. They make my day! The following YouTube video is an interview between Diane Kovanda director of Kind Yoga and Dr. Patricia Fater about the benefits of yoga to our whole body. It is just over 11 minutes long. Dr. Fater gives us a lot of useful information. Many of the benefits Dr. Fater shares, my students have experienced/expressed. Today was the first International Yoga Day! It was a day proposed by the United Nations to celebrate Yoga's origins and its spread around the world. There was an expectation that billions of people around the world would practice yoga. But there is some controversy. According to an article by the Huffington Post there are some in India that want to take back yoga and gain control over its use and teaching. Yes, yoga has changed from its roots within many cultures and religions. But today is meant to be a day of celebration, learning and developing of community.
I found two articles about International Yoga Day each do a good job describing the roots of yoga. Please share what you did today to celebrate yoga! Ever felt this way? Wondering if you will be able to get out of a pose? We all like to hold poses as long as the teacher asks, but sometimes it is challenging. It is important to remember that it is your practice and it is ok to ease out of the pose early.
|
AuthorI enjoy yoga as it brings peace to my life. Teaching yoga has brought joy to my life and given me a chance to encourage others in learning yoga. Archives
July 2020
Categories
All
|