On and off the mat

How do you behave and what do you think about when you are 'on the mat?' It's probably a pretty good indicator of who you are 'off the mat.' If you are someone who is constantly pushing or comparing yourself to other yogis, my guess is that you do this in other aspects of life too. If you consider yourself a hard worker, it's probably true that you also work hard on the mat and may have difficulty with modifying postures or tolerating final relaxation. If you rest a bit too often and back off from challenging poses as soon as things get unfamiliar or you feel shaky, do you also back down from challenges in other areas of life? Maybe you are the yogi who is very curious about the hows and whys of yoga asana. Probably means you are an inquisitive type in other aspects of life too. All of us have different personalities and will approach our yoga practice from our own unique vantage point.

Yoga practice is amazing on so many levels. On the mat, we practice strengthening the body, following the breath, and focusing our minds. We can be curious observers of our bodies, our thinking, and our patterns of behavior. Our practice has so much to teach us that can go way beyond the physical postures or how flexible our bodies might be. Yoga is a practice for living because it challenges not just our bodies, but our thinking and behavior too. I know my own practice has given me a safe place to consider my actions and make changes related to how I think and behave. I am a bit less reactive and more aware of my own emotional triggers as a result of my yoga practice.

Feel free to share the ways that yoga has impacted you! I'd love to hear your experiences about what yoga has meant for you both on and off the mat.

Waiting for the day

I read an interesting, but not surprising article in today's paper about the high costs associated with certain chronic health conditions. The article talked about the high cost of treating these conditions (such as heart disease and diabetes) and stated that to reduce costs, we needed to focus more on prevention. Until we start to treat our own health as our highest priority, I am sure that this trend of high cost treatments will continue.

As a yoga teacher and mental health professional, I am waiting for the day when we collectively decide that we can do better by being proactive about our health as opposed to reactive. I am waiting for the day that each of us takes control of our own health by eating better, reducing stress, and increasing our physical activity. Obviously, I am a big believer in the practice of yoga and all of its amazing health benefits. Yoga helps to build strength and flexibility and helps with managing our stress response. Yoga gets us in touch with our physicality and what our bodies truly need.

Of course, we are human, and humans get sick. So no nutrition plan or yoga practice can guarantee a life without chronic illness. With that said, we all have choices we can make daily that either support or work against our good health. The good news is that the practice of yoga is growing by leaps and bounds and people are starting to seek new ways to maintain and improve their overall health. If you have questions about yoga or are unsure about whether or not it might be a helpful practice for you, please get in touch with me. I would love to be your yoga teacher, or help you find a yoga experience that works best for you.

May all people be happy
May all people be healthy
May all people live with ease

Taking the Time

We all like to claim that we are busy people. Busyness is seen as productive and important. As a result, sometimes people use the excuse of "busyness" as a way to avoid good self care, exercise, and healthy habits. I don't know where I first heard the phrase "navel gazing" but I know it was said as a way to express an impatience for those who would choose to take time for things like meditation, introspection, or quiet reflection. Meditation, relaxation and the idea of 'don't just do something, sit there!' kind of flies in the face of our need to look busy, important, and worthwhile to others.

I found this quote today from Max Strom (a yoga teacher and writer) that expresses how important it is that we take the time for healing practices in life:
"When we heal, we become more empathetic, self-less, and sympathetic to the pain and welfare of others. It is our gift to others to heal ourselves."

I hope you value yourself enough to take time for self care and practices that keep you heathy and strong. Do it because you deserve it. Do it because others deserve it and will benefit from your efforts as well.

Stillness

One of the reasons I love yoga is because it provides a place for stillness. Yes, a yoga practice is full of breathing, stretching, reaching and strengthening, but there is also a space for quiet and stillness.

January in Minnesota is another place for stillness. I'm not a big fan of winter, but I appreciate the small quiet delights of the season, like a snow that falls on a really cold day; it positively sparkles. I love the fact that when the moon is out on a winter night there is so much light! Or, my favorite of all: hoarfrost! That amazing winter wonderland look that coats the trees with frosty beauty. Winter provides so many opportunities for stillness. Listen for the crunchy sound of the snow underfoot (that means it's pretty cold!). Take time to sit and reflect while next to a fire or some candles. Wrap up in a soft blanket and drink hot chocolate or tea. Be still. Don't worry....there's still plenty of time to run around, to be busy, to feel frazzled and frantic. Why not enjoy some stillness while nature leads the way?

Good Health!

I just emailed and texted with some friends of mine who are lucky enough to have time to spend in Florida each winter. While we tend to associate bad colds and flu with cold winter weather like we are experiencing here in Minnesota, my friends in Florida are all sick!!

My hope is to stay healthy this winter, but I am very aware that this is only partly under my control. I try to sleep well, eat healthy and I wash my hands compulsively during the cold and flu season, but even that will not guarantee that I escape the bugs that are around.

What all of this brings to mind is how IMPORTANT our health is and how much we tend to take it for granted. It is only when we get sick or laid up in some way that we are reminded that our health is precious and should never be taken for granted.

Whether you are someone that has set a New Years Resolution or not, I hope you will consider treating yourself well and doing what you can to maintain and improve your health. While healthy habits are not a guarantee that we will always be healthy, it's our best shot at maintaining our bodies and having the energy to be at our best each day.

May you be happy....may you be healthy!

A quote for the New Year!

Here's a quote for the first Monday of the New Year:

"The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance. The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose." Arnold Bennett

Don't you love this??? Instead of thinking about time from a scarcity perspective, start seeing each moment as a new opportunity.

Here's to 2016!

Happy New Year Everyone!

As you look ahead to a new year, I hope you are filled with anticipation and ideas and dreams for your future! In the past week, I have been reading a book entitled Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. The book explains that to be "great" and to dare to do bold things, we need to address our fear of vulnerability and our worries that we will fail or be hurt.

I truly believe that my own yoga practice has made me a more confident and braver person. Do I still have anxiety about trying new things or making mistakes? You better believe it! Yet, when I get on the yoga mat, amazing things happen. I open up to my own vulnerability, I breathe deeply, and as I move my body and observe my mind, I find that I can create space for new ways of thinking and being in the world. When I feel shaky and vulnerable on the mat, I am learning that I can slow down, just observe, and be ok. This becomes a perfect metaphor for my life since I tend to rush around, avoiding anything that feels difficult, and then worrying about the future and outcomes that I have no control over.

Who knew that yoga could help with all these things?? It is my hope that more of us can get on the mat and find some space to live a bit more boldly and to dare to share our gifts with the world in a more complete way. Once again, yoga practice shows itself to be so much more than simply physical exercise and movement: it truly is a practice for living that can transform not just your body, but your mind and spirit as well.

Come and do some yoga this year....I dare you to be great in 2016.