Winter can be long

I have a hard time with winter. It seems to last a long time and I struggle with my mood and energy level when it is so cold and dark. Yoga reminds me to be present, to release my endless thoughts about how long the dang winter may last, and instead, focus on the present and the gift that it is.
So, just for today, I will try to cultivate a sense of awareness and gratitude and try to accept and surrender to the fact that it is winter in Minnesota! I will feel blessed to do some yoga with all of you, indoors!!
Peace!

Baby it's cold outside!

January can be cold in Minnesota. One of the reasons that I find yoga such a delight this time of the year, is that I can adapt my pace and practice to suit my mood and energy level. Yoga provides some time to be centered and calm,  and it provides time for new flexibility, strength, and warmth.
I love the sense of openness and release that I feel after a yoga practice; a nice contradiction to the restrictive tightness that I feel when I am shivering and cold!
Stay warm this January. Do some yoga...or take a brisk walk outside, go skiing or skating. Do something that brings you a sense of joy and puts a smile on your face.
Warmth, peace and joy to you in 2013!

Back to Reality

If your schedule is at all like mine, then this is your first 'official' week back to work (no days off for holidays, just a full schedule!). I hope that your new routine will include some yoga! Remind yourself that you can start fresh each day...and actually in each moment. Have a great week and I hope to see you in class!

The end of 2012

As we look back at another year, and make our preparations for 2013, let's be sure that if we set intentions or New Year resolutions, that we set them in motion with a sense of compassion and kindness. Not many resolutions seem to have much staying power; maybe this is because they start with negativity and criticism of ourselves and our habits. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make some changes or with striving to do better, but this year, try to frame those ideas in a way that is positive rather than restrictive, adding good things to our day in order to replace old habits that have outlasted their usefulness.

If one of your intentions is to do more yoga in 2013....I will hope to see you in class! New sessions for 2013 start this Thursday (Jan 3) and next Monday (Jan 7th). May your New Year be full of blessings and good health!

Merry Christmas!

To all of my fellow yogis,
Have a wonderful Christmas! Enjoy family and friends and the pretty Christmas Eve snowfall. Relax, be safe, and enjoy! I will hope to see you all again as classes re-start in early January.
Peace

Peace

As Christmas approaches, decide to be a peacemaker. Take some time on your yoga mat to breathe and really be present. Then take your practice of mindfulness out into the community. Decide not to rush. Listen. Smile. Practice some small act of kindness. Seems simple, but it can be hard to do.  Yoga is a practice for living...we give ourselves repeated opportunities on our mats to try out and practice the idea of being mindful and aware, and over time, we get better at taking these ways of being into our day.
Breathe. Be at peace. Share your peaceful presence.

The unexpected

In my work with kids at school, we have started to teach them about "expected" and "unexpected" behavior, so that they can learn more about social rules, and about how others feel when they respond in an unexpected way (like tantrums, anger, blurting out, etc). The kids can also think through possible responses that they can choose when something out of the ordinary happens, so that they are better prepared to handle changes and disappointments.

I started thinking about this idea and how we can learn more about our own reactions and emotions when we are on our yoga mats. Many yoga postures are rather bizarre and unexpected, and as a beginning student, many of the asanas look impossible or beyond our capacity.When we first try to move our bodies in brand new ways, it can feel awkward and scary. Yet, if we keep at it and maintain an open mind and an ongoing yoga practice, soon we are doing things we never imagined.

In the Christian tradition, the entire Christmas story is "unexpected". A virgin birth, some rich kings wandering about looking for a baby that they feel compelled to bring gifts to...it's all pretty out of the ordinary!! Unexpected events get our attention. Be deliberate about paying attention, even when things are routine and ordinary. An unexpected event may be just around the corner. Think about how you want to respond to the unexpected.