Slowing Down

This weekend, I have been trying to work on a yoga DVD that I can make available to students to use for their home practice. What a lesson in patience! Technology is not my first love...so I struggle with taking the time that I need to learn how to use it effectively. I also have a hard time shifting gears, so when I have it in my head that I am going to accomplish something, it is hard for me to move on and do something else, leaving the original task for another time. Thank goodness for yoga! It allows me time to be on my mat, to let go of whatever irritations of the day have lead me to an impatient and grumpy mood. I can slow down and realize that the things that annoy me are really pretty insignificant in the big scheme of things. Things have a way of getting done eventually....even when I am impatient with the process! So, my intention for today will be to slow down, take my time, and breathe deeply!!

Learning

Lifelong Learning is something that is often discussed and written about. In our technological age, information and innovation is moving faster than ever. It can feel hard to keep up! While I am a big believer in trying to learn new things, it can also be easy to fall into a rut and routine and stay in one's comfort zone.

When we talk about "finding our edge" in yoga....it is all about this very challenge. How do we find the "space" where we are challenging ourselves yet honoring ourselves? How do we find balance between pushing and competition, and becoming passive and simply giving up? Time on my yoga mat allows me to play with these ideas. There are times when I decide I will really take my practice to another level...and then suddenly I find myself with a new ache or pain...my body's way of saying "take your time!!" There are also times when I catch myself just getting complacent and really not doing all that I could be doing in practice or a particular pose.

I think yoga practice has so many parallels to how we live our lives. There are times when we simply push too hard, and other times when we need a bit of a nudge to move out of routine and simply going through the motions. Consider where your energy and learning is today. Find challenges without going too far.....relax and be at peace without getting lazy and out of touch. May this be a day of new learning and exploration!

Happy Spring!

Finally Spring?

It has been a long winter! Time to shed some of the bulky layers and enjoy the springtime sunshine! Each spring, I think we all feel a sense of hope and renewal. We hope to spring clean, clear the clutter, and get outside to enjoy some fresh air.

Our yoga practice can hopefully provide us with a "mini" spring each time we practice. We stretch, breathe and move....and hopefully leave class feeling refreshed and renewed. Let your yoga practice help you get in touch with feeling your best. Release what you no longer need, feel fresh and full of new energy....and BREATHE.

Feedback??

If you are reading this, my guess is that you are a student in one of my classes. I often tell people that I love feedback: suggestions about what they like or ideas about what to change in a class are always welcome. I may do another short written survey this spring, since this seems to be the best way for me to get some good ideas about ways to improve things.

Please do let me know if there are ways that I can make class and yoga practice even more meaningful to you.

Have a wonderful and peaceful day!

Healthy Back Tips

I thought I would share this segment of an article in Yoga Journal. It describes the idea that seated forward folds can place great pressure on our low backs, particularly if we have tight hamstrings and find it difficult to sit up tall in seated staff pose. This is why I am constantly cueing bent or soft knees and folding from the hip rather than rounding (flexing) the spine.

"A normal lumbar spine has a mild curve forward, and in this position, weight is evenly distributed throughout each disc. During toe-touching, the lower back flexes, losing its normal curve, and more weight is put on the front of the discs. The gel-like centers get pushed backward, into the now stretching support ligaments. While this can happen during forward bending even if a person tends to have excessive lumbar curve ("swayback"), it is especially problematic if the spine has lost the normal curve and become flattened.
With repetition, or if great force is applied as in heavy lifting, the ligaments weaken and may "bulge" like a bubble in the wall of a tire. Or the ligaments may tear, allowing the gel-like inner disc to leak out, resulting in a herniated disc. The bulging or herniated disc may cause lower back pain or, if it is pressing on an adjacent nerve, pain can be referred into the hip and leg. Bulging and herniated discs may be treated conservatively, with physical therapy, exercise, and other noninvasive treatments, but a badly herniated disc is a serious medical problem which may require surgery and a lengthy recovery period."

So, if you suffer from low back issues, please avoid deep forward folds and talk with me about your back concerns. While it is true that stretching and strengthening are good for maintaining a healthy spine, if you have back concerns, you need to be especially mindful and careful so that your yoga practice is helpful to you.

Come alive!

I found this quote and thought I would share it:

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." --Howard Thurman

March Madness

I don't know about you, but March is probably my least favorite month! After a long winter (and this one has been especially long) March just seems to drag! Spring will be here eventually...but not soon enough! I get very impatient when I think about how far off some really nice weather might be.

Patience is not my strong suit....and because of this...I do yoga! While I am still a long way from considering myself a patient person, yoga does help me slow down, get quiet, and release some of the negativity that can build in the course of a day. When I am practicing yoga consistently, I find it easier to let go of the little irritations of life, and take a broader view.

So.....take a breath, stretch, and remember that Spring is coming soon!

May patience and peace be yours today!