Riverwalk Yoga

I'm happy to be sharing my "backyard" with you on a beautiful downtown Des Moines Yoga walk. I'll teach you how to practice yoga anywhere anytime with a walk by the river. Save your spot for one of these or another Yoga Walk today.

Yoga Off the Mat

No need to roll out your mat to loosen tension and get your zen on. This week we'll use our environment to explore tools and techniques to bring yoga's benefits into our everyday activities. You are welcome and will be given choices to personalize yoga to your body.

• 5:30pm   June 22 Yoga Around Downtown @ Shattering Silence 
• 11:00am June 23 Yoga Walk @ Downtown Trail by Principal Park

Did you notice? My announcement pictures are of the amazing views we have at our outdoor classes. Friday and next Thursday night's Yoga Walk features the beautiful bridge and river shown below.

May the light of day inspire you to share your light with others AND yourself.

Yoga by the Water

Mother Nature invites us to cultivate inner harmony as we practice in her beauty. Breath, movement, and mind unite as we practice holistic yoga by the water. The canopy will shade our bodies and create a dance of sunlight on the grass beside us. Our time together will leave you refreshed and inspired.

I hope to see you soon. No worries if it has been a while... you may always begin again. Registration required for most classes as I keep them small so that you get the attention you deserve.

Peace to You & Yours
Lynn Marie Nelson

One to Feel Better

I get it… time is hard to come by and when those sweet five minutes of freedom arrive you're left with your phone or tv and the scrolling begins. Is there a better choice that would leave you feeling refreshed and more present?

By making that better choice you are likely replacing a bad one. So pick ONE thing you want to do for yourself tomorrow. Just one. Then do it. Look ahead and schedule one thing into your week that will help you feel better.

PREVENTION happens one little choice at a time. We take care of ourselves now to prevent hardship later. [tweet this] My latest newsletter has a few ideas for you to try. Wellness is not one size fits all; so buzz me if you want to feel good more often. I'm here to help you.

Fresh Air Holistic Yoga

I adore nature's beauty. It makes me feel so alive and frees me of my worries. This week we'll explore yoga off the mat with hike through Brown's Woods and a walk downtown.

If you'd prefer a mat practice... I'm the volunteer instructor for the free 9am Saturday Yoga in the Park at Gray's Lake class. BIGGER NEWS... Attend my 5:30pm Tuesday night class you get 5:30pm Thursday class overlooking downtown skyline at no charge?

So many ways to connect with your peace and free your body from tension. All class details are on my calendar. Don't forget... my classes are kept small so that you are able to create a healing and life giving practice. Sign up today to guarantee your spot.

May the warmth of this day envelope you in peace and joy!

Lynn Marie Nelson

Alive Not Just Living

Go to that moment where you felt alive. Maybe it comes after a run, great conversation, sex, workout or meditation. Mentally take yourself to that experience. Feel the energy of life pulsating through your body. That electric sensation courses through your body, makes you feel alive, and fully in body.

Can you still feel it now after the activity has long past? It's inevitable that burst of energy into our system eventually slows. To be alive and not just living is to ride that electric pulse as it calms to a purr. I love exploring mindfulness and presence, but their path to trendiness has dulled their buzz. So when I read Mark Nepo's words, "When one with what we see, hear, and feel, we enter the secret kingdom of aliveness that is only secret when we remain separate," I was sparked.*

As I play with the ideas of presence, mindfulness, and aliveness, I've come to believe that they're all on the same team but have slightly different responsibilities. To be alive is to be intimately connected to the electricity of life, fully in the moment, and thoughtfully engaged. [tweet this] We are alive when we embrace our experience in all its glory without stifling the energetic purr. Caving into the temptation to numb a bad feeling cuts off our energetic connection to life and the good feelings too. We don't know happiness without sadness or excitement without boredom.

What amplifies the pulse of life within can ignite our drive to stay connected. It is how we respond to life after that that makes the difference in feeling alive and not just living through the tasks of life. I practice and teach others to dive into sensation of mind, body, and breath and respond with compassion. We train our awareness on the mat/cushion/trail/etc. so that when we step off we're intimately connected to the buzz of life within and empowered to make better choices. In practice and when we take the techniques into our day, we are alive and enjoying the Beauty of life.

As we encounter the ups and downs, may we maintain our connection to the electricity of life and thoughtfully engage with compassion. [tweet this]

Lynn Marie Nelson

*From The One Life We're Given by Mark Nepo. 

Cursing the Yoga Teacher

Have you ever cursed the yoga teacher under your breath? No, I can't read your mind. I'm a student too and I've been there in class hanging out in Warrior II for what seems like forever. Or there was that time laying on my back listening to my monkey mind play when I should be deeply relaxing. As a student I get it… as a teacher I get it too, and trust me the teacher didn't take a nap or plan dinner while you were stranded in that challenging or boring position.

Those moments are opportunities to practice responding with PEACE. We practice our response to discomfort when on the mat so that we make the choice of PEACE off the mat. I'm not just saying this to stop the, I hate this pose looks. Rather I hope to open your eyes to how your practice enables you to live well off the mat.

Life's got ups and downs, let's explore techniques to navigate the bumpy path relaxed and at ease in our bodies.