Opening Our Hearts

How are you sitting?  Is your spine round or tall?  Is your chest open or closed?  We reverse this slouch with yoga by arching the back in back bend poses like cow or cobra.  In our asana or physical yoga practice, heart-opening has become synonymous with back bends.  My Holistic Approach to Wellness, embraces the triangular factors that influence each other in creating balance or imbalance; meaning when we work with the physical body in our asana practice, we also work with the emotional and chemical body.

Not only do we sit slumped over our keyboards but also when we stand, walk and eat.  Is it any wonder that a majority of us are hunched over physically guarding our hearts?  Are we afraid others will hurt us or that they may be disappointed to see who we really are?  I wrote about my experience in opening myself after experiencing hardship in the article Trusting to Bend Back.  Back bends or heart openers have a way of showing us the courage that lives within while exposing our vulnerabilities.

Those often strong poses that build heat and energize also have the potential to give us feelings of hope and strength.  What does it mean to open our hearts?  My cues in practice usually include, "Tuck your tailbone.  Lift the shoulders and glide the heads of the arm bones back.  Lift your heart by squeezing the bottoms tips of your shoulder blades together.  Strengthen your back body to open the front."  I may even add, "Soften your heart.  Feel the warm space in your chest."

Yoga begs us to take the practice off the mat.  In a Ted Talk, Brene Brown suggests we honor what is ordinary in our lives as an idea to open our hearts.  Her work dives into individuals' willingness to numb themselves to avoid vulnerability suggesting that it comes at the cost of experiencing happiness.  The cues that guide us to opening our heart continue with practicing gratitude and awareness of the present moment.  By expressing ourselves, we accept the ultimate invitation to vulnerability and open our hearts to ourselves as well as those around us.

What is your asana or physical yoga practice making you aware of emotionally?  Are you protecting your heart?  What from?  How can you embrace vulnerability?

I leave you with this final tip... hug your friend, spouse or child to the right to align your hearts creating a physical and emotional connection.

What I Mean

I am continually asked, "How often do you practice yoga?"  To which they get an answer much longer than expected.  Most people define yoga as the physical practice or asana.  I practice yoga everyday; however, to me yoga is much bigger than a physical on my mat practice.  I love taking advantage of a teaching opportunity, so I explain the difference between yoga and asana then circle back to their intended question which I will elaborate on more in a later entry.

Here I have defined a few words I use often in class and writing:

• Yoga - to yoke or union of mind, body, & spirit; to put to active and purposeful use; to hitch up. Essentially, yoga has come to describe a means of uniting, or a method of discipline. 
• Sanskrit - an ancient Indic language 
• Hatha - describes a type of yoga which encompasses meditation, pranayama and asana 
• Meditation - the observance of life 
• Pranayama - breath control exercises 
• Asana - physical poses of yoga 
• Spirit - mind, consciousness, essence, divine, or other definition you find applicable 
• Savasana - deep relaxation that typically occurs at the end of class 

I thought you might also like this nice resource of 200 Key Sanskrit Terms as defined by Yoga Journal.

May you find your practice of yoga more frequent than your time on the mat.

Chair Yoga for All

A little yoga in a chair reaps benefits for just about everyone. From increased feelings of relaxation and mental focus to improved circulation and energy levels, taking a little time to practice yoga will GIVE you time. Try one or all of these at your desk, dining room table or in any other chair.

• Sit with good posture. From a Seated Pose, sitting close to the edge of the chair with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. The ankles below the knees and the feet hip width apart. Lay your hands on your thighs or knees. Roll your shoulders back and blades down resting them on your back. Lengthen your spine by lifting your torso towards the sky beginning with the crown of the head. 
• Feel your breath. With mouth closed, inhale through your nose allowing your belly to expand and chest to lift. Allow the air to fill your lungs. When your lungs are full, exhale through your nose allowing your chest to lower and belly to contract. Do not strain to hold or release the breath. Invite your breath to be smooth and even - inhale matching the length to your exhale.
• Move your spine through seated Cat Cow. Lay your hands on your thighs, palms down. As you exhale, round your spine pulling your belly button toward the wall behind you. Release your head forward, but not forcing your chin to your chest. As you inhale, lift your chest toward the ceiling, allowing your belly to push forward and look up. Repeat. 
• Seated Forward Fold.  Inhale, and keeping the front torso long, lean forward from the hip joints, not the waist. Your hands will rest on your thighs as you extend your torso over your legs. With each inhalation, lift and lengthen the front torso just slightly; with each exhalation release a little more fully into the forward bend. As you bend, continue to reach your sternum out past your knees.
• Move your arms. Inhale inviting your engaged arms to lift out at your sides and up towards the sky with your palms facing up. Your gaze follows. On the exhale, lowering your arms and gaze to the earth.
• Bend to the side. Rest your left hand on the seat of the chair. Inhale raise your right arm toward the sky. Reach your entire side body up. Exhale to bend to your left. Stay as long as you would like with a free flowing breath. Repeat on the other side.

May you find peace in your body.

A Sweet Gift

Yes, YOU are the sweet gift. It is you who shares a smile so bright it lights up the room. Just by being you, a sweet gift is given to others - one of love, happiness and peace.

Your inner beauty inspires me to share more ideas to balance and connect with your brilliant being. I want you to know how valuable you are... not because you "did" anything... but because you are you. I am truly honored that in your times of joy, stress and celebration you choose to practice with me. I enjoy being welcomed into your holiday, wedding and family gatherings and maybe even more so into your every day.

I want to give you opportunities for rest and relaxation. Let me take over the plans of food and weather. Let me give you an afternoon to connect with your spirit. Perhaps it is time for you to give to yourself or suggest to another (for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, graduation, or ...) that you would like a retreat. Perhaps a retreat is just what you need to nourish your body and soul.  I have completely changed the "structure" of my Illuminate You Yoga Retreats and will be posting the details for the 2013 opportunities soon.

Those useful suggestions, intentions and links you have come to appreciate are always streaming in my social media outlets as well as my blog Always a Yogi. As always let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you soon... remember a mat is always open to you no matter how long it has been or your current physical/experience level.

Perfection... Be In Your Pose

I've caught myself doing it... looking at that girl on the other mat rocking out her Warrior I and I'm struggling to twist my hips AND ground my back heel. I know there is no perfect pose but there beside me I'm reminded that she's a little closer, a little better than I. In yoga, we practice non-judgment and strive to look at ourselves and others with the eyes of awe and compassion.

My practice then moves to a place of balance… striving for the pose and allowing myself to be in my pose.  I make mistakes and I am not always in control on or off the mat. My head and heart know perfection is not something I can reach; however, my inner dialogue sometimes says otherwise. It’s not that these thoughts are always active, but they creep in. Sometimes I catch them as the “reason” for some of my actions or emotional spirals. With this awareness (thanks to my meditation practice), I am able to find the exit out of the spiral.

Humble Warrior

My reading consists of spiritual, philosophical and teacher type sources. The pattern I see over and over again... the authors seem to have it ALL together. So I share; we don't. I’m not perfect, and not all of my choices are the best.  I continue to try my best.  I teach from my own journey; sharing my challenges and intentions with an open and courageous heart. It is my intention that by telling my story, you can relate. Hopefully learning or taking an idea with you on your path. Together we move forward, past the illusion of perfection onto a path filled with lessons and equipped with the breath and tools of mindfulness.

As the Japanese philosophy Wabi Sabi suggests, beauty lies in imperfection. We live in a world filled with imperfection. Instead of that being our excuse, let’s make it our adventure. Be your best; strive for your best pose. Then enjoy it; let go of what should be or could have been. Appreciate where you are. Play with the ideas that are brought to you. Don't make the same old mistakes. Make new ones. We're going to make 'em, so let's learn something new as we do!  Know that you'll find your way to your best pose or position in life.

Good Savasana... Yoga Nidra

You know those days when you have a good savasana?  For me it's that sweet bliss that sometimes makes my head tingle and my whole body feel warm and free. Yoga Nidra or yogic sleep is a practice that takes me to that place regardless of how I began.

Yoga Nidra is a meditation technique that, like other meditative practices, will guide you to a deeper awareness independent of anything else. Freeing you from anxiety, stress, fear and other feelings we may label as icky, so that you may tap into your inner radiance.  

In the yogic tradition, Yoga Nidra is a state of consciousness beyond meditation that is entered through the exploration of the senses. It contains five elements to help you arrive at this deep state of consciousness:

• Breath awareness:  By focusing on the breath we are able to reduce the effects of stress and calm the nervous system. This calmness creates a clear mind and inner balance.
• Sankalpa or Intention:  This portion allows you an opportunity to set your personal intention or affirmation. Living a life of intention helps you to be and share your best self.   
• Muscular relaxation through 61-points:  This section will help rid the body of unnecessary tension and stored emotion in the body at 61 points.  It allows the body to loosen and let go of sustained muscular contractions.
• Energy awareness:  This step will open the chakras or energy channels of the body from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.  It will also help you feel your body as energy.
• Yoga Nidra:  This state you will achieve a complete awareness neither denying emotions, thoughts and perception nor taking them for anything else. It is a state in which one realizes the subtle energies in the body that gives life to our physical, spiritual, emotional and mental well-being.

Below are two opportunities to explore this beautiful practice.  
Prepare yourself to be sweetly rewarded for being you.

Give New Meaning

Chances are you have one too; a day that carries the weight of a painful memory.  Maybe it's the anniversary of a death or ending of a relationship.  Maybe it's the day you received bad news or your life seemed to turn upside down.  Perhaps it is not a day but an object.  The other day I wrote about Choosing Your Focus.  This day we take it another step to give new meaning.

Today is the first anniversary of the finalization of my divorce.  Knowing this day was coming, I felt my sadness and disapproval of self grow through the week.  Emotions of being unworthy, unlovable and unwanted find me.  I know that I am worthy of good things including love; however, in my meditation, I become aware of my feeling unworthy.

Feel it to free it.  I feel the emotions in all their beauty and sometimes uncomfortable glory so that I may let them go.  Two sentences make it sound so easy... trust me it took lots of deep breaths and a few tears.  Then I chose; what meaning should this day have?  Thanks to a good friend who reminded me that this day is a celebration of me making the choice to give myself more.  That I am worthy of great love and desire.

So instead of this day being a reminder that one man did not fully share his love with me, it is a celebration of my worthiness and joy.  I give this anniversary new meaning.  Today I celebrate the love in all its depth.  Last year I tweeted, "Feeling the good in good bye."  Today, the good has come from giving this day new meaning.

Is there a day, an object or something else that you could give new meaning?