My Practice #2

As I'm able to find more opps to practice, I've realized how much my practice has changed since I've gotten older. I started practicing yoga almost 10 years ago and my body has definitely changed! Of course I've been aware of this new neck "project" going on, just when I feel it's going away, I turn around and do something to aggravate it. Now I just don't do those things, even though I enjoy them. For instance, I can't keep my neck in full flexion for too long these days. So shoulderstand is out of the question (one of my favorites!). also setu bandha (bride). Although I managed to practice my back bends on Saturday, it bothered me that I couldn't do setu bandha for too long. Back bends are one of my favorites, or maybe my all time favorite poses in yoga. So as I write this entry, I'm starting to believe maybe this is an opportunity to practice some other poses that I've neglected? Like the ones I don't enjoy but I know that have amazing benefits? The ones I know I don't practice enough are: twists, forward bends and hip openers; mostly the seated ones.

This is great stuff to discover! Something to share with my students and clients.

My schedule speaks to me

In recent times, I've always jammed my schedule with as much as possible. Why? For many reasons, for which I don't want to go into and have mentioned in other blog entries. Well now it's like my body and mind are speaking to me every time I considering adding this or that, and they say, "Liz, what are you doing? You have massage school and it's a lot of time and commitment. What is your commitment?". These are the questions that came to me as I drove home last night from my yoga client's house after a session. It dawned on me that after giving up my Monday nite yoga class for more "time" in my life, I had to move my private yoga sessions to Monday because massage classes were starting on Tuesdays again! Aaaaahhhh!

So instead of the usual pondering I did in the past, "Oh but I feel bad if I quit", "I'm letting myself and others down". Blah, blah, BLAH! I automatically made the decision that I'm dropping my other group yoga class on Wednesdays (which in ways I don't know why I picked up, but do know at the same time). I feel I'm in this really Zen place these days. Very present and clear about what I want. Before I know it, it comes to me! I don't judge myself or beat myself up about it. That's the way it is and that's cool! I already took the class out of my calendar and I haven't even told them yet, which says a lot about letting go (that's HUGE for me). So I want to acknowledge myself for taking control of my life and choices to better serve my health and well-being. It's so vital to me at this point in my life as I enter my thirties. I want my thirties to be vibrant, shiny, energized and full of joy and community. It feels great and I'm going with that.

My Practice

I thought I would journal about my personal yoga practices for my own growth and to share for others who are on their own path.

Last night I practiced for an hour. I started with some Yin yoga to loosen and juice up the joints and connective tissues--butterfly, saddle, seal/sphinx, child's & shoelace pose. What I love about Yin yoga is the holding of the poses and the meditative state that emerges within. Also the breath becomes, almost hypnotic. Then I moved into a more Yang (active) practice--sun salutations, standing poses. It was when I got to the floor that things started to happen. I decided to do some seated twists. A week ago I had some energy work done and I had a lot of blockage in my spleen area. The energy work, of course helped release this and I did process with the practitioner afterward. However, as I was twisting to my left (toward the spleen) I started feeling agitated and antsy. I thought this should be more associated on the right side since that's where the liver resides and is connected more with anger according to Chinese Medicine. So I decided to lay down with my feet on the floor and just be with the sensations and emotions which shifted to sadness. This made more sense to me, as in my energy session I released with a lot of tears and feelings of sadness. I know I have a lot of emotional stuff hanging out in my abdominal so I know it's connected to the sadness.

I really want to investigate this more with myself as I go deeper in my yoga practice. I love how yoga gives you an opportunity to get to know yourself.

Take Change in Stride

As I continue to work on my feet, I have to ask myself if I'm willing to allow change. For now, it's looking at the shoes I wear. are they serving me? are they impeding on my healing? Change is something I've either consciously and unconsciously embraced throughout my life. It's more conscious as I want to experience these shifts more and be present. It can be such a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts, both fun and not fun. So here I go into the unknown!

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(From yogajournal.com daily insight)

Part of the philosophy of yoga is that we can't always change the world around us. No matter what we do, bad things will happen and stressful situations will arise. The only thing we have control over—the only thing we can change—is ourselves. We can decide how to react to situations that challenge us. Will we allow them to throw us off center, or will we take them in stride?

Yoga teaches us how to respond to stress patiently. We must experience the physical challenge of the postures without fear, and use deep, calm breaths to move through them. If we can take that lesson off the mat and into our daily lives, we will move closer to the goal of responding to stress in a careful and considered way.



IN THIS ISSUE
Return to Stillness
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/459

I am 10 years old again

So I had my birthday yesterday which was weird but also fun because EVERYONE should have fun on their birthday. It all started on Monday when I found out that a group of coworkers were taking out another coworker for lunch on her birthday which was the same day as mine. This rattled me because I work with these people too! I decided to email one of them very non-chalantly that it was my birthday too. No response. So I found myself as 10 years old again feeling left out and distraught. When my actual birthday came, I received lots of acknowledge from so many people (some being the coworkers) I decided to shift my attention to those who I didn't work with and feel the joy and love. It stayed for a bit....

But something kept eating at me about it. I know it triggered me deeply but it was also felt on the surface as well. I was having a lot of mind chatter. It was so loud I wanted to bang my head against the wall. I felt those emotions and let them flow. I can't just pretend that everything is okay. I did that for so many years and it's just not me anymore. It's like some people create this iron gate around themselves but are completely unaware of it. That's how I feel about these coworkers. It's like they haven't a clue that this could've hurt my feelings. That not even acknowledgment about it the fact that they forgot about me, yet I could feel that they knew what they did, but they just couldn't fess up to it that they fucked up. Thanks for the "Happy Birthday" but how about, "Happy Birthday and we're sorry we didn't invite you to lunch with us. Our bad!". Then I wouldn't have cared so much.

I feel like I've gone way too much into it, but for heaven's sake, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! No one should feel dissed, left out or feeling like shit on their birthday. I always make it a point to say it, text it, email it, channel it, or whatever to that person.

This morning those feelings were still there but not as intense. It was hard to come to work and actually be friendly to ANYONE for that matter. It's definitely passed now but it still feels shitty. It's like being in elementary, middle and high school all over again! Come on, people, grow up!

Sit Safely

As I just got back from traveling on a plane, I found this article very useful. I do try to move around on a plane, but sometimes not. of course it's hard on really crowded, small plans, I may even want to try just a standing forward bend if I can't stretch out enough for Warrior I. I guess it's good to keep in mind if you're a flight attendant or business traveler.

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(From yogajournal.com daily insight)

Air travel may be more than just uncomfortable; it could be the cause of a serious medical condition referred to as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT occurs after periods of prolonged immobility when a blood clot—usually formed in the lower leg, but sometimes beginning in the thigh or pelvis—blocks a major vein. Typically, such a clot dissolves once a traveler reaches his or her destination and walks around.

The good news is that simple movements found in some yoga postures can prevent a clot from forming. Any pose that stretches the calves, hips, and hamstrings can be beneficial by helping keep blood properly circulating in the legs.

Try this: Place your left foot on your right thigh and your right foot flat on the floor. Lean forward for a modified forward bend to stretch the hamstrings as well as open the hips and release the back. Switch leg positions and repeat.

Of course, the best way to prevent DVT is to move around as often as possible. If it's OK to get out of your seat, you can usually find room near the back of the plane for poses like Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) and Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I)—both of which stretch your legs and help keep DVT from arriving at your destination.

IN THIS ISSUE
Flight Risk

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1016
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/478
Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/1708

Chicago, best friends, alcohol

What a great weekend and mix! I have to say it's an expensive city but really fun and lots to do. For my b-day, my hubby bought us tix to fly to Chicago to see my best, homegirls from college. One lives there w/ her hubby (Jeanette and Eric) and the other flew out from DC (Makenzie). It reminds me of Boston with all the old, brick buildings and diagonal streets. Also the bars have that local, old town feel as well, but with beer gardens galore. I was also amazed at how Lake Michigan looked so clean and bright (at least that's what I saw).

Friday we walked sooo much but the weather was perfect for it. Then drinks, eats and more drinks. Saturday was a rainy in the morning, but brunch made up for it at Bongo Bongo. Hangover cure: Mimosa and strawberry "short-cake" pancakes with chicken sausage. Then off to shopping for the girls while the boys went to wrigley field. 5pm drinks and apps ending in a freakin' $300 bill! Ooops! Didn't realize that glass of wine was $15, margarita $11, etc, etc.....Cheap evening of beer and cocktails and bbq. Chillin on the back deck and eavesdropping on the party across the way. We were very close to crashing it but we got a little too drunk and lazy to walk across the street, "Shit, we're gettin' old!". Sunday breakfast was the perfect start: Chicago-style, deep dish pizza! We figured us visitors had to experience it before we left. Yummy!

It was such a fun weekend, it went by WAY too fast. But seeing my homegirls again was amazing. It's like none of us have changed but we have in our own ways. We accept each other no matter what and we've always have. I think I'm just realizing that now. Next trip is going to DC and hitting the town with Makenzie in her 'hood. Good times :-)

Feet

Feet are my new passion in life. Well, at the moment, my own feet. I had my first weekend of Structural Foot Balancing class and I have to say it open my eyes! I knew that when we have foot problems it can affect the rest of the body, but not the other way around. With the help of my fellow students, I found so much more space, circulation and relief in my feet. Tingling, pulsing, breathing!

On my right foot, I broke part of my big toe when I was about 10 years old at a slumber party. The cracks and creeks that occurred were indescribable. It was like a new foot was emerging. I guess you can say I'm having "re"-growing pains ;-) I just can't believe that the bones in my feet were that crunched and squished together!

I feel pretty committed to my feet now. I'm thinking of the shoes I wear and how I feel/think about my feet. In the past, I used to think I had ugly, flat, narrow feet. I'm totally re-thinking how I treat my feet and the shoes I put on them. I want to share this foot stuff with others and I hope to inspire them to love and care for their feet.

Find Another Use for Your Phone

This is hilarious. Of all things to assist in meditation practices, you think a phone would be something you turn off and forget about. I'm totally going to try this!

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(From yogajournal.com daily insight)


Often, we instinctively categorize experiences or things as either "good" or "bad." We imagine those qualities adhere in the thing itself. But sometimes, it is our approach to those things that creates their value.

Take, for example, your telephone. Few of us would suggest that a telephone would be helpful to a meditation practice. But if we change our relationship to the telephone, we change its meaning into something more positive, beneficial, and relaxing.

Don't let the telephone be one more stressor. Just as Buddhist monks use temple bells to remind themselves to come back to the present moment, let a ringing telephone be a signal to stop and center yourself. Practice "telephone meditation" by never diving for the phone on the first ring. Instead, when you hear the phone ring, stop what you're doing, breathe deeply and smile. Then answer the phone on the second or third ring.



IN THIS ISSUE
Life Dancing
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/446


Mindful Nature Walking (One Step at a Time)
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/773

Find Contentment

I find this so true with my life and what I see in others. For instance, my money projects have definitely gotten me down and I'm in the middle of one again. But I'm so aware now of how I get around money, it's really no big deal anymore, because I know now that it's going to be okay. I direct my attention to what brings me joy in my life--my husband, family, my cats, massage school. Yes! I would rather go with joy. It feels better and is more in alignment with who I truly am.

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(From yogajournal.com daily insight)


Yoga is much more than a physical practice. It is also a philosophy about the way we should live. According to yogic philosophy, we cause ourselves pain by desiring things we don't have, but think that we need. In other words, we hurt ourselves by yearning after what's out of reach.

Santosa is a niyama, or guiding principle of yoga. This principle encourages us to develop contentment. It prescribes the merit of striving to be grateful for what we have rather than yearning for new and different things. The word "santosa" is also sometimes translated as happiness, because, by finding contentment with what we have, we also find joy, relaxation, and peace.

You can practice santosa in all aspects of your life-toward your family, friends, and your career.



IN THIS ISSUE
Cultivate Your Connections
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/455

The time has come

I feel ease and space in my body. I feel in alignment with what I want. I have started to clear my schedule and make time for what's important to me. It was hard and it took some time but it's happening because it NEEDED to happen.

I'm going to take a little hiatus from teaching yoga in order to pursue my career training as a massage therapist. It dawned on me this past weekend why I can't find time to practice and trade with my fellow classmates. I work full time, go to massage school and teach yoga. What about me? Once I made the decision, it was like a HUGE space cleared in my chest and abdomen. I even got someone to take over the class for me! So I know it's for the best. In the past, I used to just stick with things no matter what. Then I would get burnt out and physically ill. It was a way of my body saying, "You're doing too much!" "Stop it now!". As I get older, I can't ignore it anymore. I'm also not 21 or 25 anymore either. I want my thirties to be rich with knowledge and presence. I want to experience my massage training and career. I will always be able to teach yoga because it's a passion of mine that I've been practicing for almost 10 years! Sometimes we need to slow some things down when new possibilites come into our lives.

I'm so happy that I'm manifesting what I want and can feel, see and taste it.