Eliminating Doubt & Increasing Positivity

There are so many times in life when we are presented with an obstacle to overcome. Whether it applies to education, career, status, personal relationships or achievements, we have all at one point doubted our ability to perform. Yoga provides us with a set of personal ethics known as the niyamas to help navigate through the roads of life. By applying the actions of contentment, austerity, self-study and devotion we can more easily see the world for what it is, not what we perceive it to be. Which brings me back to self-doubt. If the culmination of one’s yoga practice including the yamas, niyamas, asana and pranayama represents a spinning wheel, doubt acts as an emergency brake, stopping the motion of energy entirely.

We must become aware as to the function of doubting oneself so that we can identify and remove it. Everything you’ve worked for, all the effort and dedication must not be destroyed be the negativity of self-doubt. Instead of surrendering to the insecurities of the mind we must focus on the positivity, the effort and understanding, the commitment which has led us this far. Increasing positive energy in everything we do by eliminating any trace of doubt.

Whatever it is you are doing, or considering, do it with your whole heart, mind, body and soul.

-Never let the brakes of doubt be applied to your wheels of progressive positivity-

Be yourself. know yourself. You are capable of doing more than you will ever believe.

Believe it.

Getting back to the mat!

Hello Everyone!

It’s been a looong summer of traveling for me (if you saw my other blog, then you know!) which ended in a 3400 mile move from south florida to the pacific northwest! While I have been absolutely loving it out here…I have truly missed my intense dedication to practicing and teaching. I was warned by my wonderful guru’s back home that moving will easily throw you out of balance, especially such a long far move as I have done. Anyway I am finally (after 2 months) getting settled into my new place, with a special yoga room of my own! For now it’s just me and the mat in there. Setting up the room will come in time, but for now I have just been focusing on getting in there and doing some major work on my body and mind.

focus. center. ground. breathe deep. 

It’s safe to say that I am feeling 2 very different things:

• the first being that my time away from my regular practice shows. I feel tight in some places, my bends aren’t as deep and my balance isn’t as steady. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing… which brings me to my second feeling..
• Refreshed to watch my practice evolve on a daily basis! Regardless of feeling somewhat “set back” I am excited to track my progress, to have that old feeling I used to get when I first started practicing. To experience a sense of growth in asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing). It feels wonderful and is super motivation for me.

Since getting back I have been focusing mainly on opening the hips, stretching the hamstrings and extending the spine. Lots forward bends (both standing and sitting), down dogs and standing hip-openers (lunges, warriors, triangle) have been worked in the past few days. Being is becoming.

Pictures are a great way for my to observe my own practice, because trying to analyze yourself while practicing is just silly and takes you away from all that is yoga. I choose to lose myself on the mat. dissolving any stress or worry. Disappearing completely into myself, giving all that I have and letting go of all that I don’t.

Here are a couple from this mornings practice…

Mountain pose (with hands in steeple).

Inhale

Exhale

The time is now. Enjoy everyday. Live it. Love it. See you on the mat!

NAMASTE

My Yoga

This gallery contains 24 photos.

So here is a small collection of my personal practice. Most of these pictures were taken at the park or beach during random moments of bliss by my awesome boyfriend Matt with my iPhone4. No editing, just unfiltered nature and … Continue reading →

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The Countdown Begins…..

Words of the Day

“That is the simple secret of happiness. Whatever you are doing, don’t let past move your mind; don’t let future disturb you. Because the past is no more, and the future is not yet. To live in the memories, to live in the imagination, is to live in the non-existential. And when you are living in the non-existential, you are missing that which is existential. Naturally you will be miserable, because you will miss your whole life.” -Osho

Living in the moment is sometimes hard for me. Even with my practice and meditation, sometimes stress still gets the better of me. Instead of living in our minds we must live in our lives. As Osho says, misery sprouts from the shadow’s of worry and regret. Grow your own happiness with conscious awareness of the mind and body as well as activation of all the senses. Start a fresh day with meditation and yoga. Ride your bike. Smell the flowers. Eat  dark chocolate. Help a friend move. Entertain your ears. Do something that makes you smile. Laugh. Love. And live today like it’s your last. 

Sun is Shining

Having fun playing downtown tampa at curtis hixon park!

“SUP & YOGA” Teacher Training Certification Retreat in Costa Rica | Yoga Energy Studio

Looking for an amazing retreat that includes an extra Yoga Alliance certification? Then check out Yoga Energy Studio’s SUP certification retreat in Costa Rica! Good food, Great People, and a landscape to die for

CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE INFO! 

“SUP & YOGA” Teacher Training Certification Retreat in Costa Rica | Yoga Energy Studio.

Words of the Day

“Yoga, I often say is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul creates the symphony of life.”

This quote by B.K.S. Iyengar resonates so deeply with me because my first love always has and always will be music. The analogy makes it easy for me to imagine the body working together like a band making music. I love Iyengar and his infinite well of knowledge!

*Quote is from Iyengar’s, Light on Life.

If the Sun’s up, you’re late!

April 22nd (tomorrow) is Earth Day! What better way to show your gratitude to this amazing planet we call home, than by saluting the essence of life, our Sun!

I like to wake up about an hour before sunrise to ensure that I have plenty of time to RPM (rise, poo, meditate) before finding a nice spot (preferably somewhere outside!) to practice.

Try to pick a number significant to you to represent the number of sun salutations to do. For tomorrow I have decided on 38 (4+22+12) to represent the actual date. Keep breathing as you watch the sun rise in all it’s glory, feeling the warmth of the rays as they awaken the day, offering nourishment and life for all.

Be like the sun. Be powerful, be dependable and try to reach everyone and anyone that you can. Shower the world with your warmth, encouraging growth and change. Be the sun of your own day, your own life.

*It’s always darkest before dawn*

Link

National Park Week

^^Click the link above^^

Vernal Fall, Yosemite

Found a great article on this week’s National Park Guide. Full of tips for visiting some of the Nations most incredible parks. Make a list, pack the car, and start exploring the beauty that lies within our homeland!

**In 2 months I will begin my cross country journey from FL to WA. (all will be blogged about of course) Many of the parks listed will be on my must-see list!

Words of the Day

“It is better to travel well than to arrive”

I love this buddha quote for many reasons. It captures the true essence of life’s journey. Reinforcing the idea that adventure, trial and error, discovery, and adversity all builds character. Who we are is not defined by where we are, but how we got there.

Om Shanti

Death by Breath

The first thing we do when we are born is Inhale. And the last thing we do before we die is Exhale. Breath is Life, and Life is Breath. We weren’t taught as infants how to inhale and exhale, instead breathing is something that happens naturally. We don’t need to tell ourselves to breathe and we can’t make ourselves stop breathing. Although breath occurs as a function of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), it is one of the few factors that can be consciously controlled. For majority of people, there is no attention paid to the way we breathe, to the depth and direction of the breath or the use of the diaphragm–a dome-like sheet of muscle that spans the torso between the chest and the abdomen. I feel this is due to the fact that most people don’t understand how their breathing is affecting their body and health in either a positive or negative way.

For the average person unconsciously inhaling and exhaling, there is a commonality: shallow thoracic breathing, typically rapid and irregular. As you are reading this, you might notice that you too are taking not-so-deep breaths into the top of the lungs, or the chest area. Habitual chest breathing not only reflects physical and mental problems, it creates them. Mild but chronic overstimulation of the Sympathetic Nervous System–the same system which controls the fight-or-flight response to stress, danger, or fear–keeping the heart rate and blood pressure too high, as well and precipitating difficulties with digestion and elimination. So throughout a single day a person can take from 20,000-50,000 breaths, and if each breath is drawn into the chest, activating the SNS, their body would constantly be in a state of stress, marked by anxiety, panic, worry, hypertension, loss of appetite, poor digestion, and constipation. The key to correcting how we breath is simple: Awareness.

Becoming aware of how I breathe has drastically changed my life. When I was first taught how to breathe deep into the lungs by filling the belly with air, I was instantly addicted to how amazing it felt. It was as if I had been slowly suffocating myself for years, telling my body I was in a stressful situation while I sat on the couch watching t.v..  For the first time I experienced what a full, deep, expansive breath actually felt like! Ever since then I consistently pay attention to my breath. Always remembering to inhale and exhale through the nose, filling the belly first before the chest, the back, and even beneath the collar bones. The sensation of full lung expansion, of a deep breath, is the best feeling ever. Since I’ve found my breath, I have noticed that I am generally less anxious, and no longer suffering from any type of digestive issues. I feel more calm and balanced, just by breathing.

Some people believe that the length of our lives is not determined by age, but by how many breaths we take. Start to notice the way in which you breathe. Become aware of how your breathing habits might be affecting your health. In yoga, various styles of breath work are explored in order to learn proper technique, strengthen the diaphragm, and facilitate conscious breathing. The further you journey into yoga, the more you will understand how styles of breath work affect the body and mind.

*Try lying on your back, placing your right hand on your belly and your left hand on your chest. Begin breathing. The goal is to feel only your belly rising, as you send the breath deep into the lungs. In addition, you will start to feel the contraction of the diaphragm, as it moves to accommodate the influx of the air. Do this for a couple of minutes, making an effort to move only the belly and not the chest. Eventually, you will be able to fill the belly, then the chest, achieving full expansion of the lungs, and your first real deep breath!

Breathe deep. Breathe slow. Breathe life.

 

See you on the mat!

Namaste

5 Poses for a Perfect Yoga Booty!

 When most people hear the word core they usually think of the stomach or abdominal muscles, and the obliques located on either side of the stomach below the ribcage.

What is consistently overlooked is the fact the our butts represents a major part of the core strength.

The Gluteus Maximus is the largest and most posterior of the four muscles located on the outside of the pelvis. The glutes work unconsciously during standing and walking, which is why it is extremely important that we make a conscious (and some times painful!) effort to awaken and strengthen this muscle. If your job requires you to spend long hours sitting at a desk, on a computer, standing for long periods of time, or spending a large amount of time driving in the car, then chances are you have an inactive, weak butt.  If so, there’s an even better chance that your back is suffering the consequences.

Through various yoga postures it is possible to focus on working the butt by bringing awareness to the muscle, feeling the power when engaged and becoming more comfortable, more stable when activating the glutes throughout your practice. Tightness in the glutes can limit forward bend and weakness limits backbends. Simply stated: strengthening the butt, strengthens the core, offering relief and protection for the lower back.

So where to start? Targeting the glutes is easy because we use them in several different kinds of poses including standing, backbends and forward bends. So……….

Here are my top 5 favorite poses for working that booty! 

1. Chair (Utkatasana) : Chair is one of my all time favorite poses because I feel it does an amazing job counter-acting all the negative effects of sitting whether it’s in the car, on the computer or on the couch, chair will wake up those sleepy glutes in no time!  — Begin in mountain pose. Inhale your arms all the way up. Exhale into a forward fold. Inhale your arms all the way up and exhale sitting back into an imaginary chair. You want to sit as far down and back as possible. Arms can reach up to the sky passing by the ears, out in front palms facing the ground, or with the hands at heart center. Your weight should be in your heels. Look down to check that your knees are behind your toes. If they aren’t, adjust your butt further back so they are. Squeeze the glutes, keeping your chest up and your shoulders down.  Keep breathing. Hold. Repeat. *Try variations such as twists, or lifting one foot off the ground at a time for fun

2. Crescent Warrior (Virabhadrasana) I really enjoy crescent because it is easier to feel the difference between an engaged or relaxed glute. Plus, crescent is easy to get to from almost any pose! — From forward fold. Step the right foot back coming into a high lunge. Find your balance on the back toe. Inhale sweeping the arms up, reaching towards the sky. Hips facing forward. Keep the back heel lifted and squeeze the glutes. Keep your shoulders down and your chest up. Breathe and hold. Return your palms to the mat. Step the right foot forward. Fold. Repeat other side. *For more intensity try doing lunges while in Crescent! Exhale dropping your knee to the ground. Inhale and squeeze the glutes as you come up. Be sure to do both sides!

3. Plank (High Push-Up) (Chaturanga) Not only is plank great for the core, it does wonders for the entire body, developing the overall fitness level including the heart and lungs. I also like practicing  forearm plank because it can be less intense with similar benefits. — From fold. Step the right foot back and step the left foot. Shoulders should be above the hands, spreading the fingertips apart. If there is any pressure in the wrists, use fists. Squeeze the butt. Squeeze the belly. Feel the strength in the back and shoulders. Keep breathing. It is very important that you keep the hips lifted in order to strengthen the core and protect the lower back. If you feel your hips dropping, release your knees to the mat. Relax in Child’s pose. Repeat. *For an extra challenge try lifting one foot at a time a few inches off the ground.

4. Bridge (Setubandhasana) Bridge is a great pose for everyone. From beginners to gurus, bridge is a very simple pose that helps strengthen the back, butt, legs and ankles. Plus, there are a ton of fun, easy variations to boost the intensity! — Begin lying on your back with the knees bent. Feet hip distance apart. Ankles directly under knees. Arms are at your side with palms pressing into the floor. Inhale and lift the hips towards the sky, squeezing the butt. Activate the thigh muscles as if you were squeezing an imaginary block between your knees, creating internal rotation of the femur bone. Keep squeezing and lifting as high as you can. Exhale and slowly release your spine to the floor. Repeat. *Try pulsating bridge by flowing with your breath (inhale up, exhale down), or extending on leg out at a time! ***If you are a regular practicing yogi I would also recommend Wheel for its butt strengthening benefits following bridge

5. Bow (Dhanurasana) Bow is a pose I am starting to love more than loathe. When it is not forced or overdone, it is magical, but can sometimes be too much for the lower back. Enter this pose very slowly and be aware of your edge. Taking time to breathe while listening to the body. — Begin lying on your belly. Inhale bending the knees as the feet come towards the butt. Reach back and grab the feet. Kick into the hands as you open the shoulders. Lift the chest and keep kicking the feet into the hands, away from the butt. Try to keep the knees together. Breathe. Relax in child’s pose.

See you on the mat!

Namaste 

*Information from Ray Long’s “The Key Muscles of Yoga”, and “Integrative Yoga Therapy” by Joseph and Lilian Le Page

Celebrate the Spring Equinox!

What better day to plant seeds of intention than the glorious day that is the Vernal (spring) Equinox! Today, March 20,2012 marks the coming of spring for the northern hemisphere (while the southern hemisphere gears up for cooler autumn temperatures). Astronomically  speaking, this date represents the time at which the Sun will cross directly over the Earth’s equator (moving in Aries), or the exact moment of the spring equinox for the southern hemisphere (autumn equinox in the north).

The word equinox translates to “equal night”, this is due to the fact that during the equinox when the sun is positioned directly over the equator, the day and night are equally divided into 12 hours. With the Earth and Sun in perfect balance and peace, a healing energy naturally harmonizes the planet and humanity.

Historically, this date has been celebrated by many regions and cultures. Rituals and traditions surround this time for it life-bearing benefits. A time when the dull, lifeless cloud of winter fades away, bringing color, energy, and movement back to the land. This is also a wonderful time to explore what things you have packed away during the winter months, what bad habits you have adopted and what plans you may have for the new year. This is when you can really observe how you function according to the weather, seasons, and solar patterns. Take this time to do some personal spring cleaning (both mental and physical) including planting seeds of intention for the rest of the year. Set realistic goals for yourself and do what can to make those happen.

Additionally, this day can also be used to “orient yourself” it has been said that by knowing which way the “orient lays” you could correctly point east! So use this time to re-arrange your house or get your garden ready to go. Use today a reference point for the next six months, promoting growth, change, and life energy.

So get outside today. Smell the air. Watch to the birds. Feel the power of the Sun’s rays as they awaken the Earth. Be happy. Be optimistic. Smile. Help others. Listen to the wind, the wind of your soul. Do everything you can to just enjoy this beautiful day

See you on the mat!

Namaste