“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving you, a joy.” – Rumi
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity.” – Brene Brown
“The root of joy is gratefulness . . . It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” – Brother David Steindl-Rast
Have you heard about ‘Stress’? It is this uncomfortable feeling that we might not be able to breathe one day. It can have us hunched over a laptop pushing for an all important deadline. I have heard it can make us eat without being aware of what we are chewing. AND—-it can keep us awake at night!!!! Wow! What power is imbued in Stress! Where does that power come from? What does your gut tell you? Or is it your intuition that is talking to you?
When Stress rears it head in my life, my gut and my intuition are silent! Drat them! Thought I had trained them better—Oh, wait—-they ‘kinda’ operate independent of my brain, I guess.
What is all this chatter about? It is as much for me as for you the reader. Stress in our life today goes without saying. I believe any conversation I have had recently includes something about how Stress is interfering. Think about this pandemic and the Stress it brought us. Thus, all the leading titles on magazines, the adjustments to exercise routines for stress, and the many doctor visits for issues relating to Stress.
I am so delighted (joyful—grateful) I have been nudged toward yoga much of my life. When I was 25-30 years younger, I was interested but felt that it was an activity that I would not be able to accomplish. Was I wrong (again)! About 15 years ago I began to purchase yoga practice DVDs. Rural areas have had a shortage of community yoga classes to attend until just recently. I fell in love with the practice. I love the movement, the challenge, the adjustments. I just completed my first in-person class! What fun! It was a warm experience to have a live instructor.
In my studies for certification as a yoga instructor, there were multitudes of info about our nervous system, skeletal makeup, hormones, etc. They all have a place in helping us deal with Stress. They can also contribute to our Stress.
I previously discussed Yin Yoga. It is a lovely practice. You learn to get to a pose carefully, hold it for an extended time, and come out of it carefully. There are adjustments to be made for all level of practitioners and for all individual bodily needs.
I learned (and am still learning) how to focus on my body and begin to get away from my wandering, speeding thoughts. Never has that happened to me previously! Love, love, love the intensity and relaxation that comes with these poses. The breath or pranayama is a wonderful tool to help, in not only the poses, but the mindful thoughts! Restorative Yoga is related to Yin Yoga. In both, props are used when needed to accommodate comfort in poses. Restorative Yoga holds poses for a longer period to facilitate individual body needs. A regular yoga practice can afford the needs of the body for weight bearing, aerobic, and stretch.
I did relax enough in my Yin Yoga practice this morning that I could have fallen asleep. There is no doubt with Restorative Yoga—-that much letting go can happen. I am so excited—or should I say joyful—to soon begin sharing Yoga!
