This week, we up our expectations, especially as they apply to our Yoga, Mindfulness and Meditation practices.
Where are those areas where we could use a little “plus”? I don’t mean setting lofty goals (necessarily). I mean looking at where you are and thinking about how you can move forward to deepen your practice. As I was recording the “Setting Intention” video for Monday (I really do write my own intentions for the week as I record those videos … I just do it a few days before I post it), I started adding “whys” to the “whats,” and it was far more meaningful than I expected.
So I encourage you to give that a shot, too!
Monday : Set Intention
Last week, we lowered the bar: we looked for those places where maybe our egos and ambitions are actually standing in the way of our progress. This week, let’s raise the bar on the stuff that’s really meaningful to us: time with family and friends; time in meditation or yoga practice; a spirit of love and grace for the people we care about … and for those we’ve never met. I’m overwhelmed, actually, by all that came up for me when I was setting my own intentions (which happens during this video … watch until the end to hear a little more about it!) … adding a “why” to your “what” can really send this practice over the top!
Tuesday : Slow Flow
Let’s explore standing on one foot. Today’s gentle / slow sequence isn’t much of a flow. It’s more of a “skill building” for balancing. We start on the floor (or in a chair), opening up the hips and activating the legs. Then we come to stand and get into tree pose. For more practiced yogis, this will be a nice reminder of the fundamentals (which we’ll build on this Friday!), and for beginners, it’s a good way to start understanding the concepts of how we balance in yoga. There’s a lot of stuff that happens on one leg, and balance — no matter the context — is a crucial part of strength and longevity.
Wednesday : Meditation
One of my favorite mindfulness meditation practices involved counting the breath, specifically counting the exhales. We know that longer exhales help to calm the nervous system, so giving them our attention for a few minutes will help calm the entire body and also give our brain a specific “activity.” Invariably, we all lose our place along the way, so — when you do — just come back to “one” and begin again. It’s okay if you never make it past four or five (you probably won’t at first). Just keep going back to one and invest a touch more attention the next go around.
Thursday : Mindful Hack
If you ever feel adrift, stop and count something in front of you. Get out of your mind and into the physical space around you by giving all of your attention to something you can see (and maybe touch). Taking a few moments to put all of your attention on a non-moving, inanimate object in front of you will allow the world to melt away and bring you back into the present moment.
Friday : Athletic Flow
On Tuesday, we used our Slow Flow to set up Vrkasana (Tree Pose), one of my favorites. In this more athletic sequence, we’ll move through lunges to increase our balance and stamina, culminating in our strong Tree. I am a big fan of this pose. It’s a really good introduction to being on one foot, and it also helps establish the strong standing leg. That same sense of standing tall and strong will help us move into more advanced balances as our practice progresses. This sequence is short, but it’s challenging (you’ll catch me wiping sweat from my forehead near the end). So take your time and feel free to repeat the easier/gentler opening sequence as many times as you need to feel comfortable. Or reference Tuesday’s video if you’re unsure of how to prepare the basic Tree shape.
Saturday : Meditation
I love the image of a warm light filling every nook and cranny and melting away all my tension (and worry). By picturing yourself surrounded by this (infinite) white light, you can use the breath to invite it in, filling the lungs first, then moving through the body until you are a glowing white being of light! This is also a great one when you’re trying to go to sleep, or when you feel like “everything” is against you. Sometimes when I’m overwhelmed, I do this practice and it’s amazing how much this visualized universal light does to help me feel secure, loved and protected.
Sunday : Reflection
In the West, we think of “yoga” as referring to challenging shapes, extreme flexibility and standing on our hands. While that can be a part of our yoga practice, limiting “yoga” to the physical (“asana”) practice is wrong. The science of yoga is concerned with connecting with the energy of the Universe (called Prana), and removing our myriad obstacles to allow the Prana to flow freely. This quote came to me via one of my favorite yoga teachers, mentors and friends, Mindy Frenkel. Look her up, especially if you’re in the New York / New Jersey area.
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