Let's begin by discussing the term "pranayama." This Sanskrit word has various interpretations. "Prana" refers to life force or breath, while "yama" means restraint or control. Thus, in the context of a breathwork practice, pranayama translates to breath control.
But let's delve deeper. We often think of pranayama simply as breath control, but what if it's more than that? What if it means life force restraint? We usually associate restraint with restriction, but what if it means choosing to direct the breath in a way that creates a particular result? What if it means using your life force intentionally to achieve specific outcomes? Prana is the energy permeating the universe at all levels. It encompasses physical, mental, intellectual, sexual, spiritual, and cosmic energy. All vibrating energies are prana. It is the hidden or potential energy within all beings. We refer to it as life force because, without breath, we do not exist. Breath is the first thing we do when we enter this world and the last thing we do when we leave. When we consciously control our breath, the meaning of pranayama becomes much deeper. We cultivate awareness for a specific purpose. There is immense potential in the breath, just like there is within our lives and when being focus and control to our breath and ultimately our life force, everything can change. In “Light on Pranayama” by BKS Iyengar he says “When the breath is irregular, the mind wavers; when the breath is steady, so is the mind. To attain steadiness the Yogi should restrain his breath.” To me this sums it up quite well, we are participating in yoga and personal development to create more steadiness in the mind and the breath is a beautiful way to do that. I love thinking about the breath as my best mindfulness tool because it's always there for me. I don't have to go get it from somewhere, I don't have to keep it in my purse, I don't have to go buy anything, it's just there and all it needs is my attention to become a very powerful tool for transformation. Pranayama is considered a gateway to spiritual awakening and self-realization. Conscious Connected Breathwork and Pranayama have been some of my most profound healing tools, I love them because it is everything. It is somatic, it is meditation, it is relaxation, it is so helpful for my nervous system. It is truly a mind, body, soul experience. As we deepen our awareness of breath and prana, we cultivate mindfulness and presence in the present moment. This heightened awareness allows us to connect more deeply with our inner selves, facilitating introspection, insight, and spiritual growth. This happens through: Purification and Balance: Through pranayama, practitioners purify and balance their physical, mental, and energetic bodies. By releasing physical tension and mental clutter, they create space for spiritual insights and deepened awareness. Energetic Awareness: Pranayama enhances sensitivity to subtle energy flows within the body. This heightened energetic awareness allows practitioners to perceive and work with prana more effectively, facilitating spiritual healing and transformation. Union of Mind and Body: The practice of pranayama promotes the integration of mind, body, and spirit. By synchronizing breath with movement and awareness, practitioners cultivate unity within themselves and a sense of connection to the universal life force. But more to this, there is some evidence coming out to back all this up! Pranayama is known to stimulate the vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve that extends from the brainstem to the abdomen, influencing the parasympathetic nervous system. By activating the vagus nerve, pranayama promotes relaxation and reduces stress by modulating heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing digestive functions. This activation also boosts the release of calming neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), contributing to overall emotional well-being and mental clarity. Heart Rate Variability (HRV), another key aspect influenced by pranayama, measures the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. High HRV is associated with better stress resilience and cardiovascular health, indicating a balanced autonomic nervous system. Through consistent practice, pranayama enhances HRV by optimizing the body's ability to transition between sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) states. This adaptability supports overall heart health and contributes to improved stress management capabilities. Pranayama also plays a crucial role in regulating the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood. Techniques such as deep diaphragmatic breathing increase oxygen intake, enhancing blood oxygen levels and tissue oxygenation. Controlled exhalations in practices like Nadi Shodhana help maintain optimal CO2 levels, preventing respiratory imbalances that can lead to stress-induced physiological responses. By improving respiratory efficiency and lung function, pranayama supports overall respiratory health and helps prevent conditions like respiratory alkalosis, where reduced CO2 levels due to rapid breathing lead to increased blood pH. Pranayama offers a scientifically-backed approach to enhancing both physical and mental well-being. By stimulating the vagus nerve, improving heart rate variability, and optimizing oxygen and CO2 balance, pranayama promotes relaxation, stress reduction, and overall health resilience. Integrating pranayama into daily routines can provide lasting benefits, fostering a balanced and harmonious mind-body connection essential for holistic wellness. So then what is the difference between pranayama and conscious connected breathwork? Well, its complicated, but here is what I have realized is true for me. While both pranayama and conscious connected breathwork focus on the power of the breath to improve health and well-being, they differ in their techniques, origins, and specific goals. Pranayama is rooted in ancient yogic traditions with a structured approach to breath control for physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. Conscious connected breathwork, on the other hand, is a modern practice that emphasizes continuous, intuitive breathing to promote emotional healing and personal transformation. Both practices offer valuable tools for enhancing overall wellness and can be integrated into a holistic health routine. When you engage in conscious connected breathwork, a specific breathing technique where you intentionally connect your inhales and exhales without any pauses, several physiological changes occur in your body. Here's a breakdown of what happens: 1. Increased Oxygen Levels
Trista leads 1-2 Breathwork sessions per month in person and online for some offerings. We would love to have you join us. Check out all the workshops in the workshops tab.
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Compassion and Self Compassion are one of the biggest teachings of your life and it will be a life long journey to truly understand and embody them.
I do want to take a little bit of a different spin on it today. I was talking with someone this week and she asked me how I began to feel compassion for someone in my life who had really hurt me, and it made me really think… how exactly did that happen? It was a couple of things,
Here is the thing, we have a part we are playing in the story that is creating much of our suffering. And most of it has to do with expectations as well as lack of communication. Have we told people what we need from them? Have we told them directly, passive aggressively? Have we been specific? Or are we just sitting around hoping that they can read are minds and that they will act the way we want them to act in all scenarios? How does this all play into compassion? Well, our ability to be compassionate all has to do with our belief systems about it, and this is a part of examining those belief systems. We also have to recognize that we are the only ones that can change the way that we are responding to people or ultimately living our lives. Can you have compassion for the other person? Is it causing you suffering? Are they causing you suffering, maybe it is time to evaluate that relationship? I let a relationship go this year and as soon as I did, there was an almost instant relief and an understanding that that person was creating so much stress in my life, but I was also letting them. I was letting them cause stress by not communicating my needs, my expectations, all for fear of losing the relationship, well it deteriorated anyway, and I was left with only suffering. Notice where the stress and suffering is and see if it can be remedied by forgiveness, compassion, acceptance or letting go. Life is too short to hold onto anger. Read my blog post about forgiveness for more on this. What is self love?
Self love is this statement that is often overused and hardly ever truly understood. But what I want to start off by saying is that if you have taken any actions of self love and self-care in your life you are off to a good start, if you haven't that is also OK too and you are here looking for a starting point. To get to self love we have to get to self acceptance, to get to self acceptance we must understand self compassion to get to self compassion we must embrace vulnerability. But first you must understand that there is nothing wrong with you and there is nothing that you have to do to be worthy of self love, belonging and self acceptance. Worth is not something you earn, it is something you have, you are born with all of your worth and you are an incredible human being with so much to offer the world. We have been told many lies about our worthiness over the course of our life and I invite you to be open to releasing those now in this moment. You are already worthy, as you are in this moment. All those stories from other humans about needing to do something to be worthy are false. All the stories about needing to be different then you are to be successful or important or loved, they are false. We are all individuals with equal worth that shows up differently you are worthy because you are alive. There is nothing that you need to do to be worthy except know that you already are. Now this being yourself stuff, this knowing your enough, this being brave to be the most you you can be comes with a ton of vulnerability. Especially if when you were growing up you had people around you that dimmed your light, that told you to tone it down or that it wasn’t proper to act the way that you were acting. These could be friends, relatives other adults in your life that had also been told you needed to be a certain way to be acceptable or successful. A lot of my worth was tied up in the size of my body, I was worthy when I was losing weight, unworthy when I wasn’t. I was worthy when I wore spanx and found that perfect outfit that made me feel thinner, I was unworthy when I wore what was comfortable. I was worthy when a man found me attractive, I was unworthy when I didn’t have a partner or someone who wanted to be out on the dancefloor with me. Then when I cleared that up, it became apparent that I was conditional with my worthiness in other areas. I was worthy when I had 16 people at a workshop, I was unworthy when I had two. I was worthy when my husband and I had a heartfelt conversation, I was unworthy when he didn’t give me the reaction that I wanted. I was worthy when I got invited to the party, I was unworthy when I felt like I was purposefully missed. I had/have so much of my identity tied up in how I look, who loved me, who cared that I forgot about the inherit worthiness that I was born with. How this began to change for me, when I decided to take a big step and do something that had never been done before, open a wellness center that was for everyone regardless of body size with me as the spokesperson. This was incredibly difficult for me because of the vulnerability that came with it. I exposed myself to ridicule, to judgment, to the naysayers and the most difficult of all, accepting that I was in fact a woman of size that also stood for wellness and that both those things could be true together. I knew that I wasn’t going to be “for” everyone, but the reasons for putting myself out there outweighed the reasons to not put myself out there. I had to push through those awful, uncomfortable feelings of vulnerability because it was important to me. So that is the first question that I have for you, when it comes to self acceptance, self love, is: Why is this important to you? You have to ask yourself this question and really know the answer or else it will never be important enough to start working on. The reason why has to be stronger then the fear or else you simply will not do it. Take some time and contemplate this for yourself and feel free to post in the comments about it. I was thinking a lot about what self acceptance and self love really means to me and the simple fact is that it is truly everything! Most of the things that you are struggling with could be improved or resolved with self love and acceptance. And here is why. The top 5 things that challenge us as adults are:
Then about 2 1/2 years ago he had a mentor at work invest in him which made him feel like he mattered. This mentor told him that if he wanted to move up the ladder in the company but he needed to start dressing and acting the part. This mentor believed in him before he could believe in himself. Suddenly my husband started caring about his appearance, and not in a self loathing type of way, in a way that he actually cared about how he appeared in the world. He got a new haircut, started using skin care, he bought new clothes. Because of this he felt empowered to do so. He was fortunate to have found this mentor. When he started caring about his physical appearance, it built his confidence which afforded him a promotion, and also improved our relationship. I no longer felt like a has to mother him about those things and our financial situation improved. Now he has taken another step and has started to be concerned with his physical health and has taken great actions on that which has helped him be less concerned about the aging process. I tell you this story for 3 reasons. First of all to demonstrate that change doesn't happen overnight, it happens in the small little moments, and the small little decisions. Second, I tell you this story because I know that these concepts we are talking about can sometimes feel out of reach. They can feel untrue or unattainable or like it’s a wish or a hope or a prayer. But I am telling you from experience that all you need is a willingness, an openness to something being true or available to you, to it to start having an impact in your life. My husbands transformation started with believing in himself and having a mentor solidify that belief. I am here to tell you that I believe in you, I know that you want this and I know without a doubt that you deserve this, so please believe in yourself, I have so much belief in you, but it needs to start with you. You matter so much in this world and the world needs all of you, my biggest wish is for you all to see that. I also tell you this to show you how much self love and self acceptance impact all areas of your life. Understanding this, taking small steps forward, making tiny little decisions can change everything, but you must have patience with others and with yourself. You are doing great, just keep going, small little shifts at time! Let me preface this by saying that this will not work for everyone or all scenarios . I am simply offering an alternative perspective, see where it might fit for you.
Many of the problems come in our lives when we give words meaning based on what we have heard rather then what we have contemplated and then understood. Forgiveness is one of those words. We have been told things like, forgive and forget, true forgiveness means you never bring it up again, just let it go. We have these sayings swirling around in our head and we think that we can not call on forgiveness for healing because we can't forget, we can't let it go and we can't give up not bringing it up again. So lets begin with what I believe about forgiveness and you can see if it feels like truth for you. Let me first remind you what forgiveness is not: It is not letting someone off the hook, it is letting yourself off the hook. It is not saying what they did is right or ok, you have been wronged from your perspective, and your perspective is valid. It is not allowing them back into your life, that is your choice and they do not need to be in your life for forgiveness to do its good work. It is also not looking for a change in the other persons behavior or actions, you can not change someone else. So what is forgiveness and how does compassion swoop in to help this be a little bit softer? Forgiveness is for you to release your energy from the other person’s energy. Think about all the time and energy that you have tied up in other people, in past hurts. All that brain space and attention that is being used, being angry. You can get free of that. You can take your power back. Chances are the person that you are holding a grudge about does not even think about you, but you have to think about them all the time. That is not fair, but you have the power to change that, you can practice forgiveness and create separation from the pain and anger of the hurt, freeing you up to do more of what you want, live the way you want to live, be who you want to be. Now I have to bring compassion into the conversation because it allows you to forgive. One way that I find helpful to look at compassion is that the other is simply always doing the best that they can. Because quite honestly, if they had the ability to do better… they would. Let that sink in... don't rebuttal me right away, you can rebuttal if you want, but what if everyone was simply doing the best they could in the moment? Everyone you encounter in a day is dealing with a myriad of different things and they have varying tools on how to deal with them. If you can get your head around the statement “ I assume that everyone is just doing the best they can” It can bring so much freedom. Now again, this does not make what they did right, or correct, and it does not make it hurt any less. It simply means that we have no idea what other people have learned or experienced throughout there life. Something that may seem like common sense to you, may not be common to them. Something that seems totally wrong to you, may be something that no one ever told them was wrong. And yes there are many arguments that you could have with me about this, and that is ok. I am just asking you to see if you can see it a different way. What if they really didn't know it was wrong? What if they has no one in their life to teach them what was right? What if they do not have the social skills or emotional intelligence to be kind? To do the right thing? Can you have compassion for that? Can your forgive based on that? Reminder, I am not telling you that you have to forgive, I am just presenting an alternate narrative. Can you forgive knowing that forgiveness is for you? It is not for them. It is for you. People that you need to forgive, are suffering themselves… this is where compassion comes in. If you can accept (and by accept I mean simply that it is happening, not that it is right, acceptance is another word we often give interesting definitions too) that people are just people wandering around this human existence doing the best that they can and sometimes that is going to be stuff you don’t like, but it has nothing to do with you and your happiness…. That is freedom, that is liberation… See how this can fit for you, it might not work for all relationships, but see where it can fit. Every little bit of your energy that you get back is a win for you. Here are some quotes about forgiveness that might help you to shift perspective. Sending you all the love!
Let me preface this by saying that these are just a few of my thoughts on authenticity, I do have much more to say, but lets start with this.
For me authenticity is showing up every day as I am, good, bad or otherwise but always trying to live by my core values. This means that who I am for other people can change daily, but who I am for myself remains the same. If I choose to allow myself to show up as I need to daily, I am always in alignment with myself which is the most important thing. At the end of the day, the only person you can truly count on is yourself, so I know that if I can build a strong relationship with her, I become the most resilient version of myself. For me authenticity has very little to do with how I present on the outside and everything to do with how show up for myself and also how I have compassion for the fact that I am ever evolving and that my best is different every single day. Personally I think that people often but too much stock in their identities rather than there authenticity and core values. Identity creates attachment to things that can easily change or be taken from us, like our jobs or the way that we look. Identity can also get you wrapped up in achieving or in a very narrow view of success. Obviously it is important to have goals and want more out of life, but if it becomes about staying aligned with our values life can feel more joyful and easeful. Knowing your core values allows for more flexibility and evolution rather than a narrow view of who you are in the world. Knowing what your core values are is important in life as it will create more ease in making decisions and taking action. During times of upheaval and change, core values serve as anchors, grounding us in our principles and fortifying our resilience. They provide stability amidst chaos, empowering us to adapt, evolve, and emerge stronger from adversity. They also can help you to know if you are in alignment with in friendships or other relationships. Knowing your core values also helps drive purpose and passion. We can take on different identities in life, but they are not who we are. If I was going to go super spiritual on you, I would say that we are everything and we are nothing, we are simply I Am. And as much is that is true, we are also human beings walking on the planet and we tend to need things to define ourselves. But what if it didn’t have to be so narrow, or so rigid, what if your identity wasn’t tied up in something that you feel you have to measure like success or popularity? What if life could be a little more fun, flexible and undefined. Let me give you some examples. EX: I am a woman who likes to wear leggings and black T-Shirts I am a woman who values comfort. If I wrap myself in the identity of leggings and black t-shirts then I feel inauthentic when I wear anything else. EX: I like and a woman who likes tattoos I value creative expression and meaningful symbols. EX: I am an entrepreneur. I value enjoyment in my work and I enjoy working for myself. I do not think that everyone should work for themselves. I believe in finding enjoyment of work and that has nothing to do with the tasks that you actually perform or levels of success that I achieve. EX: I am a wife I value partnership but also individuation. My relationship with my husband is high value for me, but not if I am going to lose myself in being with him. Expressing yourself through your values creates a broader expression of who you can be in any given moment without feelings like you are betraying yourself in some way if you do not always adhere to that narrow view. Give this a think and see if it resonates. I don’t do Yoga because I am not flexible.
I don’t do Zumba because I am not coordinated. I don’t do art because I’m not creative. I don’t go on vacation because I am not confident about the way that I look in a bathing suit. I don’t go axe throwing because I might not hit the target. I don’t hike because I will be out of breath. I don’t dance because I have two left feet. I don’t write because no one will read it. I don’t go to karaoke because I can’t sing. I don’t do xyz because I think I won’t fit in, will get frustrated, won’t understand, won’t be good at it. Have you ever said or thought any of these things? I know I have and most of the time I am able to stop myself now but sometimes one of these limiting beliefs still slips through and prevents me from doing something fun or trying a new thing. And there are many reasons why we have these limiting beliefs, but I’m not going get into that now. I want to say about these things is this. 1. It’s ok to have anxiety, I struggle with this too. But now that I have learned to work with my anxiety I allow it to illuminate beliefs for me. I ask myself, is it my anxiety or something that someone else told me I should worry about? Is it my belief or is it something I heard somewhere? You are not alone in these feelings. 2. I didn’t just stand up and walk elegantly across the room when I took my first steps and neither did you. Chances are there will be lots of things in life you have to practice to get good at, but also we can enjoy things without being “good at them”. Think about how much kids love to paint and draw and build… not often good at it, they do it anyway… because it’s FUN! 3. Saying no to many of these things is actually preventing you from getting the benefits they provide. For example, Yoga increases your flexibility, Zumba helps with coordination, doing art inspires creativity, trying new things and going new places creates confidence, failing is essential to success… I think you get what I am saying. Self love is not simply bubble baths and massages, those things are nice but real self acceptance and self love is so much more then that. It is about trying new things and and loving yourself through the learning, the discomfort, potential struggle and mistakes. It is about learning about yourself, creating a relationship and truly enjoying your own company. It is about asking for what you need, setting boundaries and accepting help when it’s offered. It is about allowing yourself to get truly curious about who you are…. And loving all of the parts. Why did I write this post? I wrote it for all the humans out there who think that they are not worthy of trying something new. Who think they are not good enough to belong somewhere. Who want something more from life but don’t know how to start. I wrote this post because there are so many people that tell us that they have been lurking on our page for years, but never come in, this is your invitation… Come on in we want to meet you!!! I was talking about this with one of our new students last last week and she said you should definitely call out the lurkers and tell them to come in, I wish I would’ve come in sooner! I am not saying the solution is coming to try a class with us at Above Average Wellness but it could be.... What I am saying it is time to tap into your wants and desires and do the damn thing! Why? Because you deserve it! You are worthy and deserving just as you are! You are amazing, I love you, you matter and I hope to see you/meet you soon! - Love Trista What is Self-Love?
Self-love is a concept that's often talked about but not always well understood. If you’ve taken steps toward self-care, you're on the right path; if you haven't, that’s okay too. The journey to self-love starts with self-acceptance, which requires self-compassion, and self-compassion begins with embracing vulnerability. Vulnerability is Not Weakness: It’s an act of courage and strength. Being open and exposed takes bravery, especially in the face of potential criticism or rejection. Often, we fear judgment so much that we preemptively judge ourselves so that no one else can judge us. Vulnerability is Not Oversharing: True vulnerability involves sharing with the right people—those who have earned our trust. It’s about intentional sharing, not divulging everything to everyone. Vulnerability is Not TMI: There's a misconception that certain topics are off-limits. Creating safe spaces for honest conversations helps build deeper connections and combats feelings of shame and isolation. You Can’t Go Through Life Alone: Humans are wired for connection and belonging. Vulnerability fosters these connections and cultivates meaningful relationships. To foster connection, we need to be seen. Sharing our stories in safe spaces helps remove shame’s power. By listening to others and recognizing shared experiences, we find common ground and support. This is why women's circles are so powerful, they make you realize that you are not alone. Feeling worthy of connection is crucial. Those who believe in their worthiness of love and belonging are the ones who experience it. Worth isn’t earned; it’s inherent. You are already enough just as you are, you were born that way. Vulnerability in Practice Vulnerability can manifest in many ways: saying “I love you” first, taking risks without guarantees, sharing your story, asking for what you need, seeking help, and being open about your feelings. Just try something small first and move into more when it feels right, but do not numb it out, take tiny vulnerability risks, and see what is possible. We often numb our emotions to avoid vulnerability, but this numbs all feelings, including joy and gratitude. Breaking this cycle involves:
We hope to see you in a women's circle soon where we put vulnerability into practice by been seen, heard and witnessed in our whole selves. Truthfully, when I first started Above Average Wellness I had no idea what I was doing. The only reason that we are still around today was because I was fueled with passion and purpose. I wanted to create a space where everyone could belong and move their bodies without fear of judgment.
At the time, I was a new yogi and really didn't understand all the things that yoga was providing for me, I just knew that it felt good and I wanted to create a space so others could feel good. In a world where fitness trends come and go, yoga remains a hot topic of debate. While some swear by its transformative powers, others dismiss it as stretching in fancy pants. When I first started I was part of the latter group...stretching in fancy pants... 2 months after I opened I enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training and everything changed. As I learned the deep history and ancient sacred practices I suddenly knew that the purpose of yoga was so much more then physical fitness. Plus I learned a lot of informative things about the way that my body worked and also how to work with the mind. As soon as I seen it, I couldn't unsee it, yoga, is all of life. Here are some of my favorite things that yoga has done for me. Mindfulness: Yoga isn’t about contorting your body into pretzel-like shapes; it’s about cultivating mindfulness. In a society plagued by stress and distractions, yoga offers a sanctuary to quiet the mind and tune into the present moment. Through breathwork and meditation, we learn to let go of worries about the past and future, finding peace in the here and now. When you are in a yoga class, there is no other place you can be, it is time just for you. Flexibility Beyond the Mat: Sure, yoga improves flexibility, but its benefits extend far beyond physical. As we bend and stretch on the mat, we also stretch our mental boundaries, challenging ingrained beliefs and habits. Yoga teaches us to embrace discomfort with grace, preparing us to navigate life’s twists and turns with resilience and adaptability. It also helps to to release the general day to day worries and come into an understanding about what is important and what is there to simply teach us to let go. Strength in Stillness: Contrary to popular belief, yoga is not just for the flexible or the ones with a quiet mind(this doesn't exist btw, you are NOT alone) It’s for everyone, regardless of age, size, or fitness level. Whether you’re holding a plank or sitting in stillness, every pose builds resilience– not just in muscles, but in character. Through practice and self-compassion, we discover that yoga nourishes all the parts of ourselves. Liberation Through Breath: The breath is the backbone of yoga, anchoring us to the present moment and guiding us through each pose. By harnessing the power of breath, we tap into our inner reservoir of calm and vitality. Our breath is a huge measure of our emotions and can show us what is true for us in the moment. Yoga teaches us to breathe through discomfort, both on and off the mat, creating a deeper connection with our emotions and our overall well being. Empowerment Through Self-Exploration: Yoga encourages us to explore the depths of our being, unraveling layers of self-limiting beliefs and discovering our true potential. As we delve into challenging poses and confront our fears head-on, we realize that the only thing holding us back is ourselves. Yoga empowers us to break free from the shackles of doubt and embrace the infinite possibilities that lie within. Healing From the Inside Out: Beyond the physical benefits, yoga is a powerful tool for healing on a holistic level. Through mindful movement and breathwork, we release pent-up emotions stored in the body, clearing away energetic blockages and fostering emotional well-being. Yoga teaches us to listen to our bodies' wisdom, offering a path to healing from the inside out. Cultivating Compassion and Kindness: Yoga is not just about self-improvement; it's about spreading love and compassion to all beings. As we cultivate kindness towards ourselves on the mat, we extend that same compassion to others off the mat. Yoga teaches us to see the interconnectedness of all life and inspires us to be agents of positive change in the world. Embracing Imperfection: In a society obsessed with perfection, yoga offers a refreshing perspective on imperfection. Through wobbly tree poses and imperfect balances, we learn to embrace our flaws and celebrate our uniqueness. Yoga teaches us that perfection is an illusion; it's our quirks and imperfections that make us beautifully human. Community and Connection: Yoga is more than a solo practice; it’s a community affair. From sweaty studio sessions to women's circles, to restorative practices, to sound healings, yogis come together to support and uplift one another. In a world plagued by isolation, yoga offers a sense of belonging and connection – a reminder that we’re all in this journey of self-discovery together. Living in Alignment with Our True Essence: Ultimately, yoga is a journey of self-discovery and self-realization. It isn’t just about touching your toes; it’s about touching the depths of your soul. It's about aligning with our true essence and living authentically from the heart. As we tune into the rhythm of our breath and the wisdom of our bodies, we remember who we truly are – divine beings capable of love, joy, and limitless potential. Dive in, breathe deep, and discover the transformative power of yoga for yourself or maybe you are ready to embark on our next teacher training journey... yoga really is for everyone! What if it were true that change isn't inherently hard? What if instead of fearing it, we welcomed change as an opportunity, embracing the mystery and excitement it brings? I'm not referring to life-altering events like losing a loved one or facing health challenges, but rather those unexpected shifts that make us pause and reassess our perspectives. Change challenges us to confront our attachments, control, desires, fears, uncertainties, curiosity, responsibilities, and resilience. This is why it can seem so hard, but if we break it down, we can see that going with change, rather then fighting against it is a more easeful path. Attachments lead us to believe that certain conditions must be met for us to feel happy and fulfilled. Yet, true happiness lies in letting go of these conditions and finding acceptance in the present moment with the reality of what is happening. Control is the illusion of power over uncontrollable circumstances. By surrendering control, we learn to flow with life's currents and trust in its unfolding. This also goes hand in hand with worrying, if we worry about something that may never happen it is simply wasted energy, if we worry about something that is going to happen, you experience it over and over again creating more stress that you don't need. Desire often leads us to pursue external validations of happiness, like material possessions. But genuine fulfillment arises from within, when we align with our authentic desires and practice gratitude for what we have. We have to make sure that when we desire something that it actually comes from us, not from something we have been told we should desire. Fear, uncertainty, and curiosity accompany change, guiding us through the unknown with wisdom and courage. By facing our fears and embracing uncertainty, we discover our resilience and capacity for growth. Good things happen just outside of your comfort zone. Taking responsibility for our thoughts, actions, and reactions is essential in navigating change. It empowers us to choose our responses to life's challenges and liberates us from judgment and expectation. In embracing impermanence, we learn to live mindfully in the present moment, appreciating the beauty of life's ever-changing nature. The only thing that is permanent is change. So how do we welcome change? By cultivating awareness, compassion, and curiosity, we create space for growth and transformation. We challenge our assumptions, explore new possibilities, and embrace the uncertainty of the unknown. As we journey through life's ever-changing landscape, may we release old narratives that hold us back and embrace the infinite possibilities of each moment of change. We tap into what is ours, and what is someone else's and we try our best to stay the course on our own true north. In the dance of impermanence, we find the freedom to live fully, love deeply, and embrace the beauty of our ever-evolving selves. The next time change arises try to see it as an opportunity, a chance to look for possibilities not road blocks. |
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July 2024
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