Tonight yoga reminded me that no matter what is happening in life, my mat is constant. It is a place where walls disintegrate, and I can simply be me. The mat will always be there when I'm ready; encouraging me to find me. It's comforting to roll out, and step on to, a familiar mat. It allows the mind to quiet with an exhale and invigorates the soul with an inhale. A good mat always provides stability and support.
Ode to the yoga mat on which I've laughed, cried, sworn and sweat. At home or hotel, on mountains or in the desert, here's to you yoga mat that doesn't judge or play devils advocate; it simply is. And simply being can be the best companion.
I encourage you to roll out your mat in good times and in bad, to practice in sickness and in health and care for it to the end of its days. Namaste
12.28.2011
12.06.2011
Starting From Scratch
After a ski accident that involved 2 trees, 1 impaled branch, the ER, stiches, and plenty of couch time, coming back to my yoga mat felt like starting from scratch. Determined to use yoga as the main source of rehab, every minute spent on the mat was a challenge. Poses that I had thought as basic had to be modified for shoulder, chest and knee injuries. Every practice became a learning experience, rich in patience and personal acceptance. It made me appreciate the poses that I could still do or had once done with ease. Coming to the yoga mat under the physical circumstances made vinyasas more creative and thought provoking. It made little advances feel like large victories.
The advances in physical recovery encouraged the removal of the pose modifications. One day, about 5 weeks into rehab, my chest and shoulder were feeling strong; I decided to try headstand. Slowly at first, I tested my shoulder and chest in making the triangle base. The foundation felt strong so I continued into the pose. It felt so amazing to be unsupported and fully inverted again! Best of all my body felt great. To this day, and most likely forever, that headstand will stand out as one of the most memorable. A pose that I had always taken advantage of became special because I truly appreciated the time and effort leading up to physically being able to do the pose.
Rarely do we get an opportunity to start from scratch in an activity such as yoga that we've practiced for years. If you are ever gifted this opportunity, embrace it.
The advances in physical recovery encouraged the removal of the pose modifications. One day, about 5 weeks into rehab, my chest and shoulder were feeling strong; I decided to try headstand. Slowly at first, I tested my shoulder and chest in making the triangle base. The foundation felt strong so I continued into the pose. It felt so amazing to be unsupported and fully inverted again! Best of all my body felt great. To this day, and most likely forever, that headstand will stand out as one of the most memorable. A pose that I had always taken advantage of became special because I truly appreciated the time and effort leading up to physically being able to do the pose.
Rarely do we get an opportunity to start from scratch in an activity such as yoga that we've practiced for years. If you are ever gifted this opportunity, embrace it.
5.25.2011
Listen to your Intuition, it might save your life
Intuition is a funny thing, some of us acknowledge that we have a sense called intuition, but we don't listen to it. Some don't even know it exists...others live by it.
A few months back I went to an energy worker for some body work, also to learn things about my life and personal energy. A friend mentioned that this lady was amazing, that 'she'd tell you things about your life that no one knew'; she was spot on! This lady told me so so many important things about myself! One important detail was about my intuition, I never fully listened to it. So I decided from that day on that I was going to honestly listen to whatever my intuition told me.
Shortly after that day I was skiing at Snowbird, when I got this odd feeling that I needed to slow down, accompanied by a flashback to mtn biking when I hit a tree. I decided to listen to this odd feeling and I threw in a quick speed check (as much as the tight conditions allowed for). Around the next the turn my left ski went rogue pointing me straight at some trees. I hit the first tree with my knee, it flipped my body perpendicular to the next tree where one of the branches impaled me in the left shoulder. Thankfully the branch only hit soft tissue, missing my clavicle arteries, lung, nerves, muscle, and shoulder joint.
Obviously I am still here, but had I neglected to listen to my intuition telling me to slow down, I could have been flipped at a different angle, potentially puncturing a lung or my arteries. Two inches is the difference between my life, death, and a collapsed lung...
Moral of the story? Listen to your intuition, it might be telling you some very important (life altering) information.
A few months back I went to an energy worker for some body work, also to learn things about my life and personal energy. A friend mentioned that this lady was amazing, that 'she'd tell you things about your life that no one knew'; she was spot on! This lady told me so so many important things about myself! One important detail was about my intuition, I never fully listened to it. So I decided from that day on that I was going to honestly listen to whatever my intuition told me.
Shortly after that day I was skiing at Snowbird, when I got this odd feeling that I needed to slow down, accompanied by a flashback to mtn biking when I hit a tree. I decided to listen to this odd feeling and I threw in a quick speed check (as much as the tight conditions allowed for). Around the next the turn my left ski went rogue pointing me straight at some trees. I hit the first tree with my knee, it flipped my body perpendicular to the next tree where one of the branches impaled me in the left shoulder. Thankfully the branch only hit soft tissue, missing my clavicle arteries, lung, nerves, muscle, and shoulder joint.
Obviously I am still here, but had I neglected to listen to my intuition telling me to slow down, I could have been flipped at a different angle, potentially puncturing a lung or my arteries. Two inches is the difference between my life, death, and a collapsed lung...
Moral of the story? Listen to your intuition, it might be telling you some very important (life altering) information.
Injuries
Injuries happen, and they happen to some more often/severely then others. None the less an injury is an injury and they have more then physical impacts on us. Thankfully in the 21st century most people are aware that sports are as mental as they are physical, therefore an injury will affect our mental state as much if not more than our physical body. And the question is how long after our physical body has healed do we harbor these mental injuries?
Have you ever felt: anxious, hesitant, or fearful post injury when you encounter a situation similar to the one in which you got injured? Who hasn't. This is your mental body interfering with the physical, saying 'what if 'it' (injury) happens again?'. Your injury has left a mental scar that runs much deeper than the skin level. There is nothing to be ashamed of here, anyone who's experienced an injury, then gone on to do that same activity again has felt this, though maybe you weren't aware of it. Over time if you continue to be active without re-injury this mental anxiety, hesitation or fear to such situations will diminish, but like a physical scar will always be there.
Think about a time when you were injured and how you felt when you got back into action, how did it make you feel mentally? Physically? Were you able to continue with the activity, or did you stop? Have you ever put yourself in the same situation since then? If so how did it make you feel?
So get back up and do what you love to do, but sometimes it's a great idea to also be aware of what your body AND mind are telling you. When you should continue, and when you need more time to heal whether it be physically or mentally prior to getting back out there.
Have you ever felt: anxious, hesitant, or fearful post injury when you encounter a situation similar to the one in which you got injured? Who hasn't. This is your mental body interfering with the physical, saying 'what if 'it' (injury) happens again?'. Your injury has left a mental scar that runs much deeper than the skin level. There is nothing to be ashamed of here, anyone who's experienced an injury, then gone on to do that same activity again has felt this, though maybe you weren't aware of it. Over time if you continue to be active without re-injury this mental anxiety, hesitation or fear to such situations will diminish, but like a physical scar will always be there.
Think about a time when you were injured and how you felt when you got back into action, how did it make you feel mentally? Physically? Were you able to continue with the activity, or did you stop? Have you ever put yourself in the same situation since then? If so how did it make you feel?
So get back up and do what you love to do, but sometimes it's a great idea to also be aware of what your body AND mind are telling you. When you should continue, and when you need more time to heal whether it be physically or mentally prior to getting back out there.
8.27.2010
Slow it Down
As one who is an avid Power yogi, using it for as much of the strength training as mental training, lately I've been taking Restore classes. I have also found that my personal practices are geared more towards restorative properties than power poses. At first it was because I'd always be too sore from biking or climbing to take a core class, then I'd be too stressed out, and now it's just because that's all I want.
It is important to listen to the body and respect what it wants to do, verses what we think we should be doing. Typically whenever we think we should be doing something, it's never the right thing. Attempting to be more intuitive with myself I've found when I force myself into a power class when my body (and usually mind) are tired, my practice is very pieced together. I find myself unable to clear my mind even at the end of a 90min class lying in svasana.
It is the times when I am respecting my body and going to that restore class, that I find the calm clarity throughout practice, and even bliss in svasana. Slowing your practice down and holding poses can be mentally challenging for most, but when your body craves it you'll see the ability to find peace is easy. Next time you find yourself dragging to that power class think about slowing it down and trying the restore class instead.
It is important to listen to the body and respect what it wants to do, verses what we think we should be doing. Typically whenever we think we should be doing something, it's never the right thing. Attempting to be more intuitive with myself I've found when I force myself into a power class when my body (and usually mind) are tired, my practice is very pieced together. I find myself unable to clear my mind even at the end of a 90min class lying in svasana.
It is the times when I am respecting my body and going to that restore class, that I find the calm clarity throughout practice, and even bliss in svasana. Slowing your practice down and holding poses can be mentally challenging for most, but when your body craves it you'll see the ability to find peace is easy. Next time you find yourself dragging to that power class think about slowing it down and trying the restore class instead.
8.24.2010
Sunrises are Transformational
The other night I decided, at 11pm that I was going to drive out to the Bonnevile Salt Flats to 'get away from it all'. A friend and I packed the car and Hobbes happily hopped into the back. A quiet two hour drive later we arrived on the Salt Flats. The moon was so bright there was no need for lamps and we spent the next hour running around the amazing nothingnes.
When it was time to sleep the moon was so bright it almost made it difficult to fall asleep. After only an hour of sleeping the moon had set and I woke up to the vast sky of beautifully sparkling stars. As someone who absolutely misses seeing stars this sight literally took my breath away and almost moved me to tears. Drifting in and out of consciousness I tried to absorb as much of this experience as I could.
Shortly there after I hear "Tina you need to see this". I open my eyes to another beautiful sight, the vibrantly rainbowed skyline spanning as far as the eye can see. The sun was still 40 minutes from cresting the horizon, but damn if it doesn't make an amazing preshow production. I had planned on setting up my tripod and documenting this, but instead I just laid there in awe of the vast beauty I was witnessing. As the next 40 minutes or so flowed by I lay there marveling at how transforming a sunrise can be. There is just something about welcoming the day with such beauty, it's spiritually cleansing.
With that I say get up and watch a sunrise.
When it was time to sleep the moon was so bright it almost made it difficult to fall asleep. After only an hour of sleeping the moon had set and I woke up to the vast sky of beautifully sparkling stars. As someone who absolutely misses seeing stars this sight literally took my breath away and almost moved me to tears. Drifting in and out of consciousness I tried to absorb as much of this experience as I could.
Shortly there after I hear "Tina you need to see this". I open my eyes to another beautiful sight, the vibrantly rainbowed skyline spanning as far as the eye can see. The sun was still 40 minutes from cresting the horizon, but damn if it doesn't make an amazing preshow production. I had planned on setting up my tripod and documenting this, but instead I just laid there in awe of the vast beauty I was witnessing. As the next 40 minutes or so flowed by I lay there marveling at how transforming a sunrise can be. There is just something about welcoming the day with such beauty, it's spiritually cleansing.
With that I say get up and watch a sunrise.
Time Passes Quickly
Life always seems to get in the way of living....think about that for a minute.
OK so I haven't written in a while because, like most I tend to get caught up in the little things. The changes that had been an undercurrent of my spring grew into a tidal wave this summer, crashing and dispersing any sense of stability that I was foolishly grasping on to. The finer things in life, like yoga were unfortunately lost in the storm. I am not teaching yoga, I am at a job that I enjoy, but it's not teaching yoga. I have been caught up in my life, aka trying to get through each day, verses living life. How can you lose yoga in such an unstable part of your life? Well sadly it's way too easy to do so. I knew I needed to practice, and that I should be practicing more so because of my situation, but the heaviness of self inflicted negative emotions kept me in bed many mornings. Finding opportunites to teach (and put myself out there for potential failure again) proved much more challenging than I ever expected.
Time passes quickly and before you know it its been months of this same old, same old. The beautiful thing is all you need to do it stand up and say I'm not going to go to that class tomorrow, I am going to do it today. A little bit of self tough love is just what will get you back on track and next thing you know its been another month, but this time you've been proactive in living your life.
With every valley there is a mountain to climb, and it is not the destination but the journey in which we'll learn. Thank you for sticking with my through these tough times.
OK so I haven't written in a while because, like most I tend to get caught up in the little things. The changes that had been an undercurrent of my spring grew into a tidal wave this summer, crashing and dispersing any sense of stability that I was foolishly grasping on to. The finer things in life, like yoga were unfortunately lost in the storm. I am not teaching yoga, I am at a job that I enjoy, but it's not teaching yoga. I have been caught up in my life, aka trying to get through each day, verses living life. How can you lose yoga in such an unstable part of your life? Well sadly it's way too easy to do so. I knew I needed to practice, and that I should be practicing more so because of my situation, but the heaviness of self inflicted negative emotions kept me in bed many mornings. Finding opportunites to teach (and put myself out there for potential failure again) proved much more challenging than I ever expected.
Time passes quickly and before you know it its been months of this same old, same old. The beautiful thing is all you need to do it stand up and say I'm not going to go to that class tomorrow, I am going to do it today. A little bit of self tough love is just what will get you back on track and next thing you know its been another month, but this time you've been proactive in living your life.
With every valley there is a mountain to climb, and it is not the destination but the journey in which we'll learn. Thank you for sticking with my through these tough times.
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