Appreciation

So...I know I am not supposed to start a sentence with so, but who cares! So...I got up early this morning to do yoga at home before work. This is something that I battle with constantly. The battle is that I want to do it..like everyday and I DON'T! I was inspired by reading an article that told me I wasn't alone in this struggle. :-) I LOVE yoga- think it really is the coolest practice and way of life. It has almost become my religion (yes, yes...I still believe in God).

Although I love it, I am human and I do have a hard time "fitting things in" like we all do. Sometimes when the alarm goes off, an extra 30-60 minutes of sleep seems much more enticing than taking myself through a yoga routine- alone, stiff, and with Carlton listening to 50 Cent in the shower in the next room! :-) I even worry about lighting candles to set the mood bc I am so groggy that I fear I might forget to blow then out before I leave for work. But, this article I read basically was encouraging you to DO yoga in whatever form it takes at home... to not be so hard on yourself to have the perfect ambiance, music, emotions,etc. That was what I needed to hear! I went to sleep after reading that article and awoke with excitement to get up and let whatever was about to unfold on my mat unfold.

After a brief 30 minute practice- I was feeling great and grateful! I am so happy to have the health and knowledge to be able to get up and take myself through a very invigorating and positive routine before I head off to sit in a cube all day long. It makes me feel so appreciative of all of my gifts in life.

Sometimes it is so easy to groan when the alarm goes off and say "nooooo...not another day at wooorrrrkkk!" Especailly for me since I don't particularly love my job. As I wrote in my last post- it is all about perspective! My morning of yoga and a little less sleep set a positive and grateful tone for my whole day. Now, as I sit here 6 minutes from leaveing to go to the gym, of course a part of me wants to go home and cuddle with my hubby before he goes to work, but instead I am going to focus on the fact that I am healthy and agile and have a really great leg workout in front of me. If I go home, I won't feel as strong and focused as I will if I do my workout first. Off I go to do squats,walking lunges and leg extensions, oh my!

Yoga question...

A good friend of mine is exploring yoga and asked me this question (I'm paraphrasing): "Do you think that yoga in a gym that claims to build strength and give you a good workout is not real yoga?"

I wanted to share my answer because I feel very passionately about people doing yoga...whatever kind you can get your hands on!!

Here was my response:

I am sure you will find opinions on all sides of the spectrum...because I know I have. There are some yoga devotees who think that unless you have an actual guru from India guiding you you won't fully reap the benefits from yoga. I think that is crazy talk! :-) Yoga is personal and internal as much as it is physical. I know thousands of years ago when people in India started doing yoga, it was meant to prepare the body for hours of seated meditation. So if you think about it that is strengthening and stretching the body/muscles. In this country we have made it our own, of course. I don't think that makes it any less "yoga" or any less effective. Plus, there are plenty of places who teach very traditional yoga in the U.S. If you practice a vigorous form of yoga like vinyasa flow or power yoga you will see strength gains bc of the work your muscles are doing to keep you stable and balanced. That is a great benefit. I can't imagine any style of yoga, even the least strenuous and most meditative that doesn't have some effect on your strength and musculature.

I think it all has to do with your perspective. You can make yoga what you want for YOU. You can take a very physical and fast paced yoga class and still meditate and work on your mind/body awareness. I know I do. In fact, I am more in my head in a strenuous class bc I am trying to focus on not being negative and whining to myself about how hard it is! :-) I think it is great to try many types of yoga classes. So, my bottom line answer to your question is...yes you will reap great benefits from power yoga as well as many other types you try. I say got for it and take the class at the gym- it sounds great! In fact, many gyms are looking to bring yoga classes like that in to encourage more folks to try yoga. I think the whole Mind/body/chanting/"oooohhhmmmmm" thing can freak people out! :-) You can be as meditative and mind/body focused as you want or just go through the poses for the physical benefit. There are so many proven benefits to yoga, both physical and mental, so one can't really believe that you shouldn't expect to gain strength from a yoga class.

I know that traditional yoga is an 8-fold path including meditation, breath work, physical practice, etc. For all intents and purposes I am referring only to the physical work since that is what most of us in the West are familiar with when you say yoga. I continue to expand my knowledge of yoga, the spiritual journey it will lead me on and the lifestyle it provokes. As I learn more interesting pieces of the yogic lifestyle, I will add my thoughts here. Until then, jump into a downward dog and try to convince yourself that you are enjoying it when your shoulders start aching! :-)

Here goes...

Ok...here I am blogosphere! That's what "they" call it right? I have no idea who will read this besides my good buddy Allie who introduced me to blogging for fun, but hey, what the heck? I always have something to say so why not put it on the internet for the whole world to see! Who knows, maybe I will have a brilliant idea that someone reads and wants to pay me a whole lot of money to explain. And then I can write a book, and do a book tour and make a made for t.v. movie and I won't care about credit card debt or buying an itsy bitsy condo....but I digress.

I have no idea what shape this blog will take. I am just kinda learnin' as I go. I enjoy reading others' so hopefully someone out there will enjoy reading mine! :-)

Here is my first random blog thought...so I took a quick bathroom break in the middle of writing this (bladder=thimble) and I walked down the long hallway with the blue carpet that I always walk down to go to the bathroom and I had an urge that I have had many times before...to do flips and cartwheels and all sorts of gymnastics! I am not a gymnast and haven't been since I was about 6, but it this hallway always makes me want to do that! Do you think it would be a tab bit unprofessional?

Until next time...