Steady in a Storm

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How do you stay grounded when your world is turned upside down? You know what I mean. There you are, just going about your business, when *surprise* life throws you a curveball.

What tools do you have to stay grounded when everything is up in the air? My yoga classes this week will focus on the things you can do on and off the mat to stay steady, rain or shine.

Strengthen your Roots

peeking-goddess-fbLast week’s yoga classes were designed to help us let go of those things that no longer serve us in celebration of the beginning of Autumn.  Sometimes, as we let go, especially of those things we have held onto for a long time we feel unstable.  The transition from holding on to letting go, from summer to fall, from one president to the next, can leave us feeling ungrounded.  This week my yoga classes will emphasize sending our roots deeper to help keep us stable and strong, yet also flexible, so we can transition throughout our lives with confidence and grace.

Every Day is a Lucky Day

This morning I found no less than three four leaf clovers in my backyard. My first thought was,four-leaf-clovers-fb2 “This is going to be a lucky day”. My next thought was “Every day is a lucky day!”

To be completely honest with you I must tell you that I may not drink eight 8oz. glasses of water every single day or sleep for a full eight hours. Sometimes *gasp* I might even venture outside without first applying sunscreen. The one thing I DO practice each and every day, usually multiple times, is gratitude.

The list of things I am thankful for is infinite. The incredible individuals I meet through the work I do is at the top of my list. Click here to read more.

Fall, A Time to Let Go

seated-twist-2-fbFall is officially here this week. Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that autumn is a time to let go of the things in our lives that no longer serve us. As I watch the trees so effortlessly let go of their leaves, I realize that for some of us humans, letting go does not always happen so gracefully. Not to worry! This week I have designed a yoga class to help us let go with the same wisdom and elegance as the trees who release their leaves without a moment of struggle. Join me this Friday at Towson Yoga Works from 2-3pm for a hot yoga community class that will *leave* (sorry, I couldn’t resist the Fall pun!) you feeling as unburdened as a tree without it’s leaves.

Five Reasons to Open your Heart

This week (and really every week!) my yoga classes will focus on the heart.  Meet me on Friday at Towson Yoga Works from 2-3pm for a heart centered community hot yoga class.  Need more inspiration?  Keep reading for five very good reasons to open your heart.

fish-2-fb1. “The Way is not in the sky.  The way is in the heart.”
–  Buddha 

2. “Culture of the mind must be subservient to the heart.”
–  Mahatma Gandhi

 3. “I stand before what is with an open heart.
And with an open heart I dwell in possibility.”
–   Macrina Wiederkehr

4. “To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.”
–  Mahatma Gandhi 

5.  “In our deepest moments of struggle, frustration, fear, and confusion, we are being called upon to reach in and touch our hearts. Then, we will know what to do, what to say, how to be.  What is right is always in our deepest heart of hearts.  It is from the deepest part of our hearts that we are capable of reaching out and touching another human being.  It is, after all, one heart touching another heart.”
–   Roberta Sage Hamilton 

Your hips don’t lie

As a society we spend much of our time sitting- in our cars, at work, watching TV- which leads to decreased hip mobility.  Keep reading for a couple of reasons why flexible, strong hips are important.lotus FB cropped

There are over 20 muscles in our bodies that are associated with our hips.  These muscles work together to give our hips a full range of motion. Our lifestyles encourage some of these muscles to shorten or tighten and others to atrophy which puts a huge burden on the spine. Hip opening and strengthening exercises that are common in the practice of yoga help to relieve that burden, allowing your spine a much needed sigh of relief.

In addition to these physical benefits, yogic tradition teaches that the hips are a storage ground for negative feelings and emotions, especially those related to control in our lives.  Encouraging our hips to be happy and healthy can free us from these negative emotions and make room for new ideas.  Are you ready to give your body, mind and spirit the gift of healthy hips?  Meet me at Towson Yoga Works this Friday from 2-3pm for a community hot yoga class that will bring your body, and maybe even your spirit, back into alignment.

My Secret Love Affair with Plank

I love plank pose. And all of it’s variations. Strange but true.  Read on to find out why my love affair with plank blossomed and continues to grow. P & P Plank FB

Plank has many, many benefits for the physical body, but plank and I became soulmates because of the insight it gives me when it comes to my brain.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine the brain is considered a “curious” organ. Curious as in baffling.  And plank often demonstrates why.

Our minds are amazing and complex and are also the ultimate tricksters. Your yoga teacher asks you to do plank and what does your mind say?  “Ugh, this is too hard. You can’t do this. Just quit”.  And if we only listened to our mind, we probably would.  But yoga teaches us to check in with our bodies, too.  Your mind tells you to quit after holding plank for 5 seconds, yet your body is still doing the pose.  Wait a minute!!! If your mind tricks you this way in plank, does it do the same thing off the mat? Maybe it is playing similar tricks on you in your career and relationships too.  Food for thought!

The current record for holding plank is 8 hours and 1 minute.  Did your mind just tell you that there’s no way you could ever do that? Aha! Caught you red handed, Mind!  We’re on to you, now!

This Friday from 2-3 at Towson Yoga Works we will be exploring plank, it’s variations, and that beautiful, baffling organ we call our brain during my community hot yoga class.  Hope to see you there!

My Kryptonite, Part 2

Did I mention that ragweed allergy season is here? Well, it is. My sinuses will tell you if you don’t believe me.  In my last post, I mentioned some ways to remedy the itchy eyes, scratchy throat and sinus pressure that this season can bring to some of us. Would you like to guess the other tool that I use everyday to combat allergy symptoms?Herb Festival FB Yoga, of course!  In addition to creating a peaceful mind and a flexible and strong body, many yoga poses can help open the lungs and calm the sinuses.  Join me this Friday at Towson Yoga Works for a community hot yoga class to unlock the secrets to breathing comfortably and calmly, no matter the season.

My Kryptonite

Ragweed allergy season has arrived.

Sinus pressure, itchy, red eyes, scratchy throat- sound face points FBfamiliar?  It does to me.  Every August ragweed reminds me that it’s my kryptonite.  My defense? Traditional Chinese Medicine, of course!  Acupuncture can provide relief to allergy teacup FBsufferers all year.  In between needle sessions, I sip on giant cups (okay, maybe not as big as pictured) of ginger tea.  As a natural antihistamine and proven to break up congestion, ginger is the perfect complement to acupuncture.  Ragweed, my old arch nemesis, meet TCM!

Have a Ball doing Inversions!

Have a ball doing inversions FBTurkey Yoga Pose FBInverting our bodies has many, many benefits. This past weekend I was reminded of my favorite reason for doing inversions- they make me really, really happy!  And not just me.  Studies have shown that practicing inversions just a couple of times a week can help to alleviate mild depression.  Meet me this Friday at Towson Yoga Works from 2-3pm for a community yoga class and let’s have a ball doing inversions! Ps, handstand and headstand NOT required. Any pose where your head is below your heart is an inversion.

 

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