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Spring is in the air (or at least it is on the calendar... gotta love New England!)! You may be feeling the stirring of wanting to get out side, in the garden or out on the hiking trail. You may even be thinking about doing some spring cleaning inside your home, releasing the clutter that may have built up over the long cold winter.
Read MorePart of the true practice of yoga is being with the present moment exactly as it is. That's all well and good until the present moment isn't exactly what we'd like it to be!
Read MoreJust like your desk at work can get cluttered with all those papers and sticky notes and to do lists, your mind can get cluttered up too. That's why the "brain dump" can be so effective at relieving stress!
Read MoreI continue to hear from many of you that controlling stress and anxiety and taking care of yourself are a main focus for 2018. You are not alone! This is one of the wonderful things about marking a new year; we get to rededicate ourselves to something important.
Here's a simple breathing technique that might help. We tend to think that in order to help ourselves the solutions need to be complicated or involve a complex sequence of steps. The truth is that it can be as simple as conscious breathing. That's not to say that you'll never be stressed out again if you do this technique! As we all know, life happens! But what we can do is make sure our toolbox is full and our practice is steady so we can reach for the right tool in that moment of anxiety.
Here's how it works:
Lay on your back with one hand or both hands on your low belly just as you see above. Do your best to breathe through your nose, but know if you're a bit congested you can always breathe through the mouth. Close your eyes if comfortable and focus on your breath. As you breathe in, direct the breath down into the hand on your belly and allow your belly to expand so it lifts your hand up to the sky. As you exhale, let it all fall back toward the earth. Continue like this for several breaths. It may take a few tries to get your belly to relax enough to really fill with the breath. Don't get frustrated, just keep going.
That alone is a wonderful practice and could be complete in itself!
If you'd like to take it a step or two further, try this:
Shift one hand to your rib cage. Now when you inhale, expand the belly just as you've been doing but then continue that expansion into your ribs and the hand that's there. Feel the ribs move out into your hand. On the exhale, reverse the process. Ribs draw in first, then the belly deflates.
Repeat that several times.
If you'd like to go one last step further, shift a hand to your heart center or center of the chest area, just above your breastbone. Now breathe into the belly just as you have, the ribs just as you have and then see if you can find one last little sip of air under your collarbones. Again you'll exhale in reverse, so the chest releases followed by the ribs and then the belly. Do this for several breaths.
When you're finished, let the breath return to normal for several breaths before you roll onto your right side and come up to sit. Take a moment there before moving on.
This is called three part breath and is a wonderful way to help calm mind, body and spirit when life is a bit tense. You can do this in bed before you go to sleep or even when you first wake up in the morning. If you notice you get a bit light headed at first it should pass, but just let the breath work go if it gets uncomfortable and try again at another time.
When you finish the practice, pause to notice the difference in your body, mind and perhaps even spirit.
We're finally drawing to the end of winter weather here in New England and as I watch ya'll come into the studio I can tell it's taken its toll. Everyone seems to have been sick in the last couple of months (myself included!). Energy is low all around, even with the stirrings of spring. What to do to get yourself back in the swing of things so you can head outside and start to enjoy everything the warmer weather and the new season provides?
REST!
I see out there in the world through social media and other avenues that one thing people are looking to do with their intentions for the new year is bring stress and anxiety under control. Here's one of my favorite techniques from my yoga practice for doing just that:
Chanting!
Now is the perfect time for a little reflection. We tend to do it this time of year anyway, even if not in a formal way. Looking inward is a key part of the yogic journey. We must look at ourselves with eyes wide open if we wish to grow.
Read MoreIt's that time of year again! That time when we are likely reflecting on what has past and hoping to create change in the future. Whether you call them resolutions, intentions, goals or something else, chances are you're thinking about them and even if you're saying "I don't make resolutions!", you've already made one! And as we think about these changes or new things we'd like to bring into our lives or how the other times we've tried it hasn't worked out quite how we may have liked, isn't it interesting that we pretty much already think we know how it's going to go? That's where Innocence comes in.
What do I mean by that? Well, I mean that we have to take a step back and and let our predicting mind take a break if we are going to create something different. If we already know what the outcome is going to be we likely are blocking that mysterious and wonderful quality of the universe that might actually bring us something better. I went to a church service on Christmas Eve for the first time in many years and as part of the homily the priest said "God (insert universe or whatever other term or image works for you) often doesn't help us in the way we want to be helped". I think most of us can look back at some aspect of our lives and find that what we may have really wanted at one time probably wasn't the best thing for us and (thankfully) the universe stepped in to give us something better! If you can bring back the quality of Innocence as you make your Intentions for 2018 you might just create more space for something wonderful that you haven't even imagined to happen.
I wish you great joy and magic in 2018!!
I started announcing this last week, but tomorrow I’m flying to Maui to check something off my bucket list (yes I’m only 39 but I don’t think it’s ever too early to have a bucket list!). I’m going to spend some time in the same room as Ram Dass.
Ram Dass
If you’ve never heard that name you’re not alone. But Ram Dass was instrumental in bringing yogic thought and philosophy to the West. His 1960s book “Be Here Now” is considered one of the first major texts to bring yogic philosophy and thought to the west. I read his book after finishing my first teacher training and it was certainly life changing.
I’ve listened to talks of his for years. I’ve read several of his other books (one I like quite a bit is the “Journey of Awakening” which is available for purchase in our boutique at the studio). I’ve read posts on his website. I’ve watched movies. There’s something about his energy that I find captivating. The way his mind works with information. The way he makes things clear while still being down to earth. His honesty. And his generosity of spirt in making it possible for us to know his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. It was through him, to some degree, that I was introduced to the Kirtan and teaching of Krishna Das. His path has opened up a path for me in a way I am so grateful for.
There’s so much in his teaching that I hope to embody. The clarity, the honesty, the generosity, the “smartness” if you will! To be able to spend some time in the same room with him is a blessing I can’t even begin to imagine at the moment. I still can’t believe this is really happening!
And I have you to thank. My trip wouldn’t be possible without our community of practitioners. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope to bring back some juicy stuff for you!
They are live streaming some of the workshops this weekend. If you’d like to follow along, check out this link:
I think it’s going to be an amazing set of workshops and teachings.
I'll try and post some things here and on Instagram when I can.
I’ll see you tonight for class. Much love to you all!
Mantra is one of the most powerful and most simple to use tools I've learned from my study of yoga. Spend a little time each day repeating a mantra and your life will transform. There's no doubt about it.
Read MoreIt’s something we don’t talk about too often in a yoga class, but it can definitely happen. You’re going along doing your breathing and following the flow just fine and then all of the sudden it hits you. That memory of that thing growing up. That person you miss. The pet you lost years ago. That person that said that awful thing to you that you’re still angry about. Or maybe you don’t even know why, but the tears just start to come.
Read MoreWhether you are new to yoga or have been practicing for some time, Forever Yoga is a place where you will be seen and cared for, rather than being lost in a crowd. This studio is founded on the deep seated belief that the practice of yoga can be accessible to each of us no matter what our physical, mental or spiritual challenges may be. We offer you a warm, caring environment where you can explore and grow in this practice from a place of equanimity.
Please join us for a class or workshop and allow us to assist you on your personal path.
Jessica M. Lang Wright is the owner and Principle teacher at Forever Yoga. Learn more about her by reading her bio here.
Disclaimer: Not all yoga poses are suitable for all persons. Please consult with your health care provider and obtain full medical clearance before practicing yoga or any other exercise program. The information provided in this blog is strictly for reference only and is not in any manner a substitute for medical advice or direct guidance of a qualified yoga instructor.
