Holidaze Series- Self Study- New Year

I'm not usually a resolutions person-
too much pressure and everyone else is doing it.
Not my thing.

This year is different.
This year I began to continue to teach.
This year I began to continue to
take great care of myself.
This year I began to continue to
realize all that I can be.
Seeing this=
I want to grow.

So here's my chance, all week I've been thinking.
I read great articles on Dreamboarding,
(I have plans to make my own on Tuesday)
detoxing, health and more.
I read my favorite yoga books again.
I wrote out all the things I want to do.
Why not?!
I surprised myself with what I wrote :o)


What does this New Year hold for you?

Experts say it takes 17 days of action to create a new habit.
Seems the 21 day challenges are everywhere right now.

What do you want this New Year to hold for you?

I want to continue to grow.
I want to continue to live My Yoga Practice.
So I will.

What do you want this New Year to hold
for Your Yoga Practice?

I want to practice more
arm strengthening postures.
I want to continue sequencing flowingly.
So I will.

What do you want this New Year to hold for you?


Be proactive.
Do Something.
Write it down.
Find out.
Learn about yourself.
You may be surprised.

As with any practice-
Make No Judgment.
Work your intentions (goals, dreams)
into Your Yoga Practice.
Take the now,
the things you want to bring more of
into your life and add these
to Your Practice.
Yes. Asana, Pranayama, Meditation,
Self Study and Ritual-
same game.
Different moment.


After the Holidaze,
take some time before the year turns
to ask yourself what you want.
Allow yourself as long as you need to answer,
no phones, beeps, distractions,
make the time.
Ask for it if you need help finding the time.

^o^

Give yourself a refreshing gift.
A check in.
A hey-there-how's-things-goin?
Often times I find I'm butting my head
against a wall in one area,
only to find by moving farther to one side or another,

making adjustments,
loving the changes as
subtly or harshly as they come,
things tend to smooth and even
(just like my breath in asana)
and I end up fitting right
where I need to be
to continue
to be
the Best
version
of
me.

Rock Your Practice!
^o^
Suz

Holidaze Series- Add Yoga to Your Day- Mudras

I love practicing mudras.

In a nutshell-
mudras are symbolic hand gestures
used to direct energy in
a yoga posture or meditation.
Many religions, martial arts, dancers
& traditions favor mudras as well.

Practicing mudras tends to shift energy.
For example- if you want to
improve concentration-
holding the Gyan mudra for 15 minutes can help.
Even holding the mudra for a few minutes helps
but the longer the better.

Some practice mudras for healing
(Great article with more specifics here).

Mudras can be practiced in your pocket,
under a table or out in public.
Using both hands to practice the mudra
is more potent than one alone but
they can be practiced either way.

A simple yet powerful way to
add yoga to your day and
an awesome way to add it to your Holiday
to bring peace and added resolve.

Here's my favs.


Anjali Mudra-
Hands at Heart, Prayer, Namaskara or Namaste.

I love the symbolism of this mudra.
A coming together, a greeting, a gesture of respect, etc.
I love that the fingers of each hand symbolize
the elements (fire, water, earth, air, ether)
by bringing the hands together
you are uniting your being, your practice,
your spirit, body, mind...

By reaching your arms out the the sides
and overhead as you inhale then
bringing your hands to your heart
as you exhale
(in asana or meditation)
it symbolizes a reaching out and
gathering of energies
to bring them to center.

This is my favorite mudra that I practice
many times a day.
Before my asana & meditation practices-
I begin with this 3X to come into
my practice and end it the same way.
Even in the bathroom to refocus myself-
3 breaths using this technique
is a Holiday life saver.



Pran or Prana Mudra-
To practice this mudra gently press
the ring & pinky finger pads into the
thumb pad with the index and middle fingers
extended and apart.

Sitting with this mudra brings a
clear clean energy to your system
by energizing & activating every cell in the body.
It also improves immune function.

It's said this mudra is especially helpful for
patients with cancer or thyroid issues.



Gyan Mudra-
Om Mudra
This mudra is practiced by
placing the index finger pad gently
against the thumb pad while extending
the middle, ring & pinky fingers.

Practicing Gyan mudra emphasizes
grounding, calm and improves concentration.
Practicing this mudra while lying in bed
(or I found out last night lying on the couch!)
induces a soothing sleep.
Many practice this while saying Om
(Aum- mentally or aloud) to
bring more meaning to their practice.

This one is also known in healing
circles as a yogic tranquilizer.
It's said to help with the brain related problems
as it smoothly increases blood supply &
circulation in the brain to help energize neurons.



Dhyana Mudra-
Meditation mudra.
This mudra may be made with one or both hands.
Use left hand with palm up in the lap or
place both hands at the navel area,
right hand placed above left,
palms up, fingers extended.
Thumb pads gently touching.

Practice this mudra for relaxation,
compassion, peace & spiritual attainment.
Practicing this mudra also calms the nervous system
creating a feeling of enthusiastic relaxation.
I love that enthusiastic relaxation...



Finally-
Apan or Apana Mudra
Okay this one just Rocks!
Although very similar to the gestures we make
at Rock Shows
this is also a mudra used in yoga! :o)

Bring the middle and ring finger pads
to the thumb pad and extend
the index and pinky fingers.

Practicing this mudra brings
confidence of self and energy.
If you're feeling flighty or out of focus
this is a great one to use!
It cleanses & purifies the body and
provides relief for urinary issues and facilitates
the discharge of waste material from the body.

This was a challenge in that there is
so much information about mudras.
If you're interested in learning more
I'd highly recommend doing an internet
search as I was amazed at
how many mudras there are,
how many meanings they have but
mostly how well they work.

Have a wonderful Holiday!

Sit with Dhyana mudra in your next meditation
and invite the joy of the Season
into your heart.
Feeling extra Holiday stress?
Rather than getting frustrated or impatient
pick a mudra and practice it all week.

Take care of Yourselves
and Rock Your Practice!
^o^
Suz

Holidaze Series- DIY Arm or Leg Warmers

Too cold to practice?

The floor is freezing my toes off & you want me to remove my socks?!

Here's an awesome DIY tip for cold weather yoga
whether you're practicing asana, pranayama or meditation!
Think of it as a gift
for Yourself & Your Practice
this Holiday!

Step One-
Take a pair of warm socks you love that have holes in them.


Step Two-
Take a pair of scissors and
for leg warmers- cut out the toe part or
for arm warmers- cut out half of the toe part for
your four fingers then
make a small cut for your thumb.


Step Three-
You can be done here and
don your warm new yoga gear or
take a needle and thread and sew up the jagged ends
for a more streamlined & professional looking set.
Set Four- Practice without freezing!
The leg warmers can stay on &
even cover your heels during seated, lying or prone postures.
The arm warmers can be slipped off the hands for
more traction and slipped back on
when traction isn't needed.

I have some friends that even knit them- what a treat!
And if you're notso into the DIY bit-
most stores carry leg & arm warmers
especially around this time of year.

Rock Your Practice!
^o^

How Yoga Can Help those Living with* Chronic Health Challenges

*those living with Chronic Illness, diagnosed or not,
caregivers, friends, loved ones, children, plants + the dog all live with.

By sitting down at the mat-
you are reaffirming, re-patterning and
resetting your conditioned beliefs
about yourself
(habits, lifestyle, etc.)
by doing something different.

Rather than reaching for a bottle of Maker's Mark-
sit down at your mat + practice.
Rather than reaching for the pizza delivery guy's number-
sit down to meditate + practice.
Rather than going outside for this one cigarette-
roll out your mat + do 3 postures.

Yoga is something else to do.

Rather than stare at a wall thinking
of all the terrible things that could happen to you-
roll out your mat and physically
work out those things, using breath awareness-
in effect purifying the mind so
you can once again make the decision
to make choices
you want to make.

Physically alone.
Practicing asana (postures)
that are right for your body
will
increase circulation, reduce stress,
improve flexibility, clear the mind,
create energy, release tension,
improve strength, build strength,
reduce pain and fatigue,
improve mental focus and clarity,
build core (belly + low back)
strength and stability
as well as, improve sleep,
breath capacity
 + breath function...

Practicing asana
(with breath awareness in particular)
teaches us body awareness.
Not many of us were born with a chronic health condition.
We got used to bodies without our illness.  


I find in most All Levels classes I teach-
I need to bring the student from the outside world
inward
to focus on their breath.

Someone living with a chronic challenge
is well aware of their body.
Sometimes the body is screaming, sometimes
it lets me know whats up whether I like it or not
soooo...
the challenge here becomes
refocusing the awareness to the breath
which
with practice
brings body awareness, acceptance,
empowerment and
a natural ability to listen
(and hearing whether you like it or not)
to your body
to give yourself what you need.
Relaxation. Energy.
Calm. Balance.
Clarity.
Joy.

You don't need to practice X amount.
Try being more aware of when you can practice.
Try doing it then. 

Try doing something different.

By sitting down at the mat-
you are reaffirming, re-patterning and
resetting your conditioned beliefs
about yourself
(habits, lifestyle, etc.)
by doing something different.





.: return often to your breath :.


^o^

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Holidaze Series- Yoga Sutras added to Your Day

I was speaking with a vibrant student
after class.
We were talking about how we know

breathing helps us feel better
and what once was
difficult to remind ourselves about
is becoming more natural.

Yoga Sutras 1.1-1.4
begin to
unravel this.
(more on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
coming soon...)

By no fault of anyone and
so not placing any blame -
we are conditioned from birth.
How could we be otherwise?!
All we know is our family or
those we grow up with.
Then we get out into the "real world" and
see all the other things that weren't yet
brought to our attention
to help form
who we are
until then.
Add the computery stuff,
the networking,
socializing, professionalising,
hairstyling, talk pointed,
go go go- ness of it all
that seems to be rewarded with
stress.

We see not necessarily
what's there in front of us
but
what we've been conditioned until now to see.
How would we know
any different?

So we decided together
to begin paying attention now.

Starting here- Make No Judgment.
Begin to bring your awareness to your breath.
Try staying still for
5 breaths
many times throughout your day,
throughout your Holiday.
This small little thing.

Breath awareness practiced in asana
creates body awareness and acceptance.
It slows you down,
physically, mentally, spiritually even,
to allow you to be.
To be Yourself and nothing else
with your breath.

Imagine how those moments
begin to add up.
Imagine how after much practice
you begin to condition yourself
into the best version of
yourself you can be.
It's practice.
Always practice.
Not judge.
Do the work & see all that happens.
With action comes change.
See How Yoga Empowers You!

Happy Holidaze!
Suz

How to Help: Loved Ones Living with Chronic Illness

When someone gets diagnosed,
whether it's a loved one, you
or another you know.
A question I'm most often is asked is
"What's the best thing I can do to help?
I don't want to be overbearing
but I want to help."

Honestly- the answer, for me,
is to live by example.
Ani Difranco says it best,
"I get tired of bein fierce...
I need back up, I need company and I need to be inspired!"
( Listen here to a free download of Face Up and Sing
taken from Righteous Babe Records- Ani's site.)

Often, being the one who's sick,
you must be strong for everyone else.
I want to be strong, positive &
to take awesome care of myself
while showing my loved ones that
I'm kicking ass with my illness.
They worry about me.
They're concerned about me.
And I want to be strong, positive and
to take awesome care of myself for all of us.
What can you do to help without being overbearing?!

Live Your Life to the fullest!
Remind me why I fight.
Remind me of all the beauty of being alive.
Remind me why
I take such awesome care of myself.
I don't want to hear about your hair or
how you can no longer afford
to donate to the Dems.
I want to hear how You LIVE &
why it's so wonderful to be alive!
I want you to Live by Example.
If you live to the fullest-
that's what would help me the most!

There are right answers for everyone.
That's the answer for me.
I can cause my own Drama- I don't need help there.
I want to be inspired.
I need to be inspired.
You inspire me here.
You remind me why
it's so wonderful to be alive and
why I'm so lucky to be here kickin ass.

Live by Example.
It will help more people than you know.
Rock Your Practice.
^o^
Suz

Holidaze Series- Add Yoga to Your Day

I was walking a friend's dog when I realized
that little pup had something yogic to teach me.
He stopped
and smelled
and rubbed
and pee-ed on
Everything.
It took us 10 minutes to walk around
the corner because
he had to take everything in.

In Your Yoga Practice-
over and over
you return your awareness to your breath-
in that moment.
Incorporate that into the rest of your day also.
What an opportunity to practice
breath awareness and
awareness of the moment.

Especially around the Holidaze...
and the frazzled, busy,
must get more done or I'll burst society we're in-

bringing your awareness to your breath
immediately
brings you into the moment.

Once aware that you're in it-
What do you smell?
What do you see?
What do you feel in and out?
What's your breath doing?
Focus on enjoying the moment
rather than racing to the next one.
Feel like pee-ing on that tree perhaps?!

Have fun with it.
There is no wrong.
Just become aware of your breath
as you do in your yoga practice,
make no judgment
and see what happens.

Any comments or questions-
Chime in!
Rock Your Practice!
Xo- Suz

Ps- For a beautiful meditation
to add to your Holidaze
check out the new post on
Yoga Empowered for Chronic Illness
and give it a try.

Holidaze Series- Compassion Meditation

The Holidaze is in full swing.
Here's a simple meditation
that helps me remain true to myself,
my practice and
it helps me stay compassionate
(for myself, my body & everyone/thing else)
through it all.

Begin in a comfortable seated position.
Feel both sitz bones
(those bones you sit on)
underneath you and a long spine.
Doing this seated allows you to be more alert.
If being seated isn't accessible or
you think of it as you're lying in bed- do it then.
If you fall asleep- bonus.

Start using your full torso breath
(for a refresher see the video)
and once you've established
a smooth steady breath speed
that you can maintain
(just like in your asana practice)
try this...

Say to yourself silently,
like a mantra or chant even.
(On inhale)
I'm inhaling compassion for my being.
(On exhale)
I'm exhaling that which no longer serves me.
(Next inhale)
I'm inhaling compassion for my body.
(Next exhale and so on...)
I'm exhaling that which no longer serves me.
I'm inhaling compassion for all beings/ souls.
I'm exhaling that which no longer serves me.
Repeat.

Get the drift?!
You can change the words to fit you
and the moment you find yourself in.
Sometimes I just sit with
I have compassion for my body
when I'm feeling particularly challenged.
Sometimes I change the exhale words
to letting go or release anything else.
Use what resonates with you;
what speaks to your heart.

Stay there for 5 minutes if you can.
Stay there for more if you like.
Only do one 3 breath round.
The idea is to do it- even if it's just 3 breaths!
Small victories add up!

As always use the practice of
Making No Judgment and
coming back to the breath.
Using words helps
focus the mind and
soothe the heart.

Rock Your Practice!
^o^
Suz

Holidaze Series- Pranayama- Alternate Nostril Technique

First of all-
the Beginning Breath Awareness Video
is a how-to on full torso breath
that most pranayama techniques
presented here will be using.
Know this- Practice this.

Alternate Nostril Technique
is a wonderful way
to immediately yet simply
bring balance and calm
to your system.

I introduce it to you
as a helpful tool to use
throughout the Holiday season but
in truth it's something I use
many times a day
throughout the year
to help myself.

Use it when on the bus,
waiting at the doctor's office,
when you need some peace,
when your body's frustrating you,
when you step into the bathroom,
when you're having tx done...
This simple
technique has helped me
keep myself balanced
through many challenging
situations.
I even taught it to some nurses
while practicing it during
a challenging steroid tx
I had to do.
See how you can apply it to your
care and your life.

Never strain the breath.
Always honor your body.
Let me know what you think of this technique-
I have a feeling you'll be lovin it.
Happy Holly Jolly!
Rock Your Practice!
^o^
Suz