Practice yoga 30 times in 30 days

Whenever you notice somebody who has a yoga oriented goal, invite them to join the team. Lots of you got invited after cheering me for something. When I read your goals to cheer you back, I noticed that you might be a candidate for this team and invited you.

Thanks for accepting the invitations!!!

Now go out and invite more!!!

• 43/43
• 43/43

With minutes to spare!!!

I closed this goal with the Dance of Life followed by Surya Namaskar, really focusing on feeling each pose, holding it, improving it.

This practice has been a wonderful blessing for me. Now I’m off to join the alums – but I’ll lurk here, too. I honor everybody who has accepted this challenge (not excepting those who had to give it up) – I honor you all!

(Bows)

And I thank you all for your cheers and your sharing and helping me figure out what to do, because I’m still a n00b at this.

Today as we were running our weekly errands, I stopped by Barnes & Noble to see if they still had the yoga cards I had passed up before Xmas. They didn’t, but I found Yoga Pretzels: 50 Fun Yoga Activities For Kids & Grownups instead. These are a lot of fun. I can imagine yoga party games … and using a few of these at work during rec period. (They’re about $5 cheaper at Amazon than B&N, but I didn’t want to wait.)

• 42/43
• 42/42

Yoga for Stress Relief – Begin your Day Slowly (25 minutes).

I felt tired this morning (it’s my Friday) and didn’t want to drag out of bed. I’m starting to appreciate just how gentle and healing this routine is. I think I need to start most days off with this. It elongates what is tight and coiled and prevents pain during the day.

But this isn’t enough – I need a differently challenging workout for later in the day – yoga that challenges me to stretch or hold poses and keeps me moving.

Geez! Have I just talked myself into two yoga sessions per day?

• 41/43
• 41/41

“B” is struggling. I ended up guiding “B” through some healing and relaxing imagery. “B” got a new name in the process – a name with powerful meaning for the current struggle. And, “B” got to communicate with a loved one who had died of addiction years ago. “B” seemed much more at peace describing what had been learned. As the session ended, I asked what “B” wanted from me. “Pray with me?” I gladly did. Strange when yoga and life intersect – yesterday I didn’t know I’d be seeing “B” today.

So tonight I was going to skip yoga. I told an MD that they didn’t know what they were talking about (not something that flies very well with MDs in general or in this workplace … and I did this in front of my boss). I just wanted to relax and watch TV.

But no, Surya Namaskar beckoned. After, of course, a dance of life. I made it through two sets tonight. I must have been going much faster than last night, because it didn’t take up any more clock time.

• 40/43
• 40/41

Yoga for Stress Relief – Begin your Day Slowly (25 minutes).

I repeated yesterday’s AM workout, but today Baddhakonasana (thank-you Felinesis) did not cause the same emotional turmoil it did yesterday. I didn’t fight or control it. I just surrendered to the asana, expecting to have difficult feelings arise and determined to compassionately accept them. Instead it was a good stretch (I am SOOOOOO far from being able to get anywhere near the pose itself), one I will repeat in sessions to come.

• 39/43
• 39/40

Tonight’s yoga practice was consciously dedicated to “B,” a patient who is struggling to get sober. I started with a Dance of Life and was really getting into holding the hip-openers longer than the other portions, reveling in the much-needed stretch. As I began Surya Namaskar, Aatmiya Yogini’s dedication of a yoga session to on or another of her teammates inspired me. So I focused on my patient and his struggle, holding “B” in my heart while also focusing on my body and breathing. I endeavored to hold each pose to perfection – or at least as close as I could come in the moment. No hurrying out of discomfort, but rather taking a few more longer and slower breaths. “B” has a lot at stake. I shouldn’t hurry. I bless myself. I bless “B.” And I pray that tonight finds him more relaxed and better established in sobriety.

• 38/43
• 38/40

Yoga for Stress Relief – Begin your Day (25 minutes).

Now THIS is what I wanted Rodney Yee to do in A.M. and P.M. Yoga for Beginners. Good L O N G stretches. And I feel like a new man (who’s going to be late for work if he doesn’t get off this blessed computer!)

Barbara Benagh led us into one very interesting pose – it probably has its own name – a cobbler’s pose where we bend forward with the goal of resting our forehead on the ground (as if!!!). The ensuing stretch worked some areas that a Reichian therapist used to press on to access some EXTREMELY unpleasant memories (the physical pain of his thumbs (not insignificant) was totally overshadowed by the emotional pain of the release).

This wasn’t nearly as intense, but I could sense that I have more healing to do in this area. Instead of following with a seated prayer pose, I went into child’s pose and held it beyond the end of the workout segment until I felt more calm.

• 37/43
• 37/39

Yoga for Stress Relief – Insomnia Issues – the perfect second workout for the man who can do anything but sleep!

Barely more than a guided meditation … covered only 5 or 6 poses in 35 minutes. Utterly wonderful.

• 36/43
• 36/39

Back at it again – my neck and back have calmed down enough to try this again. The weekend was spent with a heating pad and frozen peas, watching lots of videos and finishing A Confederacy of Dunces. No yoga.

I got up “early” this morning to do an AM rejuvenation routine, but was rudely interrupted by a tele-marketer who claimed to be from our mortgage company but was just wasting my time. Workout interrupted, it didn’t quite feel right, so I just did some stretching and took my shower. Ordinarily, I’d have given myself the session since I tried, but I’ve “cheated” too much to get this far, I’m not going to lower my standards any more!

So tonight I led off with a Dance of Life. The hip-openers really had something to tug against. I guess I was literally a “tight ass” today! After the Dance of Life, I dove into Sun Salutations, trying very hard to take Eldersis’ advice and keep my back straight instead of arched whenever possible.

Doing yoga – I wonder if it’s OK for me to use this picture with this article on Yoga and Anger Management I ran across?