Yoga Wrings Out the Body

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There are days when I'm able to enjoy the idea of returning to my yoga practice and open up my body with enthusiasm.  On such days, I can't usually make it to a yoga studio, so my go-to DVD is Shiva Rea's YOGA SHAKTI, which offers the ability to choose several practices OR I can build my own sequence.  Today, I chose the basic flow, which is about 45 minutes.  Ahhhh.

Resting always feels better to me when I've done some motion with my body.  Today, I also had the added benefit of enjoying my little kitten, Loki, jumping on my arm and wrestling me - which made me cackle with delight.

Every day I need to test my inner and outer energy level.  Then I see where I am that day to best decide how to proceed with motion.  Some days, that will lead me to a walk.  Other days I will want to do a strenuous full body work out.

Today, I'm thrilled that I did what I needed.  What do you need today?

Copyright 2014 Heather Corwin 

Why Kindness Always Surprises Me

I have a few people in my life who endlessly surprise me with their compassion and honest concern for others.  One such person often gets accused of being an upstart because he actually leads others to fight for their rights and to make the world a better place.  He is truly an altruistic warrior.  It seems to me as I've witnessed people react to his actions that doing this makes some people feel inadequate or small and they lash out at him.

My first reaction to a situation is usually to sit back and assess, whereas the people I'm thinking of who are kind assume the people involved have good intentions.  While that point of view is not my first, I do wish sometimes that I had this belief.  How great would it be if I actually thought everyone was kind?  Clearly, my first thought after this one is, "well, couldn't lumping everyone as KIND be problematic too?"  Yep.

I think the lesson here is that borrowing ways to see the world can be useful in some instances and not others.  When I'm having a particularly trying day, I can borrow the kind outlook on life and see if that makes my day better.  On some occasions, I know it has.

Borrow some kindness today and see how that works for you!  I'd love to hear your experience!

Copyright 2014 Heather Corwin

A Walk in the Park

Saturday was a lovely day for many reasons.  The temperature was 101 - in October.  Oh. L.A.   However, my husband and child let me sleep in and we all went out to breakfast.  Afterward, at our daughter's suggestion, we went to our local park where she enjoyed the swing, her favorite park activity.  My vibrant daughter prefers my husbands' pushes to mine - so I was able to stretch in the shade.  Ah.

Yesterday was less active, but I did mindfully rest for 5 minutes in savasanah. Instead of excuses, I'm simply proud I was able to find a small but effective part of my day to be mindfully physically present.

Today, after lunch, I spent quite some time doing some stretches on the floor and standing.  I can feel the blood moving, which feels like energy flow!

Baby steps.  And I love it!

Copyright 2014 Heather Corwin

Getting Back to ME

There are days when I look at my self and I sigh with resignation that who I am now is close to who I want to be...but I'm not quite there yet.  What makes me feel this way is when I look in the mirror, I notice I don't quite look like I did before I had a child though I'm close to the same weight.  I was physically a power house before my child and now I barely have time to take a walk once a week.  So how do I get back to me?

This morning for the first time in a LONG time, I did a sun salutation.  And then I felt better than I have in a long time.  Movement for me is integral to my happiness.  It's how I manage stress, it's how I work out my inner turmoil, and it's how I feel strong.  Ironically, it's the first thing I tend to put to the side when my time is at a premium - and it's the most important resource I have as a human being.

The next bunch of blog posts are going to chronicle how I reintegrate moving back into my life.  Some of that may be in the form of laying on different types of objects that open up muscular tension (like a ball), or bamboo, or just simply stretching - or actually using the tread mill I was so eager to buy so I could walk at night in my house.  Sigh.

I urge you to take the GETTING BACK TO ME challenge if you need it!  One step at a time....

Copyright 2014 Heather L. Corwin