Technology Meets Style
Life is a journey, usually a bumpy one. We go through highs and lows, and sometimes lose focus on what we envision our life to be. We take turns, detours, and sometimes fall through a few rabbit holes on the way. This post discusses a few activities you can do to reset, get grounded and re-focus your intentions.
Take a Hike! There is no other remedy like retreating into nature for a few hours to change setting. Being amidst the grandeur of nature and its beautiful forms has an amazing way of broadening your perspective to see the things cluttering our lives are very small, insignificant even. Fresh air, exercise and the sound of silence have immense healing and grounding properties.
Create a Vision Board. Heck, throw a vision board party. Gather your closest buddies, grab a few stacks of old magazines, pick up some foam boards and start gluing. Don't forget the wine. But seriously, creating a vision board is a great way to literally design your dream world, and it really gets the creative manifesting juices flowing.
Don't hate, meditate. You don't have to be in a yoga class or a temple to get quiet, silence the mind, and tap into your inner eye. Start with a 10 minute mediation in the morning or before you go to bed and watch your days transform. I prefer sitting on the ground, cross legged, eyes closed with soft music or silence. Natural or dim light preferred. I start quieting the mind by "following my breath." Follow the stream of breath flowing deeply in, and stretching all the way out. Once you clear that mental space, you're open to receiving light and good energy.
Make time in your life to regroup and take a breath now and then. Where thoughts go, energy flows!
Too busy to make it to the studio? Here are a few creative tips to namastay at home.
Between work, school & play, taking a yoga class is oftentimes out of the question. As a dedicated yogi, I've had to find crafty ways to squeeze in a daily practice in the hectic, hustle and bustle of my life. After all, a healthy life is a happy life.
First, find a space in your home that is free of congestion and clutter. This could be a living room, an open space on the floor in your bedroom, or even somewhere in your backyard. It's important that this space has natural or soft lighting- try to avoid fluorescent lighting. Most importantly, the space MUST be warm. Aim for 70-75 degrees so that the muscles can be sufficiently warm before they stretch.
The Practice
- Begin with some type of intention setting. What brings you to your yoga mat? What do you aim to get out of the practice? This preps the mind to be present in the following movements. Deep and conscious breathing is important here.
- Start with a warm up by introducing soft yogic movements to the body. This includes doing cat/cows on the hands and knees, stretching out your down dog, low lunges and moving into sun salutations.
- When the body is warm, move into your heat sequence. This could include any variation of Sun B (Namaskar B), warrior poses, balancing poses and inversions.
- Once you've worked up a good sweat, you're ready for a cool down. If you've gone upside down, it's important to do a series of backbends to reverse the tension on the spine. Other cool down postures include deep hip openers and seated folds.
- After a strong custom home workout, let the body relax in savasana, the final pose. Breathe freely and rest.
Let the walls of your home become a space of creativity, spirituality and growth. Let your practice shine through every aspect of your life. Namaste, yogis.
“Yoga allows you to rediscover a sense of wholeness in your life, where you do not feel like you are constantly trying to fit broken pieces together.” B.K.S. Iyengar