Thursday, September 24, 2015

How My Yoga Has Changed Through Pregnancy

I had a lovely baby shower this past weekend, and there were many people who commented, very politely, on how my yoga has changed over the course of my pregnancy. I can not argue with them, the asanas ( poses) have definitely changed. Months ago I was posting my progression into handstands and fun crazy arm balances, and now I am posting strong simple standing poses.

January 2015
September 2015




















What I wanted to say to my friends and family, is yes my asana has changed but my YOGA has not changed, if anything it has become more enriched.

For those women who have gone through or are going through pregnancy, you will understand this statement, YOUR BODY IS A MIRACLE. It is still crazy to me to think that I am currently growing a human being inside my body, that if need be could come out right now and live without major medical assistance in our world. Not only do you house the miracle of life, your body begins to do things it never did before. The changes in our physical being are almost just as miraculous as the human which is growing within you.

Noting all of that, of course your physical practice is going to change through pregnancy. Those deep binds and bends that I used to do so effortless now seem unreachable and those fun to practice arm balances, forget it! I have seen some awesome yogini's continue to practice arm balance and backbends through out their pregnancy and I say " Go for you!" But for me, I will continue to honor my body and do exactly what it does or doesn't need, which is the practice of yoga.



As I stated above, my asana has changed but my YOGA has not. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the book in which the practice of Ashtanga yoga is defined, sutra two states that yoga is the cessation of through waves in the mind. Let us all remember that the practice of yoga is far beyond the physical practice. The physical practice of yoga is only one of the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga, only one! There are seven more amazing limbs, including the restraints and observances of ethical guidelines, breathing practices, concentration, meditation and enlightenment.

So in some ways I feel that I have actually progressed in my yoga practice through this pregnancy, because for the first time, I think ever, I have truly learned to honor my body, give it what it needs and not push through poses that do not serve me or my babes. I focus on poses linked with my breath, to reduce anxiety and bring focus to the present moment. My breathing practices will also help both me and my babe to tackle the biggest challenge of our lives, birth. I use my practice to focus on the amazing things my body is doing versus the things my body can not do anymore ( which is a lot).

Forward Fold Modifications for Pregnancy 
 In conclusion, yes, for now I will not be posting cool handstand pictures on my instagram. But, I will continue to post the amazing shapes my body can practice. Though there may only be a few as we near the end of this journey we call the creation of life, I know that my practice has progressed in so many other ways and I feel no shame in that.




Yogash-citta-vrtti-nirodhah - Yoga is the cessation of thought waves in the mind.

Namaste.




Sunday, September 13, 2015

Why Yoga During Pregnancy?

I have endured 33 weeks and 2 days of this miracle of life that we call pregnancy. To be honest, the journey has had its highs and its lows, and I am sure it will have just as many of both as labor day comes. 

I have definitely learned alot about myself and my body through this process, and one thing I have grown much greater appreciation for is my practice of yoga. As so many of you have already heard, prenatal yoga is recommended for many reasons; builds strength, increases circulation, breath work practice and so on and so forth. These are all very true and I would love to give you my take on the Top 5 reasons why I practice prenatal yoga and will continue to practice it for all my pregnancies.


#1 - All those aches and pains seem to go away


I have heard of so many women who suffer through many different pains during pregnancy, back pain, hip pain, leg pain, neck pain, etc. I am here to tell you that with a daily practice of just a few asanas ( poses) those aliments will begin to decrease, if not go away completely. Up to about week 26, I didn't have too many restrictions to my practice ( besides laying on my back and a few forward folds) so the ease of practicing what I needed for my body was much easier. Now that I am in the thick on my third trimester, my movements have definitely become slower and I choose to practice only a few poses, due to range of belly motion and energy level. With only practicing a few poses, I have yet to suffer from back pain, neck pain, or hip pain. The joints my fingers are beginning to become sore but with a few stretches through my hands and arms, they seem to go away. I have practiced yoga through out my pregnancy and have experienced a little amount of discomfort/pain. My biggest suggestion, start as early as possible and find a routine that works for you! 

*That being said, of course not all pains of pregnancy will simple go away by doing a few stretches. And I absolutely know that every womens body is different and pregnancy will treat it differently for sure. 

#2 - Mat time is MY time



During pregnancy, there is so much focus on you AND your baby. Your family, your friends, and the lady in the grocery store line will want to know how you are feeling and every stat on your future child. Your whole being in consumed with the safety and protection of your unborn fetus. That is all you think about! And not going to lie, this constant miracle that is growing within you sure can take a toll on your own personal well being at times. This is why mat time is my time. I use this time for me, my body and my needs. If my hips are feeling tight, then I will focus on my hips. If my shoulder is wonky, I will focus on my shoulder ( the emphasis on MY here).  It is time for me to breath and come back to my personal intentions. All mamas need their own personal time and especially to practice this before babe comes. If your mat becomes a routine before babe comes, then hopefully it will stay a routine after baby comes ( HOPEFULLY!) 

#3 - Breathing Practice (Pratyahara) for Birth


There is no greater time then on your mat to practice your breathing. Before I begin my asanas, I always go through different breathing exercises that I will use during labor and birth. They are ujjayi breathing and the 3 step yogic breath. Just as we practice poses, we must also take time to practice our breathing especially if we are choosing for them to help us through the intensity of labor. Coming back to my breath also helps to decrease my anxiety ( which has heightened during pregnancy). Life is dependent on our breath, and now another is too. It is a beautiful connection that I will cherish until I finally get to met her in person. 

#4 - Helps to keep those pesky pounds off! 


The practice of yoga is also a great form of exercise for mamas to be. The continual movement of the body and breath will help to bring your heart rate up, strengthen your muscles, lengthen your hips and lower back and bring a physical purpose to your practice. This is one of the many benefits to processing yoga, pregnant or not. Yet as we grow, we begin to gain those pesky pregnancy pounds whether we like it or not and let me tell you, just a few poses a few days a week can still bring strength to your body. Especially in the first and third trimester, when walking down the hall is an accomplishment, just throw your mat down and go through five poses that make you happy. If anything, you will feel much more accomplished in the end and perhaps they'll deliver a smile to your face. 

#5 - Setting an intention for your Babe


I know they can't really hear us, or see what we are doing, or realize how much love we bring to them everyday, but I feel by practicing yoga through out your pregnancy, you are setting up the framework for a well developed spiritual relationship for you and your babe. Yoga goes so far beyond movement, it is a personal path that we take to help us understand our purpose and intention in life. By practing this, we are bringing this reality to our babe, and with guidance, I hope my babe will continue this practice in her own life. We can't predict or force a future for our children, but as long as we love them in the moment, then their lives will continue to flourish and be filled with love as well. 

Those are the reasons why I practice during my pregnancy. Of course, this is my first, I have not gone through labor yet and I have yet to raise a child ( stay tuned for posts in regards to all three of those!). But, I choose to live in the moment of happiness and love and in this moment these 5 reasons ring true to me. I am grateful for each blissful moment on my mat, for me and for my future babe. 

Hair Om Tat Sat - Let go, Let God. 

Namaste. 

Friday, September 11, 2015

To Post or Not to Post? That is the Question.....

I was asked the other day why I haven't posted on my blog lately. I, of course, shot out the regular excuses; tired from being pregnant, taking care of the house for selling, etc. etc. Later, I really started to think about why I had let this little piece of my social heart go to the waste side and I realized, it was my own insecurities.

Now, as so many of you know, when you choose to put private pieces of your life out into the social stratosphere, there will always be "haters". I absolutely knew this going into the process. I am not saying that I have received any hurtful responses to my posts, but I began to realize that when I put my authentic self out there for the world to see, my insecurities on how others would portray me sky rocketed. I began to care about what people may or may not think of each post, will they get it, will they judge me? I began to spiral down into the rabbit hole, listing off insecurity after insecurity on why NOT to post. 

One of my major set backs was the opinion of the Yoga community. The practice of Yoga is meant to be a sacred, personal journey, a practice that began thousands of years ago, and truly is a very special and important piece of my life. With the uproar of social media, Yoga has also began to ride that roller coaster of social media hierarchy. Instagram is full with beautiful yogi's and yogini's posing in theses elaborate challenging poses with such grace and ease. I absolutely believe the increase in the popularity of Yoga in western culture over the past several year is greatly due to the popularity of social media. I am not saying these posts are bad or shameful toward the practice of Yoga. Those that I follow, such as +Kerri Verna (Beachyogagirl)  and +KinoYoga are always inspiring and their words always coming from a place of love. And what I  began to realize was what stopped me from continuing to post on this blog was their opinion of me

Once I realized this, I immediately began to laugh at myself. Why am I trying to impress Instagram stars, who to be honest, will probably never read my posts or have one harsh thought toward anything I write AND if they did, why is that so important to me?! Why do I care? That doesn't change as a human being or would it define who I am. As long as I continue to come from a place of love, Ahimsa ( non violence), Satya ( truthfulness) and FUN, then why not post? Why not share? 

I write this post as a return to the blogger-sphere, unattached to the the fear of what others will think. I am committed to being a part of this social media world to spread love, happiness, kindness and truthfulness to all of those to choose to read it. I want to share my voice and I am committed to doing this for all of you and also, for myself. Make it easy, simple and fun. 

Namaste.



Monday, July 6, 2015

Not every day is...

Not every day is perfect. Not every day is beautiful. Not every moment is happy.

Today, I had an off day. I think most of us have those days, where things just feel off. Is it the pregnancy? Maybe. Or the hormones? Possibly. Is it anxiety starting to rear its ugly head? Totally possible. Either way, today was an off day.

Not to say I didn't have a "good" day in the grand scheme of life. I hung out with my parents, read a part of my parenting book ( always so riveting), had dinner with my mom ( in which I had a sip of her Rhombuer Chardonnay, and oh it is so good! Cant wait to get my hands on that in 16 weeks and 5 days, who's counting!?) Needless to say, if someone else were to look at my day, they would say "Not half bad." And for some reason, I couldn't get myself out of this funk. I couldn't get myself to appreciate my day. On my drive home from my parents, I threw on some Zac Brown to lighten the mood and made myself think of what I am grateful for. I won't bore you with the details, but I have ALOT to be grateful for. And still... in a funk.

I got home and planned on vegging on the couch until bed time but forced myself, literally FORCED myself, to practice pranayama and meditation. My body literally ached as a sat on my mediation pillow but I knew if I could just breath that maybe I would feel better.

After all of that, I wish I could say I am feeling great, but I am still not. AND, I will tell you that I now have accepted my sadness and acknowledged it is there. And, I am okay with it. Honestly, I can't tell you why it is there but I can tell you that I will be okay. You will be okay.

I guess what Im trying to say is, it is okay to be sad, to be down and out, to be blah. It is a part of life. What the challenging part is, is to be okay with it and not dwell on those feelings for long. It is so easy to dwell, I get that. And it is 100 times harder to realize your potential and come out of it. I get that too.

A quote from Everyday Peace, Letters for Life by Baba Hari Dass, really helped me acknowledge my sorrow. "Life is for living and then leaving. As long as you live in this reality, accept it. Sometimes you may feel sad, but it's all part of life." It is all part of life.

Again, this blog isn't meant to be right or wrong, it is just a place for me to share and maybe to connect.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Namaste.


Wednesday, May 27, 2015

When Yoga Becomes REAL Life

I know I am not regular on my blog. I am not a writer, an author, a well known yogini, or a super star instagramer. I am just a wife who loves her husband, soon to be mama, dog lover, first born daughter, over bearing sister, yoga practitioner, meditator, nature enthusiast, and someone who may seem a bit more relatable as you read on. I do this for fun and as an attempt to spread love, truth and happiness to all those to read it. I do not write for fame or recognition. I write because, well I can. And, if I can touch just one person through my words, then I am doing my job as a human being.



I have been browsing a few articles lately arguing that the practice of yoga is bad, wrong or sinful. Everyone is entitled to their opinion which is the beautiful thing about living in America. Saying that, I did not like the content of these articles. My egotistical side came out while reading through them. I was refuting each argument with a well supported response ( in my mind of course) and felt the sensations of revenge, anger or spite begin to boil within me. How could these people speak so poorly about a practice that is so dear to my heart?



As that moment, I realized, this is when the practice of yoga truly begins. In moments of human weakness such as anger, this is the moment that I need to be applying the practice of yoga. Ahimsa, the sanskrit word meaning non-violence or compassion, in both a physical and mental form. Ahimsa, one of the Yamas (constraints) of Ashtanga Yoga. Yes, these words may seem foreign to many and can be a reason why many people are scared off by yoga at times. And, just because they are foreign to you, does not take away from the meaning of the words. Ahimsa means non-violence or compassion towards others and one's self. And in my moment of anger while reading these articles, I began to truly practice Ahimsa.



To bring compassion or non violence toward a person or group of people who are saying words that are intended to hurt, is true human kindness. There are so many reasons others preach hate, and there is one reason for us to practice Ahimsa, to continually spread love. Now, I know this practice is not easy. Heck, I am still struggling with giving compassion to those to choose to write harmful words behind the safety of a computer screen. I think this will be a practice for me for the rest of my life. And, knowing that yoga has brought me this far in my awareness of this world and  myself, it brings me hope that not all is lost.

We can choose kindness, or happiness, or compassion towards others. It is always a choice, no matter what transpires in our lives. I will always love the practice of yoga for what it has done for me, my body, my mind, my relationships and my soul. I will continue to share this beautiful practice with anyone who wants to listen with an open heart and open mind.

Let us all be open to love, wherever and however we receive it. Spread this. Spread love.

Namaste.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Forgivness, The Struggle

As I was meditating today, I stumbled upon something I was holding onto that I truly want to get rid of but for some reason cannot forgive. I tried to clear my mind and set aside this issue in order to be present to my mediation, but I realized this "thing" would not go away. I ended my meditation not fully satisfied ( as is totally normal with my over active mind) and I thought, I need to write this out and figure out why I can not forgive this issue/person. So, here I am, completely vulnerable to the process. I figured it may be more powerful to share with others my thoughts on conquering forgiveness, mainly for support and to relate to others. 



There is a quote that I hear often, "Apologizing doesn't always mean that you are wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego." I 100% believe in this. I feel that if you are in a fight or argument with another and know that it probably won't go any further, than apologizing is the best solution. Not because you are surrendering or giving up but because you value the relationship between you two more than some pity fight. But of course, it is easier said then done. 

With my issue, I feel unappreciated, overlooked and disappointment with something. I struggle with this issue in many ways. I am mad at a person for not showing appreciation for my hard work and dedication. I am frustrated with a group for not making an effort to show love and kindness to me. And mainly, there is this sense of sadness that I am holding onto because I feel I may have not been as big of a support to others as I thought was. Every time I sit down and try to bring forgiveness to this situation, I continually run through this loop of frustration, disappointment and unappreciation, and I get stuck. I can never get past it. 



Unfortunately, I know exactly what is holding me back from forgiving, it is my ego and sense of entitlement. There is this crown of entitlement I have set on my head that I feel I should of been acknowledged for everything I have done for this something and I know this should not be. Having entitlement, or wanting something doesn't warrant its existence. All I need is love and I have so much of that in life already, so why do I hold on to this something and those feelings of sadness? Honesty, I have no answer to it and I know that I will come to forgiveness with this situation in time. I will stop stroking my ego and put aside that crown of entitlement in the future. But what happens now? 

For now, my choice is to allow those thoughts and feeling to exist BUT to not give them encouragement. When I feel them, my action is to acknowledge they are there, BECAUSE I AM HUMAN, and instead of feeding the beast, I will node my head and say these words until the thought passes " Peace, peace, peace. Forgiveness, Forgiveness, Forgiveness." 



As you can see, I have no answer that this issue as many of us don't. I am human, and no matter what external things will affect me. It is my job to figure out why they do, take ownership of that and then make a plan to get me through it without placing blame on anyone else. That's the key, do not place blame on others. Take ownership of you and only you, because that is the only thing you can change. 

That is my story for today. It is definitely a rough draft in my mind put on paper and not complete in thoughts but I really wanted to share and hopefully this may touch someone who may need it today. And if not, all is well.

Namaste. 


Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Hip Openers For Mamas To Be and Everything In Between!

Hip opener poses have been a heaven sent for me as my baby and I grow. I am 3 months pregnant ( 12 weeks and 2 days, not that I'm counting) and my body is continually craving hip openers in my practice. So, I wanted to share with you all a few easy to practice poses that you can do at home and you can practice with a growing belly. These poses are also great for runners, cyclists, cross-fitters and any other athlete where you utilize your glutes, hamstrings, quads, adductors (inner thighs) and psoas muscles ( hip flexors). Enjoy! 

Seated Cross Legged Bow - Glutes and Lower Back

Sitting up tall, pull one heel toward your groin area.


Then cross the opposite leg in front. Allow your butt or sits bones to be rooted down and continue to lengthen the spine. 

Next, keeping lengthened spine, slowly fold forward. You will feel a beautiful opening in the glutes. Hold this pose for 3-4 full breaths ( full inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose). Then uncross legs and repeat on the other side. 


Runners Lunge - Hamstrings and Hip Flexors

Lower yourself into a lunge, with your front knee stacked above your ankle. If this pose bothers your back knee, please place a towel or blanket under the knee. Feel the opening of your hip flexor of the back leg as you sink into this pose. 



Next, begin to pull your body back, straightening out your front leg and pulling your toes toward your body. Keep a slightly bent knee ( to protect it) and focus on lengthening the spine.

You can move through these poses following your breath, inhale as you are forward and exhaling as you move back. Or, hold each pose for 3-4 full breaths. Your choice, whatever feels better for your body! 


Advanced move if you want to open those hip flexors - in runners lunge, lift back foot up and toward your butt, then, with the opposite arm, reach for your foot. This can be an extreme opening of the hip flexor so please be cautious when first attempting. Hold off 3-4 full breaths. 


Seated Wide Legged Forward Fold - Hamstrings and Adductors 

In a seated position, widen legs and flex your feet ( which protects your knees). Just this can bring a beautiful stretch. If it is available to you, keeping a lengthened spine, fold forward. Hold for 3-4 full breaths.

* If this pose is challeneging for you, please place a pillow or block under your butt. It helps it give length in both the hamstraings and spine. I normally always use a block! 


Seated One Legged Forward Fold - Hamstring

From wide legged forward fold, sit up tall and pull one foot in toward your groin. Face your body toward the straight leg, and with a lengthened spine, slowly fold forward. Again, use of a block or pillow under your butt helps with the lengthening. Hold for 3-4 full breaths, and then repeat on the opposite side. 


Standing Wide Legged Forward Fold - Hamstrings, Adductors and Glutes

Same concept as the seated one, but I feel this one is much easier to accomplish. Take a wide legged stance (3-5 feet apart), with a lengthened spine, slowly begin to fold forward. Depending your your flexibility, continue to fold forward until you feel your spine curve. STOP THERE, and keep the length! Keep a lengthened spine is key to this pose and you receive the best benefits that way. Hold for 3-4 full breaths.


For added movement and warmth, externally rotate your toes ( turn them out) slightly, and sink to one side by bending one knee, moving your hands over to that foot. Feel the beautiful opening of your adductors. Hold of 3-4 full breaths. 


Repeat on the opposite side :)



Malasana or Squat Pose - Adductors, Glutes

Stand with feet outside our hips, and toes pointed outward. 


Keep your knees above your toes, begin to squat down. 


Squat down until your elbows are inside and pressing against your legs. Use elbows to increase adductor stretch, but do it over do it! If this pose if very hard on your knees, put a block under your butt for added support. Hold for 3-4 full breaths. 


Use of a strap - Hamstrings and Adductors

Laying down, put strap over the ball of the foot. Keeping a slightly bent knee to begin, slowly pull leg toward your body. Hold for 3-4 full breaths. Once your hamstring is warm, then begin to straighten the knee. Listen to your body. 

Then hold the strap in one hand, and begin to open and lower your leg to the side. Pay attention to your knee, and make sure it does not hyper extend in this pose. Hold for 3-4 full breaths, and smile. 


Happy Baby Pose - Overall Hips

In honor of our future little ones, I intoroduce you to happy baby pose! Hold onto the outside of your feet ( our your big toes), then pull your legs with a bent knee toward your chest. Keep ankles above your knees and lower your lower back down to the ground. Roll around and massage your lower back if possible and hold for 3-4 full breaths. 


Butterfly Pose - Adductors

Pull feet together and bring toward your groin. Allow knees to effortlessly fall open. If knees have a hard time staying down, put blocks under each knee to allow legs to relax. Sit up tall and lengthen spine. Hold for 3-4 full breaths. 


If you would like an extra stretch, with a lengthened spine fold forward into the pose. You can use your elbows to press down on your thighs for an additional love. 


Seated Cross Legged Bridge- Hip flexors 

Sit cross legged and place hands behind you with fingers pointed toward your body. Open up the chest and keep your neck aligned with your spine. 


Then begin to left your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 3-4 full breaths. Then, settle hips back down the floor, switch cross legs and repeat. 


I hope you enjoyed these poses! These are just a few to help open your hips and give a little more love to your beautiful body. For my mamas, please listen to your body. Do not push, strain or do anything that may feel uncomfortable for you. Honor your growing beautiful body, you deserve it. 

Namaste.

Monday, March 16, 2015

DIY: Create a Country-Chic Wooden Wall for Next to Nothing

This is not my normal blog post, but I thought it would be fun to share with you all how I created an antique looking wooden wall at home for little cost. I definitely do not see myself as an "artsy" person, and DIY projects are normally very overwhelming to me. But, I wanted to create a country chic wooden looking wall in our new home so I did some research and here is how I did it. ( If I can do this, anyone can!)

Step One: Choose your space. 

I choose a smaller wall in my home to start. This is completely up to you! It all depends on how much you want to take on. 

Step Two: Measure your space. 

Make sure to take the measurements of your wall before you go to the store. Preparation is key!

Step Three: Purchase the goods.

I went to my locate Home Depot for the supplies. Here is a list of the supplies I purchased:
1. Fence wood ( I choose this type of wood due to its width (7 inches) and its cost ( 2.50 per slate). Others suggested palate wood, but I found these very hard to find or expensive). 
2. Wood stain ( up to you what type of stain you want, I liked the color of the wood I got, so I just bought a clear coat)
3. Nails
4. Hammer

Step Four: Stain or coat the wood. 

Create your work space and get ready to stain! Please remember to utilize your safety wear if you have it. I choose to use a clear coat, and again totally up to you and depends on what type of look you are going for. Follow the directions on the coating can. Let dry and remember, to have fun!





 Step Five: Measure and cut. 

Measure your wall and cut the wood appropriately. I wanted a more "country" look, so I cut the wood in different lengths. ( Ie, First slate was cut in two and the second slate cut in three, etc. ) I had my handy dandy husband to help me cut the wood safely.  Thanks hubby! 


Step Six: Nail and hammer. 

Next, take stained and cut wood and nail straight into the wall. We used two nails per piece, on either side. When you get to outlets, remember to cut the wood around it. This part is most tedious of the project. 



Step Seven: Enjoy.

Enjoy a beautifully created country chic wooden wall! Easy as 1, 2, 3 ....7! If you'd like to add some accent pieces to the wall, go for it. 


        

And that is it! Fun weekend project that brings such warmth and beauty to your space. Best part, the whole family can get involved. Have fun and always remember to choose happiness. 

Namaste.