Day 325 Intention ~ Exude Calmness

Day 325 Intention ~ Exude Calmness

In about 90 minutes I will be leading a special pranayama, restoratives & yoga nidra class. It is all about finding control in the breath, so we can find peace in our minds (and our lives), healing and ease in the body and relaxation for the whole being. 

In doing this type of workshop, I need to exude calmness. For if I appear tired or strained, my students will not feel calm and relaxed. So, following my own workshop, I am trying to bring that calmness to myself so that I can spread that joy to others. 

This works in our daily lives too. When you encounter someone who is upset about something, if you approach them calmly, their breath tends to slow, they tend to settle down. If you react to them in the same aggravated, tense, barely breathing way that they are acting, they will continue to behave this way or perhaps even amp it up. 

Exude calmness...it works! 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 102 Intention ~ Ask For An Extension

Day 102 Intention ~ Ask for an extension

Or, you could say, give up control. One of the websites that I write for requires experts in the field in which I am writing assignments. Unfortunately, this doesn't always let me make my deadlines. When I first started writing for them, I would get so tense and stressed out because people may accept your invitation to be interviewed and be sincere, but even with the best intentions, people get sidetracked. They may eventually answer my questions, but not always in a timely deadline focused manner. 

Nowadays, I try to let it go. My editor is pretty reasonable and usually gives me an extension if necessary. Realizing that I cannot control others actions and admitting that I can't pull a rabbit out of a hat has made me a much more relaxed reporter. 

Learning this in other aspects of life is good too. Yesterday when my body was screaming for me to take a break, I listened. I am still not physically feeling 100%, but I do feel better than yesterday. 

Same with relationships with other people, either socially or in a work environment. People have their own things going on and they may not respond how you would or how you would like them to. It's okay, this is what makes the world go round. So long as you remind yourself that you cannot control others and their feelings and reactions, you may find a little more peace in your feelings and reactions. This will cause a much smoother and calmer day.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 76 Intention ~ Stop With the What If's

Day 76 Intention ~ Stop with the what if's

Enjoy the moment. It's Sunday and it's the perfect day to hang out with the hubby and relax. My head loves to start to take over and over think the week ahead. The what if's set in: what if no one comes to class, what if my car isn't finished, what if I can't get over this cold, what if (fill in the blank with anything that's been on your mind lately). It's ridiculous. 

There is no sense getting worked up over things we can't control. What we can control is our reaction to it. Things will happen as they are going to whether or not I spent time on my day off worrying about it. 

The mind challenges us in these scenarios just like we challenge our body on the yoga mat. We can either react or just do it. Things go way more smoothly if we just do it. Once you over think it, the mind starts to stress or the body tenses up...you lose that moment. 

So, no more what if's. Just allow things to unfold as they may. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Yoga Gives Me a Sense of Control

Yoga Gives Me a Sense of Control

By April

It is hard to believe that it has been almost three months since I lost the baby I so desperately wanted.
At first, I complained about having to wait three months before trying to conceive again. Now that the
time has passed, I realize that I really did need to heal physically and emotionally.

As we prepare to start trying again, I’m worried about losing another baby or it taking almost another
year before we even get pregnant. The past year has been such a roller coaster that I can’t help but
expect the worse. There are two things that have kept me sane throughout this process: writing and
practicing yoga.

Writing gives me a place to explore and discuss my concerns and fears and struggles. There aren’t many people who know or understand my miscarriage, so writing is like my free therapist.

Yoga, on the other hand, has given me control over my body. For the past year, I’ve felt like my
hormones were so out of whack. I almost didn’t even recognize myself anymore. I gained weight and
started breaking out like a teenager. Yoga keeps me from feeling helpless.

When I practice every day, I remember that while I can’t control when or if I have a baby, I can control
how I treat my body. I can make myself as healthy as possible for the child I hope to bear, and I can keep my mind calm and focused. I don’t have to feel out of control.

I don’t know what will happen in the next few months, but I know I am strong enough to handle
whatever life throws my life. Let’s just hope it’s a healthy pregnancy.