Release, Meditation

Wow, I have been in a yoga and writing break for months. Those months I have gone through some ups and downs in my life job, move being in a place that doesn't feel so great. But lately the urge to do yoga is coming back which feels really grand.

So last night I did a bedtime yoga which helped me settle into my body and be fully present in my movements and breath. I haven't felt this connection to my body for a while. It was a great reminder to slow down, don't force things and do those things that bring you back to your slow being. Yoga for me has always allowed me to see the beauty in myself that I forget because I don't slow down and nourish my spirit. So take time to slow down and do what feels good, whatever that may be.

The ocean always helps me slow down

Self Work

I have been dog sitting over the holiday weekend which forces me to do things differently. Discover new neighborhoods, run on new paths, and take a bath in the middle of the day. I always love these life disruptions because they bring about new insights.

Over this holiday weekend I have been sitting in a seat of tension with some of those close to me. And as I was running this afternoon it came to me the only way to ride out these moments of tension is you must do the self work. Yes, we need support from friends, but when your alone and sitting with yourself it matters that you know the depths of your self. You know what releases negative energy. You know what feeds your soul. You know what comforts. By diving deep into self discovery you become a woman that can ride out the tension and give yourself a little more love.

As Brene Brown says to stay curious as opposed to disengaged because when we deny our stories and disengage from the tough shit that rises up we are allowing that to define us. (also not an exact quote)

So we are worth the work!

Always love to hear from you.
Take care

Wholeness

I had to share this quote. It came from Rising Strong by Brene Brown

"We attempt to disown our difficult stories to appear more whole or more acceptable, but our wholeness-even our wholeheartedness-actually depends on the integration of all of our experiences, including the falls." 

                                                                                                 -Brene Brown

These words flew off the page and into my soul. I have been disowning my story to appear whole to the outside world. Why? As I read these words and share them I commit to owning my whole story!

Please share your thoughts on this quote.

Emotional Freedom

We live in a world of polarity. If we're not happy we're sad, if we're not happy we're mad. I use to reside in a world of suppressing the inappropriate polarity in the moment, until I realized that I am the one that is being inappropriate to myself. In order to allow an emotion to pass you must feel it and identify the reason for its rise. Don't shame yourself allow yourself emotional freedom. Once I started allowing myself, I broke free and this allowed me to grow.

The more aware we are of our triggers the more we can understand ourselves and others. As we etch out clarity, freedom and self acceptance. Our mind won't allow others to make us feel anything we don't already feel.

So, next yoga practice be on your mat with all that you come with and move through the poses as you feel the need. Honor yourself and the warrior you are growing into.

Seeker

I opened my yoga journal today and was reading through some of my entries during teacher training. I came across this one that really spoke to me at that time and now.

Yoga Sutra

The seeker is to preform asanas, so they become familiar with their body, senses and intelligence. You develop alertness, sensitivity and power of concentration.

Familiar = means to be in close friendship

I feel that yoga helps us become familiar to ourselves in everyway. It slows us down and helps us get to know the deeper parts of our being.

There is no one way to be a seeker in yoga or life. As I am  seeker of both. I have stopped judging myself because there are many paths that a seeker can take and different speeds. The important part is that you are enjoying the seeking and building a familiar relationship with the deepest part of you. No matter where you are at, know that the seeking never stops and should be the thing that keeps you seeking more from yourself.

Anger

Today was a day of explosive anger at other peoples behavior. Wow, I always amaze myself that I can get so angry. I hold onto it as though my life depends on it. It fuels me into a space of turbulence and speed. And what I mean by that is my body becomes tight, I walk faster, I snap, I have shallow breathing. I haven't felt this way in sometime so it always angers me to think I am going back to that place. Yet, I have to work through these feelings.

My mind says calm down which doesn't work. This anger takes over my entire self. So, when I arrive home I blog to get it out of my body. Then I do a basic yoga sequence at a quick pace which releases those negative feelings.

So the sequence I do is Sun Salutations I or I go running.



 And I must say there is no special number of times, I stop when I feel the anger has left my body and I become Melissa again.

If you deal with anger and have a way to shift that feeling I would love to hear about it.

Cheers to yoga for helping me cope with life!

Traveling unleashes the knowing that there is no one great place. When you start to explore the vastness of the world you see that beauty is all around. It may even become apparent that there are many great places to settle, that there is no one perfect place. This may start to shape the way in which you view yourself and the life you choose to live.

This thought was unleashed to me after my job ended and I was able to travel to some amazing places. I must say I am grateful for the life moments that shake me from the mundane and challenge me to look deeper. Also, to appreciate the now moments and know that the world has dealt me this for a reason. But, I also allow myself to feel the anger, sadness, anxiety that comes when change suddenly happens.

So, sink into those poses that make you uncomfortable, or the sequences that require you to break a sweat.

Grand Tetons in Wyoming, amazing!

Maine!

Transitions

In life and yoga transitions are all apart of the journey. They can be enjoyable because they pose a challenge, yet it can bring stuff up that prevents us from experiencing it fully. As Pema Chodron says the only thing in life that is for sure is impermanence. So not holding on to things so tight gives us freedom and eases our mental grip. Shifting our view of transitions as an exciting opportunity to experience something  new is EXCITING and SCARY, but why else are we here!

This week my boss told me the business is shifting and we no longer need the services you preform. My apartment lease is up also. WOW! I am being told to embrace transitions and see the joy in this challenge. I have been through so many of these and this time I can finally see the JOY, FREEDOM and UNKNOWN. I can say with all my being I am open to what comes!

Ganesh the Remover of Obstacles

Yoga the Energy Buster

My work weeks have been pushing 50 hours and it is so exhausting. It also makes me very grouchy person when I feel I have no time to myself. So, last Thursday I had 15 min to change and ride my bike to a hatha yoga class. My energy was all over the place, but after yoga it settled. I was a new person with a positive view on things. I have been doing yoga for several years and I am always amazed at the affects yoga has on ones emotions. I always leave feeling better and stronger. So regardless of my work schedule I need to take time to do ME!

A Woman's Worth

I am reading this great book by Marianne Williamson called A Woman's Worth. It brings to light so many cultural norms that society puts on woman.


When a woman is not empowered by her inner light she can't be her best self. That is when society has control, so it is our job to ignite that light.

That is my 2015 commitment to myself and I want to invite you to find ways that ignite your inner female light.

I wanted to share with everyone about a great video I watched this morning which was a clip from the Oprah Supper Soul Sunday. The take away from that clip was this key questions:


What gives you Life ?

This made me stop and think that I get so wrapped up in the daily routine of life that I forget to ask this question to myself on a daily basis. Our souls need to be feed so we can contribute to the larger world we reside in.



So here are my Life givers:


Yoga=connects me to breath and spirit
Running=releases my energy and unblocks my creativity
Books=ignite ideas and challenge me to be my best
Gardening=shows me the beauty that surrounds us and our connection to this earth

My sister on our road trip through Utah.

I feel warrior II is a great pose because you must ground your feet into the earth, shoot your arms out and hold them strong, look forward beyond your fingers. This pose makes you aware that there is no looking back. You are grounded in the present and challenge yourself to feed your soul and know that whatever the future holds you got this.

 

After a very physical week at my work my body forced me to slow down and take a breath. When I get in that mode of go, go, go it is sometimes hard to slow down until your body just tells you to stop and listen. It made me realize that I was not taking care of me and this creates a disturbing energy within myself. I find in these moments I need yoga so much. The connecting of my breath to movement, to myself, to my community.

So, on Sunday I took time to take a yoga class, then today I took a nia class. This time of dedication to one self is essential in living a well balanced life and being a positive contributing member to this planet.

Root down into yourself and honor this new way of being.



And remember to keep your heart open

Weekend Fun

So, the weekend is a time to restore, have fun and find inspiration. That is how I like to spend my weekends any way.

Saturday I ran to Hatha yoga class and the humidity here was at 75% and when I got to class I was red faced and sweating. I have never taken a class from this teacher and I really liked the long meditation we did before starting our practice because it settles your mind and roots the body. Towards the end of class she said notice today how you are after you take a yoga class and it got me thinking that I am a more calm, pleasant person to be around.

Now I want to ask all of you how or does your outlook or behavior change after taking a yoga class?



Yoga makes me shift my shit.

Respect yourself

When you uphold yourself to a certain standard you expect others to respect that. I feel I have finally come to see the value in myself and require those close to me to love, honor and respect me. So, if someone in your life is not flowing with your values take time to step back and assess that relationship. Our lives are to short and grand to endure disrespect.

So honor you today by taking a look at those that bring light into your life and those that bring clouds.

I was just reading an article on how to transform into the CEO you want. It got me thinking aren't we all CEO's of our own companies. We create a vision for our life, then we take steps to attain that vision. So, here is what I learned from the article and will incorporate this into my life to be my most successful self.

Celebrate your strengths and be aware of your opportunities.

Take on challenges with a learning mindset. You don't have to be perfect or know everything, in life we need to stay curious and keep learning.

 In this life you will always be transforming and adapting your approach, but don't lose yourself in the process.

I would love to hear how and if this could help you be the best you.

Enjoy this Monday.

Recommitting

Lately, I have been falling off the wagon with running, yoga, meditation, etc. So instead of feeling guilty or buying into negative self talk, I have decided to recommit myself to those things that bring balance and joy. So, I invite you to see everyday as a time to recommit to those things that are important to you.

I commit myself to getting up early to run by the lake, get off work early to do Dharma yoga and attend meditation classes that teach me to strive for the best in myself.

 

 

 

 

 

“Don’t get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming. Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal. Now is your time. Walk closely with people you love. Don’t get stuck in the past, and don’t try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven’t yet earned. Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep travelling honestly along life’s path.”

- a well traveled woman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linkedin Post

Good Morning, I was reading an article on linkedin yoga group and a quote by BKS Iyengar caught
my eye.

"God has a job for every individual"

 

-BKS Iyengar

 

 

It really makes me think that our job is to find out who we really are and what makes us shine while residing on this earth. We all have a job so I say follow what makes you feel alive so you can inspires others on their jobs.

 

 

Cute little church on Lummi Island with a Labyrinth.



Awareness

Think of attentiveness as the capacity to be one-pointed, listening at ever-deepening levels of awareness.

                                                    -Sue Monk Kidd

I feel when we commit to yoga and meditation this helps to become more attentive to our awareness levels. I become more awake to the world and my heart opens to what is. Grounding poses are a great way to focus on the breath, so I challenge you to focus on your breath when you seem to slip into your own world.

Stay open, stay present and be aware.

We mustn't go through life

 wrapped up in our own lives.