Making Time for Your Yoga Practice

How do we make time for our yoga practice?

My Winter Home Yoga Space

It's different for each person.  Here are a few thoughts on the question:

1)  Join a class and put this time on your calendar as an "appointment with yourself" for your mental, physical and spiritual health.  If you can't go to a local class, do a free internet class with my favorite virtual teacher:  Melissa West.  She has over 400 free classes on her website and YouTube Channel.

2)  Set up an area in your home where you can either leave your mat out all the time, or rolled up nearby.  Take a look at your day-to-day schedule and find even just 15 to 30 minutes a day that you can dedicate this time as your "me" time.

3)  At work, periodically do some stretches both standing and sitting to loosen up the body.

4)  Standing in line at Walmart, or the grocery store, etc. practice balancing on one leg or the other.  Practice breath awareness.  Become aware of your posture and your core.

5)  While doing the dishes, laundry or other "chores", practice breath awareness and being fully in the present moment - completely aware of what you are doing.  Think about who will benefit from this activity - yourself, your significant other or children - and think about how this act of service is an act of love for those persons.

Just some thoughts.  How do you make time for your yoga practice?

Namaste,
Carrie

"Yoga takes you into the present moment - the only place that life exists."  Unknown Author

My Summertime Yoga Space

Circle Yoga Shala

This beautiful, wonderful place is where I obtained my most recent 200-hour yoga teacher training.  If you are interested in furthering your yoga practice or becoming a teacher, this is the place to study.

Tai Chi for Arthritis Warm-up and Form #1 Videos

Here are a couple of videos that might help students participating in Tai Chi classes at the Jones Center.  The first video consists of warm-up QiGong movements.  The second video is the Paul Lam Tai Chi for Arthritis Form #1.  Practice every day.

Thanks to BeachSide QiGong for posting these on YouTube.

See you in class!

Carrie

Ubiquitous Advertising

As I was reading my free Vimeo copy of the latest "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine this morning (received free as part of my membership to the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks),  I was struck anew by the ubiquitous nature of advertising in our society.  Nearly 3/4 of this magazine consists of either direct advertising of something we "need", or a feature article giving prices and links to the items styled in the article so we could rush right out there and buy these "needed", "must have" items.  Very few articles about actual gardening.

Since 2013, Fred and I have been on a downsizing, minimalism quest.  Even now, four years later, there is still much to be sorted and eliminated.  The dreaded photo boxes, and albums, and "important papers" have still not been downsized to my satisfaction.  We have, however, been fairly successful in not bringing in new "stuff" that is not really needed.  At the most, if we acquire something, something else has to go.

I have found that I now crave simplicity in my surroundings.  I don't want to be a slave to my "things".  If something requires "maintenance" (which could simply mean dusting - LOL),  I'm trying to let it go.  Letting go of cable TV and watching very little of the antennae-received channels,  unsubscribing to emails from retail establishments, and not buying magazines helps to lessen the bombardment of advertising.  It's a continual battle though.

Billboard in Okinawa, Japan