Planning ahead for a sane holiday season

It’s starting….Christmas music on the radio…red & green in the stores….last time I checked we hadn’t had Thanksgiving yet…but the holiday cycle seems to turn faster and faster.  This time of year it’s more important than ever to keep the things that keep you sane in your daily and weekly routine.  Maybe that’s yoga, maybe it’s a nightly walk with your furry friend or an early morning run.  Set those dates with yourself as non-negotiable and don’t let the frenzy of activity (thanksgiving dinner shopping, holiday to-do lists) take you off-course.

I had lunch today with my sister. It’s a monthly tradition that we started this past January as a way to make sure that despite the busyness of our lives, we would have an hour each month to reconnect and share a meal together.  Today was our 11th installment of our lunches and I do feel like we’re closer having had this focused, scheduled time.

The same is true of those dates with ourselves — the ones that fill you up, calm you and propel you forward.  More than any other time of year, these last two months are stressful!  We have more demands, more pressures, more activities and more expectations that are placed on us, or that we place on ourselves.  Here are some thoughts on how to keep the crazy out of your holiday season:

Re-think gifts – On my side of the family, we’ve decided to opt out of the gift exchange this year and instead just spend time together celebrating the holidays.  We might go to a Christmas program together or a funny movie…but we’re all at the age where we have all the stuff we need and what we don’t have we can purchase ourselves. Why not just spend some focused time together instead? Another option might be just buying for the kids…

Give back – We all have those melancholy, blue moments at holiday time.  There’s no better cure than to focus your attention on someone else’s need.  Whether you write a check or volunteer at a local shelter, shifting your focus to others can give you a sense of gratitude and peace.

Maintain at least 80% of your Jan-Oct schedule – I know we’re running out of shopping days, have to order the turkey, etc…but if you maintain 80% of your usual schedule of energizing and nurturing activities and rest, I know you’ll be better able to handle and even flourish in the buzz of the season.  So, go for the run,  take 10 minutes of quiet just for you, go to yoga class or boxing or pilates….so that you remain reasonably grounded and peaceful. We just have to be intentional about it…so that it doesn’t get lost…

Introducing our Wellness Junkie Blog

I’ve started a new blog that I’d like to share with you: Wellness Junkie.  I’ve long been a wellness junkie – always up for trying new (or new to me) health and wellness products, services and therapies.  Each week, I’ll share with you a little bit about the topic, my experience with it, and how you can find more about it in your area.

Yes, this is my clever (though not so sneaky) attempt at fully embracing and legitimizing my wellness addiction under the guise of bringing health & wellness information to you.  Rest assured, I do pay for these products and services to maintain my objectivity, but try to take advantage of special offers & discounts when available.

Here are just a few of the recent adventures of the Wellness Junkie:

Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage

Cold Stone Therapy for Headaches & Sinus Relief

GYROTONIC® Stretches

Hemp Protein Powder

Have ideas for future wellness junkie adventures & posts OR a wellness product or service you’d like me to try first?  Leave a comment here…thanks!

Securing your mask first: Taking time to care for you

It’s Monday morning and I’ve just returned from a weekend retreat at a nearby monastery.  No agenda-filled women’s retreat or girls’ weekend….I just needed some time by myself to rest, reflect, pray, be still and listen….I immersed myself in my Bible and both classic and contemporary writer’s words. I took in the beauty of turning leaves, stained glass windows and the silence and comfort of an empty cathedral…

So….I’m a little rusty this morning finding the words to describe my experience…maybe they’ll come later or be reserved just for me…I’m still noodling on them, I suppose.

But  I did find a post at Yahweh Yoga that shares how we must get away and do the things we need to take care of ourselves before we can properly, joyfully care for others… Enjoy:

http://yahwehyoga.com/2009/09/04/secure-your-own-mask-first-before-assisting-others/

Checking Your Blackberry While Doing Yoga?

This past weekend, I saw It Might Get Loud, a documentary featuring three guitarists: Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White.  The three come together and discuss the electric guitar, their stories and their music.  While I’m not a musician myself, I married a drummer so we went…plus I’m a big U2 fan, so it wasn’t that much of a sacrifice.

In the movie (which is very enjoyable and worth the ticket), we get to know each of the three artists, their background, personality, etc… Included in The Edge portion, is footage that Bono took of The Edge doing yoga while checking his Blackberry…coining the term “Blackberry Yoga”. While I couldn’t find the actual video footage, the link below shows some pics:

http://www.u2.com/news/title/a-day-in-the-life-of-edge

So before you get any ideas – checking email while doing yoga? Certainly I’m not one of those purists when it comes to yoga. In my classes, we modify like crazy to make yoga work for the actual people in the class and don’t hold up some unattainable standard…however, the intention that often comes from a yoga practice is to get away from distraction, busyness, our to-do lists, our daily chaos.

With that said, most of us don’t have the luxury of regular peaceful hours each day to step out of our crazy and into the serene, reflective peace that yoga can offer. We’re doing good somedays just to get everyone out of the house with the same color of socks, pay the vehicle registration on time, remember to thaw the chicken out so that dinner is a possibility by 6…so I’m definitely not going to judge The Edge’s yoga…or anyone else’s.

That’s why I love yoga. It’s moldable, adaptable…it can be whatever we need it to be.  If my brain is on hyper-speed because I need to process email, maybe yoga and the blackberry can co-exist in the same hour.  I wouldn’t recommend it all the time….but sometimes we just have to make it work for us. We have to start somewhere.

If you’re putting off starting a yoga practice or trying that neighborhood class because you’re waiting for a less stressful or hectic week – guess what? It’s never going to come… Yoga can fit into the nooks and crannies of our lives and should….start with 10 minutes…20 minutes…maybe one class or one dvd….and yes, your Blackberry can come if has to… eventually you’ll want to leave it behind and enjoy your yoga.

Yoga for Kids: Stretches to Burn off Energy & Calm Kids Down

My friend and client Jocelyn asked me for a 10-15 minute yoga routine for 4-7 year olds… something to maybe calm them down, burn off some energy and keep the parents or nannies sane… so, Jocelyn, thank you for the request (I love requests as I sometimes have blogger’s block) and here goes:

Start with activity (with kids, you wouldn’t want to start with sitting still & breathing — start with the most active thing first and save the quiet, reflective time for the end):

• 4-6 Full Flows or Sun Salutations – everyone has their own version. In a YogaXoga class, we follow this guide: Mountain Pose, Swan Dive to Forward Fold, Low Lunge, Downward Dog, Plank, Modified Crocodile (or Chatturanga) for kids, Cobra/Up Dog, Downward Dog, Low Lunge, Forward Fold, Mountain Pose.  Repeat 4-6 times alternating which leg steps back in the lunge.
• Pick just a couple standing poses: Triangle or Extended Side Angle are ones that kiddos can do and feel successful. They’re not too complicated.  Other options once your kiddos know a few poses is to take turns letting each one of them teach the rest of you their favorite pose. Hold each pose for 3-5 breaths.
• Move on to balance: Balance poses require concentration…be sure to take the competition out of the room by saying things like, “just do your best today” or “turn and look away from the group” to avoid that competitiveness.

• Balancing Mountain: Standing in Mountain pose, have them pretend that they are tall trees….focusing their eyes on something, have them balance on their tippy-toes – the tree is growing taller….encourage them to draw their belly toward their spine — keeping a strong tree and balancing as long as they can comfortably.
• Eagle: Another great pose for concentration…guide them with the arms first. Start by holding up both forearms like goalposts and stacking the right elbow on top of the left and draw the shoulders down. Next, shift your weight into the right side and cross the left foot over (like Gene Kelly).  Then, we’ll sink back into the right leg, bending the knee and squeezing the inner thighs together. Overtime, lifting the left foot from the floor or wrapping the left leg around the right. Reverse to the other side.
• Calming Stretches:  Butterfly is a great stretch – drawing the soles of your feet together and holding onto the ankles… you can also practice a slow, steady breath here to calm the kids.  As they inhale they draw the knees up towards them and as they exhale, they release them.  Have them think about the breath being more important than the movement of their legs – so that their movement really matches their breath. You can do this with other poses too — where they can focus on their breath and move with it (Full Flows, Cat/Cow).  For Straddle Fold, you might pretend that you are all in the kitchen making something — encourage each child to share what’s for dinner today in their kitchen. From a seated position, legs in a V, have the kids “stir their pot in one direction and then the other, circling their upper body forward towards the floor and around in a circle. Continue for 4 circles each way.

• Alternative Nostril Breathing – this breath is great for sinuses and allergies but also wonderful to improve concentration and focus (great for older kids before tests).  Start in a comfortable seated position. Using one hand, close off the right nostril and breathe in through the left side. Switch and close off the left nostril and breathe out through the right side.  Breathe in on the right, switch and out the left.  Continue for 6-8 breaths and then breathe normally for 4 more breaths. To make it more fun — you might have the kids think about climbing a mountain or going up the stairs at their house and then realizing they forgot something and had to go back down…up and down – breathing in and out….
• Bridge Pose – All inversions are great for calming the mind and nervous system.  For Bridge pose, have everyone lie on their backs with knees bent.  With arms by their side, they’ll inhale and lift their hips up toward the ceiling and exhale to lower the hips again. Have them move with their breath a few times, getting used the movement and trying to time their breath to match their movement. Some may want to hold their Bridge, drawing shoulders underneath them…Stay for 4-6 breaths and rest.
• Breathing & Relaxation – Have the kids find a comfortable position lying the floor (usually on their backs) with one hand on their belly.  Have them feel their inhale as their belly lifts and their exhale as the belly lowers.  Have them try to make their breaths move in slow motion.  You might try a visualization here — having them close their eyes and imagine their favorite room in their house or favorite vacation…have them fill in all the details of that place and just rest quietly.  For 4-7 year olds, you might want to start with just 2-3 minutes of quiet, rest time and work up to 4-6 minutes.  2 minutes can be awfully long at first.

Embracing Change: How Yoga Can Help

Change is inevitable, right?  We’re all moving in one direction or another – there’s really no standing still – even if we’d like to think there is.  In our jobs, in relationships, even in our yoga practice this is true.

I learn a lot from my yoga clients regarding how they view change in class. When I introduce new poses or a new way to come into or out of a pose, there are those who are instantly excited – giddy to try something new.  And, there are those who furrow their brow at me suspiciously that the old, familiar poses or the old transitions were just fine… And of course many of us fall somewhere in between those extremes.

Our reaction to change in yoga class may be just a peak at our reactions to bigger changes: moving to a new city, a new job, a change in family roles due to an ailing parent, or just getting older…we all have different reactions and ways of  “dealing with” change.

Yoga can be helpful in the “dealing with”…maybe to the point where it feels more like we’re embracing the change, feeling it fully…vs. dealing with it. Here are some thoughts:

• Yoga teaches us to be present. Often with change, we’re thinking about the way things used to be and perhaps worrying about the future implications of the change that’s about to happen.  In yoga, our intention is on the right now — what do I feel in this pose, how’s my breath, what’s going on right now…we can take this off the yoga mat by checking in with our reaction to the change…how do I feel about it today? What’s happening today (right now) that I must respond to or address?
• Yoga helps us to be more aware. In beginning to settle around what might be a huge change for my life, I’ve become more aware at how I’m interacting with this potential change.  At first, even the mention of it, caused my breathing to become short and my heart to beat faster.  After a few months of reflection, prayer and thought, it feels better…while I’m still not rejoicing over this change, I’m more at peace with it…We’ve developed a mutual respect for each other – my big change and me — and I’m thankful that through my yoga practice I’m able to recognize the progress of this. Yoga teaches us to be aware of how our body is feeling but also aware of our thoughts…when we can observe our thoughts and really take a good look at them, we are better able recognize the ones that keep repeating bad habits or the ones that don’t do us any good….
• Yoga helps us de-stress. Change is stressful…even good change like new babies, new jobs, new relationships. A regular yoga practice helps to calm the nervous system; it lowers cortisol levels and improves/deepens our breathing.  The physicality of yoga helps us get out of our head (the constant re-thinking or mulling about the change) and present in the body with our breath. Coming back to your yoga mat during a difficult period when you feel that everything is in flux can be comforting, soothing and reassuring…that some things still remain.  That you are still you…one breath at a time.

Yoga Before Bed: Staying Present for ZZZ’s

Getting to and staying asleep can be difficult.  You might be constantly thinking of what you need to do tomorrow – worries, burdens, plans. Or, you could be re-hashing what happened today…what you should have (or shouldn’t have) said, if only this would’ve happened instead of that.

Whether you find yourself in the first or second category,  [I've been in both - but tend to frequent the "thinking about tomorrow" box] yoga breathing and awareness can help you stay present which is one of your best chances of getting to and staying asleep.

Breathing Awareness Exercise:

Lying on your back, place one hand on your belly. Breathe in and out through your nose and feel your belly rise and fall.  Notice other areas of your body as you inhale and exhale.  The lower ribs expand, the chest lifts…Allow each breath to be a little longer, a little more full before you begin a new one. Try this for a few minutes – just observing how you breathe.

As you’re breathing, notice your thoughts.  Try to examine them as if they belong to someone else.  Place an imaginary post-it on each thought and as  you exhale, imagine setting it aside or releasing it as you exhale:  “Tomorrow’s big meeting”, “Sally’s doctor’s appt”, “what are we going to do about X”, “I can’t believe I said that to John” — label all the thoughts and let them go….

If just imagining each thought and releasing it doesn’t work for you, take 10 minutes and get up and go write down every thought or preoccupation in your head.  For me, my whiteboard in my office is great for this…I can unload everything there and go to sleep, knowing that I have everything captured for tomorrow.

Now back to the breathing….as you are categorizing and releasing thoughts, your mind will wander and think of new thoughts. That’s what the mind does. No worries – just acknowledge each one (even the most random) and let it go.  Allow the mind only to go to the present – allow your shoulders to draw down, your facial muscles to soften, your jaw to release….allow your eyes to get heavy and your breath to slow down….ah – sleep…..

For more on yoga before bed, check out our new DVD with a 20-minute yoga class, Yoga Before Bed.

YogaXoga Product Find: Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder

I’ve been looking for a great tasting, healthy source of protein for my morning smoothies and I found one that I want to share: Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder + Fiber is superb!  I wanted to stay away from the whey and soy protein powders, so I tried this one.  It tastes good, isn’t grainy and doesn’t have any after taste.

I have one in the morning to give me a boost, especially when I have morning classes to teach.  When I was on a  cleanse, I would have a couple of hemp powder smoothies a day and they really kept my energy level going.  I know some may have some questions about hemp — here’s more information for you who may be snickering:

From the Nutiva Website

Here’s my usual smoothie recipe:

1 cup V8 Fusion Pom/Blueberry (or home juiced carrots & apple)

2 T. Hemp Protein Powder + Fiber (the label says 2-4 T. per serving)

1 Banana

1 cup frozen berries

(and if I have it on-hand) a handful of baby spinach

You’ll want to drink right away – that’s the best. Enjoy!

Slow it Down, Bring it Closer

So my pastor has been using this phrase, “slow it down, bring it closer” as we take a look at our church, who we are, where we’re going — bringing things into focus, simplifying our lives and the life of our church…I thought I’d borrow it today…

For our yoga practices, it can be  a very helpful phrase as well.

When we’re in a routine (even a good, healthy one), it can become automatic…rote.  We go through the motions so quickly and may miss out on all that could be observed and enjoyed in our practice.  Here are a few thoughts to help us all slow it down and bring it closer.

• Take time to prepare and set your intention or focus. What are you looking forward to in your yoga today?  Do you need a restful, gentle practice to recover from lots of activity? Are you needing a quick, energizing practice to empower you for the rest of your day?
• Be the observer. Check in with what’s on your mind – what do you need to let go of before you begin? Worries….burdens….plans….to-do lists?
• Play with your pace.  Try moving at a different pace than usual. If your full flows or son salutations are usually quick, slow them down. Do one in the time you’d usually do three.  Tune into your breath and savor each part of your flow.  Slowing down helps slow our breathing and bring more focus to our yoga, but it can also be more challenging…working the muscles from strength and not momentum is a good practice to work toward.
• Bring it closer – modify your practice to fit you…are you feeling overwhelmed in life? Maybe a simpler practice with fewer movements, with a greater focus on your breathing…Are you fighting many obstacles and stresses? A gratitude meditation where we are focused on what we’re grateful for might refresh and encourage you.  Are you anxious with lots of pent-

Yoga’s a wonderful practice that is more than standing on one leg or breathing from the belly. Yoga can come into the nooks and crannies of our lives and help us in our reactions to the stresses we encounter daily.  And best of all, it can be whatever you need it to be that day…a 90 minute active class or 10 minutes in silence…it’s up to you.

It’s Never to Late to Move in a Better Direction…

I run into people all the time in classes and out and about, who express something about themselves with which they are not happy….maybe their eating habits,  fast-paced lifestyle, having no time to stretch or sleep or (you fill in the blank).

Several months ago, I started down one path with my business that seemed right.  Scratch that – it seemed good enough…But along the way, there was definitely a whisper over my shoulder saying, “You can do better…” or “Stop this – and start again in a new way…”  I continued to ignore the whisper, until it became a bullhorn shout…and then I acted.   I stopped,  stepped back, checked in with my “divine life coach” and set off in a new, better direction.

You can do this as well — with ANYTHING.   If you’re thinking that you don’t eat enough healthy foods, or don’t get enough exercise – don’t continue in the status quo of NOT doing what you know you want to do, and  continuing to tell others that you don’t do what you should…Stop the cycle…It’s never too late to stop moving in one direction, readjust and move forward in a better way…

As an example, think of  Tree pose…you’re standing on one leg and begin to feel that your standing ankle move, feeling a little vulnerable and underqualified for the pose at hand.  What would you do? I think you’d lower your balancing foot…stand in Mountain pose and breathe….and then try again…hmmmm…

This works in many circumstances (health, finances, relationships, work, parenting) …and with my own story of re-adjusting thought we might all need reminding…

Anybody want to share a lesson of examining, re-adjusting and moving in a better direction?