Sunday, May 23, 2010

arrrrghhhh....hurt shoulder

I knew that my one day getting hurt would be inevitable. My shoulder is apparently hurt...thought at first it might be just arthritis because we had some storms moving in, but now am beginning to think I need to have a doctor check it out. This is seriously hampering my progress. Am trying to just take it easy and not freak out. I guess I can always cue my classes just walking around and making adjustments where needed.
Hope it passes and is nothing.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Yoga Blog PSA: Recognize Your Goodness

Yoga Blog PSA: Recognize Your Goodness

This is beautiful.....I see this a lot with my students...makes me tear up. I tell them, "It's consistency and not force that will get you there" But, sometimes all the positive comments in the universe will not help.

A must read and watch

My favorite quote from the post is:

This blog post is here to tell you that you already ARE acceptable. You're acceptable in your "imperfect" state. It doesn't matter how many pairs of shoes you own or what kind of car your drive or how many yoga poses you've mastered or how many minutes you can sit in blissful meditation -- none of it changes the fact that you're good and that you're enough just as you are.

Manduka's question


So...I follow Manduka on Twitter. They have daily questions that they ask, like Tuesday's, "We're practicing creativity today..add a little color to your life today. What does your Manduka help you practice" and then there's a link for people to post how their Manduka mat helps them with this particular question...hmmmm.
Today's question was, "Today we're practicing commitment - stick to your sources and get the job done! What does your Manduka help you practice mid-week?"
I personally have a Manduka mat....why? Because it is super sticky and it is a firmer mat...I don't think it has super powers or anything, and it works when things get hot and sweaty....won't help me win the Nobel Prize......I just like it...and I like the purple color.
But, it a way, I guess it did help me practice commitment this week.
For me and with me approaching my teacher training this summer, and making a decision as to what style of yoga to go with (Yep...I'm split two ways, shame on me...hey I have equal experience with both) ...my mat did help me make that decision for me (and traffic, but that's a WHOLE 'nother story). The scoop is that I did not want to go to class...I was dragging and I had a three year old who didn't want to go to her new preschool....I gazed over to the corner of the living room and saw my new Manduka mat laying there, and I thought..."Geez, I really need to put this new damn (need I say pricey as well) mat to use...fill it with some good energy." So that's what I did...that thought propelled me to get out of the house and go to my class. At that class...I really turned a corner and made the decision during, of all asanas, Ardha Chandrasana as to what to do. Just came to me like a light bulb turning on.
I am deciding to follow my heart and Open to Grace :o) .....no matter the cost.

Monday, May 17, 2010

My little yogini....



-- Sent from my Palm Pre

LuLuLemon's Camel Toe Ad


I saw this ad on the back of Yoga Journal the other night and laughed my ass off....then showed it to my husband who thought it was funny too


This is a re-post from Yoga Dork




Welcome to my little space! YogaBliss has been started so I can rattle off all about my yoga journey, from start to finish....my daily adventures, happiness, successes, blah, blah without all the sugar coated stuff.
I sincerely hope you enjoy :o)

I started practicing yoga 12 years ago. Needless to say, after one class I was addicted. There was something about entering into a room, stressed out, then sweating, stretching, bending, balancing, relaxing that left me completely blissed out after an hour and a half (hence blog name). As I fell in and out of my yoga practice over the years, there was something strong that kept bringing me back, and that was the happiness that I felt after having practiced and the strength and love that I felt while doing yoga.
Fast foward 1998.....2008. After the birth of my second child, I felt huge...I was overweight (70 lbs. overweight), had awful health habits, a bad self image, and was sad and lacked motivation most of the time. I had one of those 2AM epiphanys that said, "I need to get off my ass and do something! " The next day, I woke up and started looking for yoga videos online to begin a strong home practice. I found some of Jason Crandell's videos and although shaky and frustrating at first, it was good to be back! I started researching about diet, knowing that to be the best I could be and be lean again, I had to cut out meat and dairy...so I did. I kept up with my home practice, which was spattered with some classes at local yoga studios and at my gym, and after about 9 months, I had lost 60 lbs! It was amazing. I put on clothes that I hadn't worn in years!
As time went by, the constant yoga practice chilled me out quite a bit...I started having less anxiety attacks, less depression symptoms....I started meditating as well...starting with 5 minutes a day, and working my way up. I think that of anything, meditation and yoga has taught me how to live in the present.
I wanted to share all of this with others, I wanted others to feel as happy as I did, so after toying around with the idea of teaching yoga, I went for it and got my certification with YogaFit and started teaching some classes at local fitness studios.
I can't begin to tell you the feeling I get when I see someone come into my class all stressed out and tense, not knowing what to expect, what to do, etc. and then an hour and a half later, see them walk out, with a look of utter calm and happiness. That's what it's about for me....changing perspectives, relaxing, teaching others to live in the present.

This summer, I will be embarking on quite a yoga journey and I would love for others to follow along with me for the ups and dows, the pleasure and pain, the unfolding of my heart and hopefully the opening of my eyes.