Thoughts of the week
I know I’ve been slacking on my weekly posts. I’m going to be honest, the whole isolation thing is finally getting to me. While I love staying indoors, I miss going out with my family and not worrying about wearing masks, gloves, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I am TOTALLY grateful that I am still employed and that I have ways to communicate with my students (I don’t want to sound like I’m whining), but I miss teaching and being in class. Zoom is great and all, but it’s not the same. Also goes with my family. What has got me bummed is that sometimes thoughts creep up about what this world is going to look like post-corona (or will that ever exist). This has caused some of my non-motivation in doing what I love, because it’s hard to be creative and think of something passionate to write about when my mind is elsewhere. Just some thoughts that have been on my head, and thought I’d share. Now moving on! 🙂
What I’ve been learning
One thing I have definitely not been slacking on is my yoga teacher training. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the training, I think I’d be going insane right now!! I’ve been chugging along with it and so far it has been an AMAZING journey and I’m soaking everything in. As I feel more confident and learn more, I want to share it!
Safety, safety, safety
I just finished the chapter on safety and it was very interesting and informative. I really learned a lot from it. One of the things that stuck out to me was that a lot of people each year get hurt doing yoga. Not that it shouldn’t surprise me, but in my mind, I always envision a serene practice where no one gets hurt….LOL….I know, right? However, after reading this article by Dr. Axe (a SUPER interesting and insightful read), I never realized how common it is! In the article, the number of people getting hurt tend to differ depending on who conducted the study. However, what this teaches me is that when doing and teaching yoga, safety must come first.
Know thyself
When practicing, one thing I always keep in my mind (this has been engrained in my head by the yoga teacher I follow, because she mentions it A LOT) is not to go into the level of pain, “Let wherever you are be enough,” she says. I am always thinking about that when I practice. Sometimes, my sciatica is not bothering me and I can be super bendy. Other times, when I do Paschimottasana (seated forward bend), I can only reach my shins (when I can normally grab my feet). Now, I know that if I let my EGO take over, I’ll push myself to grab my feet and then I’ll probably get a flare up and not be able to practice at all. All I had to do was to honor my body and practice lightly for a day or two, and then my body would go back to normal (if you’ve ever had an acute sciatic flare-up, phew, they are NOT fun!). Everyone’s body is different. Only you know how far to take a pose, or whether you should be attempting it at all! That’s why being present and in the moment of your yoga practice is super important . If you are focused on things outside the mat, you are not paying attention to what’s going on in it. You might be misaligned in doing a pose, or loose your balance and get hurt. A good intention at the beginning of your practice is to “be present” and stick to it!
Another important thing is that after you are honest with yourself as to how you are feeling, decide on an appropriate yoga practice to do. For example, if my sciatica is bothering me along with my joints, it would be silly for me to do an arm balance sequence. First, my body is not healthy enough at that moment to do this, and secondly, I’m going to get hurt, and not be able to practice for a much longer period of time. A more appropriate practice would be to do a restorative or yin yoga, or just to do some asanas that would calm my sciatic pain (and probably chill more and use a heating pad!).
Here is a great article, also by Dr. Axe, explaining the benefits of the different types of yoga and what each entails. That way, you can pick the one that’s right for you that day!
Being Present
So, what does “being present” actually mean? I mean, you’re on your mat, so you’re definitely physically present, but that’s not what it means. To me, being present means that your heart, soul, and mind is on the mat. I always set an intention at the beginning of my practice (during the time you are doing a small meditation or pranayama practice). Usually it’s “stay present”, “strength”, “calmness”, “listen to my body”, or “peace”. You can use it as a mantra throughout your practice, so that it’s always at the back of your head. I’m finding that making sure I always set an intention has helped me during this crazy time. Then, I make sure that I link my breath to the asanas that I am going through (breathing in when moving up, out when moving down). I notice a lot that when I focus on my breathing, it helps me to be present and grounded (and to also avoid injuries because I am cognizant of what’s happening in my body as I go through the poses).
Stretching
Another thing that is important in staying safe is to stretch before starting any yoga practice (heck…even ANY workout practice). However, you should always avoid pushing yourself too hard! When you reach your stretching limit, think “Am I feeling pain?”. If so, certainly back off because you should not be feeling any pain (DON’T think…”no pain, no gain”…that certainly does not hold true here! LOL). If you do feel pain, stop what you’re doing. If you don’t, and it just feels a little intense or uncomfortable, then try to breathe through it. Think of your breath as tiny bubbles. Visualize yourself breathing in these little bubbles, coming from the earth and up into your body and filling it up (and back off a little from your stretch). Then, as you breathe out, send those little bubbles to your tight areas (as you deepen into the stretch). Visualize them pushing the barrier you have wherever it’s tight, so that it eases the intense stretching feeling.
Final thoughts
So, these are just a couple of ways to be mindful and stay safe when practicing. Just to recap:
- Be honest with yourself
- Set an intention to be present (or something similar)
- Breathe through your asanas to stay in the moment
- Pick a yoga practice that is appropriate for you at that time
- Stretch before your practice
Another topic that I would like to talk about in the next post are props! Gotta tell ya, I love them and have waaayyyy too many! I will address what are they, why use them, and should you feel ashamed for using them (of course not!!).
Stay tuned! Have a marvelous week!
Grounding Fitness, LLC 