Blog Post: 40 Days of Contentment with Semperviva Yoga Challenge
Day 1 ~ Saturday, April 14, 2012
Yesterday I began my 40 Day Yoga commitment and I decided the best option for me to begin would be the 7:30pm yin yoga class. Yin Yoga is characterized by long, slow and very relaxed postures - a great class for beginners or for someone like me who is returning after a long absence from yoga.
When I arrived the class was not quite full and so it gave me the space I did not even know I needed. It allowed me to begin to process the loss of a dear friend, and colleague who I had been closely with on a project for the past couple of years. The space of the Semperviva Kits studio supported me to access the "now" of each moment as I created some space to observe my thoughts and feelings about the recent news. We did some poses that really moved a great deal of energy in my hips, legs and upper body so that I then began to notice just how much energy I have been holding onto in my body. It felt so good to release so much more than just the recent events. By the end of the class I really needed to drink the water I had brought with me so that by the time I arrived home I felt relaxed and ready for a good rest. In a day when I did not want to go anywhere I am grateful I gave myself yoga anyway.
Day 2 ~ Sunday, April 15, 2012
As I still seem to be in a sensitive place I decided that Yin would be a good idea again today. I went to the class with Bernie and wow is he informative. He explained so much about the many benefits of doing this slower and sometimes deeper yoga practice. He has an incredible ability to pass on the information he has studied and do it with such a great sense of humour. I was noticing my stamina and how easily my mind wanted to wander. Bernie reminded us all to be self compassionate and to bring our mind back to our body and the experience we were having right here and NOW.
I left the class lighter yet with a feeling of being satisfied and went to bed early as I seem to need more sleep than usual.
Day 3 ~ Monday, April 16, 2012
Today again I chose Yin with Joan as it seemed to be releasing so much from my body after the last year of extensive meetings and lots of travel for my work. So I realized how I had been sitting far too much and as I was on my mat today I noticed how much more access I had to how my body was really feeling and a clarity of thought that I know now would have been very useful during this past year of very dynamic changes and challenges. I could also feel the emotions that did not seem fully processed and my nose began to run and as I reached for a drink of water I knocked my bottle over and the lid was not fully on so there was water everywhere. It seemed like it was the picture for me to watch my emotions flow and not in the refined way I might have liked. So I cleaned up the mess and continued on with the next pose which felt like a simpler way for me to respond to my emotions with a lot less drama or story involved. The class seemed to have a full opportunity for all of my body to be included as the variety of yoga pose options given provided a complete experience. By the end I felt fully refreshed and renewed and grateful I am participating in this 40 day yoga challenge.
Day 4 ~ Tuesday, April 17, 2012
As I had a very full schedule booked today the only class I could attend is the 12:30pm Hatha class at the Sun Studio and it was fun and fantastic.
Hatha Yoga is different from Yin Yoga, and is characterized as more "physical" in nature, where you can really get a good sweat going. This first class back to Hatha was another great overall workout to music that kept me moving even when I did not want to. The teacher demonstrated from the front of class and observed and made suggestions on how we moved. There was so much delight and support in the room I felt I could do anything. It felt good to warm up and pay attention to everything from our toes to our open hearts and how everything is all connected to the ease of opening, movement and support of our body systems. The class was intimate and was a great experience to have as a part of this challenge I have committed to give myself. I am happy I am finding a way to include the yoga of my day.
Day 5 ~ Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Today I seem physically weaker than usual as I am processing lots of change so I decide to take a Yin class for today. I went to the class with Beverly and she began by allowing us to be more active and invited us to the intention of becoming more here and grounded as we progressed in our time together. We started in an upright position and then made our way down onto our mats. Everything seemed to be going well as she reminded us regularly to keep the waves of breath as we moved from one position to another. Then we came to the saddle position which only a few months ago I could do fully with ease. Not today, the absence of Yoga in my life has made some significant changes in my mobility. The tops of my feet close to my ankles began to burn and there was lots of releasing of what felt like stagnant or misplaced fluids and it was so uncomfortable that when I tried to go all the way down to the floor I could only be there for a moment. This such a great reminder on all levels of how important it is to move all parts of my body on a regular basis so everything keeps moving like it is designed to do. I really noticed how I had an ego idea of what I should be able to do like I was able to in the past and this attitude just led me to becoming more and more uncomfortable. Then at the end after we finished our Shavasana Beverly read us a story of allowing ourselves to move into a new adventure and let the flames of the past remove any old stories so we can enjoy our life now from a fresh perspective. This is so appropriate for me as I am in the process of changing everything from where I live to how I take care of myself to engaging in a whole new industry. So once again I am very Grateful for completing my day with Yoga and everything else that is coming with it.
Day 6 ~ Thursday, April 19, 2012
I was feeling cold and damp today as it is one of those rainy spring days, I watched my thoughts go to my recent sunny California trip and how much I enjoyed the warmth and the sun. Then I arrive at Yin yoga with Bernie and he begins by talking about "allowing" and he invited us all to remember "we are not our thoughts - we have thoughts", "we are not our experiences - we have experiences" and that can be where we discover what we are attached to. My next thought was how many times do I need to hear this to fully include this in my life? Then I thought about the allowing as I can have a thought without a reaction just by letting it drift on by. I realized that I have so many expectations of myself that take me away from the moment that I am in.
Then the conversation and the movements went to how each of us is "unique" even on the inside and to really listen to our bodies and respond to the messages it is giving us. That we each have our unique yoga by design and to appreciate the way our body does each pose. We set an intention for our own yoga today and then to see where I put my attention and notice what is revealed, does my attention support my intention. Bernie shared the importance of the yin practise and healthy organs and to trust the power of the yoga we cannot see. I gave myself a moment or two at the end of the class to realize what an incredible gift this yoga is and how great it was to share it with the community of the Sea Studio.
Day 7 ~ Friday, April 20, 2012
TGIF and yet as I began my yin yoga with Pat I noticed how I began with the end in mind like TGIF Y and lets get it done. I did allow myself to witness this repeating thought and then watch as the distractions began to appear stronger and stronger. example: I cannot do this pose so I am not even going to try - and then I did the pose, and was reminded how important it is to ignore the distractions.
Then Pat talked about the rivers of the body and how important it is for these energy centers to flow freely. I realize with all my past sitting in meetings and travelling both in my car and on airplanes I did not take the time to ensure the daily movement balanced all the sitting. So I can now feel the releasing and revitalization of my whole body. After the relaxation at the end of the class Pat read us a poem about life and what are we choosing to do with the gift of life we have been given. That somehow inspired me to relax even more as a recognition of something as true and the power that is available by the choices I make. TGIF and TGIDY(thank goodness I did yoga)
Day 8 ~ Saturday, April 21, 2012
I chose the evening Yin class as today was a very emotional day attending the Celebration of Life for someone who added so much to my life. The community of people that loved him gathered together; we looked at pictures, listened to his favorite music, hymns, scriptures, poems, shared stories and remembered all the times we all had shared. We certainly discovered we had a great deal of fun and made many great memories. So with that I am feeling grateful and also the difference in my life with these recent changes.
So when I get to yoga we began by relaxing into the emotions and I noticed I had many and then my body became very cold and shaky. There was more going on in the inside than I was aware of; so I took the Teachers advice and kept noticing my breath. Allowing myself to keep bringing myself back to presence. Then our instructor read a poem about the range of life from the shadow to the light. It was like that poem was read just for me as this was one of those days in life that was difficult to fully understand. Once again I felt better after yoga than before and although I did not have an easy practise there is a sense of reconnection to the light to make my day a little more manageable.
Day 15 ~ Yoga session 9, April 28, 2012
Yah, into my yoga challenge today so grateful to be able to fully participate once again. I have committed to 40 yoga classes in 40 days and I thought it was going to be a yoga class a day, however as life does it changes the plan slightly... So rested and recovered from a few days off I'll have to add some extra classes to reach my 40 day goals.
I began again with a Hatha class. we began our class with the conversation about the ego. I thought well everything is on schedule as usual.... The elements of ego our Instructor was talking about were; judgement of ourselves and others, expectations, and suggesting we might like to consider kindness and compassion as more effective and peaceful options. I realized as she was speaking that I had plenty of judgements/expectations about this challenge and I could use more kindness and compassion especially with myself and a sense of humour always helps me to lighten up along the way. She shared that one of her Yoga Teachers said; "do not buy what the mind is trying to sell", that statement made me laugh out loud as I was hearing my mind suggest that the end of the position I was holding in that moment would be better than the experience I was having. I thought; "well like everything I have a choice on the option I will choose". So I chose to watch that one go on by... next element of the practice was the idea that yoga is really about breathing, about "the breath" and the importance of breathing deeply and effectively.
I thought about how many times over the past week that I had been breathing deeply and effectively each and everyday? I remebered that in a number of instances I had used this technique, to help me to be "just where I was" and know that through deep breathing I could get through uncomfortable moments and that like all uncomfortable moments this moment too shall pass and sure enough they did and I felt more relaxed through the process.
I had another interesting thought today which was, I was doing yoga everyday, but it just did not look like I thought it was going to. I am going to see how creative I can be and how much fun I can have in reaching my 40 yoga classes in 40 days and practising more waves of breath along the way. I like the idea of more kindness and compassion too and I think if I can be more kind and compassionate to myself, I will be able to give more to others...
and with the way life is changing these days it will benefit us all!
Day 17, Yoga session 10, April 30, 2012
Today was a day of change and flexibility so I knew that Yoga would only help me be better prepared to manage the changes that presented themselves in many ways including my expectations, my work and some family plans I had made.
So I chose to go to Hatha Yoga and was delighted with the experience as the instructor talked about how yoga is so much more than poses and how important meditation is in our practise. Being quiet is how we began and how are poses can strengthen our bodies so we can hear what we need to hear to live more compassionate and peaceful lives.
It felt so wonderful to be quiet and feel the warmth of silence and allow the noise of the day to melt away. Then as we began to be more active she talked about how we can use the wall to support our moves if it would be helpful and invited us to notice if we were open to use support. I noticed my independent nature that has been a practise that I have nurtured more than that of support. Just hearing her invitation and my body relaxed some of those places that I may not have usually noticed where the tension or resistance is being stored, melted and made more energy available in my body. Then she talked about our connections with each other are always present and like waves are available for us to help each other. It was beautiful and then the man beside me offered me a block to help with the next pose and it sure made it easier to ensure I supported the alignment so I could do the pose with a sense of ease!
Thank you to my neighbour/s in and out of yoga and thank you to my yoga Instructor who seemed to be riding the same waves of things I was contemplating today.
Day 17, Yoga session 11, April 30, 2012
I decided as I had such a great class I would stay for the following Yin class too!
Joan came in and freshened the space with a Yin perspective and the room became lighter and with a sense of curiosity of where she was going to take us. She brought in a level of acceptance of where each of us were at and yet another invitation to allow ourselves to move past any preconceived ideas and to go deeper into the present moment as each one came available. There was a sense of being supported to go past any limitations with such a respect and honouring of the body. A giggle just when it was needed addressed the seeming tension in the room, and more breath and more awareness helped each of us move beyond where we were when we came into the class.
The power of yoga, silence and breath showed me once again what an amazing gift this 40 days is to me and my life during what seems to be a time of intense changes in me, through me, and all around me. I am Grateful that I have found myself HERE!!!
Day 24, Yoga session 12, May 7, 2012
I was building a community garden over the weekend and we co-created a great space for growing some vegetables with 30 garden plots in my neighbourhood. So now I have some yoga catching up to do.
I attended the Hatha class at the Sun Centre and it was a class that began with a delightful celebration of our day of sunshine as well as a story about a science class in the community that joyfully learned from playing with ping pong balls what they needed to learn about atoms and cells. Extrapolating from that idea; if they can do that in a science class, what can we do to have FUN in our yoga practise and any and everywhere else in our lives? I love that idea and because I tend to get caught up in checking things off my daily to do list and then sometimes forget to have fun.
Today I had a special 8 year old in my life remind me that water is very important and that we need to make good choices about it but she said breathing is even more important as with out breathing we will not last very long. So we went about our time together breathing, drinking water and laughing a great deal so the suggested yoga practise began prior to my official yoga class and I genuinely appreciated getting a extension on that idea that lasted into my evening class.
Day 24, Yoga session 13, May 7, 2012
I had such a good time that I decided to do the following Yin class as well, which began with the idea of practising letting go of the past and show up for this present moment and just be in our bodies and allow the presence of mind and heart to lead us to where we need to go. To respond to what our bodies need to feel cared about while fully participating in our yoga practises.
We began with some nasal breathing exercises that cleared the past for me and supported me to relax into this idea where anything was possible and that even when I thought I could no longer hold the pose I would breathe into that and that suggestion would melt away with each exhalation. After my class I thought about how useful this could be in many places in my life like where I expect things to go a certain way and they go a different way. Also in relationships when I think too much rather than just accepting what each moment offers and being grateful for the person I am with. Then in business when ideas present themselves and then what I think is taking too much time to show up so then I get thinking about the future rather than breathing into the present moments so I can have more FUN and enjoy whatever is going on. Yoga is the gift that reveals something unique and just what I need with each and every class. I am so grateful to all these dedicated Semperviva teachers and the blessings they share with all of us in each class.
Day 26, Yoga session 14, May 9, 2012
I went for a beautiful walk in Queen Elizabeth Park which has beautiful flower gardens and water features throughout just before my yoga class today as it was a sunny spring morning.
I went to a Hatha class and the Instructor talked about the transitions of seasons from one to the next and the difference between change and transformation. I know the more I pay attention to the lessons that nature offers, the better my life is. Then we did some belly breathing that allowed us to connect deeply to the core of ourselves that supports everything we do. He then showed us how important it is to fully engage our core when we are doing our poses especially the twists and folds.
We then explored the ideas of change which was described as another version of the same thing and transformation as introducing a whole new way of being or doing. So as we brought those thoughts into our yoga practise I noticed the transformation of each series of movements and there was a newly discovered strength and depth to each round. It was like I was getting feedback about what I could do combined with a engaged core and a couple of adjustments from the teacher and I discovered a whole new world of range of movement. We did many variations and the yoga experience was one of freshness and a sense of wonder about what else I can do. We completed with a rest and a poem of hope for us all. Again today I am filled with Gratitude and a Giggle!
Day 26, Yoga session 15, May 9, 2012
I did it! I went to the Yin class tonight and our instructor read a beautiful story about a Dad reading a story to his child and how that kind of time and connection does not need a confirmation as the experience itself confirms itself. Then she offered us the idea that we can add that joy to this moment, and this moments joy to the next and so on. (What a friend of mine calls the "Joy Multiplier effect" )
We began our first pose standing and really getting connected with the earth and allowing ourselves to feel the source coming up and through our bodies, it was subtle yet so powerful. A real sense of being safe and cared about came over me as we planted our feet by lifting our toes and then planting them too. I found myself to be more challenged by the poses suggested and my mind seemed to want to wander off as well. I think the two are connected and when I tame my mind my body seems to follow. Near the end we did Happy Baby Pose and it was just that as the teacher suggested we think about how babies are when they are in this pose and it added pure delight and it was a great way to bring that joy into the last restful pose of the night.
We "OHM'ed" three times and that was the inner massage that was like the dessert of the evening. What a beautiful community of people!
Day 28, Yoga session 16, May 11, 2012
I decided to go for it today and jump into a lunch time Vinyasa Power Flow class. Clara the Instructor began with inviting us to notice the flame or fire in our solar plexus and suggested that we feed that flame that is transformative in our life.
We did some great breathing and then as we did some great poses and as we flowed through the class she kept reminding us about our flame and asked what we were willing to do to transform? What are we feeding that flame/fire?
I noticed today that my body was so different from other days, not as physically strong as I like to be. So as I noticed I kept breathing into that flame to see what energy I could access and use to support me through each pose. We ended by laying on our bellies and cactus arms and it felt so good to rest and then sit up with gratitude to ourselves and each other for having created this community to move and breath together.
Day 28, Yoga session 17, May 11, 2012
This is my make it up day for some of the days I allowed life to fill into my yoga space. So I decided to do back to back Hatha classes and it is so rewarding to have such a diverse group of teachers as it makes each class a unique experience.
The Instructor was a very playful guy, he decided we were being to quiet so he asked us to introduce ourselves to all of our neighbours and then the next thing you know there was clucking which of course is a natural extension from doing the chicken wings followed by the laughs and giggles.
Our Instructor talked about the importance of being silly, this is something I have had several years of practice at especially with my best friend. He was encouraging us to add the fun to our own lives by doing ridiculous yoga and to keep the integrity of our yoga by going deep and being strong in each pose then relaxing into it, at the time it did not seem like this was possible however I did it in a few times.
It took my sense of humour to realize that this could be fun as my self judgement was trying to take the lead and I was able to witness myself being where I was today and also enjoy this dynamic teacher and his enthusiasm. We were offered other options too like flapping our lips on the exhale, blow out the exhale, put your hands backwards to strengthen the wrists, if you can learn to enjoy your yoga; all of it you can learn to enjoy your life. Move away from attachment and into witnessing as it is a better point of reference to make decisions. I worked and played hard in this class and had so much FUN!
Day 28, Yoga session 18, May 11, 2012
My experience of this next Hatha class was one of deep presence and a sense of well being in every moment, the teacher suggested we begin by being settled into ourselves on the mat and in the class and then asking ourselves in each and every pose along the way what do I truly need. At this point I was so grateful for this gentle approach as I found my energy today was not as strong as I would have liked when I decided to do this many classes. My mind was trying to suggest that I could not do it so I chose to witness and allow that thought to pass on by as I continued on one breath and pose at a time.
Our Instructor talked about how we could be grateful for each and every sensation as this is a true sign we are fully alive here and now. She has a very soothing voice as well as being encouraging and inspired me to tell myself the truth and allow that to be enough for then to make any necessary adjustments or add more support if I needed to without all my usual self judgements.
I finished the class and refueled with a Happy Planet Extreme Green juice ... mmmm... ok - next.
Day 28, Yoga session 19, May 11, 2012
Yah! Yin Yoga and with my decision to do 3 yoga classes in a row I was very happy for this one to be a yin class. I was also very happy that it was the same teacher as in the last class. The pace was slow and steady and with lots of encouragement from the teacher for us to find what is right for each and every one of us. It was a smaller class size and so with less energy in the room it made it a lighter experience as well. This teacher added wisdom and her experience of yoga that made it so accessible that I felt like I was able to do more than I had expected and was delighted to be able to fully participate.
I had such a great feeling of release of layers of what no longer serves me in my yoga or in my life and I am proud of myself for reaching my yoga goal for today!
Day 30, Yoga session 20, May 13, 2012
Happy Mothers Day to all the Mothers of the world and to begin the Celebration I decided to start my day with a hatha yoga class with Elizabeth. This class began with a warm up and had the entire class had the qualities of the range of yoga from Yin, Hatha, and Vinyasa flow and it felt so great to have such a range to play in. There was a deep presence in the room even though my mind seemed to be very busy. During one of our child poses I realized how many times I have not been in my body as I have been distracted by what my mind was making up rather than paying attention to what was being communicated from the inside of my being. Elizabeth invited us to take the meditative qualities from our mat to our lives.
I have noticed so much more available energy for me to access as well as manage and a definite clearing of past issues it feels like layer by layer. So to continue the celebration of the day I went horse back riding and my connection with the horse seemed so natural and I had so much fun and then it was off to my local beach for a walk on the sand way, way out as the tide was out. I think I would consider this a perfect day and that I have so much to be grateful for.
Day 31, Yoga session 21, May 14, 2012
I received a guest pass to bring a friend to yoga for my birthday so I brought a very good friend who shares a passion for both yoga and dance. We decided that the hatha class had just enough movement for where we both were at. We went to the class with Sarah and she began by speaking about relaxation and our practise and invited us to relax as our mind wandered and as the intensity of some of the poses grew. Then she talked about the importance of following our hearts into the poses and into our lives. Imagine being passionate yet relaxed and following your heart. This feels like a great thing to practise and what a great way to begin sharing my yoga with my friend. Sarah reminded us that this is our practise and as each person and body is unique we each know what we need and to quiet our minds so we can hear and then adjust accordingly. More rest on days when that is what is needed and more activity on the days when that is needed. Be true to ourselves and with this I realized how much expectation I put upon myself everyday prior to checking in to see where I am at. Then there is where I truly am at when someone I love or care about is having a difficult time and as I contemplate this I see that I have allowed this to affect me too much and I don't think this really has served them or me. Wow what a great deal discovered in just one yoga class and I am so grateful for this gift of yoga!
Day 31, Yoga session 22, May 14, 2012
I decided to go to the following Yin class with Joan so I could add another class completion to my agreement with myself to do 40 yoga classes in 40 days. Joan encouraged us all to use lots of props and support ourselves properly as we will be in the poses for a good length of time. I could see how my independent Spirit believes that it does not need the support or that it is somehow better if I do not use it. So I decided that I was going to practise being a witness of this idea and then I used all my props and allowed myself to be fully supported and I could feel the ease and relaxation Sarah was describing in the previous class and a sense of caring for myself more respectfully. I am transforming my mind, body and attitude and there are so many benefits for all areas of my life by my participation in this challenge. As we were in some of the more intense poses Joan asked us to really check in to see if our mind was tired of the pose of if there was a real reason for us to come out of it early. Check in to see if you have any pain and if so adjust so there is no pain, ensure the knees are always safe and that if you have an area that is more vulnerable for whatever reason that you are gentle and very mindful of how you come in and out of the pose. This team of teachers at Semperviva are all so unique and express their gifts so gracefully and yet they share a philosophy of guiding us, the students to follow our own inner wisdom while practising what they offer.
Day 32, Yoga session 23, May 15, 2012
Today I chose to begin with the Kundalini class with Gloria. She lights up the room with her love and joy of teaching and encourages us all to keep moving and breathing and chanting. She moves with such ease I found just watching her helped me to move into a rhythm that inspired me to find my own sense of ease even when it was more challenging. I worked up a sweat and had so much fun as we closed our eyes and allowed the movement and great music to carry us to the next movement. Then we partnered with someone we did not know to have a supported yoga experience and that was fun too, we leaned back as we did deep bends so we balanced each other. There were many moments when the room looked like a big party and it felt like it too.
Today I realized how powerful it is when I am able to move my body especially when it feels difficult like life sometimes does and to breathe into it and allow any and all my resistance to melt away. There is a power in the surrender where I can access more energy and I can use it to move through and become open to other options by accepting the moment even the challenging ones. I can keep my mind and body relaxed and then the experience is just that another experience. As I am off to California tomorrow Gloria is going to recommend some studios for me to try out while I am there so I can continue my yoga on the road. I completed with a deep sense of gratitude and an abundance of options to add to how to best manage myself.
Day 32, Yoga session 24, May 15, 2012
As I am doing a couple of make up sessions today I moved right into the Hatha class with Cameron. He encouraged us to begin by relaxing and to add whatever we needed along the way to our practise, make it our own and have fun.
We made sounds and let all of the stress of our day go and deeply inhaled and then clucked, flapped your lips, crowed and did whatever felt right for each of us to fully release all the tension in your body and quiet the mind. We did joy breath many times and it feels so good to get into really aligning the breath and movement to let it all go.
Cameron encouraged us to let go of the resistance and get playful with our practise and said that "when you have done this, then you will enjoy the time you have dedicated to doing yoga and that transfers to our life becoming more playful too... It doesn't always have to be about getting results, just by showing up to yoga that is being realized. As everything is always changing that is how it is with results too they come and they go. I felt as though some of the things or ideas I have been attached to over the years have been stuck in my body. So I am happy to let that all go. Then he asked us to think of our first pets name and the name of the road we lived on as children and this became our new first and last names so we would now have a persona to match our new playful intention, so as we all yelled out our new names you could feel the energy in the room lighten and lift. What a great way to add to and create transformation in our lives.
Day 32, Yoga session 25, May 16, 2012
My thrid class for the day was a smaller community class and our Instructor talked about energy and when the sun is out our energy tends to be higher so she suggested that our practise could be gentler. We had so much fun and experienced the many styles of yoga in one. Beginning by getting centred and then practising lots and lots of heart openers both in the front and in the back, remembering to breath into the both the back and front of the body. Use the power of the breath with the core of the body to lift and lower. We did some very active poses and then we did some flow through from plank to down dog to up dog.
Next we moved into some incredible Yin poses that were great hip stretches... although difficult I felt like I was improving my flexibility and could feel more movement as compared to previous classes. The little changes can make the big differences and this is something I need to remember in life as I have tended to be impatient with myself, and how much time the process can take for me to get what I want. This idea seems so much gentler, accepting and adds grace to living.
Thank you to ALL you Semperviva teachers as I know I have learned so much more about yoga, my life and ways to enhance the quality of my moment by moment experiences. As I am going to California I asked Ashli at the Sun Centre to be the one I update about my yoga on the road. It is a support that works for me when I know I will be communicating on a daily basis. I am committed to completing my 40 yoga classes in 40 days no matter where I am in the world!
Day 36, Yoga session 26, May 20, 2012
As I have been travelling and in meetings for the past several days I decided that Yoga in the Park was the best option to continue my yoga as I could enjoy the warm weather and practise at the same time. I found a beautiful quiet park that had several sports fields lined with trees.
I began by walking barefoot twice around the field and then turned around and went the other direction another couple of times. Then I went to the sunny side of the field and began by doing yin yoga from childs pose and then into each position moving up and up in my body. It felt so good to feel the ground and deeply breathe outdoors. I decided to use counting as a timing method for each pose. This allowed me to focus my attention inward and it was a great release from the tightness from sitting in meetings and driving for 2 days.
Day 36, Yoga session 27, May 20, 2012
I then went to the shady side of the field and began a Hatha practice. Beginning with a shoulder stand, I then moved into an hour of sun salutations with downward dog and flowing into the plank up to cobra then seal then back to child pose to release it all again and repeat adding whatever I felt like I needed in between each set. I ended by doing some twists and reawakening all those places that have been in "one place" too much as I have done so much sitting both while travelling and sitting in meetings.
I realize how much I love being outdoors and how much easier I can find an abundant source of energy to support me to move when that is what I need and to be still and patient when that is what is the best option. A sense of humour of both myself and my life and to keep my witness side engaged so I can use the information to stay connected with my self awareness is so much more effective. When I do not allow my self critic with all her opinions to be the boss I notice that I am lighter and gentler, more present, enjoy, and want to be in my body. A much more powerful option and I did notice that I am so blessed in my life to be able to travel, to be outdoors and to do yoga.
Day 39, Yoga session 28, May 21, 2012
Well I have had to get creative to continue my yoga practise on the road. I have realized that simplifying and becoming more efficient in my life would help me to be more relaxed (as I am noticing my mind always has a list of what else I could be doing).
The past couple of days have been filled with meetings and then driving to my next destination. After several hours of driving I arrived and did a one hour Yin yoga practise beginning with shoulder stand and then into childs pose. It felt very good to release all the tension in my shoulders and made me aware that I could pay more attention to my posture especially when driving.
I have noticed a remarkable increase in my flexibility from all the yoga I have been practising over the past several weeks, I noticed it most when doing some of the hip opening poses like seated forward bend, cat/cow and happy baby. I completed with a childs pose and doing deep breathing into my back and that opened up my back. When I was done I felt like I am now landed in my newest destination and actually in my body.
Day 40+, Yoga challenge complete, May 25, 2012
This Yoga challenge experience has been very self revealing for me and I am so happy I decided to participate!
Semperviva and all the options, times and locations made it easy and inspiring for me to do yoga when it worked for me and my ever changing schedule. I found a yoga session that matched where my energy level was at and what was best for me each day.
As I completed only 28 of the 40 sessions the good news is that I and my life are better for it and I need to expand my sense of humour to accept these are my results. I have always loved that I have a life that is spontaneous and full of new adventures and the gift that I am more aware of than ever with all the yoga is that my life is better with it and it would serve me well to continue to include it in anywhere and everywhere I can. It has helped me cleanse, enhance my flexibility, let go of expectations and attachments, remember what it feels like to be centred when I was feeling so scattered or concerned about the people that I Love. Or witnessing when I was stressing about what I need to do next in my business or to meet all the expectations I have set with myself and others so we can all realize our shared vision or simply rebalancing my body after hours and hours of driving.
The commitment I can keep with myself is that I know life is nothing but constant change mixed with a certain amount of mystery and so to ensure the longevity of my health and my humour yoga will continue to be an important part of my life!
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Comments
Great documentation and showcasing of your experience with the 40 Day Challenge at Semperviva Yoga! The relationship that I have with myself has softened and my life outside of the studio is becoming more alive and more manageable. I hear similar events in your practice. I admire the perserverence of the 40 day challenge. I'm committed to my practice at Semperviva Yoga but I admit I'm not doing the 40 day challenge. Great job!
Keep the timeline up!
namaste!
@Yoga_Life_Van