Category Archives: YIOM

You Are Such a Wild Thing

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Today has been a little crazy hectic and I don’t have the time I wish I did for a really meaty post, so I’m just going to give a little shout out to a pose that I like to do for fun.  I’ve seen it written down as Camatkarasana, but I’ve only ever heard it in class as “wild thing.”  It’s a quirky little pose that doesn’t enjoy the best reputation among some yoga circles, due to it’s “newness.”  And it’s certainly not an easy pose, but there is something about it that I love.  Maybe it’s the phrase “wild thing” and the fact that my favorite children’s book is Where the Wild Things Are.” Maybe it’s the idea of being wild and free.  Perhaps it’s the lifting and opening of the heart.  I’m not sure.  But, I dig it.  So, if you don’t usually put a little wild thing into your practice, go ahead and get wild!  See what it does for you!

Namaste!

Lorin

Listening with a Mom Face

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Remember when (cue the wavy flashback music and visuals) you would tell your mom that you were too sick to go to school?  Then, she would look at you with that concerned, yet somewhat skeptical mom face.  Or, if that didn’t happen with your mom, and I will say that I’m not positive it did with mine, remember when you saw TV moms do that?  Uh huh.  THAT mom face… the one that says, “I love you, but you might be a liar at this moment.”  I think, and I could be wrong here, that this is the face that we need to use when listening to our bodies.  Now, don’t misunderstand me.  I’ve advocated listening to the body here before, and I think that’s incredibly important.  Because, often, we just ignore it completely.  But, when we do listen, some degree of skepticism mixed into the love and care may also be required.

Here is the thing.  Sometimes, your body might lie.   Yes, it’s true.  Sometimes your body might say it needs to stay in bed for 2 more hours, when really it’s been in bed quite long enough and if it doesn’t get up soon, it will just feel worse.  Sometimes it might tell you that it NEEDS a (just for random example) 3-scoop soy cream sundae with sugared strawberries and chocolate sauce, when really it probably needs an apple.  Sometimes, it might say, as mine did today, that it doesn’t feel well enough for a  yoga class because it has cramps and a swollen leg and it’s been a long day and it’s tired, when really it’s just being a little bit lazy.

You have to listen.  That’s important.  But, it doesn’t mean you should take immediately at face value whatever it tells you.  Sometimes you have to ask the hard mom questions.  “Are you really sick?  Is there a test at school today?”  At times, you have to dig around a little to find out what your body is really trying to say.  And, you may have to convince it otherwise if you really aren’t sure it’s leveling with you.  But, like a good mom, you give it an out.  Maybe you say that a 1 scoop sundae with fresh strawberries and no chocolate would be fine.  Perhaps you bargain it down to another 15 minutes in bed, or agree that there can be a nap after lunch if you are still that tired.  And, maybe sometimes you have to insist on that yoga class, with the provision that child’s pose is perfectly good and no one will fuss if you take it a lot.

You may find that your body was being honest all the time.  Or, as I did today, you may find that it actually did need that yoga class.  In fact, that yoga class was exactly what it needed, even if it really argued that it didn’t.

Listen to your body, but do it with the mom face.

Namaste,

L

What a Nice Day!

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Today started off a little iffy.  I didn’t sleep well all  night, due to a cold (or allergies) that was giving me a headache and sore throat.  So, when the cat went off this morning at 6, I was not pleased.  After ignoring her for a while, I started to get up, but my great spousal unit, Derek, told me to stay put since I hadn’t slept and he would take care of it.  Yay for getting some sleep.  When I did get up, it was time to start prepping for my final teach practice.  This was my first run-through of the teach with actual students and I was nervous about it.

After we arrived and set up, the victims, er, students started to arrive.  My fellow teacher trainees, Yvonne and Katie, attended.  Maiga, a wonderful instructor and inspiration, was their.  A former university student and now friend and yogi came to practice with us.  And, my daughter, Abbigael, came along for moral support and a dose of yoga.

Though I was really nervous, it went well.  There was a little weirdness with my playlist (it froze up on the first song) that caused some distraction.  But, once that was fixed, it all went fine and was quite enjoyable.  I got great feedback from the attendees, which I’m now working to incorporate into the plan.

After class, we headed home, where another nice treat was awaiting me.  A few days ago, Bob Weisenberg, from Elephant Journal had contacted me about writing a post about YIOM.  When I came home and checked my email, I found that my post was live on the EJ site.  COOL!

Now I’m revising my teach plans, checking  out twitter conversation about the Elephant post, feeling grateful for my yoga friends and family, and considering pizza for dinner.  And, the sun is out and it’s a lovely temperature outside.  Ahhhhhh, nice!   That’s a yoga day!

Namaste!

Lorin