Lessons From The Yoga Mat

The Magical Yoga Mat

Every-time I step on my yoga mat I learn something new. Whether it is a lesson from a teaching by my gurus or an internal realization. Today’s lesson sparked a HUGE aha.

I was practicing with Richard Freeman, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher with knowledge beyond the asana that relates to energetic qualities.

He said something that struck me and verified my purpose as a health and wealth ambassador. The word vinyasa which we use often in our classes is “a sequence to which we put order that creates the opportunity to hold space”. He said that it is an “offering that has internal and external qualities”.

Of course my creative mind grabbed my notebook at that moment and drew a chart with 2 columns – and I invite you to do this with me. And maybe sit on your yoga mat and do this so you can connect with the energy you’ve offered on your mat throughout your life as a yogi.

Internal + External Qualities

Create a column with the world internal qualities and write down all your internal gifts – the qualities that make you, you. The good and the awesome and then the ones which keep you stuck or paralyzed.

For example in this column you would write your strengths, gifts and values.

I wrote:

  • Creative
  • Quick
  • Smart
  • Energetic
  • Supportive
  • Courageous
  • Fearful
  • Analytic

Then write the external qualities. More of the physical and tangible ones.

For example I wrote:

  • My smile
  • Strong body
  • Flexible
  • Great hair
  • Painful left hip
  • Carpal tunnel

I ask you to write to good and the things to be improved (notice I didn’t write the word bad or negative) so that you can create balance and have something to look forward to working on.

Why Yoga Is So Important In This Transformation

The practice of yoga, the vinyasa aspect of it, is designed to do create a sequence in which your actions lead you to transformation. Your yoga mat is a placeholder for the offerings you give the practice. Everytime you step on the mat, you leave parts of you that are holding you back from attaining goals and partaking in that samsara (the birth and rebirth of the soul in sanskrit).

In my teachings, both as a yoga teacher and business coach, I focus on this transformation as the core of the movement from your current reality to the next aspect of you. It’s the constant evolution which moves you closer to the 8th limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga system, which is enlightenment.

What Your Yoga Mat Teaches You

I leave you with this invitation – everytime you step on your yoga mat, decide what your offering is. What are you leaving on the mat and what are you receiving. What lessons do the poses, the breath and the focus or dristi, teach you.

This is awareness that you’ll take off your mat and into your daily practice. It’s what is called mindfulness and can weave into everything you do.

I invite you to explore the asana beyond the physical pose and find those internal qualities that shift, bend and grow.

Write me back and let me know what you explored and what aha moments happened that created more space and freedom in your body, mind and soul.

See you soon!

Mantras for Your Enjoyment and Practice

Mantras

Feeling complete and joyful is important in your life as it creates an environment of a healthy mental and emotional state. There are so many ways you can do this and one of them which I particularly like and teach often in my classes and trainings is mantra. It’s a practice that can be done by anyone, whenever, wherever which makes it accessible to all. You’ll find enjoyment in the process!

What is mantra?

A mantra is the repetition of a word, words or sounds. Sometimes it’s as simple as a phrase in your own language repeated over and over or a more complicated sanskrit phrase or sound. We’ll delve into 3 of my favorite mantras below that will lead you to a practice you can maintain for when you need or some people start a sadhana journey which is your own practice over at least 21 days. Mantras have been used over thousands of years by spiritual guides. The rosary is even a form of mantra.

When should you repeat a mantra?

There is no perfect time to start a mantra practice, and really it should be done with a guide so that if you are doing one in sanskrit you get the right pronunciation and get the energetic effect it wants to deliver. Mantras are good for specific moments when you want to attract a certain energy to your life or create a shift. For example, I started a mantra to bring good energy for my baby’s birth coming soon.

Which mantras should I use?

Like I mentioned earlier, there are many types out there and the right one will fit what you want.

Mantra for Transformation:

Asato ma sadgamaya

Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya

Mrtyorma amritam gamaya

“Lead me from the untruth to truth, lead me from darkness to light, lead me from death to immortality.”

This is a mantra from the Upanishads circa 800 BCE which are spiritual teachings and ideas. To listen to it CLICK HERE.

Mantra for Positivity:

I am perfect. I am complete. I am everything I want to be and more.

I am beautiful. I am divine. I am powerful.

I am strong and flexible. I am a creator. I am a receiver.

I am perfect and complete.

Mantra for Peace:

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Sometimes the simplest forms of repetition can have the largest effect. This mantra means Om peace, peace, peace. Om represents sound primordial and is also spelled AUM to represent the 3 aspects of the self – body / mind / spirit.

I hope you enjoyed these mantras and choose 1 that can resonate with you now. Start with a daily practice and see what happens.

If you want more guidance, please connect with me.

Namaste!

Arianne

 

 

Practical Tips for Boosting Your Yoga Practice

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Practical Tips for Boosting Your Yoga Practice

If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while and have become completely comfortable in class, you’re likely at the intermediate level. While there are surely benefits to continuing your yoga practice at this level, chances are you’re finding it more difficult to stay as motivated as you once were. If this describes you, you may be ready to kick your yoga practice up a notch.

One of the great things about yoga is that there are many levels you can explore. And the more advanced your practice, the greater the benefits. However, it’s not as simple as attempting harder poses and holding them for longer periods of time. If you truly want to boost your yoga experience, you’ll need to take some other steps and maybe incorporate a few tools and some tech along the way. Here are some tips to help get you started.

Use Your Phone

You can take advantage of technology in your yoga practice by downloading a yoga app for your phone. The right apps can give you access to several features, such as workout plans and step-by-step instructions for various movements through video and audio. This makes it easy to follow along with challenging yoga sessions and learn new poses.

If you use your phone, however, it’s important to keep it in a case to protect it from sweat and water spills — whether you’re practicing to an app or have it by your side in a hot yoga class. LifeProof, for instance, offers some of the best waterproof cases because it can protect your phone while also leaving easy access to your ports, buttons, and screen. These cases also offer a one-year protection plan should your phone suffer any accidental water damage.

spinal-twist-yoga

Find a Teacher Who Challenges You

As in any area in life, finding a great teacher can do wonders for your yoga practice. The ideal yoga teacher won’t be afraid to push you when you need it but will do so in an encouraging way. After all, yoga is supposed to be relaxing. So, while you want to be challenged, make sure you resonate with your teacher as well. Your teacher should also be dedicated and attentive, and they should check in with you before and after class to discuss any injuries, ailments, and so on.

Make Space to Practice at Home

One way to help set yourself up to practice consistently is by carving out a yoga space at home. Particularly on extra busy days, it may be more practical for you to practice at home than it is to go to class at a studio. Here are some characteristics to keep in mind for your yoga space:

  • Hardwood or tile floors with the appropriate mat

  • Natural light and soft mood lighting

  • Incense, essential oils or candles

  • Pillows (for a yoga prop and meditation cushion)

  • Indoor plants

Whether you set up shop in a whole room or in the corner of a room, make sure you have space to practice comfortably and try to create an area where there will be minimal traffic.

Sign Up for Workshops

While practicing at home is great, don’t limit yourself to practicing only at home. Consider going to yoga workshops that can expose you to new styles and philosophies. Teachers at workshops typically have more time to cover their material in depth, whether it’s poses, meditation, pranayama, or any other topics. Plus, you get to network with other people who love yoga.

Stepping up your yoga game will yield even greater rewards than you enjoy now. Remember to find a yoga app that works well for you, and get a good waterproof case to protect your phone. Find a solid teacher, and create a comfortable yoga space at home that has everything you need. Lastly, consider going to workshops to deepen your learning and technique. As you start to intensify your yoga experience, you’ll likely notice a fresh motivation to reach new heights.

Photo Credit: Burst

written by: Sheila Johnson – ZENthusiast – wellsheila.net

The Power Of Essential Oils… I get personal.

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The Power Of Essential Oils

Here’s a the journey of how I healed and moved to being a believer in essential oils and yes I get a bit personal here.

I’ve used essential oils for years. Diffuse here, put in my cleaning products to be toxic free but I never really knew the power until I had my why essential oils moment. It’s not a story I share often but since I feel it’s so powerful I think it will resonate.

End of June this year was the worst month of my life. I’m not kidding.

I learned many lessons after this I’ll speak about in a moment.

What happened?

It was a very tense Monday night as I knew something wasn’t right with Pinky (my 14 year old Vizsla fur child). She had been acting pretty listless, more aloof and quiet than ever. I knew there was something wrong, that there was something big happening inside her soul.

Pinky had been my doggie companion for over 14 years. My soul mate, sister, child and sometimes mother. She was THE BEST DOG EVER. Famous in Miami Beach and loved by so many.

She was sick and her days were numbered but I wasn’t prepared for it. Yet I knew it and looked into her sad old eyes and told her “It’s OK. You can go to sleep now and I’ll be OK.”

The next morning you can imagine I woke up to a forever sleeping Pink The Vizsla. With a heavy heart we parted physical ways and I know she is still here with me.

Same week…

3 days later, in a haze of sadness and intermittent tears, as I worked on my computer during a normal day I suddenly felt a rush of warmth in my pants.

I thought I peed on myself or something as I wasn’t supposed to get my period and if so it was a lot of blood. (Sorry for the squeamish).

Having a mini freak out moment, called 2 doctors who said they couldn’t see me (frustration overload) I got myself up and drove straight to the urgent care where I found out I was pregnant… or was pregnant as heavy bleeding is a sign of something gone wrong.

SHOCK. FEAR. TEARS. LONELINESS. ALL THE FEELS.

What did I do? Called Marcel (my husband) like 75 times hoping he would get signal while fishing in the middle of the ocean. Then called my best friend and my mom.

I’m a strong girl. I’m used to weird medical things happening as I was born with an 1 in a million immune system issue called cyclic neutropenia. Since I was little I was used to doctors, hospitals, spinal taps and then some – independent and physically and emotional strong.

The stress was real and it was taking a toll by the minute.

I wasn’t prepared for this.

I went home in total disarray to lay in bed and cry and to basically experience a miscarriage. The pain was real. My body was having contractions, releasing what was inside. I don’t want to get too graphic but you can imagine the scene.

My friend Alina rushed right over and proceeded to cover me in essential oils. Vetiver to relax, Frankincense to help me meditate, Clary Calm for woman support, Peppermint for the nausea I was experiencing, Lavender to soothe. She pulled out all the stops. It was an apothecary of therapeutic oils on my body, in the air and in my system.

This all helped so much but wasn’t enough. 4 hours into the pain she made me a pill called the morphine bomb of essential oils. Lemongrass, Frankincense & Oregano DoTerra Essential Oils.

The pain vanished in 10 minutes. The contractions of turbulent waves went to soft waves and I could breathe again and actually stand without doubling over.

30 minutes later I was asleep and pain free to rest and recover from the experience.

Why I Believe

Now can you see why I went from being a casual user of essential oils to a hard core believer? I kept researching the other benefits, the possibilities to move into a more holistic lifestyle and started using oregano oil on staph infections, melaleuca on a little wart and skin tag & a little fungus on my foot. I use ylang ylang, roman chamomile and lavender at night to actually sleep and rest the entire night without waking up.

The possibilities are endless and I am excited to share them with you! Let’s increase our vitality and natural living. Join me on my journey as I join you on yours discovering the power of essential oils and healthy alternatives!

Learn more about the oils on my personal site HERE.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Best Tips For Practicing Yoga With Kids At Home

When you have kids, breaking out for a Yoga class at your local Yoga studio may not be an option (yet).

So what do you do? Instead of quitting Yoga altogether, use these tips for practicing at home when you have kids.


LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

Everything changes when you have kids. Your body changes. Your hormones shift. Your mind races with all the possible scenarios that could cause harm to your sweet little one. Your free time vanishes.

Of course your yoga practice is going to change, too. Big time! This is especially true if you plan on practicing at home while your little one is in your care. If you don’t prioritize it, you might never get time to unroll your mat. And when you do, might have to stop what you’re doing to go pick up a crying baby or refill a snack bowl. So be it.

BUT DON’T LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS TOO MUCH.

I hear so many people say that if the best you can do is to take a few deep breaths while you’re feeding the baby, you’re still doing yoga. This is good advice in theory, but I have a couple problems with it. There’s value in taking a big, mindful breath.  However, it’s far too let your practice slip away for weeks and weeks if you keep telling yourself, “Oh, I breathed today, so I did my practice.” Trust me. I have made this mistake.

A daily mindful breath is not enough to help you be your best self. You deserve better than that. Your family deserves better than that. You have to actually DO your asana practice to reap all the benefits. Take time to unroll your mat, move your body, feel the breath in your lungs, and be in the present moment–no matter how crazy and chaotic it might be with little ones running around.

SQUEEZE IT IN WHEN YOU CAN.

If you’re like me, it’s next to impossible to practice for a full hour when the kids are home. So I practice in little bits and pieces whenever I can. I get my longest stretch in in the morning when the baby is practicing her crawling skills and my big girl is either at school or playing close by.

DON’T WAIT UNTIL NAP TIME.

When my first was a baby, I’d wait until she was napping peacefully to get my yoga practice in. Unfortunately, nap time was also the only time I had to shower, answer emails, fold laundry, do my actual paying job, and a myriad other things. Guess what was usually last on the list? Yup. My yoga practice.

There were some days when she didn’t nap more than 10 minutes when I didn’t have time to do any of those things. Those days sucked.

INCLUDE YOUR KIDS IN YOUR PRACTICE.

Little children have short attention spans. It can be incredibly difficult to do a full, serious practice with those hyper little beings bouncing off and on your yoga mat. Still, it’s always a treat for me when my girls will actually spend some time practicing yoga with me. When I’m feeling particularly playful, I make up little stories to go along with the poses (Let’s plant a garden! Or go surfing! Or go on a safari!).

But most of the time I just ask my big girl to practice along with me. She will try different things, and we’ll both delight at how amazingly strong she is for a 5-year-old. (This little girl has an effortless Tittibhasana! I am equal parts amazed and jealous.) After about 10 minutes, she gets bored and I have to help her find something else to entertain herself with so I can practice… which brings me to my next tip.

BRING OUT THE SNACKS, VIDEOS, AND TREATS.

Here’s a scenario that will be familiar to every mama who’s ever tried to practice yoga with kids at home: I unroll my mat just start to do my first Sun Salutation when my daughter comes running up to me and says, “Why do you always have to do yoga. Will you play with me instead?” Cue the mom guilt.

When my yoga practice is going like this I realize I need it just that much more. And I will do almost anything to make it happen. I’m not above bribery. Cookies at 9 am? OK, but you have to promise to be quiet until I finish my yoga. You want to watch those annoying YouTube videos with the surprise toys inside the eggs? Go find the headphones. You know what babies love? Buttons! Here, have the remote control and mama’s phone.

I will cook them a healthy meal, read books, and spend the rest of the day being super mom. But for just a few minutes a day, Mama needs her yoga time. And I’m going to get it one way or another.

Read The Original Article Here


Yoga at home, even with young children, is completely doable. All it takes is some persistence and the decision to do it.

If you want to fit Yoga into your daily routine, even as a busy mom, put these tips to use!

Join a community of like-minded Yogis that are supportive and uplifting when you need it on my Facebook Group: Yogi Hearts, Business Minds. 

It’s also where I go live to give exclusive advice on Yoga Life, Yoga Biz, and Yoga Practice.

Why You’ll Never Have A “New” Body (And That’s Okay)

When it comes to our bodies, we focus so much of our time on how it looks, and less time on how we feel about it.

You only have 1 body. It’s the same body you have always whether you lose or gain weight, tone up or let yourself go, even when you get plastic surgery.

The body that you’re born with is the body you will have for life, so why not treat it right and learn to love it?


The idea of a “new body” is a myth we’re sold. Plain and simple. It could never be anything but that because we all logically know we’re never getting a new body — that even if our body changes, in any way (which of course it constantly does), it’s not new.

Losing weight doesn’t make your body new. Neither does gaining weight. Neither does gaining muscle. Neither does having an injury. Neither does having an illness. Neither does dying your hair. Neither does plastic surgery. Neither does having a baby. Neither does breaking a bone.

Some of these things may make your body feel different, but feeling, looking or even functioning differently does not a new body make.

This is as true for Trisha Yearwood as it is for me. Trisha’s body isn’t new — it’s just different (for the time being) in a culturally approved way. 

We’re all still us — for better or worse. Because the other side of this “new body” coin is that it presupposes that new = better. Not only does this insult your “previous” body, it also implies that all change is for the “better,” so that when we have something “new” about our bodies we don’t like, we’re doubly hard on ourselves.

Why Oh Why

Because sometimes, the idea that you’re stuck with your same body no matter what really sucks. Why? Because remember how I said we’re sold the idea that we can get a new body? Well, when we don’t get it, we don’t usually blame the people who sold us a bill of goods.

Instead, we blame ourselves.

Ourselves!!

In very few other circumstances would we blame ourselves for not being able to do the impossible that someone else tried to tell us was possible (and probably charged us lots of money for). We’d blame that person for pulling the wool over our eyes.

But when it comes to our bodies, we’re sensitive. We want to believe we can get a new body. Sometimes we even want to believe it desperately.

So instead of calling a spade a spade, we keep trying for that new body. And then we keep beating ourselves up when we don’t get it. Or celebrating ourselves when we think we do — only to hate ourselves even more when the weight comes back, or we get injured and can’t run every day, or life gets busy and we get tired of pushing ourselves so hard, or we get sick/get in a car accident/or otherwise have our bodies change due to circumstances beyond our control.

The Good News

So here’s the good news about the fact (yep, FACT) that you’re never getting a new body: you don’t need one.

And lest you think I’m cracked at this point and think I’ve never wanted a new body, let me set the record straight. I’ve wanted a new body, all right. I’ve longed for one. I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars and years (decades!) of my life “working” for one. I’ve wasted time I could have spent with friends, not let myself enjoy truly joyful moments of my life because I thought I didn’t look good enough, and blamed everyone this side of the equator for me not being able to get a new body — directing the bulk of that blame towards myself.

And this hasn’t only been about weight. Because during years of terrible migraines, I’ve also wanted a new, pain-free body — one that never gets sick or otherwise “lets me down.”

But here’s the truth — for me, you and Trisha — no matter your body’s shape, size, age or ability, it’s yours. And that means it’s with you for the long haul — an ever-present reminder that the only thing any of us can ever really learn is how to accept and love the one body we have.

Because even though it will change in various ways over time, nothing and no one is with us more than our one, never new body. It shows up more for us than anyone or anything ever will, even when we’re not happy with it, even when we wish it was different, even when we talk poorly about it and to it.

You’re never getting a new body (and neither am I). And that’s the good news.


So, I’m not saying not to care at all how you look or where your body is at. What I’m saying is to treat it right and don’t abuse it. Feel good about your body, no matter what stage of improvement you’re in.

For a positive, uplifting a supportive tribe of Yogis that are there for you anytime, join my Facebook Group: Yoga Hearts, Business Minds. It’s also the place where I give exclusive advice on Yoga Biz, Yoga Life, and Yoga Practice.

How Yoga Helps You Show Up For Yourself

There’s so much that you can learn from Yoga. Practice, self-discipline, and more about who you are as a person.

But most of all, it teaches you to love yourself for who you really are… Not who others tell you that you should be.

Check out the different ways that Yoga can help you show up for yourself below.


Have you ever found it hard to take positive and kind action on your own behalf?

Me, too.

In fact, I’m pretty sure I was President of that club for about, oh, a couple decades.

Knock, Knock

Of course, it’s hard to practice self-care when you don’t know what’s going on with your body. It’s funny how that works, isn’t it?

I spent so many years living in my head, that looking back I just don’t think I was capable of treating myself well and doing things that would make me feel good — sleeping enough, moving my body in ways that felt good, figuring out what my migraine triggers were, knowing what my boundaries were, etc.

I mean, how could I have? In order to do any of those things, you first have to know how you feel in the moment.

And I pretty much never knew that.

Who’s There?

It was only after I’d been practicing yoga for a while that I started to live more in my body — not all the time, or even most of the time, but more than I had been.

As I began to identify what was happening in my body on the mat, I began to take back my ability to do it off the mat, too.

I say take back because I think we all have the ability to do this deep down. Many of us disconnect from or lose that ability, though — due to any number of issues. It’s not that we lost it completely or never had it, but that we have to forge a new relationship with it.

That’s what I feel has happened for me, and is continuing to unfold the longer I practice. I’m taking back my ability to act on my own behalf, my bodily agency.

Empowered

I usually hate quoting the dictionary, but in this case I think it’s relevant. In it, empower means “to give power to” and “to promote the self-actualization of.” Sounds pretty fitting to me.

For people who have become disconnected from their bodily power for any reason (AKA 99.99% of us), yoga can be a way home.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Reconnecting with your body after not feeling or listening to it can be difficult at best — feeling things you might have been avoiding, remembering things you might have hoped to forget, mourning the time you spent seemingly apart. All of that is stored in our body on a deep level, so the more we move it and know it, the more things come to the surface.

What I’ve found, though, is that feeling it all — the good, the bad and everything in between — is better than the alternative that I lived for such a long time.

Showing Up For Me

Yoga that points people back to themselves as the experts on their own experience is what helps people reestablish this connect and empower themselves. Because while someone else might be able to help you open the door of empowerment, it’s ultimately an inside job.

No one else empowers you. You empower yourself.

And as that inner empowerment unfolds, you step into your agency and can begin to take compassionate action on your own behalf.

Yoga in action. You in action.

Read The Original Article Here


Are you ready to be there for yourself?

Are you ready to be a powerful, conscious, and loving soul?

Take action today and keep up with your Yoga practice.

To stay up-to-date with what Bizzy Yogi is doing and how you can be apart of it, like our Facebook page.

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How I Made The Body Image Shift

Some of the mos beautiful women I know suffer from low self-esteem and poor body image.

While I’d love to blame it all on social constructs and the entertainment industry (this includes the media), it’s not all their fault. We have to take some of the responsibility for what we allow ourselves to believe about beauty and our bodies.

The only reason that they get away with [falsely] portraying beauty and perfection the way they do is because we allow them to.

You are beautiful. Your body is perfect. You don’t have to look like the models on TV or wear a size 2 to be beautiful or to love your body.

If you want to make the shift to a better body image and self-esteem, read the article below. It lays out some great points.


A friend recently asked me how I made the shift towards a more positive body image.

And I froze.

Despite writing about this often and thinking about it even more, an answer didn’t easily spring to mind. I think that’s because it’s a monolithic question in a lot of ways, and I’ve done SO many different things that it’s hard to narrow it down.

Drilling Down

After shaking off my initial brain freeze, I did the next best thing I could think of: spout off some platitudes — therapy, journaling, blah, blah, blah.

Now, those things aren’t blah blah to me — not at all. They’re actually two of my most important tools that I use on a regular basis. But they were blah blah to her at the time because I knew she’d heard it all before, and she was struggling. She wanted to hear something different, and I knew I wasn’t being as real as I wanted to be.

One More Layer

There were a few other friends in the room, so the conversation continued for a bit without me. I listened to them with one ear and to me with the other — asking myself, “what has REALLY made a difference to me?”

And then it hit me.

As soon as I could, I jumped back into the conversation and told my friend, “One of the biggest things I did was completely change my environment.”

That got her attention.

Creating My Life

From there, I went into further detail. I let go of toxic friendships — the ones that drained me of energy because they were all one-sided. But also the ones where all we talked about was how much we hated our bodies and needed to go on a diet.

Now, I didn’t just call up these people and break-up with them in one day; my process wasn’t that quick. But over time, as I saw our relationship more deeply (or, rather, saw its lack of depth), I had less desire to spend time with these people. And we gradually drifted apart — no passive aggressive melodrama necessary.

I also dramatically reduced the amount of media I consume. I used to love subscribing to magazines, but over time I realized that 90% of them were ads designed to make me feel terrible. Even the pages that weren’t actual ads were ads because they were just clever layouts of “best new facial creams” or whatever.

After that, I slowly stopped reading so much news and, eventually, I stopped my old way of watching TV. Now I never flip through the channels and accidentally land on a telemercial for the latest weight loss scheme. Instead, I’m all about Hulu — watching only what I want, when I want.

Finally, I changed my home. I got rid of all the clothes I was hanging onto for the hopes of fitting into one day. I couldn’t believe the shift that created for me energetically. I quite literally felt freer after unburdening myself of the expectations infused in those clothes.

I also hid my scale from myself. Of course, I knew it was still there, but more often than not I didn’t think about it when it wasn’t the first thing I saw every morning. And, again, over time, as I fell out of the routine of weighing myself 2-3x/week, I missed it less and less.

The Myth of Giving Up

As I read through this list, my inner critic thinks — “You didn’t change your environment. You gave up!”

And, my, isn’t that a pervasive myth? We even have jokes about it — how people get older, married, in a busy job, have kids or whatever (it really doesn’t matter the reason, does it?) — and they “give up.” In this scenario, giving up is meant to mean on the way they look.

What a sad social construct.

First of all, I think this is ridiculous, offensive and designed solely to support the diet and beauty industries. Second, you know what looks better on people than a smaller pair of pants?

Not hating themselves.

Truly, don’t we all know those people whose bodies don’t fit the standard beauty norms but who everyone thinks is radiant and gorgeous? I know I do. And it’s not because of their clothes or makeup.

It’s because they have a light within, and they shine it out with confidence.

Change your environment, change your life

I know it can sound like a lot, perhaps even too much, to change your environment. And I can hear the reasons as to why you could never cut that person out of your life. And that’s probably true; it is for me.

I still have people in my life who aren’t 100% supportive of my body lovin’ journey who I choose not to cut out (primarily because they’re family members). So what I do with them is shift the conversation as much as possible, including not participating in fat-talk during family gatherings, which is always a favorite activity.

You’ll also notice that with everything I did, I said “over time” or “slowly.” This didn’t happen overnight — not by a long shot. So if there are things you might like to change in your life, figure out your own pace and method.
And start making the shift.
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Put these principles into practice today. I promise, it’s totally worth it. Instead of focusing on the way you look, focus on your health. When your perspective shifts from how you look to how your body feels, happiness and joy can then be unleashed.

If you want to join a community of Yogis who are strong, uplifting, and supportive… Join my Facebook Group Yogi Hearts, Business Minds.

Not only will you find a tribe of amazing Yogis that are there for you, but it’s where I give exclusive advice on Yoga Biz, Yoga Life, and Yoga Practice.

Curve-Friendly Yoga Classes

In response to a few questions I’ve received about doing Yoga when you have curves, I’m sharing this with you.

You can 100% do Yoga no matter what body shape you have. Don’t be ashamed, your body is beautiful and so are you!

If you’re curvy and looking to do some Yoga, then make sure you read the whole thing. This is about finding a curve-friendly yoga class.


Our Friends at Curvy Yoga have some awesome insight on ladies who want to do yoga but are curvy.

Begin Researching
With your need list in hand, you can begin researching. Of course, Google is a helpful friend for this task. Spend some time searching things like “yoga” and the name of your town. Scan the websites and read reviews, but hold it all lightly enough for your gut instinct to emerge. Just because a teacher is beloved by some people doesn’t mean she’s right for you. And vice versa, just because some people don’t like a particular teacher doesn’t mean you won’t.

Key Words
While the number of curvy friendly yoga teachers continues to grow, there is still a dearth of us in most areas. So instead of looking for a Curve-Friendly Yoga class, here are some other possible key words to look for if you are new to yoga: yoga for every body, gentle, accessible, welcoming, hatha, slow flow, beginners, etc. If you prefer a faster-paced class, you’re likely to find words like vinyasa or flow. Any paced class can be a good fit for a curvy practitioner, depending on the needs list you determined earlier (although if you’re brand new I usually recommend a slower pace at first just so you can get a hang of the poses and have more opportunities to ask questions).

Talk with Friends
Odds are fairly good that you know someone who practices yoga — even if indirectly. Word of mouth is a great way to find a yoga teacher. So begin asking around for recommendations. Again, just because someone comes recommended doesn’t mean you’ll connect with them (because the person you ask may have a really different need list than you). But a review from someone you trust is often more relevant than one you find online. In addition, you can ask them questions about the style of the teacher and class to get a better sense of what might be a good fit for you.

Connect with Teachers
I encourage you to gather a list of at least 3 potential teachers whose classes you’d like to try. Once you have their name and contact info, connect with them by phone or email. I love hearing from new students before they come to class; it is a great way to get to know them better and assuage any potential fears. So when you get in touch, be sure to let them know any questions/concerns you have. Here are a few you might consider (feel free to just copy/paste these into your email if you’d like):

  • What props are available in your class, and when/how do you incorporate them? (If a teacher uses props in her class, it gives me a clue that she is at least somewhat knowledgeable about adapting poses to her students’ needs.)
  • Should I be prepared to come up with my own modifications in class, or do you offer some? (This gives the teacher a clue that you will want/need modifications and will also give you a chance to hear more about the teacher’s thoughts on it.)
  • What is your experience teaching curvy-bodied students? (It’s useful to hear that a teacher has taught curvy-bodied students in the past. If they say they don’t have much experience but do have experience modifying poses for a number of different injuries, abilities, ages, etc. then that is a good sign that they can help you come up with creative solutions. Although experience with curvy bodies is obviously ideal, I think the most important thing is that the teacher has a spirit of willingness to help you find what works for you in a non-judgmental atmosphere).

 

Tips:

  • Do a Gut Check, see how you feel in the class, be honest with yourself
  • Snag a Buddy, go with someone else and make it fun

 

You can learn more here.


I hope this has answered any questions you might have a laid to rest that ugly stereotyped myth: Yoga isn’t for girls with curves.

Yoga is for everyone, so find a spot that works for you and enjoy! You won’t be the best in the room right away, but as you continue, you’ll notice that your flexibility and even the shape of your muscles will start changing.

If you have any Yoga questions, feel free to ask at www.BizzyYogi.com/Questions 

I’ll answer any Yoga Biz, Yoga Life, or Yoga Practice questions that you may have.

Yogi Q&A: Prana & Yoga Practice Technique

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEkATN0_Lmk” el_width=”80″ align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hi, Yogi Lovers

I wanted to answer two questions that came from my viewers.

One is, how do we detach prana from the body?

Well, prana is energy, and energy cannot be created or destroyed, unless we hit death, when the energy leaves the body. I would say that to make this question a little bit more tangible, maybe how do we manipulate prana, and that comes through:

  • Breathing exercises
  • Yoga
  • Being in nature
  • Eating the right foods
  • Being with the right people

Yeah… That’s it!

Then, another of you awesome yoga lovers asked a common question.

“My feet get numb sometimes in my yoga practice.”

yoga; yoga practice; yoga teacher; yoga teachers; yoga help; yogis; yoga lovers; yogi; yogipreneurs; yogipreneur; yogapreneur; yogapreneurs; #yoga #yogalovers #yogateachers #yogapractice #yogi #yogis #yogapreneur #yogapreneurs #yogipreneur #yogipreneurs #yogicpractice #feetgonumb

Well, I would say it’s either a circulation or a compression issue. Maybe the ankle’s dropping in. I would need to look at it, but maybe try to put a block in between your thighs that way there’s engagement somewhere else, which could alleviate some of that pressure being created.

I hope that helps.

Please keep following me. Keep asking questions.

Thank you!

 

Check out my last Yogi Q&A with Ari on “How to become a better Yoga teacher without having teaching opportunities.”

 

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