Hummmm.......

That awkward moment when you start humming along with the microwave that's heating up your lunch...and then you realize you aren't the only person in the room.

Who's with me?!? Anyone?

True story: When my little brother was a toddler, I was 9 or 10 at the time, he hummed all the time while he was playing. No tune, just a monotone note. My mom once asked him why he liked to hum so much. He said it made his throat feel better.

My mom relayed this conversation to me, adding that she'd tried it, and he was right! It did make her throat feel better.

I decided to try it, too. To this day I occasionally hum to myself. If I'm around some machine that hums, like a refrigerator or a microwave, I will hum along to one of the harmonics in the tone.

Come to think of it, that hum is like the end of "Om", when it's resonating in your head. Try it! It'll make you feel good! Just maybe not randomly in front of coworkers.

Hmmmm.........

Spiritual warriors

We have a remarkable capacity for open-mindedness, for tenderness — to be spiritual warriors.

Pema Chodron

My work life has been quite stressful over the past few weeks. We have been down two people who have been out on extended medical leave, and I have been pulled in to help take up the slack.

This at a time when we have been gearing up for our big (two-day) almost-annual conference.  It's been crazy, and I've had to wear multiple hats to see everything through.

It's been tough, but I have been managing. I credit yoga for that. Throughout this stressful time, I have come to depend on my yoga practice to ground and support me. 

A lovely heart-opening sequence in the morning helps prepare me to better handle the stressed emotions of my coworkers when they look to me for guidance.

Core-strengthening poses to give me much needed energy and willpower.

A quieter, deeper hip-opening practice in the evening helps shift those emotions that so easily get locked tight in my hips and back, so I can relax and sleep.

And my classes. Bless my students for buoying me up, even when they weren't aware of it. Their joy and openness for the practices of yoga and meditation can turn a difficult day into a lovely evening. 

One more week, and then the conference will be over. And you bet I will be doing some yoga this week to see me through!

Columbus Free and Workplace Yoga Resources

I have been asked if I knew of any places that provide yoga in the workplace, so I did a little Googling and came up with these two. I am sure there are others out there, as well!

Yoga At Work from Grow Yoga

Corporate Yoga from Balanced Yoga

It is my hope that my students grow beyond the gentle yoga I’m offering them. But, I wondered, where might they be able to find other free (or donation based)  yoga classes around Columbus. Here’s what I found:

Free Community Class at Yoga On High

Free Yoga for Veterans

I haven’t been to any of these classes, so I have no idea what they are like. But hopefully these resources will come in handy for folks.

Namaste!

Office exercises to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome

A yoga student asked for some exercises you can do at the office that can help prevent carpal tunnel pain. So here's a video that I have found particularly useful (and from which I took some of the exercises we practiced in class.)  Enjoy!

New direction for meditation class

At the request of one of the students in my meditation class, who wanted a more body-centered meditation experience, I am working up creating a new class series. I envision it as a hybrid class, incorporating yoga asanas, pranayama, meditation techniques, and spiritual discussion. I will probably incorporate influences from  hatha, yin and restorative yoga, kundalini yoga, and Chinese Taoist meditation. And of course breathing exercises and meditation.

To be honest, this I have had an idea for a class like this for some time now. I just wasn’t sure it was what people wanted. But since someone has now asked, well….let’s do it!

I'll be leading this class during the first hour of Thursday night meditation, from 6-7 pm. I think it will be a really nice preparation for the hour of meditation that follows.

I'm excited!

Intentions for 2012

One area of yoga practice that I frankly usually forget to do, but am trying to get better at, is setting an intention for the day's practice. I used to do this regularly years ago, but as time went on I have let the habit slip. An intention for yoga practice is something you contemplate at the beginning of your practice, as you center yourself. It could be a physical intention for your yoga, like staying with the breath, or relaxation. Or the intention could be something you want in your life, like love, or joy, or peace. Recently I have read about a format for an intention that I particularly like: “I let go of _______ and embrace ________.” I like this because we all both carry things we would like to be rid of, and at the same time desire to bring new things into our lives. I like it also because how can we make room for the new if we don’t make room by clearing out the old? I decided that, this year, instead of a resolution or goal for New Years, I would set an intention for the new year. I did lot of thinking about what intentions I wanted to make for the new year. On New Years Eve day, I made two lists. One list of the things that I want to invite and embrace in my life, and one of things I am willing to let go of. I want to embrace: Expansion Possibility Ease Joy Freedom Enjoying being where I am right now Letting My Light Shine To make room for those, I am willing to release: Impatience Worry Resentment Struggle Hiding Attachment to outcome Basically, I think it all boils down to this: I intend to let go of tension, and embrace expansion and surrender.