Words of Wisdom:
“The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us.”
~Terri Marshall
Thoughts for November:
The month of November brings forward the start of the holiday season, with the Thanksgiving holiday just a few weeks away. When you start gearing up for the holidays, does it ever feel like they come pre-packaged with stress…causing you to feel unbalanced and irritable? While the holiday season can be filled with much joy, it can also be a stressful time of year. Perhaps the holidays stir up worry about money, buying gifts, dealing with uncomfortable family dynamics, and/or sadness around the absence of loved ones who are no longer here with us to celebrate the holidays.
We practice a style of yoga known as Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga, at Mind Body Flow Yoga. The word, “vinyasa,” means, “flow.” We create flow by linking our breath with our movement, creating ease-like movement without resistance. Like, water running over rocks, or a smooth, graceful dance. The goal being to carry this flow with us into our life off the mat. During the holiday season, it often feels as though we leave our vinyasa on the mat and forget to take it with us as we go about our lives.
Perhaps we should ask ourselves the question this holiday season of, “How can I approach this holiday season with “flow,” to make myself happier and healthier? If we form an intention to carry flow with us in every area of our life (not just on the mat in class), this can help bring forth a more centered and enjoyable holiday season for ourselves and our loved ones.
This holiday season, I want to encourage you to do 3 things, to help you flow through the holiday season with greater ease:
- Make time for your yoga practice. The 60-75 minutes you spend on your mat, will pull you away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and your life in general, allowing you to help quiet your mind. Taking time for ourselves helps us to better nurture not only ourselves, but our relationships. Notice that when you are happy and fulfilled, everything else just seems to flow with a greater sense of ease…even difficulties.
- Be kind to yourself. How? By listening to your body. How often do we push, and then wind up regretting it later in the form of injury or fatigue? Practice being kind to yourself. Rest when your body tells you to do so, and work when it will permit you to do so. Get enough sleep at night. The holiday season is busy enough. You’d be surprised at how allowing yourself to slow down and be easy, can be very serving. Notice that when we are kind and loving toward ourselves, it is that much easier for us to be kind and loving to those around us.
- Journey inward. Take time to connect with yourself and dig deeper around what you really desire out of life and your relationships. We must learn to slow the “go, go, go” mentality and take time to be still, quiet, and reflective. Rather than fleeing from ourselves, we must learn to listen to be with what is inside, because after-all, we have to live with ourselves. Make time this holiday season to connect with yourself through the arts, reading, music, nature, or anything else that speaks to you. Why not take a nap? Why not take a long walk? Why not attempt to clear a space in your home and meditate? Why not get to yoga class? Journey inward by doing the things that help bring you peace and leave you feeling centered and grounded.
By listening to our hearts and taking care of ourselves, we can find inner-peace this holiday season and beyond. When we feel grounded and balanced, we position ourselves for greater ease and vinyasa…flow. We can then put our best foot forward, taking our yoga off the mat and into the world this holiday season.
Love & light,
Marina
About the Image:
Marina Mukandala, is featured above in Supine Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasna). The benefits of supine twist are as follows:
- Stretches the glutes.
- Stretches and relaxes the spine.
- Helps to relieve back pain.
- Stimulates the kidneys, abdominal organs, urinary bladders and intestines.
- If the knee is straightened, it stretches the hamstrings and strengthens the legs.
- Strengthens the muscles surrounding the spine, which improves posture.
