Please meet Rhonda Reid. She is Mind Body Flow Yoga’s featured student for this month’s newsletter. Rhonda has a beautiful yoga practice and was generous in sharing it with us, as she demonstrates Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana).
Mind Body Flow Yoga’s Very Own Rhonda Reid and Her Life-Changing Experience with Yoga…
Though I count myself as a fortunate and happy person, the last two decades of my life have felt as if I’ve been moving from one state of overwhelm and distraction to another, from having small children, to building a career, and now with two teenagers, a stressful job, and on top of that, working toward my doctoral degree.
I set a high standard for myself in terms of what I give to my children and my students, and in those pursuits, I would often neglect myself to my breaking point.
At night, the anxieties would pile up on me in racing thoughts, and insomnia led me to take sleeping medication every night for two years straight. In such a state, I realized that I was not a positive force in anyone’s life, much less my own.
In such a state, I realized that I was not a positive force in anyone’s life, much less my own.
Exercise, particularly running, had always been a source of strength and joy for me, but I would practice like a roller coaster. During summer and winter vacations, I would go from zero to fifty, from couch to manically training for a half marathon, and then losing steam and falling into apathy as the semester overwhelmed me.
Such habits led me to develop injuries that made running less viable for me.
I experienced the most difficult phase of my career in the fall of 2014. General anxiety was morphing into panic attacks. I began to get serious about my health and well-being, joining a gym and doing some serious self-reflection.
I remember writing the Facebook post in December, “I’m going to a yoga class that is probably going to be way too hard for me!”
The class was taught by the inspirational Sam Smith, and I was tight, it was hard for me! But not too hard.
I kept going.
Within a couple of weeks, I realized that yoga was more my style than an elliptical machine, and I purchased the ten-day introductory special at Mind Body Flow Yoga.
Typical of my roller coaster style, I launched right into Open Flow and went 9 out of the 10 days of the introductory special.
There I was, shaking and wobbling on my mat, often sinking into child’s pose, always feeling like the weakest student in the room, but I also felt welcomed and a sense that it was my mat, my practice.
…but I also felt welcomed and a sense that it was my mat, my practice.
Though I was surrounded by a supportive and friendly community, I began to feel a sense of self-possession coming over me.
At MBFY, I quickly developed increased strength, flexibility, and best of all, a growing sense of peace and equanimity. Going into the warm, dark studio became a sanctuary for me, and my more conscious breathing started sustaining me through all parts of my life.
My family became the biggest supporters of my yoga practice because they could see the difference it was making in the atmosphere of our home.
My family became the biggest supporters of my yoga practice because they could see the difference it was making in the atmosphere of our home.
On Mother’s Day, ironically, after a particularly relaxing Sunday afternoon yoga class with Christine, I decided to go out and play tennis with my 14-year old son, and upon a sudden lateral movement, collapsed to the ground.
I had dislocated my knee.
I felt it was another sign of my roller coaster fate as six weeks of inactivity and distraction rolled by.
Then Marina emailed to check in on me, and it was just the loving nudge I needed to get back in the studio and start again.
Battling back from that injury was a humbling, transformative and positive experience, partly because I discovered the beauty and purpose of Foundation Flow, which gave me time to reflect upon the finer points of my practice and strengthen the roots of my yoga tree.
Now, coming upon on a year’s anniversary of the day I first stepped into MBFY, I love to have a combination of the Foundation and Open Flow in my practice.
I don’t need to be such a striver all the time.
I look back in reflection at the difference between the fall of 2014 and the fall of 2015, not in external circumstances, but in the inward state, cultivated on my mat, that allowed me to experience and enjoy the busy and diverse moments of my life.
I am a much happier person today.
I have MBFY to thank for that. Each teacher here, with her unique individual gift, has initiated some kind of breakthrough in me.
I look forward to an even, steady practice in the new year and beyond.
Leave a comment below. What stood out to you in the testimonial? What significant experience have you had in your yoga journey?
What is this Pose About?
This is a grounded pose, creating a deep opening in the shoulders, neck, and chest. Watch Rhonda enter into this asana from Mountain Pose (Tadasana). She will exit the pose and land back in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) as well.
Here are a few things to keep in mind, if you decide to try this pose, or if you have already started to experiment and play around with it.
Here are a few things to keep in mind, if you decide to try this pose, or if you have already started to experiment and play around with it.
- Start in Warrior I Pose.
- Interlace all ten fingers at your low back and widen through your chest and collar bones.
- Lower your chest down on the inside of whatever foot is in front, towards the inner thigh.
- Work to maintain square hips and shoulders.
- Micro-bend at your elbows.
- Release your head and neck.
- Allow your interlaced hands and arms to drift up and forward, stretching your chest.
- Slowing come back up into Warrior I after holding the pose for 3-5 breaths.
Benefits
- Stretches your chest, lungs, shoulder, neck, belly and groins
- Stretches your shoulders, arms, and back muscles
- Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands
- Strengthens and stretches your thighs, calves, and ankles
Caution
- Use caution with this pose if you have a back injury, headache, heart condition, high blood pressure, menstruation, neck injury, or low blood pressure.
- Pregnancy: If you are experienced with this pose, you can continue to practice it throughout your pregnancy. However, don’t take up the practice of this pose after you become pregnant.
- Classical headstand (Sirsasana) is considered to be an intermediate to advanced pose. Do not practice this pose without prior experience or unless you have the supervision of an experienced instructor.
Have you tried this pose before? What has been your experience?
