Something to think about...

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
~Plato

Setting Your Intention

One of the many wonderful things about yoga is that you can get from your practice whatever you need, and it can and will change.  Today we may feel stressed and want to exert ourselves, physically releasing all of the tension and stress our muscles are holding onto by challenging our bodies through our asanas, while tomorrow we may be more introspective and want something gentle, focusing on our breathing, quieting our minds and staying in the moment.  We strive for both in our regular practice but somedays we may want more of one than the other, and that's OK, we should honor what our bodies and minds are asking us for, each practice is unique and we should not judge ourselves based on what we were able to do at previous practices.

This is why we take time at the beginning of each practice to tune in to ourselves, quieting all of the exterior voices; focusing on the voice inside, listening to what it is telling us and honoring that. 

To get the most out of your yoga practice, that is the most of what YOU need, listen to your inner voice as you sit quietly at the beginning of your practice, take a few minutes to let the outside voices subside and tune into yourself, then set an intention for your practice.  It could be very specific, using your practice to help you deal with an event of the day, or more general, trying your best to stand strong in all your poses so that you can carry that strength and confidence with you off the mat and into your daily life.  If you start to lose focus during your practice, recall your intention and recenter yourself.

Don't be afraid to be honest with yourself while setting your intention.  Honor what your body and mind are asking you for.  Honor your limitations and be kind to yourself.  Don't compare yourself to others; all of our practices are individual, unique.  Most of all, enjoy and be kind to yourself.

~Namaste

Got Tension?

Many of us are under stress and find ourselves with tension related headaches and tighteness in our shoulders, neck and jaw that go along with it - these problems are especially common among those that sit in front of computers for hours at a time.

To help alleviate tension try the following rountine(these should be done everyday for maximum benefit), it should take only 5-10 minutes each day and help toward relieving your tension and headaches!

1. Neck Rolls

• Begin in a comfortable seated position, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, reaching your sit bones (the two boney points in your bum) into the ground (or into your chair if you're sitting at your desk) and sitting up tall reaching the crown of your head toward the sky.
• Turn your head as far right as you comfortably can, then bring your chin down to your collarbone and trace your collarbone with your chin over toward your left shoulder, switch directions and trace back to the right - repeart 4-5 times or for as long as you feel you need to.
• Come back to center and take a few deep breaths, eyes closed.
• Draw your chin down toward your chest, touching it to your chest if possible (do not strain to do this, you should be relaxed), feel the stretch from the top of your spine where it connects to your skull, all the way down your back to your tailbone, stay comfortably in this position for 4-5 deep breaths, relax...

2.  Shoulder Rolls

• Begin in a standing position or comfortable seated position, take several deep breaths and close the eyes.
• Bend your arms and place your hands on your shoulders, thumbs on the back of the shoulders and fingers on the front, begin making large circles with the elbows, rotating the arm in the shoulder joint - complete 10 circles with each shoulder then switch directions and complete 10 more circles - or as many as you feel you need.
• Retun to center, relax the arms and take 4-5 deep breaths with the eyes closed, relax...

3.  Forward Fold**

• Begin in a standing position, feet hip distance apart.
• Inhale, take a deep breath in while reaching the arms out to your sides and overhead, allow your shoulders to drop as your arms come overhead and lift your heart to the sky.
• Exhale, relase your breath, bend slightly at the knees and fold forward - reaching your stomach and chest down onto your legs and your hands down to the floor, relax... If your hands reach comforatbly to the floor you can start to straighten your legs and reach your tailbone up to the sky to stretch the back of the legs, if your arms do not comforably reach the floor, keep your legs bent
• Inhale, bend the knees and reach the arms out to the side and overhead as you stand tall, allow your shoulders to drop and lift your heart to the sky, smile...
• Repeat this 3-4 times - inhaling as you stand tall, exhaling as you fold forward

4.  Isometric Press (this is courtesy of the book Energy Medicine by Donna Eden)

• Sitting, relax your shoulders.  Tilt your head to the right, bringing your ear close to your right shoulder.
• Place your right palm against the right side of your head.  Take a deep breath in as your press your hand and your head against each other.  Push hard while holding your breath.
• Slowly but completely releasing yoru breath, drop your hand and stretch your head to your right shoulder.  Repeat two more times.
• Repeat on the left side tree times.
• With your head straight, please the pads of your fingers on the bones at the bottom of your head.  Take a deep breath in and isometrically push your fingers and your head together.
• Drop your hands into your lap and open your jaw as you release your breath through your mouth.  With a deep inhalation through your mouth, jut your jaw out, pulling your lower teeth up to your top jaw.  Relase your breath, open your mouth, and let your jaw relax.
• Tighten your jaw one more time.  As you relese your breath, let your head drop forward to your chest.
• Take a deep breath in, with the pads of your fingers pushing your head upward as your head continues to push down.  Release your fingers with your outbreath and allow your head to drop farther downward.  Repeat twice.  On the last time, as you let your breath out, lock your finders behind your head and allow your elbows to pull your head downward.

**Please note that if you have a back injury or severe sciatica that you should do this pose with bent knees, or perform Ardha Uttanasana (http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2490) with your hands on the wall, legs perpendicular to your torso, and arms parallel to the floor.