Month: March 2019

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The Many Paths of Yoga

Each person is put on this earth to fulfill a destiny.  How can you overcome distraction and be more fully present on your path?

I think the first step of this is finding an activity that pulls you out of your monkey mind and helps you become embodied.  This could be dance, walking, running, or my favorite – yoga.

I was reminded this weekend of the many paths of yoga. 

For some, yoga is an exercise regiment, helping them lose weight and tone up.  For others, yoga helps pull them out of the rut of everyday life and enter the present moment.  Others practice yoga to maintain their health, while still others seek more consciousness and awareness.  

Each of these reasons to practice are valid, and there is a practice of yoga that will meet you exactly where you are and guide you towards your own personal goal. 

For me, the magic happens when you find yourself linking breath to movement, with your thoughts centered on how your body feels in this asana, this moment, and how your breath is moving in and out, in and out.
One of the reasons I make it a priority to offer yoga in different settings is because I think it’s important to bring the practice to you exactly where you are.  

That’s the beauty of this practice, and what keeps me coming back to the mat.  There is always something to explore!

That’s also why I’m so excited to offer a Yoga Teacher Training, starting April 12, so that as you step into that magical space within, you have the tools you need to safely guide others there.

I hope you can join me in class, or at the upcoming Essential You Yoga Teacher Training in Tampa this April.

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Combating Stress

As Americans, we tend to lead lives that create an environment of high stress.  Many of of us, or the people we love, are walking around in a constant state of stress.  This has the potential to wreak havoc on your body. 


Leading research shows us that too much stress in a body can lead to:

  • Anxiety
  • Headaches
  • Muscle Tension or Pain
  • Increased Depression
  • Heart Issues
  • Low Energy 
  • Digestive Issues

 Reiki is a Japanese stress-reduction technique that activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes deep relaxation for participants and practitioners. According to the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, Reiki is

“a complementary therapy that can be implemented alongside all other medical and therapeutic techniques. A gentle technique that is suitable for even very fragile patients, it is accepted in hospitals and hospices around the world. The profound relaxation produced by Reiki has been anecdotally reported to alleviate anxiety and stress, the perception of pain, and to promote a feeling of psychospiritual well-being”

Reiki has been gaining more acceptance in the medical community, with Reiki practitioners being invited into Hospices to help patients ease pain, and hospitals to help patients before or after surgery.  The Endometriosis Foundation published this article recently about Reiki’s use in easing chronic symptoms. 

The wonderful thing about being given a tool like Reiki is that you have a simple way to solve the problem of stress both for yourself, and for others.  Know that the work you do to release tension and feel better reverberates to all the people in your life.  By calming yourself, you act as a beacon of calm to everyone you come into contact with. 

I’m now hosting monthly Reiki Circles at Jai Dee Massage and Yoga, on the last Friday of each month (except May 2019) from 6-8 pm.  Join me for a chance to decrease your stress and practice or experience Reiki.

 

If you are interested in learning how to use this tool, then you’ll want to join us for Reiki 1. In that class, we’ll focus on opening your chakras and atuning to the energy of Reiki.  Participants leave with the tools they need to perform self-Reiki, including a Reiki 1 workbook explaining specific hand positions to perform self healing.