Santa 'Pause'

With only a week away, this can be a time of heightened busyness and the balance in our lives can become somewhat tipsy!

I’m so excited about my family coming home and I love the many festivities. I'm also conscious it is a time to be more mindful about balancing all the balls in the air- buying /wrapping presents, planning meals, and getting as much done ahead of time before my kids walk through the door!

What has been helpful to me this year are a number of little tips to help me pause, centre, and come back to my heart so that I can be present in the ‘doing’ rather than going into automatic pilot, just to get everything done.

Here are some of tips if fatigue or stress is throwing you under Santa’s sleigh!

1. Go for a walk outside. There is something so therapeutic about taking a walk, feeling the fresh air in your lungs, the earth beneath your feet, the sky above your head. And if you walk by yourself, or quietly with someone, it allows your mind to take a rest, and in doing so helps to put the chaos back into order. And if you can, take a walk in a park or in a forest.  In the Globe in Mail recently, there was a great article on ‘forest therapy’. Studies show that walking in the forest can significantly lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, along with blood pressure and heart rate. And since it is a place where noise and distractions are replaced with the serenity of nature, it can free up the mind to take what it needs to rest and rejuvenate.

So take time to walk, even if it’s on your lunch break, early in the morning, in the evening…anytime.   

2. If your habit is to turn on the radio or tv when you’re at home, try being quiet, or listen to soft music as you go about your activities. This can also give the mind a rest to eliminate external noise and distractions.

3. Practice gratitude. As you wake up in the morning, instead of jumping out of bed take a few moments to pause- and say thanks. Thanks for your breath, the bed you’re sleeping in, the partner you share it with- whatever comes to mind. And then practise gratitude throughout the day. Sometimes if I’m waiting at stop lights, I start to list everything I can be grateful for. Balance is often restored when we think of our blessings. It’s a powerful practice.

4. Set an intention for the day. Sometimes when we set an intention (for example ‘to be grateful throughout the day') it settles inside of us and can pop up unexpectedly as the day unfolds. Writing it down is even more significant, helping to guide it into our subconscious. I have a jar on my desk that I use as my intention holder, and it's a helpful reminder to re-set over the course of the day.

5. Take a few moments for some gentle yoga. Coming to the mat for even 10 minutes is so restorative. Some hip circles, cat/cow poses, shoulder rolls, child’s pose- anything that would feel good in the body. Keep the attention on the breath and the focus internal.

Here is a simple vinyassa (flow) series that is easy to do and feels so relaxing.

Start by coming into Table Pose. Inhale into Table - Exhale into Cat -Inhale into Cow-Exhale into Downward Dog-Inhale to Table-Exhale into Child-Inhale back to Table.

6. Come back to the breath. No matter what you are doing, we can always return to the breath, the anchor that helps us return to heart, time and time again. This can be brief- even a minute of breath practice is transformative for the mind and body.

It can be as simple as drawing attention to the in breath and the out breath. Here are a few other breath practices that I have found helpful as well.

Using the breath practice above, extend the exhale so it is longer than the inhale. You can count if it helps to stay focused on the breath- 4 counts on the inhale, 6 on the exhale.

The Centering Breath: Take a few natural breaths and then extend the inhale breath into a long smooth breath, followed by a similar exhale. Repeat the practice- natural breaths with intermittent longer inhales and exhales. 

The Box or Square Breath: Imagine the 4 four sides of a box. Starting from the corner of the bottom of the box, inhale up the side of the box, exhale across the top , inhale down the other side-exhale along the bottom. Repeat. If you like you can add a little pause at the end of each inhale and each exhale. It can helpful to count as you start the practice (example, 4 counts on both the inhale and exhale) and then let the counting go once it feels natural.

7. Getting enough rest and eating well before the holiday has always helped me too. It isn’t always easy with social get togethers and festive foods and drinks, but it can help keep or restore balance if needed!

8. And of course, anything else that is your own tried and true practice to help restore balance during challenging times in our lives. Exploring the things that bring us back to ourselves, is an empowering practice in helping us finding peace at this busy holiday time..and any time.

May you enjoy balance in your life and best wishes for a warm and love filled season!

Namaste. _/l\_

Breathing in Balance

Fifteen days- and counting -until Christmas. Even though I'm a little ahead of myself compared to most years, I've got lots to keep me busy until our kids step through the front door!

However this year thankfully, I don't have my 'knickers in a twist' like I normally do.
So what has changed?

My daughter was home last week, which was a rare and special treat. One of our goals of her visit was to bake and decorate together. As we opened up the box of tree ornaments she said (half) jokingly "You might as well do this yourself Mom, because you'll just end up rearranging all the ones I hang!”

We both laughed- and I said 'Not anymore, Camille. Having you here hanging them with me is way more important than any Martha Stewart tree.” We still took our time and made it look pretty, but it felt effortless and joyful.

I'm sure age has something to do with letting go of some of these less important details but I also have to give credit to some other practices- including my yoga practice. It really has helped me find more balance and perspective in my life, at least some of the time :).

In yoga, balance is finding the middle path where both ease and effort co-exist. Both matter. It's important to 'show up' on our mat, to put a genuine effort into our practice. Growth comes with effort. But if we effort too much without honouring the body, we can injure ourselves. And yoga is not just a work out.

The component of ease exists as well. It doesn't mean we don't come to our edge in a pose and explore what that feels like- but we do it with sensitivity and awareness. It's also a time of surrendering, and letting go of the outcome and self judgement. Opening to something greater than the small minded view of ourselves.

So how do we do that? I believe there are many ways, individual to all. But one of the most important, is to return to the breath as often one can. Before the pose begins, come to the breath to center, to connect with something greater than ourselves. Then move into the pose with breath and awareness. Notice the breath while in a pose- is it fluid and smooth or laboured? There are times when the body is working harder in some poses, but generally the breath should feel natural and free. Finally invite breath to come out of the pose and back to help center once again.

Settling our awareness on the in and out breath will return us to ourselves time and time again. It connects us to this place of wisdom and balance that is always available to us. This place where effort and ease reside together naturally and joyfully.

May you continue to enjoy balance in this dance of effort and ease, wherever you may seek it. And may your breath be a loving guide.

Namaste. _/l\_

My Tool Box

As we continue our weekly yoga sessions with the theme of balance, there is a saying that has stuck with me, first heard from my teacher, Catherine.

“We don't always know balance is until we experience what it's like to be out of balance.”

So true. We often judge ourselves as weak when we don't feel grounded and aligned, clear headed and rational, competent and calm. But actually, these times are full of information for us- and when we can grow our awareness around how we feel, as well as the things that help us return to balance, these unsteady times can actually become some of our greatest teachers.

True balance is never a static thing. Like a student once said, “It's like flying in an airplane. The pilot knows the course and efforts to stay on course- but the actual time spent 'smack dab' on course is really very momentary".

Life is like that. Most of the time, we have our course and we veer off it a little but find our way back. Other times, something really throws us off and it isn't easy to recalibrate and get our legs beneath us again.

But is there anything that can help us stay a little steadier and more balanced in all the ups and downs in life?

Personally I think yes, as I've seen it in my own life, and lives of those near and dear to me. I call it my tool box. These are all practices that have helped me at different stages of my life- some more than others, but they are my 'go to' place when I can't seem to get my sea legs. And when I do them regularly I do find that the pendulum of balance doesn't swing quite as wildly either. At least not all the time. :)

These practices aren't rocket science, but they have helped me build awareness in myself and create a sense of wellbeing time and time again. A few of them include a regular spiritual-meditation/yoga practice, a healthy diet, enough rest, and time spent in nature.

What works for me, may not work for you- the key is to try different things and then observe how they make you feel. If they help, include them in your own tool box and experiment by practising them for a time. You may see that if they do become part of your regular practice, they will feel more natural and empowering when you really do need them.

There is a great comfort in 'coming home to oneself' when we experience times of uncertainty and vulnerability. A place where we can ride the fluctuations in life. The place that resides in each of our hearts. May we all continue to know that place with whatever tools are right for us.

Namaste  _/l\_

What Makes You Come Alive?

As we continue to explore the theme of balance in our yoga practice (and in life) I often turn to nature for guidance.

During this season, nature around us does seem to get quieter, especially as a blanket of snow covers the earth- a reminder of the importance of quiet and rest in our own lives to restore and conserve our energies.

At the same time, there is also a sense of aliveness- the sun sparkling on ice droplets hanging from bare branches, the exhilaration of cold snow scooped up into bare hands, or the crispness of air breathed in on a winter's morning. A reminder too, that we can always find this within ourselves.

Aliveness isn't simply keeping busy or putting in time. It has purpose and meaning- and it makes you feel alive- energized, creative, stimulated, excited. Maybe you're lucky and experience this in your work, inside and/or outside the home. Or maybe it's something else, like spending time with a grandchild, enjoying a physical activity, or engaging in an intellectual or creative pursuit. You don't have to 'be good at it'. I'm far from a great cook, but when I chop vegetables, knead the flour for my bread, or slowly stir a simmering soup, I feel alive in every way- whether the recipe turns out- or not.. :)

Coming to the mat, slowing down the busy mind and cultivating awareness within us is often helpful in bringing forth the passions that are just waiting to be invited into our lives.

We're never too young or too old to dream about what makes us come alive- and then move in the direction of making those dreams come true, even if it's baby steps. What we gain from it, can also be a gift to others, as we offer our joy of life into the world.

This is a quote that says it best:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

― Howard Thurman

What makes you come alive?

Namaste. _/l\_

"You Rest Now"

As we continue to explore balance in our lives- on and off the mat- I'd like to share something I learned a few weeks ago at a workshop that helped me look at balance in my own life. Here's a brief summary of the day..

First we were asked to take an inventory of what was really important in our lives, in a big picture kind of way. Those things that at the end of a life you would really like to stand out. As you can imagine,  having a new car, or a nicer house didn't really make the top ten. :)

Then we reflected on how much time, energy and effort we actually put into those “important things”. That proved to be a little humbling as the action didn't always line up with the priority. It's interesting to notice where our time really goes in the course of a day- a week- a year..

Next, we considered what might be getting in the way of keeping those important things from being front and centre in our lives. Sometimes it was the distraction of the computer, sometimes fear or indecision. There are a myriad of ways that life gets in the way.

But given some time and reflection, it was possible to see these things clearer- and even find our way back to that sense of purpose and meaning that makes the difference in living a full life.

It was a very worthwhile day for many reasons. But one of the best parts was actually giving myself permission to slow down long enough to reflect on these things. Not just for a few minutes, but for the best part of the day.

 For many of us, it's hard to slow down pause and 'think' about our lives. We live in a culture that doesn't always value this kind of quiet introspection.We're very programmed to be 'doers and not day dreamers'. And although this is important in living rich and productive lives- it is also important to have the balance of rest- to be 'unproductive'. This is a time where we can regenerate, and heal, a time to come back to the place of quiet from within. The place of deep wisdom and peace. The place of balance.

In our yoga practice, it is also a time of entering into the quiet of our beings. Linking breath to movement, moving slowly from pose to pose, finding resting in Savasana.

May you find that time in your life to rest, to just be. It may be one of the most productive things you  ever do...

Namaste. _/\_

“You rest now. Rest for longer than you are used to resting. Make a stillness around you, a field of peace. Your best work, the best time of your life will grow out of this peace.” Peter Heller

The Wisdom of Autumn

"Autumn. . .
makes a double demand. It asks that we prepare

for the future--that we be wise in the ways of garnering and keeping.

But it also asks that we learn to let go--to acknowledge

the beauty of sparseness".

Bonaro W. Overstreet


photo by forestimages.com

The Balancing Act

As we begin a new session of classes at Spanda,  I'm reflecting on the changes that are happening as we move into late fall with winter just ahead.

In some ways, this is the season that prepares us for 'the big sleep' from January to March. The days are getting shorter, many of the animals are beginning their hibernation, the plants are beaming dormant- even the birds seem quieter these days.

And yet this also a season where many of us experience a time of heightened busyness- even frenzy-with Christmas reminders everywhere.
Yikes.

So how do we balance the need for quiet, rest and maintain the energy to juggle all the balls in the air that come with living our unique lives? It's not easy, but there are things that can help. Yoga can be one of them.

When we take the time, even a few minutes a day, to dedicate to a practice of breath, of awareness, of slowly moving your body into poses that open the energy channels, something can shift deep within us. It may be subtle, but it's unmistakeable. The chatter of our minds begins to settle, our muscles start to relax and let go, and there is a sense of returning home to that place where it's just a little easier to find some balance, on-and off- the mat.

Just a few minutes.. to come home to ourselves.
It just might be worth it.

Namaste. _/\_



"No person, no place, and no thing has any power over us, for 'we' are the only thinkers in our mind. When we create peace and harmony and balance in our minds, we find it in our lives."
Louise Hay

What's In a Name?

Welcome to my first post on Om Sweet Om!

I chose this title, because I have always believed that yoga is about coming home to oneself and returning to the quiet centre of wisdom that we all have deep within us. Even when we find ourselves far away from that- it is possible- always possible- to find our way back. It is a place of refuge, of comfort. An unmistakably knowing 'we are home.'

In this blog I am excited to have the opportunity to share some of the reflections I've received throughout my journey in yoga, as a teacher, and a lifelong student.

Soon I will be embarking on the next step in my journey, and am excited about sharing this with you.
Please stay posted, and come along with me....

Namaste.
 _/\_ Nancy