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4 Misconceptions About Meditation

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The other day I was asked to teach a 30min mindfulness session to a corporate company that promotes wellness. As usual in my session, I start with an introduction about what the session will be about, how long it will be and what I expect of people.

It strikes me every time how people react with surprise when I tell them how the session will take place. It seems that people have expectations of what meditation should be, and how it is actually practiced. The following four misconceptions are the ones generally met with surprise:

1) You cannot move during mediation.
Yes you can, if you feel discomfort or tension, please do move! Meditation is not here to punish you. You are a living, breathing human being. Your heart beats, your blood pumps, you are not stone. You can move.

2) You have to sit – cross-legged and upright.
No, not at all. People tend to react with great astonishment when I say that during mediation, you can even lie down. Just make sure your upper body is aligned as it helps with the breathing. An aligned body means an aligned breath. Other than that, be as comfortable as you like. Some people find cross-legged comfortable and others don’t. How can you focus on breathing if you are in pain? Sit however is comfortable for you. Heck, I sometimes even walk when meditating. You do you.

3) You have to have your eyes closed.
Sometimes I mediate with my eyes open. I like to just gaze down and focus on a point in front of me. At times I just don’t feel like it, and I don’t know why. Perhaps I am not in the right mindset or don’t feel comfortable enough in my surroundings. But the point is that you just don’t get distracted. You can gaze where you want as you want as long as you have a soft focus and don’t wonder around with your eyes to get distracted.

4) You have to fully emerged in the meditation.
People tend to look at me with utter surprise when I tell then they can drink during meditation. It’s best to have a cup of tea with you or a water. Sometimes we sit there and notice: Damn, I am perished or hungry. These are just your bodily needs and that is fine. You can drink anytime, you can pop out of the meditation and join back in – it should be to your comfort at your time and your pace.

Mediation is your time for you. Do it so it feels like its benefiting you and do it with no judgement. Its about accepting whatever comes up in that moment and not about punishment or perfection.

man and woman meditating on yoga mats in studio

To learn more about my services or about general topics in life I stumble on – follow my blog on nikafiguringitout.wordpress.com

The paradox around the word “Mindful”

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The word mindful seems to indicate two things – that’s it’s about your mind and it’s about it being full just by the nature of how the word is constructed. It seems to mean an exercise where you keep your mind full. Where mindfulness is actually about the opposite.

child meditating

I believe that leads to a lot of misconceptions about mindfulness. It makes it seem like a brain focused exercise. Yet mindfulness actually focuses on making sure you are aligned in your spirit, mind and body. It takes the focus that is in your brain and brings it away from going in circles. Which it tends to do, since we are so focused on our cognitive capabilities. It has a lot to do with the way society is built these days, you would think we are a mass of minds. Our times are known as the “Age of Information’ – the driving force behind it being the internet, bringing us newer and faster forms of entertainment, commerce, research, work, and communication. Most jobs only focus on using your intelligence, education is set up to focus on your brain power – skills when it comes to your body and spirit are less asked for and wanted. It is natural almost to think that we are only minds and only needed for our knowledge.

But what people tend to forget is that your mind is only as good as your body. You cannot think straight if you are in pain, you cannot be logical if you are suffering from mental distortions, there are so many elements that impact us as a package that we are – mind, body and spirit (some call it soul). So how do you get out of your head and better connected with your body? Mindfulness. Because what mindfulness means is being aware of your mind taking over, and moving this focus to the other part that make you a whole.

One exercise is for example scanning your body from the top of your head down to your toes – seeing what areas may house tension and what other areas feel tension free. It’s a way of getting in tune with your body we tend to neglect. I do this every day and find it surprising over and over again which areas of my body feel tension. Sometime pain arises that I am not even sure how I managed to get a good night’s sleep. It is scary how much of our body and its signals we tend to push aside to enable our minds to deliver. An important thing to remember is that aligned body means an aligned mind.

Another exercise is even more simple – it’s just asking yourself how you feel. And not stopping at “good”  or “fine” – those terms do not suffice. There is no benefit of lying to yourself. Check in with your spirit by making your emotions aware to yourself. Sometimes we find we are doing much better than we thought, which leads to more happiness and sometimes things arise we know we need to work on or address so we can be happy in the long run. Remember not to be judgmental or to force yourself to feel any different. Often just being there for yourself and acknowledging your feelings will do wonders for your spirit.

So be mindful in the sense of what it truly means – being aware of yourself, your body, mind and spirit.

Read more about every day topics and tips on how to manage life at nikafiguringitout.wordpress.com

 

 

Mat as Mirror

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Person Rolling Green Gym Mat

My yoga mat changed my life. 

For a lifelong athlete– once a tennis player, once a power-lifter and (always) a competitor– that statement carries a lot of weight. 

I spent the majority of my childhood and early adulthood in grueling, miserable workouts, in every variety and shape you can imagine. Swimming, sprinting, strength-training… you name it, I did it. In my formative years, these efforts were primarily aimed at increasing my performance in my tennis game, or later, in power-lifting and competition-based workouts. But as life moved on and these “end-goals” dropped off, I found I carried the same drive and mentality when approaching general fitness and health. If I didn’t feel to the point of collapse after a workout, or any type of physical activity, it was a waste of time. If I didn’t push myself so hard I felt my lungs would burst, I would be better off not doing anything. If I didn’t work out at least six times a week, I had failed that week in my health goals.

Of course, this level of physical exertion is unsustainable. Of course, I didn’t know that. And one fateful day, I injured myself in a workout and everything changed. At first, I didn’t think anything serious was wrong. I’d had injuries before and knew how to deal with them. So, I took it easy for a week, did some minor workouts for another week, then was back in full swing the week after–despite lingering pain. 

But that pain never went away. I wasn’t in a position in my job or my life to admit to or deal with a serious injury, so I did what I always did: worked hard, and put the pain away. I did that for a long, long time. I learned, however unconsciously, to compensate around my injury, to avoid things that made it worse– until the pain so bad, so loud and terrible, that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I finally went to see a doctor, and the therapies began. Every possible therapy and medication for chronic pain, I’ve tried. Every non-surgical procedure, I’ve had; every kind of pain-specialized doctor, I’ve been to. And none of it helped. In fact, these things only revealed the extent and depth of my injury, and other serious health issues that had also gone unnoticed before in my body. 

And then I stepped onto a yoga mat. 

I loved the physical practice at once, finding the asanas strengthening areas in my body I had never before considered. I learned to find flexibility and strength to support my injury, and relief from compensating around it for so long.

But practicing, at first, was still an extension of my old mindset. Each pose had to be done perfectly, and as challenging as possible–if I wasn’t tired and drenched in sweat by the end, my time had been wasted. I would snicker during chants of “Om,” tune out the instructors telling me to breathe, to find balance in my efforts; to seek internal and external harmony. What did they know, anyway?

Something kept drawing me back to the studio, more than just the physical asana and the respite from pain it provided. I began to soften in my listening around what my teachers had to say, beyond just calling poses and alignment cues. One particular phrase stuck with me: “Your mat is a mirror into your life.”

Was it? 

Was my jaw-clenching practice a mirror of how I approached my life? Were my endless efforts, my fixation with failures and shortcomings on my mat a reflection of my who I was as a person? 

I wrestled with these questions as I kept chipping away at the asanas, delving deeper into self-inquiry and the practice of mindfulness. I noticed some days that my practice was more difficult, drawn-out and painful; my mind unfocused and wondering when the class would be over. Coincidentally, these were also hectic days of high stress, either at work or in my personal life. With introspection and the ever-present mantra “mat as mirror” in my mind, I began to connect a pattern with how I handled stress– or rather, let stress handle me. I worked, (and am still working!), on finding peace and solace amidst difficult situations, picturing myself as a force against them and not them against me. Similarly, I try to picture myself as a force in my yoga practice when it becomes challenging, not the challenge controlling me. 

Other personality traits, both negative and positive, became apparent as I tested this mantra “mat as mirror.” I already knew that I loved to work hard, but I found that I didn’t know where to let ease balance my efforts. My mat showed me that I didn’t know how to give myself a break, to show grace and love towards myself, and not push away pain or fatigue. It was (and still is!) an active reminder to myself as I practice, to let ease into my life and body when I need it, to cultivate “sthira sukha” as a lifestyle and philosophy.

Another notable example of “mat as mirror” was my self-talk throughout my practice, specifically as I held balance poses. I remember thinking, “you will fall, you will fall,” every time I came close to losing my balance; and, consequently, I would fall. I identified my self-talk in other life-situations was comparably negative or defeatist, whether about my ability in a task at work or in my relationships. I consciously began to change my inner dialogue around balance poses; instead thinking “you are strong and stable.” This shift in my daily practice on my mat is slowly transferring into my everyday life, and I have found myself more at ease and confident as a result. 

The wonderful thing about this practice is that it gives us the chance to do all of this inquiry, self-examination and introspection–and to start anew each day. “Mat as mirror” has become integral to who I am as a person, as a practitioner, and now as a teacher– a daily reminder for myself and my students. We are complete beings–the same person, the same body in every situation; we cannot remove parts or dilute ourselves based on external factors.

Our mats, and our practice, hold power and potential beyond the mere physical postures. Are we pushing ourselves too hard, past simple discomfort into pain? Do we do that in other areas of our lives? Or are we not pushing ourselves hard enough, giving up when challenges arise? Is that likewise how we handle difficulties outside the studio?

My yoga mat has been a gateway to freedom, empowerment, and self-discovery. It is a mirror I hold to myself daily, not solely for deep, personal inquiry, but sometimes just for a mood check or a body scan–how I’m feeling or moving. My mat reveals truths about all parts of my life that are sometimes too shrouded or elusive; it reminds me to stay present and connected in my body. It has (and still is) working on me just as I work upon it, showing me who I am and reminding me that I am not fixed or immutable. 

My mat is my mirror. 

My mat changed my life. 

How To Transform Lack.

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To some degree we’ve heard the age-old adage, “change your thoughts, change your life.” This adage has helped thousands if not millions of people to personally transform their lives from a lacking consciousness to an abundant consciousness. This transcendent teaching tends to assists us with our relationships, our careers, our desired outcomes for any sector of our life—which in its own right is fulfilling. We’re instructed to think positively, place a smile on our face and feel good—the rest will take care of itself. For most of us living in the western society; this approach becomes limiting and leaving feeling vexed, because we’re not reaping the results we’re desiring. In the western world, we’re required to take an active role, and we must be willing to take action. But what if I were to tell you that you can take an active role within your life and co-create the reality in-which garners the results you desire? In this article we’ll discuss the core various sectors of our life. More importantly, we’ll explore our mental landscapes, which shape our thoughts, emotions, actions, habits, and how to change them! 

 

The Unconscious Mind: 

 

Psychologist Carl Jung refers to our unconscious mind as the shadow. It is said that our shadow is a projection of the darker aspects of our thinking, and the core beliefs that we tend to hide. It’s believed that if the shadow remains unconscious; we’ll play out the patterns and beliefs directly correlated to our mind. The unconscious mind is never satisfied no matter how much it’s fed. Our unconscious mind must be heard, and it always finds avenues to express itself. Due to the duality to life, our thinking contains both negative and positive—which creates both negative and positive actions. It’s our job to manage our shadow, and take back our power by empowering ourselves to observe our unconscious patterns, and transforming them. In-turn we change our life experiences. Changing our thinks enables us to witness exactly how we’ve created our life circumstances, where we’ve felt powerless, and where we choose to not take responsibility for ourselves.  

 

Finances: 

 

Due to the unconscious mind seeking lack, lack tends to show up in parts of our lives we’re completely unaware of. When we look at the psychology of the pay check to pay check mentality—we can witness the lack of skill pertaining to saving, investing, innovating, and creating multiple streams of income. When someone lives from one pay cycle to the next, the story that runs through their mind is: “there’s not enough” or “I have to wait to get enough” and “I am not enough.” These fundamental unconscious beliefs create our external experiences. If we believe we’re lacking because we’re not enough, we tend to treat our money transactions as such. For example: When your monthly budget allows you $250.00 of play money, and you choose to spend $450.00 which is $200.00 over the monthly budget. The overage causes set- backs in other areas (robbing Peter to pay Paul). This set back follows us until next month—having to deduct the overage. By our programming we’re going to spend over the amount and the setbacks continue—placing us in a cycle. On the outside looking in—we’d say, just don’t spend more than your monthly budget and you can save, and invest or create over time. But, having thoughts that fuel our patterns we repeat this cycle and reinforce the belief that we don’t have enough. To undo this pattern, we have to become aware of our thoughts about money and actively change our relationship with money. Every penny we spend must be accounted for and we must change the narrative. Instead of drowning in finical lack, first begin to observe exactly what thoughts and emotions are triggering you to feel as though you aren’t enough. Then take note of the behavioral patterns that you elicit from those thoughts. Then and only then can you take the proper steps to reprogramming your mind. Now we must introduce our mind to an abundant mindset. First let’s dispel the myth of abundance, so that we can get into what abundance is.  

 

Abundance: 

 

Abundance isn’t just waking up feeling good and simply allowing only good things come to us. We live in a material world that has laws, and these laws govern our human existence. We’re not supreme beings that dictate the sun and stars movement. We don’t have the ability to control the weather or nature. However, there is some truth to waking up and feeling good about ourselves. Abundance by its very nature is connected to us. Abundance can be anything from good health, joy, peace, prosperity and much gain. To activate this feeling of abundance; our thoughts and emotions must be congruent with the actions we choose to take externally. If we want to make more money, we need to understand money. Example: Instead of spending $200.00 on things that I don’t truly need, let’s ask ourselves: “how best can I invest my money?” “How is this transaction assisting my abundant lifestyle?” These questions are truly life changing, because we’re changing our relationship to money—which activates our ability to give and receive openly and lovingly.  

 

Relationships: 

 

The nature of our relationships contains both conscious and unconscious elements within the dynamic. When entering into a relationship with a lack mentality, we tend to attract and cling to people who reflect abandonment, self-avoidance, martyrdom, neglect, suffering, deception, dishonesty, betrayal. Our unconscious belief that we’re lacking shows up in our partners behavioral patterns—which we attempt to normalize dysfunctional bonding and call it love.  

 Spiritual teacher, counselor, tv show host and New York Times Best-selling author Iyanla Vanzant believes that relationships are where we go to heal. Primarily this has to do with our unconscious patterns, programming becoming conscious as we learn to connect deeper within ourselves. As we become conscious, we slowly begin to integrate abundance within our relationships. We understand that we don’t have to remain in an unhealthy relationship that is no longer serving our needs. In-turn life provides us with lessons that teach us what our needs are, and we begin to fulfill them. Our partners have the option to do the work as well, or they can remain in their current state of consciousness—we then choose how we’d prefer to empower ourselves from victim to victor. The core beliefs we come to understand is: there is enough, I am enough, I am worthy of a healthy relationship, I have the ability to get my needs met; and once we choose to embody our core beliefs–we’re bestowed with partnerships that share this commonality. First, we have to do the work, and not get attached or disheartened at our current state of lack.  

 

Career: 

 

The career sector of our life can be a tricky one, because we understand that our career is solely connected to our ability to generate financial stability. At the very least, we must have a job and make money to survive—there’s no magical thinking that can make this reality disappear. When we’re approaching our life, we must get radically clear on our career, vocation, and hobby. Example: I am a writer that creates content, edits, etc. My vocation is fiction writing, and my hobby is poetry. Career for most people is a set of skills that you get paid for—which doesn’t require deep, profound passion and love. The primary function for career is to pay the bills. Vocation on the other hand is something that we love, and most of the times it provides emotional fulfillment. We use our vocation to expand our creativity and sharpen our minds. Hobbies are what we fill our free time with; which can be anything. There’s no logical or reason for our hobbies. By getting clear on career, vocation, hobbies—We then can organize our life accordingly. When we’re generating lacking beliefs about any of these areas for ourselves, we find ourselves limited, which can make us feel isolated and stuck. By fulfilling each area carefully, we begin to create more and more abundance for ourselves.  

 Interestingly enough, many vocations have potential to generate abundance, but the issue that arises is; fear of not having enough. Are you willing to invest into that art project? More importantly are you willing to understand the business model behind the project? Can you market yourself? Are you willing to require payment for your vocation? If so, how much are you worth? When I ask people these questions, most recoil, because they’re now responsible to become the abundant version of themselves; which doesn’t permit them to make excuses as to why their vocation can’t make them money.  

 

In the end, we all have the potential to transform our lives, because we’re all worthy of abundance. It’s never a matter of class, ethnicity, and status—although we can’t deny that injustice in-fact happens in the world at large. Now that you’re aware on how to change your life from lack and scarcity to abundance and prosperity; you must now take the steps and be the epitome for others out there. Though you will have your challenges, and often times question how real is abundance, and even want to give up—take that step, take it now. Now is always and forever all we will ever have.  

[Read more…] about How To Transform Lack.

On Living Your Best Life

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It’s funny as I sit here writing this I have in the background manifest affirmations playing and I am really contemplating my own life and am I truly living “my best life?”

I am currently working toward finishing off my first year in fitness! I have been teaching a variety of classes beyond yoga. These have ranged between mat pilates, myofascial release, cycle, and now cardio HIIT classes. I had to add additional certifications to teach these classes and even then I have not stopped growing! I am currently, along with my chemistry class, working on my certifications in personal training and corrective exercise. If you had told me a year ago this is what I would be doing before I started my YTT I would’ve laughed at you and said that would be crazy!

A year ago I was far from “living my best life,” I was a special education teacher in a private high school that specialized in working with severe social and emotional disabilities. I was doing something I liked, educating. However, despite my amazing group of coworkers, I was going home stressed and in tears every night. Sometimes I would barely make it to the car! I felt I was not making enough of an impact on my students and that as much as I wanted to help I wasn’t. This was the sign that I officially drove myself to total burnout. I was going on to finish my 4th year in education and had just dealt with the trauma of having my first miscarriage. Let’s just say it was the universe forcing myself to really reflect as to where I was going and what truly was going to make me happy.

Often times we want to settle for what is comfortable. We bite our tongue or try to shut our brains up thinking, “hey, I am ok with this. This will pay the bills and leave my family comfortable.” We stick with what is easy and what we have been doing because there’s a safe feeling that covers us like an old blanket.

It’s not only in just our minds but also when we talk to people in our surroundings as well. My parents for example pushed me to continue the school year. They told me going part time right now would be foolish and irresponsible despite how unhappy I was. It wasn’t until I called my mom in tears and explained everything in my job and what was going on where she finally agreed for me to put in my notice. We reach out to people in our support systems to either “talk sense” into us, or to reinforce what we are thinking. My family’s favorite statement to me was “you only speak to us about these things once you’ve made up your mind, why do you want us to fight your decision?” At which point I laughed, because in all reality this is what we do. We like bouncing things off of each other to hear every part of our choice because our brain can’t possibly do it all at once on its own. Despite making a decision already, because you never know…maybe they say something you haven’t thought yet. Sometimes your supports reinforce that blanket because they think that is the best way to make sure you are safe and supported. So they tuck you in further into your comfort blanket and you get settled in.

Here’s the best advice I can give, the life lesson I gained from all this:

Sometimes it’s when we let the blanket go that we really start to thrive!

I made the decision to try working part time as a special education teacher and was denied working the hours at the school so I gave a months noticed and signed up for another prerequisite so I could finally work towards my doctorates in physical therapy. This is something my mom had been pushing for because she knew I had wanted this since high school, but life happens and sometimes you go with a shorter path because you want to be that independent woman right away instead of grinding it out for what seems like eternity to then gain success.

In those 4 years of my “independent” life I was upset, stress, anxious, and overall unhappy. I did not feel I was living the life I was meant to. Though teaching had its happy moments it wasn’t over 60% of the time. This should’ve been the sign to go. When March rolled around I started working as a fitness instructor and dog walking part time to really focus on my studies. The concern that I wouldn’t be able to make it? Well guess what? I did well!

The fitness hustle is real, but I was enjoying teaching yoga and then mat pilates, and now cycle too. I began falling in love with what I did. I would find myself getting excited  having discussions with friends about fitness. I would talk about the types of exercises and what they can do to aid with certain tight muscles, how the body moves and other life stuff. I for the first time ENJOYED talking bout the work and didn’t find myself complaining 100% of the time about how tough and hard my job was. I was even told it looks like I lost 20 lbs, even though it had only been a week away from teaching!

That’s when I knew I was on the right path. But how does this all apply to you? How can what has happened for me so far make any meaningful change in your life?

The start to living your best life is simple – ask yourself with everything you do:

Does this light me up? 

  • Yes – do it!
  • No – toss it!
  • Eh? Maybe?  – reflect and set it aside for some time. It’s like the love bird analogy, if you come back to it, it is meant to be!

This is the first part to slowly remove the choke hold the “comfort blanket” has over you. If you can categorize your life into these three categories you’ll start to find a pattern in the things that do light your fire and slowly start to go down that path.

Of course, there are always things we hate, like bills, that just need to be a part of life, but that doesn’t mean you cannot work in an area that lights your fire. I have slowly found that even working part time I am able to make ends meet because I am happy to work more hours teaching these fitness classes then when I was working an easier schedule teaching. I am happy to drive around and hustle the way I need to because it is something that lights my fire.

When you’re doing something you love, you don’t work a day in your life and that is true. This is the definition of living your best life.

Sensation and Repose: Yin and Restorative Yoga

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Consider a curious bystander, strolling by the window of a yoga studio.  He or she may see a group of students on the floor, head down in surrender. There are many props scattered around the mats and the bodies lie slumped in stillness, in what looks like a comfortable position. They are straddling a bolster, perhaps.  Naturally, anyone not actually experiencing the class may assume it was on the Restorative side.  This is not your usual flowy Power Vinyasa with standing poses and sweat.  And when this anonymous prospective yogi decides to pick up a schedule at the door, the bubble font reveals the words: Yin/Restorative.

Yin and Restorative yoga are quite often described interchangeably in class descriptions.  Anyone looking to begin or deepen their practice can be left scratching their head when they enter a labeled Yin class expecting some R & R and are called upon to become aware of their deepest physical, and oftentimes emotional layers, in a given asana (pose).  That is because Yin yoga targets the connective tissue of the body– the bones, ligaments, and joints–through passive stress, in often supine positions.  Restorative yoga uses props to physically support the body so that a yogi can exert minimal effort in a position, and find the greatest state of ease.  This encourages the parasympathetic nervous system to switch on and promote relaxation. 

clouds over a curving mountain road at sunset

The Yin in the modern Yin yoga tradition can be seen through the lens of the classical Taoist principles of Yin and Yang.  Yin is the feminine aspect of the two, and is associated with the moon (cooling poses) while Yang is considered a dynamic, masculine qi or chi energy (life force) inducing practice, and is associated with the sun (heating poses).  Although the roots of Yin and Yang yoga have blossomed out of the principles of Chinese medicine, it is the western appropriation that has cultivated this tradition.  In Yin yoga, the body is put into positions that are designed to strengthen and mobilize the joints in order to release the sensory depth of the stagnant, tight and uncomfortable parts of the body such as hip flexors and knees.  Poses are held for an extended period of time so that they may give way in the body, bringing sensations to the surface (physical and yes, some emotional).  In these poses of surrender, in a state of passivity, we cannot avoid our inner life. How we treat what comes up is apparent in the quality of the ease we find in our practice. The sensations of Yin can even be described as a volcanic opening of prana (chi), extreme sensation, and, well, the opposite of the relaxation we come to expect when we see the word “restorative” in a class description. 

Here’s where the confusion ultimately lies.  It is in that word “restore,”–which many of us take to mean “soften” or “ease”–that plays an integral part in how we define and practice Yin yoga.  In this case it does not exactly equal comfort.  In Yin yoga to restore means to rebuild, re-experience, re-lease, which leads to the stretching of the fascia, or deep muscle tissue.  When you’re in a Yin pose, like Pigeon for instance, for a long period of time–that is, several minutes–our experience of the pose can cause sensations to volley up and down like a strongman carnival game.  The vitality and vulnerability that a Yin pose can exhume into awareness can be healing nonetheless, which is also the prime goal of Restorative yoga, as we know it. To heal.

Restorative yoga comes from the ancient Indian tradition of Hatha Yoga, and most recognizable in the teachings of BKS Iyengar, author of Light on Yoga, among others.  He was an instrumental figure in spreading knowledge of the yoga sutras and his own teachings to the world.  When he was developing his practice, he would use objects he encountered, such as trees, chairs, and even boulders to wrap himself around, in an attempt to find that ease so sought after while sitting in meditation, and to improve his overall health.  The assistance of props provides added support for the spine and the surrounding muscles, especially for those recovering from injuries.  In an aptly named Restorative class, props are used to assist in opening rather than stretching the body, and in a way that is aimed at achieving a sense of relief rather than deepening a posture to arouse a physical responsiveness.  Restorative yoga activates the (parasympathetic) rest and digest system, slows the heart rate, conserves energy, and releases the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. 

On the outside an asana assumes the same outward shape no matter what the class is labeled. Poses crossover all the time across the many categories of yoga classes and traditions.  You will often hear poses being called by different names in a Yin verses a Restorative class because although the pose bears the same shape, the activity in the body is observed through a different perspective, and oftentimes elicits an entirely different response in the body.  For example, in the Hatha tradition Cobra pose, the legs as well as the arms are activated, anchored to the floor, pressing down.  The muscles are contracted.  In the Restorative version of the same name, a rolled blanket can be placed underneath the pelvis, elbows on the floor, or a chair can be used with the hands wrapping back on the seat or resting on the knees.  In Yin’s Seal pose, the legs are soft, pelvis sinks into the mat and the arms support the chest while the energy reaches towards the sky from the crown of the head, both elongating the upper back while releasing the tail bone towards the floor.  The sensation becomes isolated as the weight from your center of gravity sinks down. 

clouds in the sky and trees over a lakeshore

Some believe these two types of yoga, since they have elements of each other that overlap, they are the same, and it simply is not true.  What is true, is that the student goes into a position mindfully, slowly.  Poses are held for a lengthy amount of time.  Yet while there are similarities, the intention, the inner work, the energetic experience and mental roller coaster that Yin can catalyze, tells a very different story.  Both practices, however, bring us back to ourselves, and, as in all types of classes, aim to facilitate a control of the mind toward allowing what is true for the yogi to come into awareness, to realize their own power as well as their tenderness and receptivity. Yin Yoga and Restorative are practices much needed in today’s predominantly Yang society. It gives us a chance to return to our center, focus on our breath and rest the mind in order to allow vital healing to take place and gather some of our hidden strength along the way.

When it comes to definitions, it makes sense that the semantics are intertwined when their intentions and origins are what isolates them.  Although both practices were largely cultivated and exploited here in the English speaking world, calling them by the same name (even separated by a hyphen or slash) does a disservice to them both, and can discourage and confuse a student who has a particular physical need, injury, or intention.  This is like saying that wading in a river and jumping into the ocean waves are alike because you can call them both swimming.  Yet the blunder is understandable, especially since they have components of one another within each of them and are equally essential to a healthy and complete yoga practice.  

Diana Benigno

Holistic Fitness Guide

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Introduction

Over the years I have carefully crafted a health plan for myself. This plan was created from research, tutorials, and a great deal of trial and error. There are 3 aspects of health I try to focus on over the years, the first is a

Healthy Diet, to make sure I am taking care of my body from the inside, because what happens on the inside affects the outside.

A rigorous Exercise Schedule/Routine that to guarantee my body is functioning at full potential. This is not forgetting flexibility and balance

and finally

Mental Health, because it makes me alert towards everything else.

All of these revolve around individual goals that I set for myself. With goals, there must be routine and guidelines that provide the structure for meeting any goals.

Sunset at the beach

The Mental State

This may not be the sexiest topic for health and fitness, but to me, it is the most important. How will you motivate yourself to get out of bed at 5:30 am every day to push yourself to do your best? One can put aside distractions and overcome inanimate obstacles.

Motivation to work out is one thing,  another more important is having the correct state of mind to regulate which ingredients/Chemicals/microbiology is entering the body and making the right choices each day. Consume clean and healthy foods. Many food options these days contain processed preservatives, added sugar, and added sodium. Avoiding these and understanding nutrition labels is key to not only improving aesthetics but feeling energized.

The first pillar for good mental health is well-rounded sleep that will allow you to awaken in the morning with energy. The added bonus is that enough sleep will also help in the gym by increasing alertness. The amount of sleep needed depends on the individual and their history of getting enough rest and the individuals lifestyle, as in how active they are. How much other energy is being expended each day should be added to the equation. My personal sleep need is between 6  – 7 hours every night. Trial and error will determine how much sleep is needed for each individual.

Falling Asleep

Personally, what improved my sleep the most was no TV or screen time at least 1 hour before bed. The screens on these devices emit “blue light” which affect brain waves. Leaving the brain stimulated and requiring a bit of a cool down or unwinding period.

No Food at least one hour before bed. Food should be digested mostly before going to sleep. 2-3 hours would be even more beneficial.

Instead of tv or phone, try reading a book. Reading will tire out the mind as opposed to hyping it up.

Take melatonin,

Melatonin is a hormone, produced primarily by the pineal gland, which regulates wakefulness. As a medicine, it is used for the short term treatment of trouble sleeping such as from jet lag or shift work. Evidence of benefit, however, is unclear.

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Even on weekends set your alarm even if you turn it off.

Urban Waterfall

Waking Up

Wake up at the same time every day, go to bed at the same time every day because that will get your mind and body in a routine and after time, after few months it will become automatic,  Most people get used to it, I wake up within the 5 O’clock hour every day just by habit even when I intend on sleeping in. Make sure to get plenty of sleep by limiting screen time an hour before lying down to bed. Also, reading before bed will exhaust the mind that last little bit and aid in falling asleep.

Put your mind to it

When it came to growing my body I first had a great deal of brain power to grow. Workout routines, supplement routines, and just plain old focus on every last rep. I wouldn’t even say that having a good attitude is important, more the right attitude is important. For example many I have worked out in a fairly negative mood. When life events happen there were times when working out that’s all I can think about. However, I use even negative emotions for motivation to push through strenuous physical activity. Focusing those emotions into each rep, because even hatred can be a powerful tool when focused on self-improvement.

Mindfulness and meditation

This is the newest piece in the holistic puzzle I have been putting together. As I have mentioned throughout this section the state of mind is key when approaching exercise or diet plan. So not only can you train your stomach cravings and muscles, but you can also train your mind so it is in the right state when tackling the other areas.

Mediation can be defined as a practice where an individual focuses their mind on a particular object, thought or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. It would make sense that when I am exercising that I would want to have an enhanced focus on pushing through the work and be mentally clear to lower the risk of injury.

To begin meditation try sitting quietly for minutes each day. Starting with one minute and each day adding a minute until you reach 30 mins at a minimum.  

Yoga is like an advanced type of mediation that allows your muscles to “meditate” as they are forced to look inward.

Food is Fuel

Growing up I ate with no rules, no regards for the amount of sugar and carbs I was consuming. I would eat a cheeseburger, pizza, lots of Pop Tarts and Little Debbies because they made me feel good and I was a young kid with cravings. I was highly unlearned in the way that food actually powered our body. Such as which compounds affect our body in certain ways.  For me, this is continuing education. Constantly, I am regularly learning about the different aspects of food.

Shrimp, calamari, deviled eggs and toast

You are what you eat.

For most of my life, I thought about food as something I consumed in order to feel good. I would wake up and grab something sweet to eat because it felt “good” and provides a sense of happiness when eating it. Or I based my order preference at restaurants based around what I felt like I wanted to eat as opposed to just choosing a healthy option that will fuel your body. For all this time I was totally neglecting what my body needed. Putting my wants over my actual needs. In fact, I didn’t know what my body needed, not until I took the time to learn exactly what that is.

That’s why a strong intellect is important, to read and educate yourself. Over many years I educated myself on what exactly a healthy diet consisted of. Not just some general food groups but understanding the chemistry of food and what happens to the matter after it enters your body. This understanding has given me a whole new appreciation of food. And not just the food I had been eating, but a whole new line of sustenance I never had access to as a naive and poor child.

Recently I have been introduced to intermittent fasting. Which on its most basic definition is allowing your body to run more efficiently using your body’s fuel sources.

Exercise

High School Lacrosse put me in shape for the first time in my life. Not until after a very non-impressive, fat, and slow Freshman Campaign. In the 10th grade, I found the ability to push myself from the inside in order to achieve physical peak performance. This line of thinking about the benefits of exercise other than aesthetic reasoning. Having a healthy heart and lungs is crucial. The ability to have strong joints and bones prevents injuries long term.

Routine is Valuable, change is key

Yes, it is great to have a set routine in terms of having a plan when going into a workout. One of the worst possible decisions you can make is to turn up at the gym with no idea of what you are going to do for the next 30-60 minutes.

I have a routine that is split weight lifting 3 times a week. Each split day focusing on specific and varying muscle groups. This method I pulled from the Beach Body DVD series, p90X. That is doing legs and back one day a week then alternating between chest/shoulders or chest/back, and back/biceps or biceps/shoulders.  

While focusing on a specific muscle group on certain days of the week I do different exercises with different goals on a given day. Some cycles I may be going for maximum strength, as in low reps(3-5) with lots of weight and other cycles focus on high reps (12-15) etc.

Balance

By “balance” I am talking about a couple things. First and foremost balancing the types of workouts one completes. Cardio vs. Weights, plyometrics or yoga. And speaking of Yoga, the second type of balance refers to your body. Think to be able to stand comfortably on one leg and even performing exercises such as lightly weighted curls while on one leg.

Physical balance is key for strengthening the minor muscles in your body. These muscles support your large muscles groups. Also, the practice in focus is another key reason to challenge oneself with balance based exercises. These are related to body weight exercises. Using your body as the primary tool to work out.

Practicing balance also pulls your muscles together helping to achieve that lean body type.

Strength Training

I have a routine that is split weight lifting 3 times a week. Each split day focusing on specific and varying muscle groups. This method I pulled from the Beach Body DVD series, p90X. That is doing legs and back one day a week then alternating between chest/shoulders or chest/back, and back/biceps or biceps/shoulders.  

While focusing on a specific muscle group on certain days of the week I do different exercises with different goals on a given day. Some cycles I may be going for maximum strength, as in low reps(3-5) with lots of weight and other cycles focus on high reps (12-15) etc.

Recently I have adopted the drop set method. Starting with a moderate weight and counting down from 25. Then as the weight gets too much every 5-10 reps you drop it an increment lower.

Interval Training for Cardio

Interval training is the most effective method for elevating heart rates. Of all common exercise types, this is most proven to make changes in overall body composition. Burning plenty of calories and molding lean muscle mass.

Conclusion

The 3 aspects broken down are having a clear and healthy mental state, focusing on fuel as food, and an exercise program focusing on strength training.

Thank you for reading, please let me know any positive or negative reactions to the thoughts outlined above. 

Leg lift excercise

5 Simple Practices for a Mindful NYC Family

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Invite more mindfulness into what you are already doing instead of feeling this is something else you have to do or make time for

colorful paint overlaid by musical notes
  1. Savor a Snack
    1. Is there a snack you eat regularly? Try to bring all of your senses to eating it for 5 minutes together like you are eating it for the first time
  2. Mindful NYC Breathing Breaks
    1. Count how many breaths you take when you wait to cross the street
  3. Mindful Music
    1. Is there a favorite song you have as a family? For 60 seconds listen to that song together and see if you can follow the sound of one instrument
  4. Mindful Walk
    1. Is there a walking route you take often with your child? Each day see if you can notice something different on that walk that you did not notice before
    2. Notice your feet on the ground as you walk and keep pace with one another to bring more awareness to the pace of your movement
  5. Layers of Sound
    1. Hard to find silence in NYC? Before bed, notice the sounds happening
      1. Outside
      2. Inside of the room you are in
      3. Inside of yourself
Group of snacks for on the go
pedestrian wait sign at crosswalk

How do you talk to kids of different ages about mindfulness?

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Source: Joyfully Jenna

I think it’s all about framing it correctly. When I talk to kids of all ages, I frame mindfulness as something you can’t do wrong. This way, kids don’t see mindfulness as an obligation, but as something they can do to improve their well-being.

While everyone practices mindfulness differently, a few things that generally work well across the board are:

  • Meeting people where they’re at—look at what state your kids are at; it makes sense to approach kids differently if they’re jumping out of their skins after PE vs. if they’re zoned out after a boring class. Evaluate what your students are doing before approaching them.
  • Games—everyone likes games. Doing things like playing a song and asking students to focus on individual instruments, having students focus on certain elements in a room, or making a mood jar can really help pull them back to a calmer mindset.
  • Group routines—having kids do exercises that make them aware of their bodies and how they feel in the moment can help calm down big groups. This could mean anything from breathing exercises to physically shaking out any anxious energy left over from the class before.
    Checking in individually—kids of all ages can benefit from someone checking in on their state of mind and giving guidance on how to be present.

Working with kids from rough neighborhoods provides another level of complexity. They carry a lot of trauma with them, and their minds are more often in a state of stress. In these cases, it’s important to tell them to acknowledge these burdens as they focus on being in the present moment.

Person holding a jar of water filled with glitter

Call Attention To Your Mental Health

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Originally posted on www.acupofteawithme.com

About two years ago now, I saw a cute post on Pinterest about a daily mood log. It was originally created on the post for bullet journalists as something to log on a daily basis. I decided to put this mood log/tracker in the front of my paper planners to see how I do throughout the year, find my triggers for my anxieties and depression and bring attention to ways I can better my mental health.

mental health word cloud

My main thought with tracking my moods was that your worst day only lasts 24 hours, so if I could get through my “worst day” I can definitely continue to live another day that could be even better. Pain never lasts forever.

As a whole year comes and goes, you can look back and see how well you are doing or if you need to find a way to change your moods. Keeping up with a simple daily task can also help you to feel accomplished. When you think that everything in your life is going “wrong,” at least you did one thing “right” by logging your mood for the day as it comes to a close.

Another advantage to tracking your moods is that it can be used as a cheap way for your own personal therapy, since you are actively acknowledging what you are feeling like on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. This helps you draw attention to your ups and downs and how you can pinpoint how to fix your extreme lows.

You also can use this tracker as an active way to recall everything that has happened over the year. It is a great way to keep a detailed personal history of your mental state. With this active history log, you can thus see your patterns and time when you might drop into your lower moods.

I have done this for two consistent years thus far and the results are amazing. Sure, I’ve had some bad streaks or bad months. But seeing all the days that I did have a positive mood feels good because I know that I did right by staying on task and it allows me to connect to my mental health.

Here is a tip though. Plan colors that you will have consistent access to. Seeing a change in shades of red or blue can throw off the whole tracker and become confusing. Also, keep a pencil with your tracker for the days you can’t color in your moods. Simply writing a “P” for pink or a “G” for green can suffice until you have the opportunity to go back and fill in your color.

All of this seems trivial and minor, but I guarantee, it will make you feel better when you see your progress and you are able to call attention to your mental state. You can use my example of a mood log/tracker with my personal two years of tracking in the featured blog post image. It’s still the beginning of the year so it’s not too late to start!

Track Your Mood