Wellness as a Way of Life

Discovery Yoga "Wellness as a Way of Life" 9/21-22

We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather about us, that they may see, it may be, their own images, and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even with a fiercer life because of our quiet.

-William Butler Yeats

Christopher Baxter led this two day workshop on wellness. We discussed what is the goal of yoga? Ultimately all being want to be happy. We so often think of yoga and wellness in this sense of asana or physical practices when the goal is really for us to be well so that we may bring that to others.

So, how do we get happy? Contrary to Western belief happiness does not lie at the bottom of a late' or deep within our TV's. To not just be happy, but to remain happy the Buddha teaches that we must realize this:

1. All things are impermanent.

2. Our lives are short, restricted, and unsatisfying.

The cure is through the path. Bringing in three categories of wellness:

1. Body & Breath

Ex: physical respiration, yoga, fitness, walking, diet. Physical sheath (Anamyakosha)

2. Energy & Emotions

Ex: connection to mental state, feelings, sensations, moods, stress. Most suffering happens in the emotional body.

3. Mind & Mindfulness

Ex: Buddhist & mind training practices, alertness, energy, attention.

* All are interconnected, together=wellness. Root in awareness.

What has worked for me:

Body & Breath

• yoga asanas
• biking
• running/ walking
• posture awareness
• breath work
• painting
• teaching

Resources:

Yoga for Wellness- Gary Kraftsow

Yoga as Medicine- Timothy McCall

International Association Yoga Therapists IAYT

Energy & Emotions

• journaling
• painting
• meditation
• research
• support from family
• exercise
• cognitive therapy (awareness of reality)
• mantras/ affirmations
• contemplation of the divine

Resources:

Emotional Intelligence- Daniel Goleman

Path with the Heart- Jack Kornfeild

Eastern Body Western Mind- Anodea Judith

Writing Down to Bones- Natalie Goldberg

Mind & Mindfulness

• Tantric and Buddhist mind training techniques
• reading
• mantra meditation
• workshops/ research
• teaching
• listening
• chanting/ singing
• painting
• writing

Resources:

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction- Jon Cabot-Zinn

Start Where You Are- Pema Chodrun

Joyful Wisdom- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Now to find a holistic wellness plan for you:

Think of the things you are already doing in these categories that are working. Then make a separate list of where you would like to go next.

Think about what is out of balance in your life? What are the effects? What is needed to balance?

Then make a plan. Set goals.

Something daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally, and annually that you can make a part of your life to create wellness.

Wellness as a way of life. Yoga as a core set of lifetime skills. Building on the foundation of yoga. Deepen your own awareness through direct experience. Expand into other applications and complimentary disciplines. Integrate the expanded, enhanced awareness into your services to others.

-Christopher Baxter

Thank you Christopher and all of the other wonderful people who were apart of this workshop.

Light, love, and energy is contagious.

Global Mala

Global Mala at lululemon 9/19 Dennis and Kathy Lang

Global Mala was an idea from Shiva Rea to honor the UN International Day of Peace. During this event yoga studios around the world dedicate 108 sun salutations to peace.

Dennis and Kathy led us through 4 rounds of 27 sun salutations including special dedications for each round. These two teachers have inspired me for years and I am thankful of spending those two hours with them and surrounded by friends at lululemon.

Lokaha Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu

(May all beings everywhere find happiness and peace)

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti- Peace Peace Peace

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Yoga Anatomy with David Keil

8/28-30th at Yoga Life

This workshop was a lot more than learning fancy anatomy words. Yoga Anatomy is very important to know and I learned a lot about the body. David also shared stories of his experiences of being an ashtangi and training with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. Here are some quotes and interesting facts from the weekend:

• Everything in the body is wrapped in connective tissue
• The body works as a Tensegrity Model- the tension maintains the integrity of the structure
• 75 to 85% of body weight is muscle mass
• PNF technique- when a muscle contracts the opposite muscle is shut off
• Yoga is balancing opposing energies. Example in the foot: A foot print has a Mula or grounding quality, while the arch has a Uttianda or uplifting quality
• "Yoga is the ultimate freedom" Iyengar
• Too much tension in the hips leads to knee pain
• "We are subtle to gross"
• "Don't fear- have faith and trust" Guruji
• Both sides of the pelvis are independent
• There is more movement in women than men in the sacroiliac joint
• Yoga is a means to connect the body by taking awareness inside
• Every pose has a physical and energetic benefit
• A "pop" noise in the joint (hips especially) is caused by pressure changes
• The center of gravity is on top of the sacrum and is the main circulation point of energy
• The breath, or prana, controls circulation and leads to bandha
• If you have back pain- strengthen core and open the front body
• Goal of yoga- create length and space
• "Always be a student"
• When we breathe six vertebrae move apart
• A soft tissue injury won't hurt during practice but after when cool
• Scar tissue builds 30 minutes after you tear connective tissue
• Stretch after you tear something so scar tissue build up doesn't occur

The energy of the group at Yoga Life was great and so much fun to practice together on Sunday. David Keil was wonderful and I hope to practice with him again in the future.

Thank you Thank you Thank you