Self Empowerment Here I Come
I am almost one month into yoga teacher training. This first month has been about incorporating new things into my life. Instead of doing all of my yoga at the studio, I am required to have 2 hours of home practice per week. Surprisingly, I have had trouble with this but am working through it. Going somewhere seems to allow me the one hour total focus. My yoga space has been my haven for meditation and morning intention setting, short bursts of yoga when trying to master a pose, or following a downloaded yoga sequence. Now I am walking into the room without anything but myself as the guide and it feels daunting. I have been easily distracted as I begin this process. I will hear the puppy whining or pacing outside the door, or a random task I had forgotten about suddenly pops into my head. This is definitely a lesson in focus.
This morning I was feeling a bit tired after staying out a little bit later last night. I was feeling somewhat sluggish and hadn’t made it to the early yoga class, when I realized I needed more home time to meet my goal for the week. Music, essential oils in the diffuser, my new yoga mat, door closed to keep the puppy out and I begin.
I begin of course with breath. Sitting in easy pose, just focusing on the moment and the breath. I move into Ujjayi breath. This is the one sometimes called ocean breath because of the sound you make in the back of your throat. I breathe until I feel its time to move. I begin moving by raising my arms out into a T shape and then up over my head, then down to heart center with hands together as if praying. I repeat this three times. Three? Because it seems right and I like the number three. This is pure freedom and its interesting, exciting, and feels weird. Okay, this is where the self empowerment starts happening. Any time now I am sure I will begin to love this.
Breathing and raising my arms again, I move into a seated twist. Right hand on the ground behind me. Left hand on the right knee. Now the other side. Yes three times sounds good here too. Rolling forward on to hands and knees, I start a cat and cow sequence and keep moving until my spine feels warm. Finally, I tuck my toes and lift my hips moving into my first downward facing dog. I love the first down dog and moving my feet up and down “walking the dog” and stretching my whole body. I continue moving in a yoga flow of my own until I tire and know that I am finished. My sluggishness is gone. I decide to stay in the room for meditation since its Saturday and I have time.
I change the music. Essential oils are inhaled from my palm. Today, geranium called to me. I read the words from my daily meditation guide and I close my eyes. This is renewal. It will be a beautiful day.