I Wished for You Today

Early this morning in our hot tub/coffee time, I made a wish upon a star.  When I was a little girl, I remember looking up at the night star and wishing.  I did it often.

Here is what I wished...

1. I wished for you to be healthy.
2. I wished for you to be compassionate towards yourself and others.
3. I wished for you to be safe from harm.
4. I wished for you to be kind and brave.
5. I wished for you to be thankful.
6. I wished for you to be content.
7. I wished for you to be patient.
8. I wished for you to be generous in mind and spirit.
9. I wished for you to be able to move without pain.
10. I wished for you to be happy.

I wished a lot of things for you, and most of all, I wished for you to come to yoga.  I wish I would have started yoga earlier in my life, but I am thankful that I practice now.  It benefits my body, mind, and spirit.  I breathe better and feel more calm, at ease, at peace when I do.  I wish that I could be more knowledgeable, more competent, more instinctive, and more of all that is good; but, I know the true gift of life is being kind and brave and generous.  Thanks for practicing kindness.  You are enough.

Real and Loved vs. Perfect and Admired

Don't Tell

In our pursuit of being admired, we often just go after perfect...

perfection is only a mirage, but it is also the cause of much pain and suffering.  

Don't Tell what is really going on; just pretend that everything is "fine."

Don't Tell that your someone abuses you, just try to stay away from her/him as often as possible because home is not always a safe place.

Don't Tell that you feel lonely and afraid or depressed; just smile because no one really wants to peel back the layer of pretense.

Don't Tell that you feel that skinny is good and fat is bad; you, therefore, must be bad.

Don't Tell that you struggle with thoughts of anger, sadness, anxiety, worry, dread, insecurity, or even death because someone else might see the "real" you and be glad it isn't their problem.

Don't Tell that you "feel" things or are too sensitive because we are all just showing up and off to make others think we are as good or better than others.

Don't Tell your weaknesses; even though you imagine that they are like a big red bull's eye - it is more convenient to be thought well of and spoken highly.

Just Don't Tell.

Don't Tell.

Don't.

Until finally, the telling leaks out, your secrets are revealed, and you feel vulnerable and afraid.  Shame and blame eat at your every thought, and you scold yourself in order to retreat back into the world of silence.

Just lie.  Numbing the pain.  Pretending again to be perfect in order to be admired.  Be nice.  Be appropriate.  
Be "fine."

Don't Tell.

But, what if someone else might be helped by your truth?

Still teaching like "My Hair Is on Fire"

Dolores wrote to me.  She said, "Thank you for making a difference in my life."  I am so proud of her for starting at Tranquility for classes in yoga back in 2011 and now pursuing her dreams.  Dolores said that she had saved all my emails, and here is an excerpt from one of them.  
It makes me happy to know that we are a SMALL studio with a BIG dream to make a SIGNIFICANT difference in the lives of the people we touch and teach.  One of the lovely ladies in one of the six classes I taught yesterday asked me at the end of class, "Are all yoga studios like this one?"  I said, "No, sometimes you can go and leave still remaining invisible due to age, size, or ability level."  I did for several years, and that is why Tranquility is different.  I stand at the door to greet you, endeavor to make you more comfortable, study like "crazy" before class to make it interesting and different, stand at the door as you leave to thank you for coming.  You are the important one.  I am just the facilitator of yoga.  The true teacher lives inside you.  Thank you, D, for sharing that something I said or did years ago is still encouraging you to keep on the path.  Namaste'

Below is the excerpt from a past newsletter that she had saved and re-sent to

thank me.

Rafe Esquith wrote a book about teaching children called, Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire.  I loved it.  Some of my colleagues did not, but I was inspired.  Then, today, I saw this quote...

 "Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion.  You must set yourself on fire."  ~Arnold H. Glasow

It reminded me of my passion for teaching and learning.

When I went to the yoga workshop last weekend, I was inspired once again.  There were many new ideas presented, but the one that affected me the most was the the "x" axis and "y" axis of skills and goals.

It is so true, and I see it often in yoga, education, and every day life.  

When your goals are high, but your skills are low - fear and anxiety are present.  Think handstands in the middle of the room...

When your skills are high, but your goals are low - boredom is evident.  Think of the last time you yawned in class.

The great news is that when your goals match your skills, "flow" occurs.  

Flow is what I call teaching or learning like your hair is on fire.  We all work to achieve it.  It is that awesome feeling when you know that you are finally achieving what you are attempting.  Charles MacInerney, our workshop leader, said that skills multiply when you are in the "flow" between goals and skills.  I see it in the eyes of children when they finally have that moment of "Aha!" learning in math, language, and reading.  I see it in the smile of people in my yoga classes when they finally nail that balancing pose or can breathe and relax in Triangle or Extended Side Angle or even Pigeon.  (:

It is worth all the hours of study, all the preparation, all the cleaning, all the reading, all the internet research, the prayer, and all the workshops I attend.  It is what motivates me to "teach like my hair's on fire."  Thank you for the smiles, the breath, and even the yawns because they are all part of my dream of sharing the love of yoga and the passion of fitness with the people that I have come to care about and know.

·         

I will keep teaching like my hair is on fire, and I hope you will keep coming and getting inspired to breathe, be fit, and feel great. 

Namaste'

Jeanne

It's More About the Breath than You Might Think

Recently, I became ill after being at a family gathering at an Oklahoma lake on the Fourth of July weekend.  It was a painful experience caused by contracting a parasite in the lake water that affected my stomach and small intestine along with shutting down my colon.  The pain felt severe, and I found myself constantly gripping my hands and gathering my knees into my chest.  I realized that my breath was erratic and tight in my upper chest; no longer was I belly breathing, nor using my diaphragm to deep breathe on the inhale and relax on the exhale.

The more pain I experienced, the more shallow my breath became and anxious my mind became.  As a yoga instructor, I teach breath practice on a daily basis.  However, the pain caused me to forget the pattern of breathing deeply and slowly to create a relaxation response in my body.

I even wondered, "Why me?"  How could this happen to me?  I was healthy, ate a very healthy diet, exercised on a regular basis, meditated daily, slept and rested, was not overly stressed.

As a person who believes that everything happens for a reason, I can honestly say five weeks later that I learned a lot about pain plus the body's reaction to it.  We simply stop breathing deeply and evenly when the body experiences trauma.  This, in turn, creates more stress for the nervous system and creates a downward spiral or cycle of more tension.

What if we focused more on the breath and less on the movement?  What if we noticed our breath as much as we observe the thoughts of our mind?  What if our pain is intensified by not breathing?

How could God use this experience to teach me a new lesson?

Breathe in; breathe out more slowly.  It's more important than you think.

Yoga for Sleep and Relaxation

How do we wobble?  Why can't we relax?  Why does sleep elude us?  Perhaps we need to take our yoga off the mat and into our sleep.

Find contentment.  Gandhi said, "We get caught in the peripheries of life.  Do not lose your center.  Hold fast to the peace in the middle.  Let go of the peripheries of life."  

Stop looking over the fence and competing, comparing, gossiping.  Why not fall in love with what we already have?  Someone looks at us cross-eyed, or doesn't acknowledge us, it can throw us off center and out of contentment.  We are disturbed when our plans do not turn out, or someone lets us down.  Noticing where we are by asking ourselves, "What is it?"  "Where am I?"  Why am I hurting or angry or discontented?"
Embrace contentment.  Embrace the wave of change. Embrace the peace and toleration of the extremes of life without wobbling.  

The practice of gratitude keep us from wobbling.  Follow peace.  If you find no peace, sit with it, get quiet, go for a nature walk alone, until you do.

*****

​

Do you find it difficult to relax or have trouble sleeping?

According to the American Psychological Association, much of your stress may be attributed to: “ineffective coping mechanisms that appear to be ingrained in our culture, perpetuating unhealthy lifestyles and behaviors for future generations."

The fact that many Americans struggle to cope with their stress probably doesn't come as much of a surprise. We've all been exposed to the crushing burden of feeling that there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. Between juggling kids, work and other responsibilities, our to-do list can seem never-ending. Many of us spend our days running from one place to another, always trying to get ahead.

As a result, our mind can be so agitated from the day-to-day grind, that it can seem nearly impossible to get calm and relaxed, even in our downtime. This can leave us tossing and turning all night. But if you're able to shift some things around in your routine, there are plenty of simple things you can do to find relief. Whether it's spending more time outside, hanging out with friends by candlelight, or curling up in a soft chair at a local coffee shop, there are plenty of ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. And since it's not always possible to change your external circumstances, it's carving out those few moments each day that can create big changes within, decreasing your overall stress. The practice of Yoga Nidra and other forms of guided relaxation, can release muscle tension, lower blood pressure, slow down the heart rate and regulate breathing.http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17218/8-minute-guided-yoga-nidra-meditation-to-help-you-sleep.html

​Ideas for helpful sleep and Yoga Nidra:

• 61 Points for Meditation - starting with a the crown of the head "Relax and release" each body point imagining a cool blue light in each part from the head to the toes on each side of the body."
• Mantra for Positive thinking (the mind must have something to think about)
• "Breathing in, I breathe in peace; breathing out, I breathe out calm."
• Body Scan Mantra
• My arms and legs are heavy and warm. (repeat each section three times, then just the last three words three more times)  "Heavy and warm, heavy and warm, heavy and warm..."
• My heartbeat and breath are steady and calm.  "Steady and calm, steady and calm, steady and calm..."
• My forehead and jawline are cool and released.  "Cool and released, cool and released, cool and released..."
• My neck and shoulders are letting go.  "Letting go, letting go, letting go..."
• ​My fingers and toes are relaxed and at ease.  "Relaxed and at ease, relaxed, at ease, relaxed, at ease..."  
• My belly and back are soft and supported. "Soft and supported, soft and supported, soft and supported..."
• My hips and sacrum are free and easy.  "Free and easy, free and easy, free and easy..."
• My mind is calm and at peace.  "Calm and at peace, calm and at peace, calm and at peace..."
• My emotions are quiet and at rest.  "Quiet and at rest, quiet, at rest, quiet, at rest..."
• My spirit is one with God.  "One with God, one with God, one with God..."
• ​Tighten and Release
• Each body part lift a few inches, tighten the muscle, and intentionally relax the muscle
• Notice if you could be five to ten percent more comfortable and adjust.  I always recommend the knees higher than the hips while lying down and seated - the knees lower than the hips.
• Soothe, soften, and allow
• soothe with a quiet, gentle touch
• soften with an exhalation - cooling breath
• allow what is to be without trying to fix it or create change
• ​Tonglen Meditation
• ​
  ​
  ​Say a prayer of dedication
• Breathe in the feelings of anger, discontentment, frustration, suffering of any type (or someone else's suffering)
• Imagine it as a dark cloud or puff of smoke, heavy or hot air
• ​Breathe out the letting go process by releasing the feeling and changing it to a positive emotion
• Imagine it as a light, white, fluffy cloud of healing
• Continue as long as needed until the darkness decreases and the light increases.
• ​Focus, Flow, and Let Go
• Focus on the breath - especially the exhalation
• Flow with the breath - feel the chest and abdomen rise and fall with each in-breath and out-breath
• Let go of each thought that arises
• ​Metta Meditation (continue saying it over youself, then add in loved ones, acquaintances, colleagues, and even those people who have hurt or harmed you)
• May I be happy and have the causes of happiness
• May I be healthy in my body, soul, and spirit
• May I be safe, free from harm
• May I be at peace​

These are some of the techniques that I personally use​ to help me as I need to go to sleep or awaken before it is time to get up.  May you be blessed by these techniques.  Remember sleep and relaxation are healing to the body and mind. Too much multi-tasking robs us of the ability to be present and concentrate.

Namaste'

BANISH Belly Fat! Let go of stress (fear), eat "live" food, sleep better, tone the core muscles, drink more water, breathe in and especially out slowly, and laugh!

Banishing belly fat is something all of us are interested in; try these poses at home or in our gentle/beginners' noon class at Tranquility Yoga in Owasso!

Start off on your back with anterior and posterior tilts for the lower back extension and flexion.

Move into bridge by lifting the hips and pointing the knees toward the second toes.

Bridge Pose on the Floor (shown above)

Spinal Balance (shown above)

On the exhale, elbow to knee (Spinal Balance "aka Bird Dog" with a Crunch)

Always use a blanket or knee pad, to protect the knee as you come into Gate Pose.

Gate Pose for lateral stretch (shown above)

Modified Side Plank (shown above)

Moving back to your seated position, move into a modified or extended boat.

Beginner's Boat (shown above)

Ways to Modify Boat (shown above)

UPP - Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (hands under a sandbag)

Movement with UPP (bend knee for back problems and use one leg at a time)

Transition with Downward Facing Dog and step one foot forward.  Blocks are handy to help bring the foot to the top of the mat.

Low Lunge (shown above in our studio)

Then Twisted Lunge (modified just place opposite hand on knee to twist)

Coming to a standing position in Mountain Pose; prepare for chair squats with left arm underneath and right arm crossed over.  

Super Brain Yoga (shown above)

Standing after doing the lunge on both sides, it's time to balance!

Karate Kid Balancing Pose (shown above)

Moving back to the floor on your belly, remember to not allow clenching of the hips to create back pain.

Half Locust or Superman for Beginners (shown above)

Full Locust (much more difficult, but no tension in the back)

Grab some props and let's relax!

Child's Pose to release any back tension (begin to slow down the breath)

Time to rest, relax, and restore!  SHHHHhhhhh....It's a nap.  No talking.  (:

Yoga Etiquette for All

14 Yoga Etiquette Tips I Recommend in a Yoga Studio

1 ~Be Punctual to Every Class

Thank you for practicing with us and coming about 15 minutes before class begins! It is a blessing to have you.  While we realize traffic issues, babysitting problems, and job requirements may require you to be late occasionally.  Please make punctuality a priority.  Your understanding with parking as Brian recommends is also appreciated. He is wonderful to help you in any way.

2 ~ Mind Personal Hygiene  

Clean mats, clean bodies, and clean clothes all contribute to the Niyama Saucha or purity.  Thank you for coming clean!

3 ~ Minimize Conversation. Or Go silent altogether.

Please leave your conversations in the reception area and minimize in the studio. Some people enjoy a quiet time before class begins to get grounded and in the moment.  Be friendly, but use a whisper or soft voice.  Thank you for welcoming every one, and for using a quiet voice.

4 ~ Turn Off all Electronics before Class

There are no cell phones in the studio.  Thank you for turning your phone to silent or off and leaving it in the reception room cubicles.  We appreciate you understanding that we all need to find that quiet and stillness without interruptions.  Brian is happy to watch your phone if you are a physician or on call.

5 ~ Wear Appropriate Yoga Clothing

Yoga clothing is appropriate.  Socks are a little scary due to the polished concrete floor.  Lots of skin appeal may be more comfortable at home.  Thank you for being comfortably clothed for movement and respect for others.

6 ~ Remove Shoes Outside

The Tranquility Yoga Studio has a radiant heated (water pipes underneath) type of flooring.  Due to the moisture and the heat, we chose to use polished concrete instead of bamboo flooring.  Thank you for leaving your shoes outside the studio in the reception room cubicles.

7 ~ Go Easy on Perfume and Cologne

We are all somewhat sensitive to smells.  At Tranquility Yoga we use Young Living Essential Oils as fragrance to protect our people's issues with asthma and sinus problems.  Thank you for going easy on the personal fragrances.

8 ~ Enter with a Positive Attitude

When you enter, expect a wonderful class.  Your positive attitude is contagious.  Yes, I realize that some yoga poses are difficult and not your personal favorites, but your teacher has worked long hours to prepare the best class possible.  Modify as needed. Thank you for kind words, kind smiles, and kind appreciation.

9 ~ No gum, No candy, No food.

OOPS!  Gum was stuck to the studio floor early this morning after yesterday's classes.  Thank you for leaving your gum, your candy, and your food in the reception area or trash compactor.

10 ~ Respect the Teacher

Nobody is perfect.  However, our teachers are all well trained and with yoga certifications.  Please overlook when we say, "Use right hand instead of left," or "Please turn to one side," and we have already been there.  Thank your for respecting the role of the teacher in the sadhana or yoga practice.

11 ~ Observe Silence during Savasana

Nap time as some call it or resting in the last 5-8 minutes of class is the reward for your hard work.  Thank you for not talking during this time.  Snoring is permitted.  

12 ~Always Thank the Teacher

I learned this very important rule from my teacher at YSA.  Always, always, always thank the instructor.  We take it personal because it is "personal."  We put our very best into every class we teach.  Thank you for remembering the courtesy of saying you appreciated the hard work of teaching.

13 ~ Clean Up Immediate Area

Everyone is so good with this cleaning up, and it is a blessing to us!  However, if you are in a hurry to leave to make an appointment, let the teacher know before class.  We are always happy to help.  Thank you for your tidying up!

14 ~ Sign In and Pay without a Reminder

While this studio is attached to our home, it is Jeanne's full time job to maintain the bookkeeping, teach the classes, clean the restroom and studio, wash the cloths, and oversee the schedule of over 30 classes.  Thank you for signing in and paying without skipping out or trying to use an already expired card.  Your faithfulness with our practice here at Tranquility keeps us adding to the class times and making plans to add another studio.