10 Things People Get Wrong About Yoga

I sure enjoy yoga. I feel so good when I’ve connected my mind, body and spirit. I practice it several times a week and sometimes I manage it daily.  Here are a few misconceptions about yoga. (Taken from this article).  If you are not practicing yoga I hope you give it a try.

1. It’s not about the guru.

Yoga philosophy says the guru is within, but people practice memorizing the rules of some outside guru. Philosophy lectures will have you seated, writing in journals, and lectured to. It’s more useful when you practice exactly what you want in your life, rather than having this disconnect between an idealized philosophy and a very different-looking practice.

If you want freedom and creativity in your life, you can practice that in your yoga. By practicing your own yoga, you get to directly experience your power within. Practice gives you the experience and confidence to move with ease in your life.

2. It’s not an intellectual study.

Of course, you can sit around and pontificate, theorize, even argue, and sign yourself up to listen to someone tell you what yoga is. Or you could do something much more useful and fun: practice and find out for yourself.

3. It looks different on every body.

One version of a pose is not better, or more advanced than another. Too often instructors say “If you are advanced to this, if you are a beginner do this.” If advanced yoga had to do with the poses, 11 year old gymnasts would be the most advanced yogis. Advanced yoga has to do with what is going on in your mind. Don’t worry about the picture of the pose. Allow yourself to find the ease in your body and mind. And a fun note: When you allow yourself to be easy, the poses will be a lot easier.

4. It can be very athletic.

A mistake that happens along a yoga path is disconnecting the mind, body and spirit. “I am not my body” is a mantra that leads to unhappiness while you are living inside your body, which is your entire life. It’s ok and not superficial to move your body in a way to keep it healthy, strong, and open. Yoga is the connection of the mind, body, and spirit. Stay connected and enjoy the ride.

5. It’s not a religion.

The power is within you. Yoga connects you back inward. The practice brings you closer to your own truth – whether  Rabbi, Christians, Jews, Catholics, Hindus, and many other religions all practicing together.

6. It can be your main form of exercise.

If you practice moving your body every day with yoga, it can be your only form of exercise, and it can be a really great way to cultivate health for your entire life.

7. It’s not boring.

Your practice is there for you to connect inward. It can be as exciting and as interesting as you dare to discover.

8. It doesn’t causes injuries.

People get injured practicing yoga when they disconnect from how they feel. When you push and force your body, your body will break. When you practice listening and following how you feel, you will cultivate a strong, healthy and radiant body and mind from the inside out.

9. You don’t need to memorize and follow a bunch of rules.

The only useful rule is to listen to yourself and follow that.

10. Nobody is more spiritual than anyone else.

Everyone has a spirit. We are all equally spiritual. Being a good person is something we can work on.

from : http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10544/10-things-everyone-gets-wrong-about-yoga-and-how-to-make-it-right-for-you.html

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Manage Your Daily Exercise

Ladies, do you find it hard to fit in a daily exercise routine? Exercise is  a gift to yourself, so don’t let it go by the wayside.  I find that if I give myself permission to exercise for 30 minutes (rather than an hour) that  it’s easier to include exercise in my day.  I rotate between an elliptical workout, a weight DVD and a Pilates or Yoga DVD.  In the summer I like to walk daily, so I eliminate the elliptical.  Here are 3  resources that I use.

If you are able to tack on a little extra Yoga daily (even just 10 minutes), then do so. Yoga has many benefits and one is stress management. I hope this post encourages you to exercise if you’re not already.  Stay healthy. Linda

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Hula Hooping

Ladies, have you tried to hula hoop lately? If you are like I was awhile ago, you may not have used one since you were a child.  A friend of mine once told me that her 65 year old cousin  still maintained a nice figure by  hula hooping  daily. I thought ‘I am going to try that’. So off I went to the toy store and purchased a child size hoop.  It took about a week for me to get the rhythm and keep the hoop up for longer than a few seconds. I now have larger weighted hoop that was given to me at a garage sale. I use both sizes regularly. I put one foot in front of the other; hold the hoop against my back; push the hoop; and shift my weight back and forth to keep it up and moving. Smaller hoops make the hoop rotate faster and larger ones make it rotate slower.  Hooping improves balance, tightens the belly and reduces the waist. Overall, I find hooping quite fun. It is very easy and convenient. I usually use the hula hoop before and after a workout for a few minutes – primarily to tone my mid section. Once, I had a few friends over and I had a hoop for everyone. My husband said he could hear the laughter down the street and wondered what the heck was going on. Why not give it a try. I think you will like it. Have a nice day. Linda

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Rebounder or Mini Trampoline

Tonight, before going to bed, I bounced on my rebounder for a few minutes. I must say, this is an exercise piece that is used frequently in our home.  About 4 years ago, while reading, I came across the benefits of rebounding/ bouncing. Some of the benefits include: less stress impact on joints; increase in muscular strength; improved posture, balance and coordination; better mental functioning; lower cholesterol; slowing down the aging process; relief of pain; boost in immune and lymphatic systems; elimination of toxins from the body, weight loss and an overall sense of well-being.

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Taking Care of Yourself – Christmas

The Christmas season can be so full at times. I encourage you to make a point of taking care of yourself.   When we are busy with work, family and extra activities, our needs can go by the wayside. We neglect the things that rejuvenate us like exercise, restful sleep and contact with nature. Guard the time you need to refresh yourself.

Also, as women we can misjudge the time we have available. A little extra planning can be useful. Take the time to plan a couple outfits. Write these down. This will help you avoid a possible disaster when you need to get ready in a hurry.  This can be as simple as one pair of pants, or a skirt, and a couple different tops. Include shoes and accessories in your plan.  Always kept these items clean and neat. When my girls were young and our days were busier, I pre-planned a few outfits and wrote these on blank cards. I found this extremely helpful – I hope you do too. Linda

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