Collage Take Two

Earlier in the semester, I posted a collage of pictures that brought me peace and joy. I found that experience so relaxing that I intend to do the same in this post. However, this time I will post pictures of the new things, places, and adventures that I would like to experience. This is a post about my future self, and what I hope to achieve in the many realms of my life. My inspiration for this particular idea came from the sudden, panic-ridden thought that I am going to be a senior in less than one year. Soon I will have to face the world, with what little resources I have. Not only does this thought paralyze me, but it strikes fear into my heart. I am afraid of the future, afraid possible failures, and afraid of possible heartbreaks. Hopefully this post will tame some of this fear, and make my future seem less forbidding.

Intention #12

Tonight, I intend to practice some relaxation techniques that we have been talking about in class. I will take just a few minutes every hour to loosen my body, relax my mind, and let go of my worries. Hopefully, this will help me to achieve a more productive and relaxed evening.

Music and Meditation

I found this playlist online while I was practicing some yoga over the Thanksgiving break. Feel free to enjoy.

Music is an integral part of my every day life and of my yoga practice. As a long time guitar, piano, and flute player, I know the power of music and how it can affect almost any part of the human experience, from our mood, to our posture, to our social interactions. There is something so innate and sensitive about music that every new song I experience is a new sensory and cognitive adventure. This is especially true when I complete some simply yoga exercises. I will continue my search for meditative music and for new experiences in the musical realm.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL84E63806B487F948

Freaky Yoga

A friend of mine shared this video with me over the weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLBOsOt3qtc&feature=related

I was both surprised and awestruck to witness the abilities of such a practiced member of the yoga community. What amazed me most, however, was the performer's flexibility and relaxation. Throughout each exercise, I could see his ribs visibly rise and fall with a calm and deep breath. There seemed to be no strain or discomfort as his movements became progressively more demanding and complex. I, as a beginner yoga student, find it hard to maintain this composure - sometimes I fight to reconnect with my breath, and more often than not I find myself wincing with the struggle of bending into certain positions. Seeing this young man perform with such a relaxed air, and with such strong breath, was enlightening. Although I may not be able to fold myself into such complicated positions as he did, I can still see how breath and calm are integrated into every part of the yoga practice from beginning to end. My intention is to focus on this sense of calm and to reconnect with my breath every time I do my yoga practice. Maybe once I stop focusing on the pain, or the disappointment that perhaps my body cannot do a certain pose today, I can truly tap into the wonderful experience of self-rejuvenation that yoga has to offer.

Uptight Shoulders

This entire week I have been experiencing sharp pain in my right shoulder. In class on Monday we talked about the fact that women store a lot of stress and tension in their shoulders - I can definitely say I am among the masses that experience this. So I did some research about the topic: how muscle knots form, what types of treatments are recommended, why the pain is so persistent, and how knots can be prevented. While doing my research I came upon a handy little article about ways to relieve shoulder pain through yoga. The author's suggestions included eagle pose, shoulder rolls, dolphin pose, and side bending neck stretches. I carefully read the "how-to" of each pose and decided to give them a try. In eagle pose I experienced overwhelming relief in my upper shoulders. It was a bit difficult to increase the angle at which my arms were bent, but with careful monitoring of my body's signals I could find a comfortable angle at which I was still receiving a stretch. The shoulder rolls are a well known strategy - we have even done them in class - and they were also quite helpful. Dolphin pose is basically a downward facing dog pose that has been modified to increase shoulder strength and to provide the shoulders with a better stretch. This pose was more difficult than I had supposed, but once I got the hang of it my shoulders began to relax down my back and the stretch became deeper. The side bending neck stretches were actually quite painful in my situation, although I have had experiences where they felt very relaxing. The source of the pain wasn't targeted as well and that "crick" in my neck prevented much sideways movement. Overall, I felt that my shoulder stretching experience was successful, and I can't wait for the chance to practice some of these poses in class.