Yoga For Life

Stress, Trauma, Injury, Fear, Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Turmoil, Anger, Sadness - Life Happens - We seek out yoga for various reasons. Many find it a less intense way to move the body; others seek yoga for rest and relaxation. One thing is certain - every body can do yoga, and we all can find avenues to peace.

There are so many types of yoga! Even if we just start with pranayama - the yoga of breathing; or restorative - passive stretching; or chair yoga - there is yoga for everyone!

A fun yoga participant shared this podcast with me and was impressed with the information from two very different perspectives. The podcast is from the People's Pharmacy with two guest interviews of yoga teachers that reach out to people who might feel isolated from being able to move their bodies.

The first guest is Matthew Sanford, a man who was injured in a car accident at the age of 13 and lost feeling from the mid-spine down. He shares how yoga helped him to find a mind-body connection with his new body, and from that experience he created a foundation to help others with similar experiences - Mind Body Solutions, along with writing a book - Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence.

The other guest Carol Krucoff, a yoga therapist who specializes in the geriatric population and those suffering from arthritis, shares her experience in teaching chair yoga classes and healing movement for seniors. She spends her time helping those, who feel moving the body may create pain and injury, find peace and freedom with safe movements.

Both guests share a unique perspective on yoga for everyone. From trauma to moving our aging body, our minds still control how we feel about ourselves each day. We have the choice to allow our life circumstances to guide our emotions and movements OR we seek to conquer through faith and determination!

There's an assumption that yoga instructors have it all together - all the time. Nothing bad can be happening in our life because we're able to smile, laugh and guide others into peace. However, we seek yoga to guide us through life just as much as we seek to share those techniques with our students.

Two very special people in my life are experiencing major health issues that create anxiety in my heart. My oldest daughter experienced a seizure from a cyst in her brain, and my mother is just had a lumpectomy to remove breast cancer. My issues mirror many people that I interact with everyday, and many others are facing even more dire health conditions and emotional turmoil with loved ones. With any circumstances life brings, we have a choice in how we interact with the world. I am thankful for the Spirit guiding me into peace along with yoga techniques that work on the physical aspects of my body to find rest.

One of the first techniques I turn to (after prayer) is a focused breath. Three of my favorite breathing techniques allow the body to relax by calming the nervous system - Elongated Exhale, Ujjayi Breath and Three-Part Breath.

The first breath is working to create a longer exhale than inhale, eventually making it 1:2 breath. Using counts in the breath we can begin to work on an equal ratio breath inhaling for 3, and exhaling for 3. Then beginning to expand the exhale only, we can inhale for 3, then pause, and exhale for 4, then pause before continuing the cycle until the exhale is twice as long as the inhale (inhaling for 3, pause, exhaling for 6, pause).

The second breath for calming is Ujjayi Breath, often referred to as Ocean Breath. This breath draws the air through the nose completely filling the lungs, then exhaling by contracting the throat and releasing the air back out through the nose - all with the mouth closed. A helpful guide to experience this breath fully is to think about fogging up a mirror with the breath, and using that same technique, but with the mouth closed during the exhale. You'll be able to hear the breath in your throat.

The third breath is Three-Part Breath. This breath allows the mind to focus on the body and expanding the breath activating the diaphragm, and alleviating our tendency to use more shallow breathing when in tense situations. To activate the Three-Part breath we imagine the air expanding our belly like a balloon, up to the ribs (diaphragm) ending in the chest. As we exhale we release the air in reverse, relaxing from the shoulders, ribs to the lower back.

It's important to stay positive and find strength in the now, but prepare for wonderful things to help us through. A great technique to focus the mind and body is creating a mantra - positive affirmation/intention to repeat during stress or times of anxiety, or to just lead us through any specific situations.

My mantra to focus through the chaos in my life currently is -

I am Blessed

I am Thankful

I am Strong

I am blessed the chaos in my life can be temporary. It may last months or years, it may be permanent. But, there are many blessings around me to guide me through difficult times. There are doctors and treatments for both my mother and my daughter to find restored health. I am blessed to sit with my daughter as she undergoes testing and treatment. I am blessed to share relaxation techniques with my mother to help her as she prepared for surgery, and blessed my sister is with my mom as she undergoes treatment.

I am thankful the chaos in my life has positive outlooks. Both diagnoses give hope for complete healing. I am thankful for the support of my husband as he holds my hand when life is hard. I am thankful to have these two beautiful women in my life, along with my other sweet daughter, who all fill my heart with love each day.

I am strong. Even when life's chaos makes me feel like folding up in a fetal position until life returns to 'normal' - I know I feel better to continue my daily schedule with relaxing breathing, stretching and interacting with sweet souls in my yoga classes. My daughter looks at me for guidance and strength and I get my strength through faith. I believe God is in control and will guide me through whatever life throws my way. So, I Cast My Cares on Him. Yoga gives me resources to find calm and peace while the world gives me chaos.

As I share yoga each day in multiple settings, I am able to share life and peace with beautiful people in my community - and in turn - they share life and peace with me. We all have struggles in life, and it's comforting to know we're not alone in this journey to find peace.

In many yoga classes, individuals find strength with balance, relaxation in the spine and calm through the body. There are multiple stories shared of how great students feel after each yoga class.

In a class was with a retirement community I received news that one of our participants recently broke her femur bone from an accident. She sent a message through a friend to share feelings of thankfulness to me for building strength to help her get through this injury and endure the physical therapy to regain full range of motion.

In another class, with a different retirement community, a man who had a pace maker fixed just 3 days before - was in class - moving his body as much as he was allowed by his doctor to keep his continued strength. His ability to endure through chaos made my heart happy, and encouraged me to continue being strong throughout the day.

Many share stories of finding a restored mind/body connection during and after major illness and/or body trauma. Even though I was leading the yoga class that helped them engage the tools for peace and calm in the body - they made the choice to lead their minds through gratitude with their bodies instead of anger when they felt failed by them.

If you feel overwhelmed with the chaos thrown into your life, start with the breathing exercises mentioned earlier. As you're ready to add stretching with the breathing, join one of the classes found on the classes tab of this website, or email me at clarissapyeattyoga@gmail.com to schedule a private lesson for help with any issues life throws your way.

Regardless of our religious affiliations, or our relationship with God, it's important to know that this world doesn't promise everyday happiness. This world promises suffering through life. I choose faith in God to guide me through the unknowns of the world. God has brought yoga into my life as a source to find relaxation and peace in this earthly realm. I hope I am able to continue to share the peace I have found through yoga with those I encounter in my classes each day. We all have a choice to be bitter and upset when life throws us into chaos, or to focus on the positive blessings and many areas of thankfulness in our lives to draw hope. I'll continue to share prayers of healing and peace for you, please share your prayers, positive vibes, and healing peace for my family.