Autumn is upon us! The weather is already beginning to cool, the plants are beginning to transform, and the holiday season is dominating store displays. Many look forward to Autumn to find respite from the heat, while others enjoy the flavors that appear in their favorite food and drink products; and some of us just enjoy using the other part of our closets while cozying up in our favorite sweaters and slippers. During this time of year we begin to spend more time indoors than out, and we find our bodies beginning to weaken with allergies and ailments common during this time of year. So, our goal as Autumn begins is to focus on staying STRONG!
There are multiple studies relating strong minds to strong bodies. As we begin the season of temptation -
from seasonal treats - to the comfort of a cozy warm bed instead of getting up to exercise - it's hard to find resistance to stay strong. We need to seek strength during this season to create a willpower that will allow us to avoid the over indulgences that begin this time of year. You can read more about the psychology behind our ability to make the best choices for our bodies, but the major concept involves retraining our brains. Our brains are very powerful, and once we've adapted to a series of patterns and concepts, we have to make major shifts in our mindsets to find change from those patterns - freeing us from the power our temptations have over us. Allowing our bodies to make the best choices in food and movement we will find the fuel we need to build strength.
There are many who feel that yoga is not a strength building exercise. While there are entire yoga classes that only focus on deepening stretches in the body, there are many others that focus on gaining strength and stability - along with the stretch. We can find an abundance of yoga postures which encourage us to use our bodies to build strength. While our bodies are moving in and out of these postures, we are also using the breath to relax the body. This process is also shown to slow the aging process - a double benefit! In most of the yoga classes I teach, we are moving using a Vinyasa flow. Vinyasa encourages us to move our bodies with our breath, and gives multiple opportunities to build strength throughout the entire body - from shoulders, core, and legs all the way into the hands and feet.
While yoga works on building strength in our muscles, we also become more mindful - which helps us retrain negative brain loops - creating strength in our mind and body connection. Choosing positive mantras (phrases such as I am Strong, I am Healthy) that focus on reminding ourselves of how wonderful our bodies are to allow us to stretch and breathe is an important part of finding mind/body connection. Noticing the body as it moves with the breath, feeling the strength in our muscles to stay strong in our poses and finding stability as we balance - all help create mindfulness and allows us to feel a better connection with our entire body.
There are many that who upon seeing the title of this blog stopped reading because the thought of arm balances creates fear! Fear keeps us from making a lot of great choices and being a part of new experiences. While there are some that have injuries that do not allow safety in many arm balances, we can all find a pose for strength that our bodies agree with each day.
The focus on the poses in this yoga pose challenge is to find a variation of the pose that works for our individual bodies. Each day there are two variations pictured - one less intense and one more intense - but, you are not limited to those two options! The less intense variations are using some of the body parts needed to make the more intense options accessible one day. Some of the options require more strength, some require more stretch. I would suggest warming up the body, finding release in all of the joints before moving into the postures shown.
Being mindful also helps us realize that Ego and Desire also cause as much harm as Fear and Aversion. Choosing an option our body feels good about helps us all stay healthy and strong. Working our way into more intense variations of poses can be a great way to achieve posture goals, but being mindful of our body each day helps us choose the best pose for our body - regardless of what anyone else is doing. In my yoga classes when giving options for various postures, I try to remind the class that they get to go home with their bodies - I get to go home with mine. I can't feel what's going on in your body, just like you cannot feel what is going on in mine. Keeping our mindfulness we create each day as we move through our yoga practice helps us choose the best postures to keep us healthy and safe. Your body will let you know when it's ready for more intensity.
Each day of the challenge I will be sharing options for the day's pose - along with elaborating on their health benefits - on Facebook and Instagram. You can follow my pages - Clarissa Pyeatt Yoga (fb) and @ClarissaPyeattYoga (IG) (those links are also available on the home page of this website) and post your pics on the comments of my posts on Facebook, or just tag me as you post your pic on Instagram or Facebook (***NOTE*** If your account is private and your post is not public, I will not be notified of the tag and will be unable to see your pic - unless we are currently friends or you ask me to follow/friend you). I will also be sharing a video of how I move into the postures each day. Any of the poses shown in the videos are also great options for each day's pose - especially if neither of the two variations shown in the pic feel good that day.
For those that choose to participate in this challenge, you will be entered to win this fun prize -
To participate in the challenge -
1) Share this blog post with the challenge information with your friends (or collage pic)
2) Each day of the challenge, post a pic of your body's variation of that day's pose
3) Tag me in your pic - @clarissapyeattyoga on IG or FB - or share your pic on my page - or message me
Have fun with this challenge. No yoga pose or class should be stressful, so find a pose that helps you feel strong, but challenged. We can all help encourage each other as we all work on mindfulness each day. Retraining our minds can be a daily process, and it's hard to do alone. Feeling community in our yoga classes helps us find strength together. Check out the classes page of this website for all of the public classes I teach, or grab some good friends and contact me about a private session for your group.
I look forward to seeing your strength grow this season and for us all to feel strong everyday!
*** On an unrelated to yoga note ***
The first day of Fall this year (09/22/2017) is also the day my oldest daughter, Kyley, turns 18. I'm still trying to process the fact that I will now have an "adult" child! I have so many great memories of her from birth to now - adult. Even though the beginning of her life had some complications that led her to stay in the hospital for a few extra days, she has grown to be an amazing person. She is very passionate about music! Not only is she an amazing drummer, but she also loves to write and sing songs on her guitar (which she taught herself how to play). She's posted several of her original songs on youtube if you'd like to check her out. I know her determined nature will lead to a path of success on any road she seeks. She is very loved!
