One day as I was teaching chair yoga at a local retirement center, during the class one of the ladies who normally participates came in, but sat outside the group. Afterwards, she said, ‘I wish I had been invited.’ One of the other ladies helped show her the monthly calendar posted throughout the facility and told her she was invited to all of those events. Suddenly, her eyes brightened as she began to look through the calendar and see all the events - and became excited for the next one.
This event reminded me that often times we miss out on fun activities because we’re waiting for a personal invitation. Sometimes the door is open, we just need to enter in. Not just with yoga, but in life. We don't need an invitation to be healthy. We don't need an invitation to be strong. We don't need an invitation to create peace in our lives. All of those things we can initiate on our own, and feel better when we make the best choices for our personal lives.
When I teach yoga classes, I try to share that information on social media so I can let people know where classes are, and that they are invited to attend. But, more than my sharing yoga opportunities is people choosing to try something they may not know anything about, and might be fearful to try. Many times our fears - valid or imaginary - control our choices each day. Are we afraid to go to yoga and not be able to move into any of the postures offered? Are we afraid our bodies might hold tension and feel sore the next day? Are we afraid to put on yoga pants and go out in public? Regardless of the answers, fear is a real and valid emotion. Finding the internal strength to seek health for our bodies is difficult. Making healthy choices in our food and movement as well as what we choose to allow into our minds each day is difficult. We feel we're under a curse, or punishing ourselves if we don't give in to all of our bodies' desires each day. Instead of seeing healthiness as a punishment, wouldn't it be amazing if we saw it as blessing our bodies.
One of the main reasons I love yoga is the environment created in most yoga classes. The first yoga training I attended, one of the main focuses was to create a welcoming environment for people of all shapes, sizes, colors, backgrounds, levels of yoga, and stages of life. While not every class may be the perfect fit for everyone, knowing that you are welcome is important. Most yoga classes are filled with some of the most encouraging and inviting people I've ever met. I've been amazed at how people are genuinely cheering everyone else on to be the best version of themselves each day. For the most part, yoga classes share an aspect of non-judging, non-competing and non-expectations. Everyday we come in to yoga with whatever that day brings. Some days we are able to stretch deeper than others - Some days we can balance better than others - Some days we can barely move - Some days we use all of our energy just to get to the yoga class and spend the rest of the time in a resting position. When yoga participants have chosen to relax in child's pose or savasana for the entire class, no one looks at them like they're strange. Everyone knows that is an option in yoga. We do what our bodies give us each day, even if that is rest.
Helping our bodies create openness and reduce fear can guide us to make healthier choices each day. Below is a video of a yoga flow of poses to help us expand and grow.
A break down of the poses in the flow are shown in the collage below -
Participating in one pose or all of the poses can help us find a moment of peace in our day. The final pose of the sequence is Lotus with Lotus mudra. The Lotus Mudra has a grand and beautiful meaning. This mudra - simply performed by opening the fingers like petals of a flower - opens the heart chakra and shows perseverance of the lotus flower floating above the muddy waters of fear. Envisioning our lives as rising out of the mud and into the light is powerful imagery to guide us to be our best everyday.
As you wake up each day and soak up the warmth of the sun, envision yourself enjoying yoga. You are Invited, You are Welcome, and You are Encouraged to attend any yoga class I teach each week. Even if you never step into a yoga class, know you are an amazingly beautiful person with the ability to do anything you dream.