If You're Depressed
/Photos in this post by Brynna Bryant.
We all go through periods of depression.
It is through these lows that we are able to experience deep personal growth, and an understanding of what it means to be happy, healthy and at peace with life.
If you're experiencing a low right now -- whether it's a bad day, a lengthy depressed mood, or an extended period of time that you've been depressed-- please know that you're not alone.
I encourage you to reach out for as much support as you can. Talk to your friends. Don't carry the weight alone. The more you talk to people about depression, the more you tend to find that it is a common part of the human experience.
I want you to know something else, too. It may not feel like it right now, but you are loved. You are enough. You're going to be OK.
These things might
feel
like the farthest thing from the truth, but you know what? Now is a good time to doubt these untrue things your mind is telling you. Maybe even take a few moments to write down the negative thoughts that are coming up for you, and take a moment to see how ridiculous they may be.
I know during my experiences of the lowest lows, I tell myself some pretty hurtful things that aren't true.
Another thing I highly encourage you to do is to
figure out what makes you feel better, and don't procrastinate doing whatever that is.
If going for a walk with your dog tends to help you release stress, go do that. If a funny TV show helps you smile for 30 minutes, watch one. Roll out your yoga mat and do
five minutes
of asana at the end of your long day -- or even during your lunch break!
If you feel stuck,
do something proactive to help get un-stuck
.
You know yourself best. You know what little things make you feel better. Quit putting them off and go do at least one of those things, and just see how you feel.
I know from experience that it's easy to play the victim and keep suffering, even when I am aware of what steps will help me feel better.
Just today, for example, I was feeling emotional and was stuck in a cycle of self-pitying and resenting others around me who were having fun. Finally, after hours of putting myself through this suffering, I got off the couch and rolled out my yoga mat and did a couple sun salutations. I let my breath be therapeutic; deep inhales and heavy exhales. At the end of just five minutes on my mat, I felt a little bit better.
I wasn't in a fantastic mood afterward, but I felt a noticeable difference from before I had practiced yoga.
This was because I took initiative -- I asked myself,
what would make me feel better right now?
I knew that yoga was the answer, and I didn't procrastinate any more. I got up and did a little bit of yoga, and it worked.
I know you have something in your life too that's a fail-safe, sure-fire,
simple
way to feel better. It doesn't have to be yoga. It might be going for a drive and cranking the radio and singing. It might be eating a healthy meal and treating yourself to a glass of wine and a piece of chocolate afterward (all things in moderation, rigtht?!). It might be asking your friend or neighbor or kid for a hug, and really letting yourself be hugged.
Whatever it is, go do it.
Namaste
, dear ones.
PS As always, I'm just one email away if you want to reach me (aliveinthefire at gmail dot com). :)
Yogi Surprise May
/National Day of Yoga for Nepal
/Many of my dear friends and fellow teachers are hosting awesome donation-based classes throughout the day, and I do hope you'll all come out and show your support.
If you are located anywhere other than Sacramento, I encourage you to check out www.yoga4nepal.com to learn more about the fundraisers that are going on. The efforts are nationwide. Read more info, below.
On Saturday, April 25th, a 7.8 earthquake hit Nepal, devastating the country, causing an avalanche on Mt. Everest, and killing thousands of people. The mountainous terrain has made it difficult to get to rural areas to perform rescue, relief, and damage assessments.
The immediate needs are food, water, clothing, medical care, and particularly, temporary shelters as the monsoon season approaches. There is a worldwide relief effort underway to support Nepal’s people to survive and recover, to eventually begin rebuilding their beautiful nation.
We invite every studio, community, and yogi to join us on Tuesday, May 19th to create, lead or attend a special class, event or a day of classes dedicated to and called: “Yoga for Nepal”. This day will bring mindfulness to the suffering of these people, and these classes will encourage people to donate and help raise funds for relief organizations currently on the ground in Nepal.
• The Red Cross
• Save the Children
And/Or any of these three local Nepalese organizations:
• Right4Children
• Next Generation Nepal
• The Ama Foundation
We are supporting these aid organizations because they:
• Have secure and trustworthy funding transfer mechanisms already in place.
• Are organizations that have existing long-term commitment and infrastructure in Nepal.
• Have staff that are familiar with Nepalese culture, speak the language, and know the political and economic situation there and how to work within it successfully.
• Are experienced and have established track records of providing disaster relief.
Think globally, act locally! This fundraising event will grow from a micro to a macro level with your support.
A heartfelt thanks, too, to all the teachers and yogis supporting this cause!
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu... may all beings everywhere be happy and free from suffering.
Equanimity
/The fiercest Warrior, expansive and broad in his stance on the yoga mat, has no furrowed brow.
An elegant yogini stands on her hands, a tiny smile drawn across her face.
Tree pose without tense toes. And Triangle, effortless extension through the arm and fingertips, the palm relaxed instead of strained.
Calm in the belly, even while the navel is drawn in toward the spine.
Nothing to change. Nowhere to go, except inward.
Allowing the pose, its equanimity, to wash over me.
The Toes in Yoga
/- The toes stabilize during any balancing pose, like Tree. By spreading the toes, you draw more grounded energy up from the earth beneath you. You activate more muscles in your feet, and stabilize the arch more.
- In the transition from Plank to Chaturanga, rolling over the toes with a unilateral movement helps you maintain correct alignment of the hips and creates the smoothest possible transition in the vinyasa sequence. If you're in the habit of flipping over one foot at a time, check in with your teacher for help re-learning this transition and talking about why the feet should move in unison.
- For balancing poses like Crow and Eight-Limbed pose, activating the feet and toes actually helps draw energy into the core, helping to increase the sense of lift and lightness as you 'fly.' The same goes for headstand and handstand; by activating and flaring the toes, you are creating a longer line of energy from the ground all the way into the part of your body that's extended farthest.
- In Prasarita Padottanasana, engagement of the two big toes helps align the pelvis correctly. Engaging the big toe flexors has the added benefit of strengthening the longitudinal arch of the foot, too; in addition to being toe flexors, these muscles are also dynamic stabilizers of the arch. (You can read more about this on The Daily Bandha).
- why toes matter, from Yoga Journal; includes information about how healthy feet and toes help prevent inflammatory conditions like bunions and tendinitis
- Ever tried Toe Squat? This is a wonderful (and sometimes intense) pose for increasing flexibility in the toes and feet.
- 5 poses to build balance and stability in Toestand
Excitement
/Go Confidently
/Love yourself unconditionally, too.
Remove all the obstacles that prevent you from loving.
Bliss
/You're Already Perfect
/What Defines Us
/Navel Radiation Breath
/Ahimsa
/A Healthy Alternative to Coffee (Spiced Turmeric Drink)
/2 cups almond milk
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cardamom
Pinch of ground ginger (powdered)
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
What Makes You Happy?
/A Simple Hug
/Giving
/Set an intention for your practice.
Who would you give it all away to?
Bring your beloved into your mind's eye. This might be a higher power, a friend, a lover, or even a pet. Perhaps today your beloved is you, your higher self. Today's beloved may be different than tomorrow's.
Whoever comes up first, place them in your heart. And let your practice-- the motivation you have for getting to your yoga mat, all the efforts you make in the poses-- let your practice be for your beloved.
Give your practice away.
Calling all Sacramento Area Yoga Teachers
/Within
/Close your eyes. Fill up your body with breath. Notice the way your mind wants to run the show, but when you tune in to your heartbeat, that rhythm is effortless.
Everything you're looking for... everything you seek. It is all right here.