Reflections from Free Day of Yoga

Last Labor Day was the official free day of yoga. Jacob and I decided to check out the free class at YogaOne Studio in midtown. This was our first time to try forrest yoga, so I dug up a little bit of information on what it was. According to the Forrest Yoga website:

"The pillars of Forrest Yoga are Breath, Strength, Integrity and Spirit. Our mission is to create in each of us a sense of freedom, a connection to our spirit and the courage to walk as our spirit dictates; thus, doing our part in "Mending the Hoop of the People". Forrest Yoga will teach you to Go Deeper, find your Truth and encourage you to take these gifts you have earned Beyond the Mat into the rest of your life."

For many people unfamilar to yoga, the philosophies of yoga can seem a bit new age, goofy, or maybe even granola. Don't let the smooth taste fool you. Practicing authentic yoga takes a lot of dedication, time, and patience. And, like a lot of experiences in life, yoga is what you make of it.

Intention: In our crazy, hyped-up worlds filled with so much stuff coming at us, it is often hard to find focus. We are fulled in so many different directions. The beautiful thing about yoga is starting off with an intention - a meaningful reason for taking the time to go to your mat. Is there something that has been bothering you? Release your concerns on the mat and let go. Is there a blessing you would like to send forth into the world? Let your hope for a good day and new experiences be your focus for your practice.

Breathing: Once you've set an intention, your breathe-work is what will push you through your yoga practice. Deep breathes have a way of moving us away from fight or flight reactions. Breathing can slow down your thoughts, heartrate, and clear your mind. When you are trying to stand in a challenging pose or trying to rest in savasana, breathing can put your mind into focus and help you work through difficulties. I sometimes think of breathing as that awkwardness that we go through during lifes' transitions and challenges.

Stretching: There is a lot of stretching involved in yoga. Your aim in yoga is to have flexibility and space in your limbs, chest, back, and ultimately in your heart and mind. Partnering with your breath can help lengthen the tight spots in your body as you stretch. The stretchs should never be painful, but it should have a dose of challenge in the pose.

Strengthening: As you continue trying out new sequences and poses, you will be amazed at how strong and confident your body can become. You'll start to find stability in your legs as you do a tree pose. And, you'll start to feel strength in core as you slowly move your legs up for a headstand. With patience and time, you can really see your body grow and change.

Prayer: The purpose of yoga has always been for us to relax our bodies and minds in order for us to pray and meditate. Running off after doing all the hard physical sequences and not doing your savasana/resting pose completely defeats that purpose. Your body is stretched and challenged and your ending prayer and meditation in resting pose is where you reap all the benefits of your practice. Sometimes, your mind will be racing around like a monkey. It will be difficult to let your mind stay clear. But, kindly and gently always try to re-focus and let go during your meditation. With humble beginnings, you will eventually start to build more compassion and patience for yourself and ultimately for others and for God.

Beyond the Mat: I honestly believe that having a regular yoga practice can work wonders in your life outside of the studio. When you're in a long meeting, you can practice doing long deep breathes. While your waiting in line at the grocery store, slow down your focus and stand on one foot. Your mind will also be more relaxed and focused when facing difficulty. When you are having a rough day, maybe you'll consider pampering yourself and doing a yoga sequence, journaling, meditating and a hot bath.

We all need that time for ourselves. Yoga can be an long hour or yoga can also be a few deep breathes. Yoga is about resting, stretching, and balancing not only in body and spirit, but in our lives.