how many times have we let stress and anxiety make decisions for us? how often did we put something off or turn something down just so we wouldn't be anxious? or, maybe you're someone who says "well i would go into the career i love but now just isn't a good time" and "i'd like to travel but i have too much other stuff going on right now." so you're into the idea, you want it, you're ready.... but you're not truly open to it.
when i decided to go for yoga teacher training i knew it was going to be incredibly stressful on both myself and my husband. we both worked long hours at the time and i was adding another 15 or so into my weeks. i still wanted to maintain my workout schedule, time with my family and fun... all while not burdening my already stressed hubby. yikes! i knew i wanted to do it and i knew why i needed to do it (mainly i started to help enhance my own practice so i could work on my anxiety disorder) but i couldn't fully open to it. I was hesitant to say yes. what if i was too tired to go to yoga school? what if i had meetings or extra work that had to get done? what if hubby couldn't get to it all? and most of all, i was really resistant to just give up any extra free time i had because it was few and far between!
in the end, i did go. i did committ and i did open up to it. i invested in the time i was there and gave it everything i had.. and yes i was exhausted many, many times (you can go back and read some of my '08 blogs for proof, i was downright delirious in some of 'em!) but it was so worth it. it lead me to a path i never actually anticipated - which also required many days spent agonizing and analyzing my decisions. but really, until i was open to the idea, i couldn't say YES to it.
remembering this time, i put together a sequence based on opening up and saying YES. saying yes to living the life we want, to doing the things we want to do, to being who we need to be. we say no way too often! it can even be as simple as skipping out on a workout or yoga class because you just don't want to get up early. so for 30 more minutes of sleep you skip giving yourself that energy and health boost? that's a time to say YES!
start by standing up super tall and lengthen your spine. stretch your hands to the sky and swan dive into your standing forward bend. reach all the way down and feel the head, neck and shoulders release. let go of the tension. shake your head and let all negativity and worries and mental road blocks come pouring out. inhale and sweep the arms up so you're back to standing tall. create the intention in your heart to say yes and not be afraid to accept life and challenges and change. bring your palms together at your heart and lift your right leg into tree. focus. find something to concentrate on while you breathe into your balance. we need focus for balance and we need focus to commit to our intentions. then extend the left arm out in front of you, draw your right knee straight ahead and lift the foot back, reach for the right toes with the right hand and lift into dancer. reach and extend through that left hand and realize that the next step in our YES process is going forward and doing. so reach out and go forward in your pose as you will once you step off the mat. then, staying in your balance, return to tree and then back to your forward bend. repeat the intention, focus and going forward practice on your lift side.
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