Category: Yoga

Nature: Back to the Basics

Written by: Andy Vantrease

Impermanence. A word that makes many of us uneasy, yet one that best describes the natural world we live in. Seeds sprout, flowers bud, bloom and wither, snow falls and melts, storms surge through leaving rainbows and cloudless skies, riverbeds evaporate and crack under the feet of fawns following their mothers, learning how to survive before they’re nudged out on their own.

As children, we learn about life and death through science and nature, and yet, as we age, we stray from our connection with the earth and the environment that exists around us. We wake up, check our phones for pictures of people we may or may not know, dress for work and spend countless days under florescent lights, shoulders hunched over desks and computers, wondering if this is really all we’re living for. We are taught that this is “normal.” This is “growing up.”

In order to appreciate the miracles of life, we must reconnect with the outside world, for there’s much to learn from nature’s sounds, smells, and sights. A wild flower growing through the tiny crack in a brick building, when blooming appeared impossible. A downed tree in the forest with its roots up in the air because its limbs became unbalanced. Bees working day in and day out to pollinate and preserve the forest.

There are lessons and metaphors all around us, if only we open to them. Just like the cycle of the moon or the change of the seasons, every aspect of our being is constantly in flux: our identities, our bodies, our relationships. You aren’t the person you were yesterday, just as tomorrow you’ll be different than you are at this moment.

In studying yoga, one learns to reconnect with the basics and embrace change. It all starts with the breath. The rise and fall of the lungs, the beat of the heart, the sensations that let us know we’re still here. Yoga teaches us to trust the transient nature of the world. Each day, stepping onto the mat, we feel, move, breathe, and think differently than perhaps we did the day before, but we’re still here, trusting the journey and learning that the journey is in fact the only true destination. In yoga, practice doesn’t make perfect. In yoga, practice makes impermanence a little less scary. Practice pushes growth, in whatever way you choose to notice and define it.

Today, take a walk in the woods, without your phone, without looking for that next photo for Instagram, without rushing. Watch the movement of the creek, the fish, the insects. Reconnect with the environment that allows you to keep breathing, day after day. Tap into the inner child who was once fascinated with the miracles of the world, and harness that fascination during your yoga practice. Recreate your perception of growth, of gratitude and of appreciation.

The Choice Is Yours

Written by : Andy Vantrease

Do you ever stop to wonder how you got to where you are? Not in the sense of, “What am I doing standing here in front of the open refrigerator, again?” But to think about everything that you’ve learned, accomplished, experienced – survived, even – for you to be standing here today.

All the choices you’ve made that have altered your life’s path: choosing one school over another, one city over another, one mate over another. Heck, what you had for breakfast this morning affects how you feel at this moment, even if you don’t realize it. Life is a string of choices that are presented in many ways. Some choices are obvious – opening your closet and picking an outfit, for example, is clearly a choice. Others are subconscious, imbedded deep in our minds, perhaps since we were children: relating specific body shapes with beauty or personalities with acceptable and unacceptable or amount of income with superiority.

As a child, our subconscious mind is like a sponge, absorbing every experience and learning at a rate that only occurs within the first several years after birth. Our model of the world is formed by what we witness, how our role models respond to their lives. If I watched my mother stare in the mirror grunting about needing to lose 10 pounds every day, I remember. If I watch my parents slam doors and refuse honest communication each time there is a disagreement, I remember. If I watch my siblings share with others and be kind to strangers, I remember. In the early years of life, we are constantly observing and filing, until these behaviors become our foundation. We learn how to act when we’re happy, angry, and sad, we learn about work and play, and we set expectations for our capabilities and where we fit in society. Think that sounds like a heavy load for a seven year old?

As we move through life, our perceptions change. We are influenced by movies, TV shows, friends, classes, teachers, nature. The list goes on. We experience stress and heartache and love and community and discrimination and rejection. We are thrown into situations day after day and expected to deal with them, in whatever way we know how. And (spoiler alert) some situations, in fact, most tough situations, don’t come with a how-to Youtube video. At some point in your life, you’ll be faced with adversity. What will you do? How will you react? Will you do as those before you or will you forge new patterns for yourself?

Just because you’ve always done something a certain way does not mean you can’t change your behaviors. If your foundation is unstable, or if along the way you’ve become detached from a strong foundation, reprogramming your subconscious mind towards positive change is possible. Start by practicing new thoughts and actions, with feeling, and repeat this throughout the day as though you are learning a new skill or building a new muscle. Visualize the end result you want and do everything in your power to feel and experience reaching this goal. If you’re in chronic pain, imagine day after day what it would feel like to wake up without the ache in your bones. If you’re not happy with the reflection in the mirror, imagine yourself looking in the mirror and being proud of yourself (notice how I didn’t say, “Imagine losing weight, getting Botox, slathering yourself in product of any kind”).

To the subconscious mind, repetition of a feeling is strong enough to change the foundation. Strip your vocabulary of negative words and phrases such as “can’t,” “shouldn’t,” “not ______ enough,” “too ________.” Own your choices, and don’t succumb to external (or internal) pressures that make you feel inadequate in whatever you’re pursuing. Every choice is the opportunity to move in the direction of your dreams. Believe in yourself, commit to yourself, and love yourself, every damn day, and watch your choices manifest in all the ways you have imagined.

To Live Is To Be Vulnerable

Written by : Andy Vantrease

There are many reasons why travel is beneficial for the human spirit. It exposes you to new languages, cultures, cuisine, geography, beliefs, and struggles. You get to reinvent yourself each place you go, to be a version of yourself that you may be afraid to show at home for fear of judgment. With each new territory, your perspective changes a bit. Your eyes open to new sights, your nose to new smells and your body to new sensations. Perhaps the most rewarding, though, is the chance to open your heart, which requires putting yourself out there without knowing what you will receive in return. No guarantees. Travel requires patience, flexibility, adaptability, openness, and the willingness to be vulnerable.

Yoga, like travel, allows you this same platform. (Okay, maybe you’re not eating shawarma and tandoori chicken each time you attend class – although if you are, tell me where this is happening and sign me up!) But, when you step on your mat, you are arriving to a new place in your mind, one that you only you can create. We’re not talking time-travel here, but we are talking mind-travel. You’ve made the conscious decision to dedicate time to practice, to show gratitude, to explore new space, to breathe air into tight corners, to locate negative thoughts and repopulate with positive. You step on your mat, and you can be anyone you want to be.

A yoga practice begins with inward reflection, a place to face your fears, your decisions, your feelings, your strengths and areas for growth. It allows you to open up to your true self, who you are at your deepest, most cellular level. Then, you continuously work to bring that person out into the world, to show him or her to others.

To live is to be vulnerable and to find the courage to be imperfect and authentic. With the pressures of the world swirling violently around us, it takes courage to follow the path you feel is truly right for you. There are many roadblocks, many who will doubt you and many, many instances when following your heart will be much harder than following the crowd. And in the midst of wanting to be accepted, connect with others, succeed in your job and your relationships, being vulnerable is terrifying. But it’s necessary.

There is no true connection without authenticity, no compassion for others without first being kind to yourself. Keep going. Keep opening. Keep looking within and find the courage to expose your deepest self to others. Be real. Be true. Be yourself. Be vulnerable. And let others do the same.

“Vulnerability is at the core of our darkest emotions- shame, fear and struggle for worthiness – but it’s also the birthplace of every positive emotion we have in our lives: love, belonging, joy, empathy, and compassion.” – Brené Brown

Body Love: Learning How to Treat Yourself

 

Written by: Andy Vantrease

If you’re like me, a MindBodyGreen addict and seeker of information on how to live a more vibrant, passion-filled life, you have undoubtedly come across several buzz words and phrases more than once: self-love, self-talk, be kind to your body, listen to your body (wait, eating only when hungry is actually possible?)

It’s tough to discern helpful information from marketing, and oftentimes we find ourselves reading so much into our topics of choice that the number of contradictory tips to reaching our goals can be overwhelming. However, when you find a consistent idea among the hundreds or thousands of different expert opinions out there, it’s worth trying.

For me, this is the idea of developing nonjudgmental, loving relationships with our own bodies.

This is no easy feat, especially if you’re suffering from chronic debilitating health problems. Chances are, you’re not happy with how your body is performing, and if this downward spiral persists, you start to see changes in your body that bring you further and further from the images of men and women you see on TV and in magazines. And, we all know that in order to be happy, we have to push ourselves to look more like them, right?

WRONG.

Our bodies are designed to keep the blood pumping, the heart beating, the limbs moving, the brain buzzing. They are not our enemies, and in fact, our bodies are our closest allies. Every body needs certain things to function – food, water, sleep, movement, stimulation – and every day, your body sends you signals, attempting to communicate these basic needs. It’s when we ignore the signals and feed into consumerism that we find ourselves in trouble. “I’ll be happier when I lose 10 pounds,” or “I will look so much better if I get rid of the bags under my eyes.” That inflammation is your body’s way of protecting itself and simultaneously getting your attention. But, instead of sleeping or eating more fruits and vegetables, the advertised solution is to reach for the latest under-eye cream and fad diet concoction.

One trick to developing body love is to view the relationship you have with your body as just that – a relationship. Talk to yourself as if you were talking to your spouse, best friend, mother, son, whomever you love most in this world. And yes, I really do mean talk to yourself because not only is this not crazy, it’s actually extremely effective. Create space in your day to remind yourself, “I love you, I trust you, I forgive you,” and “I accept you, unconditionally, right now.”

Care for your bodies the way you care for others: feed them, make them feel loved, shower them with positive affirmations, be kind and support them, ask them what they need and listen to their answers. View your body as an entity capable of telling you what it needs then try to deliver. Be in tune with your body’s desires, and you will be amazed at the way it rewards you. Learning how to interpret your body’s language– hunger, thirst, aching muscles, dizziness, shortness of breath, exhaustion – is paramount to your longevity and overall health. Do not push these signals to the side and barrel through on empty.

What would happen to a relationship if your significant other constantly ignored every single thing you tried to tell them, physically and emotionally abused you, starved you, tried to silence you when you spoke up? Does that sound like an ideal relationship?

Loving ourselves the way we are taught to love others is the first step in living a more balanced, healthy life. Look in the mirror. Instead of seeing wrinkles and sun spots, look into your eyes, and find that sparkle that shows when you look at your loved ones. Watch how your nostrils flare and your shoulders rise as you breathe. You’re alive.

No matter what you do to your body, it is there for you, forgiving you for every mistake you’ve ever made, walking beside you and picking up the pieces, turning on the lights every morning and saying, “We can do this again.” This love is unconditional, people. Allow yourself to return the favor. Work together toward the common goal of a longer, healthier life. In sickness and in health, till death do you part.

Perspective at Play

 

Written by: Andy Vantrease

Every life has ups and downs. Dips that make you feel like you may never be able to dig yourself out and highs so euphoric you don’t want them to end. Then there’s all the in-between. The everyday tasks, interactions, routines, communications.

Many people stumble through this life of in-between moments, treating them as boring, meaningless times that are all strung together from one day to the next. Before they know it, years have gone by and when they catch up with old friends, their only news is “same old, same old.”

It’s easy to get sucked into what many perceive to be the inevitable monotony of adulthood. But, even if you have the same job, are working on the same project and living in the same house, it certainly doesn’t have to mean that nothing exciting is happening. What if we could take the seemingly mundane moments of everyday life and treat them as extraordinary? Or, at the very least, acknowledge that they aren’t dull at all.

Sometimes all it takes is a shift in perspective. When life becomes stale, tap back into your inner child for inspiration and curiosity.

During yoga class last week, the instructor asked that we study our feet as if we were children, discovering them for the very first time. We were asked to describe them without using judgment words like good, bad, better, worse, ugly, pretty – words that we learn later in life from magazines, media and society. We detailed their texture, the shapes of our toes, the veins, the colors, the temperature of our skin. We looked at them simply as a part of us, as functional tools that get us through the day, beginning right when we step out of bed in the morning. They are our roots. We didn’t see injuries, nagging pains, insults or comparisons from the past. We saw the structures that exist to help us run, stand, play, move, jump, dance, live. The same can be said about every inch of our bodies, if only we choose to see these inches in such a light. We entered practice that day with a new perspective on movement, and we left practice that day with a new perspective on life.

Discovering life through the eyes of a child is an unparalleled way to view the world. Everything is new and fascinating and challenging and fun. It’s more about the mindset than what you’re actually learning, as long as you’re always learning. It’s about appreciating all forms of life for the amazing miracles that they are. It’s being able to take a step back from the misguided messages being hurled at us every day, and trust in our bodies, in our capability for greatness, and in the limitlessness of possibilities.

If you love to cook, dive into learning about where your food comes from or the health benefits of the spices in your cabinet. If you love to read, pick up a new book or an old favorite that may deliver a whole new meaning to your current situation and connect dots that didn’t exist the last time you read it. A change in perspective doesn’t have to mean a profound physical change at all. It’s an opening of the mind and a look through a different lens.

So go on, embrace your inner child, and watch the positive changes take hold.

 

Mindfulness: What Does It Mean?

Written by: Andy Vantrease

Mindful is an adjective lacing the covers of wellness magazines, blog titles (guilty), meditation apps, tea flavors, beauty products and even paint colors. For months when I read the word mindful, I found myself tossing thoughts around in my head, trying to understand what it meant, and more importantly, what it meant to me.

We’ve all heard the advice: “live mindfully,” “eat mindfully,” “breathe mindfully.” Seriously, it’s like an overplayed pop song: it’s catchy but what is it even about?

Being mindful, by definition, means to be conscious or aware. But, aren’t we always aware of what we’re eating? We are physically lifting a fork, spoon, straw, bowl (pick your poison) to our mouths and feeding ourselves. Aren’t we always aware of how we’re living? We spend each day making decisions, driving to and from work, checking things off our to-do lists, taking care of our families, planning for the future.

The truth is, life moves fast. Really fast. And although your body and brain are functioning, how often do you sit back and marvel at the sheer magic of life’s moments? How often do you think about the thousands of chemical reactions that are happening each second to get you out of bed in the morning and keep your heart beating? (Thank you anatomy and physiology class.)

I’ve learned over time that to be mindful is to be able to pause and appreciate these moments. To look at your food before you eat, thank yourself for nourishing your body and treating it well (well being the key word – eat those veggies!) To walk outside to your car in the morning and notice that the daffodils are beginning to bloom. To look up and notice that the sky appears bluer now against the green grass and white Bradford pear trees. To read – with new eyes – the “Have a great day!” text from a loved one.

It also means paying attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging, especially during challenging times. After receiving an email from your manager, who wants to discuss your tardiness. After another tense conversation with a child who seems to be in a never-ending phase of rebellion. After calculating the finances and realizing you’ll have to give up certain luxuries, or necessities, just to get by this month. After hearing that the health exam didn’t return favorable results.

Being mindful is to be able to FEEL all of this, BREATHE deeply through all of this, and TRUST this life. The more you stop to appreciate, the more thankful you will be for each waking day. When you can take a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and be aware of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, you will be overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude for your mind, your body and the opportunities you are presented.

Getting Started

Mindfulness has been shown to reduce physical symptoms of stress, boost your immune system, restore focus, promote relaxation and regulate emotions. Sounds great, where do I sign up? In a world of constant stimulation, most of us are hard-pressed to find 15 or 20 minutes and a quiet place to meditate. Luckily, all you need to begin your journey into mindfulness is a set of lungs and an intention to reap the benefits of this new skill.

At several points throughout the day, preferably during stressful periods of time, pause and take a deep breath in … then a deep breath out. Focusing on your breath, even if just for 20 seconds, gives your brain the ability to register one task or thought at a time.

Breathe in for a count of five and out for a count of five – repeat several times until you feel your mind clearing and your heart rate leveling off.  Observe and respond to what’s happening around you.

Practice this every day. If you skip a day, forgive yourself, and try again. Mental fitness, like physical fitness, takes time, effort and dedication. In life, as in yoga, your practice is your practice and only you know what works best for you. Thank yourself for showing up, taking time to pause, breathe, and appreciate.

Work that Asana

Asana is probably the most recognizable aspects of yoga, so it is a great place to begin our journey. In sanskrit, asana means “to be in a comfortable seat or posture”, although we tend to use the term to describe our physical practice. While asana is only one of the eight limbs of yoga, it is a great starting point because the body is a tangible aspect of our being that we can visually see and feel from the onset. Developing awareness of one’s body is one of the most beautiful and useful benefits of practicing yoga, that has become stunted in this day and age. The more we can tune into our bodies, the easier we will be able to understand what it needs and honor it. By practicing yoga, we first work on developing that awareness and then start building the tools to heal, cleanse, and transcend.

We are composed of three facets…body, mind, and consciousness. The goal of asana is to bring the three together as a whole. An important thing to keep in mind…no pun…is that the body and the mind are not really separate. So, while we are focusing on the body at the moment, just know that it has great influence on the mind and our mental health (and vis versa). Both are deeply integrated systems of the whole being. For instance…

  • One’s mental perspective can be shifted with a dedicated practice of asana
    • Asanas affect the functioning of the endocrine system (hormones, reproduction, digestion, emotional reactions) and harmonize the control center of the brain.
    • Asanas affect the nervous, respiratory, and digestive systems of the body by bringing rhythm and balance to the mind-body integration.
    • Asanas affect one’s energetic field and allow for a free flow of prana. In yoga, this energy sheath is called pranamaya kosha, which is normally imperceptible to the naked eye. As detected by scientists, this energy travels throughout and around the body through “nadis” or specific pathways. When these pathways are blocked, physical and mental issues can take place. This is where asana comes into play and cleanses the nadis bringing balance to the system.
    • Asanas affect one’s breath and therefore can aid in the reduction of tension in the body and mind. Rhythmical breathing brings harmony and calmness to the body and therefore the mind.
    • Asanas affect our personal awareness of our physical and mental states. You can begin to more quickly notice if you’re hunching your shoulders, holding your breath, or furrowing your brow. With practice, one becomes lighter in the mind, stronger in the body, and implemented with tools to create balance within the whole self.

Asana is still just one integral part of the “practice of yoga”. It is one of the various techniques that leads to a higher state of awareness and consciousness. The mind-body connection is a means to an end, in the sense of transcending even the individual self. A pervasive consciousness that can be realized when the ailments of the body are removed and the mind is calm, leading to an automatic release of the physical body and the superficial aspects of the mind….

…But in the meantime, let’s focus on “working that asana” and finding a balance of the mind and body…the self as a whole.

Namaste,

Sarah