I like to think of yoga as a peace offering.
When you practice with this in mind, it brings a vibration of harmony and peace to every cell of your body, to your mind, and to your emotions.
And, of course, whatever vibration or state of being you create in yourself also ripples out to the world around you.
We are at the dawn of a new year.
It is time to find gratitude for all that 2012 brought, and let it go. With this release, there is space to welcome the gifts of the moment, and open to the limitless possibility of 2013.
What seeds of intention would you like to plant in this potent transition?
Whatever you choose, if you invite peace to be your companion then all of life flows more easily, and you contribute to creating a peaceful Earth. A very high practice indeed!
Weaving a Practice of Peace
Here are three examples of what a peaceful practice can look like:
1.) Sweet and Restful:
On Mondays at 9am I teach a Deep Healing Restorative Yoga class, which blends gentle yet active stretches with restful and completely supported poses. This class allows you to go deep, yet feel very safe and take it slow. The combination of active poses and restorative ones helps your body, heart and mind return to your own natural pulsation, which is immensely healing.
This class often includes meditative practices, and sometimes mantra. This means you are guided lovingly into a place where you connect with your own inner truth, and the sanctuary of your heart where peace resides.
2.) Flowing and Strong:
Both my Align and Flow yoga classes on Wednesdays at 9am and the Yoga Boot Camp program cultivate different levels of strength, playful challenge, and inner peace. I’ll speak to the latter in the next section, but let’s explore the benefits of the Align and Flow practice now.
When you find a challenging situation come up off-the-mat, you are able to call upon the qualities of yourself that get you through a tough yet satisfying yoga practice, and these aspects bring a deeper peace and flow to life, letting you live in a more aware and engaged way rather than feeling as if you’re just “getting through”.
Having a steady yoga practice that brings a balance by developing strength and sweetness at the same time helps you to find these contrary complements in other areas of your life, and embrace them with mindful kindness. It also brings immense health benefits, making the experience of being human more joyful indeed!
3.) Yoga Boot Camp a.k.a. Peaceful Warrior Training:
What does the concept of being a Peaceful Warrior bring to mind for you?
Personally, I envision being centered and strong, in fighting shape but with the wisdom to flow rather than fight.
This vision makes me think of myself as powerful yet kind, skillful in living life to its fullest as the highest expression of who I am. It’s an inspiring and motivating idea!
To me, Yoga Boot Camp is like Peaceful Warrior Training.
Typically a warrior would awake and train first thing in the morning. And because the guiding wisdom of yoga is present in all of our practices, there is a definite depth to this program that calls to your highest self.
Click here to learn more about Yoga Boot Camp!
Kamloops Yoga Boot Camp is a women’s only program with all ages and abilities present in a supportive, fun, and encouraging group. We combine the best of yoga and fitness to reap the benefits physically and on every other level.
Kamloops Yoga Offerings: Details
All of my classes are taught in Kamloops, BC. The Monday and Wednesday 9am yoga classes are at Let’s Move Studio.
Details for Yoga Boot Camp are found at www.KamloopsYogaBootCamp.com
Blessings of Peace in 2013
However you practice yoga, there are always common elements. Stillness, movement, waves of breath… Yoga speaks to the essence of who you are and allows your natural state of peaceful being to shine through.
The three purest vibrational feelings are these: Love, Joy, and Peace
All others come from these three, or are in contrast to them. And so, when you practice, as you naturally purify your body, mind, and heart, these feelings become more clear and accessable.
It is a great gift. For yourself, and for the world.
May we all bring this gift to ourselves, to each other, and to the world in 2013.
If you live in Kamloops and love sports, chances are you’re either playing a team or individual sport to have fun and stay in shape. That’s so great! Sports are an excellent way to enjoy taking care of your body, and so often you get the social bonus of camaraderie and feeling of belonging and participation.
(Even if you aren’t getting up for a fitness boot camp, you might find some great ideas for your morning routine in this article.)
My dad would never have predicted this. I used to sleep until noon as a teenager, and now I’m happily getting up at 4:30 every morning to go work my butt off at dawn.
Somehow I woke up before my alarm. 4:27 am to be exact, though I could’ve stayed in bed another 13 minutes, I was awake and ready to go to my second day of