Sun Salutation - Saluto al Sole

© Agócs Írisz

I started taking real Yoga classes in September. I've done Yoga before but in a gym or in situations that we full of loads of people in a relatively public place and without much guidance or investment from the teacher. This time it's different because the classes are held in a private home and in very small numbers, with a huge concentration on meditation, breathing and the mind-body connection. I'm definately enjoying it more than I had done in the past and have even decided to start practicing on my own at home with a daily sun-salutation before I sit for my regular meditation. I go through the asana one by one, trying to focus on my breathing and imagine a rising sun. It's physically and mentally challenging and my mind tends to wander. I have also managed to smash my chin onthe floor more than once easing my way into the Eight Point Pose and have stepped on my hair numerous times while getting into the Warrior pose from Mountain.

I must remember either to tie my hair back or call my hairdresser for a trim! -one of the many thoughts that passes through my mind while I'm going through the sequence.

Now, while learning the sun-salutation I need some inspiration and I came across these posters by Irisz Agócs. How adorable are they?!? I love love love that the character depicted is a little chubby and that she has moments with her eyes open and closed. She is imperfect and still learning! Aren't we all?

I think I'm going to order them for my office/yogazone/guestroom in the new house. You can order your own copy here.

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Ho cominciato a prendere sul serio lezioni di yoga nel mese di settembre. Li ho fatti nel passato, ma sempre in una palestra o in situazioni pieno di gente in posti relativamente pubblici e senza troppa guida o investimento da parte dell'insegnante. Questa volta è diverso perché le lezioni si svolgono in una casa privata e con pochi altri allevi, con un grande concentrazione sulla meditazione, la respirazione e la connessione mente-corpo. Sto godendo di più di quanto avessi fatto in passato e ho deciso di iniziare a praticare anche da sola a casa quotidianamente. Faccio il saluto al sole prima che mi siedo per la mia meditazione regolare. Vado attraverso quelle asana uno per uno, cercando di concentrarmi sul mio respiro e immaginare un sole crescente. E ' fisicamente e mentalmente impegnativo e la mia mente tende a vagare. Sono anche riuscito a urtare il mio mento sul pavmento più di una volta mentre assumo la posizione in otto punti. Poi ho calpestato i miei capelli numerose volte durante il recupero nella Guerriero posa dalla Montagna.

Devo ricordarmi di legare i capelli indietro o chiamare il mio parrucchiere per un taglio! - uno dei tanti pensieri che attraversa la mia mente mentre sto praticando la sequenza .

Ora , mentre sto imparando il saluto al sole ho bisogno di qualche ispirazione e ho trovato per caso questi poster da Irisz Agócs. Quanto sono adorabile!? ! ?Amo, amo, amo, che il personaggio raffigurato è un po ' cicciona e che ha momenti con gli occhi aperti e chiusi. Lei è imperfetta e ancora imparando! Non siamo tutti?

Penso che li compro per il mio ufficio / yogazone / camera dei ospiti nella nuova casa . Puoi ordinare la tua copia qui.

© Agócs Írisz

♥ Jess

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Understanding how to Go with the Flow

Yoga lessons started anew last night with a very satisfying hour and a half with Aldegonda. We tried a lot of new poses and I really enjoyed quite a few of them, especially those that stretched out my pretty compressed, rounded spine. I woke up this morning feeling a lot more bendy and with less upper back pain.

I've been thinking a lot about the nature of the self and soul. In yoga, from what I understand, prana is air, but also the universal energy that flows through everything and can get blocked and stuck in some ways. (I'd love it if you'd correct me if I'm wrong!) Yoga helps to unblock those channels and allow you to experience that energy more fully.

I have also recently read 'Power, Freedom and Grace' by Deepak Chopra and in it he also talks a lot about the energy of the universe. In fact, he goes so far as to claim that we ARE the universe and even more confusingly that our minds and bodies are creations of our soul. He says that as soon as you can get your ego out of the way you will naturally draw positivity towards you, your life's work will flow from you as easily as the water down a river, choosing the easiest path and all your desires will be realised.

I think I need to re-read the book again at a later date to completely understand what I want to take away from it. Surely I want my life's work to have no obstacles in its realisation but when I think that the greatest obstacle to my work is in fact my own personality, it's hard to get my head around. How do. I remove myself (or my current perception of myself) from the work? I do know this particular problem to be true however. I know for a fact that if it weren't for my fear, insecurity and hesitation my short film would have been finished ages ago.

What I did enjoy and I do see about all these ideas is the idea of flow. You cannot let any form of energy flow by holding onto it. It only disturbes he natural predestined path of least resistance. Can you direct energy? Sure, can you harness it? Sure, but you cannot keep it. You need to let it go.

I write this from my bed cause though I'm more bendy this morning my own energy is telling me it's best not to push. Fabri was lovely and took Sera to school so I could feel a bit better and recharge before picking her up after lunch.  I normally get really down about my low days, but today I just feel lucky that I have been so creative in this past week, that I have a wonderful family and that I can enjoy the bit of rest these few hours will give me.  I will be grateful as well when my energy does return and I can continue onto other things I've been wanting to do.

I guess that's what they mean by 'going with the flow'. I smile when I think of how many years I have either been trying to swim upstream or catch the river in a series of inadequate buckets.

Yoga at home with kids

I'm lucky to be a stay at home mum and to have loads of time to spend with Sera, on the housework, crafting, cooking, blogging, filmmaking or taking care of myself. Unfortunately, sometimes these activities can't be multi-tasked.

Other times they can!

I often visit online yoga websites so that I can get in a practice when I feel to it. There are some really wonderful sites out there that even offer free lessons such as doyogawithme.com so with those and searches on youtube I'm spoilt for choice.  It's not the same as going for a lesson, but I haven't managed to work something regular into my schedule yet.

Today Sera and I shared our practice. Its a chance to teach her something special as well as take care of myself a little bit.  Look how wonderful her downward dog is!

I love that whenever she sees me pull the mat out she tells me 'I wanna do yogiees!'. It's too sweet!

PS. Isn't she rocking my retro leotard from the early 80's? She's such a fashionista!

yoga monday

I have a membership at the local gym and they offer a yoga class on Monday evenings which I go to when I get the chance.  I'll probably go tonight.

I'm interested in yoga but can't say I'm 'into' it as such or that I practise it daily in the same way I practise meditation, but I do dabble. I have to say that I can see the draw and the benefits when I manage to stick to it for more than a few times in a row.  But, being a busy mum and my gym only offering it twice a week (the other slot is during the afternoon when I'm home with Sera) I don't get around to practising as much as I'd like to.

If you also can't get to a course or a class there are a few ways of practising yoga at home that I've found helpful. I sometimes follow along with a DVD by Antonia Kidman.  It's a bit fast paced for me at times and she does a lot of sun salutes which can be quite cardiovascular so I'm not always feeling up to it.

Another option, though much more technical and clinical in nature is a free app offered by women's health magazine Hot Body Yoga. There are set programs which 'talk you into and out of' poses and asanas. There are a few very brief sequences which are nice to follow.

I also have a copy of Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Meditation Practise  CDs. There are 4 CDs in totla, two of which are 45minute long yoga sessions that you're meant to follow at home as a compliment to the guided meditation study on the other 2 CDs. These CDs are meant for people who are trying to attain a higher level of mindfulness and stress management in their daily lives whether they are facing physical challenges or not, but the practise does stem from a medical background.

When I practise at home sometimes Sera joins along with me. She can do pretty much any of the poses that I can and often much more successfully. I think as soon as she turns 3 we'll look for a course we can go to together as Mummy - Kid Yoga is becoming popular here as well.

Just for fun check out this video: Yoga for Wine Lovers and you'll be touching on a few of my favorite subjects