Being OK with not being OK

This meditation/video short clip was taken from a longer yoga class, but I thought there was some interesting content that deserved its own post. I was having a really rough go of it, and thought I would share my discomfort in the context of a yoga practice. We often talk how in our training we try to ground ourselves and bring in light, but what if you just feel not so full of light? Sometimes you feel downright cruddy.

I'ts at In those times, that stepping on to your mat (or sitting down on your cushion) to take a pause, I think, is even more important in order to deescalate your own response to crappy situation. It can stop you from causing more harm (to yourself, or someone else) in the spirit of Ahimsa, it can give you a moment to detach from the issue, and to study the feelings you are having for future reference. This self-study, called Svadhyaya, requires us to observe our emotions, and sit with even the ones that make us uncomfortable.

Without this introspection, without the ability to take that pause, we at the mercy of whimsy and unbridled emotion: mindlessness. What is a yoga practice if not training oneself to be more mindful?

Your comments welcome, as always. Thanks for tuning in.

Chair Yoga Live Streams via ZOOM Weekdays 11:00 -11:45AM

Link and password required to join. Email your name and a little bit about your interest in our class to byomyoga@gmail.com in advance, then I can send you the free link to our class! 

For all of us living as productively as we can in the confines of our own homes during this health crisis, I've set up via ZOOM a live stream class a Gentle Chair Yoga class, from March 24 through the foreseable future. 

I'll be there about 10:50 to greet people, and will start right away at 11. We will practice for about 40 minutes. You have an option to enable your own video (so others can see you; I have this disabled by default but you can enable it). You will be able to talk (if you have a microphone on your PC, or you are using your phone/tablet), and you will be able to text chat (there will be a chat icon at the bottom of the screen). Once the class starts I will mute everyone else for quiet. 

The app is free, the website is free, the class is free - this is a service to help keep us all a little more sane during our time of self care (quarantine) and healing. 

If you are a Silver Sneakers member (Tivity), please make your presence know before or after class so I can mark your attendance! You can check your membership eligibility here (here's a list of health plans that carry it https://tinyurl.com/y57c6duc).

Be well, see you this week. Your feedback humbly requested.

For previously recorded classes, click this link: https://www.byomyogavideos.com/

For some basic ZOOM troubleshooting, click here: http://byomyoga.blogspot.com/2020/04/zoom-help-for-our-live-streaming.html.

Yoga on PBS!

While I try to get work done sometimes I set up Eli at his Dad's PC to watch DVDs. Today I thought I'd try playing with Hulu instead. I looked up Thomas, but they only have his short vids at the namesake website. So I found Sid the Science Kid with a link to PBS.org. I didn't know they had full episodes of the great cartoons at their site.

I clicked on the first video for Sid, and lo and behold - IT WAS ABOUT KIDS DOING YOGA!!!

Check it out here (select the icon of Sid) http://pbskids.org/video/