The Power of Choice On and Off the Mat

I taught my yoga classes this week around the idea of choice. It was such a powerful concept to me and one that is so close to home that I had to share!

Our day, what we make of it, our attitudes, our lives, and the way we live them is all up to us. We have a choice. And each time we choose - negative or positive. Kind or cutting. Workout or night out - we are saying something. We are giving into the way we feel about ourselves, the universe around us, and our role in it. The great new is that we have this power. We have this power to wake up every day and make choices. A lot of them. From the first foot we plant on the ground - where are we coming from? A place with an endless to-do list or a place of service to others for the day. When challenge stares us square in the face - do we choose to listen, understand, and learn something new? Or do we choose to resist and try to just get past it. Choose - make the CHOICE to choose wisely. Each and every day. Each and every act, thought, word, and feeling. The choices we make decide the path for our lives. And we are the ones living on that path, aren't we? So choose wisely.
xoxo
- AM

The Most Inspiring People I've Ever Met

A few weeks ago I was blessed enough to have this most amazing man and his girlfriend in one of my yoga classes I met them at the front desk and they were very kind and polite. I noticed the man was in a wheel chair and thought nothing of logistics - my favorite thing about the magic of yoga is that it is truly accessible to all. When we got into class I started teaching and it wasn't for a few minutes that I looked over and realized this man was a quadriplegic. And I was fully in awe of how beautiful his practice was. He used blocks to support his elbows and knees. In all honestly, his crow pose put mine to shame! But it wasn't the physical postures that got me with this student. It was the heart - this man, and frankly his girlfriend were so passionately involved in their practice, it was like watching a harmonious dance. Again, it wasn't something you could see in the physical. They were committed to their practices, moving through the asanas. They had mentally arrived and were committed to being present. They were committed to just be. And that my friends was so utterly inspiring. I was able to give them love at the end and the amount of strong, positive energy that surrounded these 2 was truly overwhelming. I chatted with them briefly after class and the funny thing is, they were sympathetic towards me for having a hubby deployed. Yowza that's some perspective - or really attitude shift. It's unbelievable what the body can do if the mind will allow it to. Most times we think we can't do something because we don't have it "in us." For this pair - they just said screw it and blew us all away. I do hope they come back one day - I truly enjoyed their presence and would love to roll out my mat and practice alongside them one day very soon. I also feel like I wasn't able to adequately express my gratitude for them being so awesome. So if you're reading this - thank you for being the most inspiring and tough individuals I've ever met. Go inside folks, you've all got an amazing light to shine from in there!
xoxo,
- AM

Yogi 1/2 way check-in!

Hello out there! My classmates and I are officially half way through our yoga teacher training and WOW has it been a wild ride! You've likely not seen me around because my entire being has become consumed with training: taking class, practice teaching class, lectures, journaling, essay writing, reading, strength training, and eating + sleeping a lot more. I never imaged this journey would be as amazingly life changing and fully eye-opening as it is. And all I want is…more! In fact, I signed up for more - and will be extending my training through October to refine, improve, and keep on moving forward. Here are a few key highlights of the journey I am so grateful for thus far:

1. Breakthrough - this happened very early on at the start of training, in chair pose. I have always been resistant to this pose and dreading it until 2 'ah-ha!' moments occurred for me. First, I learned that I am too flexible in my knees (this is not a good thing - thanks ski racing!) and when I just stood up a little bit in my stance, this pose was so much more manageable in my body. Second, is leaning into panic. I was in gorilla pose (hands under feet, knees bend, torso over) and 1 of the instructors gave me an adjustment there that held me in this pose, deep…for a while. The usual panic of discomfort, fear, mixed with a splash of anger came on - but I wasn't going anywhere. And so at the moment I decided - to lean into the: fear, doubt, anxiety. This is where the magic happens - the change, the breakthrough. And when I released damn did it feel good - but I felt completely different. Like I had proven to myself that I could do this, and so much else.
2. Leaving the comfort zone - this rocked. A few weeks ago we all had to teach part of the class to our classmates. Yes, I know the series seems easy. But from expert on your mat, one becomes unable to speak English in front of the class. I knew this was the only chance I would have to just run with it (clueless of what poses came next, what my first name was, and how the hell was it already my turn?). I went up there and just rocked it. I think I may have blacked out mid-way, and by rocked it I mean got through it. I am still alive, no one died from crow pose in the making, and I remember my name again! Seriously though - literally forcing myself outside of my comfort zone was the best feeling once I got through it. And living in this space ever since hasn't been so bad either. I've gotten the chance to learn about myself, others, and new things in life I had never experienced before. How wonderful is that?
3. Igniting energy - this was one of the coolest experiences I've had yet to date. The other night our instructors ran us through the series (1 full hour class) - lights off, candles on, no English (I sense a common theme here :)), no cues (ex. "move your leg to the top of the mat"), just Sanskrit (you know that super easy ancient Hindu language, 1 of the 22 official languages of India). Oh and PS - we had to repeat the Sanskrit back for each pose. I was hot, sweaty, sore, and full thanks to a 5 minute stuff-your-face-quickly dinner. Once we got going - my mind was blown. My normal monkey mind completely suspended on its own, I could feel every pose deep into my body, and the Sanskrit just rolled off of our tongues. The energy we shared in the room was something that I can't properly put into words - but I was shaken from the inside out. After that, I had such clarify in my mind, a softness to my body, and a connection with all of my fellow classmates. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

That's all for now! I'll be back with more soon :) xoxo

- AM

Yogi Journey – Here we go!

Hello All! I am so excited to share with you that I will be embarking on my Yoga teacher training journey starting: TODAY! Thoughts that have been running through my mind: “holy crap - what was I thinking, how do I pronounce ‘namaste,’ my headstand is really off point, 200 hours, really??” Either way – I am diving in head first, and I am going to use my blog as a journal of my experiences along the way. I will still post in between here and there my thoughts, recipes, and adventures not related to yoga – but wanted to start by sharing my first yogi assignment (below)! In all seriousness, I am so grateful for this opportunity and hopeful that my experience and teachings can help people on and off the mat for years to come. :)

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a 1-hour spa treatment for the mind, body, and soul. The steam heat warms you from the inside out as it makes its way from your core to beads of sweat on your skin. This silence combined with soft music eases your mind as you recline back into child’s pose – eyes closed, mind clearing. As you breath deeply – in and out, the worries and to-do lists of your day somehow just seem to melt away. As you move through each pose your body is challenged, your muscles are stretched, and even certain emotions arise as you open your heart throughout class. You finally make it to shivasana – your work is complete. You are refresh, made anew, and ready to face the world again with a new perspective. 

Why do I practice?

To me, Yoga means PEACE. Literally – PEACE, PEACE, and more PEACE. When I stepped on my mat for the first time I hated yoga – I just didn’t get it. Fast forward 2 years ago when I stepped on my mat again for the first time in San Diego at a C1 class in La Jolla and my world was transformed. For one hour, the mind chatter ended and I could just focus on being. When I left that class I felt lighter, less stressed, and you guessed it – more at peace. I realized I had struck gold and that I needed to take yoga as often as possible and bring as many friends to class with me as I could. I had a great secret I needed to share and wanted everyone to have the opportunity to experience what I did on my mat that day and every day since. 

Namaste ;)

- AM