WoYo A Go Go!

Happy New Year and come WoYo with us! Practice every day for the month of January. It is so fun and a great way to inspire you to your mat every day.

Tomorrow I will be focusing on twists to twist out the old. I'm ready to bring in the new.

Be The Light in November - Inspiration

The WoYoPracMo theme for November is Seeing the Light, Being Light, Searching for Lightness. Being Light. I like that.

I have always loved November. The coolness (sometimes very cold), the shorter days, warm & comforting food, warm fires, tea and fleece - oh yes, and flannel sheets on the bed. Wow - I love November. It is also the time when I really turn to my more introspective side. With the earlier darkness, it is much less of a challenge to get on my yoga mat. To practice my breath work. To meditate. It is much easier to journal and to be silent and to connect with others on a deeper level. It is the time of the year where I am really able to fill myself up and look back on the year. For me, November is a great month to see the light.

Off to walk the dog in the cool morning beauty of November.

What will you do today to help you live the theme? Need some help? Below are some places I think will help you See the Light, Be Light, and FIND Lightness. Enjoy!

Musélan Related Blogs for November Inspiration:
For Inspiration - musélan
For Yoga Inspiration - musasana
For Creating The Life of Your Dreams - Just Feel Good
For Finding Joy - Awaken To Joy Club

Inspiration Around the Web:
World Yoga Practice Month
To Connect With Others - Operation Nice and 29 Gifts
Yoga - Reflections On Yoga

What happened...

I went here...


It was not a regular Las Vegas week. I was working with my husband - really. I ate well, did my daily yoga practice (thank you WoYoPracMo), went to sleep early each night and then got the flu. Wow! Seventeen days later, I finally feel almost normal again. It's great to be back.

What did I do? Slept. Then when I couldn't sleep anymore, I broke out the knitting...

Then when my brain started to work again, I read a great book - The Power of Now.

What did I miss?

Prop, Surrender, Restore

Wow - another day gone by! It's 10:00pm and practice not yet complete. It will be the same practice as yesterday - Restorative Child's Pose and Legs Up the Wall followed by a long Savasana.

Usually, I am not one for restorative poses. I have a hard time letting go - surrendering. I want to be in control. I want to hold my body here and there. I am not a big fan of props and you use A LOT of props in restorative yoga. I get irritated folding blankets. I get irritated trying to place the props in the proper places. I also have a sensitivity to wool and all the wool particles flying around in the air make my skin crawl. All around, restorative does not leaving me feel restored - except for last night.

I took my favorite bolster - the one that started out as my favorite because I like how it looks - and put it on top of an over-sized body pillow on top of my bed and got into restorative child's pose. It took about 20 seconds for me to let go and relax - new record! I was shocked, I was elated, I was TIRED! After that I moved to the floor and did into legs up the wall with the same bolster (which is now more to me than just pretty to me - I actually like using this bolster). Then pushed my body off the bolster and rested my legs on the bolster in Sukasana. It was then time for SAVASANA. Another one I often find challenging - the whole surrender thing again. I must have surrendered because it felt great!

The props may not be so bad after all :-)

Oops! I forgot to dedicate my practice last night. I dedicate it to ME!

My practice tonight is dedicated to my friends Tammy and Aleia - having fun in Hawaii!

Good night.

Day 4 - January 4

I have THROWN myself into WoYoPracMo! I have been so inspired. I have been going deeper into my poses. My practices have been much longer. It carried over to my teaching as I taught a very intense class yesterday. Put that together with a car accident and a recovering back and what do you have - much pain!

These last few days have been very busy for me and my body is not having any more of it. Tonight, after a long HOT bath, it will be Viparita Karani for me. I am so excited to put my body on that bolster and feel the release and relax that I know will come over me. Actually, I'll start with a restorative child's pose - that sounds delicious! Why not give myself a big boost of surrender first? I'll end with a long savasana.

Good night.

January 3 - Day 3 WoYoPracMo

I taught yoga this afternoon. The class was focused on opening the shoulders and chest. I usually do yoga along with my class - though not all of the poses. I will also take time to walk around and adjust or encourage. Usually on the days I teach I do not do another Asana practice. If anything, I'll do a meditation, breathing, Viparita Karani on a bolster or a long savasana before I go to sleep.

This afternoon it was pranayama. I do Laura's pranayama online classes - they are great. I laid down on my family room floor and focused on my breath. My dogs love it when I'm down on the floor with them. Riley, my very affectionate dog, came over and laid his neck across mine. While I love his sweetness, I can't breathe! So after I shooed him away I was able to start breathing. It took me a little bit to relax and let go but finally I got to that place. It was wonderful - like a little mini nap, although I was not sleeping.

WoYoPracMo has been a wonderful experience so far (yes, after only 3 days). I have "met" so many wonderful people. I love learning about them and their life stories. I also love hearing about their practice - it is very inspiring!

The beginning...

There is something so inspiring about the beginning of the year. A new beginning and a fresh start. I am so inspired and I feel so clean and clear now. It is wonderful.

Today is day two of WoYoPracMo. I started off with a warm bath this evening. It is very cold here in the north and I have been chilled to the bone most of the day. Yoga in the bath tub is a new thing for me. Obviously, I am unable to do a lot but it is amazing what you can do!

Today I was feeling very much the same about my practice as yesterday. My body really wanted forward folding. I started out in child's pose again with the sandbag on my lower back. Child's pose is not one of my favorites - too much surrender I think. I really focused on letting go, which was my intention - JUST LET GO! Then I moved into table with the sandbag still in place and did some simple spine warm-ups, then into down dog. Up high on the "necks" of the toes again and then into half down dog.

I like to take my down dog into Uttanasana by just stepping my feet up. Then into Padangusthasana back to down dog and then to lunges then back to down dog. From down dog to Warrior II and then Trikonasana and that's it for the standing! Then to what I crave - seated forward folds.

Started out in Janu Sirsasana resting my torso on both sides of my leg then up to Baddha Konasana. Next was Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana. Next, lotus preps for the most delicious pose of all, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana. I could stay here forever but then came Marichyasana I, another winner, and then to Paschimottanasana. I followed that up with Marichyasana III and then a new one I have never done before, Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana. Iyengar write in Light On Yoga that it relieves severe backaches. After doing it, I would agree. My back has been a little sore and it felt great after that pose. Then legs up the wall. I really felt the surrender in my body. I think the great bolster helps too. Finally Savasana.

Before I go to sleep I will finish off with some guided pranayama from Laura. I like Breathing the Body. That should help me on my way to a great night of sleep.

My practice today is dedicated to two sweet little kids, Sierra and Zack. Feel better soon!

January 1 - Day One

This day did not go as I expected it would. Lesson #1 for the New Year, have no expectations! Hubby and I spent most of the day getting the family room ready for the new TV. Rearranging, clutter clearing, organizing - big day. Around 4:00 my mother-in-law came over for dinner. Then I made dessert (I'll post the recipe later - my favorite), and then we plopped ourselves down on the sofa to partake in the end of The Twilight Zone marathon (with tea - Evening in Missoula from TeaSource). I was a fabulous day but it wasn't over yet - my yoga mat was waiting!

Since the day was very active and I was very tired I decided to focus on soothing asanas for tonight - my favorite - seated poses and seated forward folds.

I started out in child's pose with a sandbag on my lower back and set my intention - that this is the first of 31 (and hopefully forever more) wonderful practices.

I then moved into down dog and gave myself a good stretch. I love to do something Jo Zukovich taught in a workshop. Get up really high on the "necks" of the toes and point the sit bones up toward the ceiling. My down dog has never been so fabulous!

Next came Baddha Konasana at the wall and then into a forward fold - ahhhh. Followed up with Marichyasana I, Janu Sirsasana, and Paschimottanasana. All part of my favorite forward folding series. I stayed in each one for quite some time - loving every moment. Then onto Apanasana followed by Jathara Parivartanasana. Ending with legs up the wall - for a long time :-) and then Savasana. So interesting - when I was in legs up the wall - all I could think about was this new year and all the things I want to do. Instead of relaxing and preparing for sleep - I was doing just the opposite.

Time to turn in. Great day, great practice. Can't wait until tomorrow.

My practice tonight is dedicated to my friend Sarah.

.: The New Year :.

I do not think that I have ever had so much excitement for a New Year in my life. I feel like a brand new person, so happy to be alive and patiently waiting to see what the New Year will bring to me. Joy at its best!

January is going to be full of growth. I am participating in WoYoPracMo. I will do yoga and write about it each day. I know this will bring me to a new level of awareness and insight with my practice. This will also bring a new level of dedication to my writing. I want to write more and this is the perfect opportunity.

January also is the start of a year long program I did 2 years ago and am so excited to do again. It's called A Year of Living Compassionately. I cannot wait to see the new level of compassion and joy I will reach this year. Check it out - there is a pre-assignment on the website. I will also be contributing to the Compassion Club blog with my friends Laura and Marya. More writing!

This is also the year of the MOVE! I know we will find our perfect house this year.

Are you ready for your New Year??

PS - The insurance form is still sitting on my kitchen table. I guess I'm still not inspired to complete it :-)