meditation

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Myth #2: You Have to "Calm your Mind" to Practice Yoga

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This is part two of a three part series debunking some common Yoga Myths. If you have a Myth you would like to share or challenge me to debunk, share it in the comments below. If these Yoga Myth articles inspire you to try your first Yoga class - click here to sign up for classes in Winnipeg.

Yoga Cartoon By Gemma Correll

Yoga Cartoon By Gemma Correll

I've heard people say this many times - "I can't do Yoga because I just can't calm/empty my mind enough to focus".

Um, honestly….me too.

We have all seen the pictures of the calm Yogi sitting in meditation with his or her eyes closed, fingers in a Mudra, looking ever so peaceful.... but I bet at least half of them were thinking about what they were going to eat after that photo-shoot was finished. I'll be honest, sometimes I can totally focus in a Yoga class. I hear the teachers prompts to "be here now" and I am able to focus enough on the sensations in my body as I move through the poses to leave my worries behind for an hour. Other times, I don't even hear that prompt from the teacher because I am ruminating about something that happened the day before. Guess what? I am still getting a lot of benefits from moving through the practice. And take a second to re-read that last sentece - Yoga is a PRACTICE - so just keep practicing! The more you practice being mindful, being still, focusing on your breath, and keeping your attention in the present moment, the easier it may become.

If you are interested in learning more about meditation you may enjoy these Audiobooks (Links to Amazon Canada):

Meditations for Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza

Total Meditation by Deepak Chopra M.D

Click here for the US links for some wonderful Meditation Audiobooks.

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In conclusion…. Please, don't let your "monkey mind" keep you from trying Yoga. Just keep showing up with all your worries and practice letting them go, even for a moment. You are still going to benefit from moving your body, taking those deep juicy breaths, and inviting yourself to relax, even if it's difficult some days, I promise.

Yoga Music Playlist

Yoga Music Playlist

Compiling a Yoga playlist can be tricky. You don't want the music to overpower or distract from the practice, and it needs to be the right tempo for the type of practice you are moving through. Should you include songs with lyrics or without? Should the songs be recognizable or more obscure? (You don't want someone to be pulled out of focus because a song you play brings up a strong memory for them) Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite music to play during flow style yoga classes. I have included a list of songs and albums that I often use for my class playlists, and offer tips as to what point of the practice the song would suit best - some songs are great for opening and building a Yoga practice and some are great for Savasana. Keep reading for my Yoga music playlist!  

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Pranayama for Beginners Part 3: How do you do it?

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Pranayama for Beginners Part 3: How do you do it?

So, now you know what Pranayama is and how it can benefit your life and Yoga practice, I wanted to give you two of my favorite breathing techniques that can act as your first steps into the world of Pranayama. The first technique - Ujjayi Breath - is a wonderful breath to bring into your asana practice. I find it really helpful to use this breath to help keep me centered and present during my yoga practice, especially during longer holds. The second technique is one that you can practice on it's own during your day, or at the end of your yoga practice before you lay in savasana. Keep reading to learn how to practice these techniques!