It’s happening, already. You have probably seen them. . .in every store. . .Christmas decorations! Every year it happens: Halloween and Thanksgiving are way-sided by Christmas displays. Here are a few suggestions for how to overcome the anxiety resulting from the displays that are distracting our attention. No One Can Make You Do AnythingAs a school counselor this was my motto. My favorite moment in any session would be when a student would say, “She/he/they made me. . .” I would pause and then look at the student and say something like, “Describe to me how.” After a few attempts at explaining, they would inevitably come to the conclusion that, ultimately, they chose to behave the way they did. As the pressure of the holidays begins to mount remember that you are the only one in control of yourself. Don’t allow the sparkly lights, shiny colors and pretty displays distract you. Take your time and enjoy the moments and time between the holidays. Reflect upon the wonder that each creates and what you love most. Be Present The best advice I was ever given was for my wedding day. I give the same advice to every bride I meet: eat the food, dance to the music and step back every once in a while to observe. Ferris Bueller knew what he was talking about. Life moves pretty fast. As we age and the percentage of time we’ve spent on earth becomes longer each day, month and year feels shorter. Yoga teaches us to focus upon one thing at a time (Dharana). The more we do so, the less we are distracted by that which is unimportant. To be present is both to make the time to step back and observe; to watch everyone enjoying the holiday feels, as well as to sit down among those you love and enjoy simply being together. Focus Upon Yourself There is a story about a student who comes to the teacher wishing to learn, but having already developed ideas about what will be learned. The teacher explains that the student cannot learn because their cup is already full. Like a teacup that already has tea in it, the student already had ideas about learning. Therefore, they had no room for more. When you fill yourself up with stress, worry, concern, anxiety, etc. there is no room left for fun, love, relaxation or even yourself. What helps you to relax? A cup of tea, a glass of wine, petting your cat, sitting by the pool, reading a book, or resting upon your sofa are just a few ways to serve yourself. Allow time for yourself so that you can empty your cup. Spread the LoveCompassion is a very powerful emotion. When shared well, it brings us together. The practice of Karma Yoga is defined as “the Yoga of action.” The removal of Karma begins when we apply our skills in ways that serve others without expecting anything in return. It is our intention to spread love that removes Karma. When we are in service to others it gives us purpose, fuels our passions and brings us together with those whom we would otherwise never meet. Choose a simple, accessible and fun way to volunteer your time, energy and talents this season. Spread the love and help to create more. Additional Suggestions. . .Local Organizations that can use your help: CASA https://www.casaeldorado.org/ Big Brothers Big Sisters http://www.bbbs-edc.org/ Keep Tahoe Blue https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/our-work/volunteer And more can be found here: https://southtahoenow.com/topics/volunteer Learn more about yourself and your Dharma (Karmic removal skills) schedule an appointment with Lake Tahoe Yoga or join scheduled classes.
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The simple act of training our minds is something that yoga practitioners discovered more than 2,000 years ago. Western medicine is only now beginning to catch up. For insomnia treatment, medical researchers have found that "cognitive behavioral therapy" is a better approach than simply prescribing sleeping pills. Instead of adding chemicals to the body, cognitive behavioral therapy addresses the root causes of sleeplessness. Mindfulness is a key component of cognitive behavioral therapy. Patients are taught to "challenge negative thoughts and replace them with more accurate, positive sleep thoughts," writes John Cline, Ph.D., in Psychology Today. Patients are also given techniques for "calming an active mind that won’t shut off," according to Stanford University Health Care. The insomnia treatment program of Virginia Runko, Ph.D., CBSM, of the Ross Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, includes training in diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization. Sound familiar? It will if you do yoga. A recent study randomly assigned two treatment paths to a group of older adults suffering from poor quality sleep. Half of the group received a sleep hygiene education program. They were educated about sleep biology, and told about behaviors to avoid before sleep, such as late-night eating and overconsumption of alcohol. The other half of the group received training in mindfulness awareness practices. Exercises included different types of meditation, including sitting meditation, and "mindful movement." After going through their selected training, participants reported their sleep patterns in a questionnaire. Folks who went through the mindfulness training showed significant improvement in sleep quality over the sleep hygiene education group. The mindfulness group also reported fewer insomnia symptoms, fewer depression symptoms, and less fatigue. Another study showed that cognitive therapy is so powerful, even online training can make a positive difference. More than 8 in 10 people with chronic insomnia who participated in online cognitive behavioral training reported improvement in sleep. Participants rated the cognitive therapy session, where they learned about "coping with an overactive mind and worries," as the most useful part of the training. Poor sleep quality is a major public health problem. More than half of people 55 and over report some form of sleep disorder. Sleep studies of college-age students show that more than 60 percent suffer from poor quality sleep. The phone and tablet screens that people are increasingly glued to emit damaging rays that suppress melatonin production and disrupt sleep cycles. Unfortunately, poor sleep quality often goes undiagnosed. People may not even realize that they aren't sleeping well. Losing the regenerative power of sleep can lead to higher levels of anxiety and depression. By practicing yoga, we help free our minds from thoughts that cause suffering. We expand our consciousness beyond the daily frustrations that can consume us. We're training our bodies and minds to relax—just as we need to do every day to get to sleep.
More than 40 million Americans practiced some form of yoga in 2011—up from just 4 million in 2001. That's a good development for our overall mental health. But we could be doing more. If your friends or neighbors mention sleeping problems, suggest that they consider practicing mindfulness through yoga. It's scientifically proven to work. Do Not Force. Do Allow.Kriya Yoga is a practice that incorporates Tapas (discipline), Svadhyaya (self study) and Isvarapranidhana (dedication). Our lineage at Lake Tahoe Yoga is Rajahatha. Each class incorporates movement, self study and mindfulness in an effort to induce Kirya or cleansing. Every posture clears away impurities and toxins in the form of sweat. While moving, you are guided to focus upon various aspects of the postures as well as your own body's experience. The more consistently you show up for the practice, the more you will feel the effects of Asana (poses). During your next Yoga class notice in which postures you can feel the heat resulting from movement or stability within the pose. Become aware of the moment when your body begins to express that which you do not need. Balance Effort & ReleaseKriya is one of the most difficult aspects of Yoga because it requires that we release our grasp and detach from expectation. Our habit is to hold, grasp, clench and grip. More difficult is relaxation; to let go and to allow change to occur. Svadhyaya is the practice of observing, witnessing and then identifying the places in which we grasp or hold. Once we become aware of what we are doing, when, we can begin to release and detach. The next time you are practicing Yoga Asana try shifting your focus and become a witness to your movements. Observe in each posture the places where you are gripping or clenching. For most of us, this happens in our jaws, hands and shoulders. It's Not About YouBack bending is often referred to as Heart Opening in the Yoga world. We tend to find fear, frustration and agitation as we bend in reverse. Our bodies are tight and unwilling to open. We are fearful of what might present itself as we open our hearts. We are so used to hiding, stuffing away and repressing things that are hurtful or cause us sadness that when we are confronted with releasing these things we become tense as we are outside of our comfort zone.
Physically, as we work through the practice of cleansing (Kriya) you may notice that your posture changes, your attitude toward yourself and others may shift and you may find yourself more willing to receive and let go. During your next practice establish Sankalpa (intention) bring to mind someone, somewhere or something that could use the benefits that the practice brings. Dedicate your practice to whatever it is you bring to mind. Let go of your desire to keep that which you create. |
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