Friday's Practice

Baby, It's Cold Outside. As this wind tries to permeate our bodies heat yourself up with the fiery breath of ujjayi pranayama.
As you move your bodies this morning thread each pose together with deep sounded breath. If you breathe ujjayi correctly you can sweat just sitting comfortably! Hear the whisper of the breath as you constrict the back of your throat. Don't forget to keep your mouth closed - keep all that heat inside of you!

Start standing in Tadasana.
3 Sun Salute A's
3 Sun Salute B's
Handstand (at the wall) 10+ breaths
Standing Shoulder Stretch
Vinyasa to Down Dog
Pigeon both sides, vinyasa between to Down Dog
High Plank, Vashistasana Left Side to 3-legged Dog, Right Leg Up
Right Foot Forward Thigh Stretch Left Leg
Runner's Stretch or Hanuman
High Plank, Vashistasana Right Side to 3-legged Dog, Left Leg up
Left foot forward Thigh Stretch Right Leg
Runner's Stretch or Hanuman
Badakonasana/Paschimottasana
Savasana

Promise in progress

My father is a quiet thinker. So much so that my brother, sister and I would always say “he’s in it right now”. He gets this look on his face where he puffs out his cheeks and stares off into another world. It only takes a second to know he’s here but not here. Fortunately or unfortunately, I inherited this trait. As much as I hate to admit it, I spend so much time off in my other world. Though I would like to think I am the only one that knows about my time spent elsewhere, clearly as seen with my father, I am not. That simple realization brought about my promise to talk aloud, to share my thoughts with others. It sounded simple. Just talk more. Oh but it truly frightened me. We all know how difficult it is to break highly developed habits. Deep down I knew that if I could share more of myself, if I could give others my full attention, my relationships would deepen immensely.

Sometimes I wish I could flip a switch and the change would be made. But I also know that wouldn’t be as rewarding. It’s the things in life that take time and honest dedication that bring about the most abundant rewards. I practiced violin for almost 15 years before playing at Carnegie Hall. This promise I have made to myself and really to others is worth all the time in the world. After just one month I see a change. It may be small but it is there. I may be able to count the number of attempts I have made but now there is something to count, something that counts.

If you feel that you have lost motivation, just take a look around. When I woke up this morning my dog Ysabelle, luckily was not sleeping on my head but next to my head, gave me a morning kiss. Then came the smile from my husband. Our mornings are filled with thoughts shared aloud and lots of laughter. We’ve had mornings like this for over five years now but it was just this morning that I realized our mornings together are sacred. I fully participated in each moment and each moment was truly beautiful. There wasn’t anything that was necessarily different about this morning just that I chose to see the beauty that has been right in front of my eyes.

As we reach the end of our 32 day journey together, I am realizing that 32 days is just not enough. However, 32 days is enough to see that promises can be made, promises can be kept and most importantly promises can be positive affirmations of who we are. Now we just need to keep the progression going. I want to, don’t you?

Listening generously

"When you listen generously to people, they can hear the truth in themselves, often for the first time" This was a quote I read this morning and I reflected happily on how much better I have been at slowing down and really listening, truly hearing my son. How much this affirms him as a person, not only telling him what he needs to be doing, but participating in what he wants to do, share and be. There was a time (and sometimes there still is) when I answer the phone, read the mail, try to finish the dishes or whatever else needs to be done rather than fully engaging the people I am with. I am happy that is now the exception and not the rule so much.

I was feeling bad yesterday because I hadn't been participating in the Promiseland as much as I would like but then I read through the posts of this past week, they were so thoughtful, personal they engaged me, I related to each and every one, Mitchel's bad day, Liz's fire, Katie's mantra, Lisa's peace, Nicole's winding and then realized I was participating, I was listening with my heart, I am not only reading or hearing the words that people say, but I am opening myself up to allow their expression, I am sharing in their experiences, I am drawing upon the inspiration of my community (see, my promise is fulfilled ;)). I know that I have learned to listen by sitting quietly, hearing all my thoughts come and go, by taking the time to practice and learning to live in the present moment. That right now is all that matters (and right now, and right now). So, perhaps I am not participating in the promiseland live, I share so much of the feelings, the emotions, the meaning of this experience I am more involved than I really knew. So as the week comes to an end and we move past the physical experience of the promiseland, it will be all the realizations all the lessons, all I've "heard" that will stay with me, it lives in my heart, it is part of my truth.

Love,
Vicky

Winding Down

We've had a long day. Filled up with this and that. Time to unwind and sift through what' s necessary and what's not really serving us right now.

Take a comfortable seat.
Close your eyes.
Soften your face, create a space in between your teeth.
Be in the company of your breath.
Listen to the breath.
hamsa
The breath as it's own natural mantra.
hamsa
Sit for the five minutes listening to ham (inhale) sa (exhale)
I am that.
Listen.
Start to recieve the breath.
Start to experience your stillness.
When you really listen to the breath and you start cultivate awareness and experience stillness, the mind becomes present, relaxed, alive and whole hearted - all at once,
then you will start to recognize your soul, the voice that speaks your deepest and most genuine desires.
Listen to your breath.

Thoughts on Peace

This was contributed by Lisa Boyle:

Thoughts on Peace

Among my first thoughts when I read the word “peace” on the slip of paper which I picked at random out of the basket at the Joint the other week was of a stunning photograph that appeared in the New York Times Magazine (I think) a few years ago. In the photo, a woman sat in the heart of Times Square at rush hour, meditating. Despite everything going on around her, all the traffic, people, lights and noise, she appeared immune to the buzz around her, the epitome of peace. This exquisite example of one able to shut out the world and enter a different one within suggests that peace is a state of mind, like a lovely place to which you can go without moving, that can be accessed anywhere at any time.

A second thought was of a story we used to listen to in the car when my children were younger. The tale, whose specific details I will misremember, told of a poor farmer and his wife who hired a wise old man to help quiet their noisy household of crying children and howling dogs. The family did not have much money, but they were so desperate, they scrounged and collected a small sum to pay the wise man if he was successful in helping them. One by one, the wise man brought the farmer’s animals from the barn into the house, adding to the noise and chaos rather than reducing it. Then, just when the noise became unbearable, he lead the animals back to the barn, again one by one, and gradually returned the house to the state in which he had found it, crying children, howling dogs in tact. Even though there was no difference from where they started, the farmer and his wife thanked the wise man profusely and happily paid him the sum of money. They had unwittingly found peace as they learned to experience the same world differently.

Yoga combines these two pathways to peace. Focusing on the rhythms and sounds of breath immediately transports the mind to a still place. Often before the body moves into the day’s first asana, a brief centering has already quieted the constant hum of thoughts, pleasant (a greeting from a friend, the wag of a tail), mundane (a grocery list, an errand to run), and stressful (a pile of bills to pay, an argument from the night before with a loved one), that can so easily crowd one’s mind. Further rhythms - chants of om or a series of sun salutations - sustain the stillness. Then, the focus and exertion of a strong physical practice fills the heart with desire and the mind with a willingness to experience the extraordinary in movement that is familiar and knowable.

Coming to practice at the Joint is a literal crossing over a threshold of peace (om shanti). But the peace found there is also a learned state of mind, a practiced one, which is available throughout the day, on or off the mat and inside or outside any set of four walls. It is both nourishing and necessary; it can be as simple as recognizing the peace of a beautiful day or as deliberate as invoking a calming mantra when your heart is breaking. This is the peace that yoga brings to me.

Practice for Monday

Practice for Monday

Take a comfortable seat, close your eyes and listen to your breath. Hear the sound of it and recognize the beauty of it. Tune into the sounds around you and allow for all of it but stay tuned in to your breath. Sit for 10 ujjayi breaths. Come to Downward facing dog

R leg lifts swing forward low lunge 5 breaths (option forearms on floor)

switch sides - back to down dog

inhale Plank exhale Chaturanga inhale Cobra 2 breaths

Down dog

step or hop forward Uttanasana

inhale to stand

2 Sun Salutations A ending in forward bend

L leg back High Lunge hold 3 breaths

L arm down R arm up twist - hold for 3 Breaths

fingers to floor or blocks straighten both legs - hold for 3 breaths

Vinyasa ending in forward bend

switch sides R leg back ending in forward bend

feet hip distance Shoulder stretch - 3 breaths

Vinyasa

from down dog R leg Warrior II - 3 breaths

wide stradle w/ shoulder stretch

Release hands walk over to R leg Side Angle pose (forearm to thigh or fingertips to floor)

Step back 3 legged dog R knee to Pigeon

Switch sides

from pigeon on Left step back Down Dog

Inhale to Plank Exhale Chaturangha Hold for 2 Breaths lower to belly

Salabasana 3 breaths

Downdog step or hop forward

Malasana squat 3 Breaths come to sit

Janu sirsasana R leg bent fold in between knees hold for 5 breaths

Switch

Badda Konasana hold for 5 breaths

end with legs up the wall hands at your belly or heart or both - be grateful for your breath and your body, take a breath and be grateful for someone or something in this moment, say thank you out loud - stay in this gracious space for as long as you choose

What A Glorious Day!

I went to bed before eight last night. Yesterday I was off. I was tired, a bit cranky. I had a lot of ups and downs. I felt unwell, an unwell reminscent of when I was ill. This frightened me. At 6pm I wished it were 8pm so bedtime didn't seem so odd. I watched a few comedies and at 7:30pm I prepared for bed. I went to sleep knowing that today would be a better day.
Due to my early bedtime an early rise was inevitable. I awoke about 4:30am. I put my eye pillow over my eyes and breathed deep for 100 breaths. I figured this would either send me off to sleep or better prepare my day. As I lay there I thought about doing an early morning practice in my living room, maybe some candles or a fire burning. When I removed my eye pillow it was still pitch black in the bedroom and I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Alas, my husband began to snore and I thought, practice it is!
I tiptoed around the house, both to give my husband the space to sleep but also to keep the house to myself for as long as I could. I lit some candles and made a fire. What a gift to practice fireside in a dark room. I breathed deep ujjayi breath and sparked my own fire as I listened to the wood crackle. Every so often I took a peak at the fire and was soon captured enough by it's beauty that I would pause my moving practice and simply stare and smile.
After some poses close to the floor I stepped into my first lunge. As I reached my arms overhead, Voila! The sky was lit up pink as the sun began to rise. How luck am I? That is all i could think. Smiling, breathing, taking in the colors of the sky, the sound of the fire, the cool air by my fingers above and the warmth of the fire on my toes below. It surely doesn't get better than this. Simplicity at its fullest.
I talked a lot this week about mindfulness practice. Earlier in the week I read a great quote: "Mindfulness isn't difficult. What's difficult is to remember to be mindful." (I highly suggest reading the article this quote appears in http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-work/200910/the-neuroscience-mindfulness)
The article talks about truly taking everything in, eyes open, senses aware, enjoying it all. I did this as I practiced this morning. I didn't practice the most difficult poses but I practiced with every sense involved. I would break from movement, add a log, watch the colors shift. I thought of my practice as a reflection of this fire, a nice bed of embers maintining my awareness and the layers of breath and movement keeping the flames excited. My heart was excited. My mind calm. My body at ease. I practiced for a while, even as my husband awoke and shared the room with me. I took his presence in as much as the fire, mindfully, aware, with a greater sense of gratitude.
I finally sat to close practice. As I sat in agnistambhasana I realized I was in firelog pose. How appropo. I decided to close with this posture. A fine ending I thought. Next I settled in to a comfortable seat. Eyes open I watched the fire. Suddenly I am warmed from a glow beyond. I look to my left and out the window is the sun rising above the trees, perfectly aligned with the seat I took in front of the fire. It just keeps getting better. Simple. Beautiful. Quiet. The words, "I am at peace," came to mind and I made this my mantra. I repeated it over and over not knowing if I was more warmed by the words or the sun or the fire. I was being cradled by warmth, a deep knowing that everything is ok, that I really am at peace. The sun seemed to bounce with glory and happiness inside of it's glowing rim. I have never seen the sun dance but I am now convinced it does and with great pride.
My husband noticed me staring out the window and came to see the sun. He asked if I was praying to the sun for good health. I just smiled. He gets me. I break from "I am at peace" for one moment and again repeat to myself, How lucky am I? He stays near, suddenly moved to rearange some books on the shelves, clean up the dining room table from the night before. I am not disturbed. I am mindful. I am grateful.
I am entranced by the mantra, the fire, the sun. I could've sat there all day. Instead I say for a few more minutes. With great gratitude I thanked God for this glorious day.
I was reminded of some simple lessons this morning: Carve out a special space to practice. Keep it simple. Smile. Breathe deep. Have Gratitude. Be Mindful. Take It All In.

5 Minute Practice: Breath in the Positive Momentum

This week, one of my mentors at work said to me, “You’ve changed over the last year. I can’t quite pin point what it is, but you seem to be more at ease, more comfortable.” This comment was made in the scope of a larger and unrelated discussion, but it stuck with me. I thought about his observation and considered the root cause of this outward change. At first, I considered that I am a bit older and more settled in my new community and job. But when I really dug into it, I realized that I am more at ease in the world because I understand more about who I really am and what is important to me. Even more, the choices that I am making are more consistent with the kind of life that I want to live. Upon further reflection, I came to the conclusion that yoga, meditation and asana is helping me process of self-discovery.

So instead of an asana today, my suggestion is…

#1 Take 3 minutes to reflect on 2 concrete positive things that you have noticed about yourself since practicing yoga. These 2 things can be physical, mental, spiritual… what ever you notice.
Below are some examples as idea starters:
-“The pain in my shoulder has significantly decreased.”
-“I am stronger”
-“I am more loving towards people that I care about”
-“I have forgiven a loved one”
-“I am less reactive”
-“I am more grateful”
-“I am more self aware”
-"I matter" (borrowed from Liz's class)

#2 For the next 3 minutes, close your eyes and really breath in this positive momentum that you have identified. And just be with this for a few moments. Breath deeply… And observe.

Use the positive momentum as inspiration to keep practicing :)

"Posing" with a Smile :-)

I have noticed lately that when I practice I often wear a frown when I am in hamstring and hip opening poses. Truthfully, these grimaces translate into fewer results for my tight muscles. I am keeping myself from relaxing and releasing; thus receiving less fruits for my effort! So, this week I promised myself that I would recognize this behavior and I would smile more while practicing on my mat. What I noticed was that my more cheerful facial expression (though possibly quite silly looking) translated to the rest of my body! Try it yourself with this Saturday Mini Practice...

Sun Salutation A - x2
Sun Salutation B - x3

Step back to Downward Dog

Low Lunge w/Right leg - hold 3 breaths
Jump Switch legs & hold Low Lunge 3 breaths

Jump switch legs & raise torso for High Lunge - hold 3 breaths
Bend back/Left leg at knee for Crescent Moon - hold 5 breaths

Exhale hands to ground & straighten both legs for Parsvottanasana - hold 5 breaths
Jump Switch legs & raise torso for High Lunge - hold 3 breaths
Bend back/Right leg at knee for Crescent Moon - hold 5 breaths

Exhale hands to ground & straighten both legs for Parsvottanasana - hold 5 breaths
Step Left leg back, Plank Pose

10 slow Push Ups

Push back to Downward Dog

Bring Right leg high and swing it under the body for Runner's Stretch - hold 5 breaths
Step Right leg back to Downward Dog
Repeat on Left side

Step Right leg forward for Warrior III - hold 3 breaths
Release hands to floor for Splits Pose w/Left leg high - hold 3 breaths
Exhale Uttanasana

Vinyasa

Step Left leg forward for Warrior III - hold 3 breaths
Release hands to floor for Splits Pose w/Right leg high - hold 3 breaths
Exhale Uttanasana

Vinyasa

Walk feet to top of mat, lie down for Happy Baby - Hold 5 breaths

Come up to a seated position for Janu Sirsana on both Left & Right sides - hold 5 breaths

Separate both legs for a Seated Wide Leg Straddle resting head on a block

Remain here for Savasana - 5 minutes (with a smile!)

Friday Mini Practice

It’s Friday. It’s a reason to feel joy. Even when I was jobless and school-less, hanging around the house in my pajamas, Friday held some sort of excitement. There is this magic about the end of the week, as if the potential (promise?) of something great happening on Saturday or Sunday is the best part of the weekend. Let’s use the Friday energy for a heat-building burst:

Start in Downward Facing Dog - 5 breaths

Step forward with your right foot to a low lunge – 3 breaths

Step forward with your left foot to meet the right in uttanasana – 3 breaths

Step back with your right foot to a low lunge – 3 breaths

Sun Salutation A x 3

5 Swinging Dogs with right leg forward

From Down Dog, step right foot forward to Warrior 2 – 2 breaths

Vashistasana on the left hand, left foot – 2 breaths

Vinyasa (Plank, Caturanga, Cobra, Downward Facing Dog)

5 Swinging Dogs with left leg forward

From Down Dog, step left foot forward to Warrior 2 -2 breaths

Vashistasana on the right hand, right foot – 2 breaths

Vinyasa

Step forward with the right foot to Parsvakonasana – 3 breaths

Straighten right leg to Trikonasana – 3 breaths

Step forward to Ardha Chandrasana – 3 breaths

Uttanasana

Vinyasa

Repeat on left side

Handstand against the wall (or in the middle of the room!)

Try to hold for at least 3 breaths, repeat as many times as you like!

Child’s Pose for 10 breaths

Namaste

Did you make time today?

Yesterday was a tough day for me. One of those days where life feels sticky, in fact the whole weight of the day seemed to close in on me in ways that no matter how hard I tried to find a little space and peace from it all, the more resistance I came up against. It was a day of impatience, and frustration, of regret, of guilt. It felt consuming and heavy. I took many deep breaths, had some helpful conversations, and ultimately time was what helped my mood shift. It was later in the day, where I allowed myself the freedom to receive some loving advice. I opened up to the words, and tried them on slowly to see if what was said had that special effect I craved -- to sink in and part the ways for a better mood, a lighter place with myself. And sure what was said, I had heard before. It rang something to the tune of taking in the little events of the day. The "put one foot in front of the other" scenario. And for whatever reason, call it timing, call it readiness, it just made sense and felt right for me to soften the weight of my internal blows - to feel the successes of small moments - - not measure my whole existence by the sum of my bad day.

There were those small moments that ultimately added up to a larger picture - a picture that changed perspective from bleak and heavy to softness and love. I believe in those steps - if I can follow just my inhale in that moment, or the exhale. I was successful. Later in class, I talked about paying attention to the task at hand. In the Mormon culture, I learned recently, that this is a huge underlying life philosophy that is practiced. It seems so simple really, "To pay attention to the task at hand." When you drive a car, just drive a car. When you eat a meal just eat the meal. Etc. I take great comfort in that little phrase. That by focusing the lens of my fleeting attention onto the moment I am engaged in, well, then I most likely will be more successful. More attentive. More engaged with my whole heart. I love that word, "wholehearted."

So, today. We forgot to pose the mini -practice. But instead of getting into Down Dog, take time out of your night, to take in a single moment... And maybe, if you get the urge, go and tell the people in your life whom you surround yourself with that you are crazy about them.

The Lotus in Your Closet

Today's practice brings us off the mat...and into our closets! We all know what it is to feel crowded, to surround ourselves with too much stuff, whether the stuff be thoughts, things, obligations, guilt, unfulfilled promises, doubt, etc. - essentially the muck that tends to heavy us down. If you would like to start with a bit of asana today, then roll out your mat and move through a variation of the following:
3 - 5 few sun salutations
Shoulder stretch with hands clasped behind back, folding
A handstand or 5 jumping dogs or hold forearm plank for 10 breaths
and then pick one or two standing poses of your choice and make sure you get them in on both sides (you can move from a wide stance or add a vinyasa in between)
Lower the knees and spend 5 slow ujayi breaths in child's pose.
That's your warm-up.
Time to move to your closet.

No matter how organized and efficient you may be, chances are you are holding on to clothing in your closet that you don't wear and certainly don't need. For us as individuals, the unnecessary stuff we hold onto often dilutes the stuff that holds greater meaning for us. For example, in thought, we often crowd the more meaningful thoughts with distracting chatter. What if we could be more efficient with the way we frame our thinking? Simplify. Clarify. In our closets, maybe we can't see that awesome shirt that could use a night out 'cause there's just too much other stuff crowding it. This is the yoga - to make the choice if what is worth keeping and what we need to put back into the universe and get rid of.

So today, take one or two items from your closet or bureau (start with one or two and maybe you'll surprise yourself with where this goes) and put them in a bag to bring to Goodwill or Salvation Army (there are deposit bins all over Fairfield County). The greater benefit of this practice is that as we simplify for ourselves, our personal unnecessary stuff may be great stuff for someone else. As we transition into chillier nights, there are plenty of people all around us who could use that sweater or shirt that we haven't worn in 3 years. Give them the gift. Dakshana. Follow through with this promise. Place the bag in your car so that you make sure it gets to where it's needed.

A nightcap of sorts

some yummy seated poses to cap off your day.....
remember when you get to the floor: roll your inner thighs in and outer thighs out, and widen the back of your pelvis behind you, to release the groins down and back to keep the pelvis in optimal alignment.

start with 3 sun A moving with the breath, pausing in down dog for 3 breaths.
right leg Parsvottanasana 5 breaths
right leg lo lunge 5 breaths
bend left knee down - straighten right leg runners stretch 5 breaths
bend right knee - left leg thigh stretch - be sure to grab the foot from the inside edge 5 breaths
down dog
left leg Parsvottanasana 5 breaths
left leg lo lunge 5 breaths
bend right knee down - straighten left leg runners stretch 5 breaths
bend left knee - right leg thigh stretch - be sure to grab the foot from the inside edge5 breaths
down dog
float forward plank 5 breaths
bring knees to the floor and top of the head to the floor - (like a lifted child's pose) clasp hands behind your back and stretch away from you 5 breaths
press up and back down dog
walk your feet thru your hands, come to sitting
Janu Sirsasana right leg folding , left leg straight folding in between the legs. 5 breaths
Janu Sirsasana left leg folding , right leg straight folding in between the legs. 5 breaths
Baddha Konasana 5 breaths
Agnistambhasana right leg on top 5 breaths
sticking with the right leg Ardha Matsyendrasana 5 breaths
unravel straighten and shake legs out
Agnistambhasana left leg on top 5 breaths
sticking with the left leg Ardha Matsyendrasana 5 breaths
unravel straighten and shake legs out
Paschimottanasana fold over 2 straight legs 5 breaths
laying down
Ananda Balasana ( happy baby) 5 breaths
Savasana ahhh........

Halloween, Yoga & The Promiseland

An offering from PJ Papale:

I attended a lecture by John Friend (the founder of Anusara Yoga) last Friday night at Tulane University. John spoke about the origins of Halloween and the significance of this time of year as relates to yoga. In times past, 3000 years ago or so, the Celts celebrated a holiday called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). This festival commemorated the “end of summer”, a middle time between the Autumn Equinox (our end of summer around September 20^th) and the Winter Solstice (our beginning of winter around December 20^th) when our days start to become dominated more by darkness and less by daylight.

This is a time of transition, similar to dawn and dusk, similar to the pause between our inhales and our exhales. These times of transition are important in spiritual practices as they are an auspicious (marked by good omens; the promise of success or happiness) time when practitioners can connect more with themselves and with the divine. It is a time to reflect on our lives, on what has transpired, and to set some intentions for the future. The Celts and other cultures also used this time to connect with the spirits and memories of their ancestors, and to avoid harmful spirits. It was a time to honor those who had gone before by visiting their graves and bringing them gifts. It was a hallowed (holy; regarded with great respect) time, thus the night before was the eve of all hallows or Halloween.

John explained that as yogins, this time of year affords us a great opportunity to reflect on our lives and set some good intentions for the coming months. It is a time to connect with those who have gone before us for we are a part of them. It is an auspicious time that affords the chance to connect with our spiritual side and plant the seeds of a promise for the future.

In following this advice, I have been reflecting on my parents these past couple of days. My relationship with my parents both while they were alive and even now that they are not has been a struggle. My usual thoughts were that they did not give me what I needed emotionally or spiritually, and that I suffer because of it. However, after thinking about John’s lecture, it occurred to me that, hey, they are my ancestors, that I am a part of them and they me, and that maybe, just maybe, I can shift my position from a judgmental one to an accepting one. Can I embrace them as my parents with all of their faults, drop my critical thoughts, focus on how they loved me, and become more whole in the process? I think so. And, what promise does that hold for me?

Take Ten. Find Zen.

Today is one of those days where there is just not enough time in the day. I am sitting at my desk with a To Do list that keeps growing and growing. I just cannot seem to cross a single item off the list (the most satisfying part of having a To Do list!!). I am trying to do five things at once and of course that means not one will get done. So it is time to slow down, simplify and start from the top. Sometimes we just need to step away from our stressful state of mind to find neutral so that whatever task or however many tasks are at hand they can be met with clarity. Whether you too are in the office buried under stacks of paper, or anywhere else buried with thoughts and lists, take a few minutes to find your center. Who knows, maybe you will see a different and more focused approach to the day. So here is my suggestion for your mini practice:

Come into downward facing dog and close your eyes.
Take 10 deep breaths here.
Right leg forward, high lunge for 5 breaths. Step back to downward facing dog.
Left leg forward, high lunch for 5 breaths. Step back to downward facing dog.
In hale forward to high plank. Exhale lower down chaturanga dandasana. Inhale to cobra for 5 breaths. Exhale downward facing dog.
Repeat plank, chaturanga & cobra series two more times ending in downward facing dog.
Walk or hop forward uttanasana. Inhale urdhva hastasana. Exhale tadasana.
Take your feet mat distance apart and parallel, clasp your hands behind you for a shoulder stretch.
1 Sun Salutation A ending in downward dog.
Inhale forward to plank. Exhale lower down to your belly. Clasp your hands behind you. Inhale lift your chest forward and up, shalambhasana for five breaths. Exhale back to downward dog.
1 Sun Salutation A ending in downward dog.
Pigeon pose on the right side. Then pigeon thigh stretch. Switch sides.
Camel pose for five breaths.
Downward facing dog with knees bent for 5 breaths. Then legs straight for 5 breaths.
Take a comfortable seat, close your eyes, and take 10 breaths.
Namaste.

Monday, Monday

I only have few minutes to log onto the blog this morning, so here is my Monday Morning Mini offering.

Om 3 times (if you have never om'd on your own give it a try, such a lovely way to feel the vibration and affirm yourself)
3 Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation A)
3 Surya Namaskar B (Sun Salutation B)
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II right toes forward)
Trikonasana (Triangle right toes forward)
Wide straddle (Prasarita Paddotanasana) with a shoulder stretch
Virabhadrasana II Warrior II (Left toes toward back of mat)
Trikonasana - Triangle (left toes toward back of mat)
Prasarita Paddotanasana (wide straddle brings your hands to the floor)
Optional: Tripod headstand
Vinyasa
Bada Konasana
Upavishta Konasana (wide straddle sitting)
Passchimotanasana (seated forward bend)
Seated meditation (*suggestion count 25 breaths inhale and exhale is one breath) * This can take about 5 minutes, so add it in at the end of the day if your out of time.

Daily Mini Practice.

If you heeded Casey's advice and restrained from eating a belly full of candy, then this practice will wind you down from the Trick or Treat madness.

Sit comfortably and go where it's important: To Your Breath
Take a moment to acknowledge that you are breathing and be grateful.
Take a moment to acknowledge that you have taken this time with yourself and check in.
On your next inhale take your breath to the places that might feel stuck, and exhale.
Exhale out. Whatever should not be in.
Come to childs pose - stay for 5 breaths
DownDog - 10 breaths
High Plank on your inhale
Down Dog on your exhale
Inhale raise your right leg, bend your knee and twist open to the right
(be sure to keep your left arm engaged - look underneath your left arm to facilitate this)
Keep your right leg raised, come into 1 legged dog
Exhale, step your right foot forward
Inhale: High Lunge - 5 breaths
Exhale your finger tips to frame your front foot
Inhale - two straight legs - Parsvottonasana
(be sure to move your right hip back and your left hip forward)
4 breaths here.
Exhale Low Lunge - forearms on the inside of your right foot - 3 breaths
Exhale - keep your forearms on the mat, step your right foot back - forearms plank.
3 breaths
On your next exhale: forearm dog - 2 breaths
Inhale forearm plank
Exhale - regular plank .... Vinyasa
Switch Sides- end in Down Dog
On the end of your next exhale step or lightly jump to the top of your mat
Uttanasana - forward standing bend.
Inhale raise belly chest/ Exhale Bow over straight legs
Inhale up/Exhale Bow all the way down.
3 Sun Salutations
Down Dog
Inhale/Exhale step your right foot forward bring your left knee to the ground - Thigh stretch
Release - Runners Stretch
Down Dog 2 breaths
Switch Sides end in Down Dog
Childs Pose
Lay on your back for a supine twist on both sides
Savasana.